diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/puzzle/drop/client/PieceGroupAnimation.java b/src/java/com/threerings/puzzle/drop/client/PieceGroupAnimation.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d248f2c4a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/puzzle/drop/client/PieceGroupAnimation.java
@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+//
+// $Id: PieceGroupAnimation.java,v 1.1 2004/08/18 01:34:19 mdb Exp $
+
+package com.threerings.puzzle.drop.client;
+
+import java.awt.Graphics2D;
+import java.awt.Rectangle;
+
+import com.threerings.media.animation.Animation;
+import com.threerings.media.sprite.ImageSprite;
+import com.threerings.media.sprite.PathObserver;
+import com.threerings.media.sprite.Sprite;
+import com.threerings.media.util.Path;
+
+import com.threerings.puzzle.drop.data.DropBoard;
+import com.threerings.puzzle.drop.data.DropPieceCodes;
+
+/**
+ * Animates all the pieces on a puzzle board doing some sort of global
+ * effect like all flying into place or out into the ether.
+ */
+public abstract class PieceGroupAnimation extends Animation
+    implements PathObserver
+{
+    /**
+     * Creates a piece group animation which must be initialized with a
+     * subsequent call to {@link #init}.
+     */
+    public PieceGroupAnimation (DropBoardView view, DropBoard board)
+    {
+        super(new Rectangle(0, 0, 0, 0)); // we don't render ourselves
+        _view = view;
+        _board = board;
+    }
+
+    // documentation inherited
+    public void tick (long tickStamp)
+    {
+        // nothing doing
+    }
+
+    // documentation inherited
+    public void paint (Graphics2D gfx)
+    {
+        // nothing doing
+    }
+
+    // documentation inherited from interface
+    public void pathCancelled (Sprite sprite, Path path)
+    {
+        _finished = (--_penders == 0);
+    }
+
+    // documentation inherited from interface
+    public void pathCompleted (Sprite sprite, Path path, long when)
+    {
+        _finished = (--_penders == 0);
+    }
+
+    // documentation inherited
+    protected void willStart (long tickStamp)
+    {
+        super.willStart(tickStamp);
+
+        // create an image sprite for every piece on the board and set
+        // them on their paths
+        int width = _board.getWidth(), height = _board.getHeight();
+        _sprites = new Sprite[width * height];
+        for (int yy = 0; yy < height; yy++) {
+            for (int xx = 0; xx < width; xx++) {
+                int spos = yy*width+xx;
+                _sprites[spos] = createSprite(_view, xx, yy);
+                if (_sprites[spos] != null) {
+                    configureSprite(_sprites[spos], xx, yy);
+                    _sprites[spos].addSpriteObserver(this);
+                    _view.addSprite(_sprites[spos]);
+                    _penders++;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    // documentation inherited
+    protected void didFinish (long tickStamp)
+    {
+        super.didFinish(tickStamp);
+
+        // remove all of our sprites
+        for (int ii = 0; ii < _sprites.length; ii++) {
+            if (_sprites[ii] != null) {
+                _view.removeSprite(_sprites[ii]);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a sprite for each piece position. This method can return
+     * null and no sprite will be used for the specified coordinates. The
+     * default implementation creates an image sprite with the piece image
+     * from the supplied coordinates.
+     */
+    protected Sprite createSprite (DropBoardView view, int xx, int yy)
+    {
+        int piece = _board.getPiece(xx, yy);
+        return (piece == DropPieceCodes.PIECE_NONE) ? null :
+            new ImageSprite(_view.getPieceImage(piece));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * An animation must override this method to configure each sprite
+     * with a path, potentially a render order, and whatever other
+     * configurations are needed.
+     */
+    protected abstract void configureSprite (Sprite sprite, int xx, int yy);
+
+    protected DropBoardView _view;
+    protected DropBoard _board;
+    protected Sprite[] _sprites;
+    protected int _penders;
+}