Testing BGS Modpack Batches (judgment skill)
This skill answers one question: "It's installed -- how do I PROACTIVELY verify this batch before declaring the batch good?"
BB84's source material is thin here. That is part of the skill's operating doctrine: do not manufacture a giant universal QA checklist. Test the batch's intended in-game impact, preserve save hygiene, query KB for game-specific commands/routes, and mark [GAP — needs user input] when the substrate is silent.
The Iron Law
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| A batch is not accepted because the game reached the main menu. It is accepted only after the |
| batch's intended in-game effect is observed in its target context, with no immediate local |
| breakage, and without baking unverified state into the user's main save. |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Route gate (one primary skill per intent)
Use this skill when the user has already installed a batch and wants a proactive post-install verification pass: what to inspect, what commands/routes to use, what counts as enough evidence to move to the next batch.
Do not use this skill as the primary skill for adjacent intents:
| User intent |
Primary skill |
| "It crashed", "FPS tanked", missing meshes, broken quests, bad logs, or any failure already observed |
diagnosing-bgs-problems |
| "Should this mod go in the pack?" before install |
evaluating-bgs-mods |
| Define pack style, batch size, rollback boundaries, naming/separator discipline |
curating-bgs-modpack |
Enable/disable/reorder plugins or edit plugins.txt |
writing-bgs-load-order |
| Inspect records, conflicts, or override winners |
xedit-conflict-audit / xedit-automation |
Terminal handoff: if proactive testing finds a failure signal, stop calling it "testing" and hand off to diagnosing-bgs-problems. A failed verification pass is not an invitation to improvise a fix inside this skill.
When to use / When NOT
Use when:
- A small batch was installed and the user asks "what should I test before moving on?"
- The user asks "is it stable?", "post-install check", "验证安装", or "测试整合包".
- You need to verify visible new content, expected local mechanics, or immediate CTD/performance risk in the batch's target context.
- You need a save-hygiene reminder before the user commits playthrough state.
- You need to query KB for per-game console commands or test routes without fossilizing those facts in the skill.
Do not use when:
- A crash/perf/quest/mesh/script failure already exists. Escalate to
diagnosing-bgs-problems.
- The question is whether to include the mod at all. Use
evaluating-bgs-mods.
- The batch boundary is unknown and the user wants to plan the pack architecture. Use
curating-bgs-modpack.
- You are about to write game-specific console command catalogs into this file. Those belong in KB.
- You are tempted to invent generic QA filler like "verify all systems work". Mark
[GAP — needs user input] instead.
Process Flow
digraph testing_bgs_modpack {
rankdir=TB;
node [shape=box];
start [shape=doublecircle, label="Installed batch"];
boundary [label="Name the batch boundary\nWhich mods were just added?\nWhat impact did they promise?"];
kb [label="Query KB\n(game + mod type + console/test routes + save hygiene)"];
gap [shape=diamond, label="KB / user intent enough\nto define target checks?"];
ask [label="Mark [GAP] and ask one focused question\nwith a recommended minimal route"];
save [label="Protect save state\nUse disposable/pre-batch test save\nDo not overwrite main progression"];
route [label="Run batch-bounded in-game checks\nGo only where this batch should matter\nUse per-game commands from KB"];
observe [label="Observe semantic readback\nvisible effect present? expected mechanic works?\nno immediate CTD/error/major local breakage?"];
fail [shape=doublecircle, label="FAIL / FAILURE SIGNAL\nStop and hand off to diagnosing-bgs-problems"];
more [shape=doublecircle, label="NEEDS MORE INFO\nName exact missing proof / KB gap"];
pass [shape=doublecircle, label="PASS FOR THIS BATCH\nRecord evidence, then next batch may proceed"];
start -> boundary -> kb -> gap;
gap -> ask [label="no"];
gap -> save [label="yes"];
ask -> kb [label="after answer or KB backfill"];
save -> route -> observe;
observe -> pass [label="intended effect observed + no local breakage"];
observe -> fail [label="CTD, severe perf, missing content, broken mechanic"];
observe -> more [label="impact unknown or route not grounded"];
}
KB query discipline
This skill teaches the testing posture. It does not inline game-specific commands, cells, routes, log tools, or benchmark thresholds.
