# Configure rules

> Tune the coin economy, skill progression, badge conditions, and streak milestones in the dashboard.

Source: https://docs.hatched.live/docs/guides/configure-rules

Rules live on your **config version**. Changes land on a draft first, then
publish as a new immutable version. Existing buddies stay pinned to their
current version until you migrate them.

## Where rules live

| Surface | What it controls |
| --- | --- |
| **Skills → Set** | Skill names, icons, max levels, skill rules |
| **Skills → Decay** | Time-based skill loss ([concept](/docs/concepts/skill-decay)) |
| **Economy → Coin rules** | Event → coin amount mappings, daily caps |
| **Economy → Tokens** | Secondary currencies and their earn rules |
| **Engagement → Streaks** | Streak definitions and milestone rewards |
| **Engagement → Badges** | Badge conditions, auto-vs-manual award |
| **Evolution** | Stage conditions, creature style, art mode |
| **Marketplace** | Items, pricing, visibility rules |

Each surface writes to the same draft. The diff between draft and
published is visible under **Publish** before you flip it live.

## Publishing

1. Review the diff — coin rules changed, badges added, streaks modified.
2. Hit **Publish** — a new immutable version is created and becomes the
   default for new eggs.
3. Existing buddies are *not* migrated. They stay on their pinned version.
4. Migrate buddies in bulk from **Buddies → Migration** when you're ready.

## Migrating existing buddies

Migration is a first-class operation:

- It swaps the rulebook, never the state.
- Coin balances, badge lists, streak counters all carry over.
- If a rule that awarded a badge on their current state no longer exists in
  the new version, the badge stays — historical awards are never revoked.
- You can migrate a single buddy, an audience, or all buddies at once.

## Tuning tips

- **Watch Economy Health.** The dashboard shows coin inflow vs. outflow per
  day. When inflow outruns outflow for too long, marketplace items become
  invisible.
- **Cap the top of the earn curve.** Daily caps prevent grinding; multiplier
  caps prevent streak-compounding breakage.
- **Start with auto-awarded badges.** Manual badges need a moderation
  workflow — get auto working before adding the human loop.
- **Publish small, publish often.** Each version is cheap; big-bang
  publishes are harder to reason about.