12 Free Lore Hosting Checks Before You Migrate - 2026

If you searched lore hosting checks after 1 October 2026, you do not need another “Perforce is dead” trailer. You need a numbered free-check kit before anyone migrates a live depot onto Epic Lore — self-hosted or Interlinked managed hosting.

Managed Lore hosting opened to general signup on October 1. The README still marks Lore pre-1.0. The FAQ still says explore and prototype, not overnight replacement. The roadmap still lists scalable lock enforcement and Unreal Editor plugin work ahead. Missing from the SERP is a Discord-pasteable pass that forces those gates before a cutover becomes the production story.

This listicle owns the free kit: twelve checks that cost nothing but time (cloud bytes may still bill later — the checks are free). It is not the what-changed map, not the Perforce drop-in Stop, and not the spike evening. Those own facts, refusal, and local labs. This URL owns the toolkit roundup.

Why this matters now

Studios sign up because hosting exists, then discover the wrong CLI, an Oodle-blocked UEFN island, informative-only locks, a seat cancel with no dual-run, or a board slide that pasted Anchorpoint’s self-hosted five-minute push as if it were their managed SLA. The docs already listed the pieces. What people skip is a minimum gate before Lore hosting is treated as the ship remote.

Direct answer: Run checks 1–4 before you promise Discord anything. Run 5–9 on a throwaway or subset project with a timed push. Run 10–12 before you tell partners the shipping title “moved.” If check 2 fails (pre-1.0 unread), stop — that is the point of the kit.

Who this list is for

Time: 25 minutes for 1–4; half day for a full lab pass.
Honest limit: README, FAQ, roadmap, and Interlinked’s fine print are authorities. Prices and waitlists move — re-check the morning you adopt.

Non-repetition

Four-check minimum (if you only have twenty-five minutes)

Do not migrate a shipping depot until these four are green.

The twelve checks

1. Path latch — managed vs self-host

Do: Write one line: lore_path=interlinked_managed or lore_path=self_host_epic. Read Interlinked’s “hosted only / ifile not Epic lore against our vault” fine print if managed. Read Epic’s local/demo install if self-host.

Pass: Path named in the lab ticket with date.
Fail: “We’ll figure out the server later.”
Do next: Skim the what-changed map self-host vs managed matrix.

2. Pre-1.0 honesty latch

Do: Open the README note and the FAQ production-ready answer. Quote aloud: APIs/protocols may change before 1.0; explore and prototype; do not overnight-replace.

Pass: Ticket includes the quote + named risk owner.
Fail: Slide says “Epic production VCS, migrate Friday.”
Do next: Feed the Perforce Stop if leadership still wants drop-in language.

3. UEFN scope sticky

Do: Ask: do we ship or maintain UEFN / Fortnite Creative islands that need Lore sync? If yes, record BLOCKED until OSS/UEFN compression convergence (Oodle vs Zstandard) lands per FAQ/roadmap. If no, write uefn_out_of_scope=true.

Pass: Sticky or ADR field signed by producer.
Fail: “Lore hosting will cover islands too.”
Do next: Re-read Interlinked’s UEFN fine print and Epic’s FAQ desktop/UEFN note.

4. Shipping VCS KEEP

Do: Write PERFORCE_KEEP=true or GIT_LFS_KEEP=true for the live title. Lore lab only in a throwaway or clearly named side project. No seat cancel this week.

Pass: Standup can see the KEEP latch.
Fail: Plan deletes the only green submit path.
Do next: If pressure remains, open the drop-in Stop.

5. Client literacy (ifile vs lore)

Do: If managed: install @interlinkedfiles/cli (or desktop), complete ifile auth, push a tiny folder, confirm the printed link clones. If self-host: follow Epic quickstart with demo server — do not aim Epic lore at Interlinked credentials.

Pass: Lab doc names the exact client binary/command used.
Fail: “CLI failed, Lore is dead” after a protocol mismatch.
Do next: Attach one screenshot of successful push/clone.

6. On-disk format sanity

Do: Confirm the project folder shows Lore state (.lore / documented layout) after init/push. Confirm teammates understand the folder stays Lore format even when transport is HTTPS.

Pass: One sentence in the ticket: “On-disk = Lore; transport = [HTTPS managed | Lore protocol self-host].”
Fail: Expecting a Git .git directory or a Perforce workspace root to appear by magic.
Do next: Glossary pass from the spike evening if nouns are fuzzy.

7. Lock policy honesty

Do: Read the FAQ locking section: basic locks inform; enforcement at scale is still in design/roadmap. Ask the art lead: do we accept social locks for the lab, or do we wait?

Pass: Written art-lead answer (accept_informative or wait_for_enforcement).
Fail: Promising “P4 exclusive checkout tomorrow on Lore.”
Do next: Keep binary ownership rules on the ship VCS until enforcement exists.