Before recommending a console command or test route, query KB for the current game and the batch's mod-impact type:
bgs_kb_query({
query: "post-install verification console commands test routes <mod type>",
domains: ["install-planning", "debugging", "engine"],
games: ["<current game>"]
})
bgs_kb_query({
query: "save hygiene script initialization batch testing",
domains: ["install-planning", "debugging", "engine"],
games: ["<current game>"]
})
[STOP] If KB is silent on a command or route, do not invent one from memory. Mark [GAP — needs user input] and ask for the user's preferred test cell / route / save boundary, or recommend the smallest non-saving visual/mechanic check that follows from the mod author's stated impact.
[STOP] Per-game console commands and travel/debug shortcuts are KB facts. They belong in KB records, not in this game-agnostic skill body.
Checklist
- Name the batch: list only the mods just installed and the intended impact of each. If the batch boundary is unclear, mark
[GAP — needs user input] and ask for it.
- Read / reuse the author-stated impact: what should visibly or mechanically change if the install is correct?
- Query KB for the current game's test routes, console commands, save-hygiene notes, and mod-type-specific verification signals.
- If KB lacks routes or commands, mark
[GAP — needs user input]; do not write a universal route from memory.
- Protect save state before testing. Use a disposable/pre-batch test save or another user-approved save boundary.
[GAP — needs user input]: exact safe-save procedure is game/profile-specific and not in the mined corpus.
- Do not save over the user's main progression until the batch has a PASS verdict.
- Visit the target context where the batch should matter: the cell, worldspace, UI screen, NPC, item, quest stage, mechanic trigger, or performance hotspot named by the batch/KB.
[GAP — needs user input]: if no target context is known, the batch is not verifiable yet.
- Look for positive evidence: visible new content present, expected local mechanic works once, expected patch/fix changes the previously relevant local behavior, and no immediate CTD or severe local breakage.
- Treat silent absence as a failure signal: if the mod is enabled but the expected thing is visibly absent, stop and hand off to diagnosis instead of declaring success.
- Treat error overlays / missing assets / broken UI / severe local FPS collapse as failure signals.
[GAP — needs user input]: exact overlay strings and visual markers are per-game/per-mod facts for KB.
- Do not expand into a whole-pack investigation. If the batch fails, route to
diagnosing-bgs-problems; if it passes, record "PASS for this batch" and move to the next batch.
- Record the evidence in plain terms: batch name, game/profile, save boundary, route used, positive observations, failure signals absent/present, remaining
[GAP] items.
Red Flags (STOP)
| Thought |
Reality |
| "The main menu loaded, so the batch is stable." |
Menu load is not the batch's in-game impact. Test where the batch should matter. |
| "MO2 says enabled; no need to enter the game." |
Manager enablement is not semantic readback. Some failures only appear in-game or in xEdit. |
| "I'll save normally first so the mod initializes." |
Do not bake unverified batch state into the main progression save. Use a save boundary. |
| "No CTD for five minutes means accepted." |
No CTD is one support signal. Acceptance also needs the intended effect to appear/work. |
| "Something broke; keep using this checklist until fixed." |
A failure signal exits this skill. Hand off to diagnosing-bgs-problems. |
| "Console commands are obvious across Bethesda games." |
Per-game commands and safe cells belong in KB. Query first; mark [GAP] if absent. |
| "The source is thin; fill in normal QA advice." |
This judgment layer is anti-checklist. Thin substrate means honest [GAP], not filler. |
Rationalizations
| Excuse |
Reality |
| "Testing the whole pack every time is safer." |
Proactive verification is batch-bounded. Whole-pack diagnosis begins after a failure signal. |
| "I can test after a few more batches; this one is small." |
Delayed testing destroys the recent-batch boundary that makes failures attributable. |
| "The mod is visual only; no need for a save boundary." |
Maybe, but the skill cannot know that without the author's stated impact and KB facts. Mark uncertainty instead of guessing. |
| "If the expected content is absent, maybe it appears later." |
Maybe. It is still not verified. Mark NEEDS MORE INFO or hand off to diagnosis. |
| "A generic route through a few popular cells is good enough." |
Routes must match the batch's intended impact and current game. Generic tourism is not proof. |
| "The user wants confidence, not gaps." |
False confidence is worse than a marked gap. Honest [GAP] is the correct deliverable when the corpus is silent. |
Recommended Approach: Senior Curator's Lens
This section reflects an experienced curator's perspective, distilled from BB84's
BGS modpack curation work. It is RECOMMENDED guidance, not enforced rule.
