ToolboxAid · ToolboxAid · Jun 22, 2026
diff --git a/...build/dev/reports/PR_26174_ALFA_006-game-hub-empty-and-error-states-branch-validation.txt b/...build/dev/reports/PR_26174_ALFA_006-game-hub-empty-and-error-states-branch-validation.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+Branch Validation: PASS
+
+PASS - Current branch: pr/26174-ALFA-006-game-hub-empty-and-error-states.
+PASS - Stack base: pr/26174-ALFA-005-idea-project-validation-polish.
+PASS - Changes are scoped to Game Hub empty/error UI, targeted tests, and required reports.
+PASS - No merge to main performed.
diff --git a/...dev/reports/PR_26174_ALFA_006-game-hub-empty-and-error-states-manual-validation-notes.txt b/...dev/reports/PR_26174_ALFA_006-game-hub-empty-and-error-states-manual-validation-notes.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+Manual Validation Notes: PASS
+
+PASS - Confirmed no-project list renders a creator-safe empty state and no game rows.
+PASS - Confirmed listGames failure renders a creator-safe unavailable state and no game rows.
+PASS - Confirmed intentionally sensitive upstream error text is not visible in main Game Hub UI.
+PASS - Confirmed unavailable state is explicit, not a silent empty-list fallback.
diff --git a/...d/dev/reports/PR_26174_ALFA_006-game-hub-empty-and-error-states-requirement-checklist.txt b/...d/dev/reports/PR_26174_ALFA_006-game-hub-empty-and-error-states-requirement-checklist.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+Requirement Checklist: PASS
+
+PASS - Added creator-safe empty state for no Game Hub projects.
+PASS - Added creator-safe API unavailable message.
+PASS - No server/internal technical error details are shown to creators.
+PASS - No silent fallbacks were added; unavailable project lists render an explicit unavailable state.
diff --git a/docs_build/dev/reports/PR_26174_ALFA_006-game-hub-empty-and-error-states-validation-lane.txt b/docs_build/dev/reports/PR_26174_ALFA_006-game-hub-empty-and-error-states-validation-lane.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+Validation Lane: PASS
+
+Targeted Playwright impacted lane:
+PASS - npx playwright test tests/playwright/tools/GameHubMockRepository.spec.mjs -g "Game Hub shows a creator-safe empty state|Game Hub shows a creator-safe unavailable state"
+
+Notes:
+- Full workspace smoke was not run; targeted impacted Playwright validation was used per request.
diff --git a/docs_build/dev/reports/PR_26174_ALFA_006-game-hub-empty-and-error-states.md b/docs_build/dev/reports/PR_26174_ALFA_006-game-hub-empty-and-error-states.md
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+# PR_26174_ALFA_006-game-hub-empty-and-error-states
+
+## Purpose
+
+Add creator-safe empty and API-unavailable states for Game Hub projects.
+
+## Summary
+
+- Added a distinct Game Hub project-list empty state for no available projects.
+- Added a distinct project-list unavailable state when the Local API/service contract cannot return projects.
+- Kept creator-facing messages free of server, database, repository, stack, or secret details.
+- Added targeted Playwright coverage for empty and unavailable project-list states.
