Your First GameMaker Steam setlive Branch Dry-Run Receipt Before Fest Promotion in One Evening - 2026

gm_steam_partner_ok is true. Wednesday smoke was GREEN. You run setlive on the fest branch—and players still download last week's default build. Steamworks shows upload success. Your Discord says "we're live." The demo is not.

December 2026 GameMaker teams pass partner sanity and export gates then fail setlive because the branch pointer never moved from default to nextfest-dec-2026. 12 setlive preflight checks own the printable checklist—this Tutorials & Beginner-First guide closes the GameMaker branch dry-run gap in one evening: screenshot Steamworks Branches, run staging build_app against the fest branch VDF, file gm_steam_setlive_dry_run_receipt_v1.json, set setlive_dry_run_ok on BUILD_RECEIPT before real setlive.

Non-repetition note: 12 setlive checks owns twelve-check listicle; Lesson 262 owns P1–P6 partner identity; export evening owns G1–G5 folder; setlive dry-run preflight (Guide) owns ninety-second S1–S6; Lesson 270 forward owns BUILD_RECEIPT milestone. This URL is the beginner evening path between partner receipt and fest promotion.

Why this matters now (December 2026)

1. Partner ≠ branch — DepotOwnedByOtherAccount is fixed; wrong branch is the new Thursday burn.
2. GameMaker upload cadence — Teams upload Friday; setlive Monday without dry-run on fest branch name.
3. Playtest vs fest — Playtest isolation requires surface: fest_public and branch screenshot proof.
4. Visible build label — Label opinion fails when branch points at old build_label.
5. Receipt chain — gm_steam_partner_ok → setlive_dry_run_ok → setlive_allowed must be ordered.

Direct answer: Screenshot fest branch in Steamworks; run staging build_app with VDF whose branch key matches screenshot; archive log; file gm_steam_setlive_dry_run_receipt_v1.json with S1–S6 pass; set setlive_dry_run_ok: true before production setlive.

Who this is for and what you get

Time: ~90–120 minutes first evening; 15 minutes per promotion after template.
Prerequisites: Lesson 262 P5 GREEN or equivalent gm_steam_partner_ok; fest branch name in runbook; steamcmd access.

What you will have after one evening

• Steamworks Branches screenshot (fest_branch_screenshot.png)
• Staging app_build_fest.vdf with explicit branch key
• build_app_staging_dry_run_<date>.log
• gm_steam_setlive_dry_run_receipt_v1.json passing S1–S6
• BUILD_RECEIPT columns setlive_dry_run_ok, fest_branch
• release-evidence/steam/gamemaker-setlive/README.md

Beginner checkbox

Evening overview (four blocks)

Run after partner P5 and before production setlive—pair Thursday row review.

Gates S1–S6

Align with setlive dry-run preflight (Guide).

Promotion rule: setlive_allowed is true only when S1–S6 pass, gm_steam_partner_ok true, and Wednesday smoke S4–S6 GREEN on same build_label.

Branch pointer vs depot upload (beginner mental model)

Many first-time Steam exporters confuse uploading bytes to a depot with moving the live branch pointer. They are different operations:

GameMaker teams export Friday, upload successfully, and celebrate in Discord—while default still serves last month’s jam build. The fix is not re-exporting; it is proving tonight that your VDF SetLive (or equivalent branch key in your runbook) targets nextfest-dec-2026 (or your documented fest name) before you run production setlive.

Pair depot and branch discipline when Unity or Godot teammates share the same Steamworks app—branch names must be one runbook string, not three Slack variants.

Sample BUILD_RECEIPT row (after S6)

{
  "build_label": "nextfest-dec-2026-rc3",
  "engine": "gamemaker_2024",
  "surface": "fest_public",
  "fest_branch": "nextfest-dec-2026",
  "gm_steam_partner_ok": true,
  "setlive_dry_run_ok": true,
  "setlive_allowed": true,
  "gm_steam_setlive_dry_run_receipt_path": "release-evidence/steam/gamemaker-setlive/GM_STEAM_SETLIVE_DRY_RUN_RECEIPT.json",
  "demo_smoke": {
    "promotion_allowed": true,
    "receipt_path": "release-evidence/03-builds/demo_smoke_receipt_v1.json"
  }
}

Thursday row review should diff fest_branch and setlive_dry_run_ok alongside build_label—a GREEN smoke with setlive_dry_run_ok: false means you uploaded a good binary to the wrong promotion story.

