diff --git a/dev/smoke-game.mjs b/dev/smoke-game.mjs
index d26994d..b6c1463 100644
--- a/dev/smoke-game.mjs
+++ b/dev/smoke-game.mjs
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import { config } from '../js/config/Config.js';
 import { ConfigLoader } from '../js/config/ConfigLoader.js';
 import { createGameConfig } from '../js/config/GameConfig.js';
 import { GameScene } from '../js/scenes/GameScene.js';
+import { SurfaceScene } from '../js/scenes/SurfaceScene.js';
 
 const data = await ConfigLoader.load();
 config.init(data);
@@ -51,7 +52,11 @@ if (typeof window !== 'undefined') {
   console.error = (...a) => { __errors.push(a.map(String).join(' ')); origErr(...a); };
   window.addEventListener('error', (e) => __errors.push(String(e.message)));
 }
-gameConfig.scene = [GameScene];
+// SurfaceScene registered too (the real entry registers
+// [MenuScene, GameScene, SurfaceScene] — js/main.js): the smoke boot
+// skips the menu, but the LANDING flow (?type=… world preview included)
+// launches the surface on top of the flight scene, so it must exist.
+gameConfig.scene = [GameScene, SurfaceScene];
 const game = new Phaser.Game(gameConfig);
 window.game = game;
 console.info('smoke: game booted into GameScene');
diff --git a/dev/type-preview.test.mjs b/dev/type-preview.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..471ef23
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dev/type-preview.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,448 @@
+/**
+ * World preview test (dev tool, run with Node — no browser needed):
+ *
+ *   node dev/type-preview.test.mjs
+ *
+ * ?type=<spec> drops the player next to a landable world/station to
+ * judge its clips + surface loop (js/galaxy/TypeSystems.js):
+ *
+ *   - parseTypeSpec: the spec syntax — <class>[-NN] planet faces (NN a
+ *     1-based ordinal into the class's data/planets.json → frames pool)
+ *     and ss[-NN] station variants (data/stations.json → variants),
+ *     case-insensitive, with out-of-range/unknown values → null;
+ *   - pickPreviewSystem on the REAL seeded galaxy: every (class, face)
+ *     and every station variant resolves to a system — exact (class,
+ *     face) wins whenever the galaxy wears the face (cross-checked
+ *     against the galaxy's actual content, lazy === eager), and the
+ *     reskin fallback only fires for faces the galaxy wears nowhere
+ *     (the home world — the galaxy's only terran — for terran faces it
+ *     doesn't wear); an exact match ALWAYS beats a reskin, whatever the
+ *     richness; the systemType filter (?fx= + ?type=) restricts the
+ *     candidates; determinism (same call ⇒ same pick);
+ *   - the RANKING on a crafted galaxy (same roll inputs, controlled
+ *     frames/gates): richest-first within a tier, roster-order tiebreak,
+ *     exact beats reskin.
+ */
+
+process.env.NODE_ENV = 'dev';
+
+import { pathToFileURL } from 'node:url';
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
+import { dirname, join } from 'node:path';
+
+const __dirname = dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
+
+const { config } = await import(pathToFileURL(join(__dirname, '../js/config/Config.js')).href);
+const fs = await import('node:fs');
+const dataDir = join(__dirname, '../data');
+const configData = {};
+for (const f of fs.readdirSync(dataDir)) {
+  if (!f.endsWith('.json') || f === 'manifest.json') continue;
+  configData[f.replace(/\.json$/i, '')] = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(join(dataDir, f), 'utf8'));
+}
+config.init(configData);
+
+const { Galaxy } = await import(pathToFileURL(join(__dirname, '../js/galaxy/Galaxy.js')).href);
+const { rollSystemComposition, settlementDensity } = await import(
+  pathToFileURL(join(__dirname, '../js/galaxy/SystemGenerator.js')).href
+);
+const { parseTypeSpec, pickPreviewSystem } = await import(
+  pathToFileURL(join(__dirname, '../js/galaxy/TypeSystems.js')).href
+);
+
+let failures = 0;
+const check = (label, cond, extra = '') => {
+  console.log(`${cond ? '✔' : '✘ FAIL'}  ${label}${cond ? '' : ' — ' + extra}`);
+  if (!cond) failures++;
+};
+
+const POOL = (k) => {
+  const p = config.get(k);
+  return Array.isArray(p) ? p : [];
+};
+const planetClasses = Object.keys(config.get('planets.frames', {}));
+const stationVariants = POOL('stations.variants');
+
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+// 1. parseTypeSpec — the spec syntax
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+check('parse: terran-01 = the FIRST terran face (pool [0,1,2] → frame 0)', (() => {
+  const s = parseTypeSpec('terran-01');
+  return s?.kind === 'planet' && s.cls === 'terran' && s.frame === POOL('planets.frames.terran')[0];
+})());
+check('parse: ice-03 = the THIRD ice face (pool [9,10,11] → frame 11)', (() => {
+  const pool = POOL('planets.frames.ice');
+  const s = parseTypeSpec('ice-03');
+  return pool.length >= 3 && s?.kind === 'planet' && s.cls === 'ice' && s.frame === pool[2];
+})());
+check('parse: ss-02 = the SECOND station variant (pool → variants[1])', (() => {
+  const s = parseTypeSpec('ss-02');
+  return stationVariants.length >= 2 && s?.kind === 'station' && s.frame === stationVariants[1];
+})());
+check('parse: bare class / bare ss = any face', (() => {
+  const a = parseTypeSpec('rocky');
+  const b = parseTypeSpec('ss');
+  return a?.kind === 'planet' && a.cls === 'rocky' && a.frame === null &&
+    b?.kind === 'station' && b.frame === null;
+})());
+check('parse: case-insensitive (ICE-03, SS-02, Terran)', (() => {
+  const a = parseTypeSpec('ICE-03');
+  const b = parseTypeSpec('SS-02');
+  const c = parseTypeSpec('Terran');
+  return a?.cls === 'ice' && a.frame === POOL('planets.frames.ice')[2] &&
+    b?.kind === 'station' && b.frame === stationVariants[1] &&
+    c?.cls === 'terran' && c.frame === null;
+})());
+check('parse: station aliases (station / spacestation) map like ss', (() => {
+  const a = parseTypeSpec('station-01');
+  const b = parseTypeSpec('spacestation');
+  return a?.kind === 'station' && a.frame === stationVariants[0] &&
+    b?.kind === 'station' && b.frame === null;
+})());
+check('parse: out-of-range / malformed / unknown → null', (() => {
+  return (
+    parseTypeSpec('terran-04') === null &&
+    parseTypeSpec('terran-0') === null &&
+    parseTypeSpec('terran-x') === null &&
+    parseTypeSpec('ss-9') === null &&
+    parseTypeSpec('jupiter') === null &&
+    parseTypeSpec('terran-') === null &&
+    parseTypeSpec('') === null &&
+    parseTypeSpec(null) === null
+  );
+})());
+
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+// 2. pickPreviewSystem — the REAL seeded galaxy
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+const SEED = 'type-preview-test';
+const g = Galaxy.create(SEED);
+const types = config.section('systems.types', {});
+
+// A system's actual content, as the generator will produce it (lazy).
