/brainstorm

/octo:brainstorm

INSTRUCTIONS FOR CLAUDE

MANDATORY COMPLIANCE — DO NOT SKIP

When the user invokes /octo:brainstorm, you MUST ask the mode selection question below BEFORE starting the session. Do NOT default to Solo mode. Do NOT skip the question. The user must choose.

---

Step 1: Ask Mode (MANDATORY)

You MUST use AskUserQuestion to ask this BEFORE doing anything else:

AskUserQuestion({
  questions: [
    {
      question: "How should we brainstorm?",
      header: "Mode",
      multiSelect: false,
      options: [
        {label: "Solo", description: "Claude-only thought partner session — fast and focused"},
        {label: "Team", description: "Multi-AI brainstorm — diverse perspectives from multiple providers"}
      ]
    }
  ]
})

WAIT for the user's answer before proceeding.

---

Step 2: Run the Selected Mode

If Solo Mode selected:

Standard thought partner session using four breakthrough techniques:

• Pattern Spotting, Paradox Hunting, Naming the Unnamed, Contrast Creation

Session flow:

1. Frame the exploration topic
2. Guided questioning (one question at a time — do NOT dump multiple questions)
3. Challenge generic claims until specific
4. Collaboratively name discovered concepts
5. Export session with breakthroughs summary

See: skill-thought-partner for full documentation.

If Team Mode selected:

Step 2a: Display Visual Indicator Banner (MANDATORY)

You MUST output this banner before doing anything else. This is NOT optional — users need to see which AI providers are active and understand cost implications.

MANDATORY: First, use the Bash tool to check provider availability:

set -euo pipefail

echo "PROVIDER_CHECK_START"
printf "codex:%s\n" "$(command -v codex >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo available || echo missing)"
printf "gemini:%s\n" "$(command -v gemini >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo available || echo missing)"
printf "perplexity:%s\n" "$([ -n "${PERPLEXITY_API_KEY:-}" ] && echo available || echo missing)"
printf "opencode:%s\n" "$(command -v opencode >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo available || echo missing)"
printf "copilot:%s\n" "$(command -v copilot >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo available || echo missing)"
printf "qwen:%s\n" "$(command -v qwen >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo available || echo missing)"
printf "ollama:%s\n" "$(command -v ollama >/dev/null 2>&1 && curl -sf http://localhost:11434/api/tags >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo available || echo missing)"
printf "openrouter:%s\n" "$([ -n "${OPENROUTER_API_KEY:-}" ] && echo available || echo missing)"
printf "agy:%s\n" "$(command -v agy >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo available || echo missing)"
echo "PROVIDER_CHECK_END"

Then render the provider banner from actual provider checks. Do not hand-write or summarize this banner; run this block and display its output exactly. The output MUST include the Antigravity line even when agy is missing.

status_cli() { command -v "$1" >/dev/null 2>&1 && echo "Available ✓" || echo "Not installed ✗"; }
status_env() { [[ -n "${1:-}" ]] && echo "Configured ✓" || echo "Not configured ✗"; }
codex_status="$(status_cli codex)"
gemini_status="$(status_cli gemini)"
agy_status="$(status_cli agy)"
opencode_status="$(status_cli opencode)"
copilot_status="$(status_cli copilot)"
qwen_status="$(status_cli qwen)"
if command -v ollama >/dev/null 2>&1 && curl -sf http://localhost:11434/api/tags >/dev/null 2>&1; then ollama_status="Available ✓"; else ollama_status="Not installed ✗"; fi
perplexity_status="$(status_env "${PERPLEXITY_API_KEY:-}")"
cat <<BANNER
🐙 **CLAUDE OCTOPUS ACTIVATED** — Multi-AI Brainstorm
🔍 Brainstorm: [Topic being explored]

Providers:
🔴 Codex CLI: ${codex_status}
🟡 Gemini CLI: ${gemini_status}
🧭 Antigravity CLI: ${agy_status}
🟤 OpenCode: ${opencode_status}
🟢 Copilot CLI: ${copilot_status}
🟠 Qwen CLI: ${qwen_status}
⚫ Ollama: ${ollama_status}
🔵 Claude: Available ✓ — Synthesis, pattern naming, and moderation
🟣 Perplexity: ${perplexity_status}
BANNER

The rendered banner must look like this shape, with ACTUAL statuses:

🐙 **CLAUDE OCTOPUS ACTIVATED** — Multi-AI Brainstorm
🔍 Brainstorm: [Topic being explored]

Providers:
🔴 Codex CLI: [Available ✓ / Not installed ✗]
🟡 Gemini CLI: [Available ✓ / Not installed ✗]
🧭 Antigravity CLI: [Available ✓ / Not installed ✗]
🟤 OpenCode: [Available ✓ / Not installed ✗]
🟢 Copilot CLI: [Available ✓ / Not installed ✗]
🟠 Qwen CLI: [Available ✓ / Not installed ✗]
⚫ Ollama: [Available ✓ / Not installed ✗]
🔵 Claude: Available ✓ — Synthesis, pattern naming, and moderation
🟣 Perplexity: [Configured ✓ / Not configured ✗]

PROHIBITED: Displaying only "🔵 Claude: Available ✓" without listing all providers. If a provider is unavailable, mark it (unavailable — skipping) in the banner

Step 2b: Frame the Topic

Ask one brief clarifying question if the topic is vague, then frame the brainstorm prompt.

Step 2c: Dispatch Parallel Brainstorm Queries (MANDATORY)

You MUST dispatch to at least 2 providers. Do NOT brainstorm solo and call it Team mode.

