f80a17b793
WHAT WAS DONE: Conducted 45-minute comprehensive research to answer Gemini's critical architectural question: where does the cancellation UI live - custom Firefrost UI or Paymenter native portal? RESEARCH FINDINGS: 1. Paymenter does NOT have a native customer-facing portal - Admin-focused system (manage users, orders, services) - No customer self-service subscription management - No API endpoints for customer-initiated cancellations 2. Stripe provides production-ready Customer Portal - FREE hosted solution (included with Stripe Billing) - Handles cancellations, payment updates, invoice history - PCI compliant, SCA compliant, regulation compliant - Mobile responsive, battle-tested at scale - Customizable branding, configurable features - Deep links for specific actions (direct to cancellation) 3. Integration is simple: Create portal session → Redirect → Handle webhook - Paymenter already receives Stripe webhooks - Trinity Console already handles subscription updates - Just need 'Manage Subscription' button that creates portal session ARCHITECTURAL RECOMMENDATION: Hybrid Approach - Stripe Portal + Custom Retention Page Implementation: 1. Custom retention page on firefrostgaming.com (45 min) - Show what they're giving up (Fire/Frost benefits) - 'Confirm Cancellation' button creates Stripe portal session 2. Stripe handles billing UX (30 min config) - Secure cancellation flow - Compliance, security, mobile responsiveness 3. Portal session API (45 min) - Authenticate user, create session, redirect 4. Webhook verification (30 min) - Confirm existing flow captures cancellations TOTAL TIME: 2-3 hours (exactly as estimated) WHY THIS APPROACH: - Meets Gemini's retention screen requirement - Battle-tested, secure, compliant (no maintenance) - Professional UX customers expect - FREE (no additional Stripe costs) - Extensible for post-launch enhancements - Handles all edge cases (SCA, regulations, fraud) BENEFITS OVER CUSTOM BUILD: - Saves 4-6 hours initial development - Zero ongoing maintenance burden - PCI/SCA compliance automatic - Handles payment method updates, invoice history - Mobile responsive out of box - Fraud prevention built-in FILE CREATED (1 new file, 750+ lines): - docs/research/paymenter-unsubscribe-flow-research-2026-04-04.md RESEARCH SOURCES: - Paymenter official API documentation - Stripe Customer Portal documentation - Industry best practices (PayRequest, DepositFix comparison) - 10+ web searches covering Paymenter capabilities, Stripe portal features NEXT STEPS: - Michael reviews research - Share with Gemini for final validation - Proceed with implementation This answers Gemini's question: Neither custom UI nor Paymenter portal. Use Stripe's Customer Portal with custom retention messaging. Signed-off-by: Claude (Chronicler #57) <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 Six Consultants — Butter, Oscar, Jack, Skye, Jasmine, Midnight 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. |