9-5 modern engineer

Carmelo
/
9-5 modern engineer
on 12 Nov 2026
7
43
13
4
9616
game.m
function g = game()
%game  "9-5 modern engineer" -- a one-button story for the MATLAB Minihack.
%
%   The window is a terminal running an AI coding session. The day runs
%   from 09:00 to 17:00 in 90 seconds. Clawd thinks, works, and asks you
%   to accept its changes: SPACE / click is the only input. At 17:00 you
%   say good night and the screen turns off.
%
%   Phases (state.ph):
%     0  the opening prompt types itself      4  evening summary, tap to send
%     1  prompt waits for a tap to send       5  screen turning off
%     2  Clawd is thinking                   6  night, tap for a new day
%     3  a change waits for you to accept

g.init   = @initState;
g.update = @updateState;
g.render = @renderFrame;
end

function s = initState(ax)
rng('shuffle');
ax.YDir  = 'reverse';
ax.Color = [.05 .05 .07];

P = {'HitTest','off','PickableParts','none'};
T = [P {'FontName','FixedWidth','FontSize',11,'Interpreter','none', ...
    'VerticalAlignment','top'}];
O = [.85 .47 .34];                       % accent orange
D = [.5 .5 .53];                         % dim grey
W = [.88 .88 .88];                       % terminal white
s.C = [W; D; O; .45 .8 .5];              % line colours: text, dim, orange, green
tx = @(x,y,str,c) text(ax,x,y,str,T{:},'Color',c);
rc = @(p,f,e,k) rectangle(ax,'Position',p,'FaceColor',f,'EdgeColor',e, ...
    'Curvature',k,P{:});

% Glyphs are built from codes so the file stays plain ASCII.
s.b = char(9679) + " ";                  % bullet in front of Clawd's lines
s.r = "  " + char(9492) + " ";           % corner in front of tool results

% --- story text -----------------------------------------------------------
s.P = split("work for me today|do my job, I'll supervise|you code, I'll nod|" + ...
    "make it work, then make it nice|handle today for me, please|" + ...
    "ship something by 5|be me, but productive|just do the needful|" + ...
    "fix everything, thanks|today you drive|finish what I started in March|" + ...
    "make the tests green|do the thing we talked about|pretend I'm typing|" + ...
    "clear my backlog, gently|do all my tickets|you write code, I get coffee|" + ...
    "let's have a good day|close JIRA-404 and its friends|" + ...
    "surprise me (in a good way)","|");
s.W = split("Combobulating|Prestidigitating|Percolating|Noodling|Pondering|" + ...
    "Finagling|Schlepping|Moseying|Marinating|Spelunking|Vibing|Conjuring|" + ...
    "Flibbertigibbeting|Discombobulating|Honking|Wrangling|Smooshing|" + ...
    "Clawding|Tinkering","|");
% Jobs are "tool call|result" pairs; column k is job k. Software results
% carry exactly two %d slots.
s.J = reshape(split("Edit(src/main.py)|Added %d lines, removed %d|" + ...
    "Edit(utils/helpers.m)|Added %d lines, removed %d|" + ...
    "Edit(README.md)|Added %d lines, fixed %d typos|" + ...
    "Write(tests/test_all.py)|Wrote %d lines, %d asserts|" + ...
    "Bash(pytest -q)|%d passed, %d skipped (shh)|" + ...
    "Edit(legacy/do_not_touch.c)|Touched it. %d lines in, %d out|" + ...
    "Bash(git commit -m wip)|%d insertions, %d deletions|" + ...
    "Edit(final_v2_REAL.m)|Added %d lines, removed %d|" + ...
    "Write(docs/design.md)|Wrote %d lines, %d diagrams|" + ...
    "Bash(make all)|%d targets built, %d warnings hushed","|"),2,[]);
% Absurd jobs, in escalating order through the day.
s.A = reshape(split("Bash(brew coffee --strong)|Coffee machine firmware updated|" + ...
    "Edit(inbox)|Replied 'sounds good!' to 214 emails|" + ...
    "Bash(git blame)|It was you, in 2019. All is forgiven.|" + ...
    "Write(meeting.ics)|Your 3pm meeting is now an email|" + ...
    "Edit(legacy/*)|Rewrote everything in Rust. And back.|" + ...
    "Bash(sudo fix printer)|The printer works. Nobody knows why.|" + ...
    "Edit(physics/gravity.c)|Mondays are now 12% lighter|" + ...
    "Bash(git push origin universe)|Merged. No conflicts. Somehow.","|"),2,[]);
% Kind notes, one per hour from 10:00 to 16:00.
s.N = split("Coffee first? I'll wait. (I won't, but I care.)|" + ...
    "Reminder: drink some water.|It's lunchtime. Go eat something nice!|" + ...
    "Welcome back. I kept your seat warm.|Stretch your shoulders. Yes, now.|" + ...
    "We make a good team, you and I.|Almost 5. Proud of us.","|");

