diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/micasa/simulator/server/SimulatorManager.java b/src/java/com/threerings/micasa/simulator/server/SimulatorManager.java
index bbfeaa2d7..f9846ecaa 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/micasa/simulator/server/SimulatorManager.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/micasa/simulator/server/SimulatorManager.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: SimulatorManager.java,v 1.12 2002/08/14 19:07:51 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: SimulatorManager.java,v 1.13 2002/10/06 00:53:15 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.micasa.simulator.server;
 
@@ -90,19 +90,18 @@ public class SimulatorManager
                 // been started up (which is done by the place registry
                 // once the game object creation has completed)
 
+                // configure the game config with the player names
+                config.players = new String[_playerCount];
+                config.players[0] = _source.username;
+                for (int ii = 1; ii < _playerCount; ii++) {
+                    config.players[ii] = "simulant" + ii;
+                }
+
                 // we needn't hang around and wait for game object
                 // creation if it's just us
                 CreationObserver obs = (_playerCount == 1) ? null : this;
                 _gmgr = (GameManager)_plreg.createPlace(config, obs);
 
-                // give the game manager the player names
-                String[] names = new String[_playerCount];
-                names[0] = _source.username;
-                for (int ii = 1; ii < _playerCount; ii++) {
-                    names[ii] = "simulant" + ii;
-                }
-                _gmgr.setPlayers(names);
-
                 for (int ii = 1; ii < _playerCount; ii++) {
                     // mark all simulants as AI players
                     _gmgr.setAI(ii, skill);
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameConfig.java b/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameConfig.java
index 8ed41911b..5fe60c0b4 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameConfig.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameConfig.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: GameConfig.java,v 1.12 2002/09/06 22:52:27 shaper Exp $
+// $Id: GameConfig.java,v 1.13 2002/10/06 00:53:15 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.parlor.game;
 
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ import com.threerings.parlor.client.GameConfigurator;
  */
 public abstract class GameConfig extends PlaceConfig
 {
+    /** The usernames of the players involved in this game, or an empty
+     * array if such information is not needed by this particular game. */
+    public String[] players = new String[0];
+
     /** Indicates whether or not this game is rated. */
     public boolean rated = true;
 
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameManager.java b/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameManager.java
index 371ea80cf..9d3bd3453 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameManager.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameManager.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: GameManager.java,v 1.45 2002/10/06 00:44:16 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: GameManager.java,v 1.46 2002/10/06 00:53:15 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.parlor.game;
 
@@ -48,6 +48,12 @@ public class GameManager extends PlaceManager
 
         // save off a casted reference to our config
         _gameconfig = (GameConfig)_config;
+
+        // keep this around for now, we'll need it later
+        _players = _gameconfig.players;
+
+        // instantiate a player oid array which we'll fill in later
+        _playerOids = new int[_players.length];
     }
 
     /**
@@ -153,26 +159,6 @@ public class GameManager extends PlaceManager
     {
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Provides the game manager with a list of the usernames of all
-     * players in the game.  This happens before startup and before the
-     * game object has been created.  Note that party games may
-     * subsequently add or remove players via {@link #addPlayer} and
-     * {@link #removePlayer}, and so should be sure to handle a changing
-     * player list gracefully.
-     *
-     * @param players the usernames of all of the players in this game or
-     * a zero-length array if the game has no specific set of players.
-     */
-    public void setPlayers (String[] players)
-    {
-        // keep this around for now, we'll need it later
-        _players = players;
-
-        // instantiate a player oid array which we'll fill in later
-        _playerOids = new int[players.length];
-    }
-
     /**
      * Sets the specified player as an AI with the specified skill.  It is
      * assumed that this will be set soon after the player names for all
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/server/ParlorManager.java b/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/server/ParlorManager.java
index 58fad26ce..401cbbcaa 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/server/ParlorManager.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/server/ParlorManager.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: ParlorManager.java,v 1.19 2002/08/14 19:07:54 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: ParlorManager.java,v 1.20 2002/10/06 00:53:15 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.parlor.server;
 
@@ -182,6 +182,10 @@ public class ParlorManager
         try {
             Log.info("Creating game manager [invite=" + invite + "].");
 
+            // configure the game config with the player info
+            invite.config.players = new String[] {
+                invite.invitee.username, invite.inviter.username };
+
             // create the game manager and begin it's initialization
             // process. the game manager will take care of notifying the
             // players that the game has been created once it has been
@@ -190,10 +194,6 @@ public class ParlorManager
             GameManager gmgr = (GameManager)
                 _plreg.createPlace(invite.config, null);
 
-            // provide the game manager with the player list
-            gmgr.setPlayers(new String[] {
-                invite.invitee.username, invite.inviter.username });
-
         } catch (Exception e) {
             Log.warning("Unable to create game manager [invite=" + invite +
                         ", error=" + e + "].");
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/server/TableManager.java b/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/server/TableManager.java
index 5640468a7..d715958ec 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/server/TableManager.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/server/TableManager.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: TableManager.java,v 1.7 2002/08/14 19:07:54 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: TableManager.java,v 1.8 2002/10/06 00:53:15 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.parlor.server;
 
@@ -262,6 +262,9 @@ public class TableManager
         try {
             Log.info("Creating game manager [config=" + config + "].");
 
+            // configure the game config with the players array
+            config.players = players;
+
             // create the game manager and begin it's initialization
             // process. the game manager will take care of notifying the
             // players that the game has been created once it has been
@@ -269,9 +272,6 @@ public class TableManager
             // game object creation has completed)
             gmgr = (GameManager)CrowdServer.plreg.createPlace(config, this);
 
-            // provide the game manager with some initialization info
-            gmgr.setPlayers(players);
-
         } catch (Exception e) {
             Log.warning("Unable to create game manager [config=" + config +
                         ", players=" + StringUtil.toString(players) + "].");