Updated Take-Off Video

- Remove the drawn slot icons (research/build/ship/menu/reserved) and their RGB ghost copies; keep the GlitchText split on labels and panel outline only.
- Center button text vertically and shrink the bar height from 92 to 56 px now that there is no icon row.
- Drop iconSize/iconY config and the drawIcon helper, and update README/comments to match the label-only design.

README.md

@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ layers now, with the rules and panels to come next:
   Six evenly spaced slots: **Research, Build, Ship, ·, ·, Menu**. The slots
   fire `onAction` and are otherwise inert; two slots are reserved. Dressed
   with the menu's CRT language — scanlines over the strip and the GlitchText
-  RGB pull-apart on icons, labels, and the panel outline during bursts. All
+  RGB pull-apart on labels and the panel outline during bursts. All
   layout, palette, and motion (boot flicker, rail comet, glitch bursts, RGB
   split, scanlines) live in the config.
 

data/actionbar.json

@@ -1,14 +1,13 @@
 {
   "_comment": "COMMAND DECK — the cyberpunk bar across the bottom of the screen (rendered by js/ui/ActionBar.js). Six evenly spaced slots: `buttons` is the ORDERED list — give a slot an `id` (the action it will fire) + `label` + `accent`, or leave both `null` for a reserved slot. Buttons currently fire `onAction` (see GameScene); the behavior behind them comes next. Everything visual is procedural (no image assets) and tunable here: layout in `height`/`margin`/`padding`/`button`, palette in `colors`, CRT scanlines in `scanline`, motion in `animation` (boot flicker, the rail comet, the glitch bursts, the RGB pull-apart).",
   "enabled": true,
-  "height": 92,
+  "height": 56,
   "margin": { "left": 20, "right": 20, "bottom": 12 },
   "padding": 16,
   "button": {
     "widthFactor": 0.72,
     "maxWidth": 190,
     "notch": 10,
-    "iconSize": 26,
     "fontSize": 14,
     "letterSpacing": 2.5
   },
@@ -39,7 +38,7 @@
   "animation": {
     "bootStagger": 70,
     "rgb": {
-      "_comment": "RGB pull-apart on icons/labels/panel (the menu title's GlitchText technique): idleOffset px of constant chromatic fringe, burstOffset extra px at full burst, idleAlpha/burstAlpha ghost strength.",
+      "_comment": "RGB pull-apart on labels/panel (the menu title's GlitchText technique): idleOffset px of constant chromatic fringe, burstOffset extra px at full burst, idleAlpha/burstAlpha ghost strength.",
       "idleOffset": 1.8,
       "burstOffset": 6,
       "idleAlpha": 0.4,

