From 6fcac2faa26d25156447d9e94b197c022f35ed87 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Sean Casey <4674433+CaseyLabs@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 2026 18:27:50 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 01/13] Automate prerelease publishing for tagged releases

---
 .github/RELEASING.md                    | 39 +++++++++++++++++++++++--
 .github/workflows/build-and-release.yml |  4 +++
 .gitignore                              |  1 +
 3 files changed, 42 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/RELEASING.md b/.github/RELEASING.md
index 8700d7d84..36301d469 100644
--- a/.github/RELEASING.md
+++ b/.github/RELEASING.md
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 
 [Semantic Versioning 2.0.0 reference](https://github.com/semver/semver/blob/master/semver.md)
 
+This downstream fork is the proving ground for release automation changes before they
+are proposed upstream.
+
 ### 1. New Feature or Breaking‑Change Release (Minor/Major)
 
 1. **Merge & Verify**
@@ -25,9 +28,12 @@
      - Run `go generate ./...`
      - Build artifacts with `main.version=vX.Y.Z`
      - Zip as `go-mud-release-vX.Y.Z.zip`
-     - Publish the GitHub Release for `vX.Y.Z`
+     - Publish a GitHub prerelease for `vX.Y.Z`
+     - Leave the release unmarked as `Latest`
 
 5. **Announce**
+   - After review, the upstream owner can edit the release in GitHub and promote it
+     to `Latest`.
    - Share the release link with the team or via configured notifications.
 
 ---
@@ -48,7 +54,32 @@
    - Pushing the tag triggers the same release workflow.
 
 4. **Publish**
-   - The workflow publishes the release automatically after the build completes.
+   - The workflow publishes the release automatically as a prerelease after the build
+     completes.
+
+---
+
+### 3. Downstream First-Test Flow
+
+1. **Validate in this fork first**
+   - Use this downstream repo to verify any release automation change before opening
+     an upstream PR.
+
+2. **Push a disposable test tag**
+   ```bash
+   git tag vX.Y.Z-test.1
+   git push origin vX.Y.Z-test.1
+   ```
+
+3. **Verify the GitHub release**
+   - Confirm the workflow succeeds.
+   - Confirm the zip asset is attached.
+   - Confirm GitHub marks the release as a prerelease.
+   - Confirm GitHub does not mark it as `Latest`.
+
+4. **Clean up if needed**
+   - Delete the test tag and release after validation if you do not want to keep them
+     in downstream history.
 
 ---
 
@@ -60,6 +91,10 @@
 - **Is auto-tagging enabled?**
   No - releases are manual. Create and push the version tag yourself when you want to publish.
 
+- **Are workflow-created releases stable releases?**
+  No - the workflow creates prereleases. A repo owner must manually promote a release
+  to `Latest` in GitHub when it is approved.
+
 - **When should I bump minor vs. patch?**
   - **Minor** for new, backward‑compatible features.
   - **Patch** for bug fixes or documentation tweaks.
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml b/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
index b32f22818..d8394f502 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
@@ -94,7 +94,11 @@ jobs:
         uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v3.0.0
         with:
           files: bin/${{ env.RELEASE_FILENAME }}-${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }}.zip
+          name: ${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }} prerelease
           tag_name: ${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }}
+          prerelease: true
+          make_latest: false
+          generate_release_notes: true
           fail_on_unmatched_files: true
         env:
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 12ffcec33..a2dac89bd 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 .vscode
+AGENTS.md
 private-notes.txt
 _datafiles/**/users/*
 _datafiles/**/plugin-data/*

From bb6dc714c3d022a134561ae371a31c90821f18d0 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Sean Casey <4674433+CaseyLabs@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 2026 18:45:24 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 02/13] Document 0.10 prerelease versioning

---
 .github/RELEASING.md | 41 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-----------
 1 file changed, 30 insertions(+), 11 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/RELEASING.md b/.github/RELEASING.md
index 36301d469..14f2c7f24 100644
--- a/.github/RELEASING.md
+++ b/.github/RELEASING.md
@@ -5,6 +5,14 @@
 This downstream fork is the proving ground for release automation changes before they
 are proposed upstream.
 
+Recommended versioning for the next release line:
+
+- Start the next stable release at `v0.10.0`.
+- Use normal stable tags as `v0.10.x`.
+- Use SemVer prerelease tags for downstream validation, not ad hoc `-test` tags.
+- Prefer `v0.10.x-pre.YYYYMMDDHHMMSS` for disposable downstream runs.
+- Prefer `v0.10.x-rc.N` for a release candidate you may want to share or promote.
+
 ### 1. New Feature or Breaking‑Change Release (Minor/Major)
 
 1. **Merge & Verify**
@@ -18,17 +26,17 @@ are proposed upstream.
 
 3. **Create Git Tag**
    ```bash
-   git tag vX.Y.Z
-   git push origin vX.Y.Z
+   git tag v0.10.0
+   git push origin v0.10.0
    ```
    This triggers the `Release` workflow.
 
