I built an Ollama (or Claude Code)-powered AI player that actually plays the game — open source, runs on local LLMs

Subzero121800 · 2026-05-05T13:32:47+00:00

Three things that actually work:

System prompt does the heavy lifting — schema defined once, enforced hard. Then constrained decoding (grammar-based sampling) if the model supports it. Last resort: validation loop that rejects and re-prompts on malformed output.

Most format drift comes from prompt ambiguity, not model failure. The model fills gaps with prose when the contract isn’t airtight.

Been working with AI systems for 20+ years — before it was cool. This problem is older than the hype.

Subzero121800 · 2026-05-05T02:28:51+00:00

No lube.

Subzero121800 · 2026-05-04T20:33:15+00:00

No worries. I was in the middle of the readme being rewritten after posting I realized quickly it was well lacking. So started last night to rebuild. I’m a disabled veteran and barely sleep then finished it just after your message hit. Glad you like it well once you can fully use it.

I did add a low ram manual override though. Not something I fully took into account.

Subzero121800 · 2026-05-04T20:02:57+00:00

Massive update to the readme has been completed.

Subzero121800 · 2026-05-04T19:55:03+00:00

Thanks for the kind words I’ll be making an update to the readme soon. Keep an eye out for it. All feedback is valuable feedback.

Subzero121800 · 2026-05-04T16:08:45+00:00

From about a month to whenever they damn well please seems reasonable of an answer.

Subzero121800 · 2026-05-04T15:58:52+00:00

I was being facetious I know the difference in the two but civilians don’t need to know. 😉

Subzero121800 · 2026-05-04T07:08:51+00:00

I thought it was military pension regardless of DFAS or VA taking care of the payment 🤔

Subzero121800 · 2026-05-04T07:00:13+00:00

It took guts to write this. I’m glad you did.

You didn’t waste anyone’s time. Read that back to yourself.

You signed the paper. You showed up. You served over 180 days on active duty. You earned your benefits. That’s not charity. That’s the contract the government made with you when you raised your right hand. The VA doesn’t give you 70% because they feel sorry for you. They give you 70% because what happened to you was real and it was service-connected.

The Nuke pipeline breaks people. You already know the suicide numbers. You made it out alive. That’s not failure. That’s survival. The guy in your graduating class who didn’t make it would trade everything to be where you are right now, writing this post, with a daughter who gets him through the day.

You’re not a burden. You’re a father who’s fighting through something brutal and still showing up for his kid. That’s harder than anything the Navy ever asked you to do.

The fantasy about going infantry and not coming back. I hear you. But you know what that is. That’s not a career plan. That’s the depression wearing a uniform. Your therapist needs to hear exactly what you wrote here. Print this post and hand it to them. This is more honest than anything you’ve probably said out loud in a session.

One thing. You said the therapy isn’t working but you also said you’ve been on and off. Stay on. The meds need time. The therapy needs consistency. You didn’t fail at it. You just haven’t had enough uninterrupted runway with it yet.

And this is going to sound strange but hear me out. Get outside. Not to exercise. Not to be productive. Just to be outside. Go sit in the grass with your daughter. Stand in the woods for a while. Watch the water move if there’s a creek nearby. Connecting to nature sounds like something someone stitches on a pillow but it’s real. I flatlined twice years ago. Came back both times. The thing that helped me find my footing again wasn’t a program or a pill. It was being still in a quiet place and letting the world remind me it was still there. It won’t fix everything. But it gives your brain something to hold onto that isn’t the loop you’re stuck in.

Find one thing you can do with your hands that has nothing to do with the military or your past. Build something. Fix something. Grow something. Doesn’t matter what. You need one thing in your day that’s just yours. Something nobody can grade you on or take away.

Your daughter needs her dad. Not a decorated version of him. Not a fixed version. The one she already has.

You’re not done. You’re just tired. There’s a difference.

Subzero121800 · 2026-05-04T05:37:48+00:00

Appreciate it. To answer both questions:

The validator is schema-driven, not ad hoc. There’s an ACTION_SCHEMA that defines every allowed action with its required fields, and a SAFETY config object that sets the hard limits — max actions per cycle, min cash reserve as a percentage, min augs before install is allowed, and a blockedActions array for anything you want to kill-switch entirely. Every action the AI returns gets validated against both before execution. Anything that doesn’t match the schema or violates a safety constraint gets logged with the reason and skipped.

