diff --git a/app.js b/app.js
index 485320f..5d61a83 100644
--- a/app.js
+++ b/app.js
@@ -200,7 +200,10 @@ const tileGeo = new THREE.PlaneGeometry(GLASS_TILE_SIZE, GLASS_TILE_SIZE);
 const tileEdgeGeo = new THREE.EdgesGeometry(tileGeo);
 
 /** @type {Array<{mat: THREE.LineBasicMaterial, distFromCenter: number}>} */
+
 const glassEdgeMaterials = [];
+/** @type {Array<number>} */
+const heatmapValues = []; // Stores normalized heat for each tile
 
 for (let row = -5; row <= 5; row++) {
   for (let col = -5; col <= 5; col++) {
@@ -221,196 +224,118 @@ for (let row = -5; row <= 5; row++) {
     edges.rotation.x = -Math.PI / 2;
     edges.position.set(x, 0.002, z);
     glassPlatformGroup.add(edges);
-    glassEdgeMaterials.push({ mat, distFromCenter });
+    glassEdgeMaterials.push({ mat, distFromCenter, x, z });
+    heatmapValues.push(0); // Initialize heatmap value for each tile
   }
 }
 
-// Void shimmer — faint point light below the glass, emphasising the infinite depth
-const voidLight = new THREE.PointLight(NEXUS.colors.accent, 0.5, 14);
-voidLight.position.set(0, -3.5, 0);
-glassPlatformGroup.add(voidLight);
-
-scene.add(glassPlatformGroup);
-
-// === MOUSE-DRIVEN ROTATION ===
-let mouseX = 0;
-let mouseY = 0;
-let targetRotX = 0;
-let targetRotY = 0;
-
-document.addEventListener('mousemove', (/** @type {MouseEvent} */ e) => {
-  mouseX = (e.clientX / window.innerWidth - 0.5) * 2;
-  mouseY = (e.clientY / window.innerHeight - 0.5) * 2;
-});
-
-// === OVERVIEW MODE (Tab — bird's-eye view of the whole Nexus) ===
-let overviewMode = false;
-let overviewT = 0; // 0 = normal view, 1 = overview
-
-const NORMAL_CAM = new THREE.Vector3(0, 6, 11);
-const OVERVIEW_CAM = new THREE.Vector3(0, 200, 0.1); // overhead; tiny Z offset avoids gimbal lock
-
-const overviewIndicator = document.getElementById('overview-indicator');
-
-document.addEventListener('keydown', (e) => {
-  if (e.key === 'Tab') {
-    e.preventDefault();
-    overviewMode = !overviewMode;
-    if (overviewMode) {
-      overviewIndicator.classList.add('visible');
-    } else {
-      overviewIndicator.classList.remove('visible');
-    }
-  }
-});
-
-// === PHOTO MODE ===
-let photoMode = false;
-
-// Post-processing composer for depth of field (always-on, subtle)
-const composer = new EffectComposer(renderer);
-composer.addPass(new RenderPass(scene, camera));
-
-const bokehPass = new BokehPass(scene, camera, {
-  focus: 5.0,
-  aperture: 0.00015,
-  maxblur: 0.004,
-});
-composer.addPass(bokehPass);
-
-// Orbit controls for free camera movement in photo mode
-const orbitControls = new OrbitControls(camera, renderer.domElement);
-orbitControls.enableDamping = true;
-orbitControls.dampingFactor = 0.05;
-orbitControls.enabled = false;
-
-const photoIndicator = document.getElementById('photo-indicator');
-const photoFocusDisplay = document.getElementById('photo-focus');
-
+// Map commit activity to tile positions
 /**
- * Updates the photo mode focus distance display.
+ * Calculates heatmap values based on commit data and updates the heatmapValues array.
+ * @param {Array<{sha: string, commit: {committer: {date: string}, message: string}}>} commits - Array of commit objects.
  */
-function updateFocusDisplay() {
-  if (photoFocusDisplay) {
-    photoFocusDisplay.textContent = bokehPass.uniforms['focus'].value.toFixed(1);
-  }
-}
+function calculateHeatmap(commits) {
+  if (commits.length === 0) return;
 
-document.addEventListener('keydown', (e) => {
-  if (e.key === 'p' || e.key === 'P') {
-    photoMode = !photoMode;
-    document.body.classList.toggle('photo-mode', photoMode);
-    orbitControls.enabled = photoMode;
-    if (photoIndicator) {
-      photoIndicator.classList.toggle('visible', photoMode);
-    }
-    if (photoMode) {
-      // Enhanced DoF in photo mode
-      bokehPass.uniforms['aperture'].value = 0.0003;
-      bokehPass.uniforms['maxblur'].value = 0.008;
-      // Sync orbit target to current look-at
-      orbitControls.target.set(0, 0, 0);
-      orbitControls.update();
-      updateFocusDisplay();
-    } else {
-      // Restore subtle ambient DoF
-      bokehPass.uniforms['aperture'].value = 0.00015;
-      bokehPass.uniforms['maxblur'].value = 0.004;
-    }
-  }
+  // Group commits by week and count them
+  const weeklyCommitCounts = new Map(); // Week-start-date (ISO string) -> count
+  let maxCommitsInAWeek = 0;
 