 4. **Monitor Release**
    - GitHub Actions will:
      - Run `go generate ./...`
-     - Build artifacts with `main.version=vX.Y.Z`
-     - Zip as `go-mud-release-vX.Y.Z.zip`
-     - Publish a GitHub prerelease for `vX.Y.Z`
+     - Build artifacts with `main.version=v0.10.0`
+     - Zip as `go-mud-release-v0.10.0.zip`
+     - Publish a GitHub prerelease for `v0.10.0`
      - Leave the release unmarked as `Latest`
 
 5. **Announce**
@@ -45,9 +53,9 @@ are proposed upstream.
 
 2. **Determine Patch Bump**
    ```bash
-   # if current version is vX.Y.Z:
-   git tag vX.Y.(Z+1)
-   git push origin vX.Y.(Z+1)
+   # for example, after v0.10.0:
+   git tag v0.10.1
+   git push origin v0.10.1
    ```
 
 3. **Tag & Push**
@@ -65,10 +73,16 @@ are proposed upstream.
    - Use this downstream repo to verify any release automation change before opening
      an upstream PR.
 
-2. **Push a disposable test tag**
+2. **Push a disposable prerelease tag**
+   ```bash
+   git tag v0.10.0-pre.20260417014024
+   git push origin v0.10.0-pre.20260417014024
+   ```
+
+   Or, for a numbered candidate:
    ```bash
-   git tag vX.Y.Z-test.1
-   git push origin vX.Y.Z-test.1
+   git tag v0.10.0-rc.1
+   git push origin v0.10.0-rc.1
    ```
 
 3. **Verify the GitHub release**
@@ -95,6 +109,11 @@ are proposed upstream.
   No - the workflow creates prereleases. A repo owner must manually promote a release
   to `Latest` in GitHub when it is approved.
 
+- **What tag format should we use going forward?**
+  Start the next release line at `v0.10.x`. Use `v0.10.x` for stable releases,
+  `v0.10.x-pre.YYYYMMDDHHMMSS` for disposable downstream validation, and
+  `v0.10.x-rc.N` for numbered release candidates.
+
 - **When should I bump minor vs. patch?**
   - **Minor** for new, backward‑compatible features.
   - **Patch** for bug fixes or documentation tweaks.

From b039ea315a8e3c5e238fc1ff82e03a0df077a34c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Sean Casey <4674433+CaseyLabs@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 2026 18:52:02 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 03/13] Add release checksums

---
 .github/RELEASING.md                    |  6 ++++++
 .github/workflows/build-and-release.yml | 14 ++++++++++++--
 2 files changed, 18 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/RELEASING.md b/.github/RELEASING.md
index 14f2c7f24..fb35f96d7 100644
--- a/.github/RELEASING.md
+++ b/.github/RELEASING.md
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ Recommended versioning for the next release line:
      - Run `go generate ./...`
      - Build artifacts with `main.version=v0.10.0`
      - Zip as `go-mud-release-v0.10.0.zip`
+     - Generate `go-mud-release-v0.10.0.zip.sha256`
      - Publish a GitHub prerelease for `v0.10.0`
      - Leave the release unmarked as `Latest`
 
@@ -88,6 +89,7 @@ Recommended versioning for the next release line:
 3. **Verify the GitHub release**
    - Confirm the workflow succeeds.
    - Confirm the zip asset is attached.
+   - Confirm the `.sha256` checksum asset is attached.
    - Confirm GitHub marks the release as a prerelease.
    - Confirm GitHub does not mark it as `Latest`.
 
@@ -109,6 +111,10 @@ Recommended versioning for the next release line:
   No - the workflow creates prereleases. A repo owner must manually promote a release
   to `Latest` in GitHub when it is approved.
 
+- **What assets should a release include?**
+  Each release should include the bundled zip and a matching `.sha256` checksum file
+  so testers can verify the download before unpacking it.
+
 - **What tag format should we use going forward?**
   Start the next release line at `v0.10.x`. Use `v0.10.x` for stable releases,
   `v0.10.x-pre.YYYYMMDDHHMMSS` for disposable downstream validation, and
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml b/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
index d8394f502..120aec7f1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ permissions:
 env:
   RELEASE_FILENAME: go-mud-release
   RELEASE_VERSION: ${{ github.ref_name }}
+  RELEASE_ARCHIVE: go-mud-release-${{ github.ref_name }}.zip
 
 jobs:
   build:
@@ -87,13 +88,22 @@ jobs:
       - name: Archive release
         run: >-
           zip -r
-          bin/${{ env.RELEASE_FILENAME }}-${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }}.zip
+          bin/${{ env.RELEASE_ARCHIVE }}
           bin/
 
+      - name: Generate release checksum
+        run: >-
+          sha256sum
+          bin/${{ env.RELEASE_ARCHIVE }}
+          >
+          bin/${{ env.RELEASE_ARCHIVE }}.sha256
+
       - name: Release with notes
         uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v3.0.0
         with:
-          files: bin/${{ env.RELEASE_FILENAME }}-${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }}.zip
+          files: |
+            bin/${{ env.RELEASE_ARCHIVE }}
+            bin/${{ env.RELEASE_ARCHIVE }}.sha256
           name: ${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }} prerelease
           tag_name: ${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }}
           prerelease: true

From fd278846a691c3d120f4bdb7a01ed0abec0fa81a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Sean Casey <4674433+CaseyLabs@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 2026 18:58:40 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 04/13] Publish separate release assets