+const contentOf = (id) => g.ensureContent(id);
+
+// Verify a pick against the real content: the target world/station must
+// EXIST with the spec's class/variant, and wear the spec's face unless
+// the pick is a reskin (then the scene paints it — the CLASS must fit).
+function verifyPick(spec, pick, why) {
+  if (!pick?.record) return `pick is null for ${why}`;
+  const c = contentOf(pick.record.id);
+  if (spec.kind === 'station') {
+    if (!pick.station) return `missing station flag on ${pick.record.id}`;
+    const s = c.settlements.find((x) => x.kind === 'deepSpaceStation');
+    if (!s) return `${pick.record.id} has no deepSpaceStation in content`;
+    if (!pick.reskin && spec.frame != null && s.stationFrame !== spec.frame) {
+      return `${pick.record.id} station wears ${s.stationFrame}, spec wants ${spec.frame}`;
+    }
+    return null;
+  }
+  if (typeof pick.ordinal !== 'number') return `missing ordinal on ${pick.record.id}`;
+  if (pick.ordinal === 0) {
+    if (pick.record.id !== g.homeSystemId) return `ordinal 0 (home) but ${pick.record.id} ≠ home ${g.homeSystemId}`;
+    if (spec.cls !== config.get('planets.homePlanet', 'terran')) return `home world is not a ${spec.cls}`;
+    if (!pick.reskin && spec.frame != null && c.homeFrame !== spec.frame) {
+      return `home world wears ${c.homeFrame}, spec wants ${spec.frame}`;
+    }
+    return null;
+  }
+  const p = c.planets[pick.ordinal - 1];
+  if (!p) return `${pick.record.id} has no planet #${pick.ordinal}`;
+  if (p.class !== spec.cls) return `planet #${pick.ordinal} is ${p.class}, spec wants ${spec.cls}`;
+  if (!pick.reskin && spec.frame != null && p.frame !== spec.frame) {
+    return `planet #${pick.ordinal} wears ${p.frame}, spec wants ${spec.frame}`;
+  }
+  return null;
+}
+
+// 2a. Every (class, face) and every station variant resolves, and the
+// pick is CORRECT against the content (exact ⇒ the world wears the face).
+{
+  let ok = true;
+  let why = '';
+  const problems = [];
+  for (const cls of planetClasses) {
+    const pool = POOL(`planets.frames.${cls}`);
+    for (let i = 0; i < pool.length; i++) {
+      const spec = { kind: 'planet', cls, frame: pool[i] };
+      const pick = pickPreviewSystem(g, spec);
+      const bad = verifyPick(spec, pick, `${cls} face ${i + 1}`);
+      if (bad) { ok = false; problems.push(bad); }
+    }
+    // bare class
+    const spec = { kind: 'planet', cls, frame: null };
+    const pick = pickPreviewSystem(g, spec);
+    const bad = verifyPick(spec, pick, `${cls} (any face)`);
+    if (bad) { ok = false; problems.push(bad); }
+  }
+  for (const frame of stationVariants) {
+    const spec = { kind: 'station', frame };
+    const pick = pickPreviewSystem(g, spec);
+    const bad = verifyPick(spec, pick, `ss variant ${frame}`);
+    if (bad) { ok = false; problems.push(bad); }
+  }
+  const spec = { kind: 'station', frame: null };
+  const pick = pickPreviewSystem(g, spec);
+  const bad = verifyPick(spec, pick, 'ss (any variant)');
+  if (bad) { ok = false; problems.push(bad); }
+  check('every (class, face) + every station variant resolves and matches the content', ok, problems.slice(0, 3).join('; '));
+}
+
+// 2b. EXACT beats RESKIN whenever the galaxy wears the face somewhere.