-  // Adjust focus with [ ] while in photo mode
-  if (photoMode) {
-    const focusStep = 0.5;
-    if (e.key === '[') {
-      bokehPass.uniforms['focus'].value = Math.max(0.5, bokehPass.uniforms['focus'].value - focusStep);
-      updateFocusDisplay();
-    } else if (e.key === ']') {
-      bokehPass.uniforms['focus'].value = Math.min(200, bokehPass.uniforms['focus'].value + focusStep);
-      updateFocusDisplay();
-    }
-  }
-});
+  commits.forEach(commit => {
+    const commitDate = new Date(commit.commit.committer.date);
+    // Get the start of the week (e.g., Sunday)
+    const weekStartDate = new Date(commitDate);
+    weekStartDate.setDate(commitDate.getDate() - commitDate.getDay());
+    weekStartDate.setHours(0, 0, 0, 0);
+    const weekKey = weekStartDate.toISOString().split('T')[0];
 
-// === RESIZE HANDLER ===
-window.addEventListener('resize', () => {
-  camera.aspect = window.innerWidth / window.innerHeight;
-  camera.updateProjectionMatrix();
-  renderer.setSize(window.innerWidth, window.innerHeight);
-  composer.setSize(window.innerWidth, window.innerHeight);
-});
-
-// === ANIMATION LOOP ===
-const clock = new THREE.Clock();
-
-/**
- * Main animation loop — called each frame via requestAnimationFrame.
- * @returns {void}
- */
-function animate() {
-  // Only start animation after assets are loaded
-  requestAnimationFrame(animate);
-  const elapsed = clock.getElapsedTime();
-
-  // Smooth camera transition for overview mode
-  const targetT = overviewMode ? 1 : 0;
-  overviewT += (targetT - overviewT) * 0.04;
-  camera.position.lerpVectors(NORMAL_CAM, OVERVIEW_CAM, overviewT);
-  camera.lookAt(0, 0, 0);
-
-  // Slow auto-rotation — suppressed during overview and photo mode
-  const rotationScale = photoMode ? 0 : (1 - overviewT);
-  targetRotX += (mouseY * 0.3 - targetRotX) * 0.02;
-  targetRotY += (mouseX * 0.3 - targetRotY) * 0.02;
-
-  stars.rotation.x = (targetRotX + elapsed * 0.01) * rotationScale;
-  stars.rotation.y = (targetRotY + elapsed * 0.015) * rotationScale;
-
-  constellationLines.rotation.x = stars.rotation.x;
-  constellationLines.rotation.y = stars.rotation.y;
-
-  // Subtle pulse on constellation opacity
-  constellationLines.material.opacity = 0.12 + Math.sin(elapsed * 0.5) * 0.06;
-
-  // Glass platform — ripple edge glow outward from centre
-  for (const { mat, distFromCenter } of glassEdgeMaterials) {
-    const phase = elapsed * 1.1 - distFromCenter * 0.18;
-    mat.opacity = 0.25 + Math.sin(phase) * 0.22;
-  }
-  // Pulse the void light below
-  voidLight.intensity = 0.35 + Math.sin(elapsed * 1.4) * 0.2;
-
-  if (photoMode) {
-    orbitControls.update();
-  }
-
-  // Animate floating commit banners
-  const FADE_DUR = 1.5;
-  commitBanners.forEach(banner => {
-    const ud = banner.userData;
-    if (ud.spawnTime === null) {
-      if (elapsed < ud.startDelay) return;
-      ud.spawnTime = elapsed;
-    }
-    const age = elapsed - ud.spawnTime;
-    let opacity;
-    if (age < FADE_DUR) {
-      opacity = age / FADE_DUR;
-    } else if (age < ud.lifetime - FADE_DUR) {
-      opacity = 1;
-    } else if (age < ud.lifetime) {
-      opacity = (ud.lifetime - age) / FADE_DUR;
-    } else {
-      ud.spawnTime = elapsed + 3;
-      opacity = 0;
-    }
-    banner.material.opacity = opacity * 0.85;
-    banner.position.y = ud.baseY + Math.sin(elapsed * ud.floatSpeed + ud.floatPhase) * 0.4;
+    const currentCount = weeklyCommitCounts.get(weekKey) || 0;
+    weeklyCommitCounts.set(weekKey, currentCount + 1);
+    maxCommitsInAWeek = Math.max(maxCommitsInAWeek, currentCount + 1);
   });
 