---
 .github/RELEASING.md                    | 16 ++++++-----
 .github/workflows/build-and-release.yml | 38 ++++++++++++++++---------
 2 files changed, 33 insertions(+), 21 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/RELEASING.md b/.github/RELEASING.md
index fb35f96d7..e30a13f26 100644
--- a/.github/RELEASING.md
+++ b/.github/RELEASING.md
@@ -34,9 +34,9 @@ Recommended versioning for the next release line:
 4. **Monitor Release**
    - GitHub Actions will:
      - Run `go generate ./...`
-     - Build artifacts with `main.version=v0.10.0`
-     - Zip as `go-mud-release-v0.10.0.zip`
-     - Generate `go-mud-release-v0.10.0.zip.sha256`
+     - Build per-platform binaries with `main.version=v0.10.0`
+     - Archive `_datafiles` as `go-mud-datafiles-v0.10.0.zip`
+     - Generate `go-mud-v0.10.0-SHA256SUMS.txt`
      - Publish a GitHub prerelease for `v0.10.0`
      - Leave the release unmarked as `Latest`
 
@@ -88,8 +88,9 @@ Recommended versioning for the next release line:
 
 3. **Verify the GitHub release**
    - Confirm the workflow succeeds.
-   - Confirm the zip asset is attached.
-   - Confirm the `.sha256` checksum asset is attached.
+   - Confirm the per-platform binaries are attached.
+   - Confirm the `_datafiles` zip asset is attached.
+   - Confirm the checksum manifest asset is attached.
    - Confirm GitHub marks the release as a prerelease.
    - Confirm GitHub does not mark it as `Latest`.
 
@@ -112,8 +113,9 @@ Recommended versioning for the next release line:
   to `Latest` in GitHub when it is approved.
 
 - **What assets should a release include?**
-  Each release should include the bundled zip and a matching `.sha256` checksum file
-  so testers can verify the download before unpacking it.
+  Each release should include separate per-platform binaries, a `_datafiles` zip,
+  and a checksum manifest so testers can download only what they need and still
+  verify the assets.
 
 - **What tag format should we use going forward?**
   Start the next release line at `v0.10.x`. Use `v0.10.x` for stable releases,
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml b/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
index 120aec7f1..a1d1b70d8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
@@ -14,9 +14,9 @@ permissions:
   contents: write
 
 env:
-  RELEASE_FILENAME: go-mud-release
   RELEASE_VERSION: ${{ github.ref_name }}
-  RELEASE_ARCHIVE: go-mud-release-${{ github.ref_name }}.zip
+  DATAFILES_ARCHIVE: go-mud-datafiles-${{ github.ref_name }}.zip
+  CHECKSUMS_FILE: go-mud-${{ github.ref_name }}-SHA256SUMS.txt
 
 jobs:
   build:
@@ -85,25 +85,35 @@ jobs:
           name: bin-artifact
           path: bin/
 
-      - name: Archive release
+      - name: Archive datafiles
         run: >-
           zip -r
-          bin/${{ env.RELEASE_ARCHIVE }}
-          bin/
-
-      - name: Generate release checksum
-        run: >-
-          sha256sum
-          bin/${{ env.RELEASE_ARCHIVE }}
-          >
-          bin/${{ env.RELEASE_ARCHIVE }}.sha256
+          bin/${{ env.DATAFILES_ARCHIVE }}
+          bin/_datafiles
+
+      - name: Generate release checksums
+        run: |
+          cd bin
+          sha256sum \
+            go-mud-windows_x64.exe \
+            go-mud-darwin_arm64 \
+            go-mud-darwin_x64 \
+            go-mud-linux_x64 \
+            go-mud-linux_arm5 \
+            "${{ env.DATAFILES_ARCHIVE }}" \
+            > "${{ env.CHECKSUMS_FILE }}"
 
       - name: Release with notes
         uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v3.0.0
         with:
           files: |
-            bin/${{ env.RELEASE_ARCHIVE }}
-            bin/${{ env.RELEASE_ARCHIVE }}.sha256
+            bin/go-mud-windows_x64.exe
+            bin/go-mud-darwin_arm64
+            bin/go-mud-darwin_x64
+            bin/go-mud-linux_x64
+            bin/go-mud-linux_arm5
+            bin/${{ env.DATAFILES_ARCHIVE }}
+            bin/${{ env.CHECKSUMS_FILE }}
           name: ${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }} prerelease
           tag_name: ${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }}
           prerelease: true

From 912bc057d98ff83cb0272d440e2ca8272eabe17a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Sean Casey <4674433+CaseyLabs@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 2026 19:16:39 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 05/13] Run release workflow on master merges

---
 .github/RELEASING.md                    | 71 +++++++++----------------
 .github/workflows/build-and-release.yml | 67 +++++++++++++++++------
 2 files changed, 78 insertions(+), 60 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/RELEASING.md b/.github/RELEASING.md
index e30a13f26..0e0a1ffad 100644
--- a/.github/RELEASING.md
+++ b/.github/RELEASING.md
@@ -8,10 +8,9 @@ are proposed upstream.
 Recommended versioning for the next release line:
 
 - Start the next stable release at `v0.10.0`.
-- Use normal stable tags as `v0.10.x`.
-- Use SemVer prerelease tags for downstream validation, not ad hoc `-test` tags.
-- Prefer `v0.10.x-pre.YYYYMMDDHHMMSS` for disposable downstream runs.
-- Prefer `v0.10.x-rc.N` for a release candidate you may want to share or promote.
+- Keep the binary's embedded version in source as a normal semver such as `0.10.0`.
+- Let merge-driven prereleases use generated tags like `pre-YYYYMMDDHHMMSS-<sha7>`.
+- Reserve manual semver tags like `v0.10.x` for a future stable-release process if needed.
 
