diff --git a/.luarc.json b/.luarc.json
index 85096c08..bcf6b2b7 100644
--- a/.luarc.json
+++ b/.luarc.json
@@ -48,6 +48,11 @@
 
     "hint.semicolon": "Disable",
 
+    "runtime.plugin": "common/lib/luaLsPlugin.lua",
+
+    // to support mixin union types where a table is both types rather than just one
+    "type.weakUnionCheck": true,
+
     "workspace.checkThirdParty": false,
     "workspace.ignoreDir": [
         "client/lib/rich_presence/",
@@ -61,7 +66,9 @@
         "common/lib/socket.lua",
         "common/lib/dkjson.lua",
         "common/lib/csprng.lua",
-        "common/lib/jprof/MessagePack.lua"
+        "common/lib/jprof/MessagePack.lua",
+        "common/lib/import.lua",
+        "common/lib/luaLsPlugin.lua"
     ],
     "workspace.library": [
         ".vscode/love2d-12/library"
diff --git a/client/src/ui/BoolSelector.lua b/client/src/ui/BoolSelector.lua
index 2827daeb..7f578ba7 100644
--- a/client/src/ui/BoolSelector.lua
+++ b/client/src/ui/BoolSelector.lua
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ local DebugSettings = require("client.src.debug.DebugSettings")
 
 --- A BoolSelector is a UIElement that shows if a setting is on or off and lets you toggle it.
 ---@class BoolSelector : UiElement
+---@operator call(BoolSelectorOptions): BoolSelector
 ---@field value boolean
 ---@field vertical boolean
 ---@field circleRadius number
diff --git a/client/src/ui/init.lua b/client/src/ui/init.lua
index 5b74969d..2e47094d 100644
--- a/client/src/ui/init.lua
+++ b/client/src/ui/init.lua
@@ -1,62 +1,95 @@
-local PATH = (...):gsub('%.init$', '')
+-- import is getting "live replaced" for intellisense via the lua LS plugin so the editor incorrectly detects it as unused-local
+-- but without lua LS it is a real function that manages the relative require
+---@diagnostic disable-next-line: unused-local
+local import = require("common.lib.import")
+
+--[[
+tag each with
+---@source relative path
+that way "Go to source" on an import of ui elsewhere will lead to the respective source instead of this file
+the "./" is assumed given for relative paths but it's still a path so adding the file extension is necessary
+when addressing files in subdirectories of ui use forward slashes as the path separator
+https://luals.github.io/wiki/annotations/#source
+
+Intellisense for constructors that have their constructor annotated usually works fine if you type
+ui.UiElement({})
+and then navigate back into the {} and hit Ctrl+Space for suggestions
+
+"Go to source" on functions will work after annotating either
+---@operator call(argType): classname
+or
+---@overload fun(options: argType): classname
+on the class itself as luaLS only then correctly infers the return from the constructor
+]]
+
 