+
+## Validation
+
+PASS - `npx playwright test tests/playwright/tools/GameHubMockRepository.spec.mjs -g "Game Hub shows a creator-safe empty state|Game Hub shows a creator-safe unavailable state"`
diff --git a/docs_build/dev/reports/codex_changed_files.txt b/docs_build/dev/reports/codex_changed_files.txt
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
-tests/playwright/tools/IdeaBoardTableNotes.spec.mjs
+toolbox/game-hub/game-hub.js
+tests/playwright/tools/GameHubMockRepository.spec.mjs
 docs_build/dev/reports/codex_review.diff
 docs_build/dev/reports/codex_changed_files.txt
-docs_build/dev/reports/PR_26174_ALFA_005-idea-project-validation-polish.md
-docs_build/dev/reports/PR_26174_ALFA_005-idea-project-validation-polish-branch-validation.txt
-docs_build/dev/reports/PR_26174_ALFA_005-idea-project-validation-polish-requirement-checklist.txt
-docs_build/dev/reports/PR_26174_ALFA_005-idea-project-validation-polish-validation-lane.txt
-docs_build/dev/reports/PR_26174_ALFA_005-idea-project-validation-polish-manual-validation-notes.txt
+docs_build/dev/reports/PR_26174_ALFA_006-game-hub-empty-and-error-states.md
+docs_build/dev/reports/PR_26174_ALFA_006-game-hub-empty-and-error-states-branch-validation.txt
+docs_build/dev/reports/PR_26174_ALFA_006-game-hub-empty-and-error-states-requirement-checklist.txt
+docs_build/dev/reports/PR_26174_ALFA_006-game-hub-empty-and-error-states-validation-lane.txt
+docs_build/dev/reports/PR_26174_ALFA_006-game-hub-empty-and-error-states-manual-validation-notes.txt
diff --git a/docs_build/dev/reports/codex_review.diff b/docs_build/dev/reports/codex_review.diff
@@ -1,128 +1,147 @@
-diff --git a/tests/playwright/tools/IdeaBoardTableNotes.spec.mjs b/tests/playwright/tools/IdeaBoardTableNotes.spec.mjs
-index 5d0ccfaff..722595ae9 100644
---- a/tests/playwright/tools/IdeaBoardTableNotes.spec.mjs
-+++ b/tests/playwright/tools/IdeaBoardTableNotes.spec.mjs
-@@ -429,6 +429,123 @@ test("Idea Board uses accordion table ideas and notes", async ({ page }) => {
+diff --git a/tests/playwright/tools/GameHubMockRepository.spec.mjs b/tests/playwright/tools/GameHubMockRepository.spec.mjs
+index 2d583e1d7..e11631269 100644
+--- a/tests/playwright/tools/GameHubMockRepository.spec.mjs
++++ b/tests/playwright/tools/GameHubMockRepository.spec.mjs
+@@ -322,6 +322,89 @@ test("Game Hub preserves guest browsing and blocks guest saves", async ({ page }
    }
  });
 
-+test("Idea Board gates Create Project to Ready ideas and locks converted projects", async ({ page }) => {
-+  const server = await startRepoServer({
-+    gameJourneyCompletionMetricsLegacyDbPath: null,
-+    gameJourneyCompletionMetricsPostgresClient: createGameJourneyCompletionMetricsPostgresClientStub(),
-+  });
-+  const previousApiUrl = process.env.GAMEFOUNDRY_API_URL;
-+  const previousSiteUrl = process.env.GAMEFOUNDRY_SITE_URL;
-+  const previousSupabaseEnv = {
-+    GAMEFOUNDRY_DATABASE_URL: process.env.GAMEFOUNDRY_DATABASE_URL,
-+    GAMEFOUNDRY_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY: process.env.GAMEFOUNDRY_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY,
-+    GAMEFOUNDRY_SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY: process.env.GAMEFOUNDRY_SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY,
-+    GAMEFOUNDRY_SUPABASE_URL: process.env.GAMEFOUNDRY_SUPABASE_URL,
-+  };
-+  process.env.GAMEFOUNDRY_API_URL = `${server.baseUrl}/api`;
-+  process.env.GAMEFOUNDRY_SITE_URL = server.baseUrl;
-+  process.env.GAMEFOUNDRY_DATABASE_URL = "postgres://idea-board:test@127.0.0.1:5432/idea_board";
-+  process.env.GAMEFOUNDRY_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY = "idea-board-anon-key";
-+  process.env.GAMEFOUNDRY_SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY = "idea-board-service-role-key";
-+  process.env.GAMEFOUNDRY_SUPABASE_URL = `${server.baseUrl}/fake-supabase`;
-+  const createGameRequests = [];
-+  const failedRequests = [];
-+  const pageErrors = [];