+{
+  let ok = true;
+  let why = '';
+  const problems = [];
+  for (const cls of planetClasses) {
+    const pool = POOL(`planets.frames.${cls}`);
+    for (const frame of pool) {
+      const wornSomewhere = g.records.some((rec) => {
+        const c = contentOf(rec.id);
+        if (c.planets.some((p) => p.class === cls && p.frame === frame)) return true;
+        if (rec.id === g.homeSystemId && cls === config.get('planets.homePlanet') && c.homeFrame === frame) return true;
+        return false;
+      });
+      const spec = { kind: 'planet', cls, frame };
+      const pick = pickPreviewSystem(g, spec);
+      if (wornSomewhere) {
+        if (!pick || pick.reskin) { ok = false; problems.push(`${cls}/${frame} worn but pick is ${pick ? 'a reskin' : 'null'}`); }
+      } else if (pick && !pick.reskin) {
+        // an "exact" pick for a face nobody wears would be a lie
+        ok = false;
+        problems.push(`${cls}/${frame} unworn but pick claims exact`);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  check('an exact match beats a reskin whenever the galaxy wears the face', ok, problems.slice(0, 3).join('; '));
+}
+
+// 2c. The RESKIN fallback exists for terran faces the home world doesn't
+// wear (the home world is the galaxy's only terran).
+{
+  const homeFrame = g.ensureContent(g.homeSystemId).homeFrame;
+  const pool = POOL('planets.frames.terran');
+  let reskins = 0;
+  let ok = true;
+  let why = '';
+  for (const frame of pool) {
+    const spec = { kind: 'planet', cls: 'terran', frame };
+    const pick = pickPreviewSystem(g, spec);
+    if (!pick) { ok = false; why = `terran face ${frame}: null`; break; }
+    if (frame === homeFrame) {
+      if (pick.reskin) { ok = false; why = `terran face ${frame} (the home world's) reskinned`; break; }
+      if (pick.ordinal !== 0 || pick.record.id !== g.homeSystemId) {
+        // a genuine terran world elsewhere would be fine, but there is
+        // no other terran in the galaxy — the home world is THE terran
+        ok = false; why = `terran face ${frame}: expected the home world, got ${pick.record.id}#${pick.ordinal}`; break;
+      }
+    } else {
+      if (!pick.reskin) { ok = false; why = `terran face ${frame}: unworn face not reskinned`; break; }
+      reskins++;
+    }
+  }
+  check('terran faces the home world lacks are reskinned onto it (the only terran)', ok && reskins === pool.length - 1, why || `${reskins} reskinned of ${pool.length - 1}`);
+}
+
+// 2d. Determinism — the same spec always picks the same system.
+{
+  const specs = [
+    { kind: 'planet', cls: 'ice', frame: POOL('planets.frames.ice')[1] },
+    { kind: 'planet', cls: 'gas', frame: null },
+    { kind: 'station', frame: stationVariants[0] },
+  ];
+  let ok = true;
+  for (const spec of specs) {
+    const a = pickPreviewSystem(g, spec);
+    const b = pickPreviewSystem(g, spec);
+    if (!a || a.record.id !== b?.record.id || a.ordinal !== b?.ordinal || a.station !== b?.station) { ok = false; break; }
+  }
+  check('deterministic (same spec ⇒ same pick, twice)', ok);
+}
+
+// 2e. The ?fx= FILTER — ?type= inside a ?fx= system type.
+{
+  // Find a class/face that exists in SOME system type but NOT in
+  // another (both types present in the galaxy), then the filter must
+  // steer the pick (or give up) accordingly.
+  let ok = true;
+  let why = '';
+  const typeIds = Object.keys(types);
+  const found = [];
+  for (const cls of planetClasses) {
+    for (const frame of POOL(`planets.frames.${cls}`)) {
+      const byType = new Set();
+      for (const rec of g.records) {
+        const c = contentOf(rec.id);
+        const has = c.planets.some((p) => p.class === cls && p.frame === frame) ||
+          (rec.id === g.homeSystemId && cls === config.get('planets.homePlanet') && c.homeFrame === frame);
+        if (has) byType.add(rec.type);
+      }
+      if (byType.size >= 2) found.push({ cls, frame, byType });
+    }
+  }
+  if (found.length === 0) {
+    ok = false; why = 'no face found in ≥2 system types (test galaxy too small?)';
+  } else {
+    for (const { cls, frame, byType } of found.slice(0, 4)) {
+      const spec = { kind: 'planet', cls, frame };
+      const inside = [...byType].sort().join(',');
+      const outside = typeIds.filter((t) => !byType.has(t));
+      const pIn = pickPreviewSystem(g, spec, [...byType][0]);
+      const pOut = outside.length > 0 ? pickPreviewSystem(g, spec, outside[0]) : null;
+      if (!pIn || pIn.record.type !== [...byType][0]) { ok = false; why = `${cls}/${frame}: in-pick ${pIn?.record?.type}`; break; }
+      // OUTSIDE the wearing types: the face is unworn there, so a pick is
+      // only legal as a RESKIN (the class present, the face painted on);
+      // null when the class itself is absent from that type's systems.
+      if (pOut !== null) {
+        const c = contentOf(pOut.record.id);
+        const clsPresent = pOut.ordinal === 0
+          ? pOut.record.id === g.homeSystemId
+          : c.planets[pOut.ordinal - 1]?.class === cls;
+        if (pOut.reskin !== true || !clsPresent) { ok = false; why = `${cls}/${frame}: out-pick ${pOut.record.id} (reskin=${pOut.reskin})`; break; }
+      }
+    }
+    if (ok) console.log(`   (filter cases: ${found.slice(0, 4).map((f) => `${f.cls}/${f.frame}`).join(', ')})`);
+  }
+  check('systemType filter: exact inside the wearing types; reskin-or-null outside', ok, why);
+}
+
+// 2f. Stations: a variant worn somewhere ⇒ exact (no reskin).
