diff --git a/sims/vcs/Makefile b/sims/vcs/Makefile
index e8a30b0c..6b388164 100644
--- a/sims/vcs/Makefile
+++ b/sims/vcs/Makefile
@@ -41,36 +41,7 @@ include $(base_dir)/common.mk
 #########################################################################################
 VCS = vcs -full64
 
-VCS_CC_OPTS = \
-	-CC "-I$(VCS_HOME)/include" \
-	-CC "-I$(RISCV)/include" \
-	-CC "-std=c++11" \
-	$(RISCV)/lib/libfesvr.a
-
-VCS_NONCC_OPTS = \
-	+lint=all,noVCDE,noONGS,noUI \
-	-error=PCWM-L \
-	-timescale=1ns/10ps \
-	-quiet \
-	-q \
-	+rad \
-	+v2k \
-	+vcs+lic+wait \
-	+vc+list \
-	-f $(sim_common_files) \
-	-sverilog \
-	+incdir+$(build_dir) \
-	+define+CLOCK_PERIOD=1.0 \
-	$(sim_vsrcs) \
-	+define+PRINTF_COND=$(TB).printf_cond \
-	+define+STOP_COND=!$(TB).reset \
-	+define+RANDOMIZE_MEM_INIT \
-	+define+RANDOMIZE_REG_INIT \
-	+define+RANDOMIZE_GARBAGE_ASSIGN \
-	+define+RANDOMIZE_INVALID_ASSIGN \
-	+libext+.v
-
-VCS_OPTS = -notice -line $(VCS_CC_OPTS) $(VCS_NONCC_OPTS)
+VCS_OPTS = -notice -line $(VCS_CC_OPTS) $(VCS_NONCC_OPTS) $(VCS_DEFINE_OPTS)
 
 #########################################################################################
 # vcs simulator rules
diff --git a/vcs.mk b/vcs.mk
index c0450da5..fb1e6781 100644
--- a/vcs.mk
+++ b/vcs.mk
@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@ PERMISSIVE_OFF=+permissive-off
 
 WAVEFORM_FLAG=+vcdplusfile=$(sim_out_name).vpd
 
+CLOCK_PERIOD ?= 1.0
+RESET_DELAY ?= 777.7
+
 VCS_CC_OPTS = \
-	-CC "-I$(VCS_HOME)/include" \
 	-CC "-I$(RISCV)/include" \
 	-CC "-std=c++11"
 
@@ -21,12 +23,14 @@ VCS_NONCC_OPTS = \
 	+vc+list \
 	-f $(sim_common_files) \
 	-sverilog \
+	-debug_pp \
 	+incdir+$(build_dir) \
 	$(sim_vsrcs) \
 	+libext+.v
 
 VCS_DEFINE_OPTS = \
-	+define+CLOCK_PERIOD=1.0 \
+	+define+CLOCK_PERIOD=$(CLOCK_PERIOD) \
+	+define+RESET_DELAY=$(RESET_DELAY) \
 	+define+PRINTF_COND=$(TB).printf_cond \
 	+define+STOP_COND=!$(TB).reset \
 	+define+RANDOMIZE_MEM_INIT \
diff --git a/vlsi/Makefile b/vlsi/Makefile
index 6eea3c64..533a4598 100644
--- a/vlsi/Makefile
+++ b/vlsi/Makefile
@@ -106,41 +106,28 @@ $(SIM_CONF): $(VLSI_RTL) $(HARNESS_FILE) $(HARNESS_SMEMS_FILE) $(sim_common_file
 	done
 	echo "  input_files_meta: 'append'" >> $@
 	echo "  timescale: '1ns/10ps'" >> $@
-	echo "  options: [" >> $@
-	echo "    '$(RISCV)/lib/libfesvr.a'," >> $@
-	echo "    '+lint=all,noVCDE,noONGS,noUI'," >> $@
-	echo "    '-error=PCWM-L'," >> $@
-	echo "    '-quiet'," >> $@
-	echo "    '-q'," >> $@
-	echo "    '+rad'," >> $@
-	echo "    '+v2k'," >> $@
-	echo "    '+vcs+lic+wait'," >> $@
-	echo "    '+vc+list'," >> $@
-	echo "    '-f $(sim_common_files)'," >> $@
-	echo "    '-sverilog'," >> $@
-	echo "    '-debug_pp']" >> $@
+	echo "  options:" >> $@
+	for x in $(VCS_NONCC_OPTS); do \
+		echo '    - "'$$x'"' >> $@; \
+	done
 	echo "  options_meta: 'append'" >> $@
-	echo "  defines: [" >> $@
-	echo "    'CLOCK_PERIOD=1.0'," >> $@
-	echo "    'PRINTF_COND=$(TB).printf_cond'," >> $@
-	echo "    'STOP_COND=!$(TB).reset'," >> $@
-	echo "    'RANDOMIZE_MEM_INIT'," >> $@
-	echo "    'RANDOMIZE_REG_INIT'," >> $@
-	echo "    'RANDOMIZE_GARBAGE_ASSIGN'," >> $@
-	echo "    'RANDOMIZE_INVALID_ASSIGN']" >> $@
+	echo "  defines:" >> $@
+	for x in $(VCS_DEFINE_OPTS); do \
+		echo '    - "'$$x'"' >> $@; \
+	done
 	echo "  defines_meta: 'append'" >> $@
-	echo "  compiler_opts: [" >> $@
-	echo "    '-I$(RISCV)/include'," >> $@
-	echo "    '-std=c++11']" >> $@
+	echo "  compiler_opts:" >> $@
+	for x in $(filter-out -CC,$(VCS_CC_OPTS)); do \
+		echo '    - "'$$x'"' >> $@; \
+	done
 	echo "  compiler_opts_meta: 'append'" >> $@
 	echo "  execution_flags_prepend: ['$(PERMISSIVE_ON)']" >> $@
 	echo "  execution_flags_append: ['$(PERMISSIVE_OFF)']" >> $@
-	echo "  execution_flags: [" >> $@
-	echo "    '+max-cycles=$(timeout_cycles)'," >> $@
+	echo "  execution_flags:" >> $@
+	echo "    - '+max-cycles=$(timeout_cycles)'" >> $@
 	for x in $(SIM_FLAGS); do \
-	  echo '    "'$$x'",' >> $@; \
+	  echo '    - "'$$x'"' >> $@; \
 	done
-	echo "  ]" >> $@
 	echo "  execution_flags_meta: 'append'" >> $@
 	echo "  benchmarks: ['$(BINARY)']" >> $@
 	echo "  tb_dut: 'testHarness.top'" >> $@
@@ -148,22 +135,19 @@ $(SIM_CONF): $(VLSI_RTL) $(HARNESS_FILE) $(HARNESS_SMEMS_FILE) $(sim_common_file
 $(SIM_DEBUG_CONF): $(VLSI_RTL) $(HARNESS_FILE) $(HARNESS_SMEMS_FILE) $(sim_common_files)
 	mkdir -p $(dir $@)
 	echo "sim.inputs:" > $@
-	echo "  defines: [" >> $@
-	echo "    'DEBUG']" >> $@
+	echo "  defines: ['DEBUG']" >> $@
 	echo "  defines_meta: 'append'" >> $@
-	echo "  execution_flags: [" >> $@
+	echo "  execution_flags:" >> $@
 	for x in $(VERBOSE_FLAGS) $(WAVEFORM_FLAG); do \
-	  echo '    "'$$x'",' >> $@; \
+	  echo '    - "'$$x'"' >> $@; \
 	done
-	echo "  ]" >> $@
 	echo "  execution_flags_meta: 'append'" >> $@
 	echo "sim.outputs.waveforms: ['$(sim_out_name).vpd']" >> $@
 
