diff --git a/main.lua b/main.lua
index 3d377cb..1ace9bf 100644
--- a/main.lua
+++ b/main.lua
@@ -29,40 +29,42 @@ local function globalize(t) for k, v in pairs(t) do rawset(_G, k, v) end end
 local defer_prints = true
 
 local playable_mode = false
-local start_big = true
-local starting_lives = 1
+local start_big = false --true
+local starting_lives = 0 --1
 --
-local init_zeros = false -- instead of he_normal noise or whatever.
+local init_zeros = true -- instead of he_normal noise or whatever.
 local frameskip = 4
 -- true greedy epsilon has both deterministic and det_epsilon set.
-local deterministic = false -- use argmax on outputs instead of random sampling.
+local deterministic = true -- use argmax on outputs instead of random sampling.
 local det_epsilon = false -- take random actions with probability eps.
 local eps_start = 1.0 * frameskip / 64
 local eps_stop  = 0.1 * eps_start
-local eps_frames = 4000000
+local eps_frames = 1000000
 --
-local epoch_trials = 15 --18
-local epoch_top_trials = 10 --6 -- new with ARS.
+local epoch_trials = 50
+local epoch_top_trials = 25 -- 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.
+local time_inputs = true -- binary inputs of global frame count
 -- ^ note that this now doubles the effective trials.
-local deviation = 0.025 --0.03
+local deviation = 0.05 --0.075 --0.1
 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 = 1.0
 --local learning_rate = 0.0032 / approx_cossim(66573)
-local learning_rate = 0.0056 / approx_cossim(66573)
-local weight_decay = 1 - 0.9977
+--local learning_rate = 0.0056 / approx_cossim(66573)
+local weight_decay = 0.00032 --0.001 --0.0023
 --
 local cap_time = 200 --400
-local timer_loser = 0 --1/3
+local timer_loser = 1/2
 local decrement_reward = false -- bad idea, encourages mario to kill himself
 --
 local enable_overlay = playable_mode
 local enable_network = not playable_mode
 
-local input_size = 60 -- TODO: let the script figure this out for us.
+local input_size = 60 + 4 -- TODO: let the script figure this out for us.
 local tile_count = 17 * 13
 
 local ok_routines = {
@@ -321,7 +323,7 @@ end
 -- https://gist.githubusercontent.com/1wErt3r/4048722/raw/59e88c0028a58c6d7b9156749230ccac647bc7d4/SMBDIS.ASM
 
 local rotation_offsets = { -- FIXME: not all of these are pixel-perfect.
-    0, -40, -- 0
+    0, -40, -- 0x00
     6, -38,
     15, -37,
     22, -32,
@@ -329,7 +331,7 @@ local rotation_offsets = { -- FIXME: not all of these are pixel-perfect.
     32, -22,
     37, -14,
     39, -6,
-    40, 0, -- 8
+    40, 0, -- 0x08
     38, 7,
     37, 15,
     33, 23,
@@ -337,7 +339,7 @@ local rotation_offsets = { -- FIXME: not all of these are pixel-perfect.
     22, 33,
     14, 37,
     6, 39,
-    0, 41, -- 10
+    0, 41, -- 0x10
     -7, 40,
     -16, 38,
     -22, 34,
@@ -345,7 +347,7 @@ local rotation_offsets = { -- FIXME: not all of these are pixel-perfect.
     -34, 23,
     -38, 16,
     -40, 8,
-    -40, -0, -- 18
+    -40, -0, -- 0x18
     -40, -6,
     -38, -14,
     -34, -22,
@@ -759,6 +761,22 @@ local function learn_from_epoch()
     print()
 end
 
+local function joypad_mash(button)
+    local jp_mash = {
+        up = false,
+        down = false,
+        left = false,
+        right = false,
+        A = false,
+        B = false,
+        select = false,
+        start = false,
+    }
+    assert(jp_mash[button] == false, "invalid button: "..tostring(button), 1)
+    jp_mash[button] = emu.framecount() % 2 == 1
+    joypad.write(1, jp_mash)
+end
+
 local function do_reset()
     local state = get_state()
     -- be a little more descriptive.
@@ -853,6 +871,12 @@ local function init()
     emu.unpause()
     emu.speedmode("turbo")
 
+    while emu.framecount() < 195 do  -- FIXME: don't hardcode this.
+        joypad_mash('start')
+        emu.frameadvance()
+    end
+    print(emu.framecount())
+
     local res, err = pcall(network.load, network)
     if res == false then print(err) end
 end
@@ -900,6 +924,12 @@ local function doit(dummy)
     insert(extra_input, vx)
     insert(extra_input, vy)
 
+    if time_inputs then
+        for i=2,5 do
+            insert(extra_input, band(total_frames, lshift(1, i)))
+        end
+    end
+
     handle_enemies()
     handle_fireballs()
     -- blocks being hit. not interactable; we don't care!
@@ -998,18 +1028,7 @@ while true do
 
     while bad_states[get_state()] do
         -- mash the start button until we have control.
-        local jp_mash = {
-            up = false,
-            down = false,
-            left = false,
-            right = false,
-            A = false,
-            B = false,
-            select = false,
-            start = emu.framecount() % 2 == 1,
-        }
-        joypad.write(1, jp_mash)
-
+        joypad_mash('start')
         reset = true
 
         advance()