diff --git a/client.js b/client.js
index 9b1f5cc..6a432c8 100644
--- a/client.js
+++ b/client.js
@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
 const channelSocket = new WebSocket("ws://localhost:9091/connect");
 var __messengerjs__sessionID = null;
-var __messengerjs__imTheRoomOwner = false;
+var __messengerjs__imTheChannelOwner = false;
 var __messengerjs__myNickname = "";
+var __messengerjs__onloadfunction = null;
+var __messengerjs__onloadargs = null;
+const __messengerjs__fade = document.createElement("div");
+__messengerjs__fade.style.cssText = "position: absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;background:rgba(0,0,0,0.75);color:white;text-align:center;font-family:sans-serif;";
+__messengerjs__fade.textContent = "connecting to WebSocket server...";
+
 const beforeUnloadHandler = function(ev, reason) {
 	Channel_OnAppClose();
 	channelSocket.send(new TextEncoder("utf8").encode(EncodeCommandString(["disconnect"])));
@@ -64,20 +70,14 @@ const EncodeCommandString = function(sections) {
 
 /** window.external **/
 window.external.CloseApp = function() {
-	channelSocket.close(1000, "called CloseApp");
+	beforeUnloadHandler(null, "called CloseApp");
 }
 // this is important because things expect it
 /** window.external.Channel **/
 window.external.Channel = {"Data": "", "SendData": null, "Initialize": null, "Error": {"Data": ""}}; // "Type" is a defined property
 window.external.Channel.SendData = function(d) {channelSocket.send(d)}; // this is dumb but trying to redirect this gives you TypeError's
 window.external.Channel.Initialize = function() {
-	if(new URL(location.href).searchParams.get("channel") === null) {
-		__messengerjs__sessionID = Math.random().toString(36).split('.')[1].substring(0,8);
-		history.pushState(null, "", `?channel=${__messengerjs__sessionID}`);
-	} else {
-		__messengerjs__sessionID = new URL(location.href).searchParams.get("channel");
-	}
-	createWSEventsNowThatImReady();
+	// no idea
 };
 Object.defineProperty(window.external.Channel, "Type", {
 	get: function Type() {
@@ -116,15 +116,6 @@ Object.defineProperty(window.external.Users, "me", {
 		return window.external.Users.Me;
 	}
 });
-if(new URL(location.href).searchParams.get("channel") === null) {
-	window.external.Users.Me = window.external.yellows111_Users[0];
-	window.external.Users.Inviter = window.external.yellows111_Users[0];
-	document.title = "Initiator: " + document.title;
-} else {
-	window.external.Users.Me = window.external.yellows111_Users[1];
-	window.external.Users.Inviter = window.external.yellows111_Users[0];
-	document.title = "Target: " + document.title;
-}
 
 /** websocket stuff **/
 channelSocket.binaryType = "arraybuffer"; // the alternative is blob.arrayBuffer(); IT'S A PROMISE CALL AND PROMISES SUXX
@@ -147,21 +138,24 @@ channelSocket.onmessage = function(event) {
 				case "connect": {
 					switch(args[1]) {
 						case "0": {
-								console.error("room is full or not avaliable");
-								beforeUnloadHandler(null, "room was not avaliable");
-								history.replaceState(null, "", window.location.href.split("?")[0]);
-								window.location.reload(); // it's jank and probably should just be handled socket side
+								console.error("channel is full or not avaliable");
+								// regenerate channel ID if we get 0'd
+								__messengerjs__sessionID = Math.random().toString(36).split('.')[1].substring(0,8);
+								history.pushState(null, "", `?channel=${__messengerjs__sessionID}`);
+								channelSocket.send(new TextEncoder("utf8").encode(EncodeCommandString(["connect", __messengerjs__sessionID])));
 							break;
 						}
 						case "1": {
-							console.log("joined room successfully.");
+							console.log("joined channel successfully.");
+							__messengerjs__fade.textContent = "waiting for opponent to join this channel...";
+							window.addEventListener("beforeunload", beforeUnloadHandler);
 							if(args[2] === "1") {
-								__messengerjs__imTheRoomOwner = false;
+								__messengerjs__imTheChannelOwner = false;
 							} else {
-								__messengerjs__imTheRoomOwner = true;
+								__messengerjs__imTheChannelOwner = true;
 								if(window.external.Users.Inviter !== window.external.Users.Me) {
-									// This room has already been closed. Create a new one.
-									beforeUnloadHandler(null, "room was empty when expecting host");
+									// This channel has already been closed. Create a new one.
+									beforeUnloadHandler(null, "channel was empty when expecting host");
 									history.replaceState(null, "", window.location.href.split("?")[0]);
 									window.location.reload(); // it's still jank and probably should just be handled elsewhere
 								}
@@ -176,21 +170,38 @@ channelSocket.onmessage = function(event) {
 					break;
 				}
 				case "disconnect": {
+					// code will never reach here normally (should announce from server on ^C, though)
 					channelSocket.close(1000, "goodbye");
 					Channel_OnTypeChanged();
 				}
 				case "adduser": {
-					if(__messengerjs__imTheRoomOwner === false) {
+					__messengerjs__fade.style.display = "none";
+					if(__messengerjs__imTheChannelOwner === false) {
 						window.external.yellows111_Users[1].Name = __messengerjs__myNickname;
+						window.external.yellows111_Users[0].Name = args[2];
+					} else {
+						window.external.yellows111_Users[1].Name = args[2];
+						window.external.yellows111_Users[0].Name = __messengerjs__myNickname;
+					}
+					if(__messengerjs__imTheChannelOwner === true) {
+						window.external.Users.Me = window.external.yellows111_Users[0];
+						window.external.Users.Inviter = window.external.yellows111_Users[0];
+					} else {
+						window.external.Users.Me = window.external.yellows111_Users[1];
+						window.external.Users.Inviter = window.external.yellows111_Users[0];
+					}
+					document.title = __messengerjs__myNickname + ": " + document.title;
+					/** beyond even hack territory **/
+					if(typeof __messengerjs__onloadfunction === "function") {
+						__messengerjs__onloadfunction(__messengerjs__onloadargs);
 					}
-					window.external.yellows111_Users[0].Name = args[2];
-					window.addEventListener("beforeunload", beforeUnloadHandler);
 					Channel_OnRemoteAppLoaded();
 					Channel_OnTypeChanged();
 					break;
 				}
 				case "remuser": {
-					// todo?
+					__messengerjs__fade.textContent = "opponent (" + args[1] + ") disconnected :(";
+					__messengerjs__fade.style.display = "revert";
 					window.removeEventListener("beforeunload", beforeUnloadHandler);
 					Channel_OnRemoteAppClosed();
 					beforeUnloadHandler(null, "other user disconnected"); // disconnect ourselves
@@ -210,11 +221,14 @@ channelSocket.onmessage = function(event) {
 }
 channelSocket.onerror = function(ev) {
 	window.external.Channel.Error.Data = "WebSocket generic error";
+	__messengerjs__fade.textContent = "encountered a WebSocket error"
+	__messengerjs__fade.style.display = "revert";
 	Channel_OnDataError();
 }
 channelSocket.onclose = function() {
 	Channel_OnTypeChanged();
 }
+
 function createWSEventsNowThatImReady() {
 	if(channelSocket.readyState === 1) {
 		// if we're already there
@@ -225,4 +239,21 @@ function createWSEventsNowThatImReady() {
 		channelSocket.send(new TextEncoder("utf8").encode(EncodeCommandString(["rename"])));
 		channelSocket.send(new TextEncoder("utf8").encode(EncodeCommandString(["connect", __messengerjs__sessionID])));
 	}
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+/** pure evil **/
+window.onload = function(ev) {
+	document.body.append(__messengerjs__fade);
+	if(new URL(location.href).searchParams.get("channel") === null) {
+		__messengerjs__sessionID = Math.random().toString(36).split('.')[1].substring(0,8);
+		history.pushState(null, "", `?channel=${__messengerjs__sessionID}`);
+	} else {
+		__messengerjs__sessionID = new URL(location.href).searchParams.get("channel");
+	}
+	createWSEventsNowThatImReady();
+	__messengerjs__onloadargs = ev;
+}
+Object.defineProperty(window, "onload", {
+	set: function onload(fn) {
+		__messengerjs__onloadfunction = fn;
+	}
+});
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/server.js b/server.js
index 661d22e..80062c4 100644
--- a/server.js
+++ b/server.js
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@ var uidcounter = 0;
 Object.freeze(config); // Config should not be modified after initialization!
