diff --git a/simulator/static/app.js b/simulator/static/app.js
index e8606bc..c954652 100644
--- a/simulator/static/app.js
+++ b/simulator/static/app.js
@@ -389,6 +389,7 @@ function renderScaleReadout() {
   // scale id · the chosen pool member · position on the ring (pool size if >1)
   const poolTag = poolN > 1 ? ` · pool ${poolN}` : "";
   $("scale-name").textContent = `${s.id} · ${member}  (${ringIndex + 1}/${ring.scales.length}${poolTag})`;
+  renderDial();
 }
 
 function controls() {
@@ -500,6 +501,118 @@ function onWheel(e) {
   }, 90);
 }
 
+// --- Altitude knob: the endless rotary encoder, drawn as a turnable dial ---
+// cosmos (highest) sits at the top; turning CLOCKWISE descends through the scales
+// (cosmos → orbit → coast → reef → abyss) and past the deepest WRAPS back to the
+// top — the same endless ring the server already models. The drag accumulates a
+// rotation and commits whole detents on release (so a big spin becomes one fast
+// blended pass, exactly like the wheel); a tap on a label jumps to that scale.
+const dial = $("dial");
+const DIAL_C = 50, DIAL_LABEL_R = 41, DIAL_BODY_R = 27;
+let needleDeg = 0;
+let dialDrag = null;          // {lastAng, accum, moved} while turning
+
+function dialStep() { return ring && ring.scales.length ? 360 / ring.scales.length : 360; }
+
+function _xy(r, deg) {
+  const a = (deg - 90) * Math.PI / 180;        // -90° so 0° points UP
+  return [DIAL_C + r * Math.cos(a), DIAL_C + r * Math.sin(a)];
+}
+
+function buildDial() {
+  if (!dial || !ring) return;
+  dial.innerHTML = "";
+  const n = ring.scales.length, step = 360 / n;
+  svg("circle", { cx: DIAL_C, cy: DIAL_C, r: DIAL_LABEL_R + 6, class: "dial-rim" }, dial);
+  svg("circle", { cx: DIAL_C, cy: DIAL_C, r: DIAL_BODY_R, class: "dial-body" }, dial);
+  for (let i = 0; i < n; i++) {
+    const deg = i * step;
+    const [tx0, ty0] = _xy(DIAL_BODY_R - 1.5, deg);
+    const [tx1, ty1] = _xy(DIAL_BODY_R + 2.5, deg);
+    svg("line", { x1: tx0, y1: ty0, x2: tx1, y2: ty1, class: "dial-tick" }, dial);
+    const [lx, ly] = _xy(DIAL_LABEL_R, deg);
+    const t = svg("text", {
+      x: lx, y: ly, "text-anchor": "middle", "dominant-baseline": "central",
+      class: "dial-label", "data-index": String(i),
+    }, dial);
+    t.textContent = ring.scales[i].id;
+  }
+  svg("text", { x: DIAL_C, y: DIAL_C - 7, "text-anchor": "middle",
+                "dominant-baseline": "central", class: "dial-caption" }, dial)
+    .textContent = "ALTITUDE";
+  const needle = svg("g", { id: "needle", class: "dial-needle" }, dial);
+  const tip = DIAL_C - (DIAL_BODY_R - 4);
+  svg("polygon", { points: `${DIAL_C - 2.4},${DIAL_C} ${DIAL_C + 2.4},${DIAL_C} ${DIAL_C},${tip}` }, needle);
+  svg("circle", { cx: DIAL_C, cy: DIAL_C, r: 3, class: "dial-hub" }, dial);
+  renderDial();
+}
+
+function setNeedle(deg) {
+  const needle = $("needle");
+  if (needle) needle.setAttribute("transform", `rotate(${deg} ${DIAL_C} ${DIAL_C})`);
+}
+
+function renderDial() {
+  if (!dial || !ring) return;
+  needleDeg = ringIndex * dialStep();
+  setNeedle(needleDeg);
+  for (const el of dial.querySelectorAll(".dial-label")) {
+    el.classList.toggle("active", +el.getAttribute("data-index") === ringIndex);
+  }
+}
+
+function dialAngle(e) {
+  const r = dial.getBoundingClientRect();
+  const dx = e.clientX - (r.left + r.width / 2);
+  const dy = e.clientY - (r.top + r.height / 2);
+  return (Math.atan2(dx, -dy) * 180 / Math.PI + 360) % 360;   // 0 at top, clockwise +
+}
+function angDelta(a, b) {
+  let d = a - b;
+  while (d > 180) d -= 360;
+  while (d < -180) d += 360;
+  return d;
+}
+
+function onDialDown(e) {
+  if (busy || !ring || ring.scales.length < 2) return;
+  e.preventDefault();
+  dialDrag = { lastAng: dialAngle(e), accum: 0, moved: 0, target: e.target };
+}
+function onDialMove(e) {
+  if (!dialDrag) return;
+  const a = dialAngle(e);
+  const d = angDelta(a, dialDrag.lastAng);
+  dialDrag.lastAng = a;
+  dialDrag.accum += d;
+  dialDrag.moved += Math.abs(d);
+  setNeedle(ringIndex * dialStep() + dialDrag.accum);    // live feedback while turning
+}
+function onDialUp(e) {
+  if (!dialDrag) return;
+  const { accum, moved, target } = dialDrag;
+  dialDrag = null;
+  if (moved < 6) {                                        // a tap, not a turn
+    if (target && target.classList && target.classList.contains("dial-label")) {
+      jumpToScale(+target.getAttribute("data-index"));
+    }
+    renderDial();
+    return;
+  }
+  const detents = Math.round(accum / dialStep());
+  if (detents) advance(detents); else renderDial();      // snap back if it didn't cross a detent
+}
+
+// Click a label → travel the SHORTEST signed way around the ring to that scale.
+function jumpToScale(idx) {
+  if (!ring) return;
+  const n = ring.scales.length;
+  let d = (idx - ringIndex) % n;
+  if (d > n / 2) d -= n;
+  if (d < -n / 2) d += n;
+  if (d) advance(d);
+}
+
 // Dev live-reload: poll the asset version and reload when it changes, so an open
 // tab never keeps running a stale renderer while we iterate (the readout updates
 // from the live API and masks it otherwise). Reloads on my edits AND on a server
@@ -520,12 +633,16 @@ async function main() {
   try { initPaint(); } catch (e) { paintOK = false; paint.style.display = "none"; showError("WebGL init: " + e.message); }
   await loadData();
   await landScale();          // pick the initial scale's pool member before first render
+  buildDial();                // draw the altitude knob from the ring's scales
   renderScaleReadout();
   for (const id of ["content", "left", "right", "mood"]) {
     $(id).addEventListener("input", debounced);
   }
-  $("zoom-in").addEventListener("click", () => advance(1));
-  $("zoom-out").addEventListener("click", () => advance(-1));
+  // Altitude knob: drag to turn (commit detents on release), scroll to step, tap a label to jump.
+  dial.addEventListener("pointerdown", onDialDown);
+  window.addEventListener("pointermove", onDialMove);
+  window.addEventListener("pointerup", onDialUp);
+  dial.addEventListener("wheel", onWheel, { passive: false });
   $("stage").addEventListener("wheel", onWheel, { passive: false });
   update();
 }
diff --git a/simulator/static/index.html b/simulator/static/index.html
index 986bef1..68e91ab 100644
--- a/simulator/static/index.html
+++ b/simulator/static/index.html
@@ -35,13 +35,12 @@
       </fieldset>
 