Multi-depot GameMaker teams (working dev)

Some GameMaker projects ship Windows demo depot + optional content depot. For dry-run:

1. List every depot ID in gm_steam_setlive_dry_run_receipt_v1.json under depot_ids.
2. Confirm all depots in VDF match Steamworks Depots tab (cousin of Lesson 262 P4).
3. Run one staging dry-run that includes every mapped depot—partial mapping passes locally and fails at setlive.

Document depot_ids in receipt so producers do not promote after only the exe depot uploaded.

Block A — Steamworks Branches screenshot (S1)

1. Steamworks → App Admin → SteamPipe → Branches.
2. Locate fest branch (e.g. nextfest-dec-2026)—not default unless runbook says so.
3. Screenshot showing branch name, build ID (if assigned), description.
4. Save release-evidence/steam/gamemaker-setlive/fest_branch_screenshot_2026-12-09.png.

Pin branch name in README—every VDF and BUILD_RECEIPT row uses exact string.

Cross-read depot and branch discipline for multi-engine teams.

Block B — Staging VDF with fest branch (S4)

GameMaker teams often maintain app_build_demo.vdf. For dry-run, copy to staging and set branch explicitly:

"AppBuild"
{
  "AppID" "1234560"
  "Desc" "GameMaker fest staging dry-run"
  "BuildOutput" "C:\\build\\steam\\output"
  "Depots"
  {
    "1234561"
    {
      "FileMapping"
      {
        "LocalPath" "C:\\build\\gamemaker\\SteamDemo\\*"
        "DepotPath" "."
        "recursive" "1"
      }
    }
  }
  "SetLive" "nextfest-dec-2026"
}

S4 pass: "SetLive" string byte-identical to S1 screenshot branch name.

Staging app pattern: Some teams use separate staging App ID—if so, document in receipt staging_app_id and never run production setlive against staging VDF. This tutorial assumes same app, fest branch dry-run only.

Pair Godot VDF LF evening when Linux CI parses VDF—GameMaker on Windows still benefits from LF if CI uploads.

Block C — Staging dry-run (S2)

steamcmd +login "$STEAM_PARTNER_USER" "$STEAM_PARTNER_PASS" \
  +run_app_build "C:\build\steam\app_build_fest_staging.vdf" \
  +quit 2>&1 | tee release-evidence/steam/gamemaker-setlive/build_app_staging_dry_run_2026-12-09.log

S2 note: Dry-run proves branch + depot mapping—not that players downloaded yet.

Block D — gm_steam_setlive_dry_run_receipt_v1.json

{
  "schema": "gm_steam_setlive_dry_run_receipt_v1",
  "build_label": "nextfest-dec-2026-rc3",
  "engine": "gamemaker_2024",
  "app_id": "1234560",
  "fest_branch": "nextfest-dec-2026",
  "fest_branch_screenshot": "release-evidence/steam/gamemaker-setlive/fest_branch_screenshot_2026-12-09.png",
  "staging_vdf_path": "build/steam/app_build_fest_staging.vdf",
  "staging_dry_run_log": "release-evidence/steam/gamemaker-setlive/build_app_staging_dry_run_2026-12-09.log",
  "surface": "fest_public",
  "cousin_receipts": {
    "gm_steam_partner": "release-evidence/steam/GM_STEAM_PARTNER_RECEIPT.json",
    "gm_steam_export": "release-evidence/gamemaker/gamemaker_steam_export_receipt_v1.json",
    "depot_owner_checklist": "release-evidence/steam/depot_owner_receipt_v1.json"
  },
  "gates": {
    "S1_branch_screenshot": "pass",
    "S2_staging_dry_run": "pass",
    "S3_build_label_crosswalk": "pass",
    "S4_vdf_branch_match": "pass",
    "S5_fail_closed": "pass",
    "S6_receipt": "pass"
  },
  "setlive_dry_run_ok": true,
  "setlive_allowed": true
}

BUILD_RECEIPT columns

Lesson 270 forward wires promotion gates.

S5 — Fail-closed jq

jq -e '.setlive_dry_run_ok == true' release-evidence/steam/gamemaker-setlive/GM_STEAM_SETLIVE_DRY_RUN_RECEIPT.json
jq -e '.fest_branch == "nextfest-dec-2026"' release-evidence/steam/gamemaker-setlive/GM_STEAM_SETLIVE_DRY_RUN_RECEIPT.json

Block production setlive script unless both exit 0.