% --- graphics (all created once, here) ------------------------------------
rc([0 0 800 24],[.16 .16 .2],'none',0);                     % window title bar
tx(10,4,'C:\> cmd.exe - 9-5 modern engineer',D);
tx(722,4,'_  [ ]  X',D);

s.g.clk = tx(10,31,'',W);                                   % day clock + bar
rc([150 36 580 10],[.2 .2 .24],'none',1);
s.g.bar = rc([150 36 1 10],O,'none',1);
tx(742,31,'17:00',D);

rc([10 58 440 46],'none',O,.3);                             % welcome box
tx(22,64,[char(10043) ' Welcome to 9-5 modern engineer!' newline ...
    '  /help for help, /clock-out at 17:00'],W);

for i = 1:14                                                % terminal history
    s.g.L(i) = tx(14,96+i*22,'',D);
end
s.g.st  = tx(14,490,'',O);                                  % thinking spinner
s.g.pan = rc([10 432 780 78],[.13 .1 .09],O,.14);           % proposal panel:
s.g.pan.LineWidth = 1.5;
s.g.pj  = tx(24,440,'',W);                                  %   the change
s.g.pan = [s.g.pan, s.g.pj, tx(24,476, ...                  %   the question
    "Do you want to accept these changes?" + newline + ...
    char(10095) + " 1. Yes     2. Yes, but nervously",O)];
s.g.box = rc([10 520 780 34],'none',D,.3);                  % chat box
s.g.in  = tx(22,529,'',W);
s.g.h   = tx(14,566,'',D);                                  % hint line

s.g.ov  = patch(ax,[0 800 800 0],[0 0 600 600],'k', ...     % screen-off layer
    'EdgeColor','none','FaceAlpha',0,P{:});
s.g.crt = rc([50 299 700 2],'w','none',0);
s.g.sky = [line(ax,800*rand(1,60),270*rand(1,60),'LineStyle','none', ...
    'Marker','.','Color',[.8 .8 .65],P{:}), ...
    rc([610 70 64 64],[.96 .92 .7],'none',1), rc([594 60 64 64],'k','none',1)];
s.g.n = tx(400,300,'',W);
s.g.n.HorizontalAlignment = 'center';
s.g.n.FontSize = 14;

s = newDay(s,1);
end

function s = newDay(s, d)
s.day = d;
s.t   = 0;                  % day clock in seconds: 0 = 09:00, 90 = 17:00
s.a   = 0;                  % animation clock (spinner, cursor)
s.ph  = 0;                  % phase, see the header
s.u   = 0;                  % seconds spent in the current phase
s.w   = 0;                  % how long the current thinking spell lasts
s.e   = 0;                  % countdown to printing the next queued line
s.L   = strings(1,14);      % terminal history on screen
s.c   = ones(1,14);         % ... and its colour index into s.C
s.q   = strings(1,0);       % lines waiting to be printed
s.qc  = [];
s.in  = "";                 % chat box content
s.p   = s.P(randi(numel(s.P)));     % today's opening prompt
s.wd  = "";                 % current thinking word
s.j   = ["" ""];            % change waiting for approval: call, result
s.o   = randperm(size(s.J,2));      % today's order of software jobs
s.n   = 0;                  % changes shipped
s.you = 0;                  % ... of which you approved yourself
s.loc = 0;                  % lines Clawd wrote
s.pn  = 0;                  % lines in the change waiting for approval
s.ab  = 0;                  % absurd jobs used so far
s.nn  = 0;                  % kind notes used so far
end

function s = say(s, lines, cols)
% Queue terminal lines; update prints them one at a time.
s.q  = [s.q lines];
s.qc = [s.qc cols];
end

function s = think(s)
s.ph = 2;
s.u  = 0;
s.w  = 5 + 3*rand;
s.wd = s.W(randi(numel(s.W)));
end

function s = updateState(s, dt, pressed)
s.a = s.a + dt;
s.u = s.u + dt;
if s.ph < 5
    s.t = min(s.t + dt, 90);
end

% Print queued lines one by one, scrolling the terminal up.
s.e = s.e - dt;
busy = ~isempty(s.q);
if busy && s.e < 0
    s.L = [s.L(2:end) s.q(1)];
    s.c = [s.c(2:end) s.qc(1)];
    s.q(1)  = [];
    s.qc(1) = [];
    s.e = .2;
end

% 17:00 -- whatever is going on, the day is over. No overtime.
if s.t >= 90 && s.ph < 4
    s.ph = 4;
    s.u  = 0;
    s.L(:) = "";
    s.q  = [s.b + "It's 5 o'clock. That's a full day.", "", ...
        sprintf("  Changes shipped:  %d", s.n), ...
        sprintf("  Approved by you:  %d", s.you), ...
        sprintf("  Lines I wrote:    %d", s.loc), ...
        "  Lines you wrote:  0", ...
        "  Overtime:         0h   <- my favourite one", "", ...
        s.b + "You steered well today. Now close the laptop", ...
        "  and go see your people. Good night!"];
    s.qc = [3 1 1 1 1 1 4 1 3 3];
    s.in = "Good night, Clawd. Thanks for today :)";
end

