diff --git a/gamebase.py b/gamebase.py
index 28d63d3..a849dd3 100644
--- a/gamebase.py
+++ b/gamebase.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ class GameBase(object):
         self.ps2 = '? '
         self.eventQueue = []
         self.gameTime = 0.0
+        self.skipLoop = True
         
         # player info
         self.playerx = -1
@@ -187,18 +188,18 @@ The letter is not case-sensitive."""
         
         # Now we have a heading! Let's see if we can get there...
         if (x, y) == (self.playerx, self.playery):
-            _hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime, _ge.ArriveEvent(self.playerName, x, y, 0.0)))
+            #_hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime, _ge.ArriveEvent(self.playerName, x, y, 0.0)))
             return
         dist, path = self.level.path(x, y, self.playerx, self.playery)
         if dist == -1:
             print('{0} cannot reach {1}{2}.'.format(self.playerName, self.numberToLetter(x), y), file = self.outstream)
-            _hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime, _ge.NoOpEvent()))
+            #_hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime, _ge.NoOpEvent()))
             return
         else:
             pos = self.level.coordsToInt(self.playerx, self.playery)
             space = path[pos]
             if space == -1:
-                _hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime, _ge.ArriveEvent(self.playerName, self.playerx, self.playery, 0.0)))
+                self.setEvent(0.0, _ge.ArriveEvent(self.playerName, self.playerx, self.playery, 0.0))
                 return
             #target = self.level.coordsToInt(x, y)
             t = 1
@@ -207,12 +208,11 @@ The letter is not case-sensitive."""
                 newx, newy = self.level.intToCoords(space)
                 space = path[space]
                 if space != -1:
-                    _hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime + t * speed, _ge.GoEvent(self.playerName, newx, newy)))
+                    self.setEvent(t * speed, _ge.GoEvent(self.playerName, newx, newy))
                 else:
-                    _hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime + t * speed, _ge.ArriveEvent(self.playerName, newx, newy, t * speed)))
+                    self.setEvent(t * speed, _ge.ArriveEvent(self.playerName, newx, newy, t * speed))
                     break
                 t += 1
-            
             #newx, newy = self.level.intToCoords(space)
             #_hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime + t * speed, _ge.ArriveEvent(self.playerName, newx, newy, t * speed)))
         return
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ Object can be the name of the object, or its coordinates."""
                 print(self.justifyText(str(thing)), file = self.outstream)
             else:
                 print("There is nothing to see here.\n", file = self.outstream)
-        _hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime, _ge.NoOpEvent()))
+        #_hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime, _ge.NoOpEvent()))
         
     def use(self, args):
         """use [-r] [the] object [on [the] object2]
@@ -261,21 +261,21 @@ the name of an item in the player's inventory."""
         thing, x, y = self.parseCoords(args)
         if thing == None:
             print("There is nothing to use.", file = self.outstream)
-            _hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime, _ge.NoOpEvent()))
+            #_hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime, _ge.NoOpEvent()))
             return
         if thing.thingType != 'u' and thing.name not in self.playerInv:
             print("The {0} cannot be used.".format(thing.name), file = self.outstream)
-            _hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime, _ge.NoOpEvent()))
+            #_hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime, _ge.NoOpEvent()))
             return
         
         # Similar to go, but not quite the same.
         if (x, y) == (self.playerx, self.playery) or thing.name in self.playerInv:
-            _hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime + 0.125, _ge.UseEvent(thing)))
+            self.setEvent(0.125, _ge.UseEvent(thing))
             return
         dist, path = self.level.path(x, y, self.playerx, self.playery)
         if dist == -1:
             print('{0} cannot reach the {1}.'.format(self.playerName, thing.name), file = self.outstream)
-            _hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime, _ge.NoOpEvent()))
+            #_hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime, _ge.NoOpEvent()))
             return
         else:
             pos = self.level.coordsToInt(self.playerx, self.playery)
@@ -286,11 +286,11 @@ the name of an item in the player's inventory."""
             while space != -1:
                 newx, newy = self.level.intToCoords(space)
                 space = path[space]
-                _hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime + t * speed, _ge.GoEvent(self.playerName, newx, newy)))
+                self.setEvent(t * speed, _ge.GoEvent(self.playerName, newx, newy))
                 t += 1
             #newx, newy = self.level.intToCoords(space)
             #_hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime + t * speed, _ge.GoEvent(self.playerName, newx, newy)))
-            _hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime + t * speed + 0.125, _ge.UseEvent(thing)))
+            self.setEvent(t * speed + 0.125, _ge.UseEvent(thing))
         return
         
