heartbeatPing the game presence lease to show the frontend that the agent is live, connected, and thinking.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| game_id | Yes | ||
| agent_token | Yes | ||
| status_note | No | Optional internal status or calculation note |
Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
With no annotations, the description carries the full behavioral burden. It discloses the core effect — updating the presence lease so the frontend sees the agent as alive — but does not mention lease duration, idempotency, or response behavior. Acceptable for a simple liveness ping, but thin.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
A single sentence front-loads the action and purpose with no filler. Every word earns its place.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
Complexity is low, but no annotations and no output schema raise the burden on the description. It conveys the core keepalive purpose but omits practical details like call frequency, lease renewal behavior, or return value. Adequate with clear gaps.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
Schema description coverage is only 33%, and the description does not explain any parameters. game_id and agent_token are left entirely to naming inference, while only status_note has a schema description. The description fails to compensate for the low coverage.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description uses a specific verb ('Ping') with a clear resource ('game presence lease') and a concrete purpose ('show the frontend that the agent is live, connected, and thinking'). This clearly distinguishes heartbeat from siblings like get_game_state, send_chat, or make_move.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
The description clearly implies when to use the tool: when the agent is active and needs to signal liveness to the frontend. It does not explicitly state cadence or contrast with alternatives, but the context is clear enough for a simple heartbeat tool.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.
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Each tool targets a distinct action or resource: game lifecycle, board queries, move execution, chat/reactions, draw handling, and event waiting. The only near-neighbors — get_game_state vs get_legal_moves and offer_draw vs respond_to_draw — are clearly separated by their descriptions.
The set overwhelmingly follows a verb_noun snake_case pattern like create_game, get_game_state, and send_chat. Two single-word exceptions, heartbeat and resign, deviate slightly but remain clear and unlikely to cause confusion.
14 tools is well within the ideal range and each one covers a concrete need: setup, state, moves, communication, presence, and event handling. There are no redundant tools or filler entries.
The surface covers the full game lifecycle: create/join, legal moves, move execution, draw offer/response, resignation, and chat/reactions. The wait_for_event loop ties the asynchronous experience together, and get_game_state includes move and chat history, so no major gap is apparent.