data/asteroids.json

@@ -1,17 +1,19 @@
 {
-  "_comment": "ASTEROID CLUSTERS — loose groups of slowly tumbling rocks drifting in the system's void. texture = spritesheet of frameWidth×frameHeight asteroid frames (frameCount frames). cluster = how a group looks & moves: groupSize = rocks per cluster (minFullSize guarantees at least one full-size rock), sizes = per-rock diameter px, spread = how far a rock may sit from the cluster center, spin = each rock's OWN very slow tumble (deg/s, direction per-rock random), groupSpin = the whole loose group drifts around its center (deg/s), tint = subtle warm/cool starlight per cluster (anchors blended toward white by strength), halo = soft glow behind the group, debris = a halo of fine dust motes orbiting just outside the rocks. distribution = how many clusters a system gets: targetObjects − planetCount, ±jitter, clamped to [minClusters, maxClusters] (more planets ⇒ fewer clusters); the starting system always gets at least startingSystemMinClusters, and those first ones are placed INSIDE the player's initial tether so they're reachable from the spawn. placement = where clusters may sit: minObjectSpacing = no cluster may be closer (center-to-center) than this to ANY other object (home world, planets, free-space stations, other clusters); minRadius/maxRadius = the annulus around the origin random clusters live in; tetherMargin = how far inside the tether rim a starting-system cluster must sit (whole group stays reachable). shipClearance = how close (edge-to-edge) the ship may get to a rock — clusters are solid, like worlds.",
+  "_comment": "ASTEROID CLUSTERS — loose groups of slowly tumbling rocks drifting in the system's void. texture = spritesheet of frameWidth×frameHeight asteroid frames (frameCount frames). cluster = how a group looks & moves: groupSize = rocks per cluster (minFullSize guarantees at least one full-size rock), sizes = per-rock diameter px, spread = how far a rock may sit from the cluster center, gapFactor = the small edge-gap between ANY two rocks, as a multiple of their combined radii (1.0 = touching, 1.12 = a subtle gap — the generator pushes apart just the overlapping pairs, each by half, so groups stay compact), spin = each rock's OWN very slow tumble (deg/s, direction per-rock random), groupSpin = the whole loose group drifts around its center (deg/s), tint = subtle warm/cool starlight per cluster (anchors blended toward white by strength), halo = soft glow behind the group, debris = a halo of fine dust motes orbiting just outside the rocks. distribution = how many clusters a system gets: targetObjects − planetCount, ±jitter, clamped to [minClusters, maxClusters] (more planets ⇒ fewer clusters); the starting system always gets at least startingSystemMinClusters, and those first ones are placed INSIDE the player's initial tether so they're reachable from the spawn. placement = where clusters may sit: minObjectSpacing = no cluster may be closer (center-to-center) than this to ANY other object (home world, planets, free-space stations, other clusters); minRadius/maxRadius = the annulus around the origin random clusters live in; tetherMargin = how far inside the tether rim a starting-system cluster must sit (whole group stays reachable). shipClearance = how close (edge-to-edge) the ship may get to a rock — clusters are solid, like worlds.",
   "enabled": true,
   "texture": "assets/images/asteroids.png",
   "frameWidth": 128,
   "frameHeight": 128,
   "frameCount": 10,
   "typeLabel": "Asteroid Cluster",
+  "compassColor": "#c8d2e0",
   "shipClearance": 50,
   "cluster": {
     "groupSize": { "min": 4, "max": 8 },
     "sizes": { "min": 64, "max": 128 },
     "minFullSize": 1,
     "spread": 140,
+    "gapFactor": 1.12,
     "spin": { "minDegPerSec": 0.3, "maxDegPerSec": 1.6 },
     "groupSpin": { "minDegPerSec": 0.12, "maxDegPerSec": 0.4 },
     "tint": {

dev/asteroids.test.mjs

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
  *     minus placement.tetherMargin);
  *   - GROUP SHAPE: 4–8 rocks, sizes in [64, 128], at least one full-size
  *     rock, frames in [0, frameCount) with NO frame twice in a cluster,
+ *     every rock pair keeps a gapFactor × (r1+r2) gap (no interpenetration),
  *     bound = max(offset + size/2);
  *   - SPACING: no cluster within 1024 px (center-to-center) of ANY other
  *     object — home world (origin), planets, free-space stations, other
@@ -163,6 +164,18 @@ for (const rec of sample) {
     if (Math.abs(bound - cl.bound) > 1e-9) {
       shapeOk = false; shapeWhy = `${rec.id}#${i}: bound ${cl.bound} ≠ max(offset + size/2) ${bound}`; break;
     }
+    // Rocks keep a small gap from each other: no pair closer than
+    // gapFactor × (r1 + r2) centers (the generator's relaxation contract).
+    const gap = Math.max(1, CL.gapFactor ?? 1.12);
+    outer: for (let ai = 0; ai < rocks.length; ai++) {
+      for (let bi = ai + 1; bi < rocks.length; bi++) {
+        const d = Math.hypot(rocks[ai].x - rocks[bi].x, rocks[ai].y - rocks[bi].y);
+        const need = gap * (rocks[ai].size / 2 + rocks[bi].size / 2);
+        if (d < need - 1e-6) {
+          shapeOk = false; shapeWhy = `${rec.id}#${i}: rocks ${ai}/${bi} ${d.toFixed(1)} px apart (< ${need.toFixed(1)} gap)`; break outer;
+        }
+      }
+    }
 