-+  const consoleErrors = [];
-+
-+  page.on("request", (request) => {
-+    const requestUrl = request.url();
-+    if (requestUrl.includes("/api/toolbox/game-hub/repositories/") && requestUrl.includes("/methods/createGame")) {
-+      createGameRequests.push(request.postDataJSON());
-+    }
-+  });
-+  page.on("response", (response) => {
-+    if (response.status() >= 400) failedRequests.push(`${response.status()} ${response.url()}`);
-+  });
-+  page.on("pageerror", (error) => {
-+    const text = error.stack || error.message;
-+    if (!isBrowserExtensionNoise(text)) pageErrors.push(error.message);
-+  });
-+  page.on("console", (message) => {
-+    if (message.type() === "error" && !isBrowserExtensionNoise(message.text())) consoleErrors.push(message.text());
-+  });
-+
-+  try {
-+    await page.route("**/api/platform-settings/banner", async (route) => {
-+      await route.fulfill({
-+        contentType: "application/json",
-+        body: JSON.stringify({
-+          data: { banner: { active: false, message: "", tone: "info" } },
-+          ok: true,
-+        }),
-+      });
++test("Game Hub shows a creator-safe empty state when no projects exist", async ({ page }) => {
++  await page.route("**/api/toolbox/game-hub/repositories/*/methods/getActiveGame", async (route) => {
++    await route.fulfill({
++      body: JSON.stringify({
++        data: { result: null },
++        ok: true,
++        rule: "Browser -> Server API -> Data Source",
++      }),
++      contentType: "application/json; charset=utf-8",
++      status: 200,
 +    });
-+    await page.route("**/api/toolbox/registry/snapshot", async (route) => {
-+      await route.fulfill({
-+        contentType: "application/json",
-+        body: JSON.stringify({
-+          data: {
-+            activeTools: [],
-+            readinessByStatus: {},
-+            tools: [],
-+            toolboxContract: {},
++  });
++  await page.route("**/api/toolbox/game-hub/repositories/*/methods/getGameProgress", async (route) => {
++    await route.fulfill({
++      body: JSON.stringify({
++        data: {
++          result: {
++            gameStatus: "No Game",
++            gameProgress: "No active game",
++            publishingProgress: "Not started",
++            currentFocus: "Create a game",
++            recommendedNextTool: "Game Hub",
++            progressChecklist: [],
 +          },
-+          ok: true,
-+        }),
-+      });
++        },
++        ok: true,
++        rule: "Browser -> Server API -> Data Source",
++      }),
++      contentType: "application/json; charset=utf-8",
++      status: 200,
 +    });
-+    await page.request.post(`${server.baseUrl}/api/session/user`, {
-+      data: { userKey: MOCK_DB_KEYS.users.user1 },
++  });
++  await page.route("**/api/toolbox/game-hub/repositories/*/methods/listGames", async (route) => {
++    await route.fulfill({
++      body: JSON.stringify({
++        data: { result: [] },
++        ok: true,
++        rule: "Browser -> Server API -> Data Source",
++      }),
++      contentType: "application/json; charset=utf-8",
++      status: 200,
 +    });
++  });
++  const failures = await openRepoPage(page, "/toolbox/game-hub/index.html", { session: creatorSession() });
 +
-+    await page.goto(`${server.baseUrl}/toolbox/idea-board/index.html`, { waitUntil: "networkidle" });
-+    await expect(page.locator("[data-idea-board-idea-row='top-thoughts'] [data-idea-board-idea-action='create-project']")).toHaveCount(0);
-+    await expect(page.locator("[data-idea-board-idea-row='sky-orchard'] [data-idea-board-idea-action='create-project']")).toHaveCount(0);
-+    await expect(page.locator("[data-idea-board-idea-row='clockwork-courier'] [data-idea-board-idea-action='create-project']")).toHaveCount(0);
-+
-+    await page.locator("[data-idea-board-add-idea]").click();
-+    await page.locator("[data-idea-board-idea-input]").fill("Validation Reef");