If the user has a working testing process they prefer, the agent SHOULD respect
that.
Recommended testing rhythm:
- Stage-test after each batch, not after each mod. Single-mod testing has
infinite time cost (KB record
pack-curation.testing-cost-economics). Batch
together additive low-risk mods, then enter a staged-test phase.
- Test the silent failure surface, not just the crash surface. Walk through
areas known to be touched by recent mods; check NPC outfit logic; check
inventory drops; sample dialog flow; observe save file size growth pattern.
- Commit save before risky batches. Saves are the rollback substrate.
- Long-session discovery is part of the testing rhythm. Many defects only
emerge after 10+ hours of real play. Don't claim "stable" from 30 minutes of
smoke test.
See KB record mod-evaluation.bb84-curator-perspective-reference for the full
curator essay.
See also
diagnosing-bgs-problems — use after any crash, severe FPS drop, missing content, broken mechanic, log error, or failed verification signal.
curating-bgs-modpack — owns batch boundaries, rollback rhythm, pack style, and naming/separator discipline.
evaluating-bgs-mods — decides whether a mod should be included before install.
interpreting-mod-author-instructions — reads author instructions and installer choices before the testable batch exists.
writing-bgs-load-order — plugin enable/disable/order mechanics.
xedit-conflict-audit / xedit-automation — record-level readback when a failed verification points to override/conflict semantics.
bgs_kb_query — required source for per-game console commands, safe test cells/routes, save-hygiene specifics, and mod-category verification facts.
Source: hashgraph-online/awesome-codex-plugins → plugins/BB-84C/bgs-modding-superpowers/skills/testing-bgs-modpack/SKILL.md
1---2name: testing-bgs-modpack3description: Use when proactively verifying an installed BGS modpack batch before declaring it good. Triggers - "test the pack", "verification", "post-install check", "is it stable", "what should I test", "测试整合包", "验证安装". NOT for reactive crash/performance diagnosis after failure (use diagnosing-bgs-problems), pre-install mod evaluation (evaluating-bgs-mods), or defining batch boundaries/style (curating-bgs-modpack).4---567# Testing BGS Modpack Batches (judgment skill)89This skill answers one question: **"It's installed -- how do I PROACTIVELY verify this batch before declaring the batch good?"**1011BB84's source material is thin here. That is part of the skill's operating doctrine: do not manufacture a giant universal QA checklist. Test the batch's intended in-game impact, preserve save hygiene, query KB for game-specific commands/routes, and mark `[GAP — needs user input]` when the substrate is silent.1213## The Iron Law1415```text16+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+17| A batch is not accepted because the game reached the main menu. It is accepted only after the |18| batch's intended in-game effect is observed in its target context, with no immediate local |19| breakage, and without baking unverified state into the user's main save. |20+------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+21```2223## Route gate (one primary skill per intent)2425Use this skill when the user has already installed a batch and wants a **proactive post-install verification pass**: what to inspect, what commands/routes to use, what counts as enough evidence to move to the next batch.2627Do **not** use this skill as the primary skill for adjacent intents:2829| User intent | Primary skill |30|---|---|31| "It crashed", "FPS tanked", missing meshes, broken quests, bad logs, or any failure already observed | `diagnosing-bgs-problems` |32| "Should this mod go in the pack?" before install | `evaluating-bgs-mods` |33| Define pack style, batch size, rollback boundaries, naming/separator discipline | `curating-bgs-modpack` |34| Enable/disable/reorder plugins or edit `plugins.txt` | `writing-bgs-load-order` |35| Inspect records, conflicts, or override winners | `xedit-conflict-audit` / `xedit-automation` |3637Terminal handoff: if proactive testing finds a failure signal, stop calling it "testing" and hand off to `diagnosing-bgs-problems`. A failed verification pass is not an invitation to improvise a fix inside this skill.3839## When to use / When NOT4041Use when:4243- A small batch was installed and the user asks "what should I test before moving on?"44- The user asks "is it stable?", "post-install check", "验证安装", or "测试整合包".45- You need to verify visible new content, expected local mechanics, or immediate CTD/performance risk in the batch's target context.46- You need a save-hygiene reminder before the user commits playthrough state.47- You need to query KB for per-game console commands or test routes without fossilizing those facts