return function()
    local state = {}

    local dataFolder = love.filesystem.getSaveDirectory()

    local files = require("modules.files")
    local json = require("modules.json")
    local logging = require("modules.logging")

    local charValues = require("playableCharValues.playables")
    local playables = charValues.playables
    local playableOffsets = charValues.offsets
    local playableFlips = charValues.flips


    curChar = playables[1] --this needs to be global
    local curCharIndex = 1

    local songs = require(string.format("charts.songs-%s", curChar))

    local unparsedData = files.read_file(dataFolder .. "/Data.json")

    local data = unparsedData and json.parse(unparsedData) or { songs = { bf = {} } }

    local icons = {}

    local function setupIcons()
        for index, icon in next, icons do
            icon:Destroy()
        end

        for index, song in next, songs do
            local icon = song.icon
            if not icon then goto evilgoto end

            local spriteicon = Sprite(string.format("sprites/freeplay/icons/%s.png", icon),
                string.format("sprites/freeplay/icons/%s.json", icon))
            spriteicon:PlayAnimation("idle", .005, false)
            spriteicon.frame = 1
            spriteicon.layer = 10

            icons[song.name] = spriteicon

            ::evilgoto::
        end
    end

    local flip = false

    local lastChange = 0

    local startedPlaying = 0
    local start = false

    local curSong = songs[1]
    local curIndex = 1
    local evilCurIndex = 1
    local curDiffList = songs[1].difficulties

    local bfAtlas = love.animate.newTextureAtlas()
    local picoAtlas

    local curDiff = songs[1].difficulties[1]
    local curDiffInd = 1

    local diffIMG
    local charIcon
    local iconNum = math.random(1, 3)

    local curState = nil
    local stateLoaded = false

    local pressed = { false, false, false }

    local bg
    local logo
    local gf
    local charSwapSND = love.audio.newSource("sounds/CS_select.ogg", "stream")
    charSwapSND:setVolume(0.25)

    local left
    local arrow

    local function setup()
        if not freaky:isPlaying() then
            freaky:play()
        end

        start = false
        bg = Image("images/menuBG.png", 0)
        bg.ui = false
        bg.layer = -10

        -- NO MORE GF

        left = Image("images/MenuLeft.png")
        left.layer = 0
        left.resize = Vector2(2, 1)

        arrow = Sprite(
            string.format("sprites/freeplay/freeplaySelector-%s.png", curChar),
            string.format("sprites/freeplay/freeplaySelector-%s.json", curChar)
        )
        arrow.position.y = 330
        arrow.position.x = 20
        arrow.layer = 1
        arrow.resize = Vector2(.5, .5)
        arrow.flipX = true
        arrow:PlayAnimation("arrow pointer loop", 24, true)

        -- render.preLoad(
        --               "sprites/freeplay/freeplaySelector_pico.png",
        --               "sprites/freeplay/freeplaySelector.json"
        --             )

        diffIMG = Sprite("images/diff/diffList.png", "images/diff/diffList.json") --look there was a different plan going in
        diffIMG:PlayAnimation(curDiff, 24, false)
        diffIMG.position = Vector2(400, 640)
        diffIMG.layer = 2

        charIcon = Sprite("sprites/menu/charIcons.png", "sprites/menu/charIcons.json")
        charIcon:PlayAnimation(curChar .. iconNum, 24, false)
        charIcon.position = Vector2(350, 200)
        charIcon.resize = Vector2(0.25, 0.25) --this doesnt work and idk why
        charIcon.layer = 2                    --since they won't overlap this is ok i think

        bfAtlas = love.animate.newTextureAtlas()

        bfAtlas:load(string.format("sprites/charSelect/%sChill", curChar))

        bfAtlas:play(string.format("%s cs idle", curChar))

        setupIcons()
    end

    local function run()
        render.destroyAllSprites()
        freaky:stop()

        state.changeState("playstate", curSong.name, curDiff, true)
    end

    local font = love.graphics.newFont("fonts/FridayNightFunkin-Regular.ttf", 40)
    local smallerFont = love.graphics.newFont("fonts/FridayNightFunkin-Regular.ttf", 20)

    local gettingKey

    local settings = json.parse(files.read_file("settings.json"))
    local keybinds = settings.Keybinds
    local scroll = love.audio.newSource("sounds/ui/scrollMenu.ogg", "static")
    local confirm = love.audio.newSource("sounds/ui/confirmMenu.ogg", "static")

    function state.update(dt)
        if start then
            startedPlaying = startedPlaying + dt
            if startedPlaying > .5 then
                run()
            end
        end

        lastChange = lastChange + dt
        if lastChange > .25 and bfAtlas.symbol == curChar .. " slide in" then
            bfAtlas:play(curChar .. " cs idle")
        end
        bfAtlas:update(dt)
        render.cameraTarget = Vector2(0, 0)
        render.updateSprites(dt)
    end

    function state.draw()
        love.graphics.setDefaultFilter("nearest", "nearest")
        render.drawSprites()

        evilCurIndex = Lerp(evilCurIndex, curIndex, .3)

        for index, song in next, songs do
            local color = index == curIndex and { 50, 50, 50 } or { 0, 0, 0 }
            love.graphics.print({ color, song.name }, font, 310 - (8 * math.abs(index - evilCurIndex)),
                love.graphics:getHeight() / 2 + (50 * (index - evilCurIndex - .7)), 0, 1, 1, 200)

