From ed5a4379dbcd8beacde499f5c3a5fd8b2f0cfffa Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Andras Schmelczer <andras@schmelczer.dev>
Date: Thu, 21 May 2026 20:33:49 +0100
Subject: [PATCH] Optimise

---
 .forgejo/workflows/deploy.yml                 |  15 +-
 README.md                                     |   4 +-
 eslint.config.js                              |   2 +-
 index.html                                    |  20 +-
 package.json                                  |  12 +-
 public/manifest.webmanifest                   |   5 +
 src/audio/garden-audio-config.ts              |  24 +-
 src/audio/garden-audio-input.ts               |   5 +-
 src/audio/garden-audio.ts                     |   3 +-
 src/audio/generative-piano-tuning.ts          |  36 +-
 src/audio/generative-piano.ts                 |  24 +-
 src/audio/piano-sampler.ts                    |  20 +-
 src/config.ts                                 |   7 +-
 src/config/default-settings.ts                |   2 +-
 src/config/normalize-runtime-settings.ts      |  46 +++
 src/config/runtime-controls.ts                |  36 +-
 src/config/types.ts                           |  17 +-
 src/config/vibe-presets.ts                    | 311 +++++++++++-------
 src/consts.ts                                 |   3 -
 src/game-loop/agent-population.test.ts        | 166 ++++++++++
 src/game-loop/agent-population.ts             | 153 ++++++---
 src/game-loop/export-snapshot-renderer.ts     |   6 +-
 src/game-loop/game-loop-resources.ts          |  20 +-
 src/game-loop/game-loop.ts                    |  36 +-
 src/game-loop/gpu-profiler.ts                 |  35 +-
 src/game-loop/intro-title-agents.ts           |  21 +-
 src/game-loop/perf-stats-overlay.ts           |   3 +-
 src/game-loop/pointer-input.ts                |  14 +-
 src/game-loop/simulation-textures.ts          |  19 +-
 src/game-loop/toolbar-contrast-monitor.ts     |   5 +-
 src/index.ts                                  |  61 ++--
 src/page/audio-control.ts                     |  40 +--
 src/page/config-pane.ts                       | 103 ++----
 src/page/eraser-size-control.ts               |  36 +-
 src/page/full-screen-handler.ts               |  20 +-
 src/page/mirror-segment-control.ts            |  38 +--
 src/page/palette-control.ts                   |  30 +-
 src/page/splash-screen.ts                     |  17 +-
 src/pipelines/agents/agent-dispatch.ts        |  17 +-
 .../agent-generation/agent-compaction.wgsl    |  47 ++-
 .../agent-generation-pipeline.ts              |  53 ++-
 .../agents/agent-generation/agent-resize.wgsl |   2 +-
 .../agents/agent-generation/agent-schema.wgsl |   2 +-
 src/pipelines/agents/agent-limits.ts          |  43 ++-
 src/pipelines/agents/agent-pipeline.ts        |  37 +--
 src/pipelines/agents/agent.wgsl               |  82 +----
 src/pipelines/brush/brush-pipeline.ts         |  13 +-
 src/pipelines/brush/brush.wgsl                |  21 +-
 src/pipelines/common-state/common-state.ts    |  18 +-
 src/pipelines/common/line-segment.wgsl        |   7 +-
 src/pipelines/diffusion/diffuse.wgsl          | 106 +++---
 src/pipelines/diffusion/diffusion-pipeline.ts |  22 +-
 src/pipelines/eraser/eraser-agent-pipeline.ts |  26 +-
 src/pipelines/eraser/eraser-agent.wgsl        |   8 +-
 .../eraser/eraser-texture-pipeline.ts         |  20 +-
 src/pipelines/eraser/eraser-texture.wgsl      |   4 +-
 src/pipelines/render/render-pipeline.ts       |  47 +--
 src/pipelines/render/render.wgsl              |  61 +---
 src/pipelines/texture-formats.ts              |   2 +
 src/settings.ts                               |  65 +++-
 src/style/_app-shell.scss                     |   8 +-
 src/style/_config-pane.scss                   |  33 +-
 src/style/_loading.scss                       |  38 ++-
 src/style/toolbar/_buttons.scss               |   6 +-
 src/style/toolbar/_garden-controls.scss       |   2 +-
 src/style/toolbar/_layout.scss                |   2 +-
 src/style/toolbar/_responsive.scss            |   4 +-
 src/style/toolbar/_shared.scss                |   3 +-
 src/utils/delta-time-calculator.ts            |  11 +-
 src/utils/dom.ts                              |  37 ---
 .../graphics/cached-buffer-write.test.ts      |  38 +++
 src/utils/graphics/cached-buffer-write.ts     |  40 ++-
 src/utils/graphics/initialize-context.ts      |  12 +-
 src/utils/graphics/noise.ts                   |  25 +-
 src/utils/graphics/resizable-texture.ts       |  16 +-
 vite.config.ts                                |  13 +-
 76 files changed, 1418 insertions(+), 988 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 src/config/normalize-runtime-settings.ts
 create mode 100644 src/game-loop/agent-population.test.ts
 create mode 100644 src/pipelines/texture-formats.ts
 create mode 100644 src/utils/graphics/cached-buffer-write.test.ts

diff --git a/.forgejo/workflows/deploy.yml b/.forgejo/workflows/deploy.yml
index 0c52ecd..3bb5949 100644
--- a/.forgejo/workflows/deploy.yml
+++ b/.forgejo/workflows/deploy.yml
@@ -29,18 +29,15 @@ jobs:
           npm ci
           npx playwright install --with-deps chromium
 
-      - name: Lint
-        run: npm run lint:check
-
-      - name: Typecheck
-        run: |
-          npm run unused:check
-          npm run typecheck
-          npm run typecheck:e2e
-
       - name: Test
         run: |
+          npm run lint:check
+          npm run typecheck
+          npm run typecheck:e2e
           npm test
+
+      - name: Test E2E
+        run: |
           npm run test:e2e
 
       - name: Upload Playwright report
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 77909bc..ec6f5d7 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -9,6 +9,6 @@ Check out the [agent logic](./src/pipelines/agents/agent.wgsl).
 ## Testing
 
 - `npm test` runs the Vitest unit suite.
-- `npm run test:e2e` builds the production bundle and runs the Playwright Chromium
-  smoke test.
+- `npm run test:e2e` runs the Playwright Chromium smoke test. The Playwright
+  config builds the production bundle before serving it.
 - `npx playwright install chromium` installs the local browser binary when needed.
diff --git a/eslint.config.js b/eslint.config.js
index d6ef9c4..db8b127 100644
--- a/eslint.config.js
+++ b/eslint.config.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import js from '@eslint/js';
-import tseslint from 'typescript-eslint';
 import prettierConfig from 'eslint-config-prettier';
 import globals from 'globals';
+import tseslint from 'typescript-eslint';
 
 export default tseslint.config(
   {
diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index 25ae55e..fadc28f 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -88,14 +88,14 @@
       <div class="garden-prompt" aria-live="polite"></div>
 
       <div class="loading-indicator" role="status">
-        <div class="splash">
+        <div class="splash" data-visible="true">
           <h1 class="splash-title">Fleeting Garden</h1>
           <p class="splash-description">
             Tend it while you can. The garden returns to weather either way.
           </p>
           <button class="start-button" type="button" disabled>Start</button>
         </div>
-        <div class="loading-bar" hidden>
+        <div class="loading-bar" data-visible="false" aria-hidden="true" inert>
           <div class="loading-status">Starting up&hellip;</div>
           <div
             class="loading-progress"
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@
 
         <div class="toolbar-shell">
           <section class="garden-controls" aria-label="Garden controls">
-            <div class="swatches" aria-label="Drawing colours">
+            <div class="swatches" role="group" aria-label="Drawing colours">
               <button
                 class="color-swatch"
                 aria-label="Draw colour 1"
@@ -193,24 +193,21 @@
         <nav class="buttons" aria-label="App controls">
           <button
             class="info"
+            data-control="info"
             aria-label="About"
             aria-controls="info-panel"
             aria-expanded="false"
             title="About"
           ></button>
           <button
-            class="maximize-full-screen"
+            class="full-screen-toggle"
+            data-control="full-screen"
             aria-label="Enter fullscreen"
             title="Enter fullscreen"
           ></button>
-          <button
-            class="minimize-full-screen"
-            aria-label="Exit fullscreen"
-            hidden
-            title="Exit fullscreen"
-          ></button>
           <button
             class="settings"
+            data-control="settings"
             aria-label="Show config overlay"
             aria-expanded="false"
             title="Show config overlay"
@@ -218,6 +215,7 @@
           <div class="audio-control">
             <button
               class="sound"
+              data-control="sound"
               aria-label="Mute audio"
               aria-pressed="false"
               title="Mute audio"
@@ -228,12 +226,14 @@
           </div>
           <button
             class="export-4k"
+            data-control="export"
             aria-label="Download internal buffer snapshot"
             title="Download internal buffer snapshot"
           ></button>
           <span class="export-status" aria-live="polite"></span>
           <button
             class="restart"
+            data-control="restart"
             aria-label="Restart simulation"
             title="Restart simulation"
           ></button>
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 4a6d8f7..b8cbfec 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -8,15 +8,15 @@
     "dev": "vite --host 0.0.0.0",
     "build": "vite build",
     "preview": "vite preview",
-    "lint:check": "eslint \"src/**/*.ts\" && npm run unused:check",
-    "lint:fix": "eslint --fix \"src/**/*.ts\"",
-    "format": "prettier --write \"index.html\" \"src/**/*.{ts,scss,json,html}\" \"e2e/**/*.ts\" \".forgejo/workflows/*.yml\" \"*.{json,js,ts,md}\" \".prettierrc\"",
-    "format:check": "prettier --check \"index.html\" \"src/**/*.{ts,scss,json,html}\" \"e2e/**/*.ts\" \".forgejo/workflows/*.yml\" \"*.{json,js,ts,md}\" \".prettierrc\"",
+    "lint:check": "eslint . && npm run unused:check",
+    "lint:fix": "eslint . --fix",
+    "format": "prettier --write \"index.html\" \"public/manifest.webmanifest\" \"src/**/*.{ts,scss,json,html}\" \"e2e/**/*.ts\" \".forgejo/workflows/*.yml\" \"*.{json,js,ts,md}\" \".prettierrc\"",
+    "format:check": "prettier --check \"index.html\" \"public/manifest.webmanifest\" \"src/**/*.{ts,scss,json,html}\" \"e2e/**/*.ts\" \".forgejo/workflows/*.yml\" \"*.{json,js,ts,md}\" \".prettierrc\"",
     "typecheck": "tsc --noEmit",
     "typecheck:e2e": "tsc --noEmit --project tsconfig.playwright.json",
     "test": "vitest run",
-    "test:e2e": "npm run build && playwright test",
-    "test:e2e:ui": "npm run build && playwright test --ui",
+    "test:e2e": "playwright test",
+    "test:e2e:ui": "playwright test --ui",
     "test:watch": "vitest",
     "unused:check": "knip --production --files --dependencies && knip --exports --include-entry-exports",
     "generate-icons": "pwa-assets-generator"
diff --git a/public/manifest.webmanifest b/public/manifest.webmanifest
index c61d444..54a6042 100644
--- a/public/manifest.webmanifest
+++ b/public/manifest.webmanifest
@@ -13,6 +13,11 @@
       "sizes": "any",
       "type": "image/svg+xml"
     },
+    {
+      "src": "pwa-64x64.png",
+      "sizes": "64x64",
+      "type": "image/png"
+    },
     {
       "src": "pwa-192x192.png",
       "sizes": "192x192",
diff --git a/src/audio/garden-audio-config.ts b/src/audio/garden-audio-config.ts
index 7fb3c3b..d5c8d70 100644
--- a/src/audio/garden-audio-config.ts
+++ b/src/audio/garden-audio-config.ts
@@ -22,12 +22,22 @@ export interface GardenAudioVibeProfile extends GardenAudioVibeSettings {
   progression: Array<GardenAudioChord>;
 }
 
+export const defaultGardenAudioVibeSettings: GardenAudioVibeSettings = {
+  idleIntensity: 0.08,
+  bpm: 74,
+  rampUpIntensity: 0.85,
+  rampUpTime: 0.08,
+  noteLength: 0.42,
+  notePitchOffset: 0,
+  brightness: 1,
+};
+
 export const createGardenAudioConfig = () => ({
   masterVolume: DEFAULT_AUDIO_VOLUME,
   fadeInSeconds: 0.45,
   updateRampSeconds: 0.08,
   delay: {
-    timeSeconds: 0.46,
+    timeSeconds: 0.405,
     feedback: 0.12,
     wetGain: 0.044,
     erasingActivity: 0.12,
@@ -43,9 +53,9 @@ export const createGardenAudioConfig = () => ({
     maxVoices: 24,
     gain: 0.48,
     sustainSeconds: 0.42,
-    sustainLevel: 0.32,
-    releaseSeconds: 0.24,
-    lowpassHz: 7600,
+    sustainLevel: 0.26,
+    releaseSeconds: 0.34,
+    lowpassHz: 7000,
     gainAttackSeconds: 0.006,
     lowpassMaxHz: 12000,
     lowpassMinHz: 1400,
@@ -53,8 +63,8 @@ export const createGardenAudioConfig = () => ({
     sustainVelocityRange: 0.55,
   },
   rhythm: {
-    idleIntensity: 0.08,
-    bpm: 74,
+    idleIntensity: defaultGardenAudioVibeSettings.idleIntensity,
+    bpm: defaultGardenAudioVibeSettings.bpm,
     stepsPerBeat: 4,
     stepsPerBar: 16,
     sparseActivity: 0.055,
@@ -69,9 +79,7 @@ export const createGardenAudioConfig = () => ({
     pianoActivity: 0,
   },
   energy: {
-    attackSeconds: 0.08,
     decaySeconds: 0.9,
-    immediateActivityScale: 0.85,
     releaseSeconds: 1.15,
     strokeDecaySeconds: 0.32,
   },
diff --git a/src/audio/garden-audio-input.ts b/src/audio/garden-audio-input.ts
index aa0e34a..4c67507 100644
--- a/src/audio/garden-audio-input.ts
+++ b/src/audio/garden-audio-input.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,10 @@ export const getStrokeMetrics = (stroke: GardenAudioStroke): GardenAudioStrokeMe
   const dy = stroke.to[1] - stroke.from[1];
   const distancePixels = Math.hypot(dx, dy);
   const elapsedSeconds = Math.max(minElapsedSeconds, stroke.elapsedSeconds ?? 0);
-  const normalizationPixels = Math.max(1, Math.min(stroke.canvasSize[0], stroke.canvasSize[1]));
+  const normalizationPixels = Math.max(
+    1,
+    Math.min(stroke.canvasSize[0], stroke.canvasSize[1])
+  );
   const normalizedDistance = distancePixels / normalizationPixels;
 
   return {
diff --git a/src/audio/garden-audio.ts b/src/audio/garden-audio.ts
index 951268b..fa92c10 100644
--- a/src/audio/garden-audio.ts
+++ b/src/audio/garden-audio.ts
@@ -260,11 +260,10 @@ export class GardenAudio {
   }
 
   public stroke(stroke: GardenAudioStroke): void {
-    if (this.lifecycle === 'destroyed' || this.isMuted) {
+    if (this.lifecycle !== 'started' || this.isMuted) {
       return;
     }
 
-    this.start(stroke.vibe);
     const context = this.graph.context;
     if (!context) {
       return;
diff --git a/src/audio/generative-piano-tuning.ts b/src/audio/generative-piano-tuning.ts
index 701d846..185cbee 100644
--- a/src/audio/generative-piano-tuning.ts
+++ b/src/audio/generative-piano-tuning.ts
@@ -207,8 +207,8 @@ export const generativePianoTuning: GenerativePianoTuning = {
     },
     {
       midiMin: 62,
-      midiMax: 81,
-      preferredMidi: 72,
+      midiMax: 78,
+      preferredMidi: 70,
       pan: 0.18,
       scaleDegrees: [2, 3, 4, 6],
     },
@@ -254,10 +254,10 @@ export const generativePianoTuning: GenerativePianoTuning = {
     expressionMultiplier: 0.9,
   },
   padChord: {
-    velocities: [0.052, 0.041, 0.033],
-    expressionVelocityWeight: 0.02,
+    velocities: [0.046, 0.036, 0.029],
+    expressionVelocityWeight: 0.018,
     delaySend: 0.008,
-    lowpassExpressionWeight: 0.28,
+    lowpassExpressionWeight: 0.24,
   },
   supportNote: {
     velocityBase: 0.105,
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ export const generativePianoTuning: GenerativePianoTuning = {
   brushStream: {
     inferredManiaThreshold: 0.82,
     inferredManiaRange: 0.18,
-    registerManiaShift: 0.45,
+    registerManiaShift: 0.3,
     chordToneEverySteps: 4,
     durationBaseSeconds: 0.48,
     durationIntensitySeconds: 0.08,
@@ -329,22 +329,22 @@ export const generativePianoTuning: GenerativePianoTuning = {
     delaySendMin: 0.006,
     delaySendMax: 0.032,
     velocityBase: 0.1,
-    velocityIntensityWeight: 0.13,
+    velocityIntensityWeight: 0.1,
     lowpassBaseExpression: 0.39,
     lowpassIntensityWeight: 0.48,
     lowpassManiaWeight: 0.18,
-    intenseThreshold: 0.62,
+    intenseThreshold: 0.68,
     activeThreshold: 0.34,
   },
   brushStreamEcho: {
-    maniaThreshold: 0.86,
-    stepModulo: 2,
+    maniaThreshold: 0.92,
+    stepModulo: 3,
     stepRemainder: 1,
     intensityThreshold: 0.95,
     octaveSemitones: 12,
-    maxMidi: 88,
-    velocityBase: 0.045,
-    velocityIntensityWeight: 0.05,
+    maxMidi: 84,
+    velocityBase: 0.035,
+    velocityIntensityWeight: 0.04,
     durationMinSeconds: 0.11,
     durationScale: 0.68,
     panScale: -0.75,
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ export const generativePianoTuning: GenerativePianoTuning = {
     lowOffset: -1,
   },
   registerBias: {
-    maniaShiftSemitones: 4,
+    maniaShiftSemitones: 2,
     midiMin: 36,
     midiMaxForMin: 86,
     minimumSpan: 4,
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ export const generativePianoTuning: GenerativePianoTuning = {
   lowpass: {
     midiBase: 48,
     midiRange: 33,
-    midiLiftHz: 720,
+    midiLiftHz: 500,
     expressionBase: 0.58,
     expressionWeight: 0.32,
   },
@@ -396,16 +396,16 @@ export const generativePianoTuning: GenerativePianoTuning = {
   strokeAccentMinSteps: 12,
   strokeAccentThreshold: 0.58,
   maxBrushPhraseLayers: 3,
-  maxBrushStreamNotesPerBar: 9,
+  maxBrushStreamNotesPerBar: 7,
   brushLayerBaseSeconds: 5.5,
   brushLayerEnergySeconds: 2.5,
   brushLayerMinIntensity: 0.12,
   brushStreamIdleIntervalBeats: 2,
   brushStreamActiveIntervalBeats: 1,
-  brushStreamIntenseIntervalBeats: 0.5,
+  brushStreamIntenseIntervalBeats: 0.75,
   brushMotifMaxSteps: 8,
   brushMotifCanonDelaySeconds: 0.055,
-  padDurationBarScale: 0.46,
+  padDurationBarScale: 0.82,
 };
 
 export const styleVoices: [
diff --git a/src/audio/generative-piano.ts b/src/audio/generative-piano.ts
index 49f469f..e2505c5 100644
--- a/src/audio/generative-piano.ts
+++ b/src/audio/generative-piano.ts
@@ -196,7 +196,8 @@ export class GenerativePianoEngine {
 
     if (
       this.isWaitingForGestureAccent &&
-      now - this.lastGestureAccentAt >= generativePianoTuning.gestureAccentMinIntervalSeconds
+      now - this.lastGestureAccentAt >=
+        generativePianoTuning.gestureAccentMinIntervalSeconds
     ) {
       this.recordTouchDown({
         vibe,
@@ -554,7 +555,9 @@ export class GenerativePianoEngine {
     const chordIntervals = getChordIntervals(chord, false);
     const degrees = this.rotate(
       pool.scaleDegrees,
-      Math.round(strength * generativePianoTuning.gestureAccent.rotationStrengthMultiplier)
+      Math.round(
+        strength * generativePianoTuning.gestureAccent.rotationStrengthMultiplier
+      )
     );
 
     const midi = this.chooseMidi(
@@ -705,7 +708,9 @@ export class GenerativePianoEngine {
     );
     layer.motifOffsets.push(this.getMotifOffset(strength));
     if (layer.motifOffsets.length > generativePianoTuning.brushMotifMaxSteps) {
-      layer.motifOffsets = layer.motifOffsets.slice(-generativePianoTuning.brushMotifMaxSteps);
+      layer.motifOffsets = layer.motifOffsets.slice(
+        -generativePianoTuning.brushMotifMaxSteps
+      );
     }
   }
 
@@ -789,7 +794,9 @@ export class GenerativePianoEngine {
     const chordIntervals = getChordIntervals(chord, false);
     const rootMidi = profile.rootMidi + chord.rootOffset;
     const useChordTone =
-      this.brushStreamNoteIndex % generativePianoTuning.brushStream.chordToneEverySteps === 0;
+      this.brushStreamNoteIndex %
+        generativePianoTuning.brushStream.chordToneEverySteps ===
+      0;
     const source = useChordTone
       ? {
           baseMidi: rootMidi,
@@ -897,7 +904,8 @@ export class GenerativePianoEngine {
         layer.energy *
         this.getBrushPhraseFade(layer, startTime) *
         (generativePianoTuning.brushPhrase.layerIntensityBase +
-          layer.maniaAmount * generativePianoTuning.brushPhrase.layerIntensityManiaWeight),
+          layer.maniaAmount *
+            generativePianoTuning.brushPhrase.layerIntensityManiaWeight),
     }));
     const dominant = layerStates.reduce<{
       layer: BrushPhraseLayer;
@@ -1073,7 +1081,8 @@ export class GenerativePianoEngine {
     }
 
     return (
-      barIndex % generativePianoTuning.supportBarSpacing === generativePianoTuning.supportBarOffset
+      barIndex % generativePianoTuning.supportBarSpacing ===
+      generativePianoTuning.supportBarOffset
     );
   }
 
@@ -1136,7 +1145,8 @@ export class GenerativePianoEngine {
   ): number {
     const midiLift =
       clamp01(
-        (midi - generativePianoTuning.lowpass.midiBase) / generativePianoTuning.lowpass.midiRange
+        (midi - generativePianoTuning.lowpass.midiBase) /
+          generativePianoTuning.lowpass.midiRange
       ) * generativePianoTuning.lowpass.midiLiftHz;
     return clamp(
       this.config.piano.lowpassHz *
diff --git a/src/audio/piano-sampler.ts b/src/audio/piano-sampler.ts
index a8b7110..1960b3b 100644
--- a/src/audio/piano-sampler.ts
+++ b/src/audio/piano-sampler.ts
@@ -7,8 +7,6 @@ import { getLoadedPianoSamples, loadPianoSamples } from './piano-samples';
 
 export const PIANO_SCHEDULE_AHEAD_SECONDS = 0.002;
 
-type PianoLoadState = 'idle' | 'loading' | 'loaded';
-
 interface ActivePianoVoice {
   gain: GainNode;
   source: AudioScheduledSourceNode;
@@ -27,7 +25,6 @@ const pianoSamplerTuning = {
 };
 
 export class PianoSampler {
-  private loadState: PianoLoadState = 'idle';
   private samples: Array<LoadedPianoSample> = [];
   private activeVoices: Array<ActivePianoVoice> = [];
 
@@ -37,27 +34,19 @@ export class PianoSampler {
   ) {}
 
   public load(context: BaseAudioContext): Promise<void> {
-    if (this.loadState === 'loaded') {
+    if (this.samples.length > 0) {
       return Promise.resolve();
     }
 
     const loadedSamples = getLoadedPianoSamples();
     if (loadedSamples) {
       this.setSamples(loadedSamples);
-      this.loadState = 'loaded';
       return Promise.resolve();
     }
 
-    this.loadState = 'loading';
-    return loadPianoSamples(context)
-      .then((samples) => {
-        this.setSamples(samples);
-        this.loadState = 'loaded';
-      })
-      .catch((error) => {
-        this.loadState = 'idle';
-        throw error;
-      });
+    return loadPianoSamples(context).then((samples) => {
+      this.setSamples(samples);
+    });
   }
 
   public play({
@@ -154,7 +143,6 @@ export class PianoSampler {
   }
 
   public reset(): void {
-    this.loadState = 'idle';
     this.samples = [];
     this.activeVoices = [];
   }
diff --git a/src/config.ts b/src/config.ts
index e9dab15..d458f1e 100644
--- a/src/config.ts
+++ b/src/config.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@ import type { GardenAppConfig } from './config/types';
 import { defaultVibeId, vibePresets } from './config/vibe-presets';
 import { APP_STORAGE_KEYS, DEFAULT_AUDIO_VOLUME } from './consts';
 