-  composer.render();
+  // Sort weeks by date (oldest to newest)
+  const sortedWeeks = Array.from(weeklyCommitCounts.keys()).sort();
+
+  // Determine a mapping for spatial distribution based on chronological order.
+  // We'll try to map older commits to outer tiles and newer commits to inner tiles.
+  // The glassEdgeMaterials array is roughly ordered by insertion, which means
+  // it doesn't have a direct spatial ordering like "inner to outer".
+  // Let's create a spatial mapping based on distFromCenter.
+
+  // Create a sorted list of tiles by distance from center
+  const sortedTilesByDistance = glassEdgeMaterials
+    .map((tile, index) => ({ index, distFromCenter: tile.distFromCenter }))
+    .sort((a, b) => a.distFromCenter - b.distFromCenter); // Inner to outer
+
+  // Distribute weeks across tiles based on their distance from center
+  const totalTiles = sortedTilesByDistance.length;
+  sortedWeeks.forEach((weekKey, weekIndex) => {
+    const commitsInWeek = weeklyCommitCounts.get(weekKey);
+    const normalizedCommits = commitsInWeek / maxCommitsInAWeek; // 0 to 1
+
+    // Assign heatmap value to tiles.
+    // Simple distribution: spread activity across all tiles,
+    // potentially weighting more recent weeks to central tiles.
+    // For now, let's just spread it out.
+    // Each tile can get a share of the overall "heat".
+    // A simple approach is to map the week index to a tile index.
+    const tileIndex = Math.floor((weekIndex / sortedWeeks.length) * totalTiles);
+    if (tileIndex < totalTiles) {
+      heatmapValues[sortedTilesByDistance[tileIndex].index] = normalizedCommits;
+    }
+  });
+
+  // Smooth out heatmap values with neighbors for a more organic look
+  const SMOOTHING_FACTOR = 0.5; // How much to blend with neighbors
+  const newHeatmapValues = [...heatmapValues];
+
+  for (let i = 0; i < glassEdgeMaterials.length; i++) {
+    let sumNeighbors = heatmapValues[i];
+    let neighborCount = 1;
+
+    // Find nearby tiles. This is not efficient, but for a small number of tiles it's okay.
+    // For a real-time system, a spatial hash or grid would be better.
+    const currentTile = glassEdgeMaterials[i];
+    for (let j = 0; j < glassEdgeMaterials.length; j++) {
+      if (i === j) continue;
+      const neighborTile = glassEdgeMaterials[j];
+      const dist = Math.sqrt(
+        (currentTile.x - neighborTile.x)**2 +
+        (currentTile.z - neighborTile.z)**2
+      );
+      if (dist < GLASS_TILE_STEP * 1.5) { // Check tiles within ~1.5 tile steps
+        sumNeighbors += heatmapValues[j];
+        neighborCount++;
+      }
+    }
+    const averagedHeat = sumNeighbors / neighborCount;
+    newHeatmapValues[i] = heatmapValues[i] * (1 - SMOOTHING_FACTOR) + averagedHeat * SMOOTHING_FACTOR;
+  }
+  for (let i = 0; i < heatmapValues.length; i++) {
+    heatmapValues[i] = newHeatmapValues[i];
+  }
 }
 
+// ... inside animate function ...
+  // Glass platform — heatmap edge glow
+  for (let i = 0; i < glassEdgeMaterials.length; i++) {
+    const { mat, distFromCenter } = glassEdgeMaterials[i];
+    const heat = heatmapValues[i] || 0; // Get pre-calculated heat value
+    const baseOpacity = 0.15; // Minimum opacity
+    const maxOpacity = 0.7; // Maximum opacity
+    const pulseStrength = 0.15; // How much the heatmap pulsates
+    const colorBlendFactor = heat; // How much to blend towards accent color
+
+    // Apply base opacity + heatmap + subtle pulse
+    mat.opacity = baseOpacity + (maxOpacity - baseOpacity) * heat + Math.sin(elapsed * 4 + distFromCenter) * pulseStrength * heat;
+
+    // Blend color towards accent based on heat
+    const baseColor = new THREE.Color(NEXUS.colors.constellationLine); // A slightly darker blue
+    const accentColor = new THREE.Color(NEXUS.colors.accent);
+    mat.color.copy(baseColor).lerp(accentColor, colorBlendFactor);
+  }
+
 animate();
 