 ### 1. New Feature or Breaking‑Change Release (Minor/Major)
 
@@ -24,20 +23,17 @@ Recommended versioning for the next release line:
 - **Minor** (`0.Y.0`) when you add functionality in a backward compatible manner
 - **Patch** (`0.0.Z`) when you make backward compatible bug fixes
 
-3. **Create Git Tag**
-   ```bash
-   git tag v0.10.0
-   git push origin v0.10.0
-   ```
-   This triggers the `Release` workflow.
+3. **Merge to `master`**
+   - Merging to `master` triggers the `Release` workflow automatically.
 
 4. **Monitor Release**
    - GitHub Actions will:
      - Run `go generate ./...`
-     - Build per-platform binaries with `main.version=v0.10.0`
-     - Archive `_datafiles` as `go-mud-datafiles-v0.10.0.zip`
-     - Generate `go-mud-v0.10.0-SHA256SUMS.txt`
-     - Publish a GitHub prerelease for `v0.10.0`
+     - Build per-platform binaries with `main.version` set from `main.go`
+     - Create a generated prerelease tag like `pre-YYYYMMDDHHMMSS-<sha7>`
+     - Archive `_datafiles` as `go-mud-datafiles-pre-YYYYMMDDHHMMSS-<sha7>.zip`
+     - Generate `go-mud-pre-YYYYMMDDHHMMSS-<sha7>-SHA256SUMS.txt`
+     - Publish a GitHub prerelease for that generated tag
      - Leave the release unmarked as `Latest`
 
 5. **Announce**
@@ -47,24 +43,17 @@ Recommended versioning for the next release line:
 
 ---
 
-### 2. Basic Patch Release (x.y.Z)
+### 2. Merge-Driven Prerelease Policy
 
-1. **Merge Bug‑Fix PR**
-   - Once the fix is in `master` and CI is green.
+1. **Pull requests do not publish release binaries**
+   - PRs should run normal CI only.
 
-2. **Determine Patch Bump**
-   ```bash
-   # for example, after v0.10.0:
-   git tag v0.10.1
-   git push origin v0.10.1
-   ```
+2. **Merges to `master` do publish release binaries**
+   - A push to `master` runs the `Release` workflow and publishes a prerelease.
 
-3. **Tag & Push**
-   - Pushing the tag triggers the same release workflow.
-
-4. **Publish**
-   - The workflow publishes the release automatically as a prerelease after the build
-     completes.
+3. **Generated release naming**
+   - The release tag is generated automatically from UTC time plus the merge commit SHA.
+   - Example: `pre-20260417021530-1a2b3c4`
 
 ---
 
@@ -74,17 +63,9 @@ Recommended versioning for the next release line:
    - Use this downstream repo to verify any release automation change before opening
      an upstream PR.
 
-2. **Push a disposable prerelease tag**
-   ```bash
-   git tag v0.10.0-pre.20260417014024
-   git push origin v0.10.0-pre.20260417014024
-   ```
-
-   Or, for a numbered candidate:
-   ```bash
-   git tag v0.10.0-rc.1
-   git push origin v0.10.0-rc.1
-   ```
+2. **Merge a test branch to downstream `master`**
+   - Use a downstream-only branch or temporary merge to trigger the release workflow.
+   - The workflow will generate its own prerelease tag automatically.
 
 3. **Verify the GitHub release**
    - Confirm the workflow succeeds.
@@ -103,10 +84,11 @@ Recommended versioning for the next release line:
 ### FAQ / Guidelines
 
 - **Does every merge to `master` trigger a release?**
-  No - only pushing a Git tag matching `v*.*.*` triggers a release.
+  Yes - every push to `master` runs the release workflow and publishes a prerelease.
 
 - **Is auto-tagging enabled?**
-  No - releases are manual. Create and push the version tag yourself when you want to publish.
+  Stable semver tags are not generated automatically. The merge-driven workflow creates
+  its own prerelease tag from UTC time plus commit SHA.
 
 - **Are workflow-created releases stable releases?**
   No - the workflow creates prereleases. A repo owner must manually promote a release
@@ -118,9 +100,8 @@ Recommended versioning for the next release line:
   verify the assets.
 
 - **What tag format should we use going forward?**
-  Start the next release line at `v0.10.x`. Use `v0.10.x` for stable releases,
-  `v0.10.x-pre.YYYYMMDDHHMMSS` for disposable downstream validation, and
-  `v0.10.x-rc.N` for numbered release candidates.
+  Keep the source/binary version on the `0.10.x` line. Let the workflow generate
+  prerelease tags like `pre-YYYYMMDDHHMMSS-<sha7>` on merges to `master`.
 