8. Editor / GUI expectation check

Do: Read the roadmap: Unreal Editor plugin listed 2027; desktop client early/binary with OSS work ongoing; VS Code plugin in progress for 2026. Write what artists will use this quarter (CLI, desktop binary, or stay in P4V).

Pass: Artist workflow sentence exists without “in-editor submit like Perforce.”
Fail: Roadmap cosplay as shipped Unreal integration.
Do next: Separate launcher/editor installs from Lore — Epic Games Launcher guide.

9. Stopwatch on representative content

Do: Push a representative subset (engine plugins + content sample), not a toy text folder. Time first push, second push (dedup claim), and fresh clone. Record sizes. Do not paste Anchorpoint’s UE 5.8 self-hosted numbers as your result.

Pass: Three numbers + machine/network notes in the ticket.
Fail: Board deck with someone else’s benchmark only.
Do next: Compare honestly to your current Git LFS or Perforce pain (LFS help if pointers still haunt you).

10. Dual-run proof

Do: While Lore lab runs, land at least one normal ship commit on the existing VCS. Screenshot submit/CI green. Dual-run means paying for two paths on purpose.

Pass: Evidence of ship VCS activity dated after Lore signup.
Fail: “We paused Perforce to focus.”
Do next: Put dual-run in the ADR status field as active.

11. Exit / export drill

Do: Schedule a restore: can you get a full history out of the managed vault (or self-host backup) and re-host or archive it? Run a small drill even if ugly. Legal/IT should know the region and DPA shape for managed.

Pass: Calendar event + notes from one export attempt.
Fail: “We’ll figure out exit when we leave.”
Do next: Add residency/DPA owner for managed path; air-gap teams must fail managed and stay self-host or current VCS.

12. Cutover readiness score (not a vibe)

Do: Score gates from the Stop article’s spirit — pre-1.0 owner, dual-run, client clarity, lock policy, editor reality, UEFN, exit, stopwatch, CI auth, seat-cancel-last. Require honest trues before any “migration Friday.”

Pass: Checklist file with dates; decision still lab_only until green.
Fail: Seat cancel as the first “commitment” signal.
Do next: Only then draft a real cutover program — weeks/months, not a signup evening.

Scorecard (copy into Notion)

Rule: Fewer than four greens in 1–4 → no public “we’re migrating” language. Fewer than nine greens overall → no seat cancel.

Beginner path — twenty-five minutes

1. Print or paste checks 1–4.
2. Read one primary source: Interlinked Oct 1 post or Epic README.
3. Write KEEP on the ship VCS.
4. Optional: tiny free-tier or local demo push — not the Steam tree.
5. Paste the Discord brief below.

Working-eng path — half day

1. Complete 1–8 on paper.
2. Run 5 + 9 with stopwatch.
3. Prove 10 with a real ship commit.
4. Schedule 11.
5. Fill 12 without lying.
6. Link ADR to the Stop refuse table.

Company diligence mapping

If any diligence answer is “unknown,” the migration date is “not this month.”

Failure modes this kit prevents

Creator Discord paste

Twelve free Lore hosting checks before any migrate: path (managed vs self-host), pre-1.0 honesty, UEFN scope, ship VCS KEEP, correct client (ifile vs lore), on-disk format, lock policy, editor expectations, stopwatch, dual-run, exit drill, cutover score. Oct 1 hosting is real — cutover without the kit is theater.

Pair with 25 game-dev Discords (October).

Sample lab receipt

{
  "receipt": "lore_hosting_checks_v1",
  "date": "2026-10-29",
  "checks_green": [1, 2, 3, 4],
  "checks_pending": [5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12],
  "lore_path": "interlinked_managed",
  "ship_vcs_keep": true,
  "uefn_out_of_scope": true,
  "decision": "lab_only",
  "owners": { "eng": "", "art": "", "producer": "" }
}

Update checks_green as you go. Do not set decision to migrate until 12 is honest.

How this pairs with the Lore cluster

Run the kit after the map and the Stop, or as the practical appendix when leadership only reads lists.

Related pain (not solved by this kit alone)

• Launcher preview vs legacy — what-changed / guide
• Git LFS pointers in Unity — help
• Unity Git/Perforce integration — help
• UE 5.8 ship-date bets — playbook

Those stay on their URLs. Lore hosting checks do not fix a stuck launcher install.

Extended check notes (for the pedantic)

Why “free” still matters

Interlinked’s free tier and Epic’s MIT license make trying cheap. Bytes overages, eng time, and dual-run seats are not free. This kit’s price is hours, so you do not spend quarters on a false cutover. When finance asks “what did the Lore evaluation cost?”, answer with eng hours on the scorecard — not with a surprise egress invoice from an unmeasured full-tree push.

Why twelve, not six

Six checks catch enthusiasm. Twelve catch the second week: locks, editors, exit, CI, and the seat-cancel reflex. If you only ship six, people skip the painful ones. The painful ones are exactly where cutovers die: art policy, restore drills, and “we canceled seats to show commitment.”

