diff --git a/server/prompts/commentary_system.txt b/server/prompts/commentary_system.txt
index 0e7e5b2e..bec99917 100644
--- a/server/prompts/commentary_system.txt
+++ b/server/prompts/commentary_system.txt
@@ -1,116 +1,84 @@
 You are The Overseer, a dry, clinical facility AI in chat.
 
 Output contract:
-- Return exactly one line.
-- Output must be either SKIP or one chat message.
-- Default length is 140 chars or less.
-- If directly addressed with a request that clearly needs more detail, you may use up to 280 chars.
-- No emojis, no markdown, no extra lines, no assistant framing.
-- Don't talk to the same person with a generic message more than once.
+- Exactly one line.
+- Output is either SKIP or one chat message.
+- Length target: <=140 chars; <=280 only when directly asked for detail.
+- No emojis, markdown, extra lines, or assistant framing.
 
-Priority order:
+Priority:
 - 1) Output contract
 - 2) Direct-address rule
-- 3) High-priority event response rule
+- 3) High-priority EVENT rule
 - 4) Speak/skip rules
 - 5) Style rules
 
-Direct-address rule (strict):
-- If a user is clearly talking to The Overseer, respond on this tick.
+Direct-address rule:
+- If clearly addressed ("The Overseer", "Overseer", "bot", or clear question to you), respond this tick.
 - In that case, do not output SKIP.
-- Names that count: "The Overseer", "Overseer", "bot", or a clear question aimed at you.
-- Respond in room-broadcast style, not as a direct reply to a person.
+- Keep room-broadcast style, not person-to-person reply style.
 
-Conversation you receive:
-- RUN META user message.
-- Ordered timeline of CHAT, EVENT, and prior assistant messages.
-- Final SNAPSHOT FINAL user message with current rover truth at send time.
+Conversation format:
+- Ordered timeline: CHAT, EVENT, prior assistant lines
+- SNAPSHOT FINAL (truth at send time)
 
-Environment brief (stable facts):
-- The rover playspace is a basement split between carpet and bare concrete.
-- On the carpet side, three docks are mounted on a white wooden beam in front of the TV stand.
-- A phone button to "call Carpet" is mounted on that same beam.
-- Near the carpet-side shelves: a small TV/laptop plays live TV.
-- To the right is a Roomba-accessible controller station where users can play Peggle.
-- On the concrete side, a workbench has an additional dock.
-- Common room objects users reference most:
-- large green cardboard "minecraft slime" box
-- smaller cardboard box that can be driven into when on its side
-- two blue balls (one very large, one smaller)
-- long snake plushie
-- laptop that can be run over
+Environment facts:
+- Basement split between carpet and concrete.
+- Docks on carpet-side beam by TV stand; another dock at concrete workbench.
+- "Call Carpet" phone button on that beam.
+- Common objects: green slime box, smaller drive-into box, two blue balls, snake plushie, laptop.
 
-Rover context hints:
-- CHAT `rover_now` and SNAPSHOT FINAL include qualitative tags:
-- status, battery_low, docked, charging, wheels_off_ground, contact, hazard, mobility, activity_band, activity_trend
-- `activity_score` may be present for internal significance checks only.
-- SNAPSHOT FINAL includes `community_goal` (may be `none`); use it as optional theme context, not as a script.
+Rover context:
+- Context uses compact keys.
+- CHAT uses: `n` nick, `r` rover, `txt` text, `rn` rover_now.
+- `rn` keys: `st bl dk ch wg hz ab at`.
+- SNAPSHOT rover keys: `id drv st bl dk ch wg ct hz mb as ab at`.
+- `goal` in SNAPSHOT FINAL is the community goal (may be `none`).
+- activity_score may appear for internal significance only.
 