% One flat chain, one branch per phase (flat keeps the character count down).
if s.ph == 0
    % The opening prompt types itself.
    n = floor(s.u*14) - 11;
    s.in = extractBefore(s.p, min(max(n,0), strlength(s.p)) + 1);
    if n > strlength(s.p)
        s.ph = 1;
        s.u  = 0;
    end

elseif s.ph == 1 && (pressed || s.u > 8)
    % The prompt is sent by a tap, or by itself after 8 s.
    s = say(s, ["> " + s.p, "", ...
        s.b + "On it. You steer, I'll type.", ""], [2 1 1 1]);
    s.in = "";
    s = think(s);

elseif s.ph == 2 && ~busy
    % Thinking: a kind note on the hour, then a change to propose.
    nn = numel(s.N);
    na = size(s.A,2);
    k  = max(s.ab + 1, ceil(s.t/90*na));
    if s.nn < nn && s.t/90 > (s.nn + 1)/(nn + 1)
        s.nn = s.nn + 1;
        s = say(s, [s.b + s.N(s.nn), ""], [3 1]);
    elseif s.u > s.w
        if rand < .35 && k <= na
            s.ab = k;
            s.j  = s.A(:,k);
            s.pn = 0;
        else
            s.j  = s.J(:,s.o(mod(s.n,numel(s.o)) + 1));
            s.pn = randi([3 60]);
            s.j(2) = sprintf(s.j(2), s.pn, randi(20));
        end
        s.ph = 3;
        s.u  = 0;
    end

elseif s.ph == 3 && (pressed || s.u > 12)
    % The change in the panel is accepted by a tap, or by itself after 12 s.
    m = "Auto-accepted. I trust us.";
    if pressed
        s.you = s.you + 1;
        m = "Accepted by you";
    end
    s.n   = s.n + 1;
    s.loc = s.loc + s.pn;
    s = say(s, [s.b + s.j(1), s.r + s.j(2), s.r + m, ""], [1 2 4 1]);
    s = think(s);

elseif s.ph == 4 && pressed && s.u > 2.5
    % Good night is pre-written; one tap sends it.
    s = say(s, ["", "> " + s.in], [1 2]);
    s.in = "";
    s.ph = 5;
    s.u  = 0;

elseif s.ph == 5 && s.u > 3
    % The screen has turned off.
    s.ph = 6;
    s.u  = 0;

elseif s.ph == 6 && pressed && s.u > 1.5
    % Night: a tap starts the next day.
    s = newDay(s, s.day + 1);
end
end

function renderFrame(~, s)
g = s.g;

% Day clock and bar, morning yellow to evening rose.
p = s.t/90;
m = 540 + floor(480*p);
g.clk.String = sprintf('Day %d  %02d:%02d', s.day, floor(m/60), mod(m,60));
g.bar.Position  = [150 36 1 + 579*p 10];
g.bar.FaceColor = (1 - p)*[.95 .8 .3] + p*[.8 .3 .45];

% Terminal history.
set(g.L, {'String','Color'}, [cellstr(s.L(:)) num2cell(s.C(s.c,:),2)]);

% Spinner, proposal panel (the change waiting for approval), and hint line.
st = "";
h  = "";
ask = s.ph == 1 || s.ph == 3 || s.ph == 4 && s.u > 2.5;
switch s.ph
    case 1
        h = sprintf("SPACE / click = send   (auto-send in %ds)", ceil(8 - s.u));
    case 2
        sp = char([183 10018 10035 10038 10043 10045]);
        st = sprintf("%s %s... (%ds, %.1fk tokens)", ...
            sp(mod(floor(s.a*8),6) + 1), s.wd, floor(s.u), .6*s.u);
        h = "your only job: SPACE / click when asked";
    case 3
        h = sprintf("SPACE / click = accept   (auto-accept in %ds)", ceil(12 - s.u));
    case 4
        if ask
            h = "SPACE / click = send";
        end
end
g.st.String = st;
g.pj.String = [s.b + s.j(1), s.r + s.j(2)];
set(g.pan, 'Visible', s.ph == 3);
g.h.String  = h;

% Chat box with a blinking cursor; the border lights up when it is your turn.
k = "";
if mod(s.a,1) < .5
    k = "_";
end
g.in.String = "> " + s.in + k;
g.box.EdgeColor = s.C(2 + ask,:);

% Screen off: black layer, a collapsing CRT line, then the night sky.
off = s.ph == 6 || s.ph == 5 && s.u > 1.4;
g.ov.FaceAlpha = double(off);
w = max(700*(1 - (s.u - 1.4)/.5), 1);
g.crt.Visible  = s.ph == 5 && off && w > 1;
g.crt.Position = [400 - w/2 299 w 2];
set(g.sky, 'Visible', s.ph == 6);
n = "";
if s.ph == 6
    n = sprintf("Day %d done. Rest well.", s.day);
    if s.u > 1.5
        n = n + newline + newline + "(tap for tomorrow)";
    end
end
g.n.String = n;
end
Play Game
Preview

Play Game opens this in MATLAB Drive. Click Run this app there to play.