-+    await page.locator("[data-idea-board-pitch-input]").fill("Verify project gating and read-only conversion.");
-+    await page.locator("[data-idea-board-idea-status-input]").selectOption("Refining");
-+    await page.locator("[data-idea-board-idea-action='save']").click();
-+    await expect(page.locator("[data-idea-board-idea-row='validation-reef'] td").nth(1)).toHaveText("Refining");
-+    await expect(page.locator("[data-idea-board-idea-row='validation-reef'] [data-idea-board-idea-action='create-project']")).toHaveCount(0);
-+    expect(createGameRequests).toEqual([]);
-+
-+    await page.locator("[data-idea-board-idea-cell='validation-reef']").click();
-+    await page.locator("[data-idea-board-add-note='validation-reef']").click();
-+    await page.locator("[data-idea-board-note-input]").fill("This note should become read-only project context.");
-+    await page.locator("[data-idea-board-note-action='save']").click();
-+    await expect(page.locator("[data-idea-board-notes-count='validation-reef']")).toHaveText("1 Note");
-+
-+    await page.locator("[data-idea-board-idea-row='validation-reef'] [data-idea-board-idea-action='edit']").click();
-+    await page.locator("[data-idea-board-idea-status-input]").selectOption("Ready");
-+    await page.locator("[data-idea-board-idea-action='save']").click();
-+    await expect(page.locator("[data-idea-board-idea-row='validation-reef'] td").nth(1)).toHaveText("Ready");
-+    await expect(page.locator("[data-idea-board-idea-row='validation-reef'] [data-idea-board-idea-action]")).toHaveText(["Edit", "Create Project", "Delete"]);
++  try {
++    await expect(page.locator("[data-active-game-name]")).toHaveText("No game open");
++    await expect(page.locator("[data-game-list] [data-game-list-status='empty']")).toHaveText("No Game Hub projects yet. Create a game to start building.");
++    await expect(page.locator("[data-game-list] [data-game-row]")).toHaveCount(0);
++    await expect(page.locator("[data-game-hub-log]")).not.toContainText(/server|API|repository|database|stack|error/i);
++    await expectNoPageFailures(failures);
++  } finally {
++    await failures.server.close();
++  }
++});
 +
-+    await page.locator("[data-idea-board-idea-row='validation-reef'] [data-idea-board-idea-action='create-project']").click();
-+    await expect(page.locator("[data-idea-board-idea-row='validation-reef'] td").nth(1)).toHaveText("Project");
-+    await expect(page.locator("[data-idea-board-idea-row='validation-reef'] [data-idea-board-idea-action]")).toHaveText(["Open in Game Hub", "Archive"]);
-+    await expect(page.locator("[data-idea-board-idea-row='validation-reef'] [data-idea-board-idea-action='edit']")).toHaveCount(0);
-+    await expect(page.locator("[data-idea-board-idea-row='validation-reef'] [data-idea-board-idea-action='delete']")).toHaveCount(0);
-+    await expect(page.locator("[data-idea-board-add-note='validation-reef']")).toHaveCount(0);
-+    await expect(page.locator("[data-idea-board-notes-table='validation-reef'] [data-idea-board-note-action]")).toHaveCount(0);
-+    await expect(page.locator("[data-idea-board-note-input-row]")).toHaveCount(0);
-+    expect(createGameRequests).toHaveLength(1);
-+    expect(Object.keys(createGameRequests[0].args[0]).sort()).toEqual(["name", "purpose", "sourceIdea", "status"]);
++test("Game Hub shows a creator-safe unavailable state when project list API fails", async ({ page }) => {
++  await page.route("**/api/toolbox/game-hub/repositories/*/methods/listGames", async (route) => {
++    await route.fulfill({
++      body: JSON.stringify({
++        error: "postgres://service-role-secret@internal.example:5432/gamefoundry failed with stack trace",
++        ok: false,
++        rule: "Browser -> Server API -> Data Source",
++      }),
++      contentType: "application/json; charset=utf-8",
++      status: 503,
++    });
++  });
++  const failures = await openRepoPage(page, "/toolbox/game-hub/index.html", { session: creatorSession() });