+export {
+  normalizeNumberControlValue,
+  normalizeRuntimeSettings,
+} from './config/normalize-runtime-settings';
+
 export type {
   GardenAppConfig,
   GardenRuntimeSettings,
@@ -107,8 +112,6 @@ export const appConfig = {
     stroke: {
       densityMultiplier: 110,
       maxAgentCount: 2_400,
-      minAgentCount: 140,
-      minSegmentLengthPx: 1,
     },
   },
   storage: {
diff --git a/src/config/default-settings.ts b/src/config/default-settings.ts
index a1ee786..033a723 100644
--- a/src/config/default-settings.ts
+++ b/src/config/default-settings.ts
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ const computeDefaultInternalRenderAreaMegapixels = (): number => {
   const dpr = Math.min(Math.max(rawDpr, 1), DEFAULT_DEVICE_PIXEL_RATIO_CAP);
   const cssWidth = typeof window !== 'undefined' ? window.innerWidth : 1920;
   const cssHeight = typeof window !== 'undefined' ? window.innerHeight : 1080;
-  const cssMegapixels = Math.max(cssWidth, 1) * Math.max(cssHeight, 1) / 1_000_000;
+  const cssMegapixels = (Math.max(cssWidth, 1) * Math.max(cssHeight, 1)) / 1_000_000;
   return Math.min(
     INTERNAL_RENDER_AREA_BOUNDS.max,
     Math.max(INTERNAL_RENDER_AREA_BOUNDS.min, dpr * dpr * cssMegapixels)
diff --git a/src/config/normalize-runtime-settings.ts b/src/config/normalize-runtime-settings.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ec4dcf5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/config/normalize-runtime-settings.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+import type {
+  GardenAppConfig,
+  GardenRuntimeSettings,
+  NumberControlConfig,
+} from './types';
+
+type RuntimeSettingControls = GardenAppConfig['runtimeSettings']['controls'];
+
+export const normalizeNumberControlValue = (
+  value: number,
+  config: NumberControlConfig
+): number => {
+  if (config.options) {
+    const optionValues = Object.values(config.options);
+    if (optionValues.includes(value)) {
+      return value;
+    }
+    return optionValues.includes(0) ? 0 : (optionValues[0] ?? config.min ?? 0);
+  }
+
+  const min = config.min ?? Number.NEGATIVE_INFINITY;
+  const max = config.max ?? Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY;
+  const fallbackValue = config.min ?? 0;
+  const finiteValue = Number.isFinite(value) ? value : fallbackValue;
+  const clampedValue = Math.min(max, Math.max(min, finiteValue));
+  return config.integer ? Math.round(clampedValue) : clampedValue;
+};
+
+export const normalizeRuntimeSettings = (
+  settings: GardenRuntimeSettings,
+  controls: RuntimeSettingControls
+): GardenRuntimeSettings => {
+  const normalized = { ...settings };
+
+  (
+    Object.entries(controls) as Array<
+      [keyof GardenRuntimeSettings, NumberControlConfig | undefined]
+    >
+  ).forEach(([key, config]) => {
+    if (config) {
+      normalized[key] = normalizeNumberControlValue(normalized[key], config);
+    }
+  });
+
+  return normalized;
+};
diff --git a/src/config/runtime-controls.ts b/src/config/runtime-controls.ts
index 8962456..a839746 100644
--- a/src/config/runtime-controls.ts
+++ b/src/config/runtime-controls.ts
@@ -6,15 +6,15 @@ const formatRadiansAsDegrees = (value: number): string =>
   `${Math.round((value * 180) / Math.PI)} deg`;
 
 export const runtimeControls: GardenAppConfig['runtimeSettings']['controls'] = {
-  color1ToColor1: colorInteractionControl('Primary Follows Primary'),
-  color1ToColor2: colorInteractionControl('Primary Follows Secondary'),
-  color1ToColor3: colorInteractionControl('Primary Follows Accent'),
-  color2ToColor1: colorInteractionControl('Secondary Follows Primary'),
-  color2ToColor2: colorInteractionControl('Secondary Follows Secondary'),
-  color2ToColor3: colorInteractionControl('Secondary Follows Accent'),
-  color3ToColor1: colorInteractionControl('Accent Follows Primary'),
-  color3ToColor2: colorInteractionControl('Accent Follows Secondary'),
-  color3ToColor3: colorInteractionControl('Accent Follows Accent'),
+  color1ToColor1: colorInteractionControl('Color 1 Follows Color 1'),
+  color1ToColor2: colorInteractionControl('Color 1 Follows Color 2'),
+  color1ToColor3: colorInteractionControl('Color 1 Follows Color 3'),
+  color2ToColor1: colorInteractionControl('Color 2 Follows Color 1'),
+  color2ToColor2: colorInteractionControl('Color 2 Follows Color 2'),
+  color2ToColor3: colorInteractionControl('Color 2 Follows Color 3'),
+  color3ToColor1: colorInteractionControl('Color 3 Follows Color 1'),
+  color3ToColor2: colorInteractionControl('Color 3 Follows Color 2'),
+  color3ToColor3: colorInteractionControl('Color 3 Follows Color 3'),
 
   brushSize: {
     folder: 'Brush',
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ export const runtimeControls: GardenAppConfig['runtimeSettings']['controls'] = {
   },
   spawnPerPixel: {
     folder: 'Brush',
-    label: 'Agent Density',
+    label: 'Density',
     min: 0.01,
     max: 1,
     step: 0.001,
@@ -39,28 +39,28 @@ export const runtimeControls: GardenAppConfig['runtimeSettings']['controls'] = {
     step: 0.01,
   },
   sensorOffsetDistance: {
-    folder: 'Agents',
+    folder: 'Movement',
     label: 'Sensor Reach',
     min: 0,
     max: 200,
     step: 1,
   },
   moveSpeed: {
-    folder: 'Agents',
+    folder: 'Movement',
     label: 'Travel Speed',
     min: 10,
     max: 500,
     step: 1,
   },
   turnSpeed: {
-    folder: 'Agents',
+    folder: 'Movement',
     label: 'Turning Speed',
     min: 1,
     max: 200,
     step: 1,
   },
   forwardRotationScale: {
-    folder: 'Agents',
+    folder: 'Movement',
     format: formatPercent,
     label: 'Forward Focus',
     min: 0,
@@ -68,21 +68,21 @@ export const runtimeControls: GardenAppConfig['runtimeSettings']['controls'] = {
     step: 0.01,
   },
   turnWhenLost: {
-    folder: 'Agents',
+    folder: 'Movement',
     label: 'Wander Turn',
     min: 0,
     max: 6.28,
     step: 0.01,
   },
   individualTrailWeight: {
-    folder: 'Agents',
+    folder: 'Movement',
     label: 'Trail Strength',
     min: 0,
     max: 1,
     step: 0.001,
   },
   decayRateTrails: {
-    folder: 'Agents',
+    folder: 'Movement',
     label: 'Trail Fade',
     min: 800,
     max: 1000,
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ export const runtimeControls: GardenAppConfig['runtimeSettings']['controls'] = {
   maxAgentCount: {
     folder: 'Performance',
     integer: true,
-    label: 'Agent Limit',
+    label: 'Population Limit',
     min: 0,
     step: 10_000,
   },
diff --git a/src/config/types.ts b/src/config/types.ts
index 2429bd0..ad80e83 100644
--- a/src/config/types.ts
+++ b/src/config/types.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ export interface NumberControlConfig {
 export type GardenRuntimeSettings = {
   adaptiveCapInitial: number;
   adaptiveCapMin: number;
+  backgroundGrainStrength: number;
   brushCurveResolution: number;
   brushCurveMinBrushRadius: number;
   brushCurveMinSegmentSpacing: number;
@@ -70,12 +71,14 @@ type GardenDefaultSettings = Omit<
 >;
 
 export enum VibeId {
-  CandyRain = 'candy-rain',
-  SunlitMoss = 'sunlit-moss',
-  CoralTide = 'coral-tide',
-  MoonOrchid = 'moon-orchid',
-  PeachNeon = 'peach-neon',
-  FrostBloom = 'frost-bloom',
+  AuroraMycelium = 'aurora-mycelium',
+  EmberCircuit = 'ember-circuit',
+  VelvetObservatory = 'velvet-observatory',
+  LichenSignal = 'lichen-signal',
+  UltravioletSiren = 'ultraviolet-siren',
+  TidepoolLantern = 'tidepool-lantern',
+  PaperLanternFog = 'paper-lantern-fog',
+  ChromePollen = 'chrome-pollen',
 }
 
 export interface VibePreset {
@@ -181,8 +184,6 @@ export interface GardenAppConfig {
     stroke: {
       densityMultiplier: number;
       maxAgentCount: number;
-      minAgentCount: number;
-      minSegmentLengthPx: number;
     };
   };
   storage: {
diff --git a/src/config/vibe-presets.ts b/src/config/vibe-presets.ts
index 3eab271..a95a0a3 100644
--- a/src/config/vibe-presets.ts
+++ b/src/config/vibe-presets.ts
@@ -1,166 +1,255 @@
-import type { GardenAudioVibeSettings } from '../audio/garden-audio-config';
+import { defaultGardenAudioVibeSettings } from '../audio/garden-audio-config';
 import { VibeId, type VibePreset } from './types';
 
-const defaultAudioSettings = {
-  idleIntensity: 0.08,
-  bpm: 74,
-  rampUpIntensity: 0.85,
-  rampUpTime: 0.08,
-  noteLength: 0.42,
-  notePitchOffset: 0,
-} satisfies Omit<GardenAudioVibeSettings, 'brightness'>;
-
-export const defaultVibeId = VibeId.CandyRain;
+export const defaultVibeId = VibeId.AuroraMycelium;
 
 export const vibePresets: Array<VibePreset> = [
   {
-    id: VibeId.CandyRain,
-    name: 'Candy Rain',
+    id: VibeId.AuroraMycelium,
+    name: 'Aurora Mycelium',
     colors: [
-      [255, 93, 162],
-      [54, 215, 208],
-      [255, 216, 77],
+      [78, 255, 176],
+      [154, 99, 255],
+      [169, 238, 255],
     ],
-    backgroundColor: [16, 21, 31],
+    backgroundColor: [6, 13, 22],
     settings: {
-      backgroundGrainStrength: 0.018,
-      brushSize: 14,
-      clarity: 0.62,
-      decayRateTrails: 965,
-      individualTrailWeight: 0.07,
-      moveSpeed: 82,
-      sensorOffsetDistance: 38,
-      spawnPerPixel: 0.22,
-      turnSpeed: 58,
+      backgroundGrainStrength: 0.016,
+      brushSize: 20,
+      clarity: 0.52,
+      decayRateTrails: 988,
+      individualTrailWeight: 0.085,
+      moveSpeed: 54,
+      sensorOffsetDistance: 72,
+      spawnPerPixel: 0.13,
+      turnSpeed: 35,
     },
     audio: {
-      ...defaultAudioSettings,
-      brightness: 1.04,
+      ...defaultGardenAudioVibeSettings,
+      idleIntensity: 0.12,
+      bpm: 60,
+      rampUpIntensity: 0.7,
+      rampUpTime: 0.14,
+      noteLength: 0.86,
+      notePitchOffset: -2,
+      brightness: 0.84,
     },
   },
   {
-    id: VibeId.SunlitMoss,
-    name: 'Sunlit Moss',
+    id: VibeId.EmberCircuit,
+    name: 'Ember Circuit',
     colors: [
-      [131, 212, 131],
-      [246, 215, 107],
-      [94, 193, 161],
+      [255, 95, 38],
+      [255, 43, 132],
+      [43, 219, 255],
     ],
-    backgroundColor: [23, 32, 22],
+    backgroundColor: [17, 10, 8],
     settings: {
-      backgroundGrainStrength: 0.014,
-      brushSize: 16,
-      clarity: 0.68,
-      decayRateTrails: 975,
-      individualTrailWeight: 0.06,
-      moveSpeed: 70,
-      sensorOffsetDistance: 46,
-      spawnPerPixel: 0.18,
-      turnSpeed: 44,
+      backgroundGrainStrength: 0.03,
+      brushSize: 8,
+      clarity: 0.82,
+      decayRateTrails: 918,
+      individualTrailWeight: 0.04,
+      moveSpeed: 150,
+      sensorOffsetDistance: 24,
+      spawnPerPixel: 0.31,
+      turnSpeed: 130,
     },
     audio: {
-      ...defaultAudioSettings,
-      brightness: 0.92,
+      ...defaultGardenAudioVibeSettings,
+      idleIntensity: 0.03,
+      bpm: 124,
+      rampUpIntensity: 1.35,
+      rampUpTime: 0.04,
+      noteLength: 0.18,
+      notePitchOffset: 7,
+      brightness: 1.34,
     },
   },
   {
-    id: VibeId.CoralTide,
-    name: 'Coral Tide',
+    id: VibeId.VelvetObservatory,
+    name: 'Velvet Observatory',
     colors: [
-      [255, 127, 110],
-      [64, 184, 255],
-      [244, 240, 166],
+      [72, 98, 255],
+      [255, 89, 176],
+      [235, 236, 255],
     ],
-    backgroundColor: [15, 24, 34],
+    backgroundColor: [7, 8, 20],
     settings: {
-      backgroundGrainStrength: 0.022,
-      brushSize: 13,
-      clarity: 0.58,
-      decayRateTrails: 955,
-      individualTrailWeight: 0.055,
-      moveSpeed: 90,
-      sensorOffsetDistance: 35,
-      spawnPerPixel: 0.25,
-      turnSpeed: 62,
+      backgroundGrainStrength: 0.01,
+      brushSize: 24,
+      clarity: 0.45,
+      decayRateTrails: 992,
+      individualTrailWeight: 0.095,
+      moveSpeed: 45,
+      sensorOffsetDistance: 86,
+      spawnPerPixel: 0.1,
+      turnSpeed: 24,
     },
     audio: {
-      ...defaultAudioSettings,
-      brightness: 1,
+      ...defaultGardenAudioVibeSettings,
+      idleIntensity: 0.14,
+      bpm: 56,
+      rampUpIntensity: 0.6,
+      rampUpTime: 0.16,
+      noteLength: 1.15,
+      notePitchOffset: -5,
+      brightness: 0.72,
     },
   },
   {
-    id: VibeId.MoonOrchid,
-    name: 'Moon Orchid',
+    id: VibeId.LichenSignal,
+    name: 'Lichen Signal',
     colors: [
-      [201, 147, 255],
-      [125, 216, 255],
-      [240, 244, 255],
+      [174, 205, 91],
+      [71, 162, 126],
+      [229, 117, 71],
     ],
-    backgroundColor: [20, 18, 29],
+    backgroundColor: [18, 24, 17],
     settings: {
-      backgroundGrainStrength: 0.018,
-      brushSize: 12,
-      clarity: 0.64,
-      decayRateTrails: 968,
+      backgroundGrainStrength: 0.028,
+      brushSize: 17,
+      clarity: 0.66,
+      decayRateTrails: 974,
       individualTrailWeight: 0.065,
-      moveSpeed: 76,
-      sensorOffsetDistance: 42,
-      spawnPerPixel: 0.2,
-      turnSpeed: 52,
+      moveSpeed: 68,
+      sensorOffsetDistance: 52,
+      spawnPerPixel: 0.19,
+      turnSpeed: 38,
     },
     audio: {
-      ...defaultAudioSettings,
-      brightness: 0.9,
+      ...defaultGardenAudioVibeSettings,
+      idleIntensity: 0.1,
+      bpm: 68,
+      rampUpIntensity: 0.8,
+      rampUpTime: 0.1,
+      noteLength: 0.62,
+      notePitchOffset: -3,
+      brightness: 0.82,
     },
   },
   {
-    id: VibeId.PeachNeon,
-    name: 'Peach Neon',
+    id: VibeId.UltravioletSiren,
+    name: 'Ultraviolet Siren',
     colors: [
-      [255, 155, 115],
-      [91, 240, 169],
-      [110, 168, 255],
+      [184, 75, 255],
+      [0, 224, 255],
+      [214, 255, 72],
     ],
-    backgroundColor: [25, 23, 22],
+    backgroundColor: [13, 9, 31],
     settings: {
-      backgroundGrainStrength: 0.024,
-      brushSize: 15,
-      clarity: 0.55,
-      decayRateTrails: 948,
-      individualTrailWeight: 0.05,
-      moveSpeed: 96,
-      sensorOffsetDistance: 32,
-      spawnPerPixel: 0.24,
-      turnSpeed: 70,
+      backgroundGrainStrength: 0.02,
+      brushSize: 11,
+      clarity: 0.72,
+      decayRateTrails: 946,
+      individualTrailWeight: 0.052,
+      moveSpeed: 118,
+      sensorOffsetDistance: 30,
+      spawnPerPixel: 0.28,
+      turnSpeed: 96,
     },
     audio: {
-      ...defaultAudioSettings,
-      brightness: 1.08,
+      ...defaultGardenAudioVibeSettings,
+      idleIntensity: 0.04,
+      bpm: 112,
+      rampUpIntensity: 1.2,
+      rampUpTime: 0.05,
+      noteLength: 0.25,
+      notePitchOffset: 5,
+      brightness: 1.22,
     },
   },
   {
-    id: VibeId.FrostBloom,
-    name: 'Frost Bloom',
+    id: VibeId.TidepoolLantern,
+    name: 'Tidepool Lantern',
     colors: [
-      [180, 247, 255],
-      [158, 200, 255],
-      [255, 184, 210],
+      [30, 219, 194],
+      [61, 118, 255],
+      [255, 191, 91],
     ],
-    backgroundColor: [16, 24, 32],
+    backgroundColor: [5, 20, 28],
+    settings: {
+      backgroundGrainStrength: 0.018,
+      brushSize: 15,
+      clarity: 0.6,
+      decayRateTrails: 963,
+      individualTrailWeight: 0.058,
+      moveSpeed: 88,
+      sensorOffsetDistance: 44,
+      spawnPerPixel: 0.22,
+      turnSpeed: 60,
+    },
+    audio: {
+      ...defaultGardenAudioVibeSettings,
+      idleIntensity: 0.08,
+      bpm: 82,
+      rampUpIntensity: 0.95,
+      rampUpTime: 0.08,
+      noteLength: 0.48,
+      notePitchOffset: 0,
+      brightness: 0.98,
+    },
+  },
+  {
+    id: VibeId.PaperLanternFog,
+    name: 'Paper Lantern Fog',
+    colors: [
+      [255, 174, 104],
+      [242, 102, 107],
+      [132, 211, 185],
+    ],
+    backgroundColor: [31, 23, 20],
+    settings: {
+      backgroundGrainStrength: 0.036,
+      brushSize: 22,
+      clarity: 0.5,
+      decayRateTrails: 984,
+      individualTrailWeight: 0.08,
+      moveSpeed: 56,
+      sensorOffsetDistance: 64,
+      spawnPerPixel: 0.14,
+      turnSpeed: 32,
+    },
+    audio: {
+      ...defaultGardenAudioVibeSettings,
+      idleIntensity: 0.13,
+      bpm: 64,
+      rampUpIntensity: 0.72,
+      rampUpTime: 0.12,
+      noteLength: 0.9,
+      notePitchOffset: -4,
+      brightness: 0.76,
+    },
+  },
+  {
+    id: VibeId.ChromePollen,
+    name: 'Chrome Pollen',
+    colors: [
+      [235, 255, 238],
+      [255, 214, 48],
+      [77, 240, 157],
+    ],
+    backgroundColor: [9, 13, 12],
     settings: {
       backgroundGrainStrength: 0.012,
-      brushSize: 18,
-      clarity: 0.7,
-      decayRateTrails: 982,
-      individualTrailWeight: 0.075,
-      moveSpeed: 62,
-      sensorOffsetDistance: 52,
-      spawnPerPixel: 0.16,
-      turnSpeed: 40,
+      brushSize: 10,
+      clarity: 0.9,
+      decayRateTrails: 935,
+      individualTrailWeight: 0.045,
+      moveSpeed: 104,
+      sensorOffsetDistance: 36,
+      spawnPerPixel: 0.24,
+      turnSpeed: 78,
     },
     audio: {
-      ...defaultAudioSettings,
-      brightness: 0.88,
+      ...defaultGardenAudioVibeSettings,
+      idleIntensity: 0.05,
+      bpm: 96,
+      rampUpIntensity: 1.05,
+      rampUpTime: 0.07,
+      noteLength: 0.3,
+      notePitchOffset: 3,
+      brightness: 1.18,
     },
   },
 ];
diff --git a/src/consts.ts b/src/consts.ts
index 3f67061..8991f08 100644
--- a/src/consts.ts
+++ b/src/consts.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
 export const ENABLED_FLAG_VALUE = '1';
 export const DISABLED_FLAG_VALUE = '0';
 
-export const UNIT_INTERVAL_INPUT_MIN = '0';
-export const UNIT_INTERVAL_INPUT_MAX = '1';
-
 export const DEFAULT_AUDIO_VOLUME = 0.5;
 
 export const APP_STORAGE_KEYS = {
diff --git a/src/game-loop/agent-population.test.ts b/src/game-loop/agent-population.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f49a3ab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/game-loop/agent-population.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,166 @@
+import { vec2 } from 'gl-matrix';
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+
+import { appConfig } from '../config';
+import { type AgentGenerationPipeline } from '../pipelines/agents/agent-generation/agent-generation-pipeline';
+import { AGENT_FLOAT_COUNT } from '../pipelines/agents/agent-limits';
+import { settings } from '../settings';
+import { AgentPopulation } from './agent-population';
+import { type FramePerformance } from './frame-performance';
+
+const originalSettings = {
+  brushSize: settings.brushSize,
+  maxAgentCount: settings.maxAgentCount,
+  selectedColorIndex: settings.selectedColorIndex,
+  spawnPerPixel: settings.spawnPerPixel,
+  strokeAngleJitterRadians: settings.strokeAngleJitterRadians,
+};
+
+class RecordingAgentGenerationPipeline {
+  public readonly writtenAgentCounts: Array<number> = [];
+  public readonly writtenAgentOffsets: Array<number> = [];
+  public readonly writtenBatches: Array<Float32Array> = [];
+  public readonly maxSupportedAgentCount = 1_000_000;
+  public maxAgentCount = 1_000_000;
+  private compactResolver: ((compactedAgentCount: number) => void) | null = null;
+
+  public ensureMaxAgentCount(requestedMaxAgentCount: number): number {
+    this.maxAgentCount = Math.max(this.maxAgentCount, requestedMaxAgentCount);
+    return this.maxAgentCount;
+  }
+
+  public writeAgents(agentOffset: number, data: Float32Array): void {
+    this.writtenAgentOffsets.push(agentOffset);
+    this.writtenAgentCounts.push(data.length / AGENT_FLOAT_COUNT);
+    this.writtenBatches.push(data.slice());
+  }
+
+  public compactAgents(): Promise<number> {
+    return new Promise((resolve) => {
+      this.compactResolver = resolve;
+    });
+  }
+
+  public finishCompaction(compactedAgentCount: number): void {
+    this.compactResolver?.(compactedAgentCount);
+    this.compactResolver = null;
+  }
+}
+
+const framePerformance = {
+  adaptiveCapDecreaseAgents: 0,
+  adaptiveCapInitial: 1_000_000,
+  adaptiveCapMin: 0,
+  hasAdaptiveCapHeadroom: true,
+} as FramePerformance;
+
+const createPopulation = (): {
+  pipeline: RecordingAgentGenerationPipeline;
+  population: AgentPopulation;
+} => {
+  const pipeline = new RecordingAgentGenerationPipeline();
+  const population = new AgentPopulation(
+    pipeline as unknown as AgentGenerationPipeline,
+    0,
+    () => 1,
+    framePerformance
+  );
+  population.beginStroke();
+  return { pipeline, population };
+};
+
+const setSpawnRate = (agentsPerPixel: number): void => {
+  settings.spawnPerPixel = agentsPerPixel / appConfig.simulation.stroke.densityMultiplier;
+};
+
+describe('AgentPopulation stroke spawning', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    settings.brushSize = 0;
+    settings.maxAgentCount = 1_000_000;
+    settings.selectedColorIndex = 0;
+    settings.strokeAngleJitterRadians = 0;
+    setSpawnRate(1);
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    Object.assign(settings, originalSettings);
+  });
+
+  it('spawns the same count for the same stroke length regardless of segmentation', () => {
+    const segmented = createPopulation();
+    for (let x = 0; x < 10; x++) {
+      segmented.population.spawnStrokeAgents(
+        vec2.fromValues(x, 0),
+        vec2.fromValues(x + 1, 0)
+      );
+    }
+
+    const singleSegment = createPopulation();
+    singleSegment.population.spawnStrokeAgents(
+      vec2.fromValues(0, 0),
+      vec2.fromValues(10, 0)
+    );
+
+    expect(segmented.population.activeAgentCount).toBe(10);
+    expect(singleSegment.population.activeAgentCount).toBe(10);
+  });
+
+  it('carries fractional spawn budget within a stroke', () => {
+    setSpawnRate(0.5);
+    const { population } = createPopulation();
+
+    population.spawnStrokeAgents(vec2.fromValues(0, 0), vec2.fromValues(1, 0));
+    expect(population.activeAgentCount).toBe(0);
+
+    population.spawnStrokeAgents(vec2.fromValues(1, 0), vec2.fromValues(2, 0));
+    expect(population.activeAgentCount).toBe(1);
+
+    population.spawnStrokeAgents(vec2.fromValues(2, 0), vec2.fromValues(3, 0));
+    expect(population.activeAgentCount).toBe(1);
+
+    population.spawnStrokeAgents(vec2.fromValues(3, 0), vec2.fromValues(4, 0));
+    expect(population.activeAgentCount).toBe(2);
+  });
+
+  it('chunks long stroke writes without clipping length-linear spawn counts', () => {
+    const { pipeline, population } = createPopulation();
+    const batchCapacity = appConfig.simulation.stroke.maxAgentCount;
+    const expectedAgentCount = batchCapacity + 10;
+
+    population.spawnStrokeAgents(
+      vec2.fromValues(0, 0),
+      vec2.fromValues(expectedAgentCount, 0)
+    );
+
+    expect(population.activeAgentCount).toBe(expectedAgentCount);
+    expect(pipeline.writtenAgentCounts).toEqual([batchCapacity, 10]);
+  });
+
+  it('spawns agents in the movement direction', () => {
+    const { pipeline, population } = createPopulation();
+
+    population.spawnStrokeAgents(vec2.fromValues(0, 0), vec2.fromValues(3, 0));
+
+    expect(population.activeAgentCount).toBe(3);
+    expect(pipeline.writtenBatches[0][2]).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  it('queues stroke writes while async compaction is in flight', async () => {
+    const { pipeline, population } = createPopulation();
+
+    population.spawnStrokeAgents(vec2.fromValues(0, 0), vec2.fromValues(10, 0));
+    population.requestCompactionAfterErase();
+    population.compactAfterErase(false);
+
+    population.spawnStrokeAgents(vec2.fromValues(10, 0), vec2.fromValues(15, 0));
+    expect(population.activeAgentCount).toBe(10);
+    expect(pipeline.writtenAgentCounts).toEqual([10]);
+
+    pipeline.finishCompaction(6);
+    await population.waitForCompaction();
+
+    expect(population.activeAgentCount).toBe(11);
+    expect(pipeline.writtenAgentOffsets).toEqual([0, 6]);
+    expect(pipeline.writtenAgentCounts).toEqual([10, 5]);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/game-loop/agent-population.ts b/src/game-loop/agent-population.ts
index 064914f..c00d7c7 100644
--- a/src/game-loop/agent-population.ts
+++ b/src/game-loop/agent-population.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 import { vec2 } from 'gl-matrix';
 