+{
+  const worn = new Set();
+  for (const rec of g.records) {
+    const c = contentOf(rec.id);
+    const s = c.settlements.find((x) => x.kind === 'deepSpaceStation');
+    if (s?.stationFrame != null) worn.add(s.stationFrame);
+  }
+  let ok = true;
+  let why = '';
+  for (const frame of stationVariants) {
+    const spec = { kind: 'station', frame };
+    const pick = pickPreviewSystem(g, spec);
+    if (!pick) { ok = false; why = `ss variant ${frame}: null`; continue; }
+    if (worn.has(frame) && pick.reskin) { ok = false; why = `ss variant ${frame} worn but reskinned`; }
+    if (!worn.has(frame) && !pick.reskin) { ok = false; why = `ss variant ${frame} unworn but exact`; }
+  }
+  check('station variants: exact where worn, reskin where unworn', ok && worn.size > 0, why || `${[...worn].join(',')} worn`);
+}
+
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+// 3. The RANKING — crafted galaxy (controlled frames + gates)
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Reuse REAL record ids so rollSystemComposition (seed, id, type, d)
+// agrees with the real galaxy's rolls — only the stamped frames and the
+// gate counts are crafted.
+{
+  // Two non-home systems whose roll gives an ICE planet (real rolls).
+  const iceRecs = g.records.filter((rec) => {
+    if (rec.id === g.homeSystemId) return false;
+    const c = contentOf(rec.id);
+    return c.planets.some((p) => p.class === 'ice');
+  });
+  const stRecs = g.records.filter((rec) => {
+    if (rec.id === g.homeSystemId) return false;
+    return contentOf(rec.id).settlements.some((x) => x.kind === 'deepSpaceStation');
+  });
+  const iceA = iceRecs[0];
+  const iceB = iceRecs[1];
+  const ok = iceA && iceB;
+  check('ranking fixture: two ice-world systems exist in the test galaxy', !!ok);
+  if (ok) {
+    const iceFrame = POOL('planets.frames.ice')[1]; // the 2nd ice face
+    const iceOrdinal = (rec) => contentOf(rec.id).planets.findIndex((p) => p.class === 'ice') + 1;
+    const mkGalaxy = (gateCounts) => ({
+      seed: g.seed,
+      records: [iceA, iceB],
+      homeSystemId: g.homeSystemId, // neither fixture record is home
+      homeWorldFrame: g.homeWorldFrame,
+      params: g.params,
+      planetFrames: new Map(),
+      stationFrames: new Map(),
+      jumpGatesFor: (id) => Array.from({ length: gateCounts[id] ?? 0 }, (_, i) => ({ id: `${id}-gate-${i}` })),
+    });
+
+    // 3a. EXACT beats a RICHER reskin: A is richer (3 gates) but wears a
+    // different ice face; B (1 gate) wears the requested face.
+    {
+      const other = POOL('planets.frames.ice').find((f) => f !== iceFrame) ?? POOL('planets.frames.ice')[0];
+      const gf = mkGalaxy({ [iceA.id]: 3, [iceB.id]: 1 });
+      gf.planetFrames.set(iceA.id, new Array(contentOf(iceA.id).planets.length).fill(other));
+      gf.planetFrames.set(iceB.id, (() => { const l = contentOf(iceB.id).planets.length; const a = new Array(l).fill(other); a[iceOrdinal(iceB) - 1] = iceFrame; return a; })());
+      const pick = pickPreviewSystem(gf, { kind: 'planet', cls: 'ice', frame: iceFrame });
+      check('ranking: an exact face beats a richer reskin (B wins despite A\u2019s 3 gates)', pick?.record?.id === iceB.id && pick.reskin === false, `got ${pick?.record?.id} reskin=${pick?.reskin}`);
+    }
+    // 3b. Within the RESKIN tier the richer system wins (A: 3 gates).
+    {
+      const gf = mkGalaxy({ [iceA.id]: 3, [iceB.id]: 1 });
+      const other = POOL('planets.frames.ice').find((f) => f !== iceFrame) ?? POOL('planets.frames.ice')[0];
+      gf.planetFrames.set(iceA.id, new Array(contentOf(iceA.id).planets.length).fill(other));
+      gf.planetFrames.set(iceB.id, new Array(contentOf(iceB.id).planets.length).fill(other));
+      const pick = pickPreviewSystem(gf, { kind: 'planet', cls: 'ice', frame: iceFrame });
+      check('ranking: reskin tier ranks richest-first (A wins)', pick?.record?.id === iceA.id && pick.reskin === true, `got ${pick?.record?.id} reskin=${pick?.reskin}`);
+    }
+    // 3c. Within the EXACT tier the richer system wins (flip the frames).
+    {
+      const gf = mkGalaxy({ [iceA.id]: 3, [iceB.id]: 1 });
+      const other = POOL('planets.frames.ice').find((f) => f !== iceFrame) ?? POOL('planets.frames.ice')[0];
+      gf.planetFrames.set(iceA.id, (() => { const l = contentOf(iceA.id).planets.length; const a = new Array(l).fill(other); a[iceOrdinal(iceA) - 1] = iceFrame; return a; })());
+      gf.planetFrames.set(iceB.id, new Array(contentOf(iceB.id).planets.length).fill(other));
+      const pick = pickPreviewSystem(gf, { kind: 'planet', cls: 'ice', frame: iceFrame });
+      check('ranking: exact tier ranks richest-first (A wins)', pick?.record?.id === iceA.id && pick.reskin === false, `got ${pick?.record?.id} reskin=${pick?.reskin}`);
+    }
+    // 3d. No ice world at all in the (filtered) candidates ⇒ null.
+    {
+      const noIce = iceRecs.filter((r) => r.id !== iceA.id && r.id !== iceB.id && !contentOf(r.id).planets.some((p) => p.class === 'ice'));
+      const victim = noIce[0];
+      if (victim) {
+        const gf = mkGalaxy({ [victim.id]: 5 });
+        const pick = pickPreviewSystem(gf, { kind: 'planet', cls: 'ice', frame: iceFrame });
+        check('ranking: a candidate without the class (and no home) ⇒ null', pick === null, `got ${JSON.stringify(pick)}`);
+      } else {
+        console.log('   (3d skipped — no ice-free fixture system)');
+      }
+    }
+    // 3e. Station ranking: exact beats a richer reskin.
