feat: Implement comprehensive lobby system with main menu, room management, and loading screen.

scenes/loading_screen/loading_screen.tscn

@@ -31,13 +31,8 @@ border_width_right = 5
 border_width_bottom = 5
 border_color = Color(0, 0, 0, 1)
 
-[node name="loading_screen" type="Control"]
+[node name="loading_screen" type="CanvasLayer"]
-layout_mode = 3
+layer = 128
-anchors_preset = 15
-anchor_right = 1.0
-anchor_bottom = 1.0
-grow_horizontal = 2
-grow_vertical = 2
 script = ExtResource("1_u2jrd")
 
 [node name="Bg" type="TextureRect" parent="."]

scenes/lobby.gd

@@ -708,8 +708,9 @@ func _on_room_left() -> void:
 	connection_status.text = "Left room"
 
 func _on_host_disconnected() -> void:
+	# Keep the connection status updated in the UI
+	connection_status.text = "Host disconnected. Returning to menu..."
 	_show_panel("main_menu")
-	connection_status.text = "Host disconnected. Match terminated."
 
 func _on_player_joined(player_data: Dictionary) -> void:
 	_update_player_slots()

scenes/main.gd

@@ -460,6 +460,8 @@ func _setup_global_match_timer_ui():
 	add_child(panel)
 
 func _process(delta):
+	if not is_inside_tree(): return
+	if not check_multiplayer(): return
 	if multiplayer.is_server() and GameStateManager.is_game_started():
 		if TurnManager.turn_based_mode:
 			rpc("sync_turn_index", TurnManager.current_turn_index)
@@ -528,7 +530,9 @@ func _setup_host_game():
 	# Moved _assign_random_spawn_positions() to after bot loop
 
 	# Wait for players to be fully ready (player.gd has 0.1s await in _ready before managers init)
-	await get_tree().create_timer(0.3).timeout
+	# Faster for LAN mode
+	var setup_delay = 0.1 if LobbyManager.is_lan_mode else 0.3
+	await get_tree().create_timer(setup_delay).timeout
 	
 	# Set host goals - get goals directly from GoalManager
 	var host_goals = GoalManager.get_goals_for_player(0)
@@ -651,18 +655,20 @@ func _setup_client_game():
 			powerup_ui.setup(player_character)
 			print("Client: PowerUpInventoryUI setup forced for ", my_id)
 	
-	# Wait shorter time for host to be ready, then request full sync to correct positions/state
+	# Wait for host to be ready, then request full sync
-	await get_tree().create_timer(1.0).timeout
+	# Snappier for LAN mode as peer is already established
+	var client_setup_delay = 0.2 if LobbyManager.is_lan_mode else 1.0
+	await get_tree().create_timer(client_setup_delay).timeout
 	
-	if multiplayer.has_multiplayer_peer() and multiplayer.multiplayer_peer.get_connection_status() == MultiplayerPeer.CONNECTION_CONNECTED:
+	if check_multiplayer():
 		# Ensure we see the server (Peer 1)
 		if 1 in multiplayer.get_peers():
 			rpc_id(1, "request_full_player_sync", my_id)
 			rpc_id(1, "request_full_grid_sync")
 		else:
 			print("Client: Connected but Peer 1 not found yet. Retrying in 1s...")
-			await get_tree().create_timer(1.0).timeout
+			await get_tree().create_timer(0.5).timeout
-			if 1 in multiplayer.get_peers():
+			if check_multiplayer() and 1 in multiplayer.get_peers():
 				rpc_id(1, "request_full_player_sync", my_id)
 				rpc_id(1, "request_full_grid_sync")
 
@@ -692,6 +698,8 @@ func _auto_start_from_lobby():
 func _start_game():
 	if multiplayer.is_server():
 		# Wait for Nakama websocket to actually be open, up to 5 seconds
+		# SKIP THIS FOR LAN MODE
+		if not LobbyManager.is_lan_mode:
 			var nakama = get_node_or_null("/root/NakamaManager")
 			if nakama and nakama.has_method("is_connected_to_nakama"):
 				var wait_time = 0.0
@@ -699,10 +707,10 @@ func _start_game():
 					await get_tree().create_timer(0.2).timeout
 					wait_time += 0.2
 				
-		# Allow socket/peer to stabilize before blasting RPCs
+		# Stabilization delay to allow clients to finish loading and spawning
-		# Snappier delay since we already waited for scene load
+		# We wait 1.5s to ensure the 1.2s loading screen buffer has finished
-		var delay = 0.2 if LobbyManager.is_lan_mode else 0.5
+		# before the countdown starts.
-		await get_tree().create_timer(delay).timeout
+		await get_tree().create_timer(1.5).timeout
 		