 - **When should I bump minor vs. patch?**
   - **Minor** for new, backward‑compatible features.
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml b/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
index a1d1b70d8..83234517f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@ name: Release
 
 "on":
   push:
-    tags:
-      - 'v*.*.*'
+    branches:
+      - master
 
 concurrency:
   group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref }}
@@ -13,14 +13,45 @@ concurrency:
 permissions:
   contents: write
 
-env:
-  RELEASE_VERSION: ${{ github.ref_name }}
-  DATAFILES_ARCHIVE: go-mud-datafiles-${{ github.ref_name }}.zip
-  CHECKSUMS_FILE: go-mud-${{ github.ref_name }}-SHA256SUMS.txt
-
 jobs:
+  prep:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
+    outputs:
+      binary_version: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.binary_version }}
+      release_tag: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.release_tag }}
+      datafiles_archive: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.datafiles_archive }}
+      checksums_file: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.checksums_file }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v6.0.2
+        with:
+          persist-credentials: false
+
+      - name: Compute release metadata
+        id: meta
+        run: |
+          binary_version="$(
+            sed -n 's/^const VERSION = \"\\([^\"]*\\)\"$/\\1/p' main.go
+          )"
+          if [ -z "$binary_version" ]; then
+            echo "Could not determine binary version from main.go" >&2
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+          release_stamp="$(date -u +%Y%m%d%H%M%S)"
+          release_tag="pre-${release_stamp}-${GITHUB_SHA::7}"
+
+          {
+            echo "binary_version=${binary_version}"
+            echo "release_tag=${release_tag}"
+            echo "datafiles_archive=go-mud-datafiles-${release_tag}.zip"
+            echo "checksums_file=go-mud-${release_tag}-SHA256SUMS.txt"
+          } >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+
   build:
     runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
+    needs: prep
+    env:
+      BINARY_VERSION: ${{ needs.prep.outputs.binary_version }}
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v6.0.2
         with:
@@ -42,31 +73,31 @@ jobs:
       - name: Build windows amd64
         run: >-
           env GOOS=windows GOARCH=amd64 go build -v
-          -ldflags "-X main.version=${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }}"
+          -ldflags "-X main.version=${{ env.BINARY_VERSION }}"
           -o bin/go-mud-windows_x64.exe .
 
       - name: Build darwin/arm64
         run: >-
           env GOOS=darwin GOARCH=arm64 go build -v
-          -ldflags "-X main.version=${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }}"
+          -ldflags "-X main.version=${{ env.BINARY_VERSION }}"
           -o bin/go-mud-darwin_arm64 .
 
       - name: Build darwin/amd64
         run: >-
           env GOOS=darwin GOARCH=amd64 go build -v
-          -ldflags "-X main.version=${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }}"
+          -ldflags "-X main.version=${{ env.BINARY_VERSION }}"
           -o bin/go-mud-darwin_x64 .
 
       - name: Build linux/amd64
         run: >-
           env GOOS=linux GOARCH=amd64 go build -v
-          -ldflags "-X main.version=${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }}"
+          -ldflags "-X main.version=${{ env.BINARY_VERSION }}"
           -o bin/go-mud-linux_x64 .
 
       - name: Build linux/arm5
         run: >-
           env GOOS=linux GOARCH=arm GOARM=5 go build -v
-          -ldflags "-X main.version=${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }}"
+          -ldflags "-X main.version=${{ env.BINARY_VERSION }}"
           -o bin/go-mud-linux_arm5 .
 
       - name: Upload bin
@@ -77,7 +108,13 @@ jobs:
 
   release:
     runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
-    needs: build
+    needs:
+      - prep
+      - build
+    env:
+      RELEASE_TAG: ${{ needs.prep.outputs.release_tag }}
+      DATAFILES_ARCHIVE: ${{ needs.prep.outputs.datafiles_archive }}
+      CHECKSUMS_FILE: ${{ needs.prep.outputs.checksums_file }}
     steps:
       - name: Download builds
         uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
@@ -114,8 +151,8 @@ jobs:
             bin/go-mud-linux_arm5
             bin/${{ env.DATAFILES_ARCHIVE }}
             bin/${{ env.CHECKSUMS_FILE }}
-          name: ${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }} prerelease
-          tag_name: ${{ env.RELEASE_VERSION }}
+          name: ${{ env.RELEASE_TAG }} prerelease
+          tag_name: ${{ env.RELEASE_TAG }}
           prerelease: true
           make_latest: false
           generate_release_notes: true

From 5c838a3cf9f4c91bbe851ba8df1da9a989a590cf Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Sean Casey <4674433+CaseyLabs@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 2026 19:23:12 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 06/13] Update built binary names

---
 .github/workflows/build-and-release.yml | 34 ++++++++++++-------------
 1 file changed, 17 insertions(+), 17 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml b/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
index 83234517f..59c5f380d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ jobs:
           {
             echo "binary_version=${binary_version}"
             echo "release_tag=${release_tag}"
-            echo "datafiles_archive=go-mud-datafiles-${release_tag}.zip"
-            echo "checksums_file=go-mud-${release_tag}-SHA256SUMS.txt"
+            echo "datafiles_archive=gomud-all-datafiles-${release_tag}.zip"
+            echo "checksums_file=gomud-${release_tag}-SHA256SUMS.txt"
           } >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
 
   build:
@@ -74,31 +74,31 @@ jobs:
         run: >-
           env GOOS=windows GOARCH=amd64 go build -v
           -ldflags "-X main.version=${{ env.BINARY_VERSION }}"
-          -o bin/go-mud-windows_x64.exe .
+          -o bin/gomud-windows_x64.exe .
 
