---
name: soak-test
description: "Generate a soak test protocol for extended play sessions. Defines what to observe, measure, and log during long play sessions to surface slow leaks, fatigue effects, and edge cases that only appear after sustained play. Primarily used in Polish and Release phases."
argument-hint: "[duration: 30m | 1h | 2h | 4h] [focus: memory | stability | balance | all]"
user-invocable: true
allowed-tools: Read, Glob, Grep, Write
---
# Soak Test
A soak test (also called an endurance test) is an extended play session run
with specific observation goals. Unlike a smoke check (broad critical path,
~10 min) or a single-feature playtest (~30 min), a soak test runs for **30
minutes to several hours** to surface:
- **Memory leaks** — gradual heap growth that only appears after scene transitions
- **Performance drift** — frame time degradation that worsens over time
- **State accumulation bugs** — issues that only appear after N repetitions
of a mechanic (inventory full, score overflow, AI state corruption)
- **Fun fatigue** — mechanics that feel good in a first session but grow
repetitive over extended play
- **Content exhaustion** — the point where players run out of novel content
**This skill generates the observation protocol and analysis harness — the
human does the actual playing.**
**Output:** `production/qa/soak-test-[date]-[duration].md`
**When to run:**
- Polish phase — before `/gate-check release`
- After fixing a memory or stability issue (regression soak)
- When extended play has not been formally tracked
---
## 1. Parse Arguments
**Duration** (default: `1h`):
- `30m` — short soak; suitable for testing a single mechanic or scene
- `1h` — standard soak; covers most common leak categories
- `2h` — extended soak; recommended for first full Polish soak
- `4h` — deep soak; required for games with long session design (RPGs, sims)
**Focus** (default: `all`):
- `memory` — focus on heap size, object count, leak patterns
- `stability` — focus on crash/freeze/hang detection
- `balance` — focus on fun fatigue, content exhaustion, difficulty perception
- `all` — all of the above
---
## 2. Load Context
Read:
- `docs/framework/technical-preferences.md` — engine (for engine-specific memory
monitoring guidance), performance budgets (memory ceiling, target FPS)
- `design/gdd/game-concept.md` — intended session length (for comparison against
soak duration), core loop description
- Most recent file in `production/playtests/` — prior playtest findings
(to avoid re-documenting known issues)
- Most recent file in `production/qa/qa-plan-*.md` — current sprint test coverage
(to understand what has been formally tested vs. what the soak covers)
Note any performance budget targets from technical-preferences.md:
- Memory ceiling: [N MB, or "not set"]
- Target FPS: [N, or "not set"]
- Frame budget: [N ms, or "not set"]
---
## 3. Define Observation Checkpoints
Based on duration, generate timed checkpoints:
**30m soak**: T+0, T+10, T+20, T+30
**1h soak**: T+0, T+15, T+30, T+45, T+60
**2h soak**: T+0, T+20, T+40, T+60, T+80, T+100, T+120
**4h soak**: T+0, T+30, T+60, T+90, T+120, T+180, T+240
At each checkpoint, the observer records the observation items defined in
Phase 4.
---
## 4. Generate the Soak Test Protocol
### Memory / Stability observation items (if focus = memory or all)
Engine-specific monitoring guidance:
**Godot 4:**
- Open Debugger → Monitors tab; track `Memory → Static Memory` and
`Object Count → Objects` across checkpoints
- Record: Static Memory (KB), Object Count, Orphan Nodes count
- Alert threshold: Memory growth > 20% from T+0 after the first 15 minutes
(some growth on load is expected; sustained growth indicates a leak)
- Note: `Performance.get_monitor(Performance.MEMORY_STATIC)` returns bytes
in Godot 4.6
**Unity:**
- Open Memory Profiler (Window → Analysis → Memory Profiler)
- Record: Total Reserved Memory (MB), GC Allocated (MB), Object Count at each checkpoint
- Alert threshold: GC Allocated growing monotonically across 3+ checkpoints
**Unreal Engine:**
- Use `stat memory` console command at each checkpoint
- Record: Physical Memory Used (MB), Physical Memory Available
- Alert threshold: Physical Memory Used growth > 50MB over the full soak
### Stability observation items (if focus = stability or all)
At each checkpoint, note:
- [ ] No crash, hang, or freeze occurred since last checkpoint
- [ ] Frame rate still within target budget ([target FPS] fps)
- [ ] Audio still playing correctly (no desync or silence)
- [ ] All HUD elements still rendering correctly
- [ ] Input responding as expected (no input loss or lag spike)
### Balance / fatigue observation items (if focus = balance or all)
Collect subjective observations at each checkpoint:
- [ ] Core mechanic still feels rewarding (Y/N)
- [ ] Perceived difficulty level: [too easy / appropriate / too hard]
- [ ] Any "I've seen this before" moments since last checkpoint? (novel content exhaustion)
- [ ] Any moment of frustration since last checkpoint? Note cause.