 		# NOW assign spawn positions for EVERYONE (Host, Client, Bots)
 		# This safely sends RPCs over the completed socket connection
@@ -1230,6 +1238,7 @@ func add_player_character(peer_id: int, is_bot: bool = false):
 		ui_manager.update_playerboard_ui()
 
 func _on_peer_connected(new_peer_id: int):
+	if not is_inside_tree(): return
 	if multiplayer.is_server():
 		await get_tree().create_timer(0.1).timeout
 		add_player_character(new_peer_id)
@@ -1252,6 +1261,7 @@ func add_newly_connected_player_character(new_peer_id: int):
 	add_player_character(new_peer_id)
 
 func _on_peer_disconnected(peer_id: int):
+	if not is_inside_tree(): return
 	if multiplayer.is_server():
 		print("[Main] Peer %d disconnected. Checking for bot replacement..." % peer_id)
 		
@@ -1305,14 +1315,24 @@ func create_bot_with_state(bot_id: int, pos: Vector2i, p_score: int, p_goals: Ar
 		bot_character.update_player_position(pos)
 
 func _on_host_disconnected():
-	"""Called when the host leaves. Returns clients to the main menu."""
+	if not is_inside_tree(): return
+	"""Called when the host leaves. Returns clients to the lobby."""
 	print("[Main] Host disconnected. Match terminated. Cleaning up and returning to lobby...")
 	LobbyManager.leave_room()
+	
+	# Use loading screen to return to lobby
+	var loading_screen_scene = load("res://scenes/loading_screen/loading_screen.tscn")
+	if loading_screen_scene:
+		var loading_screen = loading_screen_scene.instantiate()
+		get_tree().root.add_child(loading_screen)
+		loading_screen.load_level("res://scenes/lobby.tscn")
+	else:
 		get_tree().change_scene_to_file("res://scenes/lobby.tscn")
 
 func _on_rematch_starting():
+	if not is_inside_tree(): return
 	"""Called when a rematch is triggered. Reloads the game scene."""
-	print("[Main] Rematch starting! Resetting state and reloading scene...")
+	print("[Main] Rematch starting. Resetting local state...")
 	
 	# Reset singletons/managers that persist across scene reloads
 	GameStateManager.reset()
@@ -2439,8 +2459,7 @@ func _on_joystick_toggled(enabled: bool):
 		touch_controls._save_settings()
 
 func can_rpc() -> bool:
-	if not multiplayer.has_multiplayer_peer(): return false
+	if not check_multiplayer(): return false
-	if multiplayer.multiplayer_peer.get_connection_status() != MultiplayerPeer.CONNECTION_CONNECTED: return false
 	
 	if LobbyManager.is_lan_mode:
 		return true
@@ -2451,6 +2470,15 @@ func can_rpc() -> bool:
 		
 	return true
 
+func check_multiplayer() -> bool:
+	"""Safety check for multiplayer peer access."""
+	if not is_inside_tree(): return false
+	# Accessing multiplayer here is safe because we checked is_inside_tree
+	var peer = multiplayer.multiplayer_peer
+	if not peer: return false
+	if peer.get_connection_status() == MultiplayerPeer.CONNECTION_DISCONNECTED: return false
+	return true
+
 @rpc("authority", "call_local", "reliable")
 func display_message(message: String, type: int = 0):
 	"""Broadcasts a message to the local player's UI. This is called via main.rpc from various managers."""

scripts/managers/lobby_manager.gd

@@ -290,8 +290,12 @@ func leave_room() -> void:
 	reset()
 	_stop_lan_broadcast()
 	
+	# Emit before nulling peer so UI can still access peer info if needed
+	emit_signal("room_left")
+	
 	if is_lan_mode:
-		# LAN mode: just close the ENet peer directly
+		# LAN mode: Host should keep peer alive long enough to reach lobby
+		if not is_host or get_tree().current_scene.name == "Lobby":
 			if multiplayer.has_multiplayer_peer():
 				multiplayer.set_multiplayer_peer(null)
 			is_lan_mode = false
@@ -302,8 +306,6 @@ func leave_room() -> void:
 	# Important: Clean up game state as well to prevent ghost players
 	GameStateManager.reset()
 
-	emit_signal("room_left")
-
 func refresh_room_list() -> void:
 	"""Request updated room list from Nakama or scan for LAN rooms."""
 	if is_lan_mode:

scripts/ui/loading_screen.gd

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-extends Control
+extends CanvasLayer
 
 @export var tips: Array[String] = [
 	"Use your cards wisely!",
@@ -79,6 +79,14 @@ func change_scene(resource: PackedScene):
 	
 	get_tree().change_scene_to_packed(resource)
 	
+	# Update label to show we are initializing the game world
+	if scene_name_label:
+		scene_name_label.text = "Preparing Game..."
+	
+	# Wait for assets (Tektons, Spawn Tiles) to initialize in the background
+	# This keeps the loading screen visible while main.gd runs its _ready() setup
+	await get_tree().create_timer(1.2).timeout
+	
 	# Clean up self (Loading Screen)
 	queue_free()
 
@@ -86,7 +94,7 @@ func change_scene(resource: PackedScene):
 func load_level(_path: String):
 	print("Starting load for: ", _path)
 	path = _path
-	show()
+	visible = true
 	content_control.show()
 	
 	if scene_name_label: