diff --git a/build/program.zig b/build/program.zig
index 3bb7595..f340486 100644
--- a/build/program.zig
+++ b/build/program.zig
@@ -54,6 +54,16 @@ pub const Program = struct {
         exe.root_module.addImport("trampoline", trampoline);
         exe.root_module.addOptions("BacklogOptions", self.buildSystem.options);
 
+        {
+            const runArtifact = b.addRunArtifact(exe);
+            if (b.args) |args| {
+                runArtifact.addArgs(args);
+            }
+
+            const run_exe = b.step(b.fmt("run-{s}", .{self.name}), "runs the program");
+            run_exe.dependOn(&runArtifact.step);
+        }
+
         // link core
 
         // 2. create the actual library that the loader will try to load
diff --git a/engine/core/api/coreApi.zig b/engine/core/api/coreApi.zig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dea005c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/engine/core/api/coreApi.zig
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+pub const std = @import("std");
+const core = @import("core");
+const impl = core;
+
+pub const inputs = struct {
+    pub const getInputStack = inputs.getInputStack;
+};
diff --git a/engine/main2.zig b/engine/main2.zig
index 829b39d..834c1a4 100644
--- a/engine/main2.zig
+++ b/engine/main2.zig
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@ const panickers = core.panickers;
 
 // const realMain = @import("main");
 
+// pub const gametree = @import("gametree");
+
 pub const trampoline = @import("trampoline");
-
 pub const options = @import("BacklogOptions");
-
 pub const std_options = std.Options{
-    .enable_segfault_handler = false,
+    .enable_segfault_handler = true,
 };
 
 //pub const build_options = @import("build_options");
@@ -21,11 +21,107 @@ pub const std_options = std.Options{
 //     std.debug.defaultPanic(error_return_trace, x, msg);
 // }
 
+pub const NwArgs = struct {
+    useGPA: bool = false, // slower zig based memory allocator, provides detailed tracking of leaks and memory violations
+    vulkanValidation: bool = true,
+    fastTest: bool = false,
+    dmt: bool = false, // detailed memory tracking, implements a timeline for tracking all memory allocations
+    fatDump: bool = false, // takes a full fat minidump on crash, very large files are produced
+};
+
+pub fn getArgs() !NwArgs {
+    const a = try core.ParseArgs(NwArgs);
+
+    return a;
+}
+
 fn fileExists(path: []const u8) bool {
     std.fs.cwd().access(path, .{}) catch return false;
     return true;
 }
 
+// this should be provided by gametree,
+pub fn getSpec(comptime name: []const u8) !*core.SpecVariantMap {
+    const spec = try std.heap.smp_allocator.create(core.SpecVariantMap);
+    spec.* = try core.createSpecVariant(.{
+        .useGPA = true,
+        .name = name,
+        // placeholder module list.
+        .core = true,
+        .platform = true,
+        .assets = true,
+    }, std.heap.smp_allocator);
+
+    return spec;
+}
+
+pub fn run() !void {
+    core.engine_logs("calling gEngine.run");
+
+    try core.getEngine().run();
+
+    while (!core.getEngine().exitFinished()) {
+        const z = core.tracy.ZoneN(@src(), "shutdown poll");
+        z.End();
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn startEngine(spec: *core.SpecVariantMap) bool {
+    const args = getArgs() catch return false;
+
+    var backingAllocator: std.mem.Allocator = std.heap.smp_allocator;
+    var gpa: std.heap.GeneralPurposeAllocator(.{
+        .stack_trace_frames = 20,
+    }) = .{};
+
+    defer {
+        const cleanupStatus = gpa.deinit();
+        if (cleanupStatus == .leak) {
+            std.debug.print("gpa cleanup leaked memory\n", .{});
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (spec.get("useGPA")) |arg| {
+        if (arg.boolean == true) {
+            backingAllocator = gpa.allocator();
+        }
+    }
+
+    const memory = core.MemoryTracker;
+    memory.MTSetup(backingAllocator, .{ .timeline = args.dmt });
+    defer memory.MTShutdown();
+
+    var tracker = memory.MTGet().?;
+    const allocator = tracker.allocator();
+
+    _ = core.createNameRegistry(allocator) catch return false;
+    core.maybeInitPackerFs(allocator) catch return false;
+
+    if (core.BuildOption("static_build")) {
+        core.engine_log("static build, using embedded shaders", .{});
+        // const loader = @import("staticShaderLoader");
+        // loader.installStaticResources() catch return false;
+    }
+
+    core.start_module(spec, args, allocator) catch return false;
+
+    const programName = spec.get("name").?.string;
+
+    core.loadModule(programName, true) catch return false;
+
+    // load the shared object and call startup()
+    // core.beginLoading("");
+
+    // if (!start_modules(spec, args, allocator)) return false;
+    // defer shutdown_modules(allocator);
+
+    run() catch return false;
+
+    core.shutdown_module(allocator);
+
+    return true;
+}
+
 pub fn main() !void {
     if (!core.BuildOption("RootDeploymentOnly")) {
         // if we don't see a content/ folder or a
@@ -48,7 +144,9 @@ pub fn main() !void {
         core.engine_log("Working Dir set: {s}", .{try std.fs.cwd().realpath(".", &BUFFER)});
     }
 
-    trampoline.launch();
+    const spec = try getSpec("sampleGame");
+    _ = startEngine(spec);
+
     // panickers.attachSegfaultHandler();
     // try realMain.main();
 }
diff --git a/engine/modulelaunch.zig b/engine/modulelaunch.zig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/engine/trampoline.zig b/engine/trampoline.zig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9d823fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/engine/trampoline.zig
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+const core = @import("core");
+
+const modules = @import("modtree");
+
+pub fn launch() void {}
+
+pub fn shutdown() void {}
+
+pub fn loadModule() void {}
diff --git a/todo.txt b/todo.txt
index 435ec56..11ac402 100644
--- a/todo.txt
+++ b/todo.txt
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-I think before i can do anything else
 
-I need to clean up build.zig
 
-engineDepList should be discovered from the filesystem
+What is thisthis
+this is going to be an exercise in craftsmanship
+
+1. start with a simple main program that starts the core's loop.
 
-many functions should be moved into build/ scripts