diff --git a/server/WORKLOG.md b/server/WORKLOG.md
index e73c203b..9b0db868 100644
--- a/server/WORKLOG.md
+++ b/server/WORKLOG.md
@@ -13,9 +13,15 @@ cost system for items
 design / implement specs
 combo specs
 randomise skill speed
+
 round system for games
+  join instance
+    is pve?
   add cryps to player
-  find opponent or do pve
+  level bots every round
+    buy out vbox
+    find any combos
+    apply to random cryp
 
 ## SOON
 * clean up categories
diff --git a/server/src/game.rs b/server/src/game.rs
index 3583ef6d..34dabb13 100644
--- a/server/src/game.rs
+++ b/server/src/game.rs
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ use account::Account;
 use rpc::{GameStateParams, GameSkillParams, GamePveParams};
 use cryp::{Cryp, cryp_get};
 use skill::{Skill, Cast, ResolutionResult};
-// use zone::{node_finish};
 use mob::{generate_mob_team};
+use player::{Player};
 
 pub type Log = Vec<String>;
 
@@ -721,6 +721,45 @@ pub fn game_pve(params: GamePveParams, tx: &mut Transaction, account: &Account)
     Ok(game)
 }
 
+pub fn game_instance_new(tx: &mut Transaction, player: Player, pve: bool) -> Result<Game, Error> {
+    // create the game
+    let mut game = Game::new();
+    let game_id = game.id;
+
+    game
+        .set_pve(pve)
+        .set_team_num(2)
+        .set_team_size(3)
+        .set_mode(GameMode::Pvp);
+
+    // create the initiators team
+    let mut team = Team::new(player.id);
+    team.set_cryps(player.cryps);
+
+    game.team_add(team)?;
+
+    // persist
+    game_write(&game, tx)?;
+
+    Ok(game)
+}
+
+pub fn game_instance_join(tx: &mut Transaction, player: Player, game_id: Uuid) -> Result<Game, Error> {
+    let mut game = game_get(tx, game_id)?;
+
+    let mut team = Team::new(player.id);
+    team.set_cryps(player.cryps);
+    game.team_add(team)?;
+
+    if game.can_start() {
+        game.start();
+    }
+
+    game_update(&game, tx)?;
+
+    Ok(game)
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use game::*;
diff --git a/server/src/instance.rs b/server/src/instance.rs
index febbd87f..932b4ee6 100644
--- a/server/src/instance.rs
+++ b/server/src/instance.rs
@@ -7,10 +7,14 @@ use postgres::transaction::Transaction;
 use failure::Error;
 use failure::err_msg;
 
-use rpc::{InstanceJoinParams};
+use std::iter;
+
+use rpc::{InstanceJoinParams, InstanceReadyParams};
 use account::Account;
-use player::{Player, player_create};
+use player::{Player, player_create, player_get};
 use cryp::{Cryp, cryp_get};
+use mob::{generate_mob};
+use game::{Game, game_get, game_instance_new, game_instance_join};
 
 #[derive(Debug,Clone,Copy,PartialEq,Serialize,Deserialize)]
 enum InstancePhase {
@@ -20,12 +24,21 @@ enum InstancePhase {
     Finished,
 }
 
+#[derive(Debug,Clone,Serialize,Deserialize)]
+struct Round {
+    player_ids: Vec<Uuid>,
+    game_id: Option<Uuid>,
+    winner_id: Option<Uuid>,
+}
+
 #[derive(Debug,Clone,Serialize,Deserialize)]
 pub struct Instance {
     id: Uuid,
-    players: Vec<Uuid>,
+    players: Vec<Player>,
     phase: InstancePhase,
+    rounds: Vec<Vec<Round>>,
     open: bool,
+    pve: bool,
 }
 
 impl Instance {
@@ -33,15 +46,112 @@ impl Instance {
         Instance {
             id: Uuid::new_v4(),
             players: vec![],
+            rounds: vec![],
             phase: InstancePhase::Open,
             open: true,
+            pve: false,
         }
     }
 