     // --- Motion ----------------------------------------------------------
     if (!rocks.every((r) => Math.abs(r.spin) >= spinMin - 1e-12 && Math.abs(r.spin) <= spinMax + 1e-12)) {
@@ -212,7 +225,7 @@ for (const rec of sample) {
 }
 
 check(`count: ${sample.length} systems obey targetObjects−planets (±jitter), clamped ${D.minClusters}–${D.maxClusters}${countOk ? '' : ' — ' + countWhy}`, countOk);
-check(`shape: groups of ${CL.groupSize.min}–${CL.groupSize.max}, sizes ${CL.sizes.min}–${CL.sizes.max}, ≥1 full-size, frames unique per cluster, bound correct${shapeOk ? '' : ' — ' + shapeWhy}`, shapeOk);
+check(`shape: groups of ${CL.groupSize.min}–${CL.groupSize.max}, sizes ${CL.sizes.min}–${CL.sizes.max}, ≥1 full-size, frames unique per cluster, rocks keep a ${CL.gapFactor ?? 1.12}× gap, bound correct${shapeOk ? '' : ' — ' + shapeWhy}`, shapeOk);
 check(`spacing: no cluster within ${P.minObjectSpacing} px (center-to-center) of ANY object (home, planets, stations, clusters)${spacingOk ? '' : ' — ' + spacingWhy}`, spacingOk);
 check(`scatter: every cluster inside the ${P.minRadius}–${P.maxRadius} annulus around the origin${annulusOk ? '' : ' — ' + annulusWhy}`, annulusOk);
 check(`motion: per-rock spins & group drifts within the slow-spin ranges${spinOk ? '' : ' — ' + spinWhy}`, spinOk);

js/galaxy/SystemGenerator.js

@@ -280,7 +280,9 @@ function layoutSystem(seed, systemId, planets, freeSpace) {
  *
  * A cluster is a GROUP of 4–8 rocks (data → cluster.groupSize), each 64–128
  * px (cluster.sizes) with at least one full-size rock, sitting within
- * `cluster.spread` of the cluster center. Every rock tumbles on its own
+ * `cluster.spread` of the cluster center, and kept a small gap apart from
+ * each other (cluster.gapFactor — the generator relaxes any overlap so no
+ * two rocks interpenetrate). Every rock tumbles on its own
  * slow spin (its own speed and direction — cluster.spin), and the whole
  * group drifts slowly around its center (cluster.groupSpin) — the render
  * (js/entities/AsteroidCluster.js) reads these straight off the record.
@@ -397,22 +399,19 @@ function generateAsteroidClusters(galaxy, record, planets, freeSpace) {
     const fullRocks = Math.min(Math.max(0, Math.floor(clusterCfg.minFullSize ?? 1)), memberCount);
     for (let k = 0; k < fullRocks; k++) sizes[rng.int(0, memberCount - 1)] = sizeMax;
 
