Fixed critical ResourceManager asset loading issue

- **ResourceManager**: Fixed double ownership issue causing silent texture failures
    - Add texture validation with isTextureValid() method
    - Implement cache validation to detect and recover from invalid cached textures
    - Add clearCache() method for state resets without destroying textures
    - Enhanced error logging throughout loading pipeline
    - Fix Release build texture validation to prevent cache invalidation

- **Entity**: Fixed texture ownership model to prevent double destruction
    - Add dual texture support (owned SharedSDLTexture vs non-owned raw pointer)
    - Update constructors to handle ResourceManager-owned textures safely
    - Prevent premature texture destruction when ResourceManager caches textures

- **Tests**: Added AssetLoadingTest suite for CI/CD validation
    - Test all game image assets with validation and caching verification
    - Test font loading across all game font sizes with text texture creation
    - Test UI text generation for all in-game text elements and colors
    - Test ResourceManager caching behavior and edge cases
    - Add smart working directory detection for CTest compatibility
    - 6 test cases covering complete asset loading pipeline

- **CI/CD**: Added Release build testing to GitHub Actions workflow
    - Test both Debug and Release configurations
    - Ensure asset loading works correctly in optimized builds

- **MenuSystem**: Changed end screen escape behavior (GoToMainMenu → QuitGame)

- **Cleanup**: Remove old_game_loop.md and added TEST_RUNNERS.md file

Fixes game-breaking asset loading failures that occurred after first gameplay
session, where textures would fail to load silently and worsen with retries.

Author: Hugo-RM

.github/workflows/build.yml

@@ -75,11 +75,18 @@ jobs:
             Write-Host "No compilation database found, skipping clang-tidy"
           }
 
-      - name: Build and Test via Script
+      - name: Build and Test (Debug)
         shell: pwsh
         run: |
           # Run the test script which handles build, test execution, and CTest
           ./test.ps1
+          
+      - name: Build and Test (Release)
+        shell: pwsh
+        run: |
+          # Test Release build as well
+          cmake --build build --config Release
+          ./build/bin/Release/meowstro_tests.exe
 
       - name: Upload Executable Artifact (main branch only)
         if: github.ref == 'refs/heads/main'
@@ -148,11 +155,17 @@ jobs:
             echo "No compilation database found, skipping clang-tidy"
           fi
 
-      - name: Build and Test via Script
+      - name: Build and Test (Debug)
         run: |
           # Make script executable and run it
           chmod +x ./test.sh
           ./test.sh
+          
+      - name: Build and Test (Release)
+        run: |
+          # Test Release build as well
+          cmake --build build --config Release
+          ./build/bin/meowstro_tests
 
       - name: Upload Executable Artifact (main branch only)
         if: github.ref == 'refs/heads/main'
@@ -219,11 +232,17 @@ jobs:
             echo "No compilation database found, skipping clang-tidy"
           fi
 
-      - name: Build and Test via Script
+      - name: Build and Test (Debug)
         run: |
           # Make script executable and run it
           chmod +x ./test.sh
           ./test.sh
+          
+      - name: Build and Test (Release)
+        run: |
+          # Test Release build as well
+          cmake --build build --config Release
+          ./build/bin/meowstro_tests
 
       - name: Upload Executable Artifact (main branch only)
         if: github.ref == 'refs/heads/main'

CMakeLists.txt

@@ -216,6 +216,7 @@ add_executable(meowstro_tests
     tests/unit/test_Sprite.cpp
     tests/unit/test_ResourceManager.cpp
     tests/unit/test_InputHandler.cpp
+    tests/unit/test_AssetLoading.cpp
 )
 
 target_link_libraries(meowstro_tests 

TEST_RUNNERS.md

@@ -29,27 +29,9 @@ test.bat
 4. **Display colored status** (✅ pass / ❌ fail)
 5. **Exit with proper codes** for CI integration
 
-## Manual Commands
-
-If you prefer to run commands manually:
-
-```bash
-# Build everything
-cmake --build build --config Debug
-
-# Run tests directly (detailed output)
-./build/bin/Debug/meowstro_tests.exe
-
-# Run tests with CTest (CI-style)
-cd build && ctest --output-on-failure -C Debug
-
-# Run specific test patterns
-./build/bin/Debug/meowstro_tests.exe --gtest_filter="GameStatsTest.*"
-```
-
 ## Adding New Tests
 
-1. Create new test files in `tests/unit/`, `tests/component/`, etc.
+1. Create new test files in appropriate directory.
 2. Add the test file to `CMakeLists.txt` in the `meowstro_tests` target
 3. Rebuild and run tests
 

include/Entity.hpp

@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@ class Entity
 	// Get raw texture pointer for SDL API calls
 	inline SDL_Texture* getTexture() const
 	{
-		return texture_ ? texture_->get() : nullptr;
+		// Return shared texture if available, otherwise raw texture
+		return texture_ ? texture_->get() : rawTexture_;
 	}
 	// Get shared texture for ownership transfer
 	inline SharedSDLTexture getSharedTexture() const
@@ -37,10 +38,11 @@ class Entity
 	{
 		texture_ = texture;
 	}
-	// Set texture from raw pointer (creates shared ownership)
+	// Set texture from raw pointer (non-owning reference)
 	inline void setTexture(SDL_Texture* texture)
 	{
-		texture_ = texture ? makeSharedSDLTexture(texture) : nullptr;
+		rawTexture_ = texture;
+		texture_ = nullptr;  // Clear shared texture
 	}
 protected:
 	// Fixed type consistency - use float to match member variables
@@ -55,5 +57,6 @@ class Entity
 	float x;
 	float y;
 	SDL_Rect currentFrame;
-	SharedSDLTexture texture_;
+	SharedSDLTexture texture_;       // For owned textures
+	SDL_Texture* rawTexture_;       // For non-owned textures (ResourceManager-owned)
 };

include/ResourceManager.hpp

@@ -22,6 +22,12 @@ class ResourceManager {
     // Manual cleanup (called automatically in destructor)
     void cleanup();
 
+    // Clear texture cache without destroying textures (for state resets)
+    void clearCache();
+    
+    // Validate that a texture pointer is still valid
+    bool isTextureValid(SDL_Texture* texture) const;
+    
     // Validity checking
     bool isValid() const { return m_valid; }