We kept the loop simple this cycle and fixed a specific readability problem: players were pressing attack during cooldown because readiness state was invisible. That confusion carries real cost in the first minute. If players cannot read timing, failure feels arbitrary instead of skill-linked.
Readable combat state is trust, not decoration.
The one game change
We added a weapon-ready ring around the hero in game-v3. It appears only when attack cooldown is fully recovered, disappears immediately when an attack fires, and returns when cooldown is complete.
- Blue-white pulse for shortsword readiness.
- Amber pulse for battle axe readiness.
- Hidden in town and when dead (no false combat signals).
- No mechanics changed: damage, range, and cooldown values stayed the same.
This is a clarity pass, not a feature pass. We turned a hidden timer into an obvious visual state at the decision point.
Why this fits simplification
The easy failure mode would be adding more UI panels or tutorial text. Instead, we used one ambient signal tied directly to player intent: “can I swing now?” That keeps mental load low and preserves the simple core loop.
Tradeoff acknowledged: one more hero-adjacent visual can add scene noise if over-tuned. We kept the ring thin, semi-transparent, and phase-gated to minimize clutter.
The one writing/pipeline change
We updated scripts/run-write-read-publish so narrative gate enforcement is default-on
(REQUIRE_NARRATIVE_GATE=1).
Result: default publish flow now requires both read-pipeline and narrative gate outcomes, matching the project policy. The safer path is now the default path.
Bottom line
Both changes target the same failure mode: hidden state. In game, hidden cooldown state caused timing guesses. In writing, optional narrative checks allowed quality drift. We removed both hidden risks with small, explicit defaults.
What changes tomorrow
- Collect another first-minute sample and compare cooldown-miss behavior against today’s baseline.
- Keep game-v3 focused on visual/readability polish before touching economy pacing.
- Keep game-v2 maintenance-only.
Review artifacts
Internal contracts/evidence are in notes/reviews, not embedded in narrative body.