Actor Critic Thinking + Amp: Complete MCP Integration

Actor Critic Thinking is a MCP server that Actor-critic thinking for performance evaluation.

When integrated with Amp, you can:

• Alternate between actor and critic viewpoints for comprehensive evaluation
• Structured multi-round analysis with progress tracking
• Multi-dimensional performance evaluation framework

This guide provides step-by-step instructions to set up Actor Critic Thinking in Amp, including configuration, examples, and troubleshooting.

What You'll Achieve

After completing this setup:

• Actor Critic Thinking will be fully integrated and operational
• You can use Actor Critic Thinking tools directly in Amp
• All Actor Critic Thinking capabilities will be available for your workflows
• Access to 4 different tools

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

• Node.js
• npm
• TypeScript support
• Amp installed and configured
• Compatible operating system (macOS, Linux, Windows (WSL))

Installation

Step 1: Install Actor Critic Thinking

Install using npm:

npx -y mcp-server-actor-critic-thinking

Verify installation:

npx mcp-server-actor-critic-thinking --help

Configuration

Step 2: Configure Amp

1. Locate your configuration file:

2. Add server configuration:

Configure MCP servers in VS Code/Cursor settings.json:

```json
{
  "amp.mcpServers": {
    "playwright": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@playwright/mcp@latest", "--headless", "--isolated"]
    },
    "semgrep": {
      "url": "https://mcp.semgrep.ai/mcp"
    },
    "sourcegraph": {
      "url": "${SRC_ENDPOINT}/.api/mcp/v1",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "token ${SRC_ACCESS_TOKEN}"
      }
    },
    "linear": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["mcp-remote", "https://mcp.linear.app/sse"]
    }
  }
}

Or add servers via CLI:

# Add HTTP-based server
amp mcp add sourcegraph --header "Authorization=token your-token" https://sourcegraph.example.com/.api/mcp/v1

# Add SSE-based server
amp mcp add linear https://mcp.linear.app/sse

# OAuth login for authenticated servers
amp mcp oauth login my-server \
  --server-url https://example.com/.api/mcp/v1 \
  --client-id your-client-id \
  --client-secret your-client-secret \
  --scopes "openid,profile,email"

3. **Restart Amp**

Completely quit and restart Amp to load the new configuration.



## Examples

Once configured, you can use Actor Critic Thinking in Amp:

### Product Name Evaluation

Analyze effectiveness of noise-canceling headphone product name

**Ask Amp:** "Evaluate the product name "SilentMax Pro" for noise-canceling headphones using actor-critic analysis"

**Expected Result:** Multi-round analysis alternating between creative appreciation and practical critique of the name

### Marketing Campaign Assessment

Evaluate marketing campaign concept from multiple perspectives

**Ask Amp:** "Analyze our "Digital Transformation Made Simple" campaign using 5 rounds of actor-critic evaluation"

**Expected Result:** Comprehensive evaluation covering creative impact, practical implementation, and market effectiveness

### Feature Development Review

Assess new software feature proposal

**Ask Amp:** "Use actor-critic thinking to evaluate the proposed "Smart Auto-Save" feature for our text editor"

**Expected Result:** Balanced analysis of feature benefits, technical challenges, and user experience implications

### Business Strategy Evaluation

Analyze strategic business decision with structured feedback

**Ask Amp:** "Apply actor-critic analysis to our plan for expanding into the European market"

**Expected Result:** Systematic evaluation of opportunities, risks, and implementation considerations



## Testing Your Setup

1. Launch Amp
2. Verify Actor Critic Thinking is available in the tools list
3. Test basic Actor Critic Thinking functionality



## Troubleshooting

### Common Issues

#### Invalid Total Thoughts Parameter

**Symptoms:** Parameter validation errors, Odd number requirement failures

**Cause:** totalThoughts parameter must be odd number ≥3

**Solution:**
- Ensure totalThoughts is an odd number (3, 5, 7, etc.)
- Use minimum value of 3 for basic analysis
- Verify parameter is numeric, not string
- Check parameter validation in client configuration

#### Role Parameter Not Recognized

**Symptoms:** Invalid role errors, Perspective switching failures

**Cause:** Role parameter must be exactly "actor" or "critic"

**Solution:**
- Use exact values: "actor" or "critic"
- Check for typos or case sensitivity issues
- Ensure role alternates between rounds
- Verify role matches current thought number

#### Evaluation Sequence Broken

**Symptoms:** Out of sequence errors, Round tracking failures

**Cause:** thoughtNumber not matching expected sequence or round progression

**Solution:**
- Start thoughtNumber at 1 for first round
- Increment thoughtNumber for each subsequent round
- Ensure thoughtNumber ≤ totalThoughts
- Reset sequence for new evaluation sessions

#### TypeScript Compilation Errors

**Symptoms:** Build failures, Type definition errors

**Cause:** Missing TypeScript dependencies or configuration issues

**Solution:**
- Install TypeScript: npm install -g typescript
- Verify tsconfig.json configuration
- Install type definitions: npm install @types/node
- Clear build cache: npm run clean && npm run build

#### MCP Server Not Connecting

**Symptoms:** Server not appearing in tools, Connection timeout, Authentication errors

**Cause:** Invalid configuration, missing credentials, or network issues

**Solution:**
- Verify server URL and command are correct
- Check environment variables are set properly
- For OAuth servers, run amp mcp oauth login
- Review amp logs for error messages

#### Tool Execution Fails

**Symptoms:** MCP tools available but not working, Error messages during execution

**Cause:** Server dependencies missing or permission issues

**Solution:**
- Verify required environment variables are configured
- Check amp.permissions settings for tool restrictions
- Test MCP server independently
- Review server-specific documentation

#### Permission Denied

**Symptoms:** Tool blocked by permission system, Ask prompts for every action

**Cause:** Permission rules restricting MCP tool usage

**Solution:**
- Review amp.permissions in settings.json
- Add allow rules for trusted MCP servers
- Use amp permissions edit to modify rules

#### Actor Critic Thinking not appearing in Amp

**Symptoms:** Server not listed, Tools not available

**Cause:** Configuration or installation issue

**Solution:**
- Verify configuration syntax
- Check Actor Critic Thinking installation
- Restart Amp
- Check logs for error messages



## Next Steps

Now that Actor Critic Thinking is integrated with Amp:

- Explore all Actor Critic Thinking capabilities through Amp
- Check out other MCP servers that work with Amp
- Join the MCP community for tips and support
- Consider contributing to Actor Critic Thinking development

## Need Help?

- Search for [Actor Critic Thinking documentation](https://www.mcpstack.org)
- Check the [Amp MCP guide](https://www.mcpstack.org/clients)
- Join the MCP community discussions