its all coming together!

base modules/channel_controller.gd

@@ -33,7 +33,12 @@ func _process(delta: float) -> void:
 	offline_channel_cover.visible = channel_mode == Mode.Offline
 	static_channel_cover.visible = channel_mode == Mode.Static
 
-func start_channel(scene : PackedScene):
+func start_channel():
+	var new_scene = channel_scene.instantiate()
+	game_viewport.add_child(new_scene)
+	channel_mode = Mode.Online
+
+func start_specific_channel(scene : PackedScene):
 	var new_scene = scene.instantiate()
 	game_viewport.add_child(new_scene)
 	channel_mode = Mode.Online

game_logic.gd

@@ -6,25 +6,32 @@ enum Gamemode{
 }
 
 #mode settings
+
 @export var max_lives = 3
 @export var lives = 3
 @export var platformer_game : PackedScene
 @export var games : Array[PackedScene]
 @export var zoom_speed : float = 0.5
+@export_group("Channel Rules")
+@export var target_channels : float = 2.5
+@export var channel_growth_per_min : float = 4
+
 @export_group("Node References")
 @export var main_camera : Camera2D
 @export var outer_channels : Array[Channel]
 @export var main_channel : Channel
 var gamemode : Gamemode = Gamemode.Story #will be set by manager/menu option
 var zooming_out : bool = false
+var gameplay : bool = false # becomes true when the game starts
 
 # Called when the node enters the scene tree for the first time.
 func _ready() -> void:
 	GameManager.zoom_out_signal.connect(zoom_out)
 	GameManager.prepare.connect(get_ready)
+	GameManager.gaming.connect(start_game)
 	if(gamemode == Gamemode.Story):
 		main_camera.zoom = Vector2(3.1,3.1)
-		main_channel.start_channel(platformer_game)
+		main_channel.start_specific_channel(platformer_game)
 
 
 # Called every frame. 'delta' is the elapsed time since the previous frame.
@@ -34,6 +41,8 @@ func _process(delta: float) -> void:
 	if(zooming_out):
 		var zoom_amount : float = clampf(main_camera.zoom.x - delta * zoom_speed,1, 4 )
 		main_camera.zoom = Vector2(zoom_amount,zoom_amount)
+	if(gameplay):
+		game_loop(delta)
 
 func zoom_out():
 	zooming_out = true
@@ -41,3 +50,26 @@ func zoom_out():
 func get_ready():
 	for channel in outer_channels:
 		channel.channel_mode = channel.Mode.Static
+
+func start_game():
+	gameplay = true
+
+func game_loop(delta : float):
+	target_channels += channel_growth_per_min * (delta/60)
+	var online_channels : Array[Channel]
+	var offline_channels : Array[Channel]
+	# sort all the channels into online and offline
+	if main_channel.channel_mode == Channel.Mode.Online:
+		online_channels.append(main_channel)
+	else: 
+		online_channels.append(main_channel)
+	for channel in outer_channels:
+		if(channel.channel_mode == Channel.Mode.Online):
+			online_channels.append(channel)
+		else:
+			offline_channels.append(channel)
+	# if i need to switch a channel online, then pick one and run tis start channel method
+	print("Online Channels: " + str(online_channels.size()))
+	if(online_channels.size() < target_channels and offline_channels.size() > 0):
+		var random_channel_number = randi_range(0, offline_channels.size()-1)
+		offline_channels[random_channel_number].start_channel()

game_manager.gd

@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ func prepare_for_gaming():
 	prepare.emit()
 	# as soon as the player dismisses this chat the game is afoot
 	GameManager.show_item("Broken TV Remote", broken_tv_remote)
-	GameManager.show_chat("[color=red]ALERT: Intruder Detected")
+	GameManager.show_chat("[color=red]ALERT: Intruder Detected... Initiating Security Protocol...")
 	pass
 
 func actually_gaming():

game_scene.tscn

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-[gd_scene load_steps=15 format=3 uid="uid://ct8axfbvd2wn4"]
+[gd_scene load_steps=16 format=3 uid="uid://ct8axfbvd2wn4"]
 
 [ext_resource type="Script" uid="uid://d2q6xfk8htbyy" path="res://game_logic.gd" id="1_j5hk1"]
 [ext_resource type="PackedScene" uid="uid://63rik2noj8id" path="res://base modules/test_channel.tscn" id="1_mlf6e"]
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 [ext_resource type="PackedScene" uid="uid://bkabgl6p44c5b" path="res://games/space invaders/space_invaders.tscn" id="9_miq82"]
 [ext_resource type="PackedScene" uid="uid://drk2fwkv816qv" path="res://games/crafting/crafting.tscn" id="9_udeyl"]
 [ext_resource type="Texture2D" uid="uid://baf30tscdkl0i" path="res://sprites/tv_remote.png" id="11_j5hk1"]
+[ext_resource type="Script" uid="uid://ca41i40uerrbr" path="res://games/platformer/platformer_channel.gd" id="11_mlphb"]
 [ext_resource type="Script" uid="uid://dgq2y6wjlye6" path="res://chatboxController.gd" id="11_ueiaa"]
 [ext_resource type="Script" uid="uid://dnptjh111yd8i" path="res://itemPopup.gd" id="12_daj04"]
 
@@ -71,6 +72,7 @@ channel_scene = ExtResource("5_e35lh")
 
 [node name="Main" parent="GridContainer" instance=ExtResource("1_mlf6e")]
 layout_mode = 2
+script = ExtResource("11_mlphb")
 channel_name = "Platformer"
 channel_scene = ExtResource("4_mj2jn")
 

games/platformer/platformer_channel.gd

@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+extends Channel
+
+func _process(delta: float) -> void:
+	offline_channel_cover.visible = channel_mode == Mode.Offline
+	static_channel_cover.visible = channel_mode == Mode.Static
+
+func start_specific_channel(scene : PackedScene):
+	var new_scene = scene.instantiate()
+	game_viewport.add_child(new_scene)
+	channel_mode = Mode.Online
+
+func start_channel():
+	var new_scene = channel_scene.instantiate()
+	game_viewport.add_child(new_scene)
+	channel_mode = Mode.Online
+
+func end_channel():
+	channel_mode = Mode.Static
+	modulate = Color.DIM_GRAY
+	# TODO: a bunch of stuff here
+	#game_viewport.get_child(0).queue_free()

games/platformer/platformer_channel.gd.uid

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+uid://ca41i40uerrbr