       - name: Build darwin/arm64
         run: >-
           env GOOS=darwin GOARCH=arm64 go build -v
           -ldflags "-X main.version=${{ env.BINARY_VERSION }}"
-          -o bin/go-mud-darwin_arm64 .
+          -o bin/gomud-darwin_arm64 .
 
       - name: Build darwin/amd64
         run: >-
           env GOOS=darwin GOARCH=amd64 go build -v
           -ldflags "-X main.version=${{ env.BINARY_VERSION }}"
-          -o bin/go-mud-darwin_x64 .
+          -o bin/gomud-darwin_x64 .
 
       - name: Build linux/amd64
         run: >-
           env GOOS=linux GOARCH=amd64 go build -v
           -ldflags "-X main.version=${{ env.BINARY_VERSION }}"
-          -o bin/go-mud-linux_x64 .
+          -o bin/gomud-linux_x64 .
 
       - name: Build linux/arm5
         run: >-
           env GOOS=linux GOARCH=arm GOARM=5 go build -v
           -ldflags "-X main.version=${{ env.BINARY_VERSION }}"
-          -o bin/go-mud-linux_arm5 .
+          -o bin/gomud-linux_arm5 .
 
       - name: Upload bin
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
@@ -132,11 +132,11 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           cd bin
           sha256sum \
-            go-mud-windows_x64.exe \
-            go-mud-darwin_arm64 \
-            go-mud-darwin_x64 \
-            go-mud-linux_x64 \
-            go-mud-linux_arm5 \
+            gomud-windows_x64.exe \
+            gomud-darwin_arm64 \
+            gomud-darwin_x64 \
+            gomud-linux_x64 \
+            gomud-linux_arm5 \
             "${{ env.DATAFILES_ARCHIVE }}" \
             > "${{ env.CHECKSUMS_FILE }}"
 
@@ -144,11 +144,11 @@ jobs:
         uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v3.0.0
         with:
           files: |
-            bin/go-mud-windows_x64.exe
-            bin/go-mud-darwin_arm64
-            bin/go-mud-darwin_x64
-            bin/go-mud-linux_x64
-            bin/go-mud-linux_arm5
+            bin/gomud-windows_x64.exe
+            bin/gomud-darwin_arm64
+            bin/gomud-darwin_x64
+            bin/gomud-linux_x64
+            bin/gomud-linux_arm5
             bin/${{ env.DATAFILES_ARCHIVE }}
             bin/${{ env.CHECKSUMS_FILE }}
           name: ${{ env.RELEASE_TAG }} prerelease

From 60d2beafbdd2fc06c9f09c935f99598b04f2b044 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Sean Casey <4674433+CaseyLabs@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 2026 19:26:59 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 07/13] Add manual release workflow trigger

---
 .github/RELEASING.md                    | 22 ++++++++++++++++++----
 .github/workflows/build-and-release.yml |  9 +++++++++
 2 files changed, 27 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/RELEASING.md b/.github/RELEASING.md
index 0e0a1ffad..ae9e5219c 100644
--- a/.github/RELEASING.md
+++ b/.github/RELEASING.md
@@ -26,6 +26,10 @@ Recommended versioning for the next release line:
 3. **Merge to `master`**
    - Merging to `master` triggers the `Release` workflow automatically.
 
+   Or, for a manual downstream test without merging:
+   - Run the `Release` workflow with `workflow_dispatch`.
+   - Optionally provide a short `release_label` such as `test`.
+
 4. **Monitor Release**
    - GitHub Actions will:
      - Run `go generate ./...`
@@ -51,9 +55,14 @@ Recommended versioning for the next release line:
 2. **Merges to `master` do publish release binaries**
    - A push to `master` runs the `Release` workflow and publishes a prerelease.
 
-3. **Generated release naming**
+3. **Manual test runs can also publish prereleases**
+   - `workflow_dispatch` can be used to create a test prerelease without merging.
+   - An optional `release_label` is appended to the generated prerelease tag.
+
+4. **Generated release naming**
    - The release tag is generated automatically from UTC time plus the merge commit SHA.
    - Example: `pre-20260417021530-1a2b3c4`
+   - With a manual label: `pre-20260417021530-1a2b3c4-test`
 
 ---
 
@@ -63,9 +72,10 @@ Recommended versioning for the next release line:
    - Use this downstream repo to verify any release automation change before opening
      an upstream PR.
 
-2. **Merge a test branch to downstream `master`**
-   - Use a downstream-only branch or temporary merge to trigger the release workflow.
-   - The workflow will generate its own prerelease tag automatically.
+2. **Run the release workflow manually**
+   - Use `workflow_dispatch` on the downstream repo when you want a test release
+     without merging to `master`.
+   - Optionally set `release_label=test` or similar to make the generated tag clearer.
 
 3. **Verify the GitHub release**
    - Confirm the workflow succeeds.
@@ -90,6 +100,10 @@ Recommended versioning for the next release line:
   Stable semver tags are not generated automatically. The merge-driven workflow creates
   its own prerelease tag from UTC time plus commit SHA.
 
