---
name: validate
description: Verify a project has dramatic infrastructure required for promotion to scripting.
allowed-tools: Read, Glob, Bash
argument-hint: "[project] [--strict|--explain]"
---

# /validate - Promotion Validation Gate

Verify a project has the dramatic infrastructure required for a compelling 60-episode series before promotion.

## Usage

```
/validate [project]
/validate [project] --strict
/validate [project] --explain
```

**Examples:**
```
/validate asi-bridge                # Standard validation
/validate asi-bridge --strict       # No warnings allowed
/validate asi-shield --explain      # Show scoring rationale
```

## Parameters

| Parameter | Required | Default | Description |
|-----------|----------|---------|-------------|
| `project` | Yes | — | Project folder name in `/projects/[project]/development/` |
| `--strict` | No | false | Fail on warnings, not just hard gates |
| `--explain` | No | false | Provide detailed reasoning for scores |

## Validation Tiers

### Tier 1: HARD GATES (Must Pass)

| Gate | Requirement |
|------|-------------|
| Checklist | All 34 STATUS.md items checked |
| Documents | All 5 dev documents exist with content |
| Law 2 | Plot advance + character pivot for Ep 15, 30, 45, 60 |
| Primary Ache | Defined with at least 2 threats |
| Relationship Markers | At least 8 mapped to specific episodes |
| Plant/Payoff Threads | At least 3 defined |
| Thread Types | At least 1 Object, Phrase, or Image thread |
| Echo Moments | At least 1 defined |
| Character Arcs | Protagonist type, Lie/Truth, 3 need layers |
| Antagonist | Counter-thesis defined |
| Theme | Question + "really about" + mythology |

### Tier 2: SCORED GATES (Avg >= 3.5)

| Question | Tests |
|----------|-------|
| Thematic question clarity | Is it genuinely debatable? |
| Thesis/antithesis tension | Are both positions defensible? |
| Primary Ache intensity | How much does audience want it? |
| Ep 15 irreversibility | Can it be undone? |
| Ep 30 transformation | Does protagonist change inside? |
| Ep 45 devastation | Has protagonist lost everything? |
| Ep 60 earned resolution | Does it flow from character choices? |

### Tier 3: WARNINGS (Don't Block)

- Missing foreshadowing threads
- No micro-moment patterns
- No dialogue callbacks
- Cliffhanger distribution unplanned
- Tension escalation unclear
- Mini-arcs undefined
- Character tells undefined

## Execution

When this skill is invoked:

1. **Read the agent prompt:** `/agents/validate_agent.md`
2. **Load all development documents** from `/projects/[project]/development/`
3. **Run hard gates** — if any fail, stop and report
4. **Run scored gates** — rate each 1-5, calculate average
5. **Check warnings** — flag any triggered
6. **Generate report** with result and guidance

## Results

| Condition | Result |
|-----------|--------|
| Hard gate failed | NOT READY |
| Score < 3.5 | NOT READY |
| Pass + no warnings | READY FOR PROMOTION |
| Pass + warnings | READY WITH WARNINGS |
| `--strict` + warnings | NOT READY |

## Workflow

```
/develop asi-bridge          # Build the project
/validate asi-bridge         # Check readiness
Promote asi-bridge           # If validation passes
```