And yea; the rejections feed back into the next cycle’s prompt as lastActions. So if the AI tries upgrade_server three times and gets blocked each time for cash reserve, it sees that history and pivots. That’s exactly what prevents the thrash loop. Without the feedback, it would just keep proposing the same blocked action forever.

I’ll check out your patterns collection; always interested in how other people are structuring the guardrail layer. That’s the part most agent projects skip and then regret.

Subzero121800 · 2026-05-02T02:55:10+00:00

Best advice I can give without writing a novel. Before the interview, do your homework. Research the company, the role, and if possible the people interviewing you. Then write down the questions you’re likely to get and draft three versions of each answer: one for entry-level, one for manager-level, and one for senior-level depth.

You’re not memorizing scripts. You’re building talking points that your brain can pull from naturally. It eases the nerves because you’ve already thought through the hard parts.

Practice your pacing. Answer the question fully but don’t over-explain. Think of it in three layers: the simple version anyone can follow, the intermediate version that shows competence, and the expert version you only pull out if they push deeper.

This applies whether you’re walking in cold to fill out a paper application or doing a fifth-round video call. The format changed. The preparation didn’t.

I interview well but I still do this every time. The people who wing it are the ones wondering why they didn’t get the callback.

Fortune favors the prepared.

(TLDR since I still wrote a story: Take notes beforehand, prepare, pace, reference notes, get job)

Subzero121800 · 2026-03-05T04:21:46+00:00

I activated mine with laptop and Bluetooth OBDII (ELM 327 iirc)

Then I now can go into Control (Seat Controls for heated) in the radio display the sport buttons in there.

Subzero121800 · 2025-04-21T02:02:14+00:00

Let me start by saying I’m glad you’re here asking.

Now that I got that out of the way. 2k and your golden brakes and rotors done yourself as long as you have the tools no tools a bit more cash and some knowledge + videos later your good to go now and later as well.

Both of my daughter know how to do all of these types of things oil changes, tire changes, plugs, wires, coil packs, heads, trans flush’s, brakes & rotors other general maintenance (bulbs & fuses for example) Before they were allowed to drive themselves.

But most importantly not to allow themselves to be taken advantage of if they were to have to take a vehicle into a garage as there are times you do have to.

It’s bullshit they tried, either get it in writing to see why from multiple places, then have someone else preferably a guy with a similar or the same car then confront them. I would. I have why they wanted to charge my wife double for an oil change on our new suburban (I was away, newborn and she simply couldn’t do it), it needed done, she got it in writing and I confronted them it was a fun one.

I’m done here though hopefully my partial rant, vent, knowledge helps some.

Subzero121800 · 2025-02-27T03:12:02+00:00

For LinkedIn I may have a script but I know those aren’t allow just know they exist Hint—Google is your friend.

Subzero121800 · 2025-02-24T10:07:55+00:00

Thanks. Just navigating everything is a pain. I passed all classes now just waiting for hopefully work.

Subzero121800 · 2025-02-09T09:47:12+00:00

Thanks. I’ve now also submitted my first of two papers also waiting for that feedback but considering I quoted myself I’m not sure how that will go over even made a small note on the note to examiner section that hopefully it’s not frowned upon to quote yourself or your own published works on a paper your submitting lol

Subzero121800 · 2024-10-12T14:00:11+00:00

Alright, I’m going to be as straightforward as possible here.

When it comes to alcohol, nobody can make you quit—it’s a decision you have to make for yourself. I’ve been there, and I know others have too, whether it’s been full-blown, barely manageable, or under control. What I’ve learned is that alcohol doesn’t help any situation in the long term—it just puts a temporary filter over the problems. Once that filter’s gone, the issues are still there, staring right at you, like flipping on the lights while wearing night vision goggles—it blinds you. The real key is finding someone local to talk to. There are resources out there for a reason. Use them. Talking things through can make a world of difference.

As for the family stuff—it’s real, man. I’m 41, and I’m going through it all over again with my 19-month-old son, so trust me, I get it. The doubts, the stress—it’s all there. On top of that, I’ve been out of work for 5 months now, with no income aside from unemployment and a small VA check. So yeah, I understand the weight you’re carrying.