     def useOn(self, args, speed):
@@ -302,16 +302,16 @@ the name of an item in the player's inventory."""
         thing, x, y = self.parseCoords(args[onIndex+1:])
         if item == None or item.name not in self.playerInv:
             print("There is no {0} in the inventory.".format(item.name), file = self.outstream)
-            _hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime, _ge.NoOpEvent()))
+            #_hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime, _ge.NoOpEvent()))
             return
         if thing == None and x < 0 and y < 0:
             print("Argument contains 'to' but with no real predicate.", file = self.outstream)
-            _hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime, _ge.NoOpEvent()))
+            #_hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime, _ge.NoOpEvent()))
             return
             
         # Similar to go, but not quite the same.
         if (x, y) == (self.playerx, self.playery):
-            _hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime + 0.125, _ge.UseOnEvent(item, thing)))
+            self.setEvent(0.125, _ge.UseOnEvent(item, thing))
             return
         dist, path = self.level.path(x, y, self.playerx, self.playery)
         if dist == -1:
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ the name of an item in the player's inventory."""
                 print('{0} cannot reach the {1}.'.format(self.playerName, thing.name), file = self.outstream)
             else:
                 print('{0} cannot reach {1}{2}.'.format(self.playerName, self.numberToLetter(x), y), file = self.outstream)
-            _hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime, _ge.NoOpEvent()))
+            #_hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime, _ge.NoOpEvent()))
             return
         else:
             pos = self.level.coordsToInt(self.playerx, self.playery)
@@ -330,11 +330,11 @@ the name of an item in the player's inventory."""
             while space != -1:
                 newx, newy = self.level.intToCoords(space)
                 space = path[space]
-                _hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime + t * speed, _ge.GoEvent(self.playerName, newx, newy)))
+                self.setEvent(t * speed, _ge.GoEvent(self.playerName, newx, newy))
                 t += 1
             #newx, newy = self.level.intToCoords(space)
             #_hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime + t * speed, _ge.GoEvent(self.playerName, newx, newy)))
-            _hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime + t * speed + 0.125, _ge.UseOnEvent(item, thing)))
+            self.setEvent(t * speed + 0.125, _ge.UseOnEvent(item, thing))
         return
         
     def take(self, args):
@@ -357,17 +357,17 @@ Object can be the name of the object, or its coordinates."""
             return
         if thing.thingType != 'i':
             print("The {0} cannot be taken.".format(thing.name), file = self.outstream)
-            _hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime, _ge.NoOpEvent()))
+            #_hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime, _ge.NoOpEvent()))
             return
         
         # Similar to go, but not quite the same.
         if (x, y) == (self.playerx, self.playery):
-            _hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime + 0.125, _ge.TakeEvent(thing)))
+            self.setEvent(0.125, _ge.TakeEvent(thing))
             return
         dist, path = self.level.path(x, y, self.playerx, self.playery)
         if dist == -1:
             print('{0} cannot reach the {1}.'.format(self.playerName, thing.name), file = self.outstream)
-            _hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime, _ge.NoOpEvent()))
+            #_hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime, _ge.NoOpEvent()))
             return
         else:
             pos = self.level.coordsToInt(self.playerx, self.playery)
@@ -378,11 +378,11 @@ Object can be the name of the object, or its coordinates."""
             while space != -1:
                 newx, newy = self.level.intToCoords(space)
                 space = path[space]
-                _hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime + t * speed, _ge.GoEvent(self.playerName, newx, newy)))
+                self.setEvent(t * speed, _ge.GoEvent(self.playerName, newx, newy))
                 t += 1
             #newx, newy = self.level.intToCoords(space)
             #_hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime + t * speed, _ge.GoEvent(self.playerName, newx, newy)))
-            _hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime + t * speed + 0.125, _ge.TakeEvent(thing)))
+            self.setEvent(t * speed + 0.125, _ge.TakeEvent(thing))
         return
         
     def drop(self, args):
@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ Object can be the name of the object, or its coordinates."""
         if args[0] == 'the':
             args.pop(0)
         if args[0] in self.playerInv:
-            _hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime, _ge.DropEvent(self.playerInv[args[0]])))
+            self.setEvent(0.0, _ge.DropEvent(self.playerInv[args[0]]))
         else:
             print('{0} do not have a {1}.'.format(self.playerName, args[0]), file = self.outstream)
         
@@ -464,7 +464,7 @@ Object can be the name of the object, or its coordinates."""
             del self.persist[self.level.name][i]
             
         # push a no-op event so that saving doesn't cost player characters time
-        _hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime, _ge.NoOpEvent()))
+        #_hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime, _ge.NoOpEvent()))
         return
         
     def loadGame(self, args):
@@ -483,19 +483,29 @@ Object can be the name of the object, or its coordinates."""
             self.playerName, x, y, self.playerInv, levelname, self.persist, self.eventQueue, self.gameTime = _pi.load(f)
             #print(levelname, x, y, file = self.outstream)
         self.loadMap((levelname, x, y))
-        _hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime, _ge.NoOpEvent()))
+        #_hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime, _ge.NoOpEvent()))
         return
         
     def gameEventLoop(self):
+        #print(self.skipLoop)
+        if self.skipLoop:
+            return
+        #print(self.skipLoop)
         while len(self.eventQueue) > 0:
             ev = _hq.heappop(self.eventQueue)
             self.gameTime = ev[0]
             e = ev[1]
             if self.__gameEvents[e.eventType](e):
+                #print('break loop')
                 break
         if len(self.eventQueue) == 0:
             self.gameTime = 0.0
             _ge.resetEventNum()
+        self.skipLoop = True
+            
+    def setEvent(self, t, e, skip = False):
+        _hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime + t, e))
+        self.skipLoop = skip
     
     # default event handlers
     
@@ -540,14 +550,14 @@ Object can be the name of the object, or its coordinates."""
         if e.thing.useFunc == '':
             print('The {0} cannot be used by itself.'.format(e.thing.name), file = self.outstream)
             return True
-        _hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime + self.__useFuncs[e.thing.useFunc](e.thing), _ge.NoOpEvent()))
+        self.setEvent(self.__useFuncs[e.thing.useFunc](e.thing), _ge.NoOpEvent())
         return False
         
     def handleUseOn(self, e):
         if e.item.useOnFunc == '':
             print('The {0} cannot be used on other objects.'.format(e.item.name), file = self.outstream)
             return True
-        _hq.heappush(self.eventQueue, (self.gameTime + self.__useFuncs[e.item.useOnFunc](e.item, e.thing), _ge.NoOpEvent()))
+        self.setEvent(self.__useFuncs[e.item.useOnFunc](e.item, e.thing), _ge.NoOpEvent())
         return False
         
     def handleTake(self, e):
diff --git a/gameshell.py b/gameshell.py
index 9f4aab5..d9dad2a 100644
--- a/gameshell.py
+++ b/gameshell.py
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ class GameShell(Shell):
         
     def man(self, args):
         super(GameShell, self).man(args)
-        heapq.heappush(self.gameBase.eventQueue, (self.gameBase.gameTime, gameevents.NoOpEvent()))
+        #heapq.heappush(self.gameBase.eventQueue, (self.gameBase.gameTime, gameevents.NoOpEvent()))
         
     def options(self, args):
         i = 0
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ If -l is given, a map legend will be printed under the map."""
                 for i in doors:
                     legend.append('  {0}D{1}{2} - {3}'.format(self.color(doors[i][1][1:]), i, self.clearColor(), doors[i][0]))
                 print('\n'.join(legend))
-        heapq.heappush(self.gameBase.eventQueue, (self.gameBase.gameTime, gameevents.NoOpEvent()))
+        #heapq.heappush(self.gameBase.eventQueue, (self.gameBase.gameTime, gameevents.NoOpEvent()))
         return
         
     def status(self, args):
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ If -l is given, a map legend will be printed under the map."""
         ret.append("Player position:{0:.>64}".format("{0}{1}".format(self.gameBase.numberToLetter(self.gameBase.playerx), self.gameBase.playery)))
         ret.append("Prev. position:{0:.>65}".format("{0}{1}".format(self.gameBase.numberToLetter(self.gameBase.prevx), self.gameBase.prevy)))
         print('\n'.join(ret))
-        heapq.heappush(self.gameBase.eventQueue, (self.gameBase.gameTime, gameevents.NoOpEvent()))
+        #heapq.heappush(self.gameBase.eventQueue, (self.gameBase.gameTime, gameevents.NoOpEvent()))
         return
         
     def inv(self, args):
diff --git a/shell.py b/shell.py
index 1603b31..4ea1cc6 100644
--- a/shell.py
+++ b/shell.py
@@ -20,22 +20,24 @@
 #  Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston,
 #  MA 02110-1301, USA.
 #  
-#  Ver. 0.1.0029
+#  Ver. 0.1.0032
 
 
 import types as _types
 import traceback as _tb
 import math as _math
+import re as _re
 
 _CONV24TO8 = 6 / 256
 
 class Shell(object):
     
     def __init__(self):
-        self.__commands = {'exit': self.exitShell}
+        self.__commands = {'exit': self.exitShell, 'batch': self.batch, 'alias': self.makeAlias, 'def': self.defineBatch}
         self.__aliases = {}
+        self.__batches = {}
         self.ps1 = '> '
-        self.ps2 = '> '
+        self.ps2 = '. '
         self.colorMode = 0 # bits of color depth. Supports: 0, 3, 4, 8, 24
         self.prevColor = '\x1b[0m'
         self.__exit = False
@@ -126,16 +128,7 @@ class Shell(object):
             print(self.ps1, end = '')
             command = self.scanInput()
             # we have to handle shell built-ins first (when we get some)
-            if len(command) == 0:
-                continue
-            if command[0] in self.__commands:
-                try:
-                    self.__commands[command[0]](command[1:])
-                except Exception as e:
-                    _tb.print_exc()
-                    print(e)
-            else:
-                self.handleUnknownCommand(command)
+            self.handleCommand(command)
             self.update()
         self.__exit = False
             
@@ -152,20 +145,23 @@ conventionally called args or argv"""
 'a' must be one token, but original can be multiple."""
         self.__aliases[a] = original
         
+    def registerBatch(self, name: str, commands: list):
+        self.__batches[name] = commands
+        
     def getAlias(self, a: str):
         if a in self.__aliases:
             return self.__aliases[a]
         else:
             return None
+            
+    def getBatch(self, name: str):
+        if name in self.__batches:
+            return ['batch']
+        else:
+            return None
         
-    def exitShell(self, args):
-        """The default exit command."""
-        self.__exit = True
-        
-    # Beyond this point are functions that are called within the main loop.
-    def scanInput(self):
-        """Parses input. Override this for custom input parsing, or input source."""
-        instr = input()
+    def scanLine(self, instr):
+        """Take a line of text and turn it into an argument list"""
         if instr == '':
             return []
         inQuotes = False
@@ -193,8 +189,78 @@ conventionally called args or argv"""
             ret.append(instr[argStart:c])
         a = self.getAlias(ret[0])
         if a:
-            ret = a[:] + ret[1:]
+            ret = a + ret[1:]
+        b = self.getBatch(ret[0])
+        if b:
+            ret = b + ret
         return ret
+    
+    # Default functions
+        
+    def exitShell(self, args):
+        """The default exit command."""
+        self.__exit = True
+        
+    def makeAlias(self, args):
+        """Make an alias."""
+        self.registerAlias(args[0], args[1:])
+        
+    def defineBatch(self, args):
+        """Define a batch file."""
+        if len(args) != 1:
+            raise ValueError('def takes only one argument')
+        ret = []
+        command = input(self.ps2)
+        while command != 'end':
+            ret.append(command)
+            command = input(self.ps2)
+        self.registerBatch(args[0], ret)
+        
+    def batch(self, args):
+        """Run commands in batch mode
+$0 is the name of the batch
+$1 - $n are individual arguments
+$* is all the arguments except 0
+$>0 - $>n is all arguments after the nth
+$>=0 - $>=n is the nth and later arguments"""
+        script = self.__batches[args[0]]
+        var = _re.compile(r'\$((?:[>][=]?)?[0-9]+)')
+        u = False
+        for line in script:
+            if u:
+                self.update()
+            else:
+                u = True
+            newLine = line.replace(r'$*', ' '.join(args[1:]))
+            matches = var.finditer(newLine)
+            for m in matches:
+                n = m.group(1)
+                if n[0] == '>':
+                    if n[1] == '=':
+                        num = int(n[2:])
+                    else:
+                        num = int(n[1:])+1
+                    newLine = newLine.replace(m.group(), ' '.join(args[num:]))
+                else:
+                    newLine = newLine.replace(m.group(), args[int(n)])
+            self.handleCommand(self.scanLine(newLine))
+        
+    # Beyond this point are functions that are called within the main loop.
+    def scanInput(self):
+        """Parses input. Override this for custom input parsing, or input source."""
+        return self.scanLine(input())
+        
+    def handleCommand(self, command):
+        if len(command) == 0:
+            return
+        if command[0] in self.__commands:
+            try:
+                self.__commands[command[0]](command[1:])
+            except Exception as e:
+                _tb.print_exc()
+                print(e)
+        else:
+            self.handleUnknownCommand(command)
         
     def handleUnknownCommand(self, command):
         """Handle commands that aren't registered. Override this if you want to do