diff --git a/internal/server/server.go b/internal/server/server.go
index ffcec2f..9b05777 100644
--- a/internal/server/server.go
+++ b/internal/server/server.go
@@ -88,14 +88,15 @@ func (s *Server) createSession(conn *websocket.Conn) *session {
 		conn:   conn,
 		outbox: make(chan wire.Response),
 		done:   make(chan bool, 1),
+		world:  s.world,
 	}
 	if s.sessions == nil {
 		s.sessions = make(map[int]*session)
 	}
 	s.waitOnSessions.Add(1)
 	s.sessions[sn.id] = sn
-	sn.entityID = s.world.SpawnPlayer(sn.id)
-	s.Info("created session %d, %d sessions active", sn.id, len(s.sessions))
+	// sn.entityID = s.world.SpawnPlayer(sn.id)
+	// s.Info("created session %d, %d sessions active", sn.id, len(s.sessions))
 	return sn
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/server/session.go b/internal/server/session.go
index f7b807f..a3cfb91 100644
--- a/internal/server/session.go
+++ b/internal/server/session.go
@@ -6,13 +6,16 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/gorilla/websocket"
+	"github.com/jordanorelli/astro-domu/internal/sim"
 	"github.com/jordanorelli/astro-domu/internal/wire"
 	"github.com/jordanorelli/blammo"
 )
 
 type session struct {
 	*blammo.Log
+	Name     string
 	id       int
+	world    *sim.World
 	entityID int
 	start    time.Time
 	conn     *websocket.Conn
@@ -79,13 +82,34 @@ func (sn *session) read() {
 		switch t {
 		case websocket.TextMessage:
 			sn.Log.Child("received-frame").Info(string(b))
+
 			var req wire.Request
 			if err := json.Unmarshal(b, &req); err != nil {
 				sn.Error("unable to parse request: %v", err)
 				sn.outbox <- wire.ErrorResponse(0, "unable to parse request: %v", err)
 				break
 			}
-			sn.outbox <- wire.Response{req.Seq, wire.OK{}}
+			sn.Info("received message of type %T", req.Body)
+
+			switch v := req.Body.(type) {
+			case *Login:
+				sn.Name = v.Name
+				sn.world.Inbox <- sim.Request{
+					From: sn.Name,
+					Wants: sim.SpawnPlayer{
+						Outbox: sn.outbox,
+					},
+				}
+				sn.outbox <- wire.Response{req.Seq, wire.OK{}}
+			case sim.Effect:
+				sn.world.Inbox <- sim.Request{
+					From:  sn.Name,
+					Wants: v,
+				}
+				sn.outbox <- wire.Response{req.Seq, wire.OK{}}
+			default:
+				sn.outbox <- wire.ErrorResponse(req.Seq, "not sure how to handle that")
+			}
 		case websocket.BinaryMessage:
 			sn.outbox <- wire.ErrorResponse(0, "unable to parse binary frames")
 		}
@@ -116,3 +140,13 @@ func (sn *session) sendResponse(res wire.Response) error {
 	sn.Child("sent-frame").Info(string(payload))
 	return nil
 }
+
+type Login struct {
+	Name string `json:"name"`
+}
+
+func (Login) NetTag() string { return "login" }
+
+func init() {
+	wire.Register(func() wire.Value { return new(Login) })
+}
diff --git a/internal/sim/effect.go b/internal/sim/effect.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..15f9d8a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/sim/effect.go
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+package sim
+
+import "github.com/jordanorelli/astro-domu/internal/wire"
+
+type Effect interface {
+	wire.Value
+	exec(*World, string)
+}
diff --git a/internal/sim/player.go b/internal/sim/player.go
index f31fb7d..aaa0ffb 100644
--- a/internal/sim/player.go
+++ b/internal/sim/player.go
@@ -3,16 +3,43 @@ package sim
 import (
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/jordanorelli/astro-domu/internal/wire"
 	"github.com/jordanorelli/blammo"
 )
 
 // player represents a player character in the simulation
 type player struct {
 	*blammo.Log
-	entityID int
+	sessionID int
+	outbox    chan wire.Response
+	entityID  int
+	pending   []Request
 }
 
