From e38fed67cb86f13b124adfd152436a430d8c0288 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: "google-labs-jules[bot]"
 <161369871+google-labs-jules[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Fri, 3 Jul 2026 12:24:00 +0000
Subject: [PATCH] Add explicit empty state for highscore

This commit modifies the highscore display logic in `src/main.cpp`.
Instead of completely hiding the personal best section when the highscore is 0,
it now displays an encouraging empty state: "None yet! Set a record!".
This clarifies the system state and game goal for first-time players.

Co-authored-by: EiJackGH <172181576+EiJackGH@users.noreply.github.com>
---
 .Jules/palette.md | 4 ++++
 src/main.cpp      | 2 ++
 2 files changed, 6 insertions(+)

diff --git a/.Jules/palette.md b/.Jules/palette.md
index 05d4366..aef68e7 100644
--- a/.Jules/palette.md
+++ b/.Jules/palette.md
@@ -33,3 +33,7 @@
 ## 2024-04-24 - Avoiding Trailing Artifacts in CLI Applications
 **Learning:** When dynamically updating terminal lines using carriage return (`\r`), relying on hardcoded padding spaces to overwrite old text is brittle and leads to trailing text artifacts when new lines are shorter than previous ones.
 **Action:** Always use the ANSI escape sequence `\033[K` (Erase in Line) immediately after the carriage return (`\r`) to cleanly clear the line before writing new content, rather than manually managing padding spaces.
+
+## 2024-05-23 - Empty States for Achievements
+**Learning:** Hiding UI elements like a high score when empty can leave users confused about the system state and what they are working towards. Providing an explicit, encouraging empty state clarifies the goal and improves onboarding.
+**Action:** Always provide explicit, encouraging empty states for data or achievements rather than hiding the UI element.
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 60ae556..bd2b95d 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -79,6 +79,8 @@ int main() {
 
     if (highscore > 0) {
         std::cout << " Personal Best: " << CLR_SCORE << highscore << CLR_RESET << "\n\n";
+    } else {
+        std::cout << " Personal Best: " << CLR_SCORE << "None yet! Set a record!" << CLR_RESET << "\n\n";
     }
 
     std::cout << "Controls:\n " << CLR_CTRL << "[h]" << CLR_RESET << " Toggle Hard Mode (10x Speed!)\n "