 import { appConfig } from '../config';
-import {
-  AGENT_FLOAT_COUNT,
-  AgentGenerationPipeline,
-} from '../pipelines/agents/agent-generation/agent-generation-pipeline';
+import { AgentGenerationPipeline } from '../pipelines/agents/agent-generation/agent-generation-pipeline';
+import { AGENT_FLOAT_COUNT, writeAgentValues } from '../pipelines/agents/agent-limits';
 import { getSafePixelRatio } from '../pipelines/brush/brush-pipeline';
 import { settings } from '../settings';
 import type { FramePerformance } from './frame-performance';
@@ -20,8 +18,8 @@ export class AgentPopulation {
   private shouldCompactAfterErase = false;
   private isCompacting = false;
   private pendingCompaction: Promise<void> | null = null;
-  // Highest active slot written while async compaction is running.
-  private postCompactionWriteEnd = 0;
+  private readonly queuedAgentBatches: Array<Float32Array> = [];
+  private pendingStrokeAgentCount = 0;
   private readonly strokeAgentData = new Float32Array(
     appConfig.simulation.stroke.maxAgentCount * AGENT_FLOAT_COUNT
   );
@@ -64,16 +62,20 @@ export class AgentPopulation {
     }
 
     this.pipeline.writeAgents(0, data);
-    this.markPostCompactionWrite(0, data.length / AGENT_FLOAT_COUNT);
     this.activeCount = data.length / AGENT_FLOAT_COUNT;
     this.replacementCursor = 0;
   }
 
   public onVibeChanged(): void {
+    this.pendingStrokeAgentCount = 0;
     this.adaptiveCap = this.clampAndEnsureAdaptiveCap(this.adaptiveCap);
     this.trimActiveCountToBudget();
   }
 
+  public beginStroke(): void {
+    this.pendingStrokeAgentCount = 0;
+  }
+
   public resizeAgents(scale: vec2): void {
     this.pipeline.resizeAgents(this.activeCount, scale);
   }
@@ -93,17 +95,13 @@ export class AgentPopulation {
     }
 
     this.isCompacting = true;
-    this.postCompactionWriteEnd = 0;
     this.pendingCompaction = this.pipeline
       .compactAgents(this.activeCount)
       .then((compactedAgentCount) => {
         const finiteCompactedAgentCount = Number.isFinite(compactedAgentCount)
           ? Math.max(0, Math.floor(compactedAgentCount))
           : 0;
-        this.activeCount = Math.min(
-          this.activeCount,
-          Math.max(finiteCompactedAgentCount, this.postCompactionWriteEnd)
-        );
+        this.activeCount = Math.min(this.activeCount, finiteCompactedAgentCount);
         this.clampReplacementCursor();
         this.trimActiveCountToBudget();
       })
@@ -113,7 +111,7 @@ export class AgentPopulation {
       .finally(() => {
         this.isCompacting = false;
         this.pendingCompaction = null;
-        this.postCompactionWriteEnd = 0;
+        this.flushQueuedAgentBatches();
       });
   }
 
@@ -144,40 +142,86 @@ export class AgentPopulation {
   public spawnStrokeAgents(from: vec2, to: vec2): void {
     const deltaX = to[0] - from[0];
     const deltaY = to[1] - from[1];
-    const length = Math.max(
-      appConfig.simulation.stroke.minSegmentLengthPx,
-      Math.hypot(deltaX, deltaY)
-    );
-    const count = Math.max(
-      appConfig.simulation.stroke.minAgentCount,
-      Math.min(
-        appConfig.simulation.stroke.maxAgentCount,
-        this.strokeAgentData.length / AGENT_FLOAT_COUNT,
-        Math.ceil(
-          length * settings.spawnPerPixel * appConfig.simulation.stroke.densityMultiplier
-        )
-      )
-    );
+    const length = Math.hypot(deltaX, deltaY);
+    const spawnRate = getStrokeSpawnRate();
+    if (!Number.isFinite(length) || length <= 0 || spawnRate <= 0) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const expectedAgentCount = length * spawnRate + this.pendingStrokeAgentCount;
+    if (!Number.isFinite(expectedAgentCount)) {
+      this.pendingStrokeAgentCount = 0;
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const count = Math.floor(expectedAgentCount);
+    this.pendingStrokeAgentCount = expectedAgentCount - count;
+
+    if (count <= 0) {
+      return;
+    }
+
     const baseAngle = Math.atan2(deltaY, deltaX);
     const spread = settings.brushSize * getSafePixelRatio(this.getCanvasPixelRatio());
+    const batchCapacity = this.strokeAgentData.length / AGENT_FLOAT_COUNT;
+    if (batchCapacity <= 0) {
+      return;
+    }
 
-    for (let i = 0; i < count; i++) {
-      const t = count === 1 ? 1 : i / (count - 1);
+    for (let written = 0; written < count; written += batchCapacity) {
+      const batchCount = Math.min(batchCapacity, count - written);
+      this.populateStrokeAgentBatch({
+        baseAngle,
+        batchCount,
+        from,
+        spread,
+        to,
+        totalCount: count,
+        written,
+      });
+      this.writeAgentBatch(
+        this.strokeAgentData.subarray(0, batchCount * AGENT_FLOAT_COUNT)
+      );
+    }
+  }
+
+  private populateStrokeAgentBatch({
+    baseAngle,
+    batchCount,
+    from,
+    spread,
+    to,
+    totalCount,
+    written,
+  }: {
+    baseAngle: number;
+    batchCount: number;
+    from: vec2;
+    spread: number;
+    to: vec2;
+    totalCount: number;
+    written: number;
+  }): void {
+    for (let i = 0; i < batchCount; i++) {
+      const agentIndex = written + i;
+      const t = totalCount === 1 ? 0.5 : agentIndex / (totalCount - 1);
       const x = from[0] + (to[0] - from[0]) * t;
       const y = from[1] + (to[1] - from[1]) * t;
       const angle = baseAngle + (Math.random() - 0.5) * settings.strokeAngleJitterRadians;
-      const base = i * AGENT_FLOAT_COUNT;
-      this.strokeAgentData[base] = x + (Math.random() - 0.5) * spread;
-      this.strokeAgentData[base + 1] = y + (Math.random() - 0.5) * spread;
-      this.strokeAgentData[base + 2] = angle;
-      this.strokeAgentData[base + 3] = settings.selectedColorIndex;
-      this.strokeAgentData[base + 4] = -1;
-      this.strokeAgentData[base + 5] = -1;
-      this.strokeAgentData[base + 6] = angle;
-      this.strokeAgentData[base + 7] = 0;
-    }
+      const positionX = x + (Math.random() - 0.5) * spread;
+      const positionY = y + (Math.random() - 0.5) * spread;
 
-    this.writeAgentBatch(this.strokeAgentData.subarray(0, count * AGENT_FLOAT_COUNT));
+      writeAgentValues(this.strokeAgentData, i, {
+        positionX,
+        positionY,
+        angle,
+        colorIndex: settings.selectedColorIndex,
+        targetPositionX: -1,
+        targetPositionY: -1,
+        targetAngle: angle,
+        introDelay: 0,
+      });
+    }
   }
 
   private writeAgentBatch(data: Float32Array): void {
@@ -185,6 +229,11 @@ export class AgentPopulation {
       return;
     }
 
+    if (this.isCompacting) {
+      this.queuedAgentBatches.push(data.slice());
+      return;
+    }
+
     const count = data.length / AGENT_FLOAT_COUNT;
     this.adaptiveCap = this.clampAndEnsureAdaptiveCap(this.adaptiveCap);
     this.expandAdaptiveCapForPendingAgents(count);
@@ -197,7 +246,6 @@ export class AgentPopulation {
         this.activeCount,
         data.subarray(0, appendCount * AGENT_FLOAT_COUNT)
       );
-      this.markPostCompactionWrite(this.activeCount, appendCount);
       this.activeCount += appendCount;
     }
 
@@ -216,22 +264,15 @@ export class AgentPopulation {
           (sourceAgentOffset + chunkAgentCount) * AGENT_FLOAT_COUNT
         )
       );
-      this.markPostCompactionWrite(targetAgentOffset, chunkAgentCount);
 
       sourceAgentOffset += chunkAgentCount;
       this.replacementCursor = (targetAgentOffset + chunkAgentCount) % this.activeCount;
     }
   }
 
-  private markPostCompactionWrite(agentOffset: number, agentCount: number): void {
-    if (!this.isCompacting || agentCount <= 0) {
-      return;
-    }
-
-    this.postCompactionWriteEnd = Math.max(
-      this.postCompactionWriteEnd,
-      Math.ceil(agentOffset + agentCount)
-    );
+  private flushQueuedAgentBatches(): void {
+    const batches = this.queuedAgentBatches.splice(0);
+    batches.forEach((batch) => this.writeAgentBatch(batch));
   }
 
   private expandAdaptiveCapForPendingAgents(requestedAgentCount: number): void {
@@ -279,3 +320,13 @@ export class AgentPopulation {
     );
   }
 }
+
+const getStrokeSpawnRate = (): number => {
+  const spawnPerPixel = Number.isFinite(settings.spawnPerPixel)
+    ? settings.spawnPerPixel
+    : 0;
+  const densityMultiplier = Number.isFinite(appConfig.simulation.stroke.densityMultiplier)
+    ? appConfig.simulation.stroke.densityMultiplier
+    : 0;
+  return Math.max(0, spawnPerPixel * densityMultiplier);
+};
diff --git a/src/game-loop/export-snapshot-renderer.ts b/src/game-loop/export-snapshot-renderer.ts
index a788bfd..0be8911 100644
--- a/src/game-loop/export-snapshot-renderer.ts
+++ b/src/game-loop/export-snapshot-renderer.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import type { VibeId } from '../vibes';
 interface ExportSnapshotRendererOptions {
   device: GPUDevice;
   renderPipeline: RenderPipeline;
+  canvasFormat: GPUTextureFormat;
   statusElement: HTMLElement;
   seed: string;
   getSourceSize: () => { width: number; height: number };
@@ -50,7 +51,6 @@ export class ExportSnapshotRenderer {
 
   private async renderSnapshot(layout: SnapshotLayout): Promise<void> {
     const { width, height, unpaddedBytesPerRow, bytesPerRow } = layout;
-    const format = navigator.gpu.getPreferredCanvasFormat();
     let texture: GPUTexture | null = null;
     let output: GPUBuffer | null = null;
     let isOutputMapped = false;
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ export class ExportSnapshotRenderer {
     try {
       texture = this.device.createTexture({
         size: { width, height },
-        format,
+        format: this.options.canvasFormat,
         usage: GPUTextureUsage.RENDER_ATTACHMENT | GPUTextureUsage.COPY_SRC,
       });
       output = this.device.createBuffer({
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ export class ExportSnapshotRenderer {
         height,
         unpaddedBytesPerRow,
         bytesPerRow,
-        isBgra: format === 'bgra8unorm',
+        isBgra: this.options.canvasFormat === 'bgra8unorm',
       });
       output.unmap();
       isOutputMapped = false;
diff --git a/src/game-loop/game-loop-resources.ts b/src/game-loop/game-loop-resources.ts
index 183189c..492204f 100644
--- a/src/game-loop/game-loop-resources.ts
+++ b/src/game-loop/game-loop-resources.ts
@@ -44,10 +44,11 @@ export class GameLoopResources {
   public constructor(
     canvas: HTMLCanvasElement,
     private readonly device: GPUDevice,
+    private readonly canvasFormat: GPUTextureFormat,
     canvasSize: vec2,
     initialAgentCapacity: number
   ) {
-    const context = initializeContext({ device, canvas });
+    const context = initializeContext({ device, canvas, format: canvasFormat });
 
     this.textures = new SimulationTextures(this.device, canvasSize);
 
@@ -73,8 +74,16 @@ export class GameLoopResources {
     );
     this.eraserTexturePipeline = new EraserTexturePipeline(this.device, this.commonState);
     this.diffusionPipeline = new DiffusionPipeline(this.device);
-    this.renderPipeline = new RenderPipeline(context, this.device, this.commonState);
-    this.gpuProfiler = GpuProfiler.create(this.device);
+    this.renderPipeline = new RenderPipeline(
+      context,
+      this.device,
+      this.commonState,
+      this.canvasFormat
+    );
+    this.gpuProfiler = GpuProfiler.create(
+      this.device,
+      () => appConfig.tuningPane.showFpsOverlay
+    );
 
     this.frameRenderer = new SimulationFrameRenderer(
       this.device,
@@ -104,6 +113,10 @@ export class GameLoopResources {
     return this.frameRenderer.isSourceMapActive;
   }
 
+  public get gpuPassTimeMs(): number | undefined {
+    return this.gpuProfiler?.latestTotalPassMs;
+  }
+
   public setFrameParameters({
     time,
     deltaTime,
@@ -140,7 +153,6 @@ export class GameLoopResources {
     this.diffusionPipeline.setParameters(settings);
     this.renderPipeline.setParameters({
       ...settings,
-      backgroundGrainStrength: 0,
       channelColors,
       backgroundColor,
     });
diff --git a/src/game-loop/game-loop.ts b/src/game-loop/game-loop.ts
index 370cf0a..6cabd79 100644
--- a/src/game-loop/game-loop.ts
+++ b/src/game-loop/game-loop.ts
@@ -38,11 +38,14 @@ export default class GameLoop {
   private previousAccentColor = '';
   private previousGrainStrength = Number.NaN;
   private hasFinished = false;
+  private animationFrameId: number | null = null;
+  private destroyPromise: Promise<void> | null = null;
   private readonly finished = Promise.withResolvers<void>();
 
   public constructor(
     private readonly canvas: HTMLCanvasElement,
     private readonly device: GPUDevice,
+    private readonly canvasFormat: GPUTextureFormat,
     private readonly deltaTimeCalculator: DeltaTimeCalculator,
     private readonly ui: GardenUi
   ) {
@@ -50,11 +53,17 @@ export default class GameLoop {
     this.resources = new GameLoopResources(
       canvas,
       device,
+      this.canvasFormat,
       this.canvasSize,
       this.framePerformance.adaptiveCapInitial
     );
     this.introPrompt = new IntroPrompt(ui.prompt);
-    this.toolbarContrastMonitor = new ToolbarContrastMonitor(canvas, ui.toolbar, device);
+    this.toolbarContrastMonitor = new ToolbarContrastMonitor(
+      canvas,
+      ui.toolbar,
+      device,
+      this.canvasFormat
+    );
     this.agentPopulation = new AgentPopulation(
       this.resources.agentGenerationPipeline,
       this.seedValue,
@@ -72,7 +81,10 @@ export default class GameLoop {
       ),
       getCanvasPixelRatio: () => this.canvasPixelRatio,
       getMirrorSegmentCount: () => this.mirrorSegmentCount,
-      onStartDrawing: () => this.introPrompt.markStartedDrawing(),
+      onStartDrawing: () => {
+        this.introPrompt.markStartedDrawing();
+        this.agentPopulation.beginStroke();
+      },
       onEraseGestureEnded: () => this.agentPopulation.requestCompactionAfterErase(),
       spawnStrokeAgents: (from, to) => this.agentPopulation.spawnStrokeAgents(from, to),
     });
@@ -84,6 +96,7 @@ export default class GameLoop {
     this.exportSnapshotRenderer = new ExportSnapshotRenderer({
       device,
       renderPipeline: this.resources.renderPipeline,
+      canvasFormat: this.canvasFormat,
       statusElement: ui.exportStatus,
       seed: this.seed,
       getSourceSize: () => {
@@ -139,7 +152,9 @@ export default class GameLoop {
   }
 
   public async start(): Promise<void> {
-    requestAnimationFrame(this.render);
+    if (this.animationFrameId === null && !this.hasFinished) {
+      this.animationFrameId = requestAnimationFrame(this.render);
+    }
     return this.finished.promise;
   }
 
@@ -148,8 +163,17 @@ export default class GameLoop {
   }
 
   public async destroy(): Promise<void> {
+    this.destroyPromise ??= this.dispose();
+    return this.destroyPromise;
+  }
+
+  private async dispose(): Promise<void> {
     this.hasFinished = true;
-    await this.finished.promise;
+    if (this.animationFrameId !== null) {
+      cancelAnimationFrame(this.animationFrameId);
+      this.animationFrameId = null;
+    }
+    this.finished.resolve();
 
     window.removeEventListener('resize', this.resizeListener);
     this.pointerInput.detach();
@@ -164,6 +188,7 @@ export default class GameLoop {
   }
 
   private readonly render = (time: DOMHighResTimeStamp) => {
+    this.animationFrameId = null;
     if (this.hasFinished) {
       this.finished.resolve();
       return;
@@ -216,11 +241,12 @@ export default class GameLoop {
       fps: this.framePerformance.measuredFps,
       agentCount: this.agentPopulation.activeAgentCount,
       frameTimeMs: this.framePerformance.measuredFrameTimeMs,
+      gpuPassTimeMs: this.resources.gpuPassTimeMs,
       renderWidth: this.canvas.width,
       renderHeight: this.canvas.height,
     });
 
-    requestAnimationFrame(this.render);
+    this.animationFrameId = requestAnimationFrame(this.render);
   };
 
   private syncPerfStatsOverlay(): void {
diff --git a/src/game-loop/gpu-profiler.ts b/src/game-loop/gpu-profiler.ts
index 7fd0288..bc2318d 100644
--- a/src/game-loop/gpu-profiler.ts
+++ b/src/game-loop/gpu-profiler.ts
@@ -16,11 +16,6 @@ interface GpuProfilerSample {
   totalPassMs: number;
 }
 
-interface FleetingGardenPerf {
-  latest?: GpuProfilerSample;
-  samples: Array<GpuProfilerSample>;
-}
-
 interface ActivePass {
   endQueryIndex: number;
   name: GpuPassName;
@@ -32,33 +27,29 @@ interface ReadbackSlot {
   state: 'idle' | 'encoding' | 'mapping';
 }
 
-declare global {
-  interface Window {
-    __fleetingGardenPerf?: FleetingGardenPerf;
-  }
-}
-
 const MAX_QUERY_COUNT = PASS_NAMES.length * 2;
 const QUERY_BYTES = BigUint64Array.BYTES_PER_ELEMENT;
 const READBACK_SLOT_COUNT = 4;
-const MAX_SAMPLE_COUNT = 600;
 
 export class GpuProfiler {
   private readonly querySet: GPUQuerySet;
   private readonly resolveBuffer: GPUBuffer;
   private readonly readbackSlots: Array<ReadbackSlot>;
+  private readonly isEnabled: () => boolean;
   private activePasses: Array<ActivePass> = [];
   private nextQueryIndex = 0;
   private frame = 0;
+  private latestSample: GpuProfilerSample | null = null;
 
-  public static create(device: GPUDevice): GpuProfiler | null {
+  public static create(device: GPUDevice, isEnabled: () => boolean): GpuProfiler | null {
     if (!device.features.has('timestamp-query')) {
       return null;
     }
-    return new GpuProfiler(device);
+    return new GpuProfiler(device, isEnabled);
   }
 
-  private constructor(device: GPUDevice) {
+  private constructor(device: GPUDevice, isEnabled: () => boolean) {
+    this.isEnabled = isEnabled;
     this.querySet = device.createQuerySet({
       type: 'timestamp',
       count: MAX_QUERY_COUNT,
@@ -85,6 +76,9 @@ export class GpuProfiler {
   public timestampWrites(
     name: GpuPassName
   ): (GPUComputePassTimestampWrites & GPURenderPassTimestampWrites) | undefined {
+    if (!this.isEnabled()) {
+      return undefined;
+    }
     if (this.nextQueryIndex + 1 >= MAX_QUERY_COUNT) {
       return undefined;
     }
@@ -146,6 +140,10 @@ export class GpuProfiler {
     });
   }
 
+  public get latestTotalPassMs(): number | undefined {
+    return this.latestSample?.totalPassMs;
+  }
+
   private publishSample(
     frame: number,
     passes: Array<ActivePass>,
@@ -170,11 +168,6 @@ export class GpuProfiler {
       sample.totalPassMs += elapsedMs;
     });
 
-    const perf = (window.__fleetingGardenPerf ??= { samples: [] });
-    perf.latest = sample;
-    perf.samples.push(sample);
-    if (perf.samples.length > MAX_SAMPLE_COUNT) {
-      perf.samples.splice(0, perf.samples.length - MAX_SAMPLE_COUNT);
-    }
+    this.latestSample = sample;
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/game-loop/intro-title-agents.ts b/src/game-loop/intro-title-agents.ts
index 95c3480..2d530cb 100644
--- a/src/game-loop/intro-title-agents.ts
+++ b/src/game-loop/intro-title-agents.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { appConfig } from '../config';
-import { AGENT_FLOAT_COUNT } from '../pipelines/agents/agent-generation/agent-generation-pipeline';
+import { AGENT_FLOAT_COUNT, writeAgentValues } from '../pipelines/agents/agent-limits';
 import { clamp, easeOutQuad, mix, mixAngle, smoothstep } from '../utils/math';
 
 interface IntroTitlePoint {
@@ -114,15 +114,16 @@ export const createIntroTitleAgents = ({
         pathProgress
       )
     );
-    const base = i * AGENT_FLOAT_COUNT;
-    data[base] = mix(startX, targetX, pathProgress);
-    data[base + 1] = mix(startY, targetY, pathProgress);
-    data[base + 2] = currentAngle;
-    data[base + 3] = point.colorIndex;
-    data[base + 4] = targetX;
-    data[base + 5] = targetY;
-    data[base + 6] = targetAngle;
-    data[base + 7] = introDelay;
+    writeAgentValues(data, i, {
+      positionX: mix(startX, targetX, pathProgress),
+      positionY: mix(startY, targetY, pathProgress),
+      angle: currentAngle,
+      colorIndex: point.colorIndex,
+      targetPositionX: targetX,
+      targetPositionY: targetY,
+      targetAngle,
+      introDelay,
+    });
   }
 
   return data;
diff --git a/src/game-loop/perf-stats-overlay.ts b/src/game-loop/perf-stats-overlay.ts
index f241017..6ffd55b 100644
--- a/src/game-loop/perf-stats-overlay.ts
+++ b/src/game-loop/perf-stats-overlay.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ interface PerfStatsSnapshot {
   fps: number;
   agentCount: number;
   frameTimeMs: number;
+  gpuPassTimeMs?: number;
   renderWidth: number;
   renderHeight: number;
 }
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ export class PerfStatsOverlay {
     fps,
     agentCount,
     frameTimeMs,
+    gpuPassTimeMs,
     renderWidth,
     renderHeight,
   }: PerfStatsSnapshot): void {
@@ -37,7 +39,6 @@ export class PerfStatsOverlay {
     }
 
     this.previousUpdateTime = time;
-    const gpuPassTimeMs = window.__fleetingGardenPerf?.latest?.totalPassMs;
     const text = `FPS ${formatFps(fps)}\nAgents ${formatAgentCount(agentCount)}\nFrame ${formatFrameTime(frameTimeMs)}\nGPU passes ${formatFrameTime(gpuPassTimeMs)}\nResolution ${formatResolution(renderWidth, renderHeight)}`;
     if (text !== this.previousText) {
       this.element.textContent = text;
diff --git a/src/game-loop/pointer-input.ts b/src/game-loop/pointer-input.ts
index 962cfe8..ae5fed0 100644
--- a/src/game-loop/pointer-input.ts
+++ b/src/game-loop/pointer-input.ts
@@ -92,7 +92,6 @@ export class GardenPointerInput {
       return;
     }
 