+    {
+      const variant = stationVariants[1];
+      if (stRecs.length >= 2) {
+        const [sA, sB] = stRecs;
+        const gsf = {
+          seed: g.seed,
+          records: [sA, sB],
+          homeSystemId: g.homeSystemId,
+          homeWorldFrame: g.homeWorldFrame,
+          params: g.params,
+          planetFrames: new Map(),
+          stationFrames: new Map(),
+          jumpGatesFor: (id) => Array.from({ length: id === sA.id ? 3 : 1 }, (_, i) => ({ id: `${id}-gate-${i}` })),
+        };
+        const other = stationVariants.find((f) => f !== variant) ?? stationVariants[0];
+        gsf.stationFrames.set(sA.id, other);
+        gsf.stationFrames.set(sB.id, variant);
+        const pick = pickPreviewSystem(gsf, { kind: 'station', frame: variant });
+        check('ranking (station): exact beats a richer reskin (B wins)', pick?.record?.id === sB.id && pick.station === true && pick.reskin === false, `got ${pick?.record?.id} reskin=${pick?.reskin}`);
+      } else {
+        console.log('   (3e skipped — need ≥2 station systems in the test galaxy)');
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+// 4. Bad inputs
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+check('picker: null/empty/foreign specs ⇒ null', (() => {
+  return (
+    pickPreviewSystem(g, null) === null &&
+    pickPreviewSystem(g, {}) === null &&
+    pickPreviewSystem(g, { kind: 'planet' }) === null &&
+    pickPreviewSystem(g, { kind: 'comet', frame: 0 }) === null &&
+    pickPreviewSystem({ records: [] }, { kind: 'station', frame: 0 }) === null
+  );
+})());
+
+if (failures > 0) {
+  console.error(`\n✘ type-preview: ${failures} check(s) FAILED`);
+  process.exit(1);
+}
+console.log('\n✔ type-preview: all checks passed');
diff --git a/js/galaxy/TypeSystems.js b/js/galaxy/TypeSystems.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..317c4f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/js/galaxy/TypeSystems.js
@@ -0,0 +1,210 @@
+import { config } from '../config/Config.js';
+import { rollSystemComposition, settlementDensity } from './SystemGenerator.js';
+
+/**
+ * Picking a system for the WORLD PREVIEW (?type=<spec>) — pure over the
+ * seeded galaxy, so dev/type-preview.test.mjs can exercise it in bare
+ * Node (the sibling of FxSystems.js, the ?fx= star-effects demo).
+ *
+ * The preview wants to drop the player NEXT TO a specific world or
+ * station they can land on and judge its clips/music: the surface
+ * videos and the surface loop are keyed by the SHEET FRAME (the same
+ * frame the world is drawn with — data/landing.json → videos /
+ * stationVideos, data/music.json → frames / stationFrames), so "preview
+ * terran-02" must mean a world wearing the SECOND terran face.
+ *
+ * SPEC SYNTAX (parseTypeSpec) — the NN is a 1-based ordinal INTO THE
+ * CLASS'S FRAME POOL (data/planets.json → frames / data/stations.json →
+ * variants), which is also the asset naming (terran-land-0N.mp4,
+ * ss-land-0N.mp4):
+ *
+ *   ?type=terran      any terran world (the home world — terran faces
+ *                     exist nowhere else in the galaxy; the starting
+ *                     system's home world is the one and only)
+ *   ?type=terran-02   the terran world wearing the 2nd terran face
+ *                     (pool [0,1,2] → sheet frame 1)
+ *   ?type=ice-03      the 3rd ice face (pool [9,10,11] → sheet frame 11)
+ *   ?type=rocky | gas | lava   (+ -NN for a specific face)
+ *   ?type=ss          any deep-space station
+ *   ?type=ss-02       the station wearing the 2nd variant
+ *                     (pool [0,1,2] → variant 1)
+ *
+ * CANDIDATES are ranked richest-first — more objects, then more jump
+ * gates (the FxSystems convention) — with roster order as the stable
+ * tiebreak (seed-deterministic either way). The composition of each
+ * system is RE-DERIVED from the seed via the same exported roll the
+ * content generator uses (SystemGenerator.rollSystemComposition —
+ * guaranteed to agree, since the forks are pure functions of
+ * (seed, id, type, density)), and the (class, frame) assignments come
+ * from the galaxy-wide spread pass already stamped on the galaxy
+ * (galaxy.planetFrames / galaxy.stationFrames / galaxy.homeWorldFrame)
+ * — so the picker needs NO content generation (lazy === eager holds).
+ *
+ * RESKIN FALLBACK: a requested face the galaxy wears NOWHERE (e.g. the
+ * home world is the only terran and it wears face 1, but the preview
+ * asks for face 2) still previews: the pick drops to the RICHEST system
+ * holding a world of that class (the home world for terran), flagged
+ * `reskin: true` — the scene repaints that world's sheet frame to the
+ * requested one before its entities build, so the demo world wears the
+ * requested face and its landing clips + surface loop follow (they
+ * index off the drawn frame). An exact (class, frame) match ALWAYS
+ * beats a reskin, whatever the richness.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * Parse a `?type=` value into a preview spec.
+ * @param {string} raw the raw URL parameter (e.g. 'terran-02', 'ss-01', 'ICE-03')
+ * @returns {{kind:'planet',cls:string,frame:?number}|{kind:'station',frame:?number}|null}
+ *   the spec, or null when the value is empty/unknown (not a pool
+ *   ordinal, not a class, out of range, or a malformed station tag).
