Get a video's scenes

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true, so safety is covered; the description adds ordering behavior (timecode order) and the key return signal (totalCount reveals whether more scenes exist beyond the requested page). That pagination-relevant disclosure is genuinely useful since no output schema exists, though offset/limit mechanics are left to the schema.

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 tight sentences with no filler, and the primary action is front-loaded ahead of the usage hint and return-value note. Every sentence contributes, though the return-value sentence could be trimmed slightly.

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?

For a simple three-parameter read tool with annotations covering the safety profile and a fully documented schema, the description supplies the missing pieces: ordering, purpose, and the totalCount pagination signal that no output schema provides. Nothing essential is absent.

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 100%, so videoId, limit, and offset are already fully documented. The phrase "more than you asked for" hints at the limit parameter but adds no syntax, defaults, or edge-case guidance beyond the schema, so the baseline of 3 applies.

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 ("List the scene thumbnails of one video") and adds scope ("in timecode order"), which distinguishes it from collection-wide siblings like search_scenes. It does not name those siblings explicitly, so differentiation is implied rather than stated.

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?

"Use this to see how a video is structured before deciding which moment to look at" gives a concrete when-to-use scenario, making the tool's role clear relative to moment-level tools like get_scene_image. No when-not-to-use or named alternative is provided, so it stops short of the top band.

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