            local icon = icons[song.name]
            if icon then
                icon.position = Vector2(50 - (8 * math.abs(index - evilCurIndex)),
                    love.graphics:getHeight() / 2 + (50 * (index - evilCurIndex - .5)))
            end
        end

        arrow.position = Vector2(60 - 16 * math.abs(evilCurIndex - curIndex),
            love.graphics:getHeight() / 2 - ((evilCurIndex - curIndex + 1)) * 50)

        bfAtlas:draw(playableOffsets[curChar][bfAtlas.symbol].x, playableOffsets[curChar][bfAtlas.symbol].y, 0,
            playableFlips[bfAtlas.symbol] and -1 or 1, 1)
        -- if bfAtlas.symbol == curChar .. " slide in" then
        --     bfAtlas:draw(curChar == "bf" and 695 or 690, curChar == "bf" and 315 or 320, 0, flip and -1 or 1, 1)
        -- else
        --     bfAtlas:draw(curChar == "bf" and 700 or 1150, curChar == "bf" and 300 or 190, 0, flip and -1 or 1, 1)
        -- end

        if data.songs[curChar] and data.songs[curChar][curSong.name] and data.songs[curChar][curSong.name][curDiff] then
            local text = string.format("Accuracy: %s, Score: %s, Rank: %s",
                tostring(data.songs[curChar][curSong.name][curDiff].accuracy):sub(1, 5),
                data.songs[curChar][curSong.name][curDiff].score, data.songs[curChar][curSong.name][curDiff].rank)
            love.graphics.print({ { 0, 0, 0 }, text }, smallerFont, 1280 - text:len() * 10, 0)
        end
    end

    function state.keypressed(key, un, is)
        if key == "return" then
            start = true
            startedPlaying = 0
            icons[curSong.name]:PlayAnimation("confirm", 24, false)
            confirm:stop()
            confirm:play()
            bfAtlas:play(string.format("%s cs confirm", curChar))
        elseif key == "down" then
            curIndex, curSong = next(songs, curIndex)
            if not curSong then
                curIndex, curSong = next(songs)
                curDiffList = curSong.difficulties
            else
                curDiffList = curSong.difficulties
            end
            curDiffInd = 1
            curDiff = curDiffList[1]
            diffIMG:PlayAnimation(curDiff, 24, true)
            scroll:stop()
            scroll:play()
        elseif key == "up" then     --the solution was so stupid easy
            if songs[curIndex - 1] then
                curSong = songs[curIndex - 1]
                curDiffList = songs[curIndex - 1].difficulties
                curDiffInd = 1
                curDiff = curDiffList[curDiffInd]
                curIndex = curIndex - 1
            else
                curSong = songs[#songs]
                curIndex = #songs
                curDiffList = songs[curIndex].difficulties
                curDiffInd = 1
                curDiff = curDiffList[curDiffInd]
            end
            curDiffInd = 1
            curDiff = curDiffList[1]
            diffIMG:PlayAnimation(curDiff, 24, true)
            scroll:stop()
            scroll:play()
        elseif key == "right" then
            if curDiffList[curDiffInd + 1] then
                curDiff = curDiffList[curDiffInd + 1]
                curDiffInd = curDiffInd + 1
            else
                curDiff = curDiffList[1]
                curDiffInd = 1
            end
            diffIMG:PlayAnimation(curDiff, 24, true)
            scroll:stop()
            scroll:play()
        elseif key == "left" then
            if curDiffList[curDiffInd - 1] then
                curDiff = curDiffList[curDiffInd - 1]
                curDiffInd = curDiffInd - 1
            else
                curDiff = curDiffList[#curDiffList]
                curDiffInd = #curDiffList
            end
            diffIMG:PlayAnimation(curDiff, 24, true)
            scroll:stop()
            scroll:play()
        elseif key == "p" then     --changes character to/from pico hopefully
            arrow:Destroy()
            -- flip = true
            curCharIndex, curChar = next(playables, curCharIndex)
            if not curCharIndex then
                curCharIndex = 1
                curChar = playables[1]
            end
            songs = require(string.format("charts.songs-%s", curChar))     --change which catalogue is available
            bfAtlas:stop()
            bfAtlas:load(string.format("sprites/charSelect/%sChill", curChar))
            bfAtlas:play(string.format("%s slide in", curChar))
            arrow = Sprite(
                string.format("sprites/freeplay/freeplaySelector-%s.png", curChar),
                string.format("sprites/freeplay/freeplaySelector-%s.json", curChar)
            )
            arrow.position.y = 330
            arrow.position.x = 20
            arrow.layer = 1
            arrow.resize = Vector2(.5, .5)
            arrow.flipX = true
            arrow:PlayAnimation("arrow pointer loop", 24, true)
            flip = false
            --reset the index's nd shit
            curSong = songs[1]
            curIndex = 1
            evilCurIndex = 1
            curDiffInd = 1
            curDiffList = songs[curIndex].difficulties
            curDiff = curDiffList[1]
            diffIMG:PlayAnimation(curDiff, 24, true)
            iconNum = math.random(1, 3)
            charIcon:PlayAnimation(curChar .. iconNum, 24, false)
            charSwapSND:stop()
            charSwapSND:play()
            lastChange = 0
            setupIcons()
        elseif key == "escape" then
            state.changeState("menustate")
        end
    end

    function state.load()
        setup()
        love.window.setMode(1280, 720, { fullscreen = false, resizable = false, centered = true, borderless = false })
    end

    return state
end