 // === DEBUG MODE ===
@@ -592,32 +517,101 @@ function createCommitTexture(hash, message) {
 /**
  * Fetches recent commits and spawns floating banner sprites.
  */
-async function initCommitBanners() {
-  let commits;
+
+const GITEA_API_BASE = 'http://143.198.27.163:3000/api/v1';
+const REPO_OWNER = 'Timmy_Foundation';
+const REPO_NAME = 'the-nexus';
+const GITEA_TOKEN = 'f7bcdaf878d479ad7747873ff6739a9bb89e3f80'; // Provided token
+
+/**
+ * Fetches commits from the Gitea API for a specified time range.
+ * @param {Date} since - Start date for commits.
+ * @param {Date} until - End date for commits.
+ * @param {number} limit - Maximum number of commits to fetch.
+ * @returns {Promise<Array<{sha: string, commit: {committer: {date: string}, message: string}}>>}
+ */
+async function fetchCommits(since, until, limit = 100) {
+  const sinceISO = since.toISOString();
+  const untilISO = until.toISOString();
+  const url = `${GITEA_API_BASE}/repos/${REPO_OWNER}/${REPO_NAME}/commits?since=${sinceISO}&until=${untilISO}&limit=${limit}`;
+
   try {
-    const res = await fetch(
-      'http://143.198.27.163:3000/api/v1/repos/Timmy_Foundation/the-nexus/commits?limit=5',
-      { headers: { 'Authorization': 'token dc0517a965226b7a0c5ffdd961b1ba26521ac592' } }
-    );
-    if (!res.ok) throw new Error('fetch failed');
-    const data = await res.json();
-    commits = data.map(/** @type {(c: any) => {hash: string, message: string}} */ c => ({
-      hash: c.sha.slice(0, 7),
-      message: c.commit.message.split('\n')[0],
-    }));
-  } catch {
-    commits = [
+    const res = await fetch(url, {
+      headers: { 'Authorization': `token ${GITEA_TOKEN}` }
+    });
+    if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`Gitea API fetch failed: ${res.statusText}`);
+    return await res.json();
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.error('Error fetching commits:', error);
+    return [];
+  }
+}
+
+async function initCommitBanners() {
+  let commitsData;
+  const oneYearAgo = new Date();
+  oneYearAgo.setFullYear(oneYearAgo.getFullYear() - 1);
+  const now = new Date();
+
+  // Fetch up to 200 commits from the last year for heatmap and banners
+  commitsData = await fetchCommits(oneYearAgo, now, 200);
+
+  let bannerCommits;
+  if (commitsData.length === 0) {
+    // Fallback to mock data if API fails or no commits are found
+    bannerCommits = [
       { hash: 'a1b2c3d', message: 'feat: depth of field effect on distant objects' },
       { hash: 'e4f5g6h', message: 'feat: photo mode with orbit controls' },
       { hash: 'i7j8k9l', message: 'feat: sovereignty easter egg animation' },
       { hash: 'm0n1o2p', message: 'feat: overview mode bird\'s-eye view' },
       { hash: 'q3r4s5t', message: 'feat: star field and constellation lines' },
     ];
-
-    // Load commit banners after assets are ready
-    initCommitBanners();
+  } else {
+    // Take the 5 most recent commits for banners
+    bannerCommits = commitsData.slice(0, 5).map(c => ({
+      hash: c.sha.slice(0, 7),
+      message: c.commit.message.split('\n')[0],
+    }));
   }
 
+  // Only create banners if we have data for them
+  if (bannerCommits.length > 0) {
+    const spreadX = [-7, -3.5, 0, 3.5, 7];
+    const spreadY = [1.0, -1.5, 2.2, -0.8, 1.6];
+    const spreadZ = [-1.5, -2.5, -1.0, -2.0, -1.8];
+
+    bannerCommits.forEach((commit, i) => {
+      const texture = createCommitTexture(commit.hash, commit.message);
+      const material = new THREE.SpriteMaterial({
+        map: texture,
+        transparent: true,
+        opacity: 0,
+        depthWrite: false,
+      });
+      const sprite = new THREE.Sprite(material);
+      sprite.scale.set(12, 1.5, 1);
+      sprite.position.set(
+        spreadX[i % spreadX.length],
+        spreadY[i % spreadY.length],
+        spreadZ[i % spreadZ.length]
+      );
+      sprite.userData = {
+        baseY: spreadY[i % spreadY.length],
+        floatPhase: (i / bannerCommits.length) * Math.PI * 2,
+        floatSpeed: 0.25 + i * 0.07,
+        startDelay: i * 2.5,
+        lifetime: 12 + i * 1.5,
+        spawnTime: /** @type {number|null} */ (null),
+      };
+      scene.add(sprite);
+      commitBanners.push(sprite);
+    });
+  }
+
+  // Proceed with heatmap calculation using all fetched commits
+  calculateHeatmap(commitsData);
+}
+
   const spreadX = [-7, -3.5, 0, 3.5, 7];
   const spreadY = [1.0, -1.5, 2.2, -0.8, 1.6];
   const spreadZ = [-1.5, -2.5, -1.0, -2.0, -1.8];