Validate ring difficulty and boost balance with internal playtest

Description

The firework boost mechanic (4s cooldown, vanilla formula) and ring placement have been implemented based on design assumptions but never validated with real players. An internal playtest session is needed to evaluate game feel and balance before opening to external testers.

Acceptance Criteria

• At least 3 internal team members play through the complete cup at least twice each
• Findings documented in docs/research/alpha-playtest-01.md:
  • Ring pass rate (how many rings did players miss on average?)
  • Boost usage patterns (did players use boosts at the right moments?)
  • Perceived difficulty rating per map (1-5 scale)
  • Any reported physics bugs or unfair ring placements
• At least one balance change is applied and re-tested based on findings
• Drift (game designer) signs off on the balance before opening alpha

Technical Details

• Use the dev-mode /dev-start command to begin a race immediately
• Playtest on the cup/map package from "Prepare cup/map data package" issue
• Document boost cooldown feel: does 4s feel punishing or fair?

Dependencies

• "Prepare cup/map data package for first closed alpha" must be done first

Estimate

S

Start with the /dev-start command and the cup/map package from “Prepare cup/map data package for first closed alpha.” Have at least three internal players complete the cup twice, then document ring misses, boost usage, map difficulty, physics issues, and ring fairness in docs/research/alpha-playtest-01.md. Apply and re-test one balance change, then obtain Drift’s sign-off.