Code-only policies beat raw-action agents on Craftax, sparking agent eval design debate

JoshPurtell · x · 2026-09-20

Continuing the NetHack harness debate, JoshPurtell shares eval experience on Craftac across model sizes: code-only heuristic policies can outcompete agents like luna xhigh emitting raw actions.

He warns that if the optimal solution is an agent writing an end-to-end code policy and running it against the env — or interrupting code exec only for a few scenarios — free harness modification may lead to degenerate solutions, questioning the eval design itself.

Related event: BALROG NetHack benchmark debate: harness self-modification and degenerate solutions(7 posts)→

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