+ */
+export function parseTypeSpec(raw) {
+  const s = String(raw ?? '').trim().toLowerCase();
+  if (!s) return null;
+
+  const pool = (v) => (Array.isArray(v) ? v.filter((f) => Number.isInteger(f) && f >= 0) : []);
+
+  // SPACE STATIONS — ss / station / spacestation (+ -NN variant ordinal).
+  const mStation = /^(ss|station|spacestation)(?:-(\d+))?$/.exec(s);
+  if (mStation) {
+    const variants = pool(config.get('stations.variants'));
+    if (mStation[2] === undefined) return { kind: 'station', frame: null };
+    const n = Number(mStation[2]);
+    if (!(n >= 1 && n <= variants.length)) return null;
+    return { kind: 'station', frame: variants[n - 1] };
+  }
+
+  // PLANET CLASSES — the data/planets.json → frames keys
+  // (terran / rocky / gas / ice / lava), case-insensitive (+ -NN).
+  const framesCfg = config.get('planets.frames', {});
+  const dash = s.lastIndexOf('-');
+  const base = dash > 0 ? s.slice(0, dash) : s;
+  const num = dash > 0 ? s.slice(dash + 1) : null;
+  let cls = null;
+  for (const key of Object.keys(framesCfg)) {
+    if (key.toLowerCase() === base) { cls = key; break; }
+  }
+  if (!cls) return null;
+  const classPool = pool(config.get(`planets.frames.${cls}`));
+  if (num === null) return { kind: 'planet', cls, frame: null };
+  if (!/^\d+$/.test(num)) return null;
+  const n = Number(num);
+  if (!(n >= 1 && n <= classPool.length)) return null;
+  return { kind: 'planet', cls, frame: classPool[n - 1] };
+}
+
+/**
+ * Pick the preview system for a spec.
+ * @param {object} galaxy a seeded galaxy (Galaxy.js) — reads `.records`,
+ *   `.seed`, `.homeSystemId`, `.homeWorldFrame`, `.planetFrames`,
+ *   `.stationFrames`, `.params` (settlement density) and
+ *   `.jumpGatesFor(id)` (the gate count). No contentCache needed.
+ * @param {object} spec a parseTypeSpec() result
+ * @param {string | null} [systemType] optional archetype filter — when
+ *   set (?type= combined with ?fx=), only systems of that type are
+ *   considered (a preview of a world UNDER a given star's character).
+ * @returns {object | null} the pick, or null when no system holds the
+ *   kind at all:
+ *   { record (has .id/.type), ordinal (1-based planet ordinal — 0 =
+ *     the home world, planets only), station (true for stations),
+ *     reskin (true when the face must be painted on the pick) }
+ */
+export function pickPreviewSystem(galaxy, spec, systemType = null) {
+  const records = Array.isArray(galaxy?.records) ? galaxy.records : [];
+  if (records.length === 0) return null;
+  if (!spec || (spec.kind !== 'planet' && spec.kind !== 'station')) return null;
+  if (spec.kind === 'planet' && typeof spec.cls !== 'string') return null;
+  if (typeof galaxy?.seed !== 'string' || galaxy.seed.length === 0) return null;
+
+  const defs = config.get('systems.types', {});
+  const homeId = galaxy?.homeSystemId ?? null;
+  const homeCls = config.get('planets.homePlanet', 'terran');
+  const planetFrames = galaxy?.planetFrames instanceof Map ? galaxy.planetFrames : null;
+  const stationFrames = galaxy?.stationFrames instanceof Map ? galaxy.stationFrames : null;
+
+  let best = null;      // the winning pick
+  let bestKey = null;   // its richness score
+  let bestExact = null; // true = exact face worn, false = reskin
+
+  const consider = (rec, target, exact) => {
+    // An EXACT face (the world already wears it) always beats a RESKIN,
+    // whatever the richness; within a tier the richer system wins.
+    if (best !== null) {
+      if (exact === bestExact && !(keyOf(rec) > bestKey)) return;
+      if (bestExact === true && exact === false) return;
+    }
+    best = { record: rec, ...target, reskin: exact ? false : true };
+    bestKey = keyOf(rec);
+    bestExact = exact;
+  };
+
+  const keyOf = (rec) => {
+    const attr = defs[rec.type]?.attributes ?? {};
+    const comp = rollSystemComposition(
+      galaxy.seed, rec, rec.id === homeId, attr.settlements ?? {},
+      settlementDensity(galaxy, rec), attr,
+    );
+    const objects = Number.isFinite(comp?.objects) ? comp.objects : 0;
+    const gates =
+      typeof galaxy?.jumpGatesFor === 'function'
+        ? ((galaxy.jumpGatesFor(rec.id) ?? []).length)
+        : 0;
+    return objects * 1000 + gates;
+  };
+
+  for (const rec of records) {
+    if (!rec) continue;
+    if (systemType && rec.type !== systemType) continue;
+    const isHome = rec.id === homeId;
+    const attr = defs[rec.type]?.attributes ?? {};
+    let comp;
+    try {
+      comp = rollSystemComposition(
+        galaxy.seed, rec, isHome, attr.settlements ?? {},
+        settlementDensity(galaxy, rec), attr,
+      );
+    } catch {
+      continue;
+    }
+    const classes = Array.isArray(comp?.classes) ? comp.classes : [];
+
+    if (spec.kind === 'planet') {
+      const frames = planetFrames?.get(rec.id) ?? null;
+      // The system's planets in ORBITAL order; ordinal 0 = the home
+      // world (starting system only — a terran-class body by rule).