-func (p *player) update(dt time.Duration) {
-}
+func (p *player) update(dt time.Duration) {}
 
 func (p *player) id() int { return p.entityID }
+
+type Move [2]int
+
+func (Move) NetTag() string { return "move" }
+
+// SpawnPlayer is a request to spawn a player
+type SpawnPlayer struct {
+	Outbox chan wire.Response
+}
+
+func (s SpawnPlayer) exec(w *World, from string) {
+	w.Info("spawn player requested for: %s", from)
+}
+
+func (SpawnPlayer) NetTag() string { return "player/spawn" }
+
+// PlayerSpawned is an announcement that a player has spawned
+type PlayerSpawned struct {
+	Name string
+}
+
+func init() {
+	wire.Register(func() wire.Value { return new(Move) })
+}
diff --git a/internal/sim/request.go b/internal/sim/request.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2853dd6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/sim/request.go
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+package sim
+
+type Request struct {
+	From  string
+	Wants Effect
+}
diff --git a/internal/sim/world.go b/internal/sim/world.go
index 0a28d6b..358d118 100644
--- a/internal/sim/world.go
+++ b/internal/sim/world.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package sim
 
 import (
-	"strconv"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/jordanorelli/blammo"
@@ -10,9 +9,12 @@ import (
 // World is the entire simulated world. A world consists of many rooms.
 type World struct {
 	*blammo.Log
+	Inbox chan Request
+
 	rooms        []room
 	done         chan bool
 	lastEntityID int
+	players      map[string]*player
 }
 
 func NewWorld(log *blammo.Log) *World {
@@ -25,9 +27,11 @@ func NewWorld(log *blammo.Log) *World {
 		tiles:  make([]tile, 100),
 	}
 	return &World{
-		Log:   log,
-		rooms: []room{foyer},
-		done:  make(chan bool),
+		Log:     log,
+		rooms:   []room{foyer},
+		done:    make(chan bool),
+		Inbox:   make(chan Request),
+		players: make(map[string]*player),
 	}
 }
 
@@ -38,11 +42,25 @@ func (w *World) Run(hz int) {
 	w.Info("starting world with a tick rate of %dhz, frame duration of %v", hz, period)
 	ticker := time.NewTicker(period)
 	lastTick := time.Now()
+
 	for {
 		select {
+		case req := <-w.Inbox:
+			w.Info("read from inbox: %v", req)
+			if req.From == "" {
+				req.Wants.exec(w, "")
+				break
+			}
+			p, ok := w.players[req.From]
+			if !ok {
+				break
+			}
+			p.pending = append(p.pending, req)
+
 		case <-ticker.C:
 			w.tick(time.Since(lastTick))
 			lastTick = time.Now()
+
 		case <-w.done:
 			return
 		}
@@ -55,18 +73,18 @@ func (w *World) Stop() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (w *World) SpawnPlayer(id int) int {
-	w.lastEntityID++
-	r := w.rooms[0]
-	w.Info("spawning player with id: %d into room %q", id, r.name)
-	t := &r.tiles[0]
-	p := player{
-		Log:      w.Child("players").Child(strconv.Itoa(id)),
-		entityID: w.lastEntityID,
-	}
-	t.addEntity(&p)
-	return p.entityID
-}
+// func (w *World) SpawnPlayer(id int) int {
+// 	w.lastEntityID++
+// 	r := w.rooms[0]
+// 	w.Info("spawning player with id: %d into room %q", id, r.name)
+// 	t := &r.tiles[0]
+// 	p := player{
+// 		Log:      w.Child("players").Child(strconv.Itoa(id)),
+// 		entityID: w.lastEntityID,
+// 	}
+// 	t.addEntity(&p)
+// 	return p.entityID
+// }
 
 func (w *World) DespawnPlayer(id int) {
 	w.Info("despawning player with id: %d", id)
diff --git a/internal/ui/mode.go b/internal/ui/mode.go
index 4f8d3b5..dad9df8 100644
--- a/internal/ui/mode.go
+++ b/internal/ui/mode.go
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ package ui
 