-    fn add_player(&mut self, player: &Player) -> &mut Instance {
-        self.players.push(player.id);
+    fn add_bots(mut self) -> Instance {
+        self.pve = true;
+        self.players = iter::repeat_with(|| {
+                let bot_id = Uuid::new_v4();
+                let cryps = iter::repeat_with(|| generate_mob(1).set_account(bot_id)).take(3).collect::<Vec<Cryp>>();
+                Player::new(bot_id, self.id, cryps).set_bot(true)
+            })
+            .take(15)
+            .collect::<Vec<Player>>();
         self
     }
+
+    fn add_player(&mut self, player: Player) -> &mut Instance {
+        self.players.push(player);
+        self
+    }
+
+    fn update_player(mut self, player: Player) -> Result<Instance, Error> {
+        let i = self.players
+            .iter()
+            .position(|p| p.id == player.id)
+            .ok_or(err_msg("player_id not found"))?;
+
+        self.players[i] = player;
+
+        Ok(self)
+    }
+
+    fn can_start(&self) -> bool {
+        match self.pve {
+            true => self.players.len() == 16,
+            false => self.players.len() == 2,
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn start(&mut self) -> &mut Instance {
+        // self.players.sort_unstable_by_key(|p| p.id);
+        self.generate_rounds();
+        self.phase = InstancePhase::Vbox;
+
+        self
+    }
+
+    fn progress(&mut self) -> &mut Instance {
+        if self.pve {
+            let r = self.rounds.len() - 1;
+            for mut round in self.rounds[r].iter_mut() {
+                if self.players
+                    .iter()
+                    .filter(|p| round.player_ids.contains(&p.id) && p.bot)
+                    .count() == 2 {
+                        // play bot game
+                    }
+            }
+        }
+
+        self
+    }
+
+    fn generate_rounds(&mut self) -> &mut Instance {
+        let round_num = self.rounds.len();
+        let mut matched_players = self.players
+            .iter()
+            .map(|p| p.id)
+            .collect::<Vec<Uuid>>();
+
+        if round_num > 0 {
+            matched_players.rotate_right(round_num);
+            matched_players.swap(0,1);
+        }
+
+        // only set up for even player numbers atm
+        // no byes
+        let np = matched_players.len();
+        let current_round = matched_players[0..(np / 2) - 1]
+            .iter()
+            .enumerate()
+            .map(|(i, id)| Round {
+                player_ids: vec![*id, matched_players[np - (i + 1)]],
+                game_id: None,
+                winner_id: None,
+            })
+            .collect::<Vec<Round>>();
+
+        self.rounds.push(current_round);
+
+        self
+    }
+
+    fn next_game_id(&self, player: &Player) -> Option<Uuid> {
+        let current_round = self.rounds.len() - 1;
+
+        let next_round = self.rounds[current_round]
+            .iter()
+            .find(|g| g.player_ids.contains(&player.id))
+            .unwrap();
+
+        return next_round.game_id;
+    }
 }
 
 pub fn instance_create(instance: Instance, tx: &mut Transaction) -> Result<Instance, Error> {
@@ -125,9 +235,12 @@ pub fn instance_get_open(tx: &mut Transaction) -> Result<Instance, Error> {
 
 
 pub fn instance_join(params: InstanceJoinParams, tx: &mut Transaction, account: &Account) -> Result<Player, Error> {
-    let mut instance = match instance_get_open(tx) {
-        Ok(i) => i,
-        Err(_) => instance_create(Instance::new(), tx)?,
+    let mut instance = match params.pve {
+        true => instance_create(Instance::new().add_bots(), tx)?,
+        false => match instance_get_open(tx) {
+            Ok(i) => i,
+            Err(_) => instance_create(Instance::new(), tx)?,
+        },
     };
 
     let cryps = params.cryp_ids
@@ -140,10 +253,32 @@ pub fn instance_join(params: InstanceJoinParams, tx: &mut Transaction, account:
     }
 
     let player = Player::new(account.id, instance.id, cryps);
-    instance.add_player(&player);
-
     player_create(tx, &player, account)?;
+
+    instance.add_player(player.clone());
     instance_write(instance, tx)?;
 
     return Ok(player);
 }
+
+pub fn instance_ready(params: InstanceReadyParams, tx: &mut Transaction, account: &Account) -> Result<Game, Error> {
+    let player = player_get(tx, account.id, params.instance_id)?;
+
+    let instance = instance_get(tx, params.instance_id)?
+        .update_player(player.clone())?;
+
+    let game_id = instance.next_game_id(&player);
+
+    let game = match game_id {
+        Some(id) => game_instance_join(tx, player, id)?,
+        None => {
+            let game = game_instance_new(tx, player, instance.pve)?;
+            // instance.
+            game
+        },
+    };
+
+    instance_write(instance, tx)?;
+
+    return Ok(game);
+}
diff --git a/server/src/mob.rs b/server/src/mob.rs
index 969a3104..a90adab8 100644
--- a/server/src/mob.rs
+++ b/server/src/mob.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ use cryp::{Cryp};
 use game::{Team, GameMode};
 use skill::{Skill};
 
