diff --git a/main.lua b/main.lua
index e517f73..3d377cb 100644
--- a/main.lua
+++ b/main.lua
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ local defer_prints = true
 
 local playable_mode = false
 local start_big = true
-local starting_lives = 0
+local starting_lives = 1
 --
 local init_zeros = false -- instead of he_normal noise or whatever.
 local frameskip = 4
@@ -41,16 +41,19 @@ local eps_start = 1.0 * frameskip / 64
 local eps_stop  = 0.1 * eps_start
 local eps_frames = 4000000
 --
-local epoch_trials = 18
-local epoch_top_trials = 9 -- new with ARS.
+local epoch_trials = 15 --18
+local epoch_top_trials = 10 --6 -- new with ARS.
 local unperturbed_trial = true -- do a trial without any noise.
 local negate_trials = true -- try pairs of normal and negated noise directions.
 -- ^ note that this now doubles the effective trials.
-local deviation = 0.025
+local deviation = 0.025 --0.03
 local function approx_cossim(dim)
     return math.pow(1.521 * dim - 0.521, -0.5026)
 end
-local learning_rate = 0.01 / approx_cossim(7051)
+--local learning_rate = 0.01 / approx_cossim(7051)
+--local learning_rate = 0.0032 / approx_cossim(66573)
+local learning_rate = 0.0056 / approx_cossim(66573)
+local weight_decay = 1 - 0.9977
 --
 local cap_time = 200 --400
 local timer_loser = 0 --1/3
@@ -303,6 +306,9 @@ local function make_network(input_size)
     nn_x:feed(nn_y)
     nn_ty:feed(nn_y)
 
+    nn_y = nn_y:feed(nn.Dense(128))
+    nn_y = nn_y:feed(nn.Gelu())
+
     nn_z = nn_y
     nn_z = nn_z:feed(nn.Dense(#jp_lut))
     nn_z = nn_z:feed(nn.Softmax())
@@ -740,7 +746,7 @@ local function learn_from_epoch()
     print("full step stddev:", learning_rate * step_dev)
 
     for i, v in ipairs(base_params) do
-        base_params[i] = v + learning_rate * step[i]
+        base_params[i] = v + learning_rate * step[i] - weight_decay * v
     end
 
     if enable_network then
@@ -876,7 +882,7 @@ local function doit(dummy)
 
     if dummy == true then
         -- don't invoke AI this frame. (keep holding the old inputs)
-        gui.text(96, 16, ("%+4i"):format(reward), '#FFFFFF', '#0000003F')
+        gui.text(89, 16, ("%+5i"):format(reward), '#FFFFFF', '#0000003F')
         return
     end
 
@@ -922,7 +928,7 @@ local function doit(dummy)
     if not ingame_paused then reward = reward + reward_delta end
 
     --gui.text(72, 12, ("%+4i"):format(reward_delta), '#FFFFFF', '#0000003F')
-    gui.text(96, 16, ("%+4i"):format(reward), '#FFFFFF', '#0000003F')
+    gui.text(89, 16, ("%+5i"):format(reward), '#FFFFFF', '#0000003F')
 
     if get_state() == 'dead' and state_old ~= 'dead' then
         --print("dead. lives remaining:", R(0x75A, 0))