Claude Code Token Usage Question

[dirtypearltim]

I love using BMAD - I first started with Cursor and am now exploring using it with Claude code and am having good results, but I'm noticing my token usage is somewhere between 80-100 times higher than without and I'm hitting my rate limits on a daily basis even with the $100/mo Max plan. However, using it without BMAD is just an exercise in frustration as there are many caveats with Unreal that Claude just doesn't understand without help.

It's an Unreal 5.4 source engine project, and I've made a custom expansion pack to teach it how to actually code for Unreal and for my IDE I'm using Rider primarily but have also tried VSCode. The expansion pack is fairly large with many templates, checklists, etc and a team of about 8 agent definitions. I generally start by using the orchestrator and let it switch at need but most of the time stay in the custom dev agent.

It's very likely I'm doing something wrong or unusual since I'm new to Claude Code. Anyone have any tips or suggestions for how to reduce token usage or at least make them more efficient? Thanks!

[bmadcode]

Hey - first this sounds awesome you made an expansion tuned for unreal development!
Hmm - when you are doing development, do you have the detailed story from the SM drafted and you are starting with a clear context so the dev agent only needs to load the details from the detailed story? Thats my first though, maybe loading the orchestrator is loading a lot more than what is necessary?

Check out the discord, there are probably a few other in there doing similar. I am still getting used to CC also and figuring out the best way to optimize it.

[dirtypearltim]

Thanks for the response! I do have the docs generated for the implementation plan but I'll need to figure out a way to anonymize the them since they are for a work project but I'll see what I can do so I can share them. I'm also new to CC so maybe after using it a bit more. Honestly the results so far with Claude are the best of any AI coding tool I've used so far so even with the higher cost it's worth it. I'll also check out the discord!

[bankielewicz]

Hey gang, you got me thinking so I asked CC the following question: "what are some optimum ways that I could optimize my usage with Claude Code CLI based on how I am working on this project thus far? Surely, you may have some useful tips by now with our history." CC provided me with some useful tips. Each project I am working on resulted in a different response.

[dirtypearltim]

I will give this a shot, thanks for the suggestion!