+      const candidates = classes.map((cls, i) => ({ cls, frame: frames ? frames[i] : null, ordinal: i + 1 }));
+      if (isHome) candidates.push({ cls: homeCls, frame: galaxy?.homeWorldFrame ?? null, ordinal: 0 });
+
+      let exact = null;
+      for (const c of candidates) {
+        if (c.cls !== spec.cls) continue;
+        if (spec.frame != null && c.frame !== spec.frame) continue;
+        exact = c.ordinal;
+        break;
+      }
+      if (exact !== null) {
+        consider(rec, { ordinal: exact }, true);
+        continue;
+      }
+      // RESKIN tier (a specific face the system wears on none of its
+      // matching-class worlds): the FIRST such world takes the paint.
+      if (spec.frame == null) continue;
+      const reskinOrdinal = candidates.find((c) => c.cls === spec.cls)?.ordinal;
+      if (reskinOrdinal === undefined) continue;
+      consider(rec, { ordinal: reskinOrdinal }, false);
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    // STATIONS — at most one deep-space station per system.
+    if (!comp.deepSpace) continue;
+    const frame = stationFrames?.get(rec.id) ?? null;
+    if (spec.frame == null) {
+      consider(rec, { station: true }, true);
+      continue;
+    }
+    if (frame === spec.frame) consider(rec, { station: true }, true);
+    else consider(rec, { station: true }, false); // reskin the variant
+  }
+
+  return best;
+}
diff --git a/js/scenes/GameScene.js b/js/scenes/GameScene.js
index 3e78408..08e5e5d 100644
--- a/js/scenes/GameScene.js
+++ b/js/scenes/GameScene.js
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import { StormLayer } from '../visuals/StormLayer.js';
 import { SystemEffects } from '../visuals/SystemEffects.js';
 import { assignUi, assignWorld } from '../visuals/UiCameras.js';
 import { pickFxSystem } from '../galaxy/FxSystems.js';
+import { parseTypeSpec, pickPreviewSystem } from '../galaxy/TypeSystems.js';
 import { DiscoveryCompass, circleInView } from '../ui/DiscoveryCompass.js';
 import { ActionBar } from '../ui/ActionBar.js';
 import { MineralHud } from '../ui/MineralHud.js';
@@ -343,8 +344,46 @@ export class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
     // CURRENT SYSTEM only (the seed and the galaxy are untouched), so
     // everything downstream — the record, the contents, the worlds,
     // the gates, the tethers — builds for the demo system for free.
+    //
+    // THE WORLD PREVIEW (?type=<class>[-NN] / ss[-NN] — js/galaxy/
+    // TypeSystems.js): drop the run onto the richest system holding a
+    // world/station of the requested kind (a specific SHEET FACE when
+    // -NN names one — the face its landing clips + surface loop wear),
+    // and spawn the ship right beside it (below), so a landing puts the
+    // player on its surface for the videos/music. ?type= wins the system
+    // pick; when BOTH are given the world must live in a system of the
+    // ?fx= type (a preview under a chosen star's character), and a
+    // ?type= that finds nothing there falls back to the plain ?fx= demo.
     this.fxSystemType = this._readFxSystemType();
-    if (this.fxSystemType) {
+    this.typeSpec = this._readTypeSpec();
+    this.typeSpecRaw = this._typeSpecRaw;
+    this.typeTarget = null;
+    if (this.typeSpec) {
+      const pick = pickPreviewSystem(this.galaxy, this.typeSpec, this.fxSystemType);
+      if (pick) {
+        this.galaxy.currentSystemId = pick.record.id;
+        this.typeTarget = pick; // { record, ordinal|station, reskin }
+        if (pick.reskin) {
+          console.info(
+            `[orbit] ?type=${this.typeSpecRaw} — no world wears that exact face in this galaxy; ` +
+            `previewing it on ${pick.record.id}'s closest match (reskinned for the demo).`,
+          );
+        }
+      } else if (this.fxSystemType) {
+        console.warn(
+          `[orbit] ?type=${this.typeSpecRaw} — no world of that kind in a ${this.fxSystemType}-type system; falling back to the ?fx= demo.`,
+        );
+        const rec = pickFxSystem(this.galaxy, this.fxSystemType);
+        if (rec) this.galaxy.currentSystemId = rec.id;
+        else {
+          console.warn(`[orbit] ?fx=${this.fxSystemType} — no system of that type in this galaxy; starting as usual.`);
+          this.fxSystemType = null;
+        }
+      } else {
+        console.warn(`[orbit] ?type=${this.typeSpecRaw} — no world of that kind in this galaxy; starting as usual.`);
+        this.typeSpec = null;
+      }
+    } else if (this.fxSystemType) {
       const rec = pickFxSystem(this.galaxy, this.fxSystemType);
       if (rec) this.galaxy.currentSystemId = rec.id;
       else {
@@ -364,6 +403,23 @@ export class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
     this._freshRun = this._pendingRestore === null;
     this.systemRecord = this.galaxy.currentSystem();
     this.systemContent = this.galaxy.ensureContent(this.systemRecord.id);
+    // WORLD PREVIEW RESKIN (?type=<class>-NN whose face the galaxy wears
+    // nowhere — pick.reskin): paint the requested sheet frame on the
+    // target BEFORE its entities build (below) — the demo world wears
+    // the face, and its landing/surface clips + surface loop follow
+    // (data/landing.json / data/music.json index off the drawn frame).
