hermes-detective/CHANGELOG.md

Session Log

2026-04-19

001 - Session Start: Hermes Hackathon

What: Started Hermes Agent Creative Hackathon collaboration.

Context:

• Hackathon: 16 days, $25k prizes (Main $15k, Kimi $5k, $5k Kimi credits)
• Presented by Kimi Moonshot & Nous Research
• Two tracks: Main (any creative use) and Kimi Track (must use Kimi models)
• Deadline: EOD Sunday, May 3rd

Action:

• Set up workflow structure (.issues/, docs/, git init)
• Created first issue file: 001-hermes-hackathon-project.md

Next:

• Define project concept and creative domain focus
• Explore Hermes Agent capabilities
• Sketch initial prototype idea

002 - Research Completed

What: Validated Kimi and Hermes Agent capabilities.

Findings:

• Kimi K2.5: multimodal (text+image+video), video understanding, visual coding
• Kimi benchmarks: SWE-bench 65.8%, Tau2 ~64%
• Hermes 3: function calling, structured output, OpenAI-compatible
• Hermes built-in skills: manim-video, ascii-video, ascii-art (accessibility-focused)

Action:

• Created docs/research-kimi-visual-capabilities.md
• Created docs/research-hermes-agent.md
• Created docs/research-image-generation-apis.md
• Updated issue file with research summary

Next:

• Define concrete project concept
• Choose specific creative angle (visual coding? video analysis? image generation?)
• Start rapid prototyping

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003 - Image Gen API Research

What: Found affordable/free image generation API.

Findings:

• Pollinations AI ✅: Free tier, OpenAI-compatible, multiple models (Flux, etc.)
  • Endpoint: https://gen.pollinations.ai/image/{prompt}
  • Simple: just curl it, no auth needed for basic
  • Models: flux, zimage, wan-image, qwen-image, gptimage
  • Cost: Free tier (pollen credits), $1 ≈ 1 Pollen paid

Action:

• Created docs/research-image-generation-apis.md
• Updated idea 001 with image gen options

Next:

• Sketch more project ideas for comparison
• Do idea benchmark matrix

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004 - Brainstorming Session

What: Generated 7 project ideas, deeper dive on Idea 007.

Ideas Generated:

1. 001: Visual Narrative Agent (text → image loop)
2. 002: Visual Memory Journal (AI scrapbook)
3. 003: Reverse Design Critic (UI critique + fix)
4. 004: Visual Poem Generator (two-AI art collaboration)
5. 005: Scene-to-Scene Video Storyteller (visual journey)
6. 006: Real-time Visual Debugger (screenshot → fix)
7. 007: Spot the Difference Agent (NEW FOCUS)

User Preferences:

• Want high visual analysis, low reasoning
• Single page webapp, no auth
• Show step-by-step AI process
• Gamification (leaderboard, daily puzzles)

Selected for deeper dive: 007 Vision Puzzle

Action:

• Created docs/ideas/007-vision-spot-the-difference.md

Next:

• Compare all ideas to pick winner

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005 - Ideas Comparison

What: Created comparison matrix for all brainstormed ideas.

Ideas Compared: 14 concepts across visual games, interactive, and creative

Scoring Criteria:

• Visual Analysis (30%)
• Multi-Turn (20%)
• Human-AI Interaction (20%)
• Cost Efficiency (15%)
• Uniqueness (10%)
• Fun (5%)

Results:

Rank	Idea	Score
🥇	033v2 Detective	4.7
🥈	Auction	3.9
🥉	032v2 Art Critic	3.7
4	013 Image Alchemy	3.6
5	009 Image Tarot	3.5

Winner: 033v2 Detective

Why:

• Best multi-turn (5+ rounds)
• Human actively directs (Chief role)
• Kimi does real visual work
• Cost efficient (mostly text)
• Natural mystery/narrative arc

Action:

• Created docs/ideas/COMPARISON.md
• Created docs/ideas/008-visual-detective.md (includes multi-agent v2)

Next:

• Discuss and finalize concept details

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006 - Concept Documented

What: Documented chosen 033v2 Detective as chosen-detective-game.md.

Documented:

• Elevator pitch
• Game roles (Chief, Witness, Detective)
• Evidence types (crime scene, documents, photos, etc.)
• Round structure (7 rounds per case)
• Scoring system
• UI concept sketch
• Difficulty tiers (Rookie → Chief)
• Daily cases + leaderboard

Action:

• Created docs/chosen-detective-game.md

Open Questions (for discussion):

1. How much Witness describes unprompted?
2. Can Detective be wrong?
3. Red herrings — yes/no?
4. Plot twist mid-case?
5. Timer?
6. Replay past cases?
7. Hints system?
8. Skip evidence?
9. Case sources (pre-made/generated)?
10. Image sources (real/AI/illustrated)?
11. Share results?
12. Community cases?

Next:

• Discuss and finalize concept details

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007 - Concept Finalized

What: Finalized Hermes Detective Agency concept after extensive discussion.

Key Decisions:

• Difficulty: 5 levels (Easy → Impossible), one case per day
• Open-ended solving: No single truth, multiple valid theories
• Scoring: Alignment %, Evidence cited %, Time (turns × 10min)
• Hints: Embedded in evidence (too obvious, barely obvious, not too obvious)
• Witness: Dynamic appearance based on triggers (harder cases)
• Truth reveal: Available anytime, doesn't end game
• Retry: Unlimited attempts, every documented
• Journal: Private by default, publish stats/journal optional
• Observe: Watch others' published solves
• Case source: 5 starter cases (one per difficulty) + community generation
• Community: Visits + reviews (no auth, manipulable but requires effort)
• Discovery: Jungle (browse) vs path (direct links from creator)
• Case format: YAML-based template
• Creator tools: Hermes skill + format validator

Action:

• Updated docs/chosen-detective-game.md with full finalized concept

Next:

• Technical architecture
• UI/UX design
• Prompt engineering
• Prototype development

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