 $(SIM_TIMING_CONF): $(VLSI_RTL) $(HARNESS_FILE) $(HARNESS_SMEMS_FILE) $(sim_common_files)
 	mkdir -p $(dir $@)
 	echo "sim.inputs:" > $@
-	echo "  defines: [" >> $@
-	echo "    'NTC']" >> $@
+	echo "  defines: ['NTC']" >> $@
 	echo "  defines_meta: 'append'" >> $@
 	echo "  timing_annotated: 'true'" >> $@
 
@@ -179,13 +163,11 @@ $(POWER_CONF): $(VLSI_RTL) $(HARNESS_FILE) $(HARNESS_SMEMS_FILE) $(sim_common_fi
 	echo "    '$(OBJ_DIR)/sim-par-rundir/$(notdir $(BINARY))/ucli.saif'" >> $@
 	echo "  ]" >> $@
 	echo "  waveforms: [" >> $@
-	echo "    '$(OBJ_DIR)/sim-par-rundir/$(notdir $(BINARY))/$(sim_out_name).vcd'" >> $@
-	echo "  ]" >> $@
-	echo "  start_times: [" >> $@
-	echo "    0" >> $@
+	#echo "    '$(OBJ_DIR)/sim-par-rundir/$(notdir $(BINARY))/$(sim_out_name).vcd'" >> $@
 	echo "  ]" >> $@
+	echo "  start_times: ['0ns']" >> $@
 	echo "  end_times: [" >> $@
-	echo "    15000" >> $@ #timeout_cycles * clock_period
+	echo "    '`bc <<< $(timeout_cycles)*$(CLOCK_PERIOD)`ns'" >> $@
 	echo "  ]" >> $@
 
 #########################################################################################
diff --git a/vlsi/hammer b/vlsi/hammer
index ec0171a8..41feaed2 160000
--- a/vlsi/hammer
+++ b/vlsi/hammer
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit ec0171a88950414f4d6dc59407cc3493f2705d9d
+Subproject commit 41feaed2d42e59280538a4dc041af625f88a0edc
diff --git a/vlsi/hammer-cadence-plugins b/vlsi/hammer-cadence-plugins
index 6715c3de..cf2304c2 160000
--- a/vlsi/hammer-cadence-plugins
+++ b/vlsi/hammer-cadence-plugins
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 6715c3deb074a90860fb151564e83e04bbd24e44
+Subproject commit cf2304c21166cea140cc8e039824feeb51c89e0d
diff --git a/vlsi/hammer-synopsys-plugins b/vlsi/hammer-synopsys-plugins
index b2d4233f..451e0721 160000
--- a/vlsi/hammer-synopsys-plugins
+++ b/vlsi/hammer-synopsys-plugins
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit b2d4233f4f6ca9df776931dc32c15c69c48bd93e
+Subproject commit 451e072193f13f4a25cfa891426a52dbd7556c03