+- **Can I create a test release without merging to `master`?**
+  Yes - run the `Release` workflow manually with `workflow_dispatch`. That keeps PR
+  submissions clean while still allowing downstream test releases on demand.
+
 - **Are workflow-created releases stable releases?**
   No - the workflow creates prereleases. A repo owner must manually promote a release
   to `Latest` in GitHub when it is approved.
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml b/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
index 59c5f380d..232b47b19 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
@@ -5,6 +5,12 @@ name: Release
   push:
     branches:
       - master
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      release_label:
+        description: Optional prerelease label suffix, e.g. test or rc
+        required: false
+        type: string
 
 concurrency:
   group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref }}
@@ -39,6 +45,9 @@ jobs:
 
           release_stamp="$(date -u +%Y%m%d%H%M%S)"
           release_tag="pre-${release_stamp}-${GITHUB_SHA::7}"
+          if [ -n "${{ inputs.release_label }}" ]; then
+            release_tag="${release_tag}-${{ inputs.release_label }}"
+          fi
 
           {
             echo "binary_version=${binary_version}"

From 9177e4360efb34a9f83818d9da2b70db6a73205e Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Sean Casey <4674433+CaseyLabs@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 2026 19:48:43 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 08/13] Update build config file name

---
 .github/workflows/build-and-release.yml | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml b/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
index 232b47b19..f6563b171 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ jobs:
           {
             echo "binary_version=${binary_version}"
             echo "release_tag=${release_tag}"
-            echo "datafiles_archive=gomud-all-datafiles-${release_tag}.zip"
+            echo "datafiles_archive=gomud-ALL-datafiles-${release_tag}.zip"
             echo "checksums_file=gomud-${release_tag}-SHA256SUMS.txt"
           } >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
 

From b5bf262fadbeeb37952be44727aacfc6dab68829 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Sean Casey <4674433+CaseyLabs@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 2026 19:52:32 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 09/13] Remove redundant prerelease name title

---
 .github/workflows/build-and-release.yml | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml b/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
index f6563b171..1fbf38b6b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ jobs:
             bin/gomud-linux_arm5
             bin/${{ env.DATAFILES_ARCHIVE }}
             bin/${{ env.CHECKSUMS_FILE }}
-          name: ${{ env.RELEASE_TAG }} prerelease
+          name: ${{ env.RELEASE_TAG }}
           tag_name: ${{ env.RELEASE_TAG }}
           prerelease: true
           make_latest: false

From 473117473d8365fe41b282747bb49a0b0be5ca22 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Sean Casey <4674433+CaseyLabs@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 2026 22:14:06 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 10/13] Add bin/ to gitignore

---
 .gitignore | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index a2dac89bd..6a82dc3cf 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 .vscode
-AGENTS.md
+bin/
 private-notes.txt
 _datafiles/**/users/*
 _datafiles/**/plugin-data/*

From 1f04c77b7a4c59291ef27a3250bb30697ff3921c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Sean Casey <4674433+CaseyLabs@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 2026 22:50:54 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 11/13] Fix manual prerelease release metadata

---
 .github/workflows/build-and-release.yml | 14 ++++++++++++--
 1 file changed, 12 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml b/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
index 1fbf38b6b..f66dbed86 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Compute release metadata
         id: meta
+        env:
+          RELEASE_LABEL: ${{ inputs.release_label }}
         run: |
           binary_version="$(
             sed -n 's/^const VERSION = \"\\([^\"]*\\)\"$/\\1/p' main.go
@@ -45,8 +47,15 @@ jobs:
 
           release_stamp="$(date -u +%Y%m%d%H%M%S)"
           release_tag="pre-${release_stamp}-${GITHUB_SHA::7}"
-          if [ -n "${{ inputs.release_label }}" ]; then
-            release_tag="${release_tag}-${{ inputs.release_label }}"
+          release_label="${RELEASE_LABEL:-}"
+          if [ -n "$release_label" ]; then
+            case "$release_label" in
+              *[!A-Za-z0-9._-]*)
+                echo "release_label must match [A-Za-z0-9._-]+" >&2
+                exit 1
+                ;;
+            esac
+            release_tag="${release_tag}-${release_label}"
           fi
 
           {
@@ -162,6 +171,7 @@ jobs:
             bin/${{ env.CHECKSUMS_FILE }}
           name: ${{ env.RELEASE_TAG }}
           tag_name: ${{ env.RELEASE_TAG }}
+          target_commitish: ${{ github.sha }}
           prerelease: true
           make_latest: false
           generate_release_notes: true

From dc8d966450bfa29a72d0f1b2418a22d8d7e3de2b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Sean Casey <4674433+CaseyLabs@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 2026 23:00:04 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 12/13] Use gh CLI for prerelease publishing

---
 .github/workflows/build-and-release.yml | 33 +++++++++++--------------
 1 file changed, 15 insertions(+), 18 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml b/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
index f66dbed86..2e06a465b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-and-release.yml
@@ -159,22 +159,19 @@ jobs:
             > "${{ env.CHECKSUMS_FILE }}"
 
