🎨 Palette: [UX improvement] add countdown and start prompt

.Jules/palette.md

@@ -17,3 +17,7 @@
 ## 2026-02-13 - Tactile Feedback in CLI
 **Learning:** In terminal-based games, users expect immediate visual feedback for their actions. Relying on a periodic "tick" to update the UI creates a laggy feel. Using `poll()` with a dynamic timeout allows the application to remain idle yet wake up instantly to process and render user input.
 **Action:** Always trigger a UI refresh immediately after processing user input in CLI applications, and use efficient waiting mechanisms (like `poll`) that can be interrupted by input.
+
+## 2024-11-20 - Game Start Flow and User Preparation
+**Learning:** Transitioning directly from a menu/instructions screen to active gameplay in time-sensitive games can be jarring. A "Press any key to start" followed by a clear, animated countdown (3-2-1-GO) provides a necessary buffer for the user to reposition their hands and focus. Using `tcflush` after the countdown ensures a fair start by discarding accidental inputs during the wait.
+**Action:** Implement a preparation phase (start prompt + countdown) for any interactive CLI game or tool that requires rapid user response.

.github/workflows/rust.yml → .github/workflows/cpp.yml

@@ -1,25 +1,20 @@
-name: Rust
+name: C++ CI
 
 on:
   push:
     branches: [ "main" ]
   pull_request:
     branches: [ "main" ]
 
-env:
-  CARGO_TERM_COLOR: always
-
 jobs:
   build:
-
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
 
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
     - name: Build
-      run: cargo build --verbose
-    - name: Run tests
-      run: cargo test --verbose
+      run: make
 
-      permissions:
-  contents: read
+    - name: Verify
+      run: (echo ' '; sleep 4; echo 'q') | ./game | grep "Thanks for playing!"

src/main.cpp

@@ -6,6 +6,12 @@
 #include <termios.h>
 #include <algorithm>
 
+#define CLR_SCORE "\033[1;32m"
+#define CLR_HARD  "\033[1;31m"
+#define CLR_NORM  "\033[1;34m"
+#define CLR_CTRL  "\033[1;33m"
+#define CLR_RESET "\033[0m"
+
 int main() {
     struct termios oldt, newt;
     tcgetattr(STDIN_FILENO, &oldt);
@@ -14,12 +20,22 @@ int main() {
     tcsetattr(STDIN_FILENO, TCSANOW, &newt);
 
     int score = 0; bool hardMode = false; char input;
-    std::cout << YELLOW << "==========================\n      SPEED CLICKER\n==========================\n" << RESET
-              << "Controls:\n " << YELLOW << "[h]" << RESET << " Toggle Hard Mode (10x Speed!)\n "
-              << YELLOW << "[q]" << RESET << " Quit Game\n " << YELLOW << "[Any key]" << RESET << " Click!\n\n";
     std::cout << CLR_CTRL << "==========================\n      SPEED CLICKER\n==========================\n" << CLR_RESET
               << "Controls:\n " << CLR_CTRL << "[h]" << CLR_RESET << " Toggle Hard Mode (10x Speed!)\n "
-              << CLR_CTRL << "[q]" << CLR_RESET << " Quit Game\n [Any key] Click!\n\n";
+              << CLR_CTRL << "[q]" << CLR_RESET << " Quit Game\n " << CLR_CTRL << "[Any key]" << CLR_RESET << " Click!\n\n";
+
+    std::cout << CLR_CTRL << "Press any key to start..." << CLR_RESET << std::flush;
+    if (read(STDIN_FILENO, &input, 1) <= 0 || input == 'q') {
+        tcsetattr(STDIN_FILENO, TCSANOW, &oldt);
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    for (int i = 3; i > 0; --i) {
+        std::cout << "\r" << CLR_SCORE << "Starting in " << i << "... " << CLR_RESET << std::flush;
+        std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::seconds(1));
+    }
+    std::cout << "\r" << CLR_SCORE << "GO!             " << CLR_RESET << "\n" << std::flush;
+    tcflush(STDIN_FILENO, TCIFLUSH);
 
     struct pollfd fds[1] = {{STDIN_FILENO, POLLIN, 0}};
     auto last_tick = std::chrono::steady_clock::now();
@@ -46,9 +62,6 @@ int main() {
         }
 
         if (updateUI) {
-            std::cout << GREEN << "Score: " << score << RESET
-                      << (hardMode ? RED " [FAST]    " : BLUE " [NORMAL]  ") << RESET
-                      << "      \r" << std::flush;
             std::cout << "\r" << CLR_SCORE << "Score: " << score << CLR_RESET << " "
                       << (hardMode ? CLR_HARD "[HARD MODE]" : CLR_NORM "[NORMAL MODE]")
                       << "    " << std::flush;