Alpha test & rulesets

The alpha lets the owner hand a single key to a tester. The key creates one account, then dies. That account can try everything: any build, any orb, every reset, the whole story in about two hours. Decided in ADR-019; numbers in rulesets.json.

◆Phase switch: the live game × multipliers

The server boots with exactly one ruleset (ZOEN_RULESET=alpha|beta|live). Every test phase is the live game with multipliers: there is no custom alpha setup, so setting every multiplier back to 1 gives exactly the live game and everything that worked in alpha still works. Game code reads the multipliers and never checks the phase name.

Verified: the alpha target is under 2 hours (the data test fails at 2 h or more). Quests carry most of the alpha XP, so testers see the whole story instead of grinding. Rarity weights, affix tiers, refinement odds and boss reward caps are never multiplied, so loot quality and crafting keep their live balance; only how much drops changes.

Example: a material with a 35% chance and a stack of 1–2 drops at 100% (35% × 10, capped) in stacks of 10–20 in alpha. In live it is 35% and 1–2.

◆Alpha account

Same as a live account (companion from the level-4 quest, mount from the level-10 quest), plus 99 Field Report Scrolls: each opens the bug form with position, build code, the last 60 s of combat log and a screenshot. Testers who need everything at once (orbs, bases, levels, bosses, builds) use the GM room, not the ruleset.

◆One-time access keys

1. Mint (owner only): zoen-admin keys mint --count 10 --phase alpha --expires 2026-12-31 on the server host prints the keys once and writes a CSV on the owner's machine. Only an HMAC of each key is stored.
2. Send: the owner sends a key privately (format ZOEN-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX).
3. Redeem: the tester opens the site's Redeem key page, enters the key, an email and a password. One database transaction marks the key redeemed (only if it was issued and not expired) and creates the account with the grants.
4. Second use: the same key returns "Key already used or invalid" (HTTP 410). Keys can also be revoked or expire.
5. Abuse limits: 5 attempts per IP per 10 min; 20 failures lock the IP for 24 h. Every mint, redeem and revoke is audited.

Agents never mint keys or create accounts; that stays with the owner.

◆Suggested alpha extras

• The GM room replaces the old "Test Board" idea: spawn monsters and bosses, static targets, preset builds, items with chosen affixes, and resets.
• A leaderboard for "fastest to 40" and "first Regent kill" in the alpha, shown on the public site.
• A daily survey prompt after logout (3 questions) linked to the Field Report system.