diff --git a/panel_extreme.p8 b/panel_extreme.p8
index c56ca5a..7f69dc8 100644
--- a/panel_extreme.p8
+++ b/panel_extreme.p8
@@ -279,6 +279,9 @@ end
 -->8
 -- panel drawing
 
+-- empty panel placeholder
+nopanel = {}
+
 -- panel in ordinary state
 panel = {
  -- plt: palette as table
@@ -419,6 +422,82 @@ function ants:draw()
 		end
 	end
 end
+
+-->8
+-- gameplay logic
+
+game={
+ incoming_frac = 0
+ speed = 0
+ gravity_lag = 30
+ pop_lag = 20
+ 
+ stop_frames = 0
+ stop_max = 1
+ life = 180
+ life_max = 180
+}
+
+mknew(game, function(ret)
+ local board = {}
+ for i=1,12 do
+   board[i] = {
+    nopanel, nopanel, nopanel, nopanel, nopanel, nopanel,
+  }
+  ret.board = board
+  ret.garbage_queue = {}
+  ret.garbage_source = source.new()
+  ret.floor_source = source.new()
+ end
+end)
+
+function game:update()
+end
+
+function game:draw()
+end
+
+function shuffle(tbl)
+ local n = #tbl
+ for i=1,n-1 do
+  local idx = (rnd(n-i+1)&-1)+i
+  if (idx != i) tbl[idx], tbl[i] = tbl[i], tbl[idx]
+ end
+end
+
+source={
+ lumps = 3
+ metalumps = 3
+ metalumpiness = 2
+}
+mknew(source, function(ret)
+ ret.bucket = {}
+ ret.lumpqueue = {}
+ ret.rejects = {}
+end)
+
+function source:pick()
+ local lq, b := self.lumpqueue, bucket
+ for i=#lq/self.metalumpiness,self.metalumps do
+  local p := rnd(newblock)
+  for i=1,self.metalumpiness do
+   add(lq, p)
+  end
+  -- todo: draw individual panels
+  -- note: individual panels
+  -- must derive from the prototypes.
+  -- still not sure what the best
+  -- bag algorithm is; I think this
+  -- algorithm fills too much.
+  -- todo: rewrite to only redraw
+  -- when only one bag remains.
+
+  -- todo: actual pick algorithm
+  -- todo: rejection and redraw algorithm
+ end
+end
+
+
 __gfx__
 0000000000111000011011000000000009999900066666000eeeee00077777000aaaaa0001111111000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
 00000000012221001221221000000000988888206bbbbb30eddddd207cccccd0a999994012222222300040400000000000000000000000000000000000000000