diff --git a/src/Core/GameBoard.cpp b/src/Core/GameBoard.cpp
index d449ff5..2459569 100644
--- a/src/Core/GameBoard.cpp
+++ b/src/Core/GameBoard.cpp
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include <memory>
 #include <utility>
 #include <cstdlib>
+#include <iostream>
 
 
 GameBoard::GameBoard(int boardWidth, int boardHeight, const std::shared_ptr<PiecesList>& piecesList, int nextQueueLength) :
diff --git a/src/Core/GameParameters.cpp b/src/Core/GameParameters.cpp
index cb22008..e5f9efe 100644
--- a/src/Core/GameParameters.cpp
+++ b/src/Core/GameParameters.cpp
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 GameParameters::GameParameters(Gamemode gamemode, const Player& controls) :
     gamemode(gamemode),
     controls(controls) {
-        
+    
     this->reset();
 }
 
diff --git a/src/GraphicalUI/AppMenus/GamePlayingAppMenu.cpp b/src/GraphicalUI/AppMenus/GamePlayingAppMenu.cpp
index 8f0a280..809b28c 100644
--- a/src/GraphicalUI/AppMenus/GamePlayingAppMenu.cpp
+++ b/src/GraphicalUI/AppMenus/GamePlayingAppMenu.cpp
@@ -120,8 +120,6 @@ void GamePlayingAppMenu::drawFrame() const {
         }
     }
 
-    // end coutdown
-
     if (drawActivePiece) {
         // ghost piece
         sf::Color ghostColor = this->getColorOfBlock(this->game.getActivePiece()->getBlockType(), 100);
diff --git a/src/GraphicalUI/AppMenus/StartUpAppMenu.cpp b/src/GraphicalUI/AppMenus/StartUpAppMenu.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..efdb735
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/GraphicalUI/AppMenus/StartUpAppMenu.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+#include "StartUpAppMenu.h"
+
+#include "AppMenu.h"
+#include "MainAppMenu.h"
+#include "../PlayerCursor.h"
+
+#include <stack>
+#include <memory>
+#include <SFML/Graphics.hpp>
+
+
+StartUpAppMenu::StartUpAppMenu(std::shared_ptr<MenuStack> menuStack, std::shared_ptr<Settings> settings, std::shared_ptr<sf::RenderWindow> renderWindow) :
+    AppMenu(menuStack, settings, renderWindow),
+    playerCursor({LOADED_PIECES_SIZE + 1}) {
+
+    this->playerCursor.goToPosition({MINIMUM_PIECES_SIZE, 0});
+}
+
+void StartUpAppMenu::computeFrame() {
+    this->updateMetaBinds();
+    this->playerCursor.updatePosition();
+
+    if (this->playerCursor.getPosition().x < MINIMUM_PIECES_SIZE) {
+        if (this->playerCursor.movedLeft()) {
+            this->playerCursor.goToPosition({LOADED_PIECES_SIZE, 0});
+        }
+        else {
+            this->playerCursor.goToPosition({MINIMUM_PIECES_SIZE, 0});
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (this->enterReleased) {
+        *this->settings = Settings(this->playerCursor.getPosition().x);
+        this->menuStack->pop();
+
+        if (this->settings->hasLoadedPieces()) {
+            this->menuStack->push(std::make_shared<MainAppMenu>(this->menuStack, this->settings, this->renderWindow));
+        }
+        else {
+            std::cout << "ERROR: COULD NOT LOAD PIECES" << std::endl;
+            std::cout << "ARGUMENT WAS: " << this->playerCursor.getPosition().x << std::endl;
+        }
+    }
+    else if (this->escReleased) {
+        this->menuStack->pop();
+    }
+}
+
+void StartUpAppMenu::drawFrame() const {
+    this->renderWindow->clear(sf::Color(200, 200, 200));
+
+    sf::Text text(this->pressStartFont, "", this->settings->getWindowSizeMultiplier() * 2);
+    text.setFillColor(sf::Color(0, 0, 0));
+    text.setOutlineColor(sf::Color(255, 255, 255));
+
+    this->placeTitle(text, {}, "SELECT MAXIMUM PIECES SIZE", 10.f, {});
+    this->placeTitle(text, this->playerCursor, "< " + std::to_string(this->playerCursor.getPosition().x) + " >", 25.f, this->playerCursor.getPosition());
+    
+    text.setOutlineColor({0, 0, 0});
+    if (this->playerCursor.getPosition().x <= 10) {
+        text.setFillColor({0, 255, 0});
+        this->placeTitle(text, {}, "LOW LOAD TIME", 40.f, {});
+    }
+    else if (this->playerCursor.getPosition().x <= 13) {
+        text.setFillColor({255, 255, 0});
+        this->placeTitle(text, {}, "MEDIUM LOAD TIME", 40.f, {}); 
+    }
+    else {
+        text.setFillColor({255, 0, 0});
+        this->placeTitle(text, {}, "LONG LOAD TIME", 40.f, {}); 
+    }
+
+    this->renderWindow->display();
+}
diff --git a/src/GraphicalUI/AppMenus/StartUpAppMenu.h b/src/GraphicalUI/AppMenus/StartUpAppMenu.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ba3d0ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/GraphicalUI/AppMenus/StartUpAppMenu.h
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include "AppMenu.h"
+#include "../PlayerCursor.h"
+
+#include <stack>
+#include <memory>
+#include <SFML/Graphics.hpp>
+
+
+class StartUpAppMenu : public AppMenu {
+    private:
+        PlayerCursor playerCursor;
+
+    public:
+        StartUpAppMenu(std::shared_ptr<MenuStack> menuStack, std::shared_ptr<Settings> settings, std::shared_ptr<sf::RenderWindow> renderWindow);
+
+        void computeFrame() override;
+
+        void drawFrame() const override;
+};
diff --git a/src/GraphicalUI/GraphApp.cpp b/src/GraphicalUI/GraphApp.cpp
index e9c76ec..5db3ea8 100644
--- a/src/GraphicalUI/GraphApp.cpp
+++ b/src/GraphicalUI/GraphApp.cpp
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #include "GraphApp.h"
 