-    // Offsets: a dense random blob around the center (slight overlap is
+    // Offsets: a dense random blob around the center (uniform in area),
-    // allowed — collision clusters look organic; solids never fully
+    // then a relaxation pass enforces a small gap between EVERY pair of
-    // interpenetrate, see the 0.75 factor).
+    // rocks (cluster.gapFactor — 1.12 ≈ a subtle gap): only pairs that
+    // would overlap move, each by half the shortfall, so the group keeps
+    // its random look and stays compact while no rocks interpenetrate.
+    const gapFactor = Math.max(1, clusterCfg.gapFactor ?? 1.12);
     const members = [];
     for (let k = 0; k < memberCount; k++) {
-      let ox = 0;
+      const a = rng.range(0, TAU);
-      let oy = 0;
+      const r = spread * Math.sqrt(rng.next()); // uniform in area
-      for (let attempt = 0; attempt < 24; attempt++) {
+      members.push({ x: Math.cos(a) * r, y: Math.sin(a) * r, size: sizes[k] });
-        const a = rng.range(0, TAU);
-        const r = spread * Math.sqrt(rng.next()); // uniform in area
-        ox = Math.cos(a) * r;
-        oy = Math.sin(a) * r;
-        if (members.every((m) => Math.hypot(ox - m.x, oy - m.y) >= 0.75 * (sizes[k] / 2 + m.size / 2))) break;
-      }
-      members.push({ x: ox, y: oy, size: sizes[k] });
     }
+    relaxRockGaps(members, gapFactor);
     const bound = Math.max(...members.map((m) => Math.hypot(m.x, m.y) + m.size / 2));
 
     // Spins: each rock tumbles on its own — its own slow speed, its own
@@ -512,6 +511,39 @@ function placeInAnnulus(rng, rMin, rMax, placed, minSep, maxAttempts) {
   return { x: best.x, y: best.y };
 }
 
+/**
+ * Enforce the generator's gap rule: after the pass, every pair of rocks is
+ * ≥ gapFactor × (r1 + r2) apart (centers) — a small visible edge-gap
+ * (1.0 = touching). Iterative pairwise separation: each violator moves half
+ * the shortfall, only violating pairs move (minimal displacement), and a
+ * few dozen sweeps settle any rock count. Fully deterministic (fixed pair
+ * order, fixed iteration cap).
+ */
+function relaxRockGaps(members, gapFactor, maxIter = 96) {
+  for (let it = 0; it < maxIter; it++) {
+    let worst = 0;
+    for (let i = 0; i < members.length; i++) {
+      for (let j = i + 1; j < members.length; j++) {
+        const a = members[i];
+        const b = members[j];
+        let dx = b.x - a.x;
+        let dy = b.y - a.y;
+        let d = Math.hypot(dx, dy);
+        const need = gapFactor * (a.size / 2 + b.size / 2);
+        if (d >= need) continue;
+        if (d < 1e-9) { dx = 1; dy = 0; d = 1; } // coincident: deterministic axis
+        const push = (need - d) / 2;
+        a.x -= (dx / d) * push;
+        a.y -= (dy / d) * push;
+        b.x += (dx / d) * push;
+        b.y += (dy / d) * push;
+        worst = Math.max(worst, need - d);
+      }
+    }
+    if (worst <= 1e-6) break;
+  }
+}
+
 /** The starting system's initial tether radius (home world's level). */
 function homeTetherRadius() {
   const level = Math.max(1, Math.floor(config.get('tether.homeLevel', 1)));

js/scenes/GameScene.js

@@ -544,6 +544,9 @@ export class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
         y: c.y,
         radius: c.bound,
         typeLabel: config.get('asteroids.typeLabel', 'Asteroid Cluster'),
+        // The compass shows clusters in their own light gray (not the
+        // worlds' neon cyan) — the arrow + name tag pick it up.
+        color: config.get('asteroids.compassColor', '#c8d2e0'),
         name: c.discoveryName,
       });
     }

js/ui/ActionBar.js

@@ -6,17 +6,16 @@ import { canvasTexture } from '../utils/Textures.js';
 import { CyberShape } from './CyberShape.js';
 
 const FONT_FALLBACK = "'Segoe UI', 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif";
-const DEG = Math.PI / 180;
 
 /**
  * COMMAND DECK — the cyberpunk action bar across the bottom of the screen:
  * a cut-corner console panel with an energy rail, six evenly spaced slot
- * buttons (drawn icons, RGB-split labels, per-slot accent colors), reserved
+ * buttons (label-only, per-slot accent rail on top, RGB-split labels),
- * "standby" slots, a rail comet that streaks past on a loop, periodic glitch
+ * reserved "standby" slots, a rail comet that streaks past on a loop, periodic glitch
  * bursts (slice bars + label jitter), and a boot flicker-in.
  * Dressed with the menu's CRT language: scanlines over the whole bar (the
  * same 1px-dark-row tile as CyberOverlay) and the GlitchText RGB pull-apart
- * on everything — icons, labels, and the panel outline itself on bursts.
+ * on labels and the panel outline itself on bursts.
  *
  * Everything is procedural — no image assets — and fully config-driven
  * (data/actionbar.json): slots, labels, accents, palette, and every
@@ -69,9 +68,7 @@ export class ActionBar extends Phaser.GameObjects.Container {
       slotBorder: toColor(ab.colors?.slotBorder, 0x22405f),
       reserved: toColor(ab.colors?.reserved, 0x3d4c74),
       inkCss: toCss(ab.colors?.text ?? '#eaf6ff'),
-      iconY: -12,
+      labelY: 0, // label-only buttons: the text is centred vertically
-      labelY: 16,
-      iconSize: bc.iconSize ?? 26,
     };
     // The menu's CRT scanline tuning (data/theme.json) is the default, so
     // the bar matches the menu unless actionbar.json overrides it.
@@ -212,8 +209,6 @@ export class ActionBar extends Phaser.GameObjects.Container {
     const letterSpacing = bc.letterSpacing ?? 2.5;
     const cyan = toCss('#00e5ff');
     const magenta = toCss('#ff2d6f');
-    const iconSize = this.style.iconSize;
-    const iconY = this.style.iconY;
 
     this.slots = buttons.map((b, i) => {
       const live = typeof b.id === 'string' && b.id.length > 0;
@@ -244,31 +239,7 @@ export class ActionBar extends Phaser.GameObjects.Container {
         _scaleTw: null,
       };
       s.panel = scene.add.graphics().setScrollFactor(0);
-      // RGB-split icon ghosts (the GlitchText technique on the menu title):
+      slot.add(s.panel);
-      // additive magenta/cyan copies of the drawn icon, moved per frame.
-      s.iconGhostM = scene
-        .add.graphics()
-        .setPosition(0, iconY)
-        .setScrollFactor(0)
-        .setBlendMode(Phaser.BlendModes.ADD)
-        .setAlpha(0);
-      s.iconGhostC = scene
-        .add.graphics()
-        .setPosition(0, iconY)
-        .setScrollFactor(0)
-        .setBlendMode(Phaser.BlendModes.ADD)
-        .setAlpha(0);
-      s.icon = scene.add.graphics().setPosition(0, iconY).setScrollFactor(0);
-      slot.add([s.panel, s.iconGhostM, s.iconGhostC, s.icon]);
-
-      // Drawn icon (accent for live slots, dim for reserved sockets) —
-      // live slots also get their ghost copies in the split colors.
-      const iconKind = live ? b.id : 'reserved';
-      drawIcon(s.icon, iconKind, iconSize, live ? s.accent : this.style.reserved);
-      if (live) {
-        drawIcon(s.iconGhostM, iconKind, iconSize, 0xff2d6f);
-        drawIcon(s.iconGhostC, iconKind, iconSize, 0x00e5ff);
-      }
 
       if (live) {
         const labelText = String(b.label ?? '').toUpperCase();
@@ -312,8 +283,8 @@ export class ActionBar extends Phaser.GameObjects.Container {
         s.panel.on('pointerout', () => this.setHover(s, false));
         s.panel.on('pointerdown', () => this.press(s));
       } else {
-        // Reserved socket: a standby dot that breathes in update().
+        // Reserved socket: a standby dot (centred) that breathes in update().
-        s.resDot = scene.add.circle(0, iconY, 1.6, this.style.reserved, 0.35).setScrollFactor(0);
+        s.resDot = scene.add.circle(0, 0, 1.6, this.style.reserved, 0.35).setScrollFactor(0);
         slot.add(s.resDot);
       }
 