       <fieldset>
-        <legend>Scale ring (endless encoder)</legend>
-        <div class="ring-control">
-          <button type="button" id="zoom-out" title="zoom out (toward cosmos)">⊖ out</button>
-          <span id="scale-name" class="scale-name">—</span>
-          <button type="button" id="zoom-in" title="zoom in (toward microscopic)">in ⊕</button>
+        <legend>Altitude</legend>
+        <div class="dial-wrap">
+          <svg id="dial" viewBox="0 0 100 100" aria-label="Altitude knob (turn to change scale)"></svg>
         </div>
-        <p class="hint">Relative, endless — wraps past the smallest back to the largest. Scroll the stage too.</p>
+        <span id="scale-name" class="scale-name">—</span>
+        <p class="hint">Turn the knob (drag it, or scroll) to change altitude — endless: past the deepest it wraps back up to the highest. Click a label to jump there.</p>
       </fieldset>
 
       <fieldset>
diff --git a/simulator/static/style.css b/simulator/static/style.css
index da9ca47..4e41e39 100644
--- a/simulator/static/style.css
+++ b/simulator/static/style.css
@@ -48,10 +48,21 @@ label { display: block; margin: 0.4rem 0; }
 input[type=range], select { width: 100%; }
 #readout { background: #000; padding: 0.5rem; border-radius: 4px; font-size: 12px;
            white-space: pre-wrap; max-height: 240px; overflow: auto; }
-.ring-control { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 0.4rem; }
-.ring-control button { flex: 0 0 auto; background: #1a2436; color: #9af;
-           border: 1px solid #345; border-radius: 4px; padding: 0.3rem 0.5rem;
-           cursor: pointer; font-size: 13px; }
-.ring-control button:hover { background: #243352; }
-.scale-name { flex: 1 1 auto; text-align: center; font-size: 12px; color: #cde; }
+/* Altitude knob */
+.dial-wrap { display: flex; justify-content: center; padding: 0.3rem 0 0.1rem; }
+#dial { width: 190px; height: 190px; touch-action: none; cursor: grab; user-select: none; }
+#dial:active { cursor: grabbing; }
+.dial-rim { fill: #0d1320; stroke: #243352; stroke-width: 1.2; }
+.dial-body { fill: #16203200; stroke: #2c3c5c; stroke-width: 1; }
+.dial-tick { stroke: #3a4d70; stroke-width: 0.8; }
+.dial-label { fill: #789ac0; font-size: 6px; font-family: ui-monospace, monospace;
+              letter-spacing: 0.2px; cursor: pointer; }
+.dial-label:hover { fill: #cde; }
+.dial-label.active { fill: #9cf; font-weight: 700; }
+.dial-caption { fill: #4d6184; font-size: 4.4px; letter-spacing: 1.2px;
+                font-family: ui-monospace, monospace; }
+.dial-needle { fill: #9cf; }
+.dial-needle polygon { filter: drop-shadow(0 0 1px #9cf); }
+.dial-hub { fill: #2c3c5c; stroke: #9cf; stroke-width: 0.6; }
+.scale-name { display: block; text-align: center; font-size: 12px; color: #cde; }
 .hint { margin: 0.3rem 0 0; font-size: 11px; color: #789; }