 #include "AppMenus/AppMenu.h"
-#include "AppMenus/MainAppMenu.h"
+#include "AppMenus/StartUpAppMenu.h"
 #include "Settings.h"
 
 #include <stack>
@@ -11,15 +11,15 @@
 static const double TIME_BETWEEN_FRAMES = (1000.f / FRAMES_PER_SECOND);
 
 
-GraphApp::GraphApp(int maximumPiecesSize) {
-    this->settings = std::make_shared<Settings>(maximumPiecesSize);
+GraphApp::GraphApp() {
+    this->settings = std::make_shared<Settings>(0);
     this->menuStack = std::make_shared<MenuStack>();
     this->renderWindow = std::make_shared<sf::RenderWindow>();
 }
 
 void GraphApp::run() {
     this->settings->changeVideoMode(*this->renderWindow);
-    this->menuStack->push(std::make_shared<MainAppMenu>(this->menuStack, this->settings, this->renderWindow));
+    this->menuStack->push(std::make_shared<StartUpAppMenu>(this->menuStack, this->settings, this->renderWindow));
 
     bool quit = false;
     double timeAtNextFrame = 0;
diff --git a/src/GraphicalUI/GraphApp.h b/src/GraphicalUI/GraphApp.h
index 3502088..4f2c694 100644
--- a/src/GraphicalUI/GraphApp.h
+++ b/src/GraphicalUI/GraphApp.h
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ class GraphApp {
         std::shared_ptr<sf::RenderWindow> renderWindow;
     
     public:
-        GraphApp(int maximumPiecesSize);
+        GraphApp();
 
         void run();
 };
diff --git a/src/GraphicalUI/Settings.cpp b/src/GraphicalUI/Settings.cpp
index afef4bf..9c5ee00 100644
--- a/src/GraphicalUI/Settings.cpp
+++ b/src/GraphicalUI/Settings.cpp
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@
 
 #include "../Core/Menu.h"
 #include "Keybinds.h"
+#include "PiecesType.h"
 
+#include <vector>
 #include <fstream>
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <SFML/Graphics.hpp>
@@ -15,9 +17,26 @@ static const int DISTRIBUTION_MAX = 10;
 
 
 Settings::Settings(int maximumPiecesSize) {
-    this->maximumPiecesSize = maximumPiecesSize;
-    for (int i = 1; i <= this->maximumPiecesSize; i++) {
-        this->menu.getPiecesList().loadPieces(i);
+    if (maximumPiecesSize < MINIMUM_PIECES_SIZE || maximumPiecesSize > LOADED_PIECES_SIZE) {
+        this->maximumPiecesSize = 0;
+        this->loadedPieces = false;
+    }
+    else {
+        bool loaded = true;
+        int i = 1;
+        while (loaded && (i <= maximumPiecesSize)) {
+            loaded = this->menu.getPiecesList().loadPieces(i);
+            i++;
+        }
+
+        if (loaded) {
+            this->maximumPiecesSize = maximumPiecesSize;
+            this->loadedPieces = true;
+        }
+        else {
+            this->maximumPiecesSize = 0;
+            this->loadedPieces = false;
+        }
     }
 
     this->keybinds.reserve(NUMBER_OF_KEYBINDS);
@@ -68,50 +87,58 @@ void Settings::loadSettingsFromFile() {
     settingsFile.get(byte);
     this->menu.setBoardHeight(byte);
 
