diff --git a/src/client.odin b/src/client.odin
index 4b7fdd9..c8bd070 100644
--- a/src/client.odin
+++ b/src/client.odin
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ run_client :: proc(host_addr: net.Endpoint) {
 
 	// player input from stdin
 	scanner: bufio.Scanner
-	// bufio.scanner_init(&scanner, io.to_reader(transmute(io.Stream)os.stdin.stream))
+	bufio.scanner_init(&scanner, os.to_stream(os.stdin))
+	defer bufio.scanner_destroy(&scanner)
 
 	LISTEN: for {
 		msg_header: Msg_Type
@@ -23,9 +24,10 @@ run_client :: proc(host_addr: net.Endpoint) {
 		switch msg_header {
 		case .Poke:
 			fmt.println("action:")
-			bufio.scanner_scan(&scanner)
-			action := bufio.scanner_text(&scanner)
-			net.send(serv, transmute([]byte)action)
+			if !bufio.scan(&scanner) do panic("failed to scan")
+			raw_action := transmute([]byte)bufio.scanner_text(&scanner)
+			net.send(serv, []byte{byte(len(raw_action))})
+			net.send(serv, raw_action)
 		case .State_Update:
 			view, recv_err := receive_view(serv, context.temp_allocator)
 			if recv_err != nil do panic(fmt.tprintln("failed to receive view", recv_err))
diff --git a/src/server.odin b/src/server.odin
index fe6f93a..10a9d8a 100644
--- a/src/server.odin
+++ b/src/server.odin
@@ -38,15 +38,9 @@ run_server :: proc(listen_addr: net.Endpoint, num_players: int, num_hints: int,
 			}
 		}
 
-		// action: Action
-		// POKE: for {
-		// 	poke_err := send_poke(comm[current_player])
-		// 	if poke_err != nil do panic(fmt.tprintfln("failed to poke player %d; %s", current_player, poke_err))
-		// 	// action, is_valid := receive_action(w.sockets[current_player])
-		// 	// if is_valid do break POKE
-		// 	fmt.println("invalid action received. try again.")
-		// }
-		// perform_action(&g, action)
+		action := receive_action(comm[current_player])
+
+		perform_action(&g, action)
 		current_player = (current_player + 1) % num_players
 		free_all(context.temp_allocator)
 		break GAME_LOOP
@@ -212,8 +206,43 @@ Action :: union {
 	Hint_Action,
 }
 
-receive_action :: proc(player: net.TCP_Socket) -> Action {
-	// validates user input and creates correct action
+ACTION_GUIDE :: `write an action of the form:
+  - p[lay] <card id, 1-5>
+  - d[iscard] <card id, 1-5>
+  - h[int] <player id> <color|value>
+where color is one of
+  - r[ed]
+  - g[reen]
+  - w[hite]
+  - b[lue]
+  - y[ellow]
+  - r[ainbow]
+and value is one of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
+
+whitespace does not matter, so you could write shorthands like "play1" or "d3".
+
+example:
+  $ hint 2 red
+  $ play 5
+  $ hint 3 5`
+
+receive_action :: proc(player: net.TCP_Socket) -> (action: Action) {
+	POKE: for {
+		poke_err := send_poke(player)
+		if poke_err != nil do panic(fmt.tprintfln("failed to poke player %d: %s", player, poke_err))
+		length: [1]u8
+		net.recv(player, length[:])
+		raw_action := make([]byte, length[0])
+		net.recv(player, raw_action)
+		action = parse_action(transmute(string)raw_action)
+		if action != nil do break POKE
+		fmt.println("invalid action.")
+		fmt.println(ACTION_GUIDE)
+	}
+	return
+}
+
+parse_action :: proc(raw_action: string) -> Action {
 	unimplemented()
 }