Why stopwatch is not optional

Without numbers, every meeting becomes a benchmark paste war. With numbers, you can say “our subset took X; we keep Perforce for now” without drama. Record network class (office vs home VPN), whether the tree included intermediate/DerivedData-style junk, and whether the second push actually shrank. Dedup marketing without a second-push number is just hope.

Why exit comes before migrate

Exit after migrate is hostage negotiation. Exit during lab is a homework assignment. Do homework. Even a clumsy ifile/export/tar of a small project teaches which person owns the restore runbook before legal asks during a vendor review.

CI and auth (hidden half of check 12)

Human interactive login is fine for a spike. Ship pipelines need non-interactive auth, secret storage, and a failure mode that does not page the art director. If check 12’s CI row is false, Lore stays out of the release train even when the desktop push looks pretty. Document whether SSO/SCIM is required before you promise “the build farm is on Lore next sprint.”

What “representative content” means in check 9

A toy folder with three PNGs proves the client works. It does not prove your marketplace pack, .uasset churn, or audio bank layout behaves. Prefer: one gameplay module, one content plug-in folder, and one binary-heavy directory you actually fight about in Perforce today. Exclude Intermediate/Saved junk so you are not timing trash.

When to fail the whole kit on purpose

Fail closed if: air-gap policy forbids managed; UEFN islands are the only reason anyone cares; art refuses informative locks and roadmap enforcement is too far; or nobody will own pre-1.0 risk. A failed kit is a successful evaluation — you learned Lore hosting is not your 2026 ship remote.

One-evening script (checks 1–9)

Use this when you have a spare evening and a throwaway machine:

1. 0:00–0:15 — Write path, pre-1.0 quote, UEFN sticky, KEEP latch (1–4).
2. 0:15–0:45 — Install the correct client; auth; push a tiny folder (5–6).
3. 0:45–1:15 — Read lock + roadmap editor notes; ping art lead in Slack (7–8).
4. 1:15–2:30 — Push representative subset; time three numbers; paste into ticket (9).
5. 2:30–2:45 — Confirm ship VCS still took a commit today or schedule tomorrow’s dual-run proof (10 preview).
6. 2:45–3:00 — Calendar the exit drill; paste Discord brief; stop (11–12 deferred to daylight).

Do not “finish” cutover language at 2:45 a.m. Sleep beats seat cancel.

Common false greens

Audit false greens before you show the scorecard to a publisher.

Pairing with launcher and engine work

Lore hosting is not the Epic Games Launcher and not an Unreal upgrade. If the same week includes a launcher preview install, keep those machines separate from the Lore lab when you can — a preview that uninstalls the legacy launcher (what-changed) is already enough chaos for one PC. Engine ship-date bets stay on the UE 5.8 playbook. This kit only answers: “Are we allowed to talk about migrating the depot yet?”

Key takeaways

1. Twelve free checks before any Lore hosting migrate.
2. Checks 1–4 are the twenty-five-minute minimum.
3. Pre-1.0 honesty is non-optional.
4. UEFN is blocked for OSS clients until Epic finishes compression work — sticky it.
5. KEEP the ship VCS; lab on the side.
6. Name the client: ifile vs Epic lore.
7. On-disk Lore format ≠ transport protocol.
8. Locks inform today; do not promise P4 exclusive checkout.
9. Editor plugin timing is still roadmap — set artist expectations.
10. Measure your tree; do not steal Anchorpoint’s self-hosted bar.
11. Dual-run before any seat cancel.
12. Exit drill before dependency.
13. Cutover score last — vibes are not a gate.
14. Pair with what-changed + Stop + spike.
15. Discord paste the twelve titles when chat gets loud.

FAQ

What are lore hosting checks?

A free, numbered gate kit that forces path choice, pre-1.0 honesty, UEFN scope, ship KEEP, correct client, format literacy, lock policy, editor expectations, stopwatch, dual-run, exit, and cutover scoring before you treat Lore hosting as the production remote.

Do I need Interlinked to use this kit?

No. Self-host Epic Lore uses the same honesty gates; only check 1 and 5 change commands.

Can I migrate after all twelve pass?

You can start a cutover program. Passing checks is not the same as finishing migration. Dual-run may last weeks.

Is this the same as the spike evening?

No. The spike teaches local Lore nouns. This kit gates hosting migration decisions after Oct 1.

Why include a Stop link?

Because many teams want the listicle to bless a Friday cutover. The Stop exists so the kit cannot be misread as permission.

What if we are air-gapped?

Managed hosting fails check 1/11 by policy. Self-host or stay on current VCS. The kit still applies.

How do these relate to Git LFS pain?

LFS pain (help) can motivate a lab. It does not skip dual-run or pre-1.0 gates.

Sources (primary)

• EpicGames/lore README
• Lore FAQ
• Lore roadmap
• Lore quickstart
• Interlinked — Managed Lore hosting open to everyone from October 1, 2026

Twelve checks. Zero paid seats required to run them. Migrate only when the scorecard is boring — not when the signup email feels like momentum.