@@ -509,7 +480,7 @@ export class ActionBar extends Phaser.GameObjects.Container {
 
   /**
    * Fire a glitch burst right now: slice bars across the deck, and the RGB
-   * split (level → 1, decays in update) on icons, labels, and the panel.
+   * split (level → 1, decays in update) on labels and the panel.
    */
   triggerBurst(duration = 300, intensity = 1) {
     const now = this.lastTime ?? this.scene.time.now;
@@ -620,7 +591,7 @@ export class ActionBar extends Phaser.GameObjects.Container {
     const flick = 0.6 + 0.4 * Math.sin(t * 3.3);
     const baseA = Math.min(1, rgb.idleAlpha * flick + L * rgb.burstAlpha);
 
-    // Slots: the menu's RGB pull-apart on icon + label — magenta left,
+    // Slots: the menu's RGB pull-apart on the label — magenta left,
     // cyan right (GlitchText's exact offsets), always a faint fringe at
     // idle, pulled apart + jittered during bursts; per-slot phase so the
     // six buttons don't shimmer in lockstep.
@@ -636,8 +607,6 @@ export class ActionBar extends Phaser.GameObjects.Container {
       const a = s.hoverOn ? Math.min(1, baseA + 0.25) : baseA;
       s.ghostMagenta.setAlpha(a).setPosition(-off + jx, this.style.labelY + jy * 0.5);
       s.ghostCyan.setAlpha(a * 0.95).setPosition(off * 0.85, this.style.labelY - off * 0.3 + jy);
-      s.iconGhostM.setAlpha(a * 0.8).setPosition(-off + jx, this.style.iconY + jy * 0.5);
-      s.iconGhostC.setAlpha(a * 0.75).setPosition(off * 0.85, this.style.iconY - off * 0.3 + jy);
     }
 
     // The bar itself: the panel outline pulled apart in magenta/cyan while
@@ -835,85 +804,3 @@ function drawBarBody(ctx, W, H, P, c) {
   corner(x - 3, y + h + 3, 1, -1);
   corner(x + w + 3, y + h + 3, -1, -1);
 }
-
-/**
- * The drawn slot icons — small, geometric, in the console's language.
- * Each icon is drawn centered on the icon Graphics' origin.
- */
-function drawIcon(g, id, size, color) {
-  const r = size * 0.44;
-  const glow = (lw) => g.lineStyle(lw, color, 0.25);
-
-  switch (id) {
-    case 'research': {
-      // Orbit: a ring with a lit trail, a satellite riding it, a core.
-      glow(4);
-      g.strokeCircle(0, 0, r);
-      g.lineStyle(1.5, color, 0.95);
-      g.strokeCircle(0, 0, r);
-      g.lineStyle(2, color, 0.5); // trail behind the satellite
-      g.beginPath();
-      g.arc(0, 0, r, -110 * DEG, -25 * DEG);
-      g.stroke();
-      const sa = -35 * DEG;
-      g.fillStyle(color, 1);
-      g.fillCircle(Math.cos(sa) * r, Math.sin(sa) * r, 2.6);
-      g.fillStyle(color, 0.9);
-      g.fillCircle(0, 0, 1.7);
-      break;
-    }
-
-    case 'build': {
-      // Isometric cube — construction.
-      const v = [0, -30, 30, 90, 150, 210].map((deg) => ({
-        x: Math.cos(deg * DEG) * r,
-        y: Math.sin(deg * DEG) * r,
-      }));
-      glow(4);
-      g.strokePoints(v, true);
-      g.lineStyle(1.5, color, 0.95);
-      g.strokePoints(v, true);
-      g.lineStyle(1.5, color, 0.8); // inner edges of the cube
-      g.lineBetween(0, 0, v[0].x, v[0].y);
-      g.lineBetween(0, 0, v[2].x, v[2].y);
-      g.lineBetween(0, 0, v[4].x, v[4].y);
-      break;
-    }
-
-    case 'ship': {
-      // Chevron arrow, nose up.
-      const pts = [
-        { x: 0, y: -r },
-        { x: r * 0.78, y: r * 0.62 },
-        { x: 0, y: r * 0.18 },
-        { x: -r * 0.78, y: r * 0.62 },
-      ];
-      glow(4);
-      g.strokePoints(pts, true);
-      g.lineStyle(1.5, color, 0.95);
-      g.strokePoints(pts, true);
-      break;
-    }
-
-    case 'menu': {
-      // Signal bars — slightly ragged widths, left-aligned.
-      g.fillStyle(color, 0.9);
-      g.fillRect(-r, -r * 0.75, r * 2, 2.4);
-      g.fillRect(-r, -1.2, r * 1.5, 2.4);
-      g.fillRect(-r, r * 0.75 - 2.4, r * 1.85, 2.4);
-      break;
-    }
-
-    default: {
-      // Reserved socket: a dim diamond — a slot waiting for a command.
-      const d = [
-        { x: 0, y: -7 },
-        { x: 7, y: 0 },
-        { x: 0, y: 7 },
-        { x: -7, y: 0 },
-      ];
-      g.lineStyle(1.2, color, 0.45);
-      g.strokePoints(d, true);
-    }
-  }
-}

