Progression advice should explain what the current game shows, not what a guide assumes it should show. The official Steam page describes six chapters and the tower setting, while exact gates, unlock messages, and route order must be checked in the live base game. Record the displayed label, completed action, save context, mode, platform, and version before publishing a requirement.
Describe a gate precisely
“The next chapter is locked” is a useful observation but not a complete requirement. Copy the message, identify the menu or room, and say what had already happened. Do not add a hidden boss, item, or achievement condition unless the current game or an official source connects it. A player report can suggest the next test, but it cannot silently fill the missing condition.
The Walkthrough can hold the route decision, while the Updates hub holds release and patch context. Keep the same evidence boundary in both pages so a future editor does not mistake a historical route for a current gate.
Test one progression change
If safe, repeat the route while changing one completion variable. Keep save state, platform, mode, and version stable. Record both the successful and unsuccessful attempts. A negative result may show that a tempting condition was irrelevant, and it helps players avoid an unnecessary detour.
When the game uses random rewards or room layouts, describe the decision rather than a fixed coordinate. A progression guide should help a player recognize the next state even when the path looks different. This is more durable than a copied room order from a single run.
Co-op and achievements
A co-op completion may not be equivalent to solo progression. Record party size and the host context when relevant. If the gate appears to connect to an achievement, link to Achievements but keep the official achievement description distinct from the community route. Confirm the Steam client result before calling the condition complete.
Historical boundaries
Sephiria has Early Access history and a public 1.0 release. Old posts can be informative and still wrong for current progression. Label the era, link the official source when available, and keep AppID 2436940 separate from the related demo AppID 2686970.
Build a progression ledger
Keep one row per visible state: chapter label, available route, locked route, message, completed action, mode, version, and confidence. Add a screenshot only when it preserves the relevant wording and product context. A ledger makes a change visible when the route is random or when two saves reach the same menu through different actions.
When a player asks what unlocks next, answer from the ledger’s strongest evidence. If the row contains only a community lead, say that the lead is useful but not confirmed. If a patch changes the gate, keep the old row marked historical and add a new observation. This prevents an old requirement from being copied into walkthrough, achievement, and unlock pages.
Use safe experiments
Change one condition at a time and stop before a risky detour can erase the main run. A fresh test save may be useful, but it should not be presented as identical to an established save without checking. Link the result to Secrets when the route is optional and to Achievements when a Steam trigger is involved.
If the test cannot be repeated safely, keep the requirement at “observed” and explain the missing confirmation. This is still useful because it tells the next player which state to watch.
It also gives the editor a clear reason not to promise a universal chapter route.
The next player can then repeat the observation without inheriting a hidden assumption.