in the skill.4849Do not use when:5051- A crash/perf/quest/mesh/script failure already exists. Escalate to `diagnosing-bgs-problems`.52- The question is whether to include the mod at all. Use `evaluating-bgs-mods`.53- The batch boundary is unknown and the user wants to plan the pack architecture. Use `curating-bgs-modpack`.54- You are about to write game-specific console command catalogs into this file. Those belong in KB.55- You are tempted to invent generic QA filler like "verify all systems work". Mark `[GAP — needs user input]` instead.5657## Process Flow5859```dot60digraph testing_bgs_modpack {61 rankdir=TB;62 node [shape=box];6364 start [shape=doublecircle, label="Installed batch"];65 boundary [label="Name the batch boundary\nWhich mods were just added?\nWhat impact did they promise?"];66 kb [label="Query KB\n(game + mod type + console/test routes + save hygiene)"];67 gap [shape=diamond, label="KB / user intent enough\nto define target checks?"];68 ask [label="Mark [GAP] and ask one focused question\nwith a recommended minimal route"];69 save [label="Protect save state\nUse disposable/pre-batch test save\nDo not overwrite main progression"];70 route [label="Run batch-bounded in-game checks\nGo only where this batch should matter\nUse per-game commands from KB"];71 observe [label="Observe semantic readback\nvisible effect present? expected mechanic works?\nno immediate CTD/error/major local breakage?"];72 fail [shape=doublecircle, label="FAIL / FAILURE SIGNAL\nStop and hand off to diagnosing-bgs-problems"];73 more [shape=doublecircle, label="NEEDS MORE INFO\nName exact missing proof / KB gap"];74 pass [shape=doublecircle, label="PASS FOR THIS BATCH\nRecord evidence, then next batch may proceed"];7576 start -> boundary -> kb -> gap;77 gap -> ask [label="no"];78 gap -> save [label="yes"];79 ask -> kb [label="after answer or KB backfill"];80 save -> route -> observe;81 observe -> pass [label="intended effect observed + no local breakage"];82 observe -> fail [label="CTD, severe perf, missing content, broken mechanic"];83 observe -> more [label="impact unknown or route not grounded"];84}85```8687## KB query discipline8889This skill teaches the testing posture. It does **not** inline game-specific commands, cells, routes, log tools, or benchmark thresholds.9091Before recommending a console command or test route, query KB for the current game and the batch's mod-impact type:9293```text94bgs_kb_query({95 query: "post-install verification console commands test routes <mod type>",96 domains: ["install-planning", "debugging", "engine"],97 games: ["<current game>"]98})99100bgs_kb_query({101 query: "save hygiene script initialization batch testing",102 domains: ["install-planning", "debugging", "engine"],103 games: ["<current game>"]104})105```106107[STOP] If KB is silent on a command or route, do not invent one from memory. Mark `[GAP — needs user input]` and ask for the user's preferred test cell / route / save boundary, or recommend the smallest non-saving visual/mechanic check that follows from the mod author's stated impact.108109[STOP] Per-game console commands and travel/debug shortcuts are KB facts. They belong in KB records, not in this game-agnostic skill body.110111## Checklist1121131. Name the batch: list only the mods just installed and the intended impact of each. If the batch boundary is unclear, mark `[GAP — needs user input]` and ask for it.1142. Read / reuse the author-stated impact: what should visibly or mechanically change if the install is correct?1153. Query KB for the current game's test routes, console commands, save-hygiene notes, and mod-type-specific verification signals.1164. If KB lacks routes or commands, mark `[GAP — needs user input]`; do not write a universal route from memory.1175. Protect save state before testing. Use a disposable/pre-batch test save or another user-approved save boundary. `[GAP — needs user input]`: exact safe-save procedure is game/profile-specific and not in the mined corpus.1186. Do **not** save over the user's main progression until the batch has a PASS verdict.1197. Visit the target context where the batch should matter: the cell, worldspace, UI screen, NPC, item, quest stage, mechanic trigger, or performance hotspot named by the batch/KB. `[GAP — needs user input]`: if no target context is known, the batch is not verifiable yet.1208. Look for positive evidence: visible new content present, expected local mechanic works once, expected patch/fix changes the previously relevant local behavior, and no immediate CTD or severe local breakage.1219. Treat silent absence as a failure signal: if the mod is enabled but the expected thing is visibly absent, stop and hand off to diagnosis instead of declaring success.12210. Treat error overlays / missing assets / broken UI / severe