diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index a249744..d9921ee 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ next-env.d.ts
 /playwright-report/
 /playwright/.cache/
 .playwright-mcp/
+tests/playwright/.auth/
 
 # claude settings (keep .claude/CLAUDE.md but ignore user settings)
 .claude/settings.local.json
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 7c0c8c3..b2ac5d8 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@
     "start": "next start",
     "lint": "next lint",
     "test": "npx magnitude",
+    "test:playwright": "playwright test",
+    "test:playwright:ui": "playwright test --ui",
+    "test:playwright:debug": "playwright test --debug",
     "schema:apply": "node scripts/apply-schema.js",
     "schema:deploy": "./scripts/deploy-schema.sh"
   },
diff --git a/playwright.config.ts b/playwright.config.ts
index 8d7080c..8366eba 100644
--- a/playwright.config.ts
+++ b/playwright.config.ts
@@ -1,40 +1,35 @@
 import { defineConfig, devices } from '@playwright/test';
 
 export default defineConfig({
-  testDir: './tests',
+  testDir: './tests/playwright',
   fullyParallel: true,
   forbidOnly: !!process.env.CI,
   retries: process.env.CI ? 2 : 0,
   workers: process.env.CI ? 1 : undefined,
   reporter: 'html',
+
   use: {
-    baseURL: 'http://localhost:3000',
+    baseURL: process.env.PLAYWRIGHT_BASE_URL || 'http://localhost:3000',
     trace: 'on-first-retry',
+    screenshot: 'only-on-failure',
   },
 
   projects: [
-    // Setup project
-    {
-      name: 'setup',
-      testMatch: /.*\.setup\.ts/,
-    },
-
-    // Chromium tests using authenticated state
+    { name: 'setup', testMatch: /.*\.setup\.ts/ },
     {
       name: 'chromium',
       use: {
         ...devices['Desktop Chrome'],
-        // Use the saved authenticated state
-        storageState: '.playwright/.auth/user.json',
+        storageState: 'tests/playwright/.auth/user.json',
       },
       dependencies: ['setup'],
     },
   ],
 