js/ui/DiscoveryCompass.js

@@ -131,7 +131,10 @@ export class DiscoveryCompass extends Phaser.GameObjects.Container {
   makeEntry(t) {
     const scene = this.scene;
     const fam = fontStack('body', FONT_FALLBACK);
-    const neon = themeColor('neon', 0x00e5ff);
+    // Per-target accent: a target may carry its own color (asteroid
+    // clusters — data/asteroids.json → compassColor, light gray) and the
+    // arrow + chip use it; worlds keep the theme's neon cyan.
+    const neon = t.color ? toColor(t.color) : themeColor('neon', 0x00e5ff);
     const ink = themeColor('ink', 0xeaf6ff);
     const fill = toColor(config.get('theme.colors.panel', '#0a1120'));
     const typeLabel = (t.typeLabel ?? 'OBJECT').toUpperCase();
@@ -186,6 +189,7 @@ export class DiscoveryCompass extends Phaser.GameObjects.Container {
     // the __MISSING texture forever, even after the key is generated.
     ensureArrowTexture(scene);
     const arrow = scene.add.image(0, 0, ARROW_KEY);
+    arrow.setTint(neon); // the texture is baked white; tint per target
     arrow.setScrollFactor(0); // UI — pinned to the screen
     arrow.setDepth(40);
 
@@ -341,13 +345,15 @@ function separateAngles(entries, w, h, inset, minSep, cx, cy) {
 
 /**
  * The arrow glyph, generated once per game (procedural, no assets —
- * same pattern as Ship.ensureTexture). A neon chevron head with a soft
+ * same pattern as Ship.ensureTexture). A chevron head with a soft glow
- * glow pass over a dark fill, plus speed ticks streaming behind it.
+ * pass over a dark fill, plus speed ticks streaming behind it. Points +x
- * Points +x (angle 0); the tip sits 25 px right of the texture center.
+ * (angle 0); the tip sits 25 px right of the texture center. Baked WHITE
+ * — each arrow image is tinted per target (worlds = theme neon, asteroid
+ * clusters = their light gray).
  */
 function ensureArrowTexture(scene) {
   if (scene.textures.exists(ARROW_KEY)) return;
-  const neon = toColor(config.get('theme.colors.neon', '#00e5ff'));
+  const neon = 0xffffff; // white source; tinted per arrow (see makeEntry)
   const fill = toColor(config.get('theme.colors.panel', '#0a1120'));
   const W = 56;
   const H = 36;