diff --git a/config.lua b/config.lua
index b9307f0..2386e6c 100644
--- a/config.lua
+++ b/config.lua
@@ -22,10 +22,10 @@ local common_cfg = {
     init_zeros = false, -- instead of random normal noise.
 
     -- network inputs (connections):
-    time_inputs = true, -- binary inputs of global frame count
+    time_inputs = true, -- insert binary inputs of a frame counter.
 
     -- network layers:
-    layernorm = false,
+    layernorm = false, -- (doesn't do anything right now)
     reduce_tiles = false,
     bias_out = true,
 
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ local common_cfg = {
     -- sampling:
     deviation = 1.0,
     unperturbed_trial = true, -- perform an extra trial without any noise.
+                              -- this is good for logging, so i'd recommend it.
     graycode = false, -- for ARS.
     negate_trials = true, -- try pairs of normal and negated noise directions.
     -- AKA antithetic sampling. note that this doubles the number of trials.
@@ -80,6 +81,39 @@ if preset == 'snes' then
         sigma_decay = 0.01, -- note: multiplied by learning_rate.
     }
 
+elseif preset == 'snes2' then
+
+    cfg = {
+        es = 'snes',
+
+        log_fn = 'logs-snes2.csv',
+        params_fn = 'params-snes2.txt',
+
+        start_big = true,
+        min_time = 300,
+        timer_loser = 1.0,
+
+        score_multiplier = 0,
+
+        init_zeros = true,
+
+        reduce_tiles = true,
+        bias_out = false,
+
+        deterministic = false,
+
+        deviation = 0.5,
+        negate_trials = false,
+        min_refresh = 0.5,
+
+        epoch_trials = 100,
+
+        learning_rate = 0.01,
+        mean_adapt = 1.0,
+        weight_decay = 0.02,
+        sigma_decay = 0.01,
+    }
+
 elseif preset == 'xnes' then
 
     cfg = {
@@ -92,7 +126,6 @@ elseif preset == 'xnes' then
         min_time = 300,
         timer_loser = 1.0,
 
-        decrement_reward = false,
         score_multiplier = 0,
 
         init_zeros = true,
@@ -104,32 +137,67 @@ elseif preset == 'xnes' then
 
         deviation = 0.5,
         negate_trials = false,
-        min_refresh = 0.1,
 
         epoch_trials = 50,
 
         learning_rate = 0.01,
-        mean_adapt = 1.0,
-        weight_decay = 0.0,
-        sigma_decay = 0.0,
+    }
+
+elseif preset == 'xnes2' then
+
+    cfg = {
+        es = 'xnes',
+
+        log_fn = 'logs-xnes2.csv',
+        params_fn = 'params-xnes2.txt',
+
+        start_big = true,
+        min_time = 300,
+        timer_loser = 1.0,
+
+        score_multiplier = 0,
+
+        init_zeros = true,
+
+        reduce_tiles = true,
+        bias_out = false,
+
+        deterministic = false,
+
+        deviation = 0.5,
+        negate_trials = true,
+
+        epoch_trials = 25,
+
+        learning_rate = 0.01,
+        mean_adapt = 0.5,
+        weight_decay = 0.01,
+        sigma_decay = 0.0016, --0.00128,
     }
 
 elseif preset == 'ars' then
 
     cfg = {
         es = 'ars',
-        epoch_top_trials = 20,
+        epoch_top_trials = 20 * 2,
         ars_lips = false,
 
         log_fn = 'logs-ars.csv',
         params_fn = 'params-ars.txt',
 
+        start_big = true,
         min_time = 300,
         timer_loser = 1.0,
 
-        deviation = 0.1,
+        bias_out = false,
 
-        epoch_trials = 25,
+        deterministic = false,
+
+        graycode = false,
+        deviation = 0.1,
+        negate_trials = false,
+
+        epoch_trials = 25 * 2,
 
         learning_rate = 1.0,
         weight_decay = 0.0025,