 local ui = {
-  ---@see BoolSelector
-  ---@type fun(options: BoolSelectorOptions): BoolSelector
-  BoolSelector = require(PATH .. ".BoolSelector"),
-  ---@see Button
-  ---@type fun(options: ButtonOptions): Button
-  Button = require(PATH .. ".Button"),
-  ButtonGroup = require(PATH .. ".ButtonGroup"),
-  Carousel = require(PATH .. ".Carousel"),
-  ---@see ChangeInputButton
-  ---@type fun(options: ChangeInputButtonOptions): ChangeInputButton
-  ChangeInputButton = require(PATH .. ".ChangeInputButton"),
-  Focusable = require(PATH .. ".Focusable"),
-  FocusDirector = require(PATH .. ".FocusDirector"),
-  Grid = require(PATH .. ".Grid"),
-  GridCursor = require(PATH .. ".GridCursor"),
-  ---@see ImageButton
-  ---@type fun(options: ImageButtonOptions): ImageButton
-  ImageButton = require(PATH .. ".ImageButton"),
-  ImageContainer = require(PATH .. ".ImageContainer"),
-  InputField = require(PATH .. ".InputField"),
-  KeyBindingMenuItem = require(PATH .. ".KeyBindingMenuItem"),
-  ---@see Label
-  ---@type fun(options: LabelOptions): Label
-  Label = require(PATH .. ".Label"),
-  Leaderboard = require(PATH .. ".Leaderboard"),
-  ---@see LevelSlider
-  ---@type fun(options: SliderOptions): LevelSlider
-  LevelSlider = require(PATH .. ".LevelSlider"),
-  Menu = require(PATH .. ".Menu"),
-  MenuItem = require(PATH .. ".MenuItem"),
-  MultiPlayerSelectionWrapper = require(PATH .. ".MultiPlayerSelectionWrapper"),
-  PagedUniGrid = require(PATH .. ".PagedUniGrid"),
-  PanelCarousel = require(PATH .. ".PanelCarousel"),
-  ---@see PixelFontLabel
-  ---@type fun(options: PixelFontLabelOptions): PixelFontLabel
-  PixelFontLabel = require(PATH .. ".PixelFontLabel"),
-  ---@see ScrollContainer
-  ---@type fun(options: ScrollContainerOptions): ScrollContainer
-  ScrollContainer = require(PATH .. ".ScrollContainer"),
-  ScrollText = require(PATH .. ".ScrollText"),
-  ---@see Slider
-  ---@type fun(options: SliderOptions): Slider
-  Slider = require(PATH .. ".Slider"),
-  SliderMenuItem = require(PATH .. ".SliderMenuItem"),
+  ---@source BoolSelector.lua
+  BoolSelector = import("./BoolSelector"),
+  ---@source Button.lua
+  Button = import("./Button"),
+  ---@source ButtonGroup.lua
+  ButtonGroup = import("./ButtonGroup"),
+  ---@source Carousel.lua
+  Carousel = import("./Carousel"),
+  ---@source ChangeInputButton.lua
+  ChangeInputButton = import("./ChangeInputButton"),
+  ---@source Focusable.lua
+  Focusable = import("./Focusable"),
+  ---@source FocusDirector.lua
+  FocusDirector = import("./FocusDirector"),
+  ---@source Grid.lua
+  Grid = import("./Grid"),
+  ---@source GridCursor.lua
+  GridCursor = import("./GridCursor"),
+  ---@source ImageButton.lua
+  ImageButton = import("./ImageButton"),
+  ---@source ImageContainer.lua
+  ImageContainer = import("./ImageContainer"),
+  ---@source InputField.lua
+  InputField = import("./InputField"),
+  ---@source KeyBindingMenuItem.lua
+  KeyBindingMenuItem = import("./KeyBindingMenuItem"),
+  ---@source Label.lua
+  Label = import("./Label"),
+  ---@source Leaderboard.lua
+  Leaderboard = import("./Leaderboard"),
+  ---@source LevelSlider.lua
+  LevelSlider = import("./LevelSlider"),
+  ---@source Menu.lua
+  Menu = import("./Menu"),
+  ---@source MenuItem.lua
+  MenuItem = import("./MenuItem"),
+  ---@source MultiPlayerSelectionWrapper.lua
+  MultiPlayerSelectionWrapper = import("./MultiPlayerSelectionWrapper"),
+  ---@source PagedUniGrid.lua
+  PagedUniGrid = import("./PagedUniGrid"),
+  ---@source PanelCarousel.lua
+  PanelCarousel = import("./PanelCarousel"),
+  ---@source PixelFontLabel.lua
+  PixelFontLabel = import("./PixelFontLabel"),
+  ---@source ScrollContainer.lua
+  ScrollContainer = import("./ScrollContainer"),
+  ---@source ScrollText.lua
+  ScrollText = import("./ScrollText"),
+  ---@source Slider.lua
+  Slider = import("./Slider"),
+  ---@source SliderMenuItem.lua
+  SliderMenuItem = import("./SliderMenuItem"),
   ---@source StackElement.lua
-  StackElement = require(PATH .. ".StackElement"),
-  StackPanel = require(PATH .. ".StackPanel"),
-  StageCarousel = require(PATH .. ".StageCarousel"),
-  Stepper = require(PATH .. ".Stepper"),
-  ---@see TextButton
-  ---@type fun(options: TextButtonOptions): TextButton
-  TextButton = require(PATH .. ".TextButton"),
-  ---@see UiElement
-  ---@type fun(options:UiElementOptions): UiElement
-  UiElement = require(PATH .. ".UIElement"),
-  ValueLabel = require(PATH .. ".ValueLabel"),
+  StackElement = import("./StackElement"),
+  ---@source StackPanel.lua
+  StackPanel = import("./StackPanel"),
+  ---@source StageCarousel.lua
+  StageCarousel = import("./StageCarousel"),
+  ---@source Stepper.lua
+  Stepper = import("./Stepper"),
+  ---@source TextButton.lua
+  TextButton = import("./TextButton"),
+  ---@source UiElement.lua
+  UiElement = import("./UIElement"),
+  ---@source ValueLabel.lua
+  ValueLabel = import("./ValueLabel"),
 }
 