-    // piece distribution
-    settingsFile.get(byte);
-    this->menu.getPiecesList().setDistributionMode(DistributionMode(byte));
-
-    this->distributions.clear();
-    this->distributions.push_back(0);
-    for (int i = 1; i <= 15; i++) {
+    if (this->loadedPieces) {
+        // piece distribution
         settingsFile.get(byte);
-        this->distributions.push_back(byte);
-    }
-    this->confirmDistribution();
+        this->menu.getPiecesList().setDistributionMode(DistributionMode(byte));
 
-    // selected pieces
-    char pieceType;
-    char pieceSize;
-    char lowByte;
-    char midByte;
-    char highByte;
+        this->distributions.clear();
+        this->distributions.push_back(0);
+        for (int i = 1; i <= 15; i++) {
+            settingsFile.get(byte);
+            this->distributions.push_back(byte);
+        }
+        this->confirmDistribution();
 
-    this->selectedPieces.clear();
-    while (settingsFile.get(pieceType)) {
-        if (settingsFile.eof()) break;
-        
-        if (getSizeOfPieces(PiecesType(pieceType)) == 0) {
-            settingsFile.get(pieceSize);
+        // selected pieces
+        char pieceType;
+        char pieceSize;
+        char lowByte;
+        char midByte;
+        char highByte;
 
-            if (!(pieceSize > this->maximumPiecesSize)) {
-                this->selectedPieces.emplace_back(PiecesType(pieceType), pieceSize);
-            }
-        }
-        else {
-            if (!(getSizeOfPieces(PiecesType(pieceType)) > this->maximumPiecesSize)) {
-                settingsFile.get(lowByte);
-                settingsFile.get(midByte);
-                settingsFile.get(highByte);
-                int pieceNumber = ((unsigned char) lowByte) + ((unsigned char) midByte << 8) + ((unsigned char) highByte << 16);
-                this->selectedPieces.emplace_back(PiecesType(pieceType), pieceNumber);
+        this->selectedPieces.clear();
+        while (settingsFile.get(pieceType)) {
+            if (settingsFile.eof()) break;
+            
+            if (getSizeOfPieces(PiecesType(pieceType)) == 0) {
+                settingsFile.get(pieceSize);
+
+                if (!(pieceSize > this->maximumPiecesSize)) {
+                    this->selectedPieces.emplace_back(PiecesType(pieceType), pieceSize);
+                }
+            }
+            else {
+                if (!(getSizeOfPieces(PiecesType(pieceType)) > this->maximumPiecesSize)) {
+                    settingsFile.get(lowByte);
+                    settingsFile.get(midByte);
+                    settingsFile.get(highByte);
+                    int pieceNumber = ((unsigned char) lowByte) + ((unsigned char) midByte << 8) + ((unsigned char) highByte << 16);
+                    this->selectedPieces.emplace_back(PiecesType(pieceType), pieceNumber);
+                }
             }
         }
+        this->confirmSelectedPieces();
+    }
+    else {
+        this->distributions.clear();
+        this->selectedPieces.clear();
     }
-    this->confirmSelectedPieces();
 }
 
 void Settings::saveSettingsToFile() const {
+    if (!this->loadedPieces) return;
+
     this->keybinds.at(CUSTOMIZABLE_KEYBINDS).saveKeybindsToFile();
 
     std::ofstream settingsFile("data/config/settings.bin", std::ios::trunc | std::ios::binary);
@@ -247,16 +274,21 @@ void Settings::setGamemode(Gamemode gamemode) {
 }
 
 void Settings::selectPieces(PiecesType type, int value) {
+    if (!this->loadedPieces) return;
+
     this->selectedPieces.emplace_back(type, value);
 }
 
 void Settings::unselectPieces(int index) {
+    if (!this->loadedPieces) return;
     if (index >= this->selectedPieces.size()) return;
 
     this->selectedPieces.erase(this->selectedPieces.begin() + index);
 }
 
 void Settings::confirmSelectedPieces() {
+    if (!this->loadedPieces) return;
+
     this->menu.getPiecesList().unselectAll();
 
     if (this->getSelectedPieces().size() == 0) {
@@ -281,6 +313,7 @@ void Settings::confirmSelectedPieces() {
 }
 
 bool Settings::increaseDistribution(int size) {
+    if (!this->loadedPieces) return false;
     if (size < 1 || size > this->maximumPiecesSize) return false;
 
     if (this->distributions.at(size) < DISTRIBUTION_MAX) {
@@ -291,6 +324,7 @@ bool Settings::increaseDistribution(int size) {
 }
 
 bool Settings::decreaseDistribution(int size) {
+    if (!this->loadedPieces) return false;
     if (size < 1 || size > this->maximumPiecesSize) return false;
 
     if (this->distributions.at(size) > 0) {
@@ -301,6 +335,8 @@ bool Settings::decreaseDistribution(int size) {
 }
 
 void Settings::confirmDistribution() {
+    if (!this->loadedPieces) return;
+
     for (int i = 1; i <= 15; i++) {
         this->menu.getPiecesList().changeCustomDistribution(i, (double) 1 / (this->distributions.at(i) + 0.001));
     }
@@ -318,6 +354,10 @@ int Settings::getMaximumPiecesSize() const {
     return this->maximumPiecesSize;
 }
 
