SSPACEAGEDOCUMENTATION/
Release and Assurance

SpaceAge Beta Session Smoke Checklist

Updated Aug 27, 2026   |   4.6 KB   |   docs/Beta_Session_Smoke_Checklist.md

SpaceAge Beta Session Smoke Checklist

Use this checklist for a focused 30-45 minute musical session. It is deliberately shorter than the release-readiness plan: the goal is to expose session-breaking defects quickly and leave a reproducible report.

Session Record

  • Build / executable:
  • Project name:
  • Windows version and display scaling:
  • Audio device, driver, sample rate, and buffer size:
  • MIDI controllers and connection paths:
  • Start and end time:

1. Launch And Project

  • Launch SpaceAge and confirm the startup artwork, session choices, and progress feedback appear correctly.
  • Load an existing project. Confirm its tempo, meter, lane names, instruments, Mixer routes, Sections, loop, and playhead position.
  • Start a blank project and save it under a new name.

Record any delay that made the app appear unresponsive. Relevant evidence: U01, U04, R04.

2. Build A Musical Loop

  • Add one Drum lane and two Instrument lanes.
  • Choose a different instrument and patch for each Instrument lane.
  • Add drum, chord, and melodic material spanning at least four measures.
  • Loop the region and listen for ten passes without stuck notes, missing drums, timing stutters, or changing sound.
  • Open and close the Piano Roll, Synth Editor, Mixer, and Effects page during playback.

Record the exact page change, playhead position, and active lanes for any failure. Relevant evidence: U02, U05, U08.

3. Record MIDI In Context

  • Arm one Instrument lane from the Arrangement page.
  • Record into a 64-step or longer clip while the rest of the Arrangement plays.
  • Confirm the first measure, note starts, note lengths, velocities, sustain, pitch bend, and modulation are captured where performed.
  • If two controllers are available, overlap notes from both, release them independently, then disconnect and reconnect one controller.
  • Stop, rewind, replay, and compare the recorded performance with what was played.

Record MIDI Health details and the physical connection path for latency or ownership defects. Relevant evidence: M01, M02, M03.

4. Edit And Arrange

  • Resize notes from both ends and confirm continuous visual feedback and note preview.
  • Change velocity and one expression value, then Undo and Redo each change.
  • Move, clone, and make a Variant of clips across multiple compatible lanes.
  • Select a stack containing drums and instruments and move it as one unit.
  • Resize a Section from both ends and move it with selected clips.
  • Use Fit, Overview, lane collapse, zoom, and canvas pan without losing selection or context.

Record the selected item names and source/destination steps for any bad edit. Relevant evidence: U03, U05.

5. Mix And Automate

  • Adjust lane gain and pan while playing; confirm the sound and stereo meters respond immediately and truthfully.
  • Enable one shared effect send, edit its controls, and confirm an audible but stable result.
  • Draw pan or gain automation during playback and confirm immediate response.
  • Delete that automation, replay the region, and confirm no hidden value remains.
  • Save, close, reopen, and confirm Mixer, effect, and automation state.

Record the lane, Mixer channel, parameter, timeline range, and before/after values for any mismatch. Relevant evidence: U02, U03, R03.

6. Render And Recover

  • Render the full song to WAV and confirm progress feedback reaches completion.
  • Listen to the beginning, one middle transition, and the final tail; confirm duration, alignment, and effects.
  • Save, close, reload, and replay the same three locations.
  • If practical, temporarily move one referenced asset and confirm the relink workflow is understandable and successful.

Preserve the rendered file and any recovery screenshots with the report. Relevant evidence: R04.

Stop-Ship Failures

Stop the session and report immediately if any of these occur:

  • Crash, machine instability, corrupted project, or failure to reopen.
  • Stuck or runaway note that Panic cannot fully recover.
  • Missing, shifted, shortened, or duplicated recorded MIDI.
  • Audible routing differs from the lane or Mixer labels.
  • Deleted automation or muted material still affects playback.
  • Rendered song is truncated, silent, misaligned, or materially different from live playback.

Failure Report

  • Exact action sequence:
  • Expected result:
  • Observed result:
  • Page, lane, clip/pattern, Mixer channel, and playhead position:
  • Whether playback or recording was active:
  • Whether Undo, Panic, page change, or restart recovered it:
  • Screenshot, video, project copy, MIDI Health receipt, or rendered audio filename: