diff --git a/client/src/game/messageListener.tsx b/client/src/game/messageListener.tsx
index d38e941d6..b390c2909 100644
--- a/client/src/game/messageListener.tsx
+++ b/client/src/game/messageListener.tsx
@@ -31,16 +31,16 @@ export default function messageListener(packet: ToClientPacket){
         break;
         case "rejectJoin":
             switch(packet.reason) {
-                case "INVALID_ROOM_CODE":
+                case "invalidRoomCode":
                     Anchor.pushInfo("Couldn't join", "No lobby has that room code!");
                 break;
-                case "GAME_ALREADY_STARTED":
+                case "gameAlreadyStarted":
                     Anchor.pushInfo("Couldn't join", "That game has already begun!");
                 break;
-                case "ROOM_FULL":
+                case "roomFull":
                     Anchor.pushInfo("Couldn't join", "That lobby is full!");
                 break;
-                case "SERVER_BUSY":
+                case "serverBusy":
                     Anchor.pushInfo("Couldn't join", "The server is busy. Try again later!");
                 break;
                 default:
@@ -52,12 +52,24 @@ export default function messageListener(packet: ToClientPacket){
             Anchor.setContent(<StartMenu/>);
         break;
         case "rejectStart":
+            /*
+            GameEndsInstantly,
+            RoleListTooSmall,
+            RoleListCannotCreateRoles,
+            ZeroTimeGame,
+            */
             switch(packet.reason) {
-                case "GameEndsInstantly":
+                case "gameEndsInstantly":
                     Anchor.pushInfo("Couldn't start", "Game would end instantly! Make sure your role list is valid.");
                 break;
-                case "ZeroTimeGame":
-                    Anchor.pushInfo("Couldn't start", "Make sure your phase time settings are valid!");
+                case "roleListTooSmall":
+                    Anchor.pushInfo("Couldn't start", "Role list is too small!");
+                break;
+                case "roleListCannotCreateRoles":
+                    Anchor.pushInfo("Couldn't start", "Role list is invalid! Excluded roles could be the problem.");
+                break;
+                case "zeroTimeGame":
+                    Anchor.pushInfo("Couldn't start", "Game has zero time.");
                 break;
                 default:
                     Anchor.pushInfo("Couldn't start", "Failed to start lobby. Try again later!");
@@ -257,7 +269,7 @@ export default function messageListener(packet: ToClientPacket){
             if(GAME_MANAGER.state.stateType === "game"){
                 GAME_MANAGER.state.ticking = false;
                 switch(packet.reason) {
-                    case "ReachedMaxDay":
+                    case "reachedMaxDay":
                         // alert("Game Over: Reached the maximum day!");
                         console.log("incoming message response not implemented " + packet.type + ": " + packet.reason);
                         console.log(packet);
diff --git a/server/src/game/mod.rs b/server/src/game/mod.rs
index bd5ca5c87..116f9b51f 100644
--- a/server/src/game/mod.rs
+++ b/server/src/game/mod.rs
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@ pub mod recruit;
 use std::time::Duration;
 use rand::seq::SliceRandom;
 use rand::thread_rng;
+use serde::Serialize;
 
 use crate::lobby::LobbyPlayer;
-use crate::log;
-use crate::packet::{ToClientPacket, GameOverReason};
+use crate::packet::ToClientPacket;
 use chat::{ChatMessage, ChatGroup};
 use player::PlayerReference;
-use role_list::{RoleOutline, create_random_roles};
+use role_list::create_random_roles;
 use player::Player;
 use phase::PhaseStateMachine;
 use settings::Settings;
@@ -48,20 +48,43 @@ pub struct Game {
     pub ticking: bool
 }
 
+#[derive(Serialize, Debug, Clone, Copy)]
+#[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
+pub enum RejectStartReason {
+    GameEndsInstantly,
+    RoleListTooSmall,
+    RoleListCannotCreateRoles,
+    ZeroTimeGame,
+}
+
+#[derive(Serialize, Debug, Clone, Copy)]
+#[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
+pub enum GameOverReason {
+    ReachedMaxDay,
+    Winner,
+    Draw
+    /*TODO Winner { who won? }*/
+}
+
 impl Game {
-    pub fn new(mut settings: Settings, lobby_players: Vec<LobbyPlayer>) -> Self{
+    pub fn new(settings: Settings, lobby_players: Vec<LobbyPlayer>) -> Result<Self, RejectStartReason>{
+        //check settings are not completly off the rails
+        if [
+            settings.phase_times.evening, settings.phase_times.morning,
+            settings.phase_times.discussion, settings.phase_times.voting,
+            settings.phase_times.judgement, settings.phase_times.testimony,
+            settings.phase_times.night,
+        ].iter().all(|t| *t == 0) {
+            return Err(RejectStartReason::ZeroTimeGame);
+        }
+        
+        
         let mut roles = match create_random_roles(&settings.excluded_roles, &settings.role_list){
             Some(roles) => {
                 roles
             },
             None => {
-                let mut new_list = vec![];
-                for _ in 0..lobby_players.len(){
-                    new_list.push(RoleOutline::Any);
-                }
-                settings.role_list = new_list;
-                settings.excluded_roles = vec![];
-                create_random_roles(&settings.excluded_roles, &settings.role_list).expect("All any with no exclusions should have open roles")
+                return Err(RejectStartReason::RoleListCannotCreateRoles);
             }
         };
         roles.shuffle(&mut thread_rng());
@@ -74,8 +97,7 @@ impl Game {
                 match roles.get(player_index){
                     Some(role) => *role,
                     None => {
-                        log!(error "Game::new"; "Failed to generate role. rolelist wasnt big enough for number of players");
-                        RoleOutline::Any.get_random_role(&settings.excluded_roles, &roles).expect("Any should have open roles")
+                        return Err(RejectStartReason::RoleListTooSmall);
                     },
                 }
             );
@@ -104,7 +126,7 @@ impl Game {
 
         Teams::on_team_creation(&mut game);
 
-        game
+        Ok(game)
     }
 
     /// Returns a tuple containing the number of guilty votes and the number of innocent votes
diff --git a/server/src/game/player/player_send_packet.rs b/server/src/game/player/player_send_packet.rs
index 537a6c092..96d003d51 100644
--- a/server/src/game/player/player_send_packet.rs
+++ b/server/src/game/player/player_send_packet.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use std::time::Duration;
 
-use crate::{game::{Game, available_buttons::AvailableButtons, phase::PhaseState}, packet::{ToClientPacket, GameOverReason}, websocket_connections::connection::ClientSender};
+use crate::{game::{Game, available_buttons::AvailableButtons, phase::PhaseState, GameOverReason}, packet::ToClientPacket, websocket_connections::connection::ClientSender};
 
 use super::{PlayerReference, ClientConnection, DISCONNECT_TIMER_SECS};
 
diff --git a/server/src/lib.rs b/server/src/lib.rs
index d10c4815c..e8a109af8 100644
--- a/server/src/lib.rs
+++ b/server/src/lib.rs
@@ -16,6 +16,15 @@ pub mod log {
     /// log!(error "Game::new"; "Failed to generate role. rolelist wasnt big enough for number of players");
     /// log!(info "Listener"; "{}: {}", "Received message", "message");
     /// ```
+    /// 
+    /// # Markers
+    /// - `fatal`: Prints the word FATAL
+    /// - `error`: Prints red and writes "WARN"
+    /// - `important`: 
+    /// - `info`: 
+    /// 
+    /// if none are put then it defaults to info
+    /// 
     macro_rules! log {
         // Each case in this macro definition is for a different log marker.
         // None
diff --git a/server/src/lobby.rs b/server/src/lobby.rs
index 8f5a5439d..286927d0b 100644
--- a/server/src/lobby.rs
+++ b/server/src/lobby.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ use crate::{
         role_list::RoleOutline, 
         phase::PhaseType
     },
-    listener::{PlayerID, RoomCode}, packet::{ToClientPacket, RejectJoinReason, ToServerPacket, RejectStartReason}, websocket_connections::connection::ClientSender, log
+    listener::{PlayerID, RoomCode}, packet::{ToClientPacket, RejectJoinReason, ToServerPacket}, websocket_connections::connection::ClientSender, log
 };
 
 pub struct Lobby {
@@ -88,29 +88,18 @@ impl Lobby {
                 Self::send_players_lobby(players);
             },
             ToServerPacket::StartGame => {
-                let LobbyState::Lobby { settings, players } = &mut self.lobby_state else {
+                let LobbyState::Lobby { settings: _, players } = &mut self.lobby_state else {
                     log!(error "Lobby"; "{} {}", "ToServerPacket::StartGame can not be used outside of LobbyState::Lobby", player_id);
                     return;
                 };
                 if let Some(player) = players.get(&player_id){
                     if !player.host {return;}
                 }
-                
-                if [
-                    settings.phase_times.evening, settings.phase_times.morning,
-                    settings.phase_times.discussion, settings.phase_times.voting,
-                    settings.phase_times.judgement, settings.phase_times.testimony,
-                    settings.phase_times.night,
-                ].iter().all(|t| *t == 0) {
-                    send.send(ToClientPacket::RejectStart { reason: RejectStartReason::ZeroTimeGame });
-                    return;
-                }
 
                 let mut player_indices: HashMap<PlayerID,GamePlayer> = HashMap::new();
                 let mut game_players = Vec::new();
 
                 
-                self.send_to_all(ToClientPacket::StartGame);
 
                 let LobbyState::Lobby { settings, players} = &mut self.lobby_state else {
                     unreachable!("LobbyState::Lobby was checked to be to LobbyState::Lobby in the previous line")
@@ -121,10 +110,19 @@ impl Lobby {
                     game_players.push(lobby_player);
                 }
 
+                let game = match Game::new(settings.clone(), game_players){
+                    Ok(game) => game,
+                    Err(err) => {
+                        send.send(ToClientPacket::RejectStart { reason: err });
+                        log!(info "Lobby"; "Failed to start game: {:?}", err);
+                        return;
+                    }
+                };
                 
+                self.send_to_all(ToClientPacket::StartGame);
 
                 self.lobby_state = LobbyState::Game{
-                    game: Game::new(settings.clone(), game_players),
+                    game,
                     players: player_indices,
                 };
                 let LobbyState::Game { game, players: _player } = &mut self.lobby_state else {
diff --git a/server/src/packet.rs b/server/src/packet.rs
index 5af3e02e3..7a15d58f5 100644
--- a/server/src/packet.rs
+++ b/server/src/packet.rs
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ use crate::{game::{
     verdict::Verdict, phase::PhaseType, 
     chat::ChatMessage,
     role::{Role, RoleState, doomsayer::DoomsayerGuess}, 
-    Game, grave::Grave, available_buttons::AvailableButtons, tag::Tag, settings::PhaseTimeSettings
+    Game, grave::Grave, available_buttons::AvailableButtons, tag::Tag, settings::PhaseTimeSettings, RejectStartReason, GameOverReason
 }, listener::{RoomCode, PlayerID}, log};
 
 #[derive(Serialize, Debug, Clone)]
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ impl ToClientPacket {
 }
 
 #[derive(Serialize, Debug, Clone, Copy)]
-#[serde(rename_all = "SCREAMING_SNAKE_CASE")]
+#[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
 pub enum RejectJoinReason {
     GameAlreadyStarted,
     RoomFull,
@@ -136,22 +136,6 @@ pub enum RejectJoinReason {
     ServerBusy,
 }
 
-#[derive(Serialize, Debug, Clone, Copy)]
-#[serde(rename_all = "SCREAMING_SNAKE_CASE")]
-pub enum RejectStartReason {
-    GameEndsInstantly,
-    ZeroTimeGame,
-}
-
-#[derive(Serialize, Debug, Clone, Copy)]
-#[serde(rename_all = "SCREAMING_SNAKE_CASE")]
-pub enum GameOverReason {
-    ReachedMaxDay,
-    Winner,
-    Draw
-    /*TODO Winner { who won? }*/
-}
-
 #[derive(Deserialize, Debug, Clone)]
 #[serde(tag = "type", rename_all = "camelCase")]
 pub enum ToServerPacket{