Developer path — promotion week order

Relationship to checklist vs partner vs export

Common mistakes

1. setlive on default — S1 screenshot catches.
2. Branch name in Discord ≠ VDF — S4 crosswalk.
3. Skipping staging — production setlive without S2 log.
4. Partner OK but wrong surface — playtest_invite on BUILD_RECEIPT.
5. Old build_label on branch — S3 vs smoke receipt.
6. Confusing queue delay with branch fail — Wall-clock trend.
7. Filing receipt before dry-run completes — S2 log must exist.

Troubleshooting

Promotion week calendar (Friday → Monday)

Solo studios compress Saturday–Sunday into this one evening—the calendar still matters so you do not run production setlive before smoke proves the same build_label you filed in the receipt.

If your fest goes live Tuesday, run smoke Monday even when upload was Friday—branch pointer discipline does not replace binary boot proof.

Worked example — Friday upload, Monday setlive

Lesson learned: Upload succeeded to depot—but setlive never targeted fest branch until dry-run proved VDF SetLive string.

Discord stand-up one-liner

gm_steam_partner_ok + setlive_dry_run_ok on nextfest-dec-2026—staging log clean, production setlive after smoke.

Proof table

Seven scenarios (A–G)

Staging vs production setlive script (sketch)

#!/usr/bin/env bash
set -euo pipefail
RECEIPT="release-evidence/steam/gamemaker-setlive/GM_STEAM_SETLIVE_DRY_RUN_RECEIPT.json"
jq -e '.setlive_dry_run_ok == true' "$RECEIPT"
# production setlive only after Wednesday smoke GREEN
# steamcmd +app_set_config ... +commit ...

Document production commands in runbook—this post owns receipt discipline, not every SteamPipe flag.

Cousin receipt chain (GameMaker Steam lane)

gamemaker_steam_export_receipt_v1.json     → export G1–G5
gm_steam_partner_receipt_v1.json          → partner P5
gm_steam_setlive_dry_run_receipt_v1.json  → setlive_dry_run_ok (this evening)
depot_owner_receipt_v1.json               → twelve-check listicle cousin

Keep build_label aligned across all four for Thursday row review.

Facilitator README snippet

## Before GameMaker fest setlive

1. Confirm `gm_steam_partner_ok: true` (Lesson 262 / partner preflight).
2. Screenshot Steamworks Branches tab for `nextfest-dec-2026`.
3. Run staging `build_app` with VDF `SetLive` matching screenshot.
4. File GM_STEAM_SETLIVE_DRY_RUN_RECEIPT.json with S1–S6 pass.
5. Wednesday smoke GREEN on same `build_label`.
6. Production `setlive` only when jq gates pass.

Tools and sibling reads

• 12 setlive checks
• GameMaker export evening
• Lesson 262
• Playtest isolation
• Visible build label
• Steamworks uploading docs
• 10-free steamcmd validation resources

Key takeaways

1. Partner receipt ≠ branch pointer—dry-run proves SetLive target.
2. One evening wires screenshot, staging log, receipt, BUILD_RECEIPT columns.
3. S4 VDF branch string must match S1 screenshot exactly.
4. Fail-closed jq before production setlive.
5. 12 setlive checks check 7 pairs this tutorial for GameMaker.
6. Lesson 262 must be GREEN before S2.
7. Guide preflight holds ninety-second S1–S6; this post holds evening blocks.
8. surface: fest_public required with fest branch—not playtest invite.
9. Thursday row review diffs fest_branch column.
10. Blender hero glTF diligence evening when mirror week is next.

FAQ

Is staging App ID required?
No—document if you use one; never mix staging VDF with production setlive.

Same as depot_owner_receipt?
Listicle cousin—gm_steam_setlive_dry_run is GameMaker branch-specific evening path.

Can Godot teams use this JSON?
Schema is GameMaker lane—use same S1–S6 spirit with engine-specific paths.

How does this relate to Lesson 270?
Lesson 270 promotes receipt into BUILD_RECEIPT—run this evening first.

What if branch already has old build?
setlive moves pointer—dry-run still proves VDF targets correct branch name.

Does dry-run replace Wednesday smoke?
No—smoke proves binary; dry-run proves branch discipline.

Conclusion

December GameMaker fest promotion fails quietly when setlive targets the wrong branch. One evening: screenshot Branches, staging dry-run, crosswalk VDF, file receipt, set setlive_dry_run_ok—then run production setlive after smoke.

Next reads: setlive dry-run preflight (Guide), 12 setlive checks, Lesson 262, Lesson 270 forward, export evening.

Pin fest branch screenshot beside your app_build VDF before Monday setlive—not after players report the wrong demo build.