/update-build-logs — Update the What's New Panel

Use this skill after shipping a major feature, a batch of improvements, or a new version release. It updates the user-facing "What's New" changelog panel so players can see what's changed.

When to Use

• •After completing a new feature or set of features via /add-feature
• •When bumping the version number
• •When the user explicitly asks to update the build logs or changelog

Instructions

Step 1: Identify What Changed

Review recent work to understand what was added or changed. Check:

• •Recent git commits on the current branch: git log --oneline -20
• •Any new or modified game systems, UI panels, or mechanics
• •Ask the user if the description isn't clear from context

Step 2: Determine Version Handling

Open src/components/sidebar/BuildLogsPanel.tsx and check the CHANGELOG array.

• •New version release: If the user is shipping a new version, add a new VersionEntry at the top of the CHANGELOG array (index 0, so it appears first/latest).
• •Adding to current version: If this is an incremental addition to the current release, add new ChangeEntry items to the existing top entry's changes array.

Ask the user which approach to take if it's not obvious.

Step 3: Write User-Friendly Descriptions

This is the most important step. The audience is players, not developers. Follow these rules:

• •DO describe what the player can now do or experience
• •DO use plain language — no code references, no file names, no technical jargon
• •DO keep each entry to one short sentence
• •DO mention gameplay impact (e.g., "earn passive revenue", "reduce cooling costs")
• •DON'T mention implementation details (stores, components, hooks, APIs)
• •DON'T use developer terms (refactor, migrate, deprecate, endpoint)
• •DON'T include bug fix details unless they affect gameplay noticeably

Good examples:

• •"Staff & HR — hire engineers, electricians, and security officers to run your data center"
• •"Weather system — seasons and weather conditions now affect your cooling needs"
• •"Spot compute market — sell spare server capacity at dynamic market prices"

Bad examples:

• •"Added StaffMember type to gameStore.ts with role/skill/fatigue fields"
• •"Refactored tick() to process weather before heat calculations"
• •"Fixed calcStats() power computation for edge case"

Step 4: Choose the Right Change Type

Each change entry has a type field. Use the correct one:

Step 5: Update the File

Edit src/components/sidebar/BuildLogsPanel.tsx and modify the CHANGELOG array.

For a new version, add a new entry at the top of the array:

{
  version: 'v0.X.0',
  date: 'Mon YYYY',
  title: 'Short Thematic Title',
  highlights: 'One sentence summarizing the major theme of this release.',
  changes: [
    { text: 'Description of what players can do', type: 'new' },
    { text: 'Description of improvement', type: 'improved' },
  ],
},

For the version title, pick a thematic name that captures the release:

• •"The Longevity Update", "The Living World Update", etc.
• •Keep it short (2-4 words) and evocative of the main additions

For the date, use the abbreviated format: 'Feb 2026', 'Mar 2026', etc.

Step 6: Update Version References (if new version)

If this is a new version number, also update:

• •src/components/StatusBar.tsx — find the version string (e.g., v0.3.0) and update it
• •CLAUDE.md — update the "Current version" line at the top

Step 7: Verify

• •Run npm run build to ensure TypeScript compiles
• •Visually review the changelog entries — read them as a player would
• •Confirm the latest entry has the auto-expanded behavior (it's always index 0)

Data Structure Reference

interface ChangeEntry {
  text: string                    // User-friendly description
  type: 'new' | 'improved' | 'system'  // Badge type
}

interface VersionEntry {
  version: string    // e.g., 'v0.4.0'
  date: string       // e.g., 'Mar 2026'
  title: string      // e.g., 'The Scaling Update'
  highlights: string // One-sentence summary
  changes: ChangeEntry[]
}