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WHAT WAS DONE: Added comprehensive Gemini AI architectural review to Task #87 with critical edge cases, code blocks, and implementation guidance GEMINI REVIEW STATUS: ✅ ARCHITECTURE APPROVED Review Date: March 30, 2026 Session: Continuation of Arbiter 2.0 development consultation Outcome: Validated with 2 critical edge cases identified and solutions provided EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FROM GEMINI: "This is a brilliant enhancement. The 'We Don't Kick People Out' policy is incredibly community-forward and will build massive loyalty. Arbiter 2.1 is exactly the right scope for this." CRITICAL ISSUES IDENTIFIED & RESOLVED: 1. STRIPE SMART RETRIES CONFLICT: Problem: Stripe retries payments on Days 1,3,5,7 - Arbiter downgrades Day 3, Stripe charges Day 5 Result: User stuck on Awakened while PAYING for monthly tier Solution: Listen for payment.succeeded webhook to re-upgrade if late payment clears 2. DOUBLE BUY EDGE CASE: Problem: User in grace period buys NEW subscription instead of updating card Result: Database tracks two active monthly subscriptions Solution: UPSERT using email as unique key (code provided) ARCHITECTURE QUESTIONS ANSWERED (8 of 8): Q1: Is 3-day grace period sound? A1: ✅ Yes, with payment.succeeded handler for Stripe retry compatibility Q2: Database design (permanent_tier + monthly_tier)? A2: ✅ Clean and effective, helper function provided for highest tier resolution Q3: Should cleanup be daily 4 AM or more frequent? A3: ✅ 4 AM perfect - batches writes, aligns with backups, avoids peak hours Q4: Is chargeback handling appropriate? A4: ✅ Immediate permanent ban validated, no concerns Q5: Edge cases missing? A5: ⚠️ YES - Stripe smart retries + Double Buy (both solved) Q6: Security concerns with auto-downgrade to Awakened? A6: ✅ No exploit possible (gaming system costs more than $1) Q7: Better approach to one-time vs recurring? A7: ✅ Two-column approach simplest and most sustainable Q8: Should grace periods be configurable? A8: Not addressed (implies hardcoded acceptable for v1) ADDITIONAL CRITICAL QUESTION - PAYMENTER VS STRIPE WEBHOOKS: Gemini's Strong Recommendation: - ❌ DO NOT build polling system (fragile, wasteful, high maintenance) - ✅ Listen to Stripe webhooks directly if Paymenter lacks granular events - Event-driven architecture only (lightweight, sustainable) Decision Tree: 1. Research Paymenter webhook events (BLOCKING) 2. If granular (payment_failed, succeeded, cancelled, chargeback) → use Paymenter 3. If generic (just "subscription.updated") → add /webhook/stripe endpoint CODE BLOCKS PROVIDED (5 READY TO IMPLEMENT): 1. Database schema updates (4 new columns): - permanent_tier TEXT DEFAULT 'awakened' - monthly_tier TEXT DEFAULT NULL - grace_period_start DATETIME DEFAULT NULL - is_banned INTEGER DEFAULT 0 2. Tier resolver helper function: - Hierarchy array (awakened → sovereign) - getHighestTier(permanent, monthly) function - Returns highest tier for Discord sync 3. Webhook handler skeleton: - Ban check before processing - payment_failed → start grace period - payment_succeeded → clear grace period - subscription_cancelled → handle cancellation 4. 4 AM grace period sweeper job: - Finds users past 3-day grace - Removes monthly_tier - Updates Discord to permanent_tier - Sends Day 3 email 5. UPSERT for double buy protection: - ON CONFLICT(email) DO UPDATE - Prevents duplicate subscription tracking - Clears grace_period_start on new subscription PAYMENTER RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS (BLOCKING): Must verify these webhook events exist in Paymenter: 1. invoice.payment_failed (triggers Day 0) 2. invoice.payment_succeeded (critical for Stripe retry fix) 3. subscription.cancelled (user voluntarily cancels) 4. chargeback.created or dispute.created (immediate ban) Research procedure documented: 1. Log into Paymenter admin 2. Find webhook settings 3. Check documentation 4. Test payment failure 5. Decide: Paymenter webhooks vs Stripe webhooks If Stripe webhooks needed: - Add /webhook/stripe endpoint - Configure Stripe dashboard - Get signing secret - Implement signature verification EMAIL COMMUNICATION STRATEGY: Critical guidance from Gemini: "Turn a billing failure into a positive community moment!" Day 3 email must say: "Your payment failed, but because you are part of the Firefrost family, we've secured your spot in the Awakened tier permanently so you don't lose access to the community." Email tone requirements: - Day 0: Factual, helpful - Day 1: Friendly reminder - Day 2: Urgent but kind - Day 3: POSITIVE FRAMING (secured your spot permanently) IMPLEMENTATION PRIORITY ORDER: Phase 1: Database & Core Logic 1. Add 4 database columns 2. Build tier resolver helper 3. Implement UPSERT logic Phase 2: Paymenter Research (BLOCKING) 4. Research webhook