local FPS collapse as failure signals. `[GAP — needs user input]`: exact overlay strings and visual markers are per-game/per-mod facts for KB.12311. Do not expand into a whole-pack investigation. If the batch fails, route to `diagnosing-bgs-problems`; if it passes, record "PASS for this batch" and move to the next batch.12412. Record the evidence in plain terms: batch name, game/profile, save boundary, route used, positive observations, failure signals absent/present, remaining `[GAP]` items.125126## Red Flags (STOP)127128| Thought | Reality |129|---|---|130| "The main menu loaded, so the batch is stable." | Menu load is not the batch's in-game impact. Test where the batch should matter. |131| "MO2 says enabled; no need to enter the game." | Manager enablement is not semantic readback. Some failures only appear in-game or in xEdit. |132| "I'll save normally first so the mod initializes." | Do not bake unverified batch state into the main progression save. Use a save boundary. |133| "No CTD for five minutes means accepted." | No CTD is one support signal. Acceptance also needs the intended effect to appear/work. |134| "Something broke; keep using this checklist until fixed." | A failure signal exits this skill. Hand off to `diagnosing-bgs-problems`. |135| "Console commands are obvious across Bethesda games." | Per-game commands and safe cells belong in KB. Query first; mark `[GAP]` if absent. |136| "The source is thin; fill in normal QA advice." | This judgment layer is anti-checklist. Thin substrate means honest `[GAP]`, not filler. |137138## Rationalizations139140| Excuse | Reality |141|---|---|142| "Testing the whole pack every time is safer." | Proactive verification is batch-bounded. Whole-pack diagnosis begins after a failure signal. |143| "I can test after a few more batches; this one is small." | Delayed testing destroys the recent-batch boundary that makes failures attributable. |144| "The mod is visual only; no need for a save boundary." | Maybe, but the skill cannot know that without the author's stated impact and KB facts. Mark uncertainty instead of guessing. |145| "If the expected content is absent, maybe it appears later." | Maybe. It is still not verified. Mark NEEDS MORE INFO or hand off to diagnosis. |146| "A generic route through a few popular cells is good enough." | Routes must match the batch's intended impact and current game. Generic tourism is not proof. |147| "The user wants confidence, not gaps." | False confidence is worse than a marked gap. Honest `[GAP]` is the correct deliverable when the corpus is silent. |148149## Recommended Approach: Senior Curator's Lens150151> This section reflects an experienced curator's perspective, distilled from BB84's152> BGS modpack curation work. It is RECOMMENDED guidance, **not enforced rule**.153> If the user has a working testing process they prefer, the agent SHOULD respect154> that.155156Recommended testing rhythm:1571581. **Stage-test after each batch, not after each mod.** Single-mod testing has159 infinite time cost (KB record `pack-curation.testing-cost-economics`). Batch160 together additive low-risk mods, then enter a staged-test phase.1612. **Test the silent failure surface, not just the crash surface.** Walk through162 areas known to be touched by recent mods; check NPC outfit logic; check163 inventory drops; sample dialog flow; observe save file size growth pattern.1643. **Commit save before risky batches.** Saves are the rollback substrate.1654. **Long-session discovery is part of the testing rhythm.** Many defects only166 emerge after 10+ hours of real play. Don't claim "stable" from 30 minutes of167 smoke test.168169See KB record `mod-evaluation.bb84-curator-perspective-reference` for the full170curator essay.171172## See also173174- `diagnosing-bgs-problems` — use after any crash, severe FPS drop, missing content, broken mechanic, log error, or failed verification signal.175- `curating-bgs-modpack` — owns batch boundaries, rollback rhythm, pack style, and naming/separator discipline.176- `evaluating-bgs-mods` — decides whether a mod should be included before install.177- `interpreting-mod-author-instructions` — reads author instructions and installer choices before the testable batch exists.178- `writing-bgs-load-order` — plugin enable/disable/order mechanics.179- `xedit-conflict-audit` / `xedit-automation` — record-level readback when a failed verification points to override/conflict semantics.180- `bgs_kb_query` — required source for per-game console commands, safe test cells/routes, save-hygiene specifics, and mod-category verification facts.181182---183184**Source:** [`hashgraph-online/awesome-codex-plugins`](https://github.com/hashgraph-online/awesome-codex-plugins) → `plugins/BB-84C/bgs-modding-superpowers/skills/testing-bgs-modpack/SKILL.md`