| name | cg.game.variant-tree |
| description | Use when a CoGames-style game already works visually and mechanically and now needs to be split into a composable variant registry, dependency tree, and optional curriculum tree without regressing the default game. |
Variant Tree
Overview
Factor the finished game into variants only after the default experience is already working. The target is a typed,
dependency-closed variant tree whose default path still produces the same game the player just validated.
Announce at start: "I’m using cg.game.variant-tree: I’ll preserve the working game, factor it into a clean variant
registry, and prove the default/full paths still agree."
Workflow
-
Freeze the baseline first. Start from a game that already passes cg.game.core-mechanics and
cg.game.generate-assets. Do not refactor a broken or placeholder game into variants.
-
Define the interface and slices. Create one game-local full interface variant plus smaller mechanic or layout
variants with explicit dependencies. Keep the slices meaningful: roles, tasks, meetings, recipe bundles, difficulty,
layout, observability.
-
Preserve the default game. The zero-variant/default experience should still match the validated full game. Add tests
that compare the default env surface against variants=["full"].
-
Add dependency and labeling coverage. Follow the patterns from
tests/metta/games/overcooked/test_mechanics_variants.py, tests/metta/games/among_us/test_variants.py, and
tests/metta/games/diplomacy/test_tree_curriculum.py. Verify dependency closure, configured order, deduping, and
that labels only include explicitly requested variants.
-
Expose the tree deliberately. Keep the registry game-local, and add a tree or curriculum layer only if it helps
training or auditing. The tree should be inspectable through tests and CLI surfaces such as:
cogame-play -v full
cogame-play -v <variant_name> -- render=none max_steps=200
Exit Criteria
- The default game still matches the previously validated experience.
- The game has a local variant registry with explicit dependency tests.
full is an interface variant, not an excuse to hide unstructured mechanics.- Focused variant/tree tests pass.
- CLI or audit entrypoints can exercise both the default game and at least one non-trivial slice.
Integration
Uses: cogame-play -v <variant> (for local variant testing), t.run-tests, cf.bop-it
Called by: cg.game.build-game, cg.game.new-game
Pairs with: cg.game.core-mechanics, cg.game.generate-assets