-fn generate_mob(lvl: u8) -> Cryp {
+pub fn generate_mob(lvl: u8) -> Cryp {
     let mut rng = thread_rng();
 
     let name: String = iter::repeat(())
diff --git a/server/src/player.rs b/server/src/player.rs
index 3009b447..2c50c0b1 100644
--- a/server/src/player.rs
+++ b/server/src/player.rs
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ pub struct Player {
     pub vbox: Vbox,
     pub score: Score,
     pub cryps: Vec<Cryp>,
+    pub bot: bool,
 }
 
 impl Player {
@@ -38,8 +39,14 @@ impl Player {
             vbox: Vbox::new(account, instance),
             score: Score { wins: 0, losses: 0 },
             cryps,
+            bot: false,
         }
     }
+
+    pub fn set_bot(mut self, bot: bool) -> Player {
+        self.bot = bot;
+        self
+    }
 }
 
 pub fn player_get(tx: &mut Transaction, account_id: Uuid, instance_id: Uuid) -> Result<Player, Error> {
diff --git a/server/src/rpc.rs b/server/src/rpc.rs
index fc3ade17..ae8a8b84 100644
--- a/server/src/rpc.rs
+++ b/server/src/rpc.rs
@@ -15,14 +15,14 @@ use failure::Error;
 use failure::err_msg;
 
 use net::Db;
-use cryp::{Cryp, cryp_spawn, cryp_learn};
+use cryp::{Cryp, cryp_spawn};
 use game::{Game, game_state, game_pve, game_skill};
 use account::{Account, account_create, account_login, account_from_token, account_cryps, account_players};
 use skill::{Skill};
 // use zone::{Zone, zone_create, zone_join, zone_close};
 use spec::{Spec};
 use player::{player_state, player_create, player_cryps_set, Player};
-use instance::{instance_join};
+use instance::{instance_join, instance_ready};
 use vbox::{vbox_accept, vbox_apply, vbox_discard, vbox_combine, vbox_drop};
 
 pub struct Rpc;
@@ -188,13 +188,13 @@ impl Rpc {
         let account = account_create(AccountCreateParams { name: acc_name, password: "grepgrepgrep".to_string() }, tx)?;
 
         let name: String = iter::repeat(()).map(|()| rng.sample(Alphanumeric)).take(8).collect();
-        let cryp = cryp_spawn(CrypSpawnParams { name }, tx, &account)?;
+        cryp_spawn(CrypSpawnParams { name }, tx, &account)?;
 
         let name: String = iter::repeat(()).map(|()| rng.sample(Alphanumeric)).take(8).collect();
-        let cryp = cryp_spawn(CrypSpawnParams { name }, tx, &account)?;
+        cryp_spawn(CrypSpawnParams { name }, tx, &account)?;
 
         let name: String = iter::repeat(()).map(|()| rng.sample(Alphanumeric)).take(8).collect();
-        let cryp = cryp_spawn(CrypSpawnParams { name }, tx, &account)?;
+        cryp_spawn(CrypSpawnParams { name }, tx, &account)?;
 
         let player = Player::new(account.id, Uuid::nil(), vec![]);
         player_create(tx, &player, &account)?;
@@ -273,6 +273,18 @@ impl Rpc {
         return Ok(response);
     }
 
+    fn instance_ready(data: Vec<u8>, tx: &mut Transaction, account: Account, _client: &mut WebSocket<TcpStream>) -> Result<RpcResponse, Error> {
+        let msg = from_slice::<InstanceReadyMsg>(&data).or(Err(err_msg("invalid params")))?;
+
+        let response = RpcResponse {
+            method: "instance_state".to_string(),
+            params: RpcResult::GameState(instance_ready(msg.params, tx, &account)?)
+        };
+
+        return Ok(response);
+    }
+
+
     fn player_state(data: Vec<u8>, tx: &mut Transaction, account: Account, _client: &mut WebSocket<TcpStream>) -> Result<RpcResponse, Error> {
         let msg = from_slice::<PlayerStateMsg>(&data).or(Err(err_msg("invalid params")))?;
 
@@ -538,6 +550,18 @@ struct InstanceJoinMsg {
 #[derive(Debug,Clone,Serialize,Deserialize)]
 pub struct InstanceJoinParams {
     pub cryp_ids: Vec<Uuid>,
+    pub pve: bool,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug,Clone,Serialize,Deserialize)]
+struct InstanceReadyMsg {
+    method: String,
+    params: InstanceReadyParams,
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug,Clone,Serialize,Deserialize)]
+pub struct InstanceReadyParams {
+    pub instance_id: Uuid,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug,Clone,Serialize,Deserialize)]