From 8937cbee2f196eeb7a6044500102a87078c8f729 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: "google-labs-jules[bot]"
 <161369871+google-labs-jules[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 29 Mar 2026 12:24:36 +0000
Subject: [PATCH] =?UTF-8?q?=F0=9F=8E=A8=20Palette:=20Use=20ANSI=20Erase=20?=
 =?UTF-8?q?in=20Line=20to=20prevent=20trailing=20artifacts?=
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Replaced hardcoded padding spaces with \033[K (Erase in Line) immediately
following carriage returns when updating dynamic terminal lines. This
prevents trailing text artifacts more efficiently.

Also added an entry to .Jules/palette.md to record this UX learning.

Co-authored-by: EiJackGH <172181576+EiJackGH@users.noreply.github.com>
---
 .Jules/palette.md | 3 +++
 .gitignore        | 1 +
 src/main.cpp      | 8 ++++----
 3 files changed, 8 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.Jules/palette.md b/.Jules/palette.md
index 853ef9c..ad342c1 100644
--- a/.Jules/palette.md
+++ b/.Jules/palette.md
@@ -29,3 +29,6 @@
 ## 2025-01-24 - Real-time Achievement Feedback in CLI
 **Learning:** In terminal-based games, displaying achievement progress (like a live high score) in real-time provides immediate tactile reward and engagement. Furthermore, inclusive UX means ensuring first-time players also receive "New Best" feedback, even when their initial record is zero.
 **Action:** Update session-high-score variables immediately upon record-breaking and display them in the live HUD. Ensure achievement conditions (`score > highscore`) don't exclude the first-time user experience.
+## 2026-03-29 - Prevent Trailing Text Artifacts
+**Learning:** When updating dynamic terminal lines via '
', hardcoding padding spaces is inefficient and error-prone.
+**Action:** Always use the ANSI escape sequence '' (Erase in Line) immediately after the carriage return instead of hardcoding padding spaces.
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index eb2c19a..d07c78a 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -44,3 +44,4 @@ highscore.txt
 
 # Persistent data
 highscore.txt
+venv/
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index af692c8..a74d829 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ int main() {
     }
 
     for (int i = 3; i > 0; --i) {
-        std::cout << "\rStarting in " << CLR_CTRL << i << CLR_RESET << "... " << std::flush;
+        std::cout << "\r\033[KStarting in " << CLR_CTRL << i << CLR_RESET << "... " << std::flush;
         auto start_wait = std::chrono::steady_clock::now();
         while (std::chrono::duration_cast<std::chrono::milliseconds>(std::chrono::steady_clock::now() - start_wait).count() < 1000) {
             int elapsed = std::chrono::duration_cast<std::chrono::milliseconds>(std::chrono::steady_clock::now() - start_wait).count();
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ int main() {
             }
         }
     }
-    std::cout << "\r" << CLR_NORM << "GO!             " << CLR_RESET << "\n" << std::flush;
+    std::cout << "\r\033[K" << CLR_NORM << "GO!" << CLR_RESET << "\n" << std::flush;
     std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(200));
     tcflush(STDIN_FILENO, TCIFLUSH);
 
@@ -141,10 +141,10 @@ int main() {
         }
 
         if (updateUI) {
-            std::cout << "\r" << CLR_SCORE << "Score: " << score << CLR_RESET << " | High: " << highscore << " "
+            std::cout << "\r\033[K" << CLR_SCORE << "Score: " << score << CLR_RESET << " | High: " << highscore << " "
                       << (hardMode ? CLR_HARD "[HARD MODE]" : CLR_NORM "[NORMAL MODE]")
                       << (score > initialHighscore ? " NEW BEST! 🥳" : "")
-                      << "           " << std::flush;
+                      << std::flush;
             updateUI = false;
         }
     }