COMMUNITY RULES / EFFECTIVE JULY 15, 2026
Be specific. Be honest. Leave the build better.
Patchloop exists for candid research between people making unfinished games. These rules protect honest criticism, maker follow-through, confidential builds, and trustworthy evidence.
These rules apply to every real Patchloop playtest and release room. Matching, scoped communication, Signal accounting, private reports, room leaving, and collaborator blocking are enforced through the signed-in workspace.
OUR COMMITMENTS
Complete honest work
Reserve only when you can start inside the stated window. Test the exact build, answer the bounded research question, and distinguish what you observed from what you would personally change.
- Do not fabricate play, recycle reports, use someone else’s evidence, or test your own or a collaborator’s game for Signal.
- A crash or inaccessible build is valid feedback when you document what happened.
- Negative feedback earns the same quoted Signal reward as positive feedback.
Respect people and boundaries
Critique the build and the moment, not the person. Harassment, hate, threats, sexual misconduct, doxxing, retaliation, and pressure to change honest feedback are prohibited.
- All communication stays attached to a playtest, session, finding, or re-test.
- A maker gets at most two scoped follow-up questions within 14 days.
- Testers can leave or decline follow-up without a reputation penalty; blocking prevents further matching and communication.
Respect private research
Do not publish a private build, key, report, screenshot, recording, or thread without permission from every affected party. A private playtest reduces exposure; it is not a promise that no participant can ever leak material.
- Never send executable files, shortened links, credentials, or contact details in a playtest thread.
- Use only the access route attached to the mission; do not move keys or builds into messages.
- Close notifications and remove personal information before capturing evidence.
Protect the fair queue
Do not create duplicate accounts, reciprocal rings, fake referrals, or coordinated reservations to manufacture Signals or exposure. Metadata edits and Signal use do not entitle a playtest to higher organic rank.
- Signals are non-transferable and not redeemable for cash.
- Any incentive must be disclosed and offered for completion, not a positive opinion.
- Makers must acknowledge findings and record shipped, planned, declined, or needs-more-evidence decisions honestly.
Enforcement
Patchloop applies the Safety policy’s enforcement ladder based on severity, history, evidence, and risk to other people. Permanent account actions require human review. Retaliation for a good-faith report is prohibited.