+bool Settings::hasLoadedPieces() const {
+    return this->loadedPieces;
+}
+
 int Settings::getKeybindsLayout() const {
     return this->chosenKeybinds;
 }
diff --git a/src/GraphicalUI/Settings.h b/src/GraphicalUI/Settings.h
index f3cb917..e1c6897 100644
--- a/src/GraphicalUI/Settings.h
+++ b/src/GraphicalUI/Settings.h
@@ -1,21 +1,33 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include "../Core/Menu.h"
-#include "StartUpMenu.h"
 #include "Keybinds.h"
 #include "PiecesType.h"
 
-#include <SFML/Graphics.hpp>
 #include <vector>
+#include <SFML/Graphics.hpp>
 
 static const int MAXIMUM_BOARD_WIDTH = 40;
 static const int MAXIMUM_BOARD_HEIGHT = 40;
 
+static const int MINIMUM_PIECES_SIZE = 4;
+static const int MAXIMUM_PIECES_SIZE = 15;
+
+//#define __JMINOS_RELEASE__
+#ifdef __JMINOS_RELEASE__
+static const int LOADED_PIECES_SIZE = 15;
+#else
+static const int LOADED_PIECES_SIZE = 10;
+#endif
+
+static const std::pair<PiecesType, int> DEFAULT_SELECTION = {ALL_PIECES, MINIMUM_PIECES_SIZE};
+
 
 class Settings {
     private:
         Menu menu;
         int maximumPiecesSize;
+        bool loadedPieces;
         std::vector<Keybinds> keybinds;
         int chosenKeybinds;
         int windowSizeMode;
@@ -67,6 +79,8 @@ class Settings {
 
         int getMaximumPiecesSize() const;
 
+        bool hasLoadedPieces() const;
+
         int getKeybindsLayout() const;
 
         Gamemode getGamemode() const;
diff --git a/src/GraphicalUI/StartUpMenu.cpp b/src/GraphicalUI/StartUpMenu.cpp
deleted file mode 100644
index facb931..0000000
--- a/src/GraphicalUI/StartUpMenu.cpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,15 +0,0 @@
-#include "StartUpMenu.h"
-
-#include "PlayerCursor.h"
-
-
-StartUpMenu::StartUpMenu() :
-    playerCursor({LOADED_PIECES_SIZE}) {
-
-    this->playerCursor.goToPosition({MINIMUM_PIECES_SIZE, 0});
-}
-
-int StartUpMenu::getMaximumPiecesSize() {
-    return LOADED_PIECES_SIZE;
-    //TODO
-}
diff --git a/src/GraphicalUI/StartUpMenu.h b/src/GraphicalUI/StartUpMenu.h
deleted file mode 100644
index 585e686..0000000
--- a/src/GraphicalUI/StartUpMenu.h
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,28 +0,0 @@
-#pragma once
-
-#include "PiecesType.h"
-#include "PlayerCursor.h"
-
-
-static const int MINIMUM_PIECES_SIZE = 4;
-static const int MAXIMUM_PIECES_SIZE = 15;
-
-//#define __JMINOS_RELEASE__
-#ifdef __JMINOS_RELEASE__
-static const int LOADED_PIECES_SIZE = 15;
-#else
-static const int LOADED_PIECES_SIZE = 10;
-#endif
-
-static const std::pair<PiecesType, int> DEFAULT_SELECTION = {ALL_PIECES, MINIMUM_PIECES_SIZE};
-
-
-class StartUpMenu {
-    private:
-        PlayerCursor playerCursor;
-
-    public:
-        StartUpMenu();
-
-        int getMaximumPiecesSize();
-};
diff --git a/src/GraphicalUI/main.cpp b/src/GraphicalUI/main.cpp
index c7cd856..16b7922 100644
--- a/src/GraphicalUI/main.cpp
+++ b/src/GraphicalUI/main.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#include "StartUpMenu.h"
 #include "GraphApp.h"
 #include "../Pieces/PiecesFiles.h"
 
@@ -31,10 +30,7 @@ int main() {
         }
     }
 
-    StartUpMenu startUp;
-    int maximumPiecesSize = startUp.getMaximumPiecesSize();
-
-    GraphApp UI(maximumPiecesSize);
+    GraphApp UI;
     UI.run();
 
     return 0;