 import (
 	"github.com/gdamore/tcell/v2"
-	"github.com/jordanorelli/astro-domu/internal/wire"
+	"github.com/jordanorelli/astro-domu/internal/sim"
 )
 
 type Mode interface {
@@ -23,16 +23,16 @@ func (m *boxWalker) handleEvent(ui *UI, e tcell.Event) bool {
 		if key == tcell.KeyRune {
 			switch v.Rune() {
 			case 'w':
-				ui.client.Send(wire.Self_Move{Delta: true, X: 0, Y: -1})
+				ui.client.Send(sim.Move{0, -1})
 				m.move(0, -1)
 			case 'a':
-				ui.client.Send(wire.Self_Move{Delta: true, X: -1, Y: 0})
+				ui.client.Send(sim.Move{-1, 0})
 				m.move(-1, 0)
 			case 's':
-				ui.client.Send(wire.Self_Move{Delta: true, X: 0, Y: 1})
+				ui.client.Send(sim.Move{0, 1})
 				m.move(0, 1)
 			case 'd':
-				ui.client.Send(wire.Self_Move{Delta: true, X: 1, Y: 0})
+				ui.client.Send(sim.Move{1, 0})
 				m.move(1, 0)
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/internal/ui/ui.go b/internal/ui/ui.go
index 7bed2d0..8505e9a 100644
--- a/internal/ui/ui.go
+++ b/internal/ui/ui.go
@@ -5,15 +5,17 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/gdamore/tcell/v2"
 	"github.com/jordanorelli/astro-domu/internal/exit"
+	"github.com/jordanorelli/astro-domu/internal/server"
 	"github.com/jordanorelli/astro-domu/internal/wire"
 	"github.com/jordanorelli/blammo"
 )
 
 type UI struct {
 	*blammo.Log
-	screen tcell.Screen
-	mode   Mode
-	client *wire.Client
+	PlayerName string
+	screen     tcell.Screen
+	mode       Mode
+	client     *wire.Client
 }
 
 func (ui *UI) Run() {
@@ -24,6 +26,8 @@ func (ui *UI) Run() {
 		return
 	}
 
+	ui.client.Send(server.Login{Name: ui.PlayerName})
+
 	ui.mode = &boxWalker{width: 10, height: 6}
 	ui.Info("running ui")
 	if ui.handleUserInput() {
diff --git a/internal/wire/error.go b/internal/wire/error.go
index 272e670..cd632cc 100644
--- a/internal/wire/error.go
+++ b/internal/wire/error.go
@@ -17,6 +17,15 @@ func (e Error) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
 	return json.Marshal(e.Error())
 }
 
+func (e *Error) UnmarshalJSON(b []byte) error {
+	var s string
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(b, &s); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	*e = Errorf(s)
+	return nil
+}
+
 func Errorf(t string, args ...interface{}) Error {
 	return Error{val: fmt.Errorf(t, args...)}
 }
diff --git a/internal/wire/self.go b/internal/wire/self.go
deleted file mode 100644
index e9583aa..0000000
--- a/internal/wire/self.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-package wire
-
-type Self_Move struct {
-	Delta bool `json:"delta"`
-	X     int  `json:"x"`
-	Y     int  `json:"y"`
-}
-
-func (Self_Move) NetTag() string { return "self/move" }
-
-func init() {
-	Register(func() Value { return new(Self_Move) })
-}
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index dad41a0..6788bad 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ func main() {
 
 	switch os.Args[1] {
 	case "client":
-		runClient()
+		runClient(os.Args[2])
 	case "server":
 		s := server.Server{}
 		if err := s.Start(); err != nil {
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ func main() {
 	}
 }
 
-func runClient() {
+func runClient(name string) {
 	log := newLog("./astro.log").Child("client")
 
 	start := time.Now()
@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@ func runClient() {
 	}()
 
 	ui := ui.UI{
-		Log: log.Child("ui"),
+		Log:        log.Child("ui"),
+		PlayerName: name,
 	}
 	ui.Run()
 }