 
 const ChannelStorage = new Map();
-const UserAttachedChannelStorage = new Map();
-const UserAttachedNameStorage = new Map(); // uid=>username resolve
-const ReverseNameToUidStorage = new Map();
+const UserAttachedChannelStorage = new Map(); //uid=>channel resolve
+const UserAttachedNameStorage = new Map(); //  uid=>username resolve
+const ReverseNameToUidStorage = new Map(); //  username=>uid resolve
 
 /** @section guacamole **/
 const ParseCommandString = function(instruction) {
@@ -72,10 +72,15 @@ const MessageParser = function(webSocket, message, isBinary) {
 				case "rename": {
 					// todo: make users be able to rename based on parameters given to rename
 					var nickname = `guest${Math.floor(Math.random() * 99999)}`;
-					// this should probably be a while or something
-					if(ReverseNameToUidStorage.get(nickname) !== webSocket.getUserData().uid) {
+					if(nickname.length > 32) { // if it's too long
 						nickname = `guest${Math.floor(Math.random() * 99999)}`;
 					}
+					// this should probably be a while or something (only do this if the name exists)
+					if(ReverseNameToUidStorage.has(nickname) === true) {
+						if(ReverseNameToUidStorage.get(nickname) !== webSocket.getUserData().uid) {
+							nickname = `guest${Math.floor(Math.random() * 99999)}`;
+						}
+					}
 					UserAttachedNameStorage.set(webSocket.getUserData().uid, nickname);
 					ReverseNameToUidStorage.set(nickname, webSocket.getUserData().uid);
 					webSocket.send(EncodeCommandString(["rename", 0, "", nickname]), true);
@@ -92,12 +97,12 @@ const MessageParser = function(webSocket, message, isBinary) {
 						webSocket.send(EncodeCommandString(["connect", 0]), true);
 						break;
 					}
-					if(typeof UserAttachedNameStorage.get(webSocket.getUserData().uid) === "undefined") {
+					if(UserAttachedNameStorage.has(webSocket.getUserData().uid) === false) {
 						// user doesn't have a username
 						webSocket.send(EncodeCommandString(["connect", 0]), true);
 						break;
 					}
-					if(typeof ChannelStorage.get(getChannelId) === "undefined") {
+					if(ChannelStorage.has(getChannelId) === false) {
 						// make the channel right then and there
 						console.log(`creating #${getChannelId}`);
 						ChannelStorage.set(getChannelId, {"owner": webSocket.getUserData().uid});
@@ -107,7 +112,7 @@ const MessageParser = function(webSocket, message, isBinary) {
 						webSocket.send(EncodeCommandString(["connect", 0]), true);
 						break;
 					};
-					if(typeof UserAttachedChannelStorage.get(webSocket.getUserData().uid) !== "undefined") {
+					if(UserAttachedChannelStorage.has(webSocket.getUserData().uid) === true) {
 						// already in a channel that isn't the one we're trying to join
 						webSocket.send(EncodeCommandString(["connect", 0]), true);
 						break;
@@ -126,7 +131,7 @@ const MessageParser = function(webSocket, message, isBinary) {
 					break;
 				}
 				case "disconnect": {
-					if(typeof UserAttachedChannelStorage.get(webSocket.getUserData().uid) !== "undefined") {
+					if(UserAttachedChannelStorage.has(webSocket.getUserData().uid) === true) {
 						console.log(`user ${UserAttachedNameStorage.get(webSocket.getUserData().uid)} (${webSocket.getUserData().uid}) left #${UserAttachedChannelStorage.get(webSocket.getUserData().uid)}`);
 						webSocket.unsubscribe(`channels/${UserAttachedChannelStorage.get(webSocket.getUserData().uid)}`);
 						webSocket.publish(