 return ui
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/common/lib/import.lua b/common/lib/import.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4f2e0de2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/lib/import.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+--[[
+A library to provide a relative require.
+Makes sense to use wherever we have grouped files that assuredly only ever move together.
+Otherwise require is probably still better.
+
+MIT License
+
+Copyright (c) 2023 Justin van der Leij
+
+Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+
+The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+
+THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
+SOFTWARE.
+]]
+
+local function extractPathComponents(path)
+  local components = {}
+  for component in path:gmatch("[^/]+") do
+      table.insert(components, component)
+  end
+
+  return components
+end
+
+local import = function(path)
+  local callerPath = debug.getinfo(2, "S").source:sub(2)
+
+  local pathStack = {}
+
+  if (path:sub(1, 1) == ".") then
+      local components = extractPathComponents(callerPath)
+
+      for i = 1, #components - 1 do
+          pathStack[i] = components[i]
+      end
+  end
+
+  local components = extractPathComponents(path)
+
+  for _, component in ipairs(components) do
+      if (component == ".") then
+          -- Skip
+      elseif (component == "..") then
+          table.remove(pathStack, #pathStack)
+      else
+          table.insert(pathStack, component)
+      end
+  end
+
+  local out = table.concat(pathStack, ".")
+
+  return require(out)
+end
+
+return import
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/common/lib/luaLsPlugin.lua b/common/lib/luaLsPlugin.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f98d7143
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/lib/luaLsPlugin.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+--[[
+A plugin for the language server to resolve the import libraries requires
+Intellisense becomes available for the returned types despite them technically being just a lua function call
+
+MIT License
+
+Copyright (c) 2024 Elmārs Āboliņš, including code from Justin van der Leij
+
+Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+
+The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+
+THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
+SOFTWARE.
+]]
+
+local workspace = require "workspace"
+
+local function extractPathComponents(path)
+    local components = {}
+    for component in path:gmatch("[^/]+") do
+        table.insert(components, component)
+    end
+
+    return components
+end
+
+local import = function(path, fileUri)
+    local callerPath = fileUri
+
+    local pathStack = {}
+
+    if (path:sub(1, 1) == ".") then
+        local components = extractPathComponents(callerPath)
+
+        for i = 1, #components - 1 do
+            pathStack[i] = components[i]
+        end
+    end
+
+    local components = extractPathComponents(path)
+
+    for _, component in ipairs(components) do
+        if (component == ".") then
+            -- Skip
+        elseif (component == "..") then
+            table.remove(pathStack, #pathStack)
+        else
+            table.insert(pathStack, component)
+        end
+    end
+
+    local out = table.concat(pathStack, ".")
+
+    return "require(\""..out.."\")"
+end
+
+function OnSetText(uri, text)
+    local diffs = {}
+
+    local transformedUri = uri:sub(#workspace.rootUri+2)
+
+    for startPos, path, finish in text:gmatch '()import%(([^%(%)]+)%)()' do
+        diffs[#diffs+1] = {
+            start  = startPos,
+            finish = finish - 1,
+            text   = import(path:gsub('\"',""), transformedUri),
+        }
+    end
+
+    return diffs
+end
\ No newline at end of file