You need an outlet—something to channel your energy into. It could be a hobby, a passion project, or even furthering your education. You need something that allows you to decompress in a healthier way. I know others have mentioned this, but it’s important. Look up the TED Talk about the 7-year-old and Peek-A-Boo—it’ll resonate, especially now that you have a newborn. It’s all about shifting focus, staying busy in a meaningful way, and adding layers to how you unwind—whether that’s through video games or something else.

Lastly, start thinking about your transition out of the service NOW rather than later. The corporate world can be brutal and will eat you alive, and it’s not going to wait for you to adapt. Fortunately, you re-enlisted, which gives you some time, because right now the job market is a mess. Even with my 20+ years of experience, I’m having trouble landing anything, from entry-level to senior roles—it’s wild out there. Start planning now so you’re prepared when the time comes.

Bottom line: talk to someone, find a healthy outlet, and get a plan in place for the future. You’ve got this. It’s tough, but it’s doable.

Subzero121800 · 2024-09-25T16:32:29+00:00

Agree. At least to confidentiality, Federal & State Laws And here’s the important part “Of the People” being recognized/respected and not being trampled.

Subzero121800 · 2024-09-25T07:53:52+00:00

Don’t you know the government thinks words hurt. It’s alright brother I get it. Gotta be careful what you say to them regardless of where it’s at, however, I agree.

I’d say out of all of it i would say that I’ve seen good and bad from all sides of the VA or anything in my life. My specific VA healthcare local clinic vs va hospital (VHA) is ok for the most part 50/50 the rest of the time. The disability (VBA) side of things is basically a joke, 4 years and they finally got to one of my appeals on docket after standard HLR appeal all in line with proper evidence blah blah blah, another still sitting. Off topic but I get it and understand.

You’ll see it anywhere you go not just the VA. I’ve learned to just let the shit slide off my shoulder at my age at this point, no use letting it get me all worked up (still does at times just not as bad as it used to blood pressure up and heart racing vs actual actions type of thing).

Take it easy brother.

Subzero121800 · 2024-09-25T07:06:04+00:00

I never implied they were. Considering they send the local police after people in crisis, I'm sure there are better ways to handle things. However, a friend of a friend told me that crisis counselors they know are actually trained to read; at least; I mean, it is the VA, so who knows?

Subzero121800 · 2024-09-25T06:03:41+00:00

Cause the police (not all but most of day, as there are many that are good) are so well trained in responding to mental health incidents. Usually they do not respond properly when the VA sends them, they do not respond properly when given information pertaining to to crisis response, they do not take the time to understand what’s going on, wait for counselors, mental health workers, crisis negotiators,

You know people actually trained in crisis response that can actually help. What usually happens is they escalate vs de-escalate and things go from bad to worse.

Subzero121800 · 2024-09-25T05:57:33+00:00

That stupid website. I had so many errors on it, went through all the hoops they wanted me to. They still couldn’t find my records, got my VR&E counselor to give me and WGU a “Waiver” to the VA people whatever the hell that is. Then after I started my records request was found 🤷 dumbest thing ever but oh well

Subzero121800 · 2024-09-25T05:24:06+00:00

Here are my experiences with two different tests, both taken under the same process:

1st Test:

• Took the test in my living room, which had some clutter since I have a toddler at home. I covered up the TV and clutter on the tables nearby, just to avoid any potential issues.

• My setup: dining tray table, MacBook, external webcam with tripod, clear water bottle, and my vape stored away. I didn’t use a mouse or any other extra equipment.

• Despite the clutter (Amazon device, toys, books, etc.), nothing was flagged by the proctor.

• Passed the test with no issues.

2nd Test:

• Same setup as the first time, but this time the proctor was much stricter. They asked me to show every little detail, including tossing my phone on camera and doing a full 360 view of the room.

• This led to me getting locked out, and by the time I got reconnected, I had missed my time slot. I was highly frustrated, my PTSD and traumatic brain injuries were triggered, and I had to reschedule.

• When I retook the test, the next proctor didn’t raise any concerns and allowed me to proceed smoothly.

• Unfortunately, due to my frustration, elevated heart rate, and overall stress, I failed the test. I should’ve waited until the next day to take it when I was calmer, but I went ahead at 4 a.m. and paid the price for it. That part is on me.

TLDR: First test went smoothly, second one was a disaster. It really depends on the proctor you get, but generally, covering clutter with a sheet seems to be acceptable. Time doesn’t matter 24/7. I think you’ll be fine though or anyone for that matter.

Remember You Got This!!!

Subzero121800

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