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Auto Warz — AI Tool Selection Guide

Document Type: Project Management Version: 0.5 Last Updated: 2026-07-19 Vault destination: 04_Project Management Related Documents: [01_Development Roadmap](<./01_Development Roadmap.md>) · [[AGENTS.md]] · [03_AI Toolchain](<../01_Design Documents/03_AI Toolchain.md>)

The Two-Tool Setup

Auto Warz uses two AI tools with clearly defined roles:

Tool Role Cost
GitHub Copilot Pro All coding in VS Code ~$10–19/month flat
Claude.ai All orchestration — design, planning, documents Existing subscription

The Golden Rule

AI Instruction Governance (Next Steps)

All agent instructions now use one shared source: AGENTS.md.

  1. Edit project AI guidance in AGENTS.md.
  2. Keep wrapper files aligned to the same metadata:
  3. CLAUDE.md
  4. .github/copilot-instructions.md
  5. codex.md
  6. Validate after any AI instruction change:
  7. pwsh scripts/check-ai-instructions.ps1
  8. If validation fails, copy the JSON metadata line from AGENTS.md to all wrapper files:
  9. AI_Instructions_Version
  10. AI_Instructions_Updated
  11. AI_Instructions_Source

Design in Claude.ai. Code in GitHub Copilot.
Default to free models. Escalate only when complexity demands it.
If a Copilot question makes you pause → come to Claude.ai first.

Claude.ai — When to Use

Come here for everything that isn't writing code:

  • Design decisions ("how should belt compression work?")
  • Architecture questions ("how do I handle simultaneous building placement?")
  • Planning the next milestone
  • Updating AGENTS.md, the roadmap, or any design document
  • Any question where the answer needs to be checked against the design docs
  • Resolving conflicts between systems
  • Any time a Copilot question makes you pause

Rule: If you're not sure which tool — ask yourself: "Is this a design decision or an implementation?" - Design → Claude.ai - Implementation → GitHub Copilot

GitHub Copilot Pro — Model Guide

Copilot Pro includes a monthly allowance of premium requests. Included models cost nothing; premium models draw against that allowance at different multipliers.

Specific model names, tiers, and multipliers change frequently, so they are deliberately not pinned in this document. Check the current list in the Copilot model picker in VS Code.

Choosing a Model

  • Default to the included (free) models — they handle .tres data files, boilerplate, simple single-file bug fixes, UI wiring, and most medium-complexity feature work.
  • Escalate to a premium model only when the task genuinely needs it: building a new system from scratch, cross-system integration, any networking/RPC code, or a complex bug spanning multiple files.
  • Never use a free model for networking code.
  • Reserve the highest-tier premium model for problems a mid-tier premium model has already failed on.
  • Architecture and design decisions don't belong in Copilot at all — bring those to Claude.ai, where they cost no premium requests.

Watch your usage: click the Copilot icon in the VS Code status bar (bottom right) to see premium request usage. Don't let it surprise you mid-milestone.

Always Start Sessions With Context

Copilot does not read AGENTS.md automatically. Start every coding session with:

@AGENTS.md let's work on [task description]

For milestone work, also reference the relevant design doc:

@AGENTS.md @04_Factory & Resource System Design.md let's build the belt system

Art Asset Stack

Separate from the coding tools — these handle all visual concept generation and 2D asset work.

Tool Role Use For
Recraft AI image generation (primary) All building concepts, terrain, resource nodes
Leonardo AI AI image generation (alternate) Genesis character art, alternates when Recraft misses
Vectorizer AI Raster → SVG conversion UI icons, resource icons, 2D flat elements
Inkscape Vector editing (free) SVG cleanup, colour adjustments, icon polish

3D modelling is done by the art designer in Blender — AI tools provide concept references only, not 3D output. Final game assets are .glb files exported from Blender.

Art Workflow — 3D Buildings

1. Define asset spec in Art Direction Document
2. Generate concept in Recraft using Master Style Prompt
   → If unsatisfied, try Leonardo AI as alternate
3. Send approved concept to art designer as Blender reference
4. Art designer builds low poly .glb
5. Import to Godot 4, apply cel-shader, add badge_mesh
6. Pass quality checklist

Art Workflow — 2D Icons & UI

1. Generate flat icon concept in Recraft or Leonardo
2. Run through Vectorizer AI → exports clean SVG
3. Open in Inkscape — clean paths, adjust colours
4. Export SVG for UI use

Full prompt library in: [03_Prompt Library](<../03_Art & Audio/03_Prompt Library.md>) Full art direction in: [01_Art Direction Document](<../03_Art & Audio/01_Art Direction Document.md>)

  1. Default to free models — the included models handle most tasks well
  2. Batch related tasks — one well-structured prompt is cheaper than five small ones
  3. Use a free model for all data files — creating .tres resource files is pure pattern work
  4. Never use a premium model for design questions — come to Claude.ai instead, it doesn't cost Copilot premium requests
  5. Monitor usage weekly — check the Copilot status bar so you're never surprised
  6. Scope prompts tightly — "fix the belt connection bug on line 47 of belt_manager.gd" is cheaper than "look through the belt system and find bugs"
  7. Let Auto mode handle autocomplete — for inline suggestions, Auto selection gets a 10% discount

Revision History

Version Date Changes
0.1 2026-02-23 Initial document — four tool profiles, decision framework, per-milestone recommendations
0.2 2026-02-23 Consolidated to two-tool setup (GitHub Copilot Pro + Claude.ai). Removed Claude Code. Added specific model names, premium request multipliers, per-milestone model recommendations, cost saving tips.
0.3 2026-03-01 Art asset stack added — Recraft (primary concept gen), Leonardo AI (characters/alternates), Vectorizer AI (raster→SVG), Inkscape (vector cleanup). Midjourney and Meshy removed. M2.2.5 added to per-milestone table.
0.4 2026-03-21 Added AI instruction governance steps and added check-script workflow for validating shared instruction metadata across CLAUDE/Copilot/Codex pointers.
0.5 2026-07-19 Consolidated shared AI instructions onto AGENTS.md. Removed all specific model names, premium multipliers, task-to-model and per-milestone model tables — replaced with tier-agnostic selection guidance that does not go stale.