# Playtest TUI Checklist — Star Freight

> Use this during real play sessions. Every "no" is a polish target.

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## Session Info

- Date:
- Tester:
- Captain posture: [Relief / Gray / Honor / Free]
- Session length:
- Terminal size:

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## 1. Pressure Clarity

- [ ] Did the player know their credit situation at all times?
- [ ] Did the player know when crew pay was due?
- [ ] Did the player know their fuel status before choosing a route?
- [ ] Did the player know their hull condition before entering danger?
- [ ] Was crew fitness (who's injured/absent) obvious without opening the crew screen?

**Notes:**

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## 2. Decision Clarity

- [ ] When choosing a route, was danger/terrain/distance visible?
- [ ] When buying goods, was cultural restriction visible before attempting purchase?
- [ ] When buying goods, was the crew member granting access identified?
- [ ] When accepting a contract, were the requirements (reputation, knowledge) shown?
- [ ] When entering combat, were available abilities and their crew sources clear?
- [ ] When an ability was unavailable, was the reason shown (injured, cooldown, no crew)?

**Notes:**

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## 3. Consequence Clarity

- [ ] After combat, did the player see all state changes (credits, hull, cargo, crew, reputation)?
- [ ] After a trade, did the player see the profit/loss?
- [ ] After docking, did the player see the docking fee deducted?
- [ ] When an investigation fragment was discovered, was it surfaced clearly?
- [ ] When a crew member's morale changed, was the reason shown?
- [ ] When reputation changed, was the faction and direction shown?

**Notes:**

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## 4. Continuity

- [ ] Did transitions between screens feel like one captain's life?
- [ ] Could the player always get back to the dashboard easily?
- [ ] Did the persistent bar stay visible and readable?
- [ ] Was there any screen where the player felt "lost" or didn't know how to proceed?
- [ ] Was there any moment where the player wondered "what just happened"?

**Notes:**

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## 5. Navigation

- [ ] Were keybinds consistent across screens?
- [ ] Did Esc always mean "go back"?
- [ ] Was there any "trap state" (screen with no visible exit)?
- [ ] Were action keys visible on every screen where they applied?
- [ ] Could the player reach any major screen in 1-2 keypresses?

**Notes:**

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## 6. Readability

- [ ] Was text legible at the terminal size used?
- [ ] Were bars/indicators readable without squinting?
- [ ] Was color used to add meaning, not just decoration?
- [ ] Was there any screen that felt too dense?
- [ ] Was there any screen that felt too empty?

**Notes:**

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## 7. System Truth Visibility

- [ ] Could the player see crew dependency at point of use?
- [ ] Could the player see cultural logic affecting available choices?
- [ ] Did combat feel like a campaign event (aftermath changed things)?
- [ ] Did investigation feel like it emerged from play (not a quest log)?
- [ ] Did different captain postures feel like different screen experiences?

**Notes:**

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## 8. Specific Screen Issues

### Dashboard
- [ ] Shows crew summary?
- [ ] Shows investigation status?
- [ ] Shows time pressure?
- Issue:

### Crew Screen
- [ ] Each crew member shows all 4 contributions?
- [ ] Injury/absence immediately visible?
- [ ] Loyalty gate visible on locked abilities?
- Issue:

### Combat
- [ ] Grid readable?
- [ ] Abilities show crew source?
- [ ] Retreat progress clear?
- [ ] After-action summary shown?
- Issue:

### Journal
- [ ] Fragments have grade icons?
- [ ] Source attribution on every fragment?
- [ ] No task list / objective language?
- [ ] Delay warning visible?
- Issue:

### Market
- [ ] Cultural gates visible?
- [ ] Crew access attribution?
- [ ] Contraband flagged?
- Issue:

### Routes
- [ ] Terrain shown?
- [ ] Danger + contraband risk?
- [ ] Who controls the lane?
- Issue:

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## Summary

- Total "no" answers: ___
- Critical blockers (player confused or stuck): ___
- Top 3 issues to fix:
  1.
  2.
  3.

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## Pass Condition

The TUI is ready when a first-time player can complete 30-45 minutes without asking:
- What screen they are on
- What they can do
- What changed after a decision