 +
-+    expect(failedRequests).toEqual([]);
-+    expect(pageErrors).toEqual([]);
-+    expect(consoleErrors).toEqual([]);
++  try {
++    expect(failures.failedRequests.some((request) => request.includes("503") && request.includes("/methods/listGames"))).toBe(true);
++    await expect(page.locator("[data-game-list] [data-game-list-status='unavailable']")).toHaveText("Game Hub projects are temporarily unavailable. Refresh the page or try again shortly.");
++    await expect(page.locator("[data-game-list] [data-game-row]")).toHaveCount(0);
++    await expect(page.locator("[data-game-hub-log]")).toHaveText("Game Hub projects are temporarily unavailable. Refresh the page or try again shortly.");
++    await expect(page.locator("main")).not.toContainText(/postgres|service-role-secret|internal\.example|stack trace|repository|database/i);
++    expect(failures.pageErrors).toEqual([]);
++    expect(failures.consoleErrors.filter((message) => !message.includes("status of 503"))).toEqual([]);
 +  } finally {
-+    restoreEnvValue("GAMEFOUNDRY_API_URL", previousApiUrl);
-+    restoreEnvValue("GAMEFOUNDRY_SITE_URL", previousSiteUrl);
-+    Object.entries(previousSupabaseEnv).forEach(([key, value]) => restoreEnvValue(key, value));
-+    await server.close();
++    await failures.server.close();
 +  }
 +});
 +
- test("Idea Board guest Create Project redirects to sign in without creating a project", async ({ page }) => {
-   const server = await startRepoServer();
-   const previousApiUrl = process.env.GAMEFOUNDRY_API_URL;
+ test("Game Hub shows active-game errors without throwing", async ({ page }) => {
+   await page.route("**/api/toolbox/game-hub/repositories/*/methods/getActiveGame", async (route) => {
+     await route.fulfill({
+diff --git a/toolbox/game-hub/game-hub.js b/toolbox/game-hub/game-hub.js
+index d2260fe04..2d6f321e4 100644
+--- a/toolbox/game-hub/game-hub.js
++++ b/toolbox/game-hub/game-hub.js
+@@ -217,6 +217,14 @@ function createGameButton(game, isActive) {
+   return button;
+ }
+
++function createGameListStatus(message, state) {
++  const emptyState = document.createElement("p");
++  emptyState.className = "status";
++  emptyState.dataset.gameListStatus = state;
++  emptyState.textContent = message;
++  return emptyState;
++}
++
+ function renderProjectInformation(activeGame, currentMember, progress) {
+   if (!elements.projectRecordsTable) {
+     return;
+@@ -252,22 +260,23 @@ function renderGameList() {
+   const activeGame = normalizeActiveGame(repository.getActiveGame());
+   const gameUserKey = currentGameUserKey(activeGame);
+   const listResult = repository.listGames(gameUserKey ? { userKey: gameUserKey } : {});
+-  const games = Array.isArray(listResult) ? listResult : [];
+-  if (!Array.isArray(listResult) && !reportRepositoryError(listResult, "Game list")) {
+-    setStatusLog("Game list is temporarily unavailable. Refresh the page or try again shortly.");
+-  }
+
+   elements.gameList.replaceChildren();
+
+-  if (games.length === 0) {
+-    const emptyState = document.createElement("p");
+-    emptyState.className = "status";
+-    emptyState.textContent = "No games. Create a game to continue.";
+-    elements.gameList.append(emptyState);
++  if (!Array.isArray(listResult)) {
++    const message = "Game Hub projects are temporarily unavailable. Refresh the page or try again shortly.";
++    reportRepositoryError(listResult, "Game Hub projects");
++    setStatusLog(message);
++    elements.gameList.append(createGameListStatus(message, "unavailable"));
++    return;
++  }
++
++  if (listResult.length === 0) {
++    elements.gameList.append(createGameListStatus("No Game Hub projects yet. Create a game to start building.", "empty"));
+     return;
+   }
+
+-  games.forEach((game) => {
++  listResult.forEach((game) => {
+     const row = document.createElement("article");
+     row.className = "callout";
+     row.dataset.gameRow = game.id;