Draft-quality learning — prioritize the plunger’s physical input path
Automation draft weakness
The earlier draft focused on firmware generation, dongle identity, and a direct joy.cpl video. It did not first ask for evidence of the plunger cable’s connection to the Haptics PCB.
Manual reply improvement
Matt’s public reply 12391077878 requested a close internal-connection photo, a short symptom video, and a direct-PC test. It also provided a simple keyboard-mode observation through a text editor.
New drafting rule
When flippers and Haptics respond but only the plunger is dead, ask for the plunger-to-Haptics PCB connection before recommending another firmware action. Keep Gen 1 dongle firmware restrictions intact and treat the result as diagnostic until the customer confirms a fix.
Confidence effect and storage decision
This improves diagnostic ordering, not the confirmed cause. Keep it reviewable while the case remains open.