+    if (this.typeTarget?.reskin && typeof this.typeSpec?.frame === 'number') {
+      const frame = this.typeSpec.frame;
+      if (this.typeTarget.station) {
+        const s = (this.systemContent.settlements ?? []).find((x) => x?.kind === 'deepSpaceStation');
+        if (s) s.stationFrame = frame;
+      } else if (this.typeTarget.ordinal === 0) {
+        this.systemContent.homeFrame = frame; // the home world (starting system)
+      } else {
+        const p = (this.systemContent.planets ?? [])[this.typeTarget.ordinal - 1];
+        if (p) p.frame = frame;
+      }
+    }
     // DEPLETED FIELDS — asteroid clusters the run has mined to nothing:
     // per-run world state, registry-backed like discovery/research
     // (js/save/SaveData.js). The galaxy's content regenerates from the
@@ -597,14 +653,31 @@ export class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
     }
     this.ship = new Ship(this, 0, 0);
     this.ship.setDepth(10);
-    const spawn = this.planet
-      ? this.planet.edgePoint(
+    // WORLD PREVIEW (?type=…): the ship starts beside the TARGET world
+    // (this._previewEntity — the planet/station the pick named), not
+    // the home world — the point is to land on it and judge its clips
+    // and surface loop. Same edge-to-edge hop as the home spawn, same
+    // seed-derived direction (same galaxy ⇒ same start).
+    const spawnBody = (this.typeTarget ? this._previewEntity() : null) ?? this.planet;
+    const spawn = spawnBody
+      ? spawnBody.edgePoint(
           Rng.derive(this.galaxy.seed, 'spawn', 'ship').range(0, Math.PI * 2),
           config.get('planets.spawnDistanceFromEdge', 150),
           this.ship.radius,
         )
       : { x: 0, y: 0 };
     this.ship.setPosition(spawn.x, spawn.y);
+    // DEV QA handle for the world preview (?type=…): what the boot named
+    // and where the ship was placed — inspect in the console.
+    if (typeof window !== 'undefined') {
+      window.__ORBIT_PREVIEW__ = {
+        typeSpec: this.typeSpec,
+        systemId: this.systemRecord?.id,
+        spawnBody: spawnBody ? spawnBody.discoveryName ?? spawnBody.label ?? null : null,
+        spawn: { x: Math.round(spawn.x), y: Math.round(spawn.y) },
+        ship: { x: Math.round(this.ship.x), y: Math.round(this.ship.y) },
+      };
+    }
 
     // Center the camera on the ship from the very first frame.
     this.cameras.main.setScroll(
@@ -1056,6 +1129,19 @@ export class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
       this.applyRestore(this._pendingRestore);
       this._pendingRestore = null;
     }
+    // WORLD PREVIEW (?type=…): the ship is parked at the TARGET world —
+    // anchor that world's first-landing tether (data/builds.json →
+    // tether-l1: free + instant, "the moment the player lands on a
+    // world") so the player's room to move is the world's rim — exactly
+    // the state a first landing leaves. Without it the ship would sit
+    // outside every tether (the other systems' gate tethers don't
+    // necessarily reach the target world) and the rim constraint would
+    // drag it back. Idempotent: the home world already hosts its home
+    // tether, and ensureLandingTether adopts existing fields.
+    if (this.typeTarget) {
+      const previewEntity = this._previewEntity();
+      if (previewEntity?.discoveryName) this.ensureLandingTether(previewEntity.discoveryName);
+    }
     // The starter quest — granted ONCE onto a fresh ledger (a loaded save's
     // ledger already holds whatever was granted back then — and give() is
     // idempotent, so a jump-cut restart that rebuilds this scene off the
@@ -1483,6 +1569,61 @@ export class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * The world preview's spec (js/galaxy/TypeSystems.js): read the
+   * `?type=` URL parameter (browser only — no-op in Node/tests) and
+   * parse it into a { kind, cls?, frame? } spec — a planet class
+   * (terran/rocky/gas/ice/lava) with an optional 1-based face ordinal
+   * (terran-02 = the 2nd face of the class's pool), or a station
+   * (ss / ss-NN variant). Absent → null (no preview); malformed →
+   * null (with a note — `this._typeSpecRaw` keeps the raw value for
+   * the message). Case-insensitive throughout.
+   *
+   * Examples: http://localhost:8080/?type=terran-01  …or  ?type=ss-02  …or  ?type=ice-03
+   *
+   * @returns {object | null} a parseTypeSpec() result, or null
+   */
+  _readTypeSpec() {
+    this._typeSpecRaw = null;
+    const loc = typeof globalThis !== 'undefined' ? globalThis.location : null;
+    if (!loc?.search) return null;
+    try {
+      const raw = new URLSearchParams(loc.search).get('type');
+      if (raw === null) return null;
+      this._typeSpecRaw = raw;
+      const spec = parseTypeSpec(raw);
+      if (!spec) {
+        const classes = Object.keys(config.get('planets.frames', {})).join('/');
+        console.warn(`[orbit] ?type=${raw} — unknown world (try ${classes} or -NN faces) or station (ss / ss-NN).`);
+      }
+      return spec;
+    } catch {
+      return null;
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * The world preview's TARGET entity (the planet/station the ship
+   * spawns beside) — resolved from this.typeTarget now that the
+   * system's entities exist. null = no preview target (or the entity
+   * is missing — the home-world spawn fallback applies).
+   */
+  _previewEntity() {
+    const t = this.typeTarget;
+    if (!t) return null;
+    if (t.station) {
+      // At most one deep-space station per system — match the entity
+      // to the settlement record by id (name-safe).
+      const rec = (this.systemContent?.settlements ?? []).find((s) => s?.kind === 'deepSpaceStation');
+      if (!rec) return null;
+      return (this.systemStations ?? []).find((s) => s.settlement?.id === rec.id) ?? null;
+    }
+    if (t.ordinal === 0) return this.planet ?? null; // the home world
+    const rec = (this.systemContent?.planets ?? [])[t.ordinal - 1];
+    if (!rec) return null;
+    return (this.systemPlanets ?? []).find((p) => p.discoveryName === rec.name) ?? null;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Top-left HUD: the current system's dossier — the system name, its
    * identity ("<Type> system · star <class>"), and its standing: faction