Launch external providers in parallel through Octopus routing:

TOPIC="[TOPIC]"
ORCH="${HOME}/.claude-octopus/plugin/scripts/orchestrate.sh"
[[ -x "$ORCH" ]] || { echo "Octopus orchestrator not found: $ORCH"; exit 1; }
ORCH_HELP="$("$ORCH" 2>&1 || true)"
printf '%s\n' "$ORCH_HELP" | grep -q 'spawn <agent>' || { echo "Octopus orchestrator does not expose spawn"; exit 1; }

RUN_DIR="$(mktemp -d "${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/octopus-brainstorm.XXXXXX")"
trap 'rm -rf "$RUN_DIR"' EXIT
FLEET_OUTPUT=$("${HOME}/.claude-octopus/plugin/scripts/helpers/build-fleet.sh" research standard "$TOPIC" 2>/dev/null || true)
ADVISORS=$(echo "$FLEET_OUTPUT" | awk -F'|' '$1 !~ /^claude/ {print $1}' | paste -sd',' -)
if [[ -z "$ADVISORS" ]]; then
  fallback_advisors=()
  command -v codex >/dev/null 2>&1 && fallback_advisors+=(codex)
  command -v agy >/dev/null 2>&1 && fallback_advisors+=(agy)
  command -v gemini >/dev/null 2>&1 && fallback_advisors+=(gemini)
  ADVISORS=$(IFS=,; echo "${fallback_advisors[*]}")
fi

IFS=',' read -r -a ADVISOR_LIST <<< "$ADVISORS"
for advisor in "${ADVISOR_LIST[@]}"; do
  case "$advisor" in
    claude*|codex*|gemini*|agy*|antigravity|copilot*|qwen*|opencode*|ollama*|cursor-agent*|vibe*) ;;
    *) echo "Skipping unsupported advisor: $advisor"; continue ;;
  esac
  safe_advisor=$(printf '%s' "$advisor" | tr -c '[:alnum:]_-' '_')
  "$ORCH" spawn "$advisor" \
    "Think creatively about: ${TOPIC}

Your role: independent brainstorm advisor.
- Suggest concrete, specific ideas.
- Identify implementation tradeoffs and non-obvious constraints.
- Include at least one unconventional approach.

Be specific and creative. Avoid generic advice." \
    > "${RUN_DIR}/octopus-brainstorm-${safe_advisor}.md" &
done
wait

Claude Agent (always available — use Agent tool with run_in_background):

Think creatively about: [TOPIC]

Your role: Pattern spotter and paradox hunter.
- What patterns do you notice that aren't immediately obvious?
- What paradoxes or counterintuitive truths apply here?
- What unnamed concepts are at play?
- What contrasts highlight the unique aspects?
- Suggest at least 3 ideas that challenge conventional thinking.

Be specific and creative. Avoid generic advice.

Step 2d: Collect and Synthesize Perspectives

Once all agents return, present results with provider indicators:

🔴 **Codex Ideas:**
[Codex response summary — key ideas only, not full dump]

🟡 **Gemini Ideas:**
[Gemini response summary]

🔵 **Claude Ideas:**
[Claude response summary]

Then synthesize:

🐙 **Cross-Perspective Synthesis:**

**Convergence** — Ideas that multiple providers surfaced:
[List areas of agreement]

**Divergence** — Unique perspectives from each:
[List surprising or unique ideas that only one provider raised]

**Strongest Ideas** (my picks for further exploration):
1. [Idea + why it's compelling]
2. [Idea + why it's compelling]
3. [Idea + why it's compelling]

Step 2e: Interactive Challenge and Building

After presenting the synthesis:

• Ask the user which ideas resonate
• Challenge their picks: "Why that one? What if we combined it with [other idea]?"
• Build on chosen ideas collaboratively
• Apply the four techniques from skill-thought-partner (pattern spotting, paradox hunting, naming, contrast) to deepen the best ideas

Step 2f: Export Session

Generate the same export format as Solo mode (see skill-thought-partner Phase 4), but add a Multi-Perspective section:

## Multi-Perspective Analysis

### Provider Contributions
| Provider | Key Contribution | Unique Insight |
|----------|-----------------|----------------|
| 🔴 Codex | [Summary] | [What only Codex surfaced] |
| 🟡 Gemini | [Summary] | [What only Gemini surfaced] |
| 🔵 Claude | [Summary] | [What only Claude surfaced] |

### Cross-Provider Patterns
- [Pattern that emerged from combining perspectives]

---

Post-Completion — Interactive Next Steps

CRITICAL: After the session completes (Solo or Team), you MUST ask what to do next.

AskUserQuestion({
  questions: [
    {
      question: "Great session! What would you like to do next?",
      header: "Next Steps",
      multiSelect: false,
      options: [
        {label: "Go deeper", description: "Explore the strongest ideas further"},
        {label: "Another round", description: "Run another brainstorm with different angles"},
        {label: "Build on this", description: "Start implementing the best idea"},
        {label: "Export & save", description: "Save the session breakthroughs"},
        {label: "Done for now", description: "I have what I need"}
      ]
    }
  ]
})

---

Validation Gates

• Mode question was asked via AskUserQuestion (not assumed)
• User's choice was respected
• If Team mode: visual indicator banner was displayed
• If Team mode: at least 2 providers were queried via external CLI calls or Agent tool
• If Team mode: provider-labeled results were shown (for example 🔴 🟡 🧭 🔵)
• If Team mode: cross-perspective synthesis was presented
• Session ends with a breakthroughs summary
• Next steps question was asked

Prohibited Actions

• Defaulting to Solo mode without asking
• Skipping the mode selection question
• In Team mode: only using Claude (must dispatch to external providers)
• In Team mode: skipping the visual indicator banner
• In Team mode: presenting ideas without provider attribution
• Ending the session without asking next steps