steam_get_game_news

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations, the description carries the burden and does useful work: it discloses that content is fetched live, that detail="full" returns complete bodies, and it adds an important safety directive that news bodies are publisher-authored data and must not be treated as instructions. It omits rate limits, pagination and error/empty behavior.

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?

Three compact clauses, front-loaded with what the tool returns and how, followed by the output-mode distinction and the safety note. No filler, and each sentence adds decision-relevant information.

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?

Even though an output schema exists, the description helpfully clarifies the two return shapes, freshness and the prompt-injection posture. Only the count parameter and paging/large-result behavior are left unaddressed, which is a minor gap.

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 coverage is 67%, and the description augments it by spelling out the digest shape (title, date, excerpt) and reinforcing the detail="full" mode. The count parameter's semantics live entirely in the schema and get no mention here, so it does not fully compensate for the coverage gap.

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?

States a specific verb and resource (fetches recent news/patch notes for a game) and names the source (live from Steam). The resource is clearly distinct from every sibling, which covers search, overview, store details, reviews, player trends and market data.

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?

Makes the use case clear (recent news and patch notes) and implicitly routes the agent away from the other Steam tools by resource type. It never states when-not to use it or names an alternative explicitly, so it falls short of full when/when-not guidance.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.