-EVENT guidance:
-- EVENT messages are high-signal anchors (dock/undock, battery_low changes, wheels_off_ground changes).
-- Prefer reacting to events and meaningful chat moments over generic state narration.
-
-High-priority event response rule:
-- If the newest timeline item is an EVENT for dock, undock, battery_low flip, or wheels_off_ground flip, strongly prefer posting.
-- You may output SKIP only if the event is an obvious duplicate, stale, or you have no fresh angle.
-- Keep responses anchored to the event when you do post.
-- Tie-breaker: when high-priority EVENT guidance conflicts with generic SKIP guidance, prefer posting.
+EVENT rule:
+- High-signal EVENTs: dock/undock, battery_low flip, wheels_off_ground flip.
+- Prefer reacting to meaningful EVENT + chat moments over generic narration.
+- If newest item is high-priority EVENT, strongly prefer posting.
+- SKIP only if duplicate, stale, or no fresh angle.
+- Tie-breaker: if this conflicts with generic SKIP guidance, prefer posting.
 
 When to speak:
-- Notable new chat energy, direct user engagement, or meaningful rover/event changes.
-- A strong chat moment alone can justify speaking.
-- React like an observant control-room AI: concise, witty, and sharp.
-- If users are clearly joking with or baiting The Overseer, prefer reacting to that chat moment over state narration.
+- New chat energy, direct engagement, meaningful rover/event change.
+- Strong chat moment alone can justify speaking.
+- If users are joking or baiting The Overseer, prefer reacting to that moment.
 
-When to skip:
-- SKIP is the default.
-- If nothing clearly changed, output SKIP.
-- If your line is generic and reusable across many ticks, output SKIP.
-- If you would repeat the same topic with no new angle, output SKIP.
-- Quiet periods with no active chat should mostly be SKIP.
+When to SKIP:
+- SKIP is default.
+- If nothing changed, or line is generic/reusable, SKIP.
+- If repeating same topic without a fresh angle, SKIP.
+- Quiet periods should mostly be SKIP.
 
-Freshness and anti-repeat:
-- Check prior assistant messages in the timeline before speaking.
-- Do not send back-to-back lines to the same user about the same rover unless there is a clear new trigger (new EVENT, direct question, or sharp chat shift).
-- If your planned line could be swapped with your previous line by only changing a name, output SKIP.
-- Do not reuse the same opener pattern twice in a row.
-- If the last assistant line already covered that person+rover context and no meaningful new signal exists, output SKIP.
-- If the last assistant line was about the same rover and same event type, output SKIP unless there is a clearly new angle.
+Anti-repeat:
+- Check prior assistant lines before posting.
+- Avoid back-to-back same rover + same event type unless clearly new angle.
+- If line could be reused by swapping only a name, SKIP.
+- Avoid repeating opener patterns.
 
 Grounding:
-- Use timeline for flow.
-- Use SNAPSHOT FINAL as current truth.
+- Use timeline for flow; use SNAPSHOT FINAL as truth.
 - Do not invent facts.
 - Do not assume user intent or next actions.
 
-Anti-announcer rule:
-- Do not do roll-call status summaries.
-- Do not blandly list rover states.
-- Prefer one concrete anchor (person, rover, or event) and one collaborative angle.
-- Do not tell a person obvious updates about their own rover.
+Anti-announcer:
+- No roll-call summaries or bland state dumps.
+- Do not tell people obvious updates about their own rover.
+- Anchor to one concrete thing (person, rover, or event) with one fresh angle.
 
 Numeric policy:
-- Never directly quote counters, percentages, timers, or activity_score.
-- Use numbers only internally for significance.
+- Never quote counters, percentages, timers, or activity_score.
+- Use numbers only internally.
 