-    this.options.audio.start(activeVibe, { userGesture: true });
     this.options.audio.beginGesture();
     this.options.onStartDrawing();
     this.activePointerId = event.pointerId;
@@ -117,7 +116,6 @@ export class GardenPointerInput {
     if (event.pointerId !== this.activePointerId) {
       return;
     }
-    this.options.audio.start(activeVibe, { userGesture: true });
     this.addSwipeAt(event, { emitAudio: false });
     this.finishBrushStroke();
     this.options.audio.endGesture();
@@ -166,12 +164,7 @@ export class GardenPointerInput {
   }
 
   private addBrushSample(sample: PointerSample): void {
-    this.addBrushSegments(this.brushSmoother.addSample(sample.position));
-    this.getMirroredSegments(sample.previousPosition, sample.position).forEach(
-      (segment) => {
-        this.options.spawnStrokeAgents(segment.from, segment.to);
-      }
-    );
+    this.emitBrushSegments(this.brushSmoother.addSample(sample.position));
   }
 
   private addEraseSample(sample: PointerSample): void {
@@ -199,13 +192,14 @@ export class GardenPointerInput {
     );
   }
 
-  private addBrushSegments(segments: Array<StrokeSegment>): void {
+  private emitBrushSegments(segments: Array<StrokeSegment>): void {
     segments.forEach((segment) => {
       this.getMirroredSegments(segment.from, segment.to).forEach((mirroredSegment) => {
         this.options.strokeOutput.addBrushSegment(
           mirroredSegment.from,
           mirroredSegment.to
         );
+        this.options.spawnStrokeAgents(mirroredSegment.from, mirroredSegment.to);
       });
     });
   }
@@ -215,7 +209,7 @@ export class GardenPointerInput {
       return;
     }
 
-    this.addBrushSegments(this.brushSmoother.finish());
+    this.emitBrushSegments(this.brushSmoother.finish());
   }
 
   private getCoalescedPointerEvents(event: PointerEvent): Array<PointerEvent> {
diff --git a/src/game-loop/simulation-textures.ts b/src/game-loop/simulation-textures.ts
index 4c75928..7a07aa0 100644
--- a/src/game-loop/simulation-textures.ts
+++ b/src/game-loop/simulation-textures.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { vec2 } from 'gl-matrix';
 
 import { appConfig } from '../config';
+import { ERASER_MASK_TEXTURE_FORMAT } from '../pipelines/texture-formats';
 import {
   ResizableTexture,
   type PendingTextureResize,
@@ -96,13 +97,17 @@ export class SimulationTextures {
   }
 
   public clearSourceMaps(commandEncoder: GPUCommandEncoder): void {
+    // Only sourceMapA needs clearing — sourceMapB gets fully overwritten by
+    // the diffusion pass on the next active frame before it's ever sampled.
     const passEncoder = commandEncoder.beginRenderPass({
-      colorAttachments: [this.sourceMapA, this.sourceMapB].map((texture) => ({
-        view: texture.getTextureView(),
-        clearValue: appConfig.simulation.clearColor,
-        loadOp: 'clear',
-        storeOp: 'store',
-      })),
+      colorAttachments: [
+        {
+          view: this.sourceMapA.getTextureView(),
+          clearValue: appConfig.simulation.clearColor,
+          loadOp: 'clear',
+          storeOp: 'store',
+        },
+      ],
     });
     passEncoder.end();
   }
@@ -126,7 +131,7 @@ export class SimulationTextures {
   private createEraserMask(size: vec2): ResizableTexture {
     return new ResizableTexture(this.device, size, {
       clearValue: { r: 1, g: 1, b: 1, a: 1 },
-      format: 'r8unorm',
+      format: ERASER_MASK_TEXTURE_FORMAT,
       usage:
         GPUTextureUsage.TEXTURE_BINDING |
         GPUTextureUsage.RENDER_ATTACHMENT |
diff --git a/src/game-loop/toolbar-contrast-monitor.ts b/src/game-loop/toolbar-contrast-monitor.ts
index 227901d..9c908fe 100644
--- a/src/game-loop/toolbar-contrast-monitor.ts
+++ b/src/game-loop/toolbar-contrast-monitor.ts
@@ -104,9 +104,10 @@ export class ToolbarContrastMonitor {
   public constructor(
     private readonly canvas: HTMLCanvasElement,
     private readonly toolbar: HTMLElement,
-    private readonly device: GPUDevice
+    private readonly device: GPUDevice,
+    canvasFormat: GPUTextureFormat
   ) {
-    this.isBgra = navigator.gpu?.getPreferredCanvasFormat() === 'bgra8unorm';
+    this.isBgra = canvasFormat === 'bgra8unorm';
   }
 
   public takeReadbackRequest(time: DOMHighResTimeStamp): CanvasReadbackRequest | null {
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index c840a33..fa06833 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,15 @@ const main = async () => {
     let game: GameLoop | null = null;
     let configPane: ConfigPane | null = null;
     const getGame = () => game;
+    const destroyCurrentGame = async () => {
+      const currentGame = game;
+      if (!currentGame) {
+        return;
+      }
+
+      game = null;
+      await currentGame.destroy();
+    };
 
     const errorPresenter = new ErrorPresenter(
       queryRequiredElement('.errors-container', HTMLElement)
@@ -40,7 +49,7 @@ const main = async () => {
       errorPresenter.render(error);
       if (error.severity === Severity.ERROR) {
         document.body.classList.remove('is-loading');
-        game?.destroy();
+        void destroyCurrentGame();
         shouldStop = true;
       }
     });
@@ -53,19 +62,24 @@ const main = async () => {
     const grainOverlay = queryRequiredElement('.garden-grain', HTMLDivElement);
     const promptElement = queryRequiredElement('.garden-prompt', HTMLDivElement);
     const exportStatus = queryRequiredElement('.export-status', HTMLSpanElement);
-    const settingsButton = queryRequiredElement('button.settings', HTMLButtonElement);
-    const restartButton = queryRequiredElement('button.restart', HTMLButtonElement);
-    const infoButton = queryRequiredElement('button.info', HTMLButtonElement);
+    const settingsButton = queryRequiredElement(
+      '[data-control="settings"]',
+      HTMLButtonElement
+    );
+    const restartButton = queryRequiredElement(
+      '[data-control="restart"]',
+      HTMLButtonElement
+    );
+    const infoButton = queryRequiredElement('[data-control="info"]', HTMLButtonElement);
     const infoElement = queryRequiredElement('.info-page', HTMLElement);
-    const minimizeFullScreenButton = queryRequiredElement(
-      'button.minimize-full-screen',
+    const fullScreenButton = queryRequiredElement(
+      '[data-control="full-screen"]',
       HTMLButtonElement
     );
-    const maximizeFullScreenButton = queryRequiredElement(
-      'button.maximize-full-screen',
+    const export4kButton = queryRequiredElement(
+      '[data-control="export"]',
       HTMLButtonElement
     );
-    const export4kButton = queryRequiredElement('.export-4k', HTMLButtonElement);
 
     const splash = new SplashScreen();
     const paletteControl = new PaletteControl({
@@ -103,11 +117,7 @@ const main = async () => {
         !configPane?.isOpen &&
         !infoPageHandler.isOpen
     );
-    new FullScreenHandler(
-      minimizeFullScreenButton,
-      maximizeFullScreenButton,
-      document.documentElement
-    );
+    new FullScreenHandler(fullScreenButton, document.documentElement);
 
     new VibeNavigator({
       onChange: ({ vibeId, vibeName, source }) => {
@@ -119,16 +129,17 @@ const main = async () => {
       },
     });
 
-    restartButton.addEventListener('click', () => game?.destroy());
+    restartButton.addEventListener('click', () => void destroyCurrentGame());
 
     export4kButton.addEventListener('click', async () => {
-      if (!game || export4kButton.disabled) {
+      const currentGame = game;
+      if (!currentGame || export4kButton.disabled) {
         return;
       }
 
       export4kButton.disabled = true;
       try {
-        await game.exportSnapshot();
+        await currentGame.exportSnapshot();
         trackExport({ vibeId: activeVibe.id });
       } catch (error) {
         ErrorHandler.addException(error, { severity: Severity.WARNING });
@@ -168,9 +179,15 @@ const main = async () => {
     );
 
     const gpu = await gpuPromise;
+    const gpuNavigator = navigator.gpu;
+    if (!gpuNavigator) {
+      throw new Error('WebGPU is no longer available after initialization.');
+    }
+    const canvasFormat = gpuNavigator.getPreferredCanvasFormat();
     configPane = new ConfigPane({
       maxSupportedAgentCount: getMaxSupportedAgentCount(gpu),
       settingsButton,
+      onOpen: () => infoPageHandler.close(),
       onConfigChange: () => {
         game?.onVibeChanged();
         syncRuntimeUi();
@@ -186,13 +203,14 @@ const main = async () => {
 
     let isFirstStart = true;
     while (!shouldStop) {
-      game = new GameLoop(canvas, gpu, deltaTimeCalculator, {
+      const loop = new GameLoop(canvas, gpu, canvasFormat, deltaTimeCalculator, {
         toolbar: toolbarRow,
         prompt: promptElement,
         eraserPreview,
         grainOverlay,
         exportStatus,
       });
+      game = loop;
       syncRuntimeUi();
       audioControl.render();
 
@@ -211,8 +229,11 @@ const main = async () => {
           requestAnimationFrame(() => document.body.classList.remove('is-loading'))
         );
       }
-      game.attachPointerInput();
-      await game.start();
+      loop.attachPointerInput();
+      await loop.start();
+      if (game === loop) {
+        game = null;
+      }
     }
   } catch (e) {
     document.body.classList.remove('is-loading');
diff --git a/src/page/audio-control.ts b/src/page/audio-control.ts
index 278194f..c96fb1d 100644
--- a/src/page/audio-control.ts
+++ b/src/page/audio-control.ts
@@ -1,27 +1,20 @@
-import {
-  APP_STORAGE_KEYS,
-  DEFAULT_AUDIO_VOLUME,
-  DISABLED_FLAG_VALUE,
-  ENABLED_FLAG_VALUE,
-  UNIT_INTERVAL_INPUT_MAX,
-  UNIT_INTERVAL_INPUT_MIN,
-} from '../consts';
+import { appConfig } from '../config';
+import { DISABLED_FLAG_VALUE, ENABLED_FLAG_VALUE } from '../consts';
 import type GameLoop from '../game-loop/game-loop';
 import { readBrowserStorage, writeBrowserStorage } from '../utils/browser-storage';
 import { queryRequiredElement } from '../utils/dom';
 import { clamp01 } from '../utils/math';
 
-const AUDIO_VOLUME_STEP = 0.01;
-
 const clampAudioVolume = (value: number): number => {
-  const safeValue = Number.isFinite(value) ? value : DEFAULT_AUDIO_VOLUME;
-  return clamp01(safeValue);
+  const { default: defaultVolume, max, min } = appConfig.toolbar.volume;
+  const safeValue = Number.isFinite(value) ? value : defaultVolume;
+  return Math.min(max, Math.max(min, clamp01(safeValue)));
 };
 
 const readInitialAudioVolume = (): number => {
-  const storedVolume = readBrowserStorage(APP_STORAGE_KEYS.audioVolume);
+  const storedVolume = readBrowserStorage(appConfig.storage.audioVolumeKey);
   return storedVolume === null
-    ? DEFAULT_AUDIO_VOLUME
+    ? appConfig.toolbar.volume.default
     : clampAudioVolume(Number(storedVolume));
 };
 
@@ -36,7 +29,7 @@ interface AudioControlOptions {
 
 export class AudioControl {
   private readonly soundButton = queryRequiredElement(
-    'button.sound',
+    '[data-control="sound"]',
     HTMLButtonElement
   );
   private readonly volumeControl = queryRequiredElement(
@@ -50,7 +43,7 @@ export class AudioControl {
 
   private audioVolume = readInitialAudioVolume();
   private isMutedState =
-    readBrowserStorage(APP_STORAGE_KEYS.audioMuted) === ENABLED_FLAG_VALUE ||
+    readBrowserStorage(appConfig.storage.audioMutedKey) === ENABLED_FLAG_VALUE ||
     this.audioVolume <= 0;
 
   public constructor(private readonly options: AudioControlOptions) {
@@ -90,9 +83,9 @@ export class AudioControl {
     this.soundButton.setAttribute('aria-label', muteLabel);
     this.soundButton.title = muteLabel;
 
-    this.volumeSlider.min = UNIT_INTERVAL_INPUT_MIN;
-    this.volumeSlider.max = UNIT_INTERVAL_INPUT_MAX;
-    this.volumeSlider.step = AUDIO_VOLUME_STEP.toString();
+    this.volumeSlider.min = appConfig.toolbar.volume.min.toString();
+    this.volumeSlider.max = appConfig.toolbar.volume.max.toString();
+    this.volumeSlider.step = appConfig.toolbar.volume.step.toString();
     this.volumeSlider.value = formatStoredAudioVolume(this.audioVolume);
     this.volumeSlider.setAttribute(
       'aria-valuetext',
@@ -112,7 +105,7 @@ export class AudioControl {
   private readonly onToggleMute = () => {
     const shouldUnmute = this.isMutedState || this.audioVolume <= 0;
     if (shouldUnmute && this.audioVolume <= 0) {
-      this.audioVolume = DEFAULT_AUDIO_VOLUME;
+      this.audioVolume = appConfig.toolbar.volume.default;
     }
     this.isMutedState = !shouldUnmute;
     this.persist();
@@ -136,8 +129,7 @@ export class AudioControl {
     if (
       !this.options.hasStarted() ||
       this.isMutedState ||
-      (event.target instanceof Node &&
-        this.options.startButton.contains(event.target)) ||
+      (event.target instanceof Node && this.options.startButton.contains(event.target)) ||
       (event.target instanceof Node && this.soundButton.contains(event.target))
     ) {
       return;
@@ -147,11 +139,11 @@ export class AudioControl {
 
   private persist(): void {
     writeBrowserStorage(
-      APP_STORAGE_KEYS.audioMuted,
+      appConfig.storage.audioMutedKey,
       this.isMutedState ? ENABLED_FLAG_VALUE : DISABLED_FLAG_VALUE
     );
     writeBrowserStorage(
-      APP_STORAGE_KEYS.audioVolume,
+      appConfig.storage.audioVolumeKey,
       formatStoredAudioVolume(this.audioVolume)
     );
   }
diff --git a/src/page/config-pane.ts b/src/page/config-pane.ts
index ba3f38c..52bf872 100644
--- a/src/page/config-pane.ts
+++ b/src/page/config-pane.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { Pane } from 'tweakpane';
 import type { GardenAudioVibeSettings } from '../audio/garden-audio-config';
 import {
   appConfig,
+  normalizeNumberControlValue,
   type GardenRuntimeSettings,
   type NumberControlConfig,
 } from '../config';
@@ -28,7 +29,7 @@ interface PaneState extends GardenAudioVibeSettings {
   color3: string;
 }
 
-const COLOR_REACTION_LABELS = ['Primary', 'Secondary', 'Accent'] as const;
+const COLOR_REACTION_LABELS = ['Color 1', 'Color 2', 'Color 3'] as const;
 const COLOR_REACTION_STATES = [
   { id: 'follow', label: 'Move Toward', value: 1 },
   { id: 'ignore', label: 'Ignore', value: 0 },
@@ -53,31 +54,7 @@ const colorReactionRows = [
   },
 ] as const;
 
-const brushControlKeys = [
-  'brushSize',
-  'spawnPerPixel',
-  'strokeAngleJitterRadians',
-] satisfies Array<RuntimeControlKey>;
-
-const agentControlKeys = [
-  'sensorOffsetDistance',
-  'moveSpeed',
-  'turnSpeed',
-  'forwardRotationScale',
-  'turnWhenLost',
-  'individualTrailWeight',
-  'decayRateTrails',
-] satisfies Array<RuntimeControlKey>;
-
-const lookControlKeys = [
-  'clarity',
-  'backgroundGrainStrength',
-] satisfies Array<RuntimeControlKey>;
-
-const performanceControlKeys = [
-  'maxAgentCount',
-  'internalRenderAreaMegapixels',
-] satisfies Array<RuntimeControlKey>;
+const runtimeFolderOrder = ['Brush', 'Movement', 'Look', 'Performance'] as const;
 
 const MUSIC_CONTROLS: ReadonlyArray<{
   key: VibeNumberKey;
@@ -98,26 +75,19 @@ const MUSIC_CONTROLS: ReadonlyArray<{
 interface ConfigPaneOptions {
   maxSupportedAgentCount: number;
   onConfigChange: () => void;
+  onOpen?: () => void;
   onRuntimeChange: () => void;
   settingsButton: HTMLButtonElement;
 }
 
-const normalizeNumber = (value: number, config: NumberControlConfig): number => {
-  if (config.options) {
-    const optionValues = Object.values(config.options);
-    if (optionValues.includes(value)) {
-      return value;
-    }
-    return optionValues.includes(0) ? 0 : (optionValues[0] ?? config.min ?? 0);
-  }
-
-  const min = config.min ?? Number.NEGATIVE_INFINITY;
-  const max = config.max ?? Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY;
-  const fallbackValue = config.min ?? 0;
-  const finiteValue = Number.isFinite(value) ? value : fallbackValue;
-  const clampedValue = Math.min(max, Math.max(min, finiteValue));
-  return config.integer ? Math.round(clampedValue) : clampedValue;
-};
+const getRuntimeControlKeys = (folder: string): Array<RuntimeControlKey> =>
+  (
+    Object.entries(appConfig.runtimeSettings.controls) as Array<
+      [RuntimeControlKey, NumberControlConfig | undefined]
+    >
+  )
+    .filter(([, config]) => config?.folder === folder)
+    .map(([key]) => key);
 
 const getNumberBindingParams = (config: NumberControlConfig): BindingParams => {
   const params: BindingParams = {
@@ -226,8 +196,7 @@ export class ConfigPane {
   }
 
   private readonly toggle = () => {
-    this.pane.hidden = !this.pane.hidden;
-    this.syncOpenState();
+    this.setHidden(!this.pane.hidden);
   };
 
   private readonly dismissOnOutsidePointerDown = (event: PointerEvent) => {
@@ -252,20 +221,23 @@ export class ConfigPane {
   };
 
   private setHidden(isHidden: boolean): void {
+    const wasOpen = this.isOpen;
     this.pane.hidden = isHidden;
     this.syncOpenState();
+    if (!wasOpen && this.isOpen) {
+      this.options.onOpen?.();
+    }
   }
 
   private setUpTuningPane(container: PaneContainer): void {
     this.setUpVibeSection(container);
-    this.addRuntimeSection(container, 'Brush', brushControlKeys, true);
-    this.addRuntimeSection(container, 'Agents', agentControlKeys, true);
+    this.addRuntimeSection(container, runtimeFolderOrder[0], true);
+    this.addRuntimeSection(container, runtimeFolderOrder[1], true);
     this.addColorReactionMatrix(container);
-    this.addRuntimeSection(container, 'Look', lookControlKeys, true);
+    this.addRuntimeSection(container, runtimeFolderOrder[2], true);
     const performanceFolder = this.addRuntimeSection(
       container,
-      'Performance',
-      performanceControlKeys,
+      runtimeFolderOrder[3],
       true
     );
     this.addFpsOverlayBinding(performanceFolder);
@@ -279,13 +251,13 @@ export class ConfigPane {
       expanded: true,
     });
 
-    this.addColorBinding(folder, 'color1', 'Primary Color', (color) => {
+    this.addColorBinding(folder, 'color1', '', (color) => {
       activeVibe.colors[0] = color;
     });
-    this.addColorBinding(folder, 'color2', 'Secondary Color', (color) => {
+    this.addColorBinding(folder, 'color2', '', (color) => {
       activeVibe.colors[1] = color;
     });
-    this.addColorBinding(folder, 'color3', 'Accent Color', (color) => {
+    this.addColorBinding(folder, 'color3', '', (color) => {
       activeVibe.colors[2] = color;
     });
     this.addColorBinding(folder, 'backgroundColor', 'Background Color', (color) => {
@@ -327,11 +299,10 @@ export class ConfigPane {
   private addRuntimeSection(
     container: PaneContainer,
     title: string,
-    keys: ReadonlyArray<RuntimeControlKey>,
     expanded: boolean
   ): PaneContainer {
     const folder = container.addFolder({ title, expanded });
-    keys.forEach((key) => this.addRuntimeBinding(folder, key));
+    getRuntimeControlKeys(title).forEach((key) => this.addRuntimeBinding(folder, key));
     return folder;
   }
 
@@ -341,12 +312,12 @@ export class ConfigPane {
       return;
     }
 
-    settings[key] = normalizeNumber(settings[key], config);
+    settings[key] = normalizeNumberControlValue(settings[key], config);
 
     container
       .addBinding(settings, key, getNumberBindingParams(config))
       .on('change', () => {
-        const nextValue = normalizeNumber(settings[key], config);
+        const nextValue = normalizeNumberControlValue(settings[key], config);
         if (nextValue !== settings[key]) {
           settings[key] = nextValue;
           this.pane.refresh();
@@ -382,7 +353,6 @@ export class ConfigPane {
       title: 'Color Behavior',
       expanded: true,
     });
-    folder.element.classList.add('color-reaction-folder');
 
     const matrix = document.createElement('div');
     matrix.className = 'color-reaction-matrix';
@@ -410,23 +380,20 @@ export class ConfigPane {
   private createColorReactionCorner(): HTMLDivElement {
     const corner = document.createElement('div');
     corner.className = 'color-reaction-matrix__corner';
-    corner.textContent = 'agents';
     return corner;
   }
 
   private createColorReactionHeader(colorIndex: number, label: string): HTMLDivElement {
     const header = document.createElement('div');
     header.className = 'color-reaction-matrix__header';
+    header.setAttribute('aria-label', label);
+    header.title = label;
 
     const swatch = document.createElement('span');
     swatch.className = 'color-reaction-matrix__swatch';
     this.colorReactionSwatches.push({ colorIndex, element: swatch });
     header.appendChild(swatch);
 
-    const text = document.createElement('span');
-    text.textContent = label;
-    header.appendChild(text);
-
     return header;
   }
 
@@ -452,7 +419,7 @@ export class ConfigPane {
     button.appendChild(icon);
 
     button.addEventListener('click', () => {
-      const currentValue = normalizeNumber(settings[key], config);
+      const currentValue = normalizeNumberControlValue(settings[key], config);
       const nextState = getNextColorReactionState(currentValue);
       settings[key] = nextState.value;
       this.syncColorReactionButton(button, key, sourceColorIndex, targetColorIndex);
@@ -492,7 +459,7 @@ export class ConfigPane {
       return;
     }
 
-    settings[key] = normalizeNumber(settings[key], config);
+    settings[key] = normalizeNumberControlValue(settings[key], config);
 
     const state = getColorReactionState(settings[key]);
     const nextState = getNextColorReactionState(settings[key]);
@@ -502,9 +469,9 @@ export class ConfigPane {
     button.dataset.reaction = state.id;
     button.setAttribute(
       'aria-label',
-      `${sourceLabel} agents ${state.label.toLowerCase()} ${targetLabel.toLowerCase()} trails; click to switch to ${nextState.label.toLowerCase()}`
+      `${sourceLabel} ${state.label.toLowerCase()} ${targetLabel.toLowerCase()} trails; click to switch to ${nextState.label.toLowerCase()}`
     );
-    button.title = `${sourceLabel} agents: ${state.label} ${targetLabel} trails`;
+    button.title = `${sourceLabel}: ${state.label} ${targetLabel} trails`;
   }
 
   private setUpMusicSection(container: PaneContainer): void {
@@ -519,12 +486,12 @@ export class ConfigPane {
     key: VibeNumberKey,
     config: NumberControlConfig
   ): void {
-    this.state[key] = normalizeNumber(this.state[key], config);
+    this.state[key] = normalizeNumberControlValue(this.state[key], config);
 
     container
       .addBinding(this.state, key, getNumberBindingParams(config))
       .on('change', () => {
-        const nextValue = normalizeNumber(this.state[key], config);
+        const nextValue = normalizeNumberControlValue(this.state[key], config);
         if (nextValue !== this.state[key]) {
           this.state[key] = nextValue;
           this.pane.refresh();
diff --git a/src/page/eraser-size-control.ts b/src/page/eraser-size-control.ts
index 4b4bb5d..b5de8f7 100644
--- a/src/page/eraser-size-control.ts
+++ b/src/page/eraser-size-control.ts
@@ -1,21 +1,18 @@
+import { appConfig } from '../config';
 import type GameLoop from '../game-loop/game-loop';
 import { settings } from '../settings';
 import { queryRequiredElement } from '../utils/dom';
 
