Regression Suite

What Is the Regression Suite Skill?

The Regression Suite skill on the Happycapy Skills platform is a robust framework designed to help game development teams maintain comprehensive and adaptive regression test coverage throughout a project's lifecycle. Rather than introducing new test types, this skill curates and maintains a manifest of existing tests that together ensure all critical gameplay paths and previously fixed bugs remain covered as the codebase evolves. The primary output is an up-to-date manifest file, tests/regression-suite.md, which documents the current set of regression tests mapped to critical game design document (GDD) paths and known bug fixes.

Why Use the Regression Suite Skill?

High-quality games require continuous assurance that new changes do not reintroduce old bugs or break essential features. As game projects grow, regression risk increases: new features may not be properly covered, and fixed bugs may resurface if not protected by dedicated tests. The Regression Suite skill solves these problems by:

• Mapping tests to critical paths: Ensures that all core gameplay features and mechanics, as defined in the GDD, are protected by specific tests.
• Tracking bug fix coverage: Each bug fix is checked for an associated regression test, reducing the risk of recurring defects.
• Detecting coverage drift: Identifies when new features or code paths are added without corresponding regression coverage, preventing silent test gaps.
• Automating suite maintenance: Keeps the regression suite manifest accurate as the game evolves, minimizing manual tracking overhead.

By integrating this skill into your workflow, you gain confidence that your game's most important flows are always tested, and that the regression suite adapts automatically as your development progresses.

How to Use the Regression Suite Skill

The Regression Suite skill is invoked through specific commands that target different aspects of regression maintenance. It supports three primary modes of operation, each serving a unique purpose. The skill is user-invocable and supports arguments: [update | audit | report].

1. Update

Mode

Command:

/regression-suite update

This mode scans for recent bug fixes and checks if each fix is accompanied by a regression test. If a new regression test is found, it is added to the tests/regression-suite.md manifest. If a bug fix lacks an associated test, the tool flags the gap for developer action.

Example Workflow:

• Developer fixes a bug in the inventory system.
• They write a new test, inventory/test_bugfix_1234.py.
• Running /regression-suite update scans recent changes, identifies the new test, and adds it to the manifest with a reference to the bug report.

Sample Manifest Entry:

- [x] inventory/test_bugfix_1234.py - Fixes bug #1234: Item duplication on pickup

2. Audit

Mode

Command:

/regression-suite audit

Audit mode performs a complete check of all GDD-defined critical paths against the current test coverage. Any critical path not covered by a regression test is flagged, allowing the team to prioritize test creation.

Example Output:

## Missing Regression Tests
- Player Save/Load (no regression test mapped)
- Multiplayer Lobby Invitation (no regression test mapped)

3. Report

Mode

Command:

/regression-suite report

This read-only mode provides a status summary of regression test coverage. It outputs the current manifest and highlights any coverage drift or recent additions.

Sample Output:

## Regression Suite Status
- 45/48 critical paths covered
- 3 missing regressions
- Last updated: 2024-06-10

Allowed Tools

The skill utilizes the following tools to read and process files, match patterns, and update manifests:

• Read: For file input
• Glob / Grep: For pattern matching and scanning test files
• Write / Edit: For modifying the regression-suite.md manifest

When to Use the Regression Suite Skill

To maximize your project's quality and stability, integrate the Regression Suite skill in these scenarios:

• After every bug fix: Run /regression-suite update to verify that each fix is protected by a regression test and that the manifest remains up to date.
• Before release gates: Prior to major milestones or release candidates, use /regression-suite audit to ensure all critical gameplay paths are covered, which is often required by release policies (such as /gate-check polish).
• Sprint closure: At the end of each development sprint, perform an audit or generate a report to detect any coverage drift introduced by new features or code changes.

Important Notes

• Not a new test category: The regression suite is a curated list of existing tests, not a separate set of tests. New regression coverage comes from tagging or referencing tests that already exist in your test suite.
• Manifest location: The curated list is stored in tests/regression-suite.md. This file should be kept under version control.
• Critical path mapping: The skill relies on a clearly defined GDD and accurate mapping between game features and test cases. Gaps in the GDD or ambiguous test mappings reduce effectiveness.
• Automated enforcement: Use the skill as part of your CI/CD pipeline or team workflow to automate regression suite maintenance and enforcement.
• Argument hinting: The skill provides argument hints to guide users in selecting the correct mode for their workflow.

By consistently leveraging the Regression Suite skill, your team can ensure game stability, prevent regressions, and maintain a high standard of quality as your project evolves.