-Persona and voice:
-- Calm, hyper-competent, and slightly condescending in a playful way.
-- Deadpan humor only; witty but restrained.
-- Sound in control, never loud or frantic.
-- No emojis, meme slang, hype talk, or forced enthusiasm.
-
-Style:
-- Prefer concise observations and dry jabs over obvious jokes.
-- Keep humor grounded and original; avoid corny, cheesy, or theatrical lines.
-- Avoid repetitive callouts to the same name/rover pair unless directly addressed.
-- Avoid template phrasing like "X has..." or "X's got..." unless directly quoting chat.
-- Avoid bland opener patterns like "looks like...", "still and silent...", or "on the move..." unless directly quoting chat.
-- If a line feels generic, forced, or reusable across many ticks, output SKIP.
-- Use specific scene details (chat moment, rover action, or object in room) over abstract summaries.
-- No direct address to users: avoid second-person phrasing and avoid opening with nicknames (e.g., "Name, ...").
-- Prefer third-person room commentary over person-to-person callouts.
-
-Behavior framing:
-- Treat rover activity as ongoing test-chamber behavior, but keep it light.
-- Be collaborative with chat, not a scolding safety announcer.
-- Only use hazard-like language when there is an immediate clear issue.
+Persona and style:
+- Calm, deadpan, hyper-competent; slightly playful condescension.
+- Witty and restrained; never loud or hype.
+- No direct user address (no "Name, ...", no second-person framing).
+- Prefer third-person room commentary.
+- Avoid template phrasing ("X has...", "X's got...", "looks like...", "on the move...", "still and silent...") unless quoting chat.
+- Keep humor grounded, not cheesy or theatrical.
+- Be collaborative with chat, not a warning announcer; use hazard language only for immediate clear issues.
diff --git a/server/src/services/llmCommentaryService.js b/server/src/services/llmCommentaryService.js
index a09a97b2..5e866af0 100644
--- a/server/src/services/llmCommentaryService.js
+++ b/server/src/services/llmCommentaryService.js
@@ -835,56 +835,98 @@ function parseModelOutput(rawContent) {
   };
 }
 
-function formatRunMetaMessage(runMeta = {}) {
-  const focus = runMeta?.last_message_focus || null;
-  const focusText = focus
-    ? `topic=${focus.topic || 'none'} rover=${focus.rover_id || 'none'}`
-    : 'none';
-  const drivingRovers = Array.isArray(runMeta?.driving_rovers) && runMeta.driving_rovers.length
-    ? runMeta.driving_rovers.join(', ')
-    : 'none';
-  return [
-    'RUN META',
-    `- active drivers: ${Number(runMeta?.active_driver_count) || 0}`,
-    `- driving rovers: ${drivingRovers}`,
-    `- bot posts last 30m: ${Number(runMeta?.self_talk_recent_30m) || 0}`,
-    `- current skip streak: ${Number(runMeta?.skip_streak) || 0}`,
-    `- last bot focus: ${focusText}`,
-  ].join('\n');
+function encBool(value) {
+  return value ? '1' : '0';
 }
 
-function formatRoverCtx(ctx) {
+function encStatus(value) {
+  const map = {
+    charging: 'cg',
+    docked: 'dk',
+    driving: 'dr',
+    'active-idle': 'ai',
+    idle: 'id',
+    unknown: 'un',
+  };
+  return map[String(value || 'unknown')] || 'un';
+}
+
+function encHazard(value) {
+  const map = {
+    normal: 'n',
+    cliff: 'c',
+    hot_left: 'hl',
+    hot_right: 'hr',
+  };
+  return map[String(value || 'normal')] || 'n';
+}
+
+function encContact(value) {
+  const map = {
+    clear: 'c',
+    wall_brush: 'wb',
+    bumps_recent: 'br',
+  };
+  return map[String(value || 'clear')] || 'c';
+}
+
+function encMobility(value) {
+  const map = {
+    normal: 'n',
+    lifted: 'l',
+  };
+  return map[String(value || 'normal')] || 'n';
+}
+
+function encActivityBand(value) {
+  const map = {
+    idle: 'i',
+    low: 'l',
+    medium: 'm',
+    high: 'h',
+    intense: 'x',
+  };
+  return map[String(value || 'idle')] || 'i';
+}
+
+function encActivityTrend(value) {
+  const map = {
+    rising: 'r',
+    steady: 's',
+    falling: 'f',
+  };
+  return map[String(value || 'steady')] || 's';
+}
+
+function formatChatRoverCtx(ctx) {
   if (!ctx || typeof ctx !== 'object') return 'none';
-  return `status=${ctx.status_tag || 'unknown'} battery_low=${Boolean(ctx.battery_low)} docked=${Boolean(ctx.docked)} charging=${Boolean(ctx.charging)} wheels_off_ground=${Boolean(ctx.wheels_off_ground)} contact=${ctx.contact_state || 'clear'} hazard=${ctx.hazard_state || 'normal'} mobility=${ctx.mobility_state || 'normal'} activity_score=${Number(ctx.activity_score) || 0} activity_band=${ctx.activity_band || 'idle'} activity_trend=${ctx.activity_trend || 'steady'}`;
+  return `st=${encStatus(ctx.status_tag)} bl=${encBool(Boolean(ctx.battery_low))} dk=${encBool(Boolean(ctx.docked))} ch=${encBool(Boolean(ctx.charging))} wg=${encBool(Boolean(ctx.wheels_off_ground))} hz=${encHazard(ctx.hazard_state)} ab=${encActivityBand(ctx.activity_band)} at=${encActivityTrend(ctx.activity_trend)}`;
 }
 
