Design optional knowledge checks

Docs/KnowledgeAndSkillFoundation.md

@@ -269,3 +269,38 @@ Resource identification:
 
 Prompt rule: contextual prompts should explain the immediate risk or opportunity
 without pausing the game or forcing a quiz.
+
+## Optional Knowledge Checks
+
+Optional knowledge checks should appear when a question naturally belongs to the
+current action. They are not school-test popups and should not interrupt basic
+survival.
+
+Presentation rules:
+
+- Show checks as optional inline choices, short reflection prompts, or camp/journal
+  review cards.
+- Let players continue basic survival without answering.
+- Do not pause combat, weather danger, fire spread, or other time-sensitive
+  events.
+- Avoid repeated prompts after the player has recently answered, skipped, or
+  demonstrated the concept through action.
+
+When checks appear:
+
+- Before a risky improvement path, such as safer fire setup, shelter siting,
+  water treatment, advanced first aid, or higher-quality crafting.
+- After a readable mistake, when the game can ask what likely went wrong.
+- During calm moments near shelter, campfire, rest, journals, mentors, or
+  teaching interactions.
+
+Outcome rules:
+
+- Correct answers can improve confidence, reduce future warnings, unlock clearer
+  explanations, or slightly improve risk/quality modifiers.
+- Wrong answers should explain the correction and may leave the player at normal
+  baseline risk instead of punishing them harshly.
+- Skipping should preserve basic action access.
+
+Knowledge-check rule: checks should deepen understanding and improve outcomes,
+not gate the first survival loop.