diff --git a/chameleonic.p8 b/chameleonic.p8
index 863cb6f..2eb34e0 100644
--- a/chameleonic.p8
+++ b/chameleonic.p8
@@ -584,54 +584,27 @@ player={}
 add(real_modules,player)
 
 function player:init()
- --self:reinit(8,14)
-
  -- don't change this on reinit:
  -- it stays the same when the level is changed or reloaded
  self.vanish_frame=0 
 end
 
 function player:reinit(x,y)
- self.x=x
- self.y=y
- self.px=0
- self.py=0
+ self.x,self.y=x,y
+ self.px,self.py=0,0
  self.todo={}
 
  self.fall_frame=0
- self.reset_frame=0
  
- self.orientx=-1
- self.orienty=0
- 
- self.rope=nil
-end
-
-function player:any_busy()
- if (#self.todo>0) return true
- if (level:busy()) return true
- return false
+ self.orientx,self.orienty=-1,0
 end
 
 function player:update()
- local _addall=function(t,xs)
-  for i in all(xs) do
-   add(t,i)
-  end
- end
-
- local f4 = function(xs) 
-  -- todo: other anim stuff
-  xs[#xs].px=0
-  xs[#xs].py=0
-  return xs
- end
-
  -- this is a non-gameplay action that takes precedence over 
  -- all gameplay actions
  self:_vanish_if_requested()
 
- if not self:any_busy() then
+ if not (#self.todo>0 or level:busy()) then
   if level:win_at(self.x,self.y) then
    level:advance()
    return
@@ -660,23 +633,19 @@ function player:update()
    end
    -- wait for user to release it
   else
+   local function try_move(dx,dy,f)
+    if (level:can_move(true,self.x,self.y,dx,dy,0,2)) self.todo=f return
+    wrongbleep:bleep()
+   end
    if kbd:btn(0) then 
-    if level:can_move(true,self.x,self.y,-1,0,0,2) then
-     self.todo=f4({{orientx=-1,orienty=0,px=-2},{px=-7},{x=self.x-1}})
-    else wrongbleep:bleep() end
+    try_move(-1,0,{{orientx=-1,orienty=0,px=-2},{px=-7},{x=self.x-1,px=0}})
    elseif kbd:btn(1) then
-    if level:can_move(true,self.x,self.y,1,0,0,2) then
-     self.todo=f4({{orientx=1,orienty=0,px=2},{px=7},{x=self.x+1}})
-    else wrongbleep:bleep() end
+    try_move(1,0,{{orientx=1,orienty=0,px=2},{px=7},{x=self.x+1,px=0}})
    elseif kbd:btn(2) then
-    if level:can_move(true,self.x,self.y,0,-1,0,2) then
-     self.todo=f4({{orienty=-1,py=-2},{py=-7},{y=self.y-1}})
-    else wrongbleep:bleep() end
+    try_move(0,-1,{{orienty=-1,py=-2},{py=-7},{y=self.y-1,py=0}})
    elseif kbd:btn(3) then
-    if level:can_move(true,self.x,self.y,0,1,0,2) then
-     self.todo=f4({{orienty=1,py=2},{py=7},{y=self.y+1}})
-    else wrongbleep:bleep() end
-   elseif self.rope==nil and kbd:btnr(4) then
+    try_move(0,1,{{orienty=1,py=2},{py=7},{y=self.y+1,py=0}})
+   elseif not self.rope and kbd:btnr(4) then
     local dx,dy=self.orientx,self.orienty
     if (dy!=0) dx=0
 
@@ -695,37 +664,31 @@ function player:update()
      end
     }}
    elseif kbd:btnp(5) then
-    if self.rope!=nil then
-     if (not self.rope:tug()) wrongbleep:bleep(9)
-    end
+    if (self.rope and not self.rope:tug()) wrongbleep:bleep(9)
    end
   end
  end
 
- if self.rope then
-  self.rope:update()
- end
  _apply(self,self.todo)
 
  if self.rope then
   self.rope:update()
   if self.rope:done_reeling() then 
-   self.x=self.rope.latch.rec.mx+self.rope.latch.dx
-   self.y=self.rope.latch.rec.my+self.rope.latch.dy
+   local latch=self.rope.latch
+   self.x=latch.rec.mx+latch.dx
+   self.y=latch.rec.my+latch.dy
   end
 
-  local rx=self.x+self.px/8+0.5
-  local ry=self.y+self.py/8+0.5
-  -- do the hokey pokey to work out kinks in the rope
-  self.rope:drag_dst(rx,ry)
+  self.rope:drag_dst(
+   self.x+self.px/8+0.5,
+   self.y+self.py/8+0.5
+  )
 
   local tdx,tdy=self.rope:tug_orientxy()
-  if (tdx!=0) self.orientx=tdx
-  if (tdy!=0) self.orienty=tdy
+  if (tdx) self.orientx=tdx
+  if (tdy) self.orienty=tdy
 
-  if self.rope:done() then
-   self.rope=nil
-  end
+  if (self.rope:done()) self.rope=nil
  end
 end
 
@@ -754,23 +717,27 @@ function player:draw()
  local px=self.x*8+self.px+wrongbleep:vibrate()
  local py=self.y*8+self.py+wrongbleep:vibrate()
 
-
  local head=1-self.orienty
 
  local vanish_level=max((self.vanish_frame-4)/16,0)
  local invis_level=max(self.fall_frame/10,4*(vanish_level-0.75))
  if (invis_level>=1.0) return
 
- --px+=sin(vanish_level*16)*max(vanish_level-0.1,0)*1
+ --[[
  local HEAD=14--3
  local BODY=12--12
  local TAIL=14--14
  local IRIS=7--9
  local PUPIL=0--0
+ ]]
 
- local setpal=function()
-  -- base colors
-  pal{
+  -- in order: head,body,iris,pupil,body again,tail
+ local palette=split"-1,14,14,12,12,-1,-1,-1,7,0,-1,12,14,14,14"
+ local function setpal()
+  --[[
+   -- head
+   nil,14,14,
+   --body
    [2]=HEAD,
    [3]=HEAD,
    [4]=BODY,
@@ -781,7 +748,8 @@ function player:draw()
    [13]=TAIL,
    [14]=TAIL,
    [15]=TAIL,
-  }
+  ]]
+  pal(palette)
 
   -- vanish colors
   local vanish=split"13,15,14,5,4,12,2,3,9,10"
@@ -789,11 +757,7 @@ function player:draw()
    if (vanish_level>i/#vanish) pal(ilc,1)
   end
 
-  if self.fall_frame>3 then
-   local zc=@0x5f00&0xf0
-   for i=0x5f00,0x5f0c,4 do poke4(i,0x0101.0101) end
-   poke(0x5f00,zc|0x01)
-  end
+  if (self.fall_frame>3) local zc=@0x5f00&0xf0 for i=0x5f00,0x5f0c,4 do poke4(i,0x0101.0101) end poke(0x5f00,zc|0x01)
  end
 
  local rx,ry=self.x*8+self.px+1,self.y*8+self.py+2
@@ -1434,12 +1398,12 @@ function rope:tug_orientxy()
  local a1=self.dst
  local a0=self.dst.prev
  local dx=a0.ax-a1.ax
- local tdx=0
+ local tdx=nil
  if (dx>3/8) tdx=1
  if (dx<-3/8) tdx=-1
 
  local dy=a0.ay-a1.ay
- local tdy=0
+ local tdy=nil
  if abs(dy)>abs(dx)/2 then 
   if (dy>3/8) tdy=1
   if (dy<-3/8) tdy=-1