       - name: Release with notes
-        uses: softprops/action-gh-release@v3.0.0
-        with:
-          files: |
-            bin/gomud-windows_x64.exe
-            bin/gomud-darwin_arm64
-            bin/gomud-darwin_x64
-            bin/gomud-linux_x64
-            bin/gomud-linux_arm5
-            bin/${{ env.DATAFILES_ARCHIVE }}
-            bin/${{ env.CHECKSUMS_FILE }}
-          name: ${{ env.RELEASE_TAG }}
-          tag_name: ${{ env.RELEASE_TAG }}
-          target_commitish: ${{ github.sha }}
-          prerelease: true
-          make_latest: false
-          generate_release_notes: true
-          fail_on_unmatched_files: true
+        run: |
+          gh release create "$RELEASE_TAG" \
+            bin/gomud-windows_x64.exe \
+            bin/gomud-darwin_arm64 \
+            bin/gomud-darwin_x64 \
+            bin/gomud-linux_x64 \
+            bin/gomud-linux_arm5 \
+            "bin/$DATAFILES_ARCHIVE" \
+            "bin/$CHECKSUMS_FILE" \
+            --title "$RELEASE_TAG" \
+            --target "$GITHUB_SHA" \
+            --prerelease \
+            --latest=false \
+            --generate-notes
         env:
-          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}

From 97480ff6cfd9445ae9fa966a49b043c1b84d35e1 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Sean Casey <4674433+CaseyLabs@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 2026 11:07:29 -0700
Subject: [PATCH 13/13] Remove downstream repo references

---
 .github/RELEASING.md | 37 ++++++++++++++++---------------------
 1 file changed, 16 insertions(+), 21 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.github/RELEASING.md b/.github/RELEASING.md
index ae9e5219c..d1c1c66da 100644
--- a/.github/RELEASING.md
+++ b/.github/RELEASING.md
@@ -2,9 +2,6 @@
 
 [Semantic Versioning 2.0.0 reference](https://github.com/semver/semver/blob/master/semver.md)
 
-This downstream fork is the proving ground for release automation changes before they
-are proposed upstream.
-
 Recommended versioning for the next release line:
 
 - Start the next stable release at `v0.10.0`.
@@ -15,22 +12,24 @@ Recommended versioning for the next release line:
 ### 1. New Feature or Breaking‑Change Release (Minor/Major)
 
 1. **Merge & Verify**
+
 - Merge all feature or breaking‑change PRs into `master`.
 - Ensure CI (tests, linter, codegen) all pass on `master`.
 
-2. **Determine Version Bump**
+1. **Determine Version Bump**
+
 - **Major** (`X.0.0`) when you make incompatible changes
 - **Minor** (`0.Y.0`) when you add functionality in a backward compatible manner
 - **Patch** (`0.0.Z`) when you make backward compatible bug fixes
 
-3. **Merge to `master`**
+1. **Merge to `master`**
    - Merging to `master` triggers the `Release` workflow automatically.
 
-   Or, for a manual downstream test without merging:
+   Or, for a manual test without merging:
    - Run the `Release` workflow with `workflow_dispatch`.
    - Optionally provide a short `release_label` such as `test`.
 
-4. **Monitor Release**
+2. **Monitor Release**
    - GitHub Actions will:
      - Run `go generate ./...`
      - Build per-platform binaries with `main.version` set from `main.go`
@@ -40,9 +39,9 @@ Recommended versioning for the next release line:
      - Publish a GitHub prerelease for that generated tag
      - Leave the release unmarked as `Latest`
 
-5. **Announce**
-   - After review, the upstream owner can edit the release in GitHub and promote it
-     to `Latest`.
+3. **Announce**
+   - After review, a repo owner can edit the release in GitHub and promote it to
+     `Latest`.
    - Share the release link with the team or via configured notifications.
 
 ---
@@ -66,18 +65,14 @@ Recommended versioning for the next release line:
 
 ---
 
-### 3. Downstream First-Test Flow
-
-1. **Validate in this fork first**
-   - Use this downstream repo to verify any release automation change before opening
-     an upstream PR.
+### 3. Manual Test Release Flow
 
-2. **Run the release workflow manually**
-   - Use `workflow_dispatch` on the downstream repo when you want a test release
+1. **Run the release workflow manually**
+   - Use `workflow_dispatch` when you want a test release
      without merging to `master`.
    - Optionally set `release_label=test` or similar to make the generated tag clearer.
 
-3. **Verify the GitHub release**
+2. **Verify the GitHub release**
    - Confirm the workflow succeeds.
    - Confirm the per-platform binaries are attached.
    - Confirm the `_datafiles` zip asset is attached.
@@ -85,9 +80,9 @@ Recommended versioning for the next release line:
    - Confirm GitHub marks the release as a prerelease.
    - Confirm GitHub does not mark it as `Latest`.
 
-4. **Clean up if needed**
+3. **Clean up if needed**
    - Delete the test tag and release after validation if you do not want to keep them
-     in downstream history.
+     in repository history.
 
 ---
 
@@ -102,7 +97,7 @@ Recommended versioning for the next release line:
 
 - **Can I create a test release without merging to `master`?**
   Yes - run the `Release` workflow manually with `workflow_dispatch`. That keeps PR
-  submissions clean while still allowing downstream test releases on demand.
+  submissions clean while still allowing on-demand test releases.
 
 - **Are workflow-created releases stable releases?**
   No - the workflow creates prereleases. A repo owner must manually promote a release