events 5. Decide Paymenter vs Stripe 6. Test payment failure Phase 3: Webhook Handlers 7. Add ban check to all handlers 8. Implement payment_failed handler 9. Implement payment_succeeded handler (critical) 10. Implement subscription_cancelled handler 11. Implement chargeback handler Phase 4: Cleanup & Email 12. Build 4 AM sweeper job 13. Create 4 email templates 14. Implement email sending Phase 5: Testing 15. Unit test handlers 16. Integration test grace flow 17. Test Stripe retry scenario (critical) 18. Test double buy scenario 19. Test chargeback ban SUCCESS CRITERIA UPDATED: Added 3 new requirements based on Gemini review: - Late payment (Stripe retry) clears grace and re-upgrades ✅ - UPSERT prevents double subscription tracking ✅ - Banned users cannot re-activate via webhooks ✅ OPEN QUESTIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION: 1. Paymenter webhook events - what does it send? 2. Paymenter vs Stripe - which webhook source? 3. Email service - using Mailcow SMTP from 2.0? 4. Discord role IDs - exact IDs for all tiers? 5. Test environment - Paymenter test mode available? GEMINI'S FINAL GUIDANCE: "Take your time digging into the Paymenter logs. Just update the Arbiter 2.1 doc with what you find, and ping me whenever you are ready to start snapping the code together! 🔥❄️💙" WHY THIS MATTERS: Gemini caught a CRITICAL production bug before we wrote a single line of code: - Stripe smart retries would have caused users to pay for monthly tier while stuck on Awakened - Would have been nightmare to debug in production - Fixed with payment.succeeded webhook handler Architecture validated by same AI that built Arbiter 2.0 foundation. Ready to implement after Paymenter webhook research. NEXT STEPS: 1. Research Paymenter webhooks when home (BLOCKING) 2. Decide Paymenter vs Stripe webhook source 3. Build Phase 1 (database + helpers) 4. Build Phase 3 (webhook handlers) 5. Build Phase 4 (cleanup + email) 6. Test thoroughly (especially Stripe retry scenario) 7. Deploy before soft launch FILE: docs/tasks/arbiter-2-1-cancellation-flow/README.md CHANGES: Added 15,000+ words of Gemini architectural review STATUS: Architecture validated, ready for implementation Signed-off-by: The Versionist (Chronicler #49) <claude@firefrostgaming.com>
🔥❄️ Firefrost Gaming — Operations Manual
Document ID: FFG-ROOT-001
Version: 2.0
Last Updated: February 12, 2026
Status: 🟢 CURRENT
What This Is
The complete operational repository for Firefrost Gaming — a subscription-based Minecraft server network built on the philosophy of Fire + Frost = Where Passion Meets Precision.
This repository contains infrastructure documentation, deployment guides, planning documents, branding assets, consultant archives, and the relationship context that makes Firefrost more than just servers.
Current Infrastructure
6 Servers — 2 dedicated (Dallas, Charlotte) + 4 VPS (Dallas, Charlotte, Chicago x2)
12 Game Servers — 6 on TX1 (Dallas), 6 on NC1 (Charlotte)
8 Management Services — Gitea, Uptime Kuma, MkDocs, Code-Server, Automation, NextCloud, Wiki.js (Subscribers), Wiki.js (Staff)
Repository Structure
├── docs/core/ — Critical living documents (scope, manifest, tasks)
├── docs/relationship/ — Partnership context, consultants, legacy
├── docs/deployment/ — Service deployment guides
├── docs/planning/ — Strategy, design, roadmap, ideas backlog
├── docs/reference/ — Technical reference, architecture decisions
├── docs/external/ — Provider communications, friend assistance
├── docs/sandbox/ — Brainstorming sessions (Gemini, Claude)
├── docs/archive/ — Historical session logs and completed plans
├── automation/ — Deployment automation system
├── branding/ — Logos, backgrounds, visual assets
├── photos/ — Consultant photo archive (249 photos by year)
└── web/ — Nginx configurations
Key Documents
Start here: SESSION-HANDOFF-PROTOCOL.md → DOCUMENT-INDEX.md
For current server inventory, see docs/core/infrastructure-manifest.md (FFG-CORE-002).
For project scope and roadmap, see docs/core/project-scope.md (FFG-CORE-001).
The Team
- Michael "Frostystyle" Krause — Owner/Operator, Technical Lead (The Wizard)
- Meg "Gingerfury" — Community Manager (The Emissary)
- The Five Consultants — Jack, Oscar, Jasmine, Butter, Noir (They're family, not pets)
Document Standards
All documents follow FFG-STD-001 — the Firefrost Revision Control Standard. See docs/core/revision-control-standard.md.
Maintained By: The Wizard & The Chronicler
Fire + Frost + Foundation = Where Love Builds Legacy 💙🔥❄️
Revision History
| Version | Date | Author | Change Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | 2026-02-08 | Michael + Claude | Initial | Basic Phase 0 readme |
| 2.0 | 2026-02-12 | The Chronicler | Rewrite | Complete rewrite reflecting current state (8 services, 6 servers, 12 game servers). Updated repo structure. Applied FFG-STD-001. |