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Windows standalone preview: solo-event isolation QA

Scope: optional native Win32/GDI 2D preview only. This is not the Unreal Engine 5.8 game, a production car simulation, a multiplayer mode or evidence of a packaged Unreal Windows executable.

User-visible behavior

Mode Laps Simulated local AI rivals Win condition
Circuit Race 3 3 Complete all ordered gates and laps
Time Attack 1 0 Complete within 65 seconds
Rival Duel 2 3 Finish the ordered laps before any rival reaches its final lap
Checkpoint Rush 2 0 Complete within 95 seconds

Time Attack and Checkpoint Rush no longer silently run invisible rival physics. Their unused rival slots stay zero initialized, and the simulation does not advance them or apply rival collision damage. The rendering and circuit minimap draw only the configured rivals, and the HUD calls out solo clock challenges. Circuit Race and Rival Duel still contain three scripted local AI cars, not remote players.

The per-race Race::rivalCount snapshot is set only in beginRace(). Changing a pending event does not mutate the number of physics actors mid-attempt. Invalid event indices fail closed before a race begins. Rival Duel evaluates each active rival's completed laps for its loss condition; it no longer assumes that AI index 2 is guaranteed to win.

Automated verification (source-level)

  1. Tests/Standalone/PreviewRaceModesTests.cpp compiles the actual PreviewRaceModes.h policy on strict C++20 toolchains. It verifies all four mode counts, lap counts and invalid mode rejection.
  2. Tests/Editor/Win32SoloRaceBindingTests.py confirms gameplay, car rendering, minimap and headless self-test consume the policy rather than only documenting it.
  3. The Windows preview build workflow compiles the actual native LateBrakePreviewV5.exe using MSVC; its --self-test walks all four mode configurations, checks no solo AI initialization or movement occurs, and exercises scripted rival event setup.
  4. The isolated profile self-test still verifies no real player career files are written.

These checks are not real gamepad, graphical, FPS, collision-feel or installed-system acceptance tests. Do not call a passing CI run a playable Unreal build.

Manual Windows checklist (not yet completed)

  • From the Challenges menu start Time Attack. Confirm one-lap target, no red opponent car on the track/minimap, solo HUD label, and clock remains active while driving.
  • Repeat Checkpoint Rush; confirm two laps and no AI contact damage.
  • Start Circuit Race and Rival Duel. Confirm three visible moving local rivals, track and minimap agree, and rivalry remains active.
  • In Rival Duel, allow a different AI slot to reach its target laps; the event must lose regardless of which rival finished first.
  • Restart each event and switch modes between attempts. Confirm the new count and lap count apply only to the new race.
  • Verify keyboard, controller, low-FPS fixed-step update, window focus/reconnection, Results and local progress save in a real GUI.

Remaining limitations

The 2D preview is a separate experimental application. Unreal race events, verified opponent placements, advanced overtaking behavior, genuine Win64 cooked builds and all player-hardware QA remain separate work. No prerelease or final game installer is claimed by this change.