-const ERASER_CONTROL_SCALE_MAX = 1.33;
-const ERASER_CONTROL_SCALE_MIN = 0.75;
-const ERASER_SIZE_DEFAULT = 96;
-const ERASER_SIZE_MAX = 240;
-const ERASER_SIZE_MIN = 24;
-const ERASER_SIZE_STEP = 1;
-
 const clampEraserSize = (value: number): number => {
-  const safeValue = Number.isFinite(value) ? value : ERASER_SIZE_DEFAULT;
-  return Math.min(ERASER_SIZE_MAX, Math.max(ERASER_SIZE_MIN, Math.round(safeValue)));
+  const { default: defaultSize, max, min } = appConfig.toolbar.eraser;
+  const safeValue = Number.isFinite(value) ? value : defaultSize;
+  return Math.min(max, Math.max(min, Math.round(safeValue)));
 };
 
-const getEraserSizeRatio = (size: number): number =>
-  (size - ERASER_SIZE_MIN) / (ERASER_SIZE_MAX - ERASER_SIZE_MIN);
+const getEraserSizeRatio = (size: number): number => {
+  const { max, min } = appConfig.toolbar.eraser;
+  return (size - min) / (max - min);
+};
 
 interface EraserSizeControlOptions {
   getGame: () => GameLoop | null;
@@ -28,10 +25,7 @@ export class EraserSizeControl {
     '.eraser-size-control',
     HTMLLabelElement
   );
-  private readonly slider = queryRequiredElement(
-    '.eraser-size-slider',
-    HTMLInputElement
-  );
+  private readonly slider = queryRequiredElement('.eraser-size-slider', HTMLInputElement);
 
   public constructor(private readonly options: EraserSizeControlOptions) {
     this.control.addEventListener('pointerdown', this.options.onActivate);
@@ -51,16 +45,18 @@ export class EraserSizeControl {
       settings.eraserSize = size;
     }
 
-    this.slider.min = ERASER_SIZE_MIN.toString();
-    this.slider.max = ERASER_SIZE_MAX.toString();
-    this.slider.step = ERASER_SIZE_STEP.toString();
+    this.slider.min = appConfig.toolbar.eraser.min.toString();
+    this.slider.max = appConfig.toolbar.eraser.max.toString();
+    this.slider.step = appConfig.toolbar.eraser.step.toString();
     this.slider.value = size.toString();
     this.slider.setAttribute('aria-valuetext', `${size}px`);
 
     const ratio = getEraserSizeRatio(size);
     const scale =
-      ERASER_CONTROL_SCALE_MIN +
-      (ERASER_CONTROL_SCALE_MAX - ERASER_CONTROL_SCALE_MIN) * ratio;
+      appConfig.toolbar.eraser.controlScaleMin +
+      (appConfig.toolbar.eraser.controlScaleMax -
+        appConfig.toolbar.eraser.controlScaleMin) *
+        ratio;
     this.control.style.setProperty('--eraser-progress', `${ratio * 100}%`);
     this.control.style.setProperty('--eraser-control-scale', scale.toFixed(3));
     this.options.getGame()?.updateEraserPreview();
diff --git a/src/page/full-screen-handler.ts b/src/page/full-screen-handler.ts
index 7e8845c..1167543 100644
--- a/src/page/full-screen-handler.ts
+++ b/src/page/full-screen-handler.ts
@@ -1,22 +1,24 @@
 export class FullScreenHandler {
   public constructor(
-    private readonly minimizeButton: HTMLElement,
-    private readonly maximizeButton: HTMLElement,
+    private readonly toggleButton: HTMLElement,
     target: HTMLElement
   ) {
     if (!document.fullscreenEnabled || typeof target.requestFullscreen !== 'function') {
-      minimizeButton.hidden = true;
-      maximizeButton.hidden = true;
+      toggleButton.hidden = true;
       return;
     }
 
     this.updateButtons();
 
     addEventListener('fullscreenchange', this.updateButtons.bind(this));
-    maximizeButton.addEventListener('click', () => {
+    toggleButton.addEventListener('click', () => {
+      if (FullScreenHandler.isInFullScreenMode()) {
+        void document.exitFullscreen();
+        return;
+      }
+
       void target.requestFullscreen().catch(() => undefined);
     });
-    minimizeButton.addEventListener('click', () => document.exitFullscreen());
   }
 
   public static isInFullScreenMode(): boolean {
@@ -25,7 +27,9 @@ export class FullScreenHandler {
 
   private updateButtons(): void {
     const isInFullScreenMode = FullScreenHandler.isInFullScreenMode();
-    this.minimizeButton.hidden = !isInFullScreenMode;
-    this.maximizeButton.hidden = isInFullScreenMode;
+    const label = isInFullScreenMode ? 'Exit fullscreen' : 'Enter fullscreen';
+    this.toggleButton.classList.toggle('active', isInFullScreenMode);
+    this.toggleButton.setAttribute('aria-label', label);
+    this.toggleButton.title = label;
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/page/mirror-segment-control.ts b/src/page/mirror-segment-control.ts
index c484571..98f6b75 100644
--- a/src/page/mirror-segment-control.ts
+++ b/src/page/mirror-segment-control.ts
@@ -1,28 +1,26 @@
+import { appConfig } from '../config';
 import { settings } from '../settings';
 import { queryRequiredElement } from '../utils/dom';
 
-const MIRROR_SEGMENT_DEFAULT = 1;
-const MIRROR_SEGMENT_MAX = 12;
-const MIRROR_SEGMENT_MIN = 1;
-const MIRROR_SEGMENT_OFF_LABEL = 'Mirror off';
-const MIRROR_SEGMENT_STEP = 1;
-const MIRROR_SEGMENT_LABEL_SUFFIX = 'slices';
-
 const clampMirrorSegmentCount = (value: number): number => {
-  const safeValue = Number.isFinite(value) ? value : MIRROR_SEGMENT_DEFAULT;
-  return Math.min(
-    MIRROR_SEGMENT_MAX,
-    Math.max(MIRROR_SEGMENT_MIN, Math.round(safeValue))
-  );
+  const { default: defaultCount, max, min } = appConfig.toolbar.mirror;
+  const safeValue = Number.isFinite(value) ? value : defaultCount;
+  return Math.min(max, Math.max(min, Math.round(safeValue)));
 };
 
-const getMirrorSegmentRatio = (count: number): number =>
-  (count - MIRROR_SEGMENT_MIN) / (MIRROR_SEGMENT_MAX - MIRROR_SEGMENT_MIN);
+const getMirrorSegmentRatio = (count: number): number => {
+  const { max, min } = appConfig.toolbar.mirror;
+  return (count - min) / (max - min);
+};
 
 const formatMirrorSegmentCount = (count: number): string =>
-  count === MIRROR_SEGMENT_DEFAULT
-    ? MIRROR_SEGMENT_OFF_LABEL
-    : `${count} ${MIRROR_SEGMENT_LABEL_SUFFIX}`;
+  count === appConfig.toolbar.mirror.default
+    ? appConfig.toolbar.mirror.offLabel
+    : `${count} ${
+        appConfig.toolbar.mirror.names[
+          count as keyof typeof appConfig.toolbar.mirror.names
+        ] ?? appConfig.toolbar.mirror.fallbackSegmentName
+      }`;
 
 interface MirrorSegmentControlOptions {
   onChange: () => void;
@@ -52,9 +50,9 @@ export class MirrorSegmentControl {
       settings.mirrorSegmentCount = count;
     }
 
-    this.slider.min = MIRROR_SEGMENT_MIN.toString();
-    this.slider.max = MIRROR_SEGMENT_MAX.toString();
-    this.slider.step = MIRROR_SEGMENT_STEP.toString();
+    this.slider.min = appConfig.toolbar.mirror.min.toString();
+    this.slider.max = appConfig.toolbar.mirror.max.toString();
+    this.slider.step = appConfig.toolbar.mirror.step.toString();
     this.slider.value = count.toString();
 
     const label = formatMirrorSegmentCount(count);
diff --git a/src/page/palette-control.ts b/src/page/palette-control.ts
index 316b11d..615625f 100644
--- a/src/page/palette-control.ts
+++ b/src/page/palette-control.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import type GameLoop from '../game-loop/game-loop';
 import { activeVibe, settings } from '../settings';
-import { queryRequiredElement, queryRequiredElements } from '../utils/dom';
+import { queryRequiredElement } from '../utils/dom';
+import { ErrorCode, RuntimeError } from '../utils/error-handler';
 import { rgbColorToCss } from '../utils/rgb-color';
 
 interface PaletteControlOptions {
@@ -9,7 +10,7 @@ interface PaletteControlOptions {
 }
 
 export class PaletteControl {
-  private readonly swatches = queryRequiredElements('.color-swatch', HTMLButtonElement);
+  private readonly swatches = queryRequiredColorSwatches();
   private readonly eraserControl = queryRequiredElement(
     '.eraser-size-control',
     HTMLLabelElement
@@ -52,3 +53,28 @@ export class PaletteControl {
     );
   }
 }
+
+const queryRequiredColorSwatches = (): Array<HTMLButtonElement> => {
+  const selector = '.color-swatch';
+  const swatches = Array.from(document.querySelectorAll(selector));
+  const expectedCount = activeVibe.colors.length;
+  const hasExpectedSwatches =
+    swatches.length === expectedCount &&
+    swatches.every((swatch) => swatch instanceof HTMLButtonElement);
+
+  if (!hasExpectedSwatches) {
+    throw new RuntimeError(
+      ErrorCode.DOM_ELEMENT_MISSING,
+      `Expected ${expectedCount} color swatches.`,
+      {
+        details: {
+          actualCount: swatches.length,
+          expectedCount,
+          selector,
+        },
+      }
+    );
+  }
+
+  return swatches as Array<HTMLButtonElement>;
+};
diff --git a/src/page/splash-screen.ts b/src/page/splash-screen.ts
index fb25225..50dd211 100644
--- a/src/page/splash-screen.ts
+++ b/src/page/splash-screen.ts
@@ -2,10 +2,7 @@ import { queryRequiredElement } from '../utils/dom';
 import { clamp01 } from '../utils/math';
 
 export class SplashScreen {
-  public readonly startButton = queryRequiredElement(
-    '.start-button',
-    HTMLButtonElement
-  );
+  public readonly startButton = queryRequiredElement('.start-button', HTMLButtonElement);
   private readonly splash = queryRequiredElement('.splash', HTMLDivElement);
   private readonly loadingBar = queryRequiredElement('.loading-bar', HTMLDivElement);
   private readonly loadingStatus = queryRequiredElement(
@@ -17,6 +14,12 @@ export class SplashScreen {
     HTMLDivElement
   );
 
+  private setVisible(element: HTMLElement, isVisible: boolean): void {
+    element.dataset.visible = String(isVisible);
+    element.setAttribute('aria-hidden', String(!isVisible));
+    element.inert = !isVisible;
+  }
+
   public setLoadingStage(label: string, ratio: number): void {
     const percent = Math.round(clamp01(ratio) * 100);
     this.loadingStatus.textContent = label;
@@ -30,7 +33,7 @@ export class SplashScreen {
       const onClick = () => {
         this.startButton.removeEventListener('click', onClick);
         onStart();
-        this.splash.hidden = true;
+        this.setVisible(this.splash, false);
         resolve();
       };
       this.startButton.addEventListener('click', onClick);
@@ -38,10 +41,10 @@ export class SplashScreen {
   }
 
   public showLoadingBar(): void {
-    this.loadingBar.hidden = false;
+    this.setVisible(this.loadingBar, true);
   }
 
   public hideLoadingBar(): void {
-    this.loadingBar.hidden = true;
+    this.setVisible(this.loadingBar, false);
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/pipelines/agents/agent-dispatch.ts b/src/pipelines/agents/agent-dispatch.ts
index bce5e18..a5f97ff 100644
--- a/src/pipelines/agents/agent-dispatch.ts
+++ b/src/pipelines/agents/agent-dispatch.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,21 @@
-export const AGENT_WORKGROUP_SIZE = 64;
+// Use the device's max workgroup size so we get full SIMD/wave occupancy on
+// hardware that supports more than the WebGPU minimum of 256.
+export const getAgentWorkgroupSize = (device: GPUDevice): number =>
+  device.limits.maxComputeInvocationsPerWorkgroup;
+
+export const substituteAgentWorkgroupSize = (
+  device: GPUDevice,
+  shaderCode: string
+): string =>
+  shaderCode.replaceAll(
+    '__AGENT_WORKGROUP_SIZE__',
+    String(getAgentWorkgroupSize(device))
+  );
 
 export const dispatchAgentWorkgroups = (
   passEncoder: GPUComputePassEncoder,
+  workgroupSize: number,
   agentCount: number
 ): void => {
-  passEncoder.dispatchWorkgroups(Math.ceil(agentCount / AGENT_WORKGROUP_SIZE), 1);
+  passEncoder.dispatchWorkgroups(Math.ceil(agentCount / workgroupSize), 1);
 };
diff --git a/src/pipelines/agents/agent-generation/agent-compaction.wgsl b/src/pipelines/agents/agent-generation/agent-compaction.wgsl
index 4021518..86a3447 100644
--- a/src/pipelines/agents/agent-generation/agent-compaction.wgsl
+++ b/src/pipelines/agents/agent-generation/agent-compaction.wgsl
@@ -15,40 +15,53 @@ const clearCompactedTailStride = 4u;
 @group(1) @binding(2) var<storage, read_write> counters: Counters;
 @group(1) @binding(3) var<storage, read_write> compactedAgents: array<Agent>;
 
-var<workgroup> workgroupAliveCount: atomic<u32>;
 var<workgroup> workgroupCompactedOffset: u32;
+var<workgroup> scanData: array<u32, agentWorkgroupSize>;
 var<workgroup> clearAliveAgentCount: u32;
 
-@compute @workgroup_size(64)
+@compute @workgroup_size(agentWorkgroupSize)
 fn main(
   @builtin(global_invocation_id) global_id: vec3<u32>,
   @builtin(local_invocation_id) local_id: vec3<u32>
 ) {
   let id = get_id(global_id);
+  let lid = local_id.x;
 
-  if local_id.x == 0u {
-    atomicStore(&workgroupAliveCount, 0u);
-  }
-
-  workgroupBarrier();
-
-  var localCompactedIndex = 0u;
-  var agent: Agent;
   var isAlive = false;
+  var agent: Agent;
   if id < settings.agentCount {
     isAlive = agents[id].colorIndex >= 0.0;
     if isAlive {
       agent = agents[id];
-      localCompactedIndex = atomicAdd(&workgroupAliveCount, 1u);
     }
   }
 
+  // Hillis-Steele inclusive prefix sum across the workgroup. Replaces a
+  // per-thread atomicAdd to a workgroup counter, eliminating serialization
+  // on dense workgroups.
+  scanData[lid] = select(0u, 1u, isAlive);
   workgroupBarrier();
 
-  if local_id.x == 0u {
-    let groupAliveCount = atomicLoad(&workgroupAliveCount);
-    if groupAliveCount > 0u {
-      workgroupCompactedOffset = atomicAdd(&counters.aliveAgentCount, groupAliveCount);
+  var offset: u32 = 1u;
+  while offset < agentWorkgroupSize {
+    let own = scanData[lid];
+    var contribution: u32 = 0u;
+    if lid >= offset {
+      contribution = scanData[lid - offset];
+    }
+    workgroupBarrier();
+    scanData[lid] = own + contribution;
+    workgroupBarrier();
+    offset = offset * 2u;
+  }
+
+  let inclusivePrefix = scanData[lid];
+  let workgroupAliveTotal = scanData[agentWorkgroupSize - 1u];
+  let exclusivePrefix = inclusivePrefix - select(0u, 1u, isAlive);
+
+  if lid == 0u {
+    if workgroupAliveTotal > 0u {
+      workgroupCompactedOffset = atomicAdd(&counters.aliveAgentCount, workgroupAliveTotal);
     } else {
       workgroupCompactedOffset = 0u;
     }
@@ -57,11 +70,11 @@ fn main(
   workgroupBarrier();
 
   if isAlive {
-    compactedAgents[workgroupCompactedOffset + localCompactedIndex] = agent;
+    compactedAgents[workgroupCompactedOffset + exclusivePrefix] = agent;
   }
 }
 
-@compute @workgroup_size(64)
+@compute @workgroup_size(agentWorkgroupSize)
 fn clearCompactedTail(
   @builtin(global_invocation_id) global_id: vec3<u32>,
   @builtin(local_invocation_id) local_id: vec3<u32>
diff --git a/src/pipelines/agents/agent-generation/agent-generation-pipeline.ts b/src/pipelines/agents/agent-generation/agent-generation-pipeline.ts
index a4022e7..b747e02 100644
--- a/src/pipelines/agents/agent-generation/agent-generation-pipeline.ts
+++ b/src/pipelines/agents/agent-generation/agent-generation-pipeline.ts
@@ -2,14 +2,16 @@ import { vec2 } from 'gl-matrix';
 
 import { createBindGroupCache } from '../../../utils/graphics/bind-group-cache';
 import { smartCompile } from '../../../utils/graphics/smart-compile';
-import { dispatchAgentWorkgroups } from '../agent-dispatch';
+import {
+  dispatchAgentWorkgroups,
+  getAgentWorkgroupSize,
+  substituteAgentWorkgroupSize,
+} from '../agent-dispatch';
 import { AGENT_SIZE_IN_BYTES, getMaxSupportedAgentCount } from '../agent-limits';
 import compactionShader from './agent-compaction.wgsl?raw';
 import resizeShader from './agent-resize.wgsl?raw';
 import agentSchema from './agent-schema.wgsl?raw';
 
-export { AGENT_FLOAT_COUNT } from '../agent-limits';
-
 export class AgentGenerationPipeline {
   private static readonly UNIFORM_COUNT = 4;
   private static readonly COUNTER_COUNT = 1;
@@ -34,6 +36,7 @@ export class AgentGenerationPipeline {
   private readonly resizePipeline: GPUComputePipeline;
   private readonly compactionPipeline: GPUComputePipeline;
   private readonly clearCompactedTailPipeline: GPUComputePipeline;
+  private readonly workgroupSize: number;
 
   private activeAgentsBuffer: GPUBuffer;
   private inactiveAgentsBuffer: GPUBuffer;
@@ -90,7 +93,7 @@ export class AgentGenerationPipeline {
     });
 
     this.activeAgentsBuffer = this.createAgentsBuffer();
-    this.inactiveAgentsBuffer = this.createInactivePlaceholderBuffer();
+    this.inactiveAgentsBuffer = this.createAgentsBuffer();
 
     this.countersBuffer = this.device.createBuffer({
       size: AgentGenerationPipeline.COUNTER_COUNT * Uint32Array.BYTES_PER_ELEMENT,
@@ -107,17 +110,20 @@ export class AgentGenerationPipeline {
       usage: GPUBufferUsage.UNIFORM | GPUBufferUsage.COPY_DST,
     });
 
+    this.workgroupSize = getAgentWorkgroupSize(device);
+    const sizedSchema = substituteAgentWorkgroupSize(device, agentSchema);
+
     this.resizePipeline = device.createComputePipeline({
       layout: device.createPipelineLayout({
         bindGroupLayouts: [emptyBindGroupLayout, this.bindGroupLayout],
       }),
       compute: {
-        module: smartCompile(device, agentSchema, resizeShader),
+        module: smartCompile(device, sizedSchema, resizeShader),
         entryPoint: 'main',
       },
     });
 
-    const compactionModule = smartCompile(device, agentSchema, compactionShader);
+    const compactionModule = smartCompile(device, sizedSchema, compactionShader);
 
     this.compactionPipeline = device.createComputePipeline({
       layout: device.createPipelineLayout({
@@ -151,16 +157,6 @@ export class AgentGenerationPipeline {
     });
   }
 
-  // The inactive slot only needs a real allocation during compaction. The rest of
-  // the time we keep a one-agent placeholder so the bind group at binding 3 stays
-  // valid for resize without holding a second N-agent buffer in GPU memory.
-  private createInactivePlaceholderBuffer(): GPUBuffer {
-    return this.device.createBuffer({
-      size: AGENT_SIZE_IN_BYTES,
-      usage: GPUBufferUsage.STORAGE | GPUBufferUsage.COPY_DST | GPUBufferUsage.COPY_SRC,
-    });
-  }
-
   public get maxAgentCount(): number {
     return this.allocatedMaxAgentCount;
   }
@@ -187,9 +183,11 @@ export class AgentGenerationPipeline {
       )
     );
     const previousActiveAgentsBuffer = this.activeAgentsBuffer;
+    const previousInactiveAgentsBuffer = this.inactiveAgentsBuffer;
     const previousMaxAgentCount = this.allocatedMaxAgentCount;
     this.allocatedMaxAgentCount = nextMaxAgentCount;
     this.activeAgentsBuffer = this.createAgentsBuffer();
+    this.inactiveAgentsBuffer = this.createAgentsBuffer();
 
     const copyAgentCount = Math.min(
       Math.max(0, Math.floor(activeAgentCount)),
@@ -209,10 +207,9 @@ export class AgentGenerationPipeline {
     }
 
     // GPUBuffer.destroy() defers actual freeing until pending submissions
-    // finish, so calling it synchronously after submit is safe and avoids the
-    // transient 4-buffers-live spike that pushes iOS Safari past its per-tab
-    // memory ceiling.
+    // finish, so calling it synchronously after submit is safe.
     previousActiveAgentsBuffer.destroy();
+    previousInactiveAgentsBuffer.destroy();
     return this.allocatedMaxAgentCount;
   }
 
@@ -251,7 +248,7 @@ export class AgentGenerationPipeline {
     const passEncoder = commandEncoder.beginComputePass();
     passEncoder.setPipeline(this.resizePipeline);
     passEncoder.setBindGroup(1, this.getBindGroup());
-    dispatchAgentWorkgroups(passEncoder, agentCount);
+    dispatchAgentWorkgroups(passEncoder, this.workgroupSize, agentCount);
     passEncoder.end();
 
     this.device.queue.submit([commandEncoder.finish()]);
@@ -262,12 +259,6 @@ export class AgentGenerationPipeline {
       return 0;
     }
 
-    // Stash the placeholder, swap in a real N-agent destination buffer just
-    // for this compaction so the rest of the time we only carry one full
-    // agent buffer in memory.
-    const placeholder = this.inactiveAgentsBuffer;
-    this.inactiveAgentsBuffer = this.createAgentsBuffer();
-
     this.agentCountUniformValues[0] = agentCount;
     this.device.queue.writeBuffer(this.uniforms, 0, this.agentCountUniformValues);
 
@@ -276,10 +267,11 @@ export class AgentGenerationPipeline {
     const passEncoder = commandEncoder.beginComputePass();
     passEncoder.setPipeline(this.compactionPipeline);
     passEncoder.setBindGroup(1, this.getBindGroup());
-    dispatchAgentWorkgroups(passEncoder, agentCount);
+    dispatchAgentWorkgroups(passEncoder, this.workgroupSize, agentCount);
     passEncoder.setPipeline(this.clearCompactedTailPipeline);
     dispatchAgentWorkgroups(
       passEncoder,
+      this.workgroupSize,
       Math.ceil(agentCount / AgentGenerationPipeline.CLEAR_COMPACTED_TAIL_STRIDE)
     );
     passEncoder.end();
@@ -295,13 +287,6 @@ export class AgentGenerationPipeline {
     this.device.queue.submit([commandEncoder.finish()]);
     this.swapAgentBuffers();
 
-    // After swap, inactive is the previous active (full size). Destroy it and
-    // restore the placeholder; the destroy is deferred by WebGPU until the
-    // submitted compaction work has finished.
-    const previousActiveAgentsBuffer = this.inactiveAgentsBuffer;
-    this.inactiveAgentsBuffer = placeholder;
-    previousActiveAgentsBuffer.destroy();
-
     await this.countersStagingBuffer.mapAsync(GPUMapMode.READ);
     const compactedCount = new Uint32Array(
       this.countersStagingBuffer.getMappedRange(),
diff --git a/src/pipelines/agents/agent-generation/agent-resize.wgsl b/src/pipelines/agents/agent-generation/agent-resize.wgsl
index d43506c..9af7973 100644
--- a/src/pipelines/agents/agent-generation/agent-resize.wgsl
+++ b/src/pipelines/agents/agent-generation/agent-resize.wgsl
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ struct ResizeSettings {
 
 @group(1) @binding(0) var<uniform> resizeSettings: ResizeSettings;
 
-@compute @workgroup_size(64)
+@compute @workgroup_size(agentWorkgroupSize)
 fn main(
   @builtin(global_invocation_id) global_id: vec3<u32>
 ) {
diff --git a/src/pipelines/agents/agent-generation/agent-schema.wgsl b/src/pipelines/agents/agent-generation/agent-schema.wgsl
index 6c5c512..a2744af 100644
--- a/src/pipelines/agents/agent-generation/agent-schema.wgsl
+++ b/src/pipelines/agents/agent-generation/agent-schema.wgsl
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ struct Agent {
 
 @group(1) @binding(1) var<storage, read_write> agents: array<Agent>;
 
-const agentWorkgroupSize = 64u;
+const agentWorkgroupSize = __AGENT_WORKGROUP_SIZE__u;
 
 fn get_id(global_id: vec3<u32>) -> u32 {
   return global_id.x;
diff --git a/src/pipelines/agents/agent-limits.ts b/src/pipelines/agents/agent-limits.ts
index 560ad06..fdf379a 100644
--- a/src/pipelines/agents/agent-limits.ts
+++ b/src/pipelines/agents/agent-limits.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,46 @@
-import { AGENT_WORKGROUP_SIZE } from './agent-dispatch';
+import { getAgentWorkgroupSize } from './agent-dispatch';
 
 export const AGENT_FLOAT_COUNT = 8;
 export const AGENT_SIZE_IN_BYTES = AGENT_FLOAT_COUNT * Float32Array.BYTES_PER_ELEMENT;
 
+const AGENT_LAYOUT = {
+  positionX: 0,
+  positionY: 1,
+  angle: 2,
+  colorIndex: 3,
+  targetPositionX: 4,
+  targetPositionY: 5,
+  targetAngle: 6,
+  introDelay: 7,
+} as const;
+
+export interface AgentLayoutValues {
+  angle: number;
+  colorIndex: number;
+  introDelay: number;
+  positionX: number;
+  positionY: number;
+  targetAngle: number;
+  targetPositionX: number;
+  targetPositionY: number;
+}
+
+export const writeAgentValues = (
+  target: Float32Array,
+  agentIndex: number,
+  values: AgentLayoutValues
+): void => {
+  const base = agentIndex * AGENT_FLOAT_COUNT;
+  target[base + AGENT_LAYOUT.positionX] = values.positionX;
+  target[base + AGENT_LAYOUT.positionY] = values.positionY;
+  target[base + AGENT_LAYOUT.angle] = values.angle;
+  target[base + AGENT_LAYOUT.colorIndex] = values.colorIndex;
+  target[base + AGENT_LAYOUT.targetPositionX] = values.targetPositionX;
+  target[base + AGENT_LAYOUT.targetPositionY] = values.targetPositionY;
+  target[base + AGENT_LAYOUT.targetAngle] = values.targetAngle;
+  target[base + AGENT_LAYOUT.introDelay] = values.introDelay;
+};
+
 export const getMaxSupportedAgentCount = (
   device: GPUDevice,
   maxAgentCountUpperLimit = Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY
@@ -19,7 +57,8 @@ export const getMaxSupportedAgentCount = (
       upperLimit,
       Math.floor(device.limits.maxBufferSize / AGENT_SIZE_IN_BYTES),
       Math.floor(storageBufferBindingSize / AGENT_SIZE_IN_BYTES),
-      Math.floor(device.limits.maxComputeWorkgroupsPerDimension) * AGENT_WORKGROUP_SIZE
+      Math.floor(device.limits.maxComputeWorkgroupsPerDimension) *
+        getAgentWorkgroupSize(device)
     )
   );
 };
diff --git a/src/pipelines/agents/agent-pipeline.ts b/src/pipelines/agents/agent-pipeline.ts
index 7e67b53..e647f77 100644
--- a/src/pipelines/agents/agent-pipeline.ts
+++ b/src/pipelines/agents/agent-pipeline.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,16 @@
 import { createBindGroupCache3 } from '../../utils/graphics/bind-group-cache';
 import {
-  createCachedFloat32BufferWrite,
-  writeFloat32BufferIfChanged,
+  createCachedBufferWrite,
+  writeBufferIfChanged,
 } from '../../utils/graphics/cached-buffer-write';
 import { smartCompile } from '../../utils/graphics/smart-compile';
 import { CommonState } from '../common-state/common-state';
-import { dispatchAgentWorkgroups } from './agent-dispatch';
+import { TRAIL_SOURCE_TEXTURE_FORMAT } from '../texture-formats';
+import {
+  dispatchAgentWorkgroups,
+  getAgentWorkgroupSize,
+  substituteAgentWorkgroupSize,
+} from './agent-dispatch';
 import agentSchema from './agent-generation/agent-schema.wgsl?raw';
 import shader from './agent.wgsl?raw';
 
@@ -44,11 +49,13 @@ const UNIFORM_COUNT = 30;
 export class AgentPipeline {
   private readonly bindGroupLayout: GPUBindGroupLayout;
   private readonly pipeline: GPUComputePipeline;
-  private readonly normalPipeline: GPUComputePipeline;
   private readonly uniforms: GPUBuffer;
+  private readonly workgroupSize: number;
   private readonly uniformValues = new Float32Array(UNIFORM_COUNT);
   private readonly uniformUintValues = new Uint32Array(this.uniformValues.buffer);
-  private readonly uniformCache = createCachedFloat32BufferWrite(UNIFORM_COUNT);
+  private readonly uniformCache = createCachedBufferWrite(
+    UNIFORM_COUNT * Float32Array.BYTES_PER_ELEMENT
+  );
   private readonly bindGroupCache = createBindGroupCache3<
     GPUBuffer,
     GPUTextureView,
@@ -66,7 +73,6 @@ export class AgentPipeline {
   );
 
   private agentCount = 0;
-  private useIntroPipeline = true;
 
   public constructor(
     private readonly device: GPUDevice,
@@ -93,15 +99,16 @@ export class AgentPipeline {
         {
           binding: 3,
           visibility: GPUShaderStage.COMPUTE,
-          storageTexture: { format: 'rgba16float' },
+          storageTexture: { format: TRAIL_SOURCE_TEXTURE_FORMAT },
         },
       ],
     });
 
+    this.workgroupSize = getAgentWorkgroupSize(device);
     const shaderModule = smartCompile(
       device,
       CommonState.shaderCode,
-      agentSchema,
+      substituteAgentWorkgroupSize(device, agentSchema),
       shader
     );
     const pipelineLayout = device.createPipelineLayout({
@@ -114,13 +121,6 @@ export class AgentPipeline {
         entryPoint: 'main',
       },
     });
-    this.normalPipeline = device.createComputePipeline({
-      layout: pipelineLayout,
-      compute: {
-        module: shaderModule,
-        entryPoint: 'mainNormal',
-      },
-    });
 
     this.uniforms = device.createBuffer({
       size: UNIFORM_COUNT * Float32Array.BYTES_PER_ELEMENT,
@@ -167,7 +167,6 @@ export class AgentPipeline {
     introProgress?: number;
   }) {
     this.agentCount = agentCount;
-    this.useIntroPipeline = (introProgress ?? 1) < introProgressCutoff;
     this.uniformValues[0] = moveSpeed * deltaTime;
     this.uniformValues[1] = turnSpeed * deltaTime;
     const sensorAngle = (sensorOffsetAngle * Math.PI) / 180;
@@ -199,7 +198,7 @@ export class AgentPipeline {
     this.uniformValues[27] = introNearMoveMultiplier;
     this.uniformValues[28] = introStepStopDistance;
     this.uniformUintValues[29] = Math.max(0, Math.floor(time * randomTimeScale)) >>> 0;
-    writeFloat32BufferIfChanged(
+    writeBufferIfChanged(
       this.device,
       this.uniforms,
       this.uniformValues,
@@ -220,13 +219,13 @@ export class AgentPipeline {
     const passEncoder = commandEncoder.beginComputePass(
       timestampWrites ? { timestampWrites } : undefined
     );
-    passEncoder.setPipeline(this.useIntroPipeline ? this.pipeline : this.normalPipeline);
+    passEncoder.setPipeline(this.pipeline);
     this.commonState.execute(passEncoder);
     passEncoder.setBindGroup(
       1,
       this.bindGroupCache(this.getAgentsBuffer(), trailMapIn, trailMapOut)
     );
-    dispatchAgentWorkgroups(passEncoder, this.agentCount);
+    dispatchAgentWorkgroups(passEncoder, this.workgroupSize, this.agentCount);
     passEncoder.end();
   }
 
diff --git a/src/pipelines/agents/agent.wgsl b/src/pipelines/agents/agent.wgsl
index 31b2081..43fe63f 100644
--- a/src/pipelines/agents/agent.wgsl
+++ b/src/pipelines/agents/agent.wgsl
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 const PI: f32 = 3.14159265359;
+const TAU: f32 = 6.28318530718;
+const INV_TAU: f32 = 0.15915494309;
 
 struct Settings {
   moveRate: f32,
@@ -35,9 +37,9 @@ struct Settings {
 
 @group(1) @binding(0) var<uniform> settings: Settings;
 @group(1) @binding(2) var trailMapIn: texture_2d<f32>;
-@group(1) @binding(3) var trailMapOut: texture_storage_2d<rgba16float, write>;
+@group(1) @binding(3) var trailMapOut: texture_storage_2d<rgba8unorm, write>;
 
-@compute @workgroup_size(64)
+@compute @workgroup_size(agentWorkgroupSize)
 fn main(
   @builtin(global_invocation_id) global_id: vec3<u32>
 ) {
@@ -158,79 +160,6 @@ fn main(
   agents[id].position = nextPosition;
 }
 
-@compute @workgroup_size(64)
-fn mainNormal(
-  @builtin(global_invocation_id) global_id: vec3<u32>
-) {
-  let id = get_id(global_id);
-
-  if id >= settings.agentCount {
-    return;
-  }
-
-  let colorIndex = agents[id].colorIndex;
-  if colorIndex < 0.0 || colorIndex >= 2.5 {
-    return;
-  }
-
-  var position = agents[id].position;
-  var angle = agents[id].angle;
-  let channelMask = get_channel_mask(colorIndex);
-  let reactionMask = get_reaction_mask(colorIndex);
-  let randomSeed = random_seed(id);
-  let maxPosition = state.size - vec2<f32>(1.0, 1.0);
-  let randomTurn = random_float(randomSeed);
-  let direction = vec2(cos(angle), sin(angle));
-
-  let forwardSensor = sensor_position(position, direction, settings.sensorOffset, maxPosition);
-  let leftSensor = sensor_position(
-    position,
-    rotate_direction(direction, settings.sensorAngleSin, settings.sensorAngleCos),
-    settings.sensorOffset,
-    maxPosition
-  );
-  let rightSensor = sensor_position(
-    position,
-    rotate_direction(direction, -settings.sensorAngleSin, settings.sensorAngleCos),
-    settings.sensorOffset,
-    maxPosition
-  );
-
-  let trailForward = textureLoad(trailMapIn, forwardSensor, 0);
-  let trailLeft = textureLoad(trailMapIn, leftSensor, 0);
-  let trailRight = textureLoad(trailMapIn, rightSensor, 0);
-
-  let weightForward = dot(trailForward.rgb, reactionMask);
-  let weightLeft = dot(trailLeft.rgb, reactionMask);
-  let weightRight = dot(trailRight.rgb, reactionMask);
-
-  var rotation = (randomTurn - 0.5) * settings.turnWhenLost;
-  if weightForward >= weightLeft && weightForward >= weightRight {
-    rotation = rotation * settings.forwardRotationScale;
-  } else {
-    rotation += sign(weightLeft - weightRight) * settings.turnRate;
-  }
-
-  let nextPosition = clamp(
-    position + direction * settings.moveRate,
-    vec2<f32>(0, 0),
-    maxPosition
-  );
-  if nextPosition.x == 0 || nextPosition.x == maxPosition.x || nextPosition.y == 0 || nextPosition.y == maxPosition.y {
-    rotation = PI + random_float(randomSeed + 22695477u) - 0.5;
-  }
-
-  var trailBelow = textureLoad(trailMapIn, vec2<i32>(nextPosition), 0);
-  trailBelow = vec4<f32>(
-    trailBelow.rgb + channelMask * settings.individualTrailWeight,
-    max(trailBelow.a, 0.0)
-  );
-
-  textureStore(trailMapOut, vec2<i32>(nextPosition), trailBelow);
-  agents[id].angle = angle + rotation;
-  agents[id].position = nextPosition;
-}
-
 fn sensor_position(
   agentPosition: vec2<f32>,
   direction: vec2<f32>,
@@ -290,7 +219,8 @@ fn get_reaction_mask(colorIndex: f32) -> vec3<f32> {
 }
 
 fn angle_delta(sourceAngle: f32, targetAngle: f32) -> f32 {
-  return atan2(sin(targetAngle - sourceAngle), cos(targetAngle - sourceAngle));
+  // Wraps to (-π, π] via fract(); replaces atan2(sin(d), cos(d)).
+  return (fract((targetAngle - sourceAngle) * INV_TAU + 0.5) - 0.5) * TAU;
 }
 
 fn random_seed(id: u32) -> u32 {
diff --git a/src/pipelines/brush/brush-pipeline.ts b/src/pipelines/brush/brush-pipeline.ts
index 5192bce..32584fa 100644
--- a/src/pipelines/brush/brush-pipeline.ts
+++ b/src/pipelines/brush/brush-pipeline.ts
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@ import { vec2 } from 'gl-matrix';
 
 import { appConfig } from '../../config';
 import {
-  createCachedFloat32BufferWrite,
-  writeFloat32BufferIfChanged,
+  createCachedBufferWrite,
+  writeBufferIfChanged,
 } from '../../utils/graphics/cached-buffer-write';
 import { smartCompile } from '../../utils/graphics/smart-compile';
 import { CommonState } from '../common-state/common-state';
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import {
   LineSegmentBuffer,
 } from '../common/line-segment-buffer';
 import lineSegmentShader from '../common/line-segment.wgsl?raw';
+import { TRAIL_SOURCE_TEXTURE_FORMAT } from '../texture-formats';
 import shader from './brush.wgsl?raw';
 
 export interface BrushSettings {
@@ -77,7 +78,9 @@ export class BrushPipeline {
   private readonly renderPipeline: GPURenderPipeline;
   private readonly uniforms: GPUBuffer;
   private readonly uniformValues = new Float32Array(UNIFORM_COUNT);
-  private readonly uniformCache = createCachedFloat32BufferWrite(UNIFORM_COUNT);
+  private readonly uniformCache = createCachedBufferWrite(
+    UNIFORM_COUNT * Float32Array.BYTES_PER_ELEMENT
+  );
   private readonly segments: LineSegmentBuffer;
 
   public constructor(
@@ -116,7 +119,7 @@ export class BrushPipeline {
         entryPoint: 'fragmentMrt',
         targets: [
           {
-            format: 'rgba16float',
+            format: TRAIL_SOURCE_TEXTURE_FORMAT,
             blend: {
               color: { operation: 'max', srcFactor: 'one', dstFactor: 'one' },
               alpha: { operation: 'max', srcFactor: 'one', dstFactor: 'one' },
@@ -148,7 +151,7 @@ export class BrushPipeline {
 
   public setParameters(parameters: BrushParameters): void {
     setBrushUniformValues(this.uniformValues, parameters);
-    writeFloat32BufferIfChanged(
+    writeBufferIfChanged(
       this.device,
       this.uniforms,
       this.uniformValues,
diff --git a/src/pipelines/brush/brush.wgsl b/src/pipelines/brush/brush.wgsl
index 30fb694..b12f376 100644
--- a/src/pipelines/brush/brush.wgsl
+++ b/src/pipelines/brush/brush.wgsl
@@ -38,10 +38,12 @@ fn vertex(
   let direction = end - start;
   let denominator = dot(direction, direction);
   var inverseLengthSquared = 0.0;
+  var normalizedDirection = vec2<f32>(1.0, 0.0);
   if denominator > SEGMENT_LENGTH_EPSILON {
     inverseLengthSquared = 1.0 / denominator;
+    normalizedDirection = direction * inverseSqrt(denominator);
   }
-  let screenPosition = segment_vertex_position(vertexIndex, start, end, settings.brushRadius);
+  let screenPosition = segment_vertex_position(vertexIndex, start, end, normalizedDirection, settings.brushRadius);
   let uv = screenPosition / state.size;
   let position = vec2(uv.x * 2.0 - 1.0, 1.0 - uv.y * 2.0);
   return VertexOutput(vec4(position, 0.0, 1.0), screenPosition, start, direction, inverseLengthSquared);
@@ -85,8 +87,16 @@ fn brushStrength(
     return 0.0;
   }
 
+  // smoothstep(0.35, 1.0, sqrt(d²/r²)) reparameterized to squared distance:
+  // squaring the edges gives smoothstep(0.1225·r², r², d²), avoiding the sqrt.
+  let safeRadiusSquared = max(settings.brushRadiusSquared, 0.0001);
+  let feather = 1.0 - smoothstep(0.1225 * safeRadiusSquared, safeRadiusSquared, distanceSquared);
+  if feather <= 0.0 {
+    return 0.0;
+  }
+
   if settings.brushGrainMinStrength == settings.brushGrainMaxStrength {
-    return settings.brushGrainMinStrength;
+    return settings.brushGrainMinStrength * feather;
   }
 
   let grainNoise = textureSampleLevel(
@@ -96,7 +106,12 @@ fn brushStrength(
       vec2(settings.brushGrainNoiseOffsetX, settings.brushGrainNoiseOffsetY),
     0.0
   ).r;
-  return mix(settings.brushGrainMinStrength, settings.brushGrainMaxStrength, grainNoise);
+  let grainStrength = mix(
+    settings.brushGrainMinStrength,
+    settings.brushGrainMaxStrength,
+    grainNoise
+  );
+  return grainStrength * feather;
 }
 
 fn brushOutput(strength: f32) -> vec4<f32> {
diff --git a/src/pipelines/common-state/common-state.ts b/src/pipelines/common-state/common-state.ts
index 97b223b..5157459 100644
--- a/src/pipelines/common-state/common-state.ts
+++ b/src/pipelines/common-state/common-state.ts
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@ import { vec2 } from 'gl-matrix';
 
 import { appConfig } from '../../config';
 import {
-  createCachedFloat32BufferWrite,
-  writeFloat32BufferIfChanged,
+  createCachedBufferWrite,
+  writeBufferIfChanged,
 } from '../../utils/graphics/cached-buffer-write';
 import { generateNoise } from '../../utils/graphics/noise';
 
@@ -12,10 +12,10 @@ export class CommonState {
 
   private readonly uniforms: GPUBuffer;
   private readonly uniformValues = new Float32Array(CommonState.UNIFORM_COUNT);
-  private readonly uniformCache = createCachedFloat32BufferWrite(
-    CommonState.UNIFORM_COUNT
+  private readonly uniformCache = createCachedBufferWrite(
+    CommonState.UNIFORM_COUNT * Float32Array.BYTES_PER_ELEMENT
   );
-  private readonly noise: GPUTextureView;
+  private readonly noise: GPUTexture;
   private readonly bindGroup: GPUBindGroup;
 
   public readonly bindGroupLayout: GPUBindGroupLayout;
@@ -37,11 +37,12 @@ export class CommonState {
       usage: GPUBufferUsage.UNIFORM | GPUBufferUsage.COPY_DST,
     });
 
-    this.noise = generateNoise({
+    const noise = generateNoise({
       device,
       width: appConfig.pipelines.common.noiseTextureSize,
       height: appConfig.pipelines.common.noiseTextureSize,
     });
+    this.noise = noise.texture;
 
     this.bindGroupLayout = device.createBindGroupLayout({
       entries: [
@@ -90,7 +91,7 @@ export class CommonState {
         },
         {
           binding: 2,
-          resource: this.noise,
+          resource: noise.view,
         },
       ],
     });
@@ -99,7 +100,7 @@ export class CommonState {
   public setParameters({ canvasSize }: { canvasSize: vec2 }) {
     this.uniformValues[0] = canvasSize[0];
     this.uniformValues[1] = canvasSize[1];
-    writeFloat32BufferIfChanged(
+    writeBufferIfChanged(
       this.device,
       this.uniforms,
       this.uniformValues,
@@ -113,5 +114,6 @@ export class CommonState {
 
   public destroy() {
     this.uniforms.destroy();
+    this.noise.destroy();
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/pipelines/common/line-segment.wgsl b/src/pipelines/common/line-segment.wgsl
index 8ac3035..9a4fb20 100644
--- a/src/pipelines/common/line-segment.wgsl
+++ b/src/pipelines/common/line-segment.wgsl
@@ -13,14 +13,9 @@ fn segment_vertex_position(
   vertexIndex: u32,
   start: vec2<f32>,
   end: vec2<f32>,
+  direction: vec2<f32>,
   radius: f32
 ) -> vec2<f32> {
-  let directionVector = end - start;
-  let segmentLength = length(directionVector);
-  var direction = vec2<f32>(1.0, 0.0);
-  if segmentLength > 0.0 {
-    direction = directionVector / segmentLength;
-  }
   let perpendicular = vec2<f32>(direction.y, -direction.x);
   let corner = segment_vertex_corner(vertexIndex % 6u);
   let center = mix(start, end, (corner.x + 1.0) * 0.5);
diff --git a/src/pipelines/diffusion/diffuse.wgsl b/src/pipelines/diffusion/diffuse.wgsl
index 8f6db43..684b37a 100644
--- a/src/pipelines/diffusion/diffuse.wgsl
+++ b/src/pipelines/diffusion/diffuse.wgsl
@@ -9,8 +9,13 @@ struct Settings {
   padding2: f32,
 };
 
-const WORKGROUP_SIZE_X = 16u;
-const WORKGROUP_SIZE_Y = 16u;
+const WORKGROUP_SIZE_X = __WORKGROUP_SIZE__u;
+const WORKGROUP_SIZE_Y = __WORKGROUP_SIZE__u;
+// Half a quantization step of rgba8unorm (1/255 ≈ 0.00392). Subtracted from
+// RGB each frame so multiplicative decay can fall through the unorm
+// quantization floor; without it, the smallest nonzero level (1/255) is a
+// fixed point and trails never reach pure black.
+const TRAIL_RGB_DECAY_SUBTRACT: f32 = 0.00196;
 // One-pixel halo on each side so the 3x3 neighbourhood read in the main pass
 // can be served from workgroup memory without bounds checks for interior tiles.
 const TILE_SIZE_X = WORKGROUP_SIZE_X + 2u;
@@ -21,34 +26,29 @@ const HASH_TO_UNIT_FLOAT: f32 = 2.3283064365386963e-10;
 
 @group(0) @binding(0) var<uniform> settings: Settings;
 @group(0) @binding(1) var trailMap: texture_2d<f32>;
-@group(0) @binding(2) var trailMapOut: texture_storage_2d<rgba16float, write>;
+@group(0) @binding(2) var trailMapOut: texture_storage_2d<rgba8unorm, write>;
 
 var<workgroup> tile: array<vec4<f32>, 324>;
 var<workgroup> tileTrailStrength: array<f32, 324>;
 
-@compute @workgroup_size(16, 16)
+@compute @workgroup_size(__WORKGROUP_SIZE__, __WORKGROUP_SIZE__)
 fn main(
   @builtin(global_invocation_id) global_id: vec3<u32>,
   @builtin(local_invocation_id) local_id: vec3<u32>,
   @builtin(workgroup_id) workgroup_id: vec3<u32>
 ) {
   let textureSize = vec2<i32>(textureDimensions(trailMap, 0));
-  let textureSizeU32 = vec2<u32>(textureSize);
+  let textureBound = textureSize - vec2<i32>(1, 1);
   let localLinearIndex = local_id.y * WORKGROUP_SIZE_X + local_id.x;
   let workgroupOrigin = workgroup_id.xy * vec2<u32>(WORKGROUP_SIZE_X, WORKGROUP_SIZE_Y);
-  let isInteriorTile =
-    workgroupOrigin.x > 0u &&
-    workgroupOrigin.y > 0u &&
-    workgroupOrigin.x + WORKGROUP_SIZE_X < textureSizeU32.x &&
-    workgroupOrigin.y + WORKGROUP_SIZE_Y < textureSizeU32.y;
 
   for (var tileIndex = localLinearIndex; tileIndex < TILE_TEXEL_COUNT; tileIndex += WORKGROUP_SIZE_X * WORKGROUP_SIZE_Y) {
     let tilePosition = vec2<u32>(tileIndex % TILE_SIZE_X, tileIndex / TILE_SIZE_X);
-    let unclampedSourcePixel = vec2<i32>(workgroupOrigin + tilePosition) - vec2<i32>(1, 1);
-    var sourcePixel = unclampedSourcePixel;
-    if !isInteriorTile {
-      sourcePixel = clamp(unclampedSourcePixel, vec2<i32>(0, 0), textureSize - vec2<i32>(1, 1));
-    }
+    let sourcePixel = clamp(
+      vec2<i32>(workgroupOrigin + tilePosition) - vec2<i32>(1, 1),
+      vec2<i32>(0, 0),
+      textureBound
+    );
     let texel = textureLoad(trailMap, sourcePixel, 0);
     tile[tileIndex] = texel;
     tileTrailStrength[tileIndex] = length(texel.rgb);
@@ -57,53 +57,67 @@ fn main(
   workgroupBarrier();
 
   let pixel = vec2<i32>(i32(global_id.x), i32(global_id.y));
-  let inBounds = pixel.x < textureSize.x && pixel.y < textureSize.y;
-  if !inBounds {
+  if pixel.x >= textureSize.x || pixel.y >= textureSize.y {
     return;
   }
 
   let centerTilePosition = local_id.xy + vec2<u32>(1u, 1u);
-  let centerTileIndex = centerTilePosition.y * TILE_SIZE_X + centerTilePosition.x;
-  var current = tile[centerTileIndex];
+  let c = centerTilePosition.y * TILE_SIZE_X + centerTilePosition.x;
+  let rowNorth = c - TILE_SIZE_X;
+  let rowSouth = c + TILE_SIZE_X;
+
+  // Batch-load all 8 neighbour texels and strengths into registers up front
+  // so the compiler can schedule LDS reads in parallel.
+  let current = tile[c];
+  let nTL = tile[rowNorth - 1u];
+  let nT  = tile[rowNorth];
+  let nTR = tile[rowNorth + 1u];
+  let nL  = tile[c - 1u];
+  let nR  = tile[c + 1u];
+  let nBL = tile[rowSouth - 1u];
+  let nB  = tile[rowSouth];
+  let nBR = tile[rowSouth + 1u];
+
+  let sTL = tileTrailStrength[rowNorth - 1u];
+  let sT  = tileTrailStrength[rowNorth];
+  let sTR = tileTrailStrength[rowNorth + 1u];
+  let sL  = tileTrailStrength[c - 1u];
+  let sR  = tileTrailStrength[c + 1u];
+  let sBL = tileTrailStrength[rowSouth - 1u];
+  let sB  = tileTrailStrength[rowSouth];
+  let sBR = tileTrailStrength[rowSouth + 1u];
+
   let random = random_from_pixel(pixel);
-  let trailWeight = diffusion_weight(
-    random,
-    settings.inverseDiffusionRateTrails
-  );
-  current += (
-      propagate(centerTileIndex, -1, -1, current, trailWeight)
-    + propagate(centerTileIndex, -1, 1, current, trailWeight)
-    + propagate(centerTileIndex, 1, -1, current, trailWeight)
-    + propagate(centerTileIndex, 1, 1, current, trailWeight)
+  let trailWeight = diffusion_weight(random, settings.inverseDiffusionRateTrails);
 
-    + propagate(centerTileIndex, -1, 0, current, trailWeight)
-    + propagate(centerTileIndex, 0, -1, current, trailWeight)
-    + propagate(centerTileIndex, 1, 0, current, trailWeight)
-    + propagate(centerTileIndex, 0, 1, current, trailWeight)
-  ) * settings.diffusionNeighborScale;
+  let propagated =
+      propagate_value(nTL, sTL, current, trailWeight)
+    + propagate_value(nT,  sT,  current, trailWeight)
+    + propagate_value(nTR, sTR, current, trailWeight)
+    + propagate_value(nL,  sL,  current, trailWeight)
+    + propagate_value(nR,  sR,  current, trailWeight)
+    + propagate_value(nBL, sBL, current, trailWeight)
+    + propagate_value(nB,  sB,  current, trailWeight)
+    + propagate_value(nBR, sBR, current, trailWeight);
 
+  let updated = current + propagated * settings.diffusionNeighborScale;
   let decayed = clamp(vec4(
-    current.rgb * settings.decayRateTrails,
-    max(0, current.a * settings.brushDecayAlphaMultiplier - settings.brushDecayAlphaSubtract)
+    updated.rgb * settings.decayRateTrails - vec3(TRAIL_RGB_DECAY_SUBTRACT),
+    updated.a * settings.brushDecayAlphaMultiplier - settings.brushDecayAlphaSubtract
   ), vec4(0), vec4(1));
 
   textureStore(trailMapOut, pixel, decayed);
 }
 
-fn propagate(
-  centerTileIndex: u32,
-  offsetX: i32,
-  offsetY: i32,
-  currentColor: vec4<f32>,
+fn propagate_value(
+  neighbour: vec4<f32>,
+  neighbourStrength: f32,
+  current: vec4<f32>,
   trailWeight: f32
 ) -> vec4<f32> {
-  let neighbourIndex = i32(centerTileIndex) + offsetY * i32(TILE_SIZE_X) + offsetX;
-  let neighbourTileIndex = u32(neighbourIndex);
-  let neighbour = tile[neighbourTileIndex];
-  let difference = clamp(neighbour - currentColor, vec4(0), vec4(1));
-
+  let difference = clamp(neighbour - current, vec4(0), vec4(1));
   return vec4(
-    vec3(tileTrailStrength[neighbourTileIndex] * trailWeight),
+    vec3(neighbourStrength * trailWeight),
     neighbour.a * trailWeight
   ) * difference;
 }
diff --git a/src/pipelines/diffusion/diffusion-pipeline.ts b/src/pipelines/diffusion/diffusion-pipeline.ts
index 3aeb3a2..eb92128 100644
--- a/src/pipelines/diffusion/diffusion-pipeline.ts
+++ b/src/pipelines/diffusion/diffusion-pipeline.ts
@@ -3,10 +3,11 @@ import { vec2 } from 'gl-matrix';
 import { appConfig } from '../../config';
 import { createBindGroupCache } from '../../utils/graphics/bind-group-cache';
 import {
-  createCachedFloat32BufferWrite,
-  writeFloat32BufferIfChanged,
+  createCachedBufferWrite,
+  writeBufferIfChanged,
 } from '../../utils/graphics/cached-buffer-write';
 import { smartCompile } from '../../utils/graphics/smart-compile';
+import { TRAIL_SOURCE_TEXTURE_FORMAT } from '../texture-formats';
 import shader from './diffuse.wgsl?raw';
 
 export interface DiffusionSettings {
@@ -69,8 +70,8 @@ export class DiffusionPipeline {
   private readonly pipeline: GPUComputePipeline;
   private readonly uniforms: GPUBuffer;
   private readonly uniformValues = new Float32Array(DiffusionPipeline.UNIFORM_COUNT);
-  private readonly uniformCache = createCachedFloat32BufferWrite(
-    DiffusionPipeline.UNIFORM_COUNT
+  private readonly uniformCache = createCachedBufferWrite(
+    DiffusionPipeline.UNIFORM_COUNT * Float32Array.BYTES_PER_ELEMENT
   );
   private readonly getBindGroup = createBindGroupCache<GPUTextureView, GPUTextureView>(
     (trailMapIn, trailMapOut) =>
@@ -94,7 +95,7 @@ export class DiffusionPipeline {
         bindGroupLayouts: [this.bindGroupLayout],
       }),
       compute: {
-        module: smartCompile(device, shader),
+        module: smartCompile(device, this.shaderCode),
         entryPoint: 'main',
       },
     });
@@ -121,7 +122,7 @@ export class DiffusionPipeline {
       diffusionNeighborDivisor,
       brushDecayAlphaOffset,
     });
-    writeFloat32BufferIfChanged(
+    writeBufferIfChanged(
       this.device,
       this.uniforms,
       this.uniformValues,
@@ -176,10 +177,17 @@ export class DiffusionPipeline {
           visibility: GPUShaderStage.COMPUTE,
           storageTexture: {
             access: 'write-only',
-            format: 'rgba16float',
+            format: TRAIL_SOURCE_TEXTURE_FORMAT,
           },
         },
       ],
     };
   }
+
+  private get shaderCode(): string {
+    return shader.replaceAll(
+      '__WORKGROUP_SIZE__',
+      DiffusionPipeline.WORKGROUP_SIZE.toString()
+    );
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/pipelines/eraser/eraser-agent-pipeline.ts b/src/pipelines/eraser/eraser-agent-pipeline.ts
index 1f77a9d..faef27c 100644
--- a/src/pipelines/eraser/eraser-agent-pipeline.ts
+++ b/src/pipelines/eraser/eraser-agent-pipeline.ts
@@ -2,11 +2,15 @@ import { vec2 } from 'gl-matrix';
 
 import { createBindGroupCache } from '../../utils/graphics/bind-group-cache';
 import {
-  createCachedFloat32BufferWrite,
-  writeFloat32BufferIfChanged,
+  createCachedBufferWrite,
+  writeBufferIfChanged,
 } from '../../utils/graphics/cached-buffer-write';
 import { smartCompile } from '../../utils/graphics/smart-compile';
-import { dispatchAgentWorkgroups } from '../agents/agent-dispatch';
+import {
+  dispatchAgentWorkgroups,
+  getAgentWorkgroupSize,
+  substituteAgentWorkgroupSize,
+} from '../agents/agent-dispatch';
 import agentSchema from '../agents/agent-generation/agent-schema.wgsl?raw';
 import shader from './eraser-agent.wgsl?raw';
 
@@ -25,8 +29,8 @@ export class EraserAgentPipeline {
   private readonly uniforms: GPUBuffer;
   private readonly uniformValues = new Float32Array(EraserAgentPipeline.UNIFORM_COUNT);
   private readonly uniformUintValues = new Uint32Array(this.uniformValues.buffer);
-  private readonly uniformCache = createCachedFloat32BufferWrite(
-    EraserAgentPipeline.UNIFORM_COUNT
+  private readonly uniformCache = createCachedBufferWrite(
+    EraserAgentPipeline.UNIFORM_COUNT * Float32Array.BYTES_PER_ELEMENT
   );
   private readonly bindGroupCache = createBindGroupCache<GPUBuffer, GPUTextureView>(
     (agentsBuffer, eraserMask) =>
@@ -44,6 +48,7 @@ export class EraserAgentPipeline {
   private activeSegmentCount = 0;
   private pendingBounds: Bounds | null = null;
   private agentCount = 0;
+  private readonly workgroupSize: number;
 
   public constructor(
     private readonly device: GPUDevice,
@@ -81,12 +86,17 @@ export class EraserAgentPipeline {
       usage: GPUBufferUsage.UNIFORM | GPUBufferUsage.COPY_DST,
     });
 
+    this.workgroupSize = getAgentWorkgroupSize(device);
     this.pipeline = device.createComputePipeline({
       layout: device.createPipelineLayout({
         bindGroupLayouts: [emptyBindGroupLayout, this.bindGroupLayout],
       }),
       compute: {
-        module: smartCompile(device, agentSchema, shader),
+        module: smartCompile(
+          device,
+          substituteAgentWorkgroupSize(device, agentSchema),
+          shader
+        ),
         entryPoint: 'main',
       },
     });
@@ -128,7 +138,7 @@ export class EraserAgentPipeline {
     this.uniformValues[5] = activeBounds.minY;
     this.uniformValues[6] = activeBounds.maxX;
     this.uniformValues[7] = activeBounds.maxY;
-    writeFloat32BufferIfChanged(
+    writeBufferIfChanged(
       this.device,
       this.uniforms,
       this.uniformValues,
@@ -154,7 +164,7 @@ export class EraserAgentPipeline {
     );
     passEncoder.setPipeline(this.pipeline);
     passEncoder.setBindGroup(1, this.bindGroupCache(this.getAgentsBuffer(), eraserMask));
-    dispatchAgentWorkgroups(passEncoder, this.agentCount);
+    dispatchAgentWorkgroups(passEncoder, this.workgroupSize, this.agentCount);
     passEncoder.end();
   }
 
diff --git a/src/pipelines/eraser/eraser-agent.wgsl b/src/pipelines/eraser/eraser-agent.wgsl
index b1ff6ee..273ffbc 100644
--- a/src/pipelines/eraser/eraser-agent.wgsl
+++ b/src/pipelines/eraser/eraser-agent.wgsl
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ struct Settings {
 @group(1) @binding(0) var<uniform> settings: Settings;
 @group(1) @binding(2) var eraserMask: texture_2d<f32>;
 
-@compute @workgroup_size(64)
+@compute @workgroup_size(agentWorkgroupSize)
 fn main(
   @builtin(global_invocation_id) global_id: vec3<u32>
 ) {
@@ -26,11 +26,7 @@ fn main(
   }
 
   let position = agents[id].position;
-  let outsideBounds = position.x < settings.boundsMin.x ||
-    position.y < settings.boundsMin.y ||
-    position.x > settings.boundsMax.x ||
-    position.y > settings.boundsMax.y;
-  if outsideBounds {
+  if any(position < settings.boundsMin) || any(position > settings.boundsMax) {
     return;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/pipelines/eraser/eraser-texture-pipeline.ts b/src/pipelines/eraser/eraser-texture-pipeline.ts
index b6fd9ff..694777f 100644
--- a/src/pipelines/eraser/eraser-texture-pipeline.ts
+++ b/src/pipelines/eraser/eraser-texture-pipeline.ts
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@ import { vec2 } from 'gl-matrix';
 
 import { appConfig } from '../../config';
 import {
-  createCachedFloat32BufferWrite,
-  writeFloat32BufferIfChanged,
+  createCachedBufferWrite,
+  writeBufferIfChanged,
 } from '../../utils/graphics/cached-buffer-write';
 import { smartCompile } from '../../utils/graphics/smart-compile';
 import { CommonState } from '../common-state/common-state';
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@ import {
   LineSegmentBuffer,
 } from '../common/line-segment-buffer';
 import lineSegmentShader from '../common/line-segment.wgsl?raw';
+import {
+  ERASER_MASK_TEXTURE_FORMAT,
+  TRAIL_SOURCE_TEXTURE_FORMAT,
+} from '../texture-formats';
 import shader from './eraser-texture.wgsl?raw';
 
 interface EraserTextureParameters {
@@ -25,7 +29,11 @@ interface EraserTextureParameters {
 }
 
 const UNIFORM_COUNT = 8;
-const TARGET_FORMATS: Array<GPUTextureFormat> = ['r8unorm', 'rgba16float', 'rgba16float'];
+const TARGET_FORMATS: Array<GPUTextureFormat> = [
+  ERASER_MASK_TEXTURE_FORMAT,
+  TRAIL_SOURCE_TEXTURE_FORMAT,
+  TRAIL_SOURCE_TEXTURE_FORMAT,
+];
 
 export class EraserTexturePipeline {
   private readonly bindGroupLayout: GPUBindGroupLayout;
@@ -33,7 +41,9 @@ export class EraserTexturePipeline {
   private readonly combinedPipeline: GPURenderPipeline;
   private readonly uniforms: GPUBuffer;
   private readonly uniformValues = new Float32Array(UNIFORM_COUNT);
-  private readonly uniformCache = createCachedFloat32BufferWrite(UNIFORM_COUNT);
+  private readonly uniformCache = createCachedBufferWrite(
+    UNIFORM_COUNT * Float32Array.BYTES_PER_ELEMENT
+  );
   private readonly segments: LineSegmentBuffer;
 
   public constructor(
@@ -114,7 +124,7 @@ export class EraserTexturePipeline {
     this.uniformValues[4] = eraserClearBlue;
     this.uniformValues[5] = eraserClearAlpha;
     this.uniformValues[6] = eraserRadius;
-    writeFloat32BufferIfChanged(
+    writeBufferIfChanged(
       this.device,
       this.uniforms,
       this.uniformValues,
diff --git a/src/pipelines/eraser/eraser-texture.wgsl b/src/pipelines/eraser/eraser-texture.wgsl
index 0fccc10..635258e 100644
--- a/src/pipelines/eraser/eraser-texture.wgsl
+++ b/src/pipelines/eraser/eraser-texture.wgsl
@@ -33,10 +33,12 @@ fn vertex(
   let direction = end - start;
   let denominator = dot(direction, direction);
   var inverseLengthSquared = 0.0;
+  var normalizedDirection = vec2<f32>(1.0, 0.0);
   if denominator > settings.lineDistanceEpsilon {
     inverseLengthSquared = 1.0 / denominator;
+    normalizedDirection = direction * inverseSqrt(denominator);
   }
-  let screenPosition = segment_vertex_position(vertexIndex, start, end, settings.eraserRadius);
+  let screenPosition = segment_vertex_position(vertexIndex, start, end, normalizedDirection, settings.eraserRadius);
   let uv = screenPosition / state.size;
   let position = vec2(uv.x * 2.0 - 1.0, 1.0 - uv.y * 2.0);
   return VertexOutput(vec4(position, 0.0, 1.0), screenPosition, start, direction, inverseLengthSquared);
diff --git a/src/pipelines/render/render-pipeline.ts b/src/pipelines/render/render-pipeline.ts
index dc99434..57f0b77 100644
--- a/src/pipelines/render/render-pipeline.ts
+++ b/src/pipelines/render/render-pipeline.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { createBindGroupCache } from '../../utils/graphics/bind-group-cache';
 import {
-  createCachedFloat32BufferWrite,
-  writeFloat32BufferIfChanged,
+  createCachedBufferWrite,
+  writeBufferIfChanged,
 } from '../../utils/graphics/cached-buffer-write';
 import { setUpFullScreenQuad } from '../../utils/graphics/full-screen-quad';
 import { smartCompile } from '../../utils/graphics/smart-compile';
@@ -14,22 +14,21 @@ export interface RenderSettings {
   renderTraceNormalizationFloor: number;
   renderBrushColorBase: number;
   renderBrushColorStrengthMultiplier: number;
-  backgroundGrainStrength: number;
 }
 
-// 3 channel colors (vec3 + f32 padding) + bg color (vec3) + 5 scalars = 20 floats.
+// 3 channel colors (vec3 + f32 padding) + bg color (vec3) + 4 scalars,
+// rounded up to 20 floats for 16-byte uniform alignment.
 const UNIFORM_COUNT = 20;
 
 export class RenderPipeline {
   private readonly bindGroupLayout: GPUBindGroupLayout;
   private readonly pipeline: GPURenderPipeline;
   private readonly noSourcePipeline: GPURenderPipeline;
-  private readonly noGrainPipeline: GPURenderPipeline;
-  private readonly noSourceNoGrainPipeline: GPURenderPipeline;
   private readonly uniforms: GPUBuffer;
   private readonly uniformValues = new Float32Array(UNIFORM_COUNT);
-  private readonly uniformCache = createCachedFloat32BufferWrite(UNIFORM_COUNT);
-  private useBackgroundGrain = true;
+  private readonly uniformCache = createCachedBufferWrite(
+    UNIFORM_COUNT * Float32Array.BYTES_PER_ELEMENT
+  );
 
   private readonly getBindGroup = createBindGroupCache<GPUTextureView, GPUTextureView>(
     (colorTexture, sourceTexture) =>
@@ -46,7 +45,8 @@ export class RenderPipeline {
   public constructor(
     private readonly context: GPUCanvasContext,
     private readonly device: GPUDevice,
-    private readonly commonState: CommonState
+    private readonly commonState: CommonState,
+    private readonly canvasFormat: GPUTextureFormat
   ) {
     this.bindGroupLayout = device.createBindGroupLayout({
       entries: [
@@ -70,7 +70,6 @@ export class RenderPipeline {
 
     const shaderModule = smartCompile(device, CommonState.shaderCode, shader);
     const vertex = setUpFullScreenQuad(device);
-    const format = navigator.gpu.getPreferredCanvasFormat();
     const pipelineLayout = device.createPipelineLayout({
       bindGroupLayouts: [this.commonState.bindGroupLayout, this.bindGroupLayout],
     });
@@ -78,30 +77,16 @@ export class RenderPipeline {
       pipelineLayout,
       vertex,
       shaderModule,
-      format,
+      this.canvasFormat,
       'fragment'
     );
     this.noSourcePipeline = this.createPipeline(
       pipelineLayout,
       vertex,
       shaderModule,
-      format,
+      this.canvasFormat,
       'fragmentNoSource'
     );
-    this.noGrainPipeline = this.createPipeline(
-      pipelineLayout,
-      vertex,
-      shaderModule,
-      format,
-      'fragmentNoGrain'
-    );
-    this.noSourceNoGrainPipeline = this.createPipeline(
-      pipelineLayout,
-      vertex,
-      shaderModule,
-      format,
-      'fragmentNoSourceNoGrain'
-    );
 
     this.uniforms = device.createBuffer({
       size: UNIFORM_COUNT * Float32Array.BYTES_PER_ELEMENT,
@@ -135,7 +120,6 @@ export class RenderPipeline {
     renderTraceNormalizationFloor,
     renderBrushColorBase,
     renderBrushColorStrengthMultiplier,
-    backgroundGrainStrength,
   }: RenderSettings & {
     channelColors: [RgbColor, RgbColor, RgbColor];
     backgroundColor: RgbColor;
@@ -158,9 +142,7 @@ export class RenderPipeline {
     this.uniformValues[16] = renderTraceNormalizationFloor;
     this.uniformValues[17] = renderBrushColorBase;
     this.uniformValues[18] = renderBrushColorStrengthMultiplier;
-    this.uniformValues[19] = backgroundGrainStrength;
-    this.useBackgroundGrain = backgroundGrainStrength !== 0;
-    writeFloat32BufferIfChanged(
+    writeBufferIfChanged(
       this.device,
       this.uniforms,
       this.uniformValues,
@@ -232,10 +214,7 @@ export class RenderPipeline {
   }
 
   private getPipeline(useSourceTexture: boolean): GPURenderPipeline {
-    if (useSourceTexture) {
-      return this.useBackgroundGrain ? this.pipeline : this.noGrainPipeline;
-    }
-    return this.useBackgroundGrain ? this.noSourcePipeline : this.noSourceNoGrainPipeline;
+    return useSourceTexture ? this.pipeline : this.noSourcePipeline;
   }
 
   public destroy() {
diff --git a/src/pipelines/render/render.wgsl b/src/pipelines/render/render.wgsl
index 67651c0..65e9229 100644
--- a/src/pipelines/render/render.wgsl
+++ b/src/pipelines/render/render.wgsl
@@ -10,32 +10,14 @@ struct Settings {
   traceNormalizationFloor: f32,
   brushColorBase: f32,
   brushColorStrengthMultiplier: f32,
-  backgroundGrainStrength: f32,
 };
 
 @group(1) @binding(0) var<uniform> settings: Settings;
 @group(1) @binding(2) var trailMap: texture_2d<f32>;
 @group(1) @binding(3) var sourceMap: texture_2d<f32>;
 
-const NOISE_TEXTURE_MASK = 2047u;
-
 @fragment
 fn fragment(@builtin(position) position: vec4<f32>) -> @location(0) vec4<f32> {
-  let pixel = vec2<i32>(position.xy);
-  let traces = textureLoad(trailMap, pixel, 0);
-  let sources = textureLoad(sourceMap, pixel, 0);
-  return renderColor(traces, sources, getTexturedBackground(pixel));
-}
-
-@fragment
-fn fragmentNoSource(@builtin(position) position: vec4<f32>) -> @location(0) vec4<f32> {
-  let pixel = vec2<i32>(position.xy);
-  let traces = textureLoad(trailMap, pixel, 0);
-  return renderColor(traces, vec4<f32>(0.0), getTexturedBackground(pixel));
-}
-
-@fragment
-fn fragmentNoGrain(@builtin(position) position: vec4<f32>) -> @location(0) vec4<f32> {
   let pixel = vec2<i32>(position.xy);
   let traces = textureLoad(trailMap, pixel, 0);
   let sources = textureLoad(sourceMap, pixel, 0);
@@ -43,39 +25,30 @@ fn fragmentNoGrain(@builtin(position) position: vec4<f32>) -> @location(0) vec4<
 }
 
 @fragment
-fn fragmentNoSourceNoGrain(@builtin(position) position: vec4<f32>) -> @location(0) vec4<f32> {
+fn fragmentNoSource(@builtin(position) position: vec4<f32>) -> @location(0) vec4<f32> {
   let pixel = vec2<i32>(position.xy);
   let traces = textureLoad(trailMap, pixel, 0);
   return renderColor(traces, vec4<f32>(0.0), getFlatBackground());
 }
 
 fn renderColor(traces: vec4<f32>, sources: vec4<f32>, background: vec3<f32>) -> vec4<f32> {
-  let tracesMax = maxComponent(traces.rgb);
-  let sourcesMax = maxComponent(sources.rgb);
-  if max(tracesMax, sourcesMax) <= 0.0 {
+  let traceStrengths = clarity(traces.rgb);
+  let sourceStrengths = clarity(sources.rgb);
+  let traceStrength = maxComponent(traceStrengths);
+  let brushStrength = maxComponent(sourceStrengths);
+  if max(traceStrength, brushStrength) <= 0.0 {
     return vec4(background, 1);
   }
 
-  let traceStrengths = vec3(
-    clarity(traces.r),
-    clarity(traces.g),
-    clarity(traces.b)
-  );
-  if sourcesMax <= 0.0 {
+  if brushStrength <= 0.0 {
     let traceColor =
         traceStrengths.r * settings.colorA
       + traceStrengths.g * settings.colorB
       + traceStrengths.b * settings.colorC;
     let normalizedTraceColor = normalizeColorIntensity(traceColor);
-    let traceStrength = maxComponent(traceStrengths);
     return vec4(mix(background, clamp(normalizedTraceColor, vec3(0), vec3(1)), traceStrength), 1);
   }
 
-  let sourceStrengths = vec3(
-    clarity(sources.r),
-    clarity(sources.g),
-    clarity(sources.b)
-  );
   let strengths = max(traceStrengths, sourceStrengths);
   let traceColor =
       strengths.r * settings.colorA
@@ -87,7 +60,6 @@ fn renderColor(traces: vec4<f32>, sources: vec4<f32>, background: vec3<f32>) ->
     + sourceStrengths.g * settings.colorB
     + sourceStrengths.b * settings.colorC;
   let normalizedBrushColor = normalizeColorIntensity(brushColor);
-  let brushStrength = maxComponent(sourceStrengths);
   let brushVisibility = clamp(
     brushStrength * (
       settings.brushColorBase +
@@ -106,12 +78,8 @@ fn maxComponent(v: vec3<f32>) -> f32 {
   return max(max(v.r, v.g), v.b);
 }
 
-fn clarity(strength: f32) -> f32 {
-  let clamped = clamp(strength, 0, 1);
-  if settings.clarity == 1.0 {
-    return clamped;
-  }
-  return pow(clamped, settings.clarity);
+fn clarity(strength: vec3<f32>) -> vec3<f32> {
+  return pow(clamp(strength, vec3(0), vec3(1)), vec3(settings.clarity));
 }
 
 fn normalizeColorIntensity(color: vec3<f32>) -> vec3<f32> {
@@ -122,14 +90,3 @@ fn normalizeColorIntensity(color: vec3<f32>) -> vec3<f32> {
 fn getFlatBackground() -> vec3<f32> {
   return clamp(settings.backgroundColor, vec3(0), vec3(1));
 }
-
-fn getTexturedBackground(pixel: vec2<i32>) -> vec3<f32> {
-  let noiseCoord = vec2<i32>(vec2<u32>(pixel) & vec2<u32>(NOISE_TEXTURE_MASK));
-  let grain = textureLoad(noise, noiseCoord, 0).r - 0.5;
-
-  return clamp(
-    settings.backgroundColor + vec3(grain * settings.backgroundGrainStrength),
-    vec3(0),
-    vec3(1)
-  );
-}
diff --git a/src/pipelines/texture-formats.ts b/src/pipelines/texture-formats.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..568e03d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/pipelines/texture-formats.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+export const TRAIL_SOURCE_TEXTURE_FORMAT = 'rgba8unorm' satisfies GPUTextureFormat;
+export const ERASER_MASK_TEXTURE_FORMAT = 'r8unorm' satisfies GPUTextureFormat;
diff --git a/src/settings.ts b/src/settings.ts
index cd07f76..ee3d541 100644
--- a/src/settings.ts
+++ b/src/settings.ts
@@ -1,32 +1,63 @@
-import { appConfig, type GardenRuntimeSettings } from './config';
+import {
+  appConfig,
+  normalizeRuntimeSettings,
+  type GardenRuntimeSettings,
+} from './config';
 import { writeBrowserStorage } from './utils/browser-storage';
 import { getInitialVibe, type VibePreset } from './vibes';
 
-const buildSettings = (vibe: VibePreset): GardenRuntimeSettings => ({
-  ...appConfig.defaultSettings,
-  eraserSize: appConfig.toolbar.eraser.default,
-  mirrorSegmentCount: appConfig.toolbar.mirror.default,
-  ...vibe.settings,
+const preservedRuntimeSettingKeys = [
+  'eraserSize',
+  'adaptiveCapInitial',
+  'adaptiveCapMin',
+  'internalRenderAreaMegapixels',
+  'maxAgentCount',
+  'mirrorSegmentCount',
+] satisfies ReadonlyArray<keyof GardenRuntimeSettings>;
+
+const cloneRgbColor = <T extends [number, number, number]>(color: T): T =>
+  [...color] as T;
+
+const cloneVibePreset = (vibe: VibePreset): VibePreset => ({
+  ...vibe,
+  colors: vibe.colors.map(cloneRgbColor) as VibePreset['colors'],
+  backgroundColor: cloneRgbColor(vibe.backgroundColor),
+  settings: { ...vibe.settings },
+  audio: { ...vibe.audio },
 });
 
-export let activeVibe = getInitialVibe();
+const buildSettings = (vibe: VibePreset): GardenRuntimeSettings =>
+  normalizeRuntimeSettings(
+    {
+      ...appConfig.defaultSettings,
+      eraserSize: appConfig.toolbar.eraser.default,
+      mirrorSegmentCount: appConfig.toolbar.mirror.default,
+      ...vibe.settings,
+    },
+    appConfig.runtimeSettings.controls
+  );
+
+export let activeVibe = cloneVibePreset(getInitialVibe());
 
 export const settings: GardenRuntimeSettings = {
   ...buildSettings(activeVibe),
 };
 
 export const applyVibeSettings = (vibe: VibePreset) => {
-  activeVibe = vibe;
-  Object.assign(settings, {
-    ...buildSettings(vibe),
-    eraserSize: settings.eraserSize,
-    adaptiveCapInitial: settings.adaptiveCapInitial,
-    adaptiveCapMin: settings.adaptiveCapMin,
-    internalRenderAreaMegapixels: settings.internalRenderAreaMegapixels,
-    maxAgentCount: settings.maxAgentCount,
-    mirrorSegmentCount: settings.mirrorSegmentCount,
-    selectedColorIndex: Math.min(settings.selectedColorIndex, vibe.colors.length - 1),
+  activeVibe = cloneVibePreset(vibe);
+  const nextSettings = buildSettings(activeVibe);
+  preservedRuntimeSettingKeys.forEach((key) => {
+    nextSettings[key] = settings[key];
   });
+  nextSettings.selectedColorIndex = Math.min(
+    settings.selectedColorIndex,
+    activeVibe.colors.length - 1
+  );
+
+  Object.assign(
+    settings,
+    normalizeRuntimeSettings(nextSettings, appConfig.runtimeSettings.controls)
+  );
 
   writeBrowserStorage(appConfig.storage.vibeKey, vibe.id);
 
diff --git a/src/style/_app-shell.scss b/src/style/_app-shell.scss
index 7da1f51..abf8824 100644
--- a/src/style/_app-shell.scss
+++ b/src/style/_app-shell.scss
@@ -46,19 +46,19 @@ html > body {
       }
 
       &::before {
-        opacity: clamp(0, calc(var(--garden-grain-strength) * 12), 0.44);
+        opacity: clamp(0, calc(var(--garden-grain-strength) * 4.25), 0.24);
         background-image: $grain-noise-a;
         background-size: 257px 257px;
-        filter: contrast(190%) brightness(0.66);
+        filter: contrast(145%) brightness(0.82);
         mix-blend-mode: multiply;
       }
 
       &::after {
-        opacity: clamp(0, calc(var(--garden-grain-strength) * 7), 0.24);
+        opacity: clamp(0, calc(var(--garden-grain-strength) * 2.5), 0.12);
         background-image: $grain-noise-b;
         background-position: 73px 41px;
         background-size: 389px 389px;
-        filter: contrast(170%) brightness(1.02);
+        filter: contrast(135%) brightness(1);
         mix-blend-mode: screen;
         transform: rotate(0.01deg);
       }
diff --git a/src/style/_config-pane.scss b/src/style/_config-pane.scss
index 95f6115..f677b4b 100644
--- a/src/style/_config-pane.scss
+++ b/src/style/_config-pane.scss
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-@use 'mixins' as *;
-
 .config-pane-container {
   --config-pane-available-height: calc(
     100vh - 24px - env(safe-area-inset-top, 0px) - env(safe-area-inset-bottom, 0px)
@@ -31,6 +29,8 @@
 }
 
 .config-pane {
+  --tp-blade-value-width: min(260px, 64%);
+
   width: 100%;
   max-height: calc(var(--config-pane-available-height) - 36px);
   overflow-x: hidden;
@@ -40,6 +40,19 @@
   scrollbar-width: thin;
   touch-action: pan-y;
   -webkit-overflow-scrolling: touch;
+
+  .tp-lblv_l {
+    padding-right: 10px;
+  }
+
+  .tp-sldtxtv_s {
+    flex: 1 1 auto;
+    min-width: 0;
+  }
+
+  .tp-sldtxtv_t {
+    flex: 0 0 54px;
+  }
 }
 
 .config-pane-close {
@@ -121,10 +134,14 @@
   }
 
   .config-pane {
-    --tp-blade-value-width: min(128px, 38vw);
+    --tp-blade-value-width: min(210px, 62%);
     --tp-container-unit-size: 18px;
 
     font-size: 11px;
+
+    .tp-sldtxtv_t {
+      flex-basis: 48px;
+    }
   }
 
   .config-pane-close {
@@ -133,11 +150,7 @@
   }
 }
 
-@include on-small-screen {
-  @include mobile-config-pane;
-}
-
-@media (hover: none) and (pointer: coarse) {
+@media (max-width: 599px), (hover: none) and (pointer: coarse) {
   @include mobile-config-pane;
 }
 
@@ -147,7 +160,7 @@
 
 .color-reaction-matrix {
   display: grid;
-  grid-template-columns: minmax(42px, max-content) repeat(3, minmax(0, 1fr));
+  grid-template-columns: 28px repeat(3, minmax(0, 1fr));
   gap: 4px;
   align-items: stretch;
 }
@@ -165,7 +178,7 @@
 }
 
 .color-reaction-matrix__header {
-  gap: 5px;
+  gap: 0;
 }
 
 .color-reaction-matrix__corner {
diff --git a/src/style/_loading.scss b/src/style/_loading.scss
index e540be7..925f915 100644
--- a/src/style/_loading.scss
+++ b/src/style/_loading.scss
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 .loading-indicator {
+  --loading-gap: 22px;
+
   position: absolute;
   top: 50%;
   left: 50%;
   display: flex;
   flex-direction: column;
-  gap: 22px;
   align-items: center;
   justify-content: center;
   z-index: 3;
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@
   opacity: 0;
   pointer-events: none;
   transition: opacity var(--transition-time-long);
+  contain: layout;
 
   > .splash {
     display: flex;
@@ -20,9 +22,19 @@
     gap: 16px;
     align-items: center;
     pointer-events: auto;
+    opacity: 1;
+    visibility: visible;
+    transition:
+      opacity var(--transition-time),
+      visibility 0s linear 0s;
 
-    &[hidden] {
-      display: none;
+    &[data-visible='false'] {
+      opacity: 0;
+      visibility: hidden;
+      pointer-events: none;
+      transition:
+        opacity var(--transition-time),
+        visibility 0s linear var(--transition-time);
     }
 
     > .splash-title {
@@ -89,14 +101,28 @@
   }
 
   > .loading-bar {
+    position: absolute;
+    top: calc(100% + var(--loading-gap));
+    left: 0;
+    right: 0;
     display: flex;
     flex-direction: column;
     gap: 18px;
     align-items: center;
     width: 100%;
+    opacity: 0;
+    visibility: hidden;
+    pointer-events: none;
+    transition:
+      opacity var(--transition-time),
+      visibility 0s linear var(--transition-time);
 
-    &[hidden] {
-      display: none;
+    &[data-visible='true'] {
+      opacity: 1;
+      visibility: visible;
+      transition:
+        opacity var(--transition-time),
+        visibility 0s linear 0s;
     }
 
     > .loading-status {
@@ -147,7 +173,7 @@ html > body.is-loading {
   }
 
   .eraser-preview {
-    display: none;
+    visibility: hidden;
   }
 
   aside.control-dock {
diff --git a/src/style/toolbar/_buttons.scss b/src/style/toolbar/_buttons.scss
index 3551a3b..198ca47 100644
--- a/src/style/toolbar/_buttons.scss
+++ b/src/style/toolbar/_buttons.scss
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 @use 'shared' as *;
 
-html > body > aside.control-dock > .toolbar-row > nav.buttons {
+.buttons {
   grid-area: buttons;
   display: flex;
   flex-wrap: nowrap;
@@ -58,6 +58,10 @@ html > body > aside.control-dock > .toolbar-row > nav.buttons {
       }
     }
 
+    &.full-screen-toggle.active::after {
+      mask-image: url('../../../assets/icons/minimize.svg');
+    }
+
     &.sound.muted::before {
       content: '';
       position: absolute;
diff --git a/src/style/toolbar/_garden-controls.scss b/src/style/toolbar/_garden-controls.scss
index 263dc50..4dca516 100644
--- a/src/style/toolbar/_garden-controls.scss
+++ b/src/style/toolbar/_garden-controls.scss
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 @use 'shared' as *;
 
-html > body > aside.control-dock > .toolbar-row > .toolbar-shell > .garden-controls {
+.garden-controls {
   grid-area: swatches;
   display: flex;
   flex-wrap: wrap;
diff --git a/src/style/toolbar/_layout.scss b/src/style/toolbar/_layout.scss
index 8ee7737..6bae351 100644
--- a/src/style/toolbar/_layout.scss
+++ b/src/style/toolbar/_layout.scss
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 @use 'shared' as *;
 
-html > body > aside.control-dock > .toolbar-row {
+.toolbar-row {
   --toolbar-background-opacity: 0%;
   --toolbar-background-strength: 0;
   --toolbar-divider-space: clamp(6px, 1.8vw, 14px);
diff --git a/src/style/toolbar/_responsive.scss b/src/style/toolbar/_responsive.scss
index 2e66635..5cd2963 100644
--- a/src/style/toolbar/_responsive.scss
+++ b/src/style/toolbar/_responsive.scss
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 @use '../mixins' as *;
 
-html > body > aside.control-dock > .toolbar-row {
+.toolbar-row {
   @include on-small-screen {
     --toolbar-divider-space: 4px;
     --toolbar-top-max-width: 329px;
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ html > body > aside.control-dock > .toolbar-row {
 }
 
 @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
-  html > body > aside.control-dock > .toolbar-row {
+  .toolbar-row {
     > .vibe-button.previous-vibe:hover,
     > .vibe-button.next-vibe:hover,
     > .toolbar-shell > .garden-controls > .swatches > .color-swatch:hover,
diff --git a/src/style/toolbar/_shared.scss b/src/style/toolbar/_shared.scss
index ce4db3d..ed477f2 100644
--- a/src/style/toolbar/_shared.scss
+++ b/src/style/toolbar/_shared.scss
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 $toolbar-icons: (
   info: 'info',
-  maximize-full-screen: 'maximize',
-  minimize-full-screen: 'minimize',
+  full-screen-toggle: 'maximize',
   settings: 'settings',
   sound: 'sound',
   export-4k: 'download',
diff --git a/src/utils/delta-time-calculator.ts b/src/utils/delta-time-calculator.ts
index 759f04f..78489c2 100644
--- a/src/utils/delta-time-calculator.ts
+++ b/src/utils/delta-time-calculator.ts
@@ -3,14 +3,13 @@ import { clamp } from './math';
 
 export class DeltaTimeCalculator {
   private previousTime: DOMHighResTimeStamp | null = null;
+  private readonly visibilityChangeListener = () => this.handleVisibilityChange();
 
   constructor() {
-    document.addEventListener('visibilitychange', this.handleVisibilityChange.bind(this));
+    document.addEventListener('visibilitychange', this.visibilityChangeListener);
   }
 
-  public calculateDeltaTimeInSeconds(
-    currentTime: DOMHighResTimeStamp
-  ): DOMHighResTimeStamp {
+  public calculateDeltaTimeInSeconds(currentTime: DOMHighResTimeStamp): number {
     if (this.previousTime === null) {
       this.previousTime = currentTime;
     }
@@ -29,4 +28,8 @@ export class DeltaTimeCalculator {
       this.previousTime = null;
     }
   }
+
+  public destroy(): void {
+    document.removeEventListener('visibilitychange', this.visibilityChangeListener);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/utils/dom.ts b/src/utils/dom.ts
index 70cf553..b2cbcd2 100644
--- a/src/utils/dom.ts
+++ b/src/utils/dom.ts
@@ -22,40 +22,3 @@ export const queryRequiredElement = <T extends Element>(
 
   return element;
 };
-
-export const queryRequiredElements = <T extends Element>(
-  selector: string,
-  constructor: ElementConstructor<T>
-): Array<T> => {
-  const elements = Array.from(document.querySelectorAll(selector));
-  if (elements.length === 0) {
-    throw new RuntimeError(
-      ErrorCode.DOM_ELEMENT_MISSING,
-      `Missing required DOM elements: ${selector}`,
-      {
-        details: {
-          expectedType: constructor.name,
-          selector,
-        },
-      }
-    );
-  }
-
-  return elements.map((element) => {
-    if (!(element instanceof constructor)) {
-      throw new RuntimeError(
-        ErrorCode.DOM_ELEMENT_MISSING,
-        `DOM element has the wrong type: ${selector}`,
-        {
-          details: {
-            actualType: element.constructor.name,
-            expectedType: constructor.name,
-            selector,
-          },
-        }
-      );
-    }
-
-    return element;
-  });
-};
diff --git a/src/utils/graphics/cached-buffer-write.test.ts b/src/utils/graphics/cached-buffer-write.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a816f61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils/graphics/cached-buffer-write.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+
+import {
+  createCachedBufferWrite,
+  updateCachedBufferWrite,
+  writeBufferIfChanged,
+} from './cached-buffer-write';
+
+describe('cached buffer writes', () => {
+  it('compares raw bytes so aliased uint changes are detected', () => {
+    const values = new Float32Array(1);
+    const uintValues = new Uint32Array(values.buffer);
+    const cache = createCachedBufferWrite(values.byteLength);
+
+    uintValues[0] = 0x7fc00001;
+    expect(updateCachedBufferWrite(values, cache)).toBe(true);
+    expect(updateCachedBufferWrite(values, cache)).toBe(false);
+
+    uintValues[0] = 0x7fc00002;
+    expect(Number.isNaN(values[0])).toBe(true);
+    expect(updateCachedBufferWrite(values, cache)).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('writes to the GPU queue only when the raw buffer changed', () => {
+    const values = new Uint32Array([1, 2, 3, 4]);
+    const writeBuffer = vi.fn();
+    const device = { queue: { writeBuffer } } as unknown as GPUDevice;
+    const buffer = {} as GPUBuffer;
+    const cache = createCachedBufferWrite(values.byteLength);
+
+    expect(writeBufferIfChanged(device, buffer, values, cache)).toBe(true);
+    expect(writeBufferIfChanged(device, buffer, values, cache)).toBe(false);
+
+    values[2] = 5;
+    expect(writeBufferIfChanged(device, buffer, values, cache)).toBe(true);
+    expect(writeBuffer).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/utils/graphics/cached-buffer-write.ts b/src/utils/graphics/cached-buffer-write.ts
index bab79a7..774da8f 100644
--- a/src/utils/graphics/cached-buffer-write.ts
+++ b/src/utils/graphics/cached-buffer-write.ts
@@ -1,36 +1,46 @@
-interface CachedFloat32BufferWrite {
+interface CachedBufferWrite {
   hasValue: boolean;
-  previous: Float32Array;
+  previous: Uint8Array;
 }
 
-export const createCachedFloat32BufferWrite = (
-  length: number
-): CachedFloat32BufferWrite => ({
+export const createCachedBufferWrite = (byteLength: number): CachedBufferWrite => ({
   hasValue: false,
-  previous: new Float32Array(length),
+  previous: new Uint8Array(byteLength),
 });
 
-export const writeFloat32BufferIfChanged = (
-  device: GPUDevice,
-  buffer: GPUBuffer,
-  values: Float32Array,
-  cache: CachedFloat32BufferWrite
+export const updateCachedBufferWrite = (
+  values: ArrayBufferView,
+  cache: CachedBufferWrite
 ): boolean => {
-  if (values.length !== cache.previous.length) {
+  const bytes = new Uint8Array(values.buffer, values.byteOffset, values.byteLength);
+  if (bytes.length !== cache.previous.length) {
     throw new Error('Cached buffer write length mismatch');
   }
 
   let hasChanged = !cache.hasValue;
-  for (let i = 0; i < values.length && !hasChanged; i++) {
-    hasChanged = !Object.is(values[i], cache.previous[i]);
+  for (let i = 0; i < bytes.length && !hasChanged; i++) {
+    hasChanged = bytes[i] !== cache.previous[i];
   }
 
   if (!hasChanged) {
     return false;
   }
 
-  cache.previous.set(values);
+  cache.previous.set(bytes);
   cache.hasValue = true;
+  return true;
+};
+
+export const writeBufferIfChanged = (
+  device: GPUDevice,
+  buffer: GPUBuffer,
+  values: ArrayBufferView,
+  cache: CachedBufferWrite
+): boolean => {
+  if (!updateCachedBufferWrite(values, cache)) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
   device.queue.writeBuffer(buffer, 0, values);
   return true;
 };
diff --git a/src/utils/graphics/initialize-context.ts b/src/utils/graphics/initialize-context.ts
index b714386..da8b994 100644
--- a/src/utils/graphics/initialize-context.ts
+++ b/src/utils/graphics/initialize-context.ts
@@ -3,9 +3,11 @@ import { ErrorCode, getErrorMessage, RuntimeError } from '../error-handler';
 export const initializeContext = ({
   device,
   canvas,
+  format,
 }: {
   device: GPUDevice;
   canvas: HTMLCanvasElement;
+  format: GPUTextureFormat;
 }): GPUCanvasContext => {
   const context = canvas.getContext('webgpu');
 
@@ -22,18 +24,10 @@ export const initializeContext = ({
     );
   }
 
-  const gpu = navigator.gpu;
-  if (!gpu) {
-    throw new RuntimeError(
-      ErrorCode.WEBGPU_UNSUPPORTED,
-      'WebGPU is no longer available while configuring the canvas context.'
-    );
-  }
-
   try {
     context.configure({
       device: device,
-      format: gpu.getPreferredCanvasFormat(),
+      format,
       usage: GPUTextureUsage.RENDER_ATTACHMENT | GPUTextureUsage.COPY_SRC,
       alphaMode: 'opaque',
     });
diff --git a/src/utils/graphics/noise.ts b/src/utils/graphics/noise.ts
index 5edc9dd..c7cdc96 100644
--- a/src/utils/graphics/noise.ts
+++ b/src/utils/graphics/noise.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,10 @@ import { appConfig } from '../../config';
 import { setUpFullScreenQuad } from './full-screen-quad';
 import { smartCompile } from './smart-compile';
 
-const textureCache = new WeakMap<GPUDevice, Map<string, GPUTexture>>();
+export interface GeneratedNoiseTexture {
+  texture: GPUTexture;
+  view: GPUTextureView;
+}
 
 export const generateNoise = ({
   device,
@@ -12,19 +15,7 @@ export const generateNoise = ({
   device: GPUDevice;
   width: number;
   height: number;
-}): GPUTextureView => {
-  const cacheKey = `${width}x${height}:${appConfig.pipelines.common.noiseTextureFormat}`;
-  let deviceCache = textureCache.get(device);
-  if (!deviceCache) {
-    deviceCache = new Map<string, GPUTexture>();
-    textureCache.set(device, deviceCache);
-  }
-
-  const cached = deviceCache.get(cacheKey);
-  if (cached) {
-    return cached.createView();
-  }
-
+}): GeneratedNoiseTexture => {
   const vertex = setUpFullScreenQuad(device);
 
   const pipeline = device.createRenderPipeline({
@@ -98,6 +89,8 @@ export const generateNoise = ({
   passEncoder.end();
 
   device.queue.submit([commandEncoder.finish()]);
-  deviceCache.set(cacheKey, colorTexture);
-  return colorTexture.createView();
+  return {
+    texture: colorTexture,
+    view: colorTexture.createView(),
+  };
 };
diff --git a/src/utils/graphics/resizable-texture.ts b/src/utils/graphics/resizable-texture.ts
index bd6ef19..5624edc 100644
--- a/src/utils/graphics/resizable-texture.ts
+++ b/src/utils/graphics/resizable-texture.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import { vec2 } from 'gl-matrix';
 
+import { TRAIL_SOURCE_TEXTURE_FORMAT } from '../../pipelines/texture-formats';
+
 interface ResizableTextureOptions {
   clearValue?: GPUColor;
   format?: GPUTextureFormat;
@@ -27,7 +29,7 @@ export class ResizableTexture {
     size: vec2,
     {
       clearValue = { r: 0, g: 0, b: 0, a: 0 },
-      format = 'rgba16float',
+      format = TRAIL_SOURCE_TEXTURE_FORMAT,
       usage = defaultTextureUsage,
     }: ResizableTextureOptions = {}
   ) {
@@ -39,18 +41,6 @@ export class ResizableTexture {
     this.textureView = this.texture.createView();
   }
 
-  public resize(size: vec2): void {
-    const resize = this.prepareResize(size);
-    if (!resize) {
-      return;
-    }
-
-    const commandEncoder = this.device.createCommandEncoder();
-    this.encodeResize(commandEncoder, resize);
-    this.device.queue.submit([commandEncoder.finish()]);
-    this.commitResize(resize);
-  }
-
   public prepareResize(size: vec2): PendingTextureResize | null {
     if (vec2.equals(this.size, size)) {
       return null;
diff --git a/vite.config.ts b/vite.config.ts
index 6c4b293..1818b2a 100644
--- a/vite.config.ts
+++ b/vite.config.ts
@@ -9,14 +9,7 @@ const cssTargets = browserslistToTargets(browserslist());
 const esbuildTargets = browserslistToEsbuild();
 
 export default defineConfig(({ command }) => ({
-  base: './',
-  plugins: [
-    viteSingleFile({
-      inlinePattern: ['index-*.js', 'style-*.css'],
-      useRecommendedBuildConfig: false,
-    }),
-    ...(command === 'serve' ? [basicSsl()] : []),
-  ],
+  plugins: [viteSingleFile(), ...(command === 'serve' ? [basicSsl()] : [])],
   css: {
     transformer: 'lightningcss',
     lightningcss: {
@@ -25,14 +18,12 @@ export default defineConfig(({ command }) => ({
   },
   build: {
     target: esbuildTargets,
-    cssCodeSplit: false,
     cssMinify: 'lightningcss',
-    assetsInlineLimit: Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER,
-    assetsDir: '',
   },
   server: {
     open: true,
     host: true,
+    hmr: false,
   },
   test: {
     environment: 'node',