diff --git a/src/presence.js b/src/presence.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..af6d33e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/presence.js
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+// Seed #6: presence. Other players show up as ghost cats (max 40). Positions and 4 fixed emotes only, never free text.
+export function connect(w) {
+  let ws = null, tick = null, backoff = 1000;
+  const open = () => {
+    try { ws = new WebSocket(`${location.protocol === "https:" ? "wss" : "ws"}://${location.host}/arcade/ws`); } catch { return retry(); }
+    ws.onopen = () => { backoff = 1000; tick = setInterval(send, 200); };
+    ws.onmessage = (m) => {
+      let d; try { d = JSON.parse(m.data); } catch { return; }
+      if (d.t === "snap" && Array.isArray(d.p)) w.ghosts = d.p.slice(0, 40).map(([id, room, x, y, f, a, e]) => ({ id, room, x, y, f, a, e }));
+    };
+    ws.onclose = () => { clearInterval(tick); w.ghosts = []; retry(); };
+    ws.onerror = () => ws.close();
+  };
+  const retry = () => { setTimeout(open, backoff); backoff = Math.min(30000, backoff * 2); };
+  const send = () => {
+    const p = w.player; if (!p || ws.readyState !== 1) return;
+    ws.send(JSON.stringify({ t: "pos", room: w.room, x: Math.round(p.x), y: Math.round(p.y), f: p.f, a: p.walk > 0 ? 1 : 0, e: p.emote }));
+  };
+  open();
+}