diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 92b3021..4951e0e 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -3,4 +3,5 @@ uv.lock
 .idea/
 .pytest_cache/
 .ruff_cache/
-simulation_output/
\ No newline at end of file
+simulation_output/
+__pycache__/
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/configs/headless_default.json b/configs/headless_default.json
index 24a007c..95efff1 100644
--- a/configs/headless_default.json
+++ b/configs/headless_default.json
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
     "grid_width": 50,
     "grid_height": 50,
     "cell_size": 20,
-    "initial_cells": 50,
+    "initial_cells": 500,
     "initial_food": 500,
     "food_spawning": true,
     "random_seed": 0,
@@ -31,12 +31,12 @@
       "max_rotational_velocity": 3.0,
       "entity_types": {
         "default_cell": {
-          "reproduction_energy": 1700,
-          "starting_energy": 1000,
+          "reproduction_energy": 1400,
+          "starting_energy": 500,
           "interaction_radius": 50,
           "drag_coefficient": 0.02,
           "energy_cost_base": 1.5,
-          "neural_network_complexity_cost": 0.08,
+          "neural_network_complexity_cost": 0.05,
           "movement_cost": 0.25,
           "food_energy_value": 140,
           "max_visual_width": 10,
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index a9d9610..c1fb5da 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ dependencies = [
     "pygame>=2.6.1",
     "pygame-gui>=0.6.14",
     "pytest>=8.3.5",
+    "pyyaml>=6.0.2",
     "tqdm>=4.67.1",
 ]
 
diff --git a/uv.lock b/uv.lock
index 1b83902..de22b73 100644
--- a/uv.lock
+++ b/uv.lock
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@ dependencies = [
     { name = "pygame" },
     { name = "pygame-gui" },
     { name = "pytest" },
+    { name = "pyyaml" },
     { name = "tqdm" },
 ]
 
@@ -168,6 +169,7 @@ requires-dist = [
     { name = "pygame", specifier = ">=2.6.1" },
     { name = "pygame-gui", specifier = ">=0.6.14" },
     { name = "pytest", specifier = ">=8.3.5" },
+    { name = "pyyaml", specifier = ">=6.0.2" },
     { name = "tqdm", specifier = ">=4.67.1" },
 ]