-  // Run dev server before tests
   webServer: {
     command: 'pnpm dev',
     url: 'http://localhost:3000',
     reuseExistingServer: !process.env.CI,
+    timeout: 120000,
   },
 });
diff --git a/tests/playwright/auth.setup.ts b/tests/playwright/auth.setup.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..57a50eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/playwright/auth.setup.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+import { test as setup, expect } from '@playwright/test';
+
+const authFile = 'tests/playwright/.auth/user.json';
+
+setup('authenticate', async ({ page }) => {
+  // For now, just create an empty auth file
+  // TODO: Implement actual OAuth flow when test credentials are available
+  console.log('[Auth Setup] Skipping authentication - implement OAuth flow with test credentials');
+
+  // Save empty state for now
+  await page.context().storageState({ path: authFile });
+});
diff --git a/tests/playwright/fixtures.ts b/tests/playwright/fixtures.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a47369a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/playwright/fixtures.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import { test as base, Page } from '@playwright/test';
+
+type Fixtures = {
+  authenticatedPage: Page;
+  chatPage: Page;
+  galaxyPage: Page;
+};
+
+export const test = base.extend<Fixtures>({
+  authenticatedPage: async ({ page }, use) => {
+    await page.goto('/');
+    await use(page);
+  },
+
+  chatPage: async ({ page }, use) => {
+    await page.goto('/chat');
+    await use(page);
+  },
+
+  galaxyPage: async ({ page }, use) => {
+    await page.goto('/galaxy');
+    await use(page);
+  },
+});
+
+export { expect } from '@playwright/test';
diff --git a/tests/playwright/helpers/chat.ts b/tests/playwright/helpers/chat.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e47c8b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/playwright/helpers/chat.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+import { Page, expect } from '@playwright/test';
+
+export class ChatHelper {
+  constructor(private page: Page) {}
+
+  async sendMessage(message: string) {
+    const input = this.page.locator('textarea[placeholder*="Type"], input[placeholder*="Type"]');
+    await input.fill(message);
+    await input.press('Enter');
+  }
+
+  async waitForAIResponse() {
+    // Wait for typing indicator to appear then disappear
+    const typingIndicator = this.page.locator('[data-testid="typing-indicator"]').first();
+    
+    try {
+      await typingIndicator.waitFor({ state: 'visible', timeout: 2000 });
+      await typingIndicator.waitFor({ state: 'hidden', timeout: 30000 });
+    } catch {
+      // Typing indicator might not appear for fast responses
+      await this.page.waitForTimeout(1000);
+    }
+  }
+
+  async getLastMessage() {
+    const messages = this.page.locator('[data-testid="chat-message"]');
+    const count = await messages.count();
+    return count > 0 ? messages.nth(count - 1) : null;
+  }
+
+  async getMessageCount() {
+    const messages = this.page.locator('[data-testid="chat-message"]');
+    return await messages.count();
+  }
+}
diff --git a/tests/playwright/helpers/galaxy.ts b/tests/playwright/helpers/galaxy.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1d8fbb4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/playwright/helpers/galaxy.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+import { Page } from '@playwright/test';
+
+export class GalaxyHelper {
+  constructor(private page: Page) {}
+
+  async waitForGalaxyLoad() {
+    // Wait for canvas to be visible
+    await this.page.waitForSelector('canvas', { timeout: 10000 });
+    
+    // Give R3F time to render
+    await this.page.waitForTimeout(2000);
+  }
+
+  async clickNode(nodeId: string) {
+    // Simulate node click via JavaScript event
+    await this.page.evaluate((id) => {
+      const event = new CustomEvent('node-click', { detail: { nodeId: id } });
+      window.dispatchEvent(event);
+    }, nodeId);
+  }
+
+  async getNodeCount() {
+    return await this.page.evaluate(() => {
+      // Access window globals set by galaxy component
+      return (window as any).__galaxyNodes?.length || 0;
+    });
+  }
+}
diff --git a/tests/playwright/helpers/node.ts b/tests/playwright/helpers/node.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0ff4a8a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/playwright/helpers/node.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+import { Page } from '@playwright/test';
+
+export class NodeHelper {
+  constructor(private page: Page) {}
+
+  async createNode(title: string, body: string) {
+    // This will vary based on actual implementation
+    // For now, placeholder that navigates to chat
+    await this.page.goto('/chat');
+    
+    // TODO: Implement actual node creation flow
+    // This depends on how nodes are created in the UI
+  }
+
+  async waitForUMAPCalculation(timeoutMs: number = 60000) {
+    // Poll /api/galaxy until nodes have coords_3d
+    const startTime = Date.now();
+    
+    while (Date.now() - startTime < timeoutMs) {
+      try {
+        const response = await this.page.request.get('/api/galaxy');
+        const data = await response.json();
+        
+        if (data.nodes && data.nodes.every((n: any) => n.coords_3d !== null)) {
+          return true;
+        }
+      } catch {
+        // Continue polling
+      }
+      
+      await this.page.waitForTimeout(2000);
+    }
+    
+    return false;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/tests/playwright/smoke.spec.ts b/tests/playwright/smoke.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ec82b31
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/playwright/smoke.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import { test, expect } from './fixtures';
+
+test.describe('Smoke Tests', () => {
+  test('homepage loads', async ({ page }) => {
+    await page.goto('/');
+    await expect(page).toHaveTitle(/Ponderants/);
+  });
+
+  test('chat page loads', async ({ page }) => {
+    await page.goto('/chat');
+    // Check for chat interface element
+    await expect(page.locator('textarea, input[type="text"]').first()).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10000 });
+  });
+
+  test('galaxy page loads', async ({ page }) => {
+    await page.goto('/galaxy');
+    // Check for canvas or empty state
+    const canvasOrEmpty = page.locator('canvas, [data-testid="empty-state"]').first();
+    await expect(canvasOrEmpty).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10000 });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/todo.md b/todo.md
index dadbb11..941c087 100644
--- a/todo.md
+++ b/todo.md
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 
 Upcoming items that should be implemented (time-permitting):
 
+- add base playwright scaffolding files to improve the efficiency of manual
+  playwright mcp testing as well as that of magnitude
+- ADD MAGNITUDE TESTS FOR EVERYTHING, both existing and new additions
 - stream the AI output to deepgram for faster synthesis
 - fix the freaking galaxy node clicking -- when going directly to a node ID
   link, it redirects to /chat; when clicking on a node in /galaxy (either
@@ -9,3 +12,5 @@ Upcoming items that should be implemented (time-permitting):
 - dark mode/light mode favicon and overall app theme
 - fix the double border on desktop between sidebar and conversation actions UI
 - delete "backup"/"old" page.tsx files
+- allow ai to transition to edit in chat
+- why wait for three nodes before umap?