- [ ] Any moment of peak engagement since last checkpoint? Note cause.
---
## 5. Generate the Protocol Document
```markdown
# Soak Test Protocol
> **Date**: [date]
> **Duration**: [duration]
> **Focus**: [memory | stability | balance | all]
> **Engine**: [engine]
> **Generated by**: /soak-test
---
## Pre-Session Setup
Before starting the soak:
- [ ] Game is running from a **fresh launch** (not resumed from a prior session)
- [ ] All background applications closed (minimise OS memory interference)
- [ ] Performance monitoring tool open and recording:
- **Godot**: Debugger → Monitors tab → Memory section visible
- **Unity**: Memory Profiler window open
- **Unreal**: `stat memory` ready in console
- [ ] Soak target confirmed: [session design intent from game concept]
- [ ] Prior known issues to watch for: [from most recent playtest / qa-plan]
---
## Baseline (T+0) — Record Before Playing
| Metric | Baseline Value |
|--------|---------------|
| Memory / Heap | [record before first frame of gameplay] |
| Object Count | [record] |
| FPS (first 30 seconds) | [record] |
| [Engine-specific metric] | [record] |
---
## Checkpoint Log
### T+[N] minutes
**Memory / Stability** *(if applicable)*:
| Metric | Value | Δ from Baseline | Alert? |
|--------|-------|-----------------|--------|
| Memory / Heap | | | |
| Object Count | | | |
| FPS | | | |
| Crashes / Hangs | | | |
**Stability checks**:
- [ ] No crash or hang since last checkpoint
- [ ] Frame rate within budget ([N] fps target)
- [ ] Audio correct
- [ ] HUD rendering correctly
- [ ] Input responding correctly
**Balance / Fatigue** *(if applicable)*:
- Core mechanic still rewarding: Y / N
- Difficulty perception: too easy / appropriate / too hard
- Notable moments: [note any peak engagement or frustration]
- Content exhaustion signs: Y / N — [describe]
**Free observations**:
*(Note anything unexpected observed since the last checkpoint)*
---
[Repeat Checkpoint Log section for each timed checkpoint]
---
## Post-Session Analysis
### Memory Trend
| Checkpoint | Memory | Δ/hr extrapolated |
|------------|--------|-------------------|
| T+0 | | |
| [T+N] | | |
**Leak detected?** Y / N
**Estimated time to OOM at current rate**: [N hours / not applicable]
### Stability Summary
Total crashes: [N]
Total hangs: [N]
Worst FPS observed: [N] fps at [checkpoint]
Performance degradation: stable / mild / severe
### Balance / Fatigue Summary
Fun curve: [engaged throughout / fatigue onset at T+N / repetitive from start]
Content exhaustion point: [never / at T+N / early]
Difficulty arc: [appropriate / too easy throughout / difficulty spike at T+N]
### Issues Found
| ID | Severity | Checkpoint | Description |
|----|----------|------------|-------------|
| SOAK-001 | S[1-4] | T+[N] | [description] |
---
## Verdict: PASS / PASS WITH CONCERNS / FAIL
**PASS**: No leaks detected, stability maintained, fun factor consistent
**PASS WITH CONCERNS**: Minor drift or fatigue noted; addressable in Polish
**FAIL**: Memory leak confirmed, stability breach, or severe fun fatigue
---
## Sign-Off
- **Tester**: [name] — [date]
- **QA Lead review**: [name] — [date]
```
---
## 6. Write Output
Present the protocol summary in conversation, then ask:
"May I write this soak test protocol to
`production/qa/soak-test-[date]-[duration].md`?"
Write only after approval.
After writing:
"Protocol written. To run the soak:
1. Open the file and follow the Pre-Session Setup checklist
2. Record each checkpoint as you play
3. Complete the Post-Session Analysis section when done
4. File bugs from 'Issues Found' to `production/qa/bugs/`
5. Run `/bug-triage sprint` after the session to integrate any S1/S2 issues
If the verdict is FAIL, run `/smoke-check` again after fixing the issues."
---
## Collaborative Protocol
- **This skill generates a protocol — humans run it** — never attempt to
run a soak test automatically. The observations require a human observer.
- **Duration should match the game's session design** — a 5-minute game
doesn't need a 4h soak; a city-builder might. Use judgment and ask if unclear.
- **First soak should be `all` focus** — narrow focus (memory-only) is for
regression soaks after a specific fix, not the first pass
- **Ask before writing** — always confirm before creating the protocol file