diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameCodes.java b/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameCodes.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..42403411c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameCodes.java
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+//
+// $Id: GameCodes.java,v 1.1 2001/10/11 03:12:38 mdb Exp $
+
+package com.threerings.parlor.client;
+
+import com.threerings.cocktail.cher.client.InvocationCodes;
+
+/**
+ * Contains codes used by the game services.
+ */
+public interface GameCodes extends InvocationCodes
+{
+    /** The message identifier for a player ready notification. This is
+     * delivered by the game controller when the client has loaded the
+     * user interface for the game and is ready to play. */
+    public static final String PLAYER_READY_NOTIFICATION = "PlayerReady";
+}
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameController.java b/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameController.java
index 53e2a76b4..ea8db219d 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameController.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameController.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: GameController.java,v 1.4 2001/10/09 17:20:39 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: GameController.java,v 1.5 2001/10/11 03:12:38 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.parlor.client;
 
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ import com.threerings.parlor.util.ParlorContext;
  * distributed object events.
  */
 public abstract class GameController
-    extends PlaceController implements Subscriber
+    extends PlaceController implements Subscriber, GameCodes
 {
     /**
      * Initializes this game controller with the game configuration that
@@ -63,6 +63,11 @@ public abstract class GameController
 
         // and add ourselves as a subscriber
         _gobj.addSubscriber(this);
+
+        // finally let the game manager know that we're ready to roll
+        MessageEvent mevt = new MessageEvent(
+            _gobj.getOid(), PLAYER_READY_NOTIFICATION, null);
+        _ctx.getDObjectManager().postEvent(mevt);
     }
 
     // documentation inherited
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameManager.java b/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameManager.java
index e8b3f4c04..8766e9059 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameManager.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/parlor/game/GameManager.java
@@ -1,13 +1,18 @@
 //
-// $Id: GameManager.java,v 1.5 2001/10/09 18:18:07 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: GameManager.java,v 1.6 2001/10/11 03:12:38 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.parlor.server;
 
+import com.threerings.cocktail.cher.dobj.MessageEvent;
+
 import com.threerings.cocktail.party.data.BodyObject;
+import com.threerings.cocktail.party.data.PlaceObject;
 import com.threerings.cocktail.party.server.PlaceManager;
 import com.threerings.cocktail.party.server.PartyServer;
+import com.threerings.cocktail.party.server.PartyServer;
 
 import com.threerings.parlor.Log;
+import com.threerings.parlor.client.GameCodes;
 import com.threerings.parlor.client.ParlorCodes;
 import com.threerings.parlor.data.GameConfig;
 import com.threerings.parlor.data.GameObject;
@@ -22,7 +27,7 @@ import com.threerings.parlor.data.GameObject;
  * bodies in that location.
  */
 public class GameManager
-    extends PlaceManager implements ParlorCodes
+    extends PlaceManager implements ParlorCodes, GameCodes
 {
     // documentation inherited
     protected Class getPlaceObjectClass ()
@@ -37,6 +42,10 @@ public class GameManager
 
         // cast our configuration object (do we need to do this?)
         _gconfig = (GameConfig)_config;
+
+        // register our message handlers
+        MessageHandler handler = new PlayerReadyHandler();
+        registerMessageHandler(PLAYER_READY_NOTIFICATION, handler);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -51,6 +60,9 @@ public class GameManager
     {
         // keep this info for later
         _players = players;
+
+        // instantiate a player oid array which we'll fill in later
+        _playerOids = new int[_players.length];
     }
 
     // documentation inherited
@@ -81,6 +93,106 @@ public class GameManager
     // documentation inherited
     protected void bodyLeft (int bodyOid)
     {
+        // deal with disappearing players
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * This is called when the game is ready to start (all players
+     * involved have delivered their "am ready" notifications). It calls
+     * {@link #gameWillStart}, sets the necessary wheels in motion and
+     * then calls {@link #gameDidStart}.  Derived classes should override
+     * one or both of the calldown functions (rather than this function)
+     * if they need to do things before or after the game starts.
+     */
+    protected void startGame ()
+    {
+        // let the derived class do its pre-start stuff
+        gameWillStart();
+
+        // transition the game to started
+        _gameobj.setState(GameObject.IN_PLAY);
+
+        // and let the derived class do its post-start stuff
+        gameDidStart();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Called when the game is about to start, but before the game start
+     * notification has been delivered to the players. Derived classes
+     * should override this if they need to perform some pre-start
+     * activities.
+     */
+    protected void gameWillStart ()
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Called right after the game start notification was delivered.
+     * Derived classes should override this to perform whatever
+     * machinations are necessary to start the game in motion (if anything
+     * other than issuing the game start notification is necessary).
+     */
+    protected void gameDidStart ()
+    {
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Called when the game is known to be over. This will call some
+     * calldown functions to determine the winner of the game and then
+     * transition the game to the <code>GAME_OVER</code> state.
+     */
+    protected void endGame ()
+    {
+        // figure out who won...
+
+        // transition to the game over state
+        _gameobj.setState(GameObject.GAME_OVER);
+
+        // do our post-game stuff
+        gameDidEnd();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Called after the game has transitioned to the
+     * <code>GAME_OVER</code> state. Derived classes should override this
+     * to perform any post-game activities.
+     */
+    protected void gameDidEnd ()
+    {
+        // calculate ratings and all that...
+    }
+
+    /** Handles player ready notifications. */
+    protected class PlayerReadyHandler implements MessageHandler
+    {
+        public void handleEvent (MessageEvent event, PlaceObject target)
+        {
+            int cloid = event.getSourceOid();
+            BodyObject body = (BodyObject)
+                PartyServer.omgr.getObject(cloid);
+            if (body == null) {
+                Log.warning("Player sent am ready notification and then " +
+                            "disappeared [event=" + event + "].");
+                return;
+            }
+
+            // make a note of this player's oid and check to see if we're
+            // all set at the same time
+            boolean allSet = true;
+            for (int i = 0; i < _players.length; i++) {
+                if (_players[i].equals(body.username)) {
+                    _playerOids[i] = body.getOid();
+                }
+                if (_playerOids[i] == 0) {
+                    allSet = false;
+                }
+            }
+
+            // if everyone is now ready to go, start up the game
+            if (allSet) {
+                startGame();
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     /** A reference to our game configuration. */
@@ -91,4 +203,7 @@ public class GameManager
 
     /** A reference to our game object. */
     protected GameObject _gameobj;
+
+    /** The oids of our player's body objects. */
+    protected int[] _playerOids;
 }