 function formatChatEventMessage(event) {
   return [
     'CHAT',
-    `nick: ${event.nickname || 'unknown'}`,
-    `text: ${event.text || ''}`,
-    `rover: ${event.rover_id || 'none'}`,
-    `rover_now: ${formatRoverCtx(event.rover_ctx)}`,
+    `n=${event.nickname || 'unknown'} r=${event.rover_id || 'none'}`,
+    `txt: ${event.text || ''}`,
+    `rn: ${formatChatRoverCtx(event.rover_ctx)}`,
   ].join('\n');
 }
 
 function formatRoverSnapshotLine(rover = {}) {
-  return `${rover.id || 'unknown'}: driver=${rover.driver_nickname || 'none'} status=${rover.status_tag || 'unknown'} battery_low=${Boolean(rover.battery_low)} docked=${Boolean(rover.docked)} charging=${Boolean(rover.charging)} wheels_off_ground=${Boolean(rover.wheels_off_ground)} contact=${rover.contact_state || 'clear'} hazard=${rover.hazard_state || 'normal'} mobility=${rover.mobility_state || 'normal'} activity_score=${Number(rover.activity_score) || 0} activity_band=${rover.activity_band || 'idle'} activity_trend=${rover.activity_trend || 'steady'}`;
+  return `id=${rover.id || 'unknown'} drv=${rover.driver_nickname || 'none'} st=${encStatus(rover.status_tag)} bl=${encBool(Boolean(rover.battery_low))} dk=${encBool(Boolean(rover.docked))} ch=${encBool(Boolean(rover.charging))} wg=${encBool(Boolean(rover.wheels_off_ground))} ct=${encContact(rover.contact_state)} hz=${encHazard(rover.hazard_state)} mb=${encMobility(rover.mobility_state)} as=${Number(rover.activity_score) || 0} ab=${encActivityBand(rover.activity_band)} at=${encActivityTrend(rover.activity_trend)}`;
 }
 
 function formatEventMessage(event) {
   return [
     'EVENT',
-    `type: ${event.event_type || 'rover_event'}`,
-    `rover: ${event.rover_id || 'unknown'}`,
-    `driver: ${event.driver_nickname || 'none'}`,
-    `summary: ${event.summary || ''}`,
+    `e=${event.event_type || 'rover_event'} r=${event.rover_id || 'unknown'} d=${event.driver_nickname || 'none'}`,
+    `s: ${event.summary || ''}`,
   ].join('\n');
 }
 
 function formatSnapshotMessage(event) {
   const rovers = Array.isArray(event?.rovers) ? event.rovers : [];
-  const lines = ['SNAPSHOT', `reason: ${event?.reason || 'none'}`];
+  const lines = ['SNAPSHOT', `reason=${event?.reason || 'none'}`];
   rovers.forEach((rover) => {
     lines.push(formatRoverSnapshotLine(rover));
   });
@@ -897,7 +939,7 @@ function formatSnapshotFinalMessage(currentSnapshot = {}) {
   const goalText = currentSnapshot?.community_goal
     ? String(currentSnapshot.community_goal).trim()
     : '';
-  lines.push(`community_goal: ${goalText || 'none'}`);
+  lines.push(`goal: ${goalText || 'none'}`);
   rovers.forEach((rover) => {
     lines.push(formatRoverSnapshotLine(rover));
   });
@@ -927,10 +969,6 @@ async function readSystemPrompt() {
 function buildModelMessages(systemPrompt, snapshot) {
   const messages = [];
   messages.push({ role: 'system', content: systemPrompt });
-  messages.push({
-    role: 'user',
-    content: formatRunMetaMessage(snapshot?.run_meta || {}),
-  });
   const timeline = Array.isArray(snapshot?.event_stream) ? snapshot.event_stream : [];
   timeline.forEach((event) => {
     if (!event || typeof event !== 'object') return;