diff --git a/plant-eyes/client.ss b/plant-eyes/client.ss
index c1ebf49..7f71fe2 100644
--- a/plant-eyes/client.ss
+++ b/plant-eyes/client.ss
@@ -37,6 +37,15 @@
            (send jab send-msg plant (send msg to-string))))
        recipients))
     
+    (define (heir-send from l)
+      (for-each
+       (lambda (msg)
+         (cond ((not (list? msg))
+                (send-msg (list from) msg))
+               (else
+                (heir-send msg))))
+       l))
+    
     (define (fetch-messages l game-logic)
       (cond ((not (send jab msg-waiting?)) l)
             (else
@@ -56,11 +65,7 @@
                       (set! plants-present (cons (send msg get-data 'plant-id) plants-present))
                       (send-msg (list from) (make-object message% 'i-am-here (list (list 'plant-id jid))))                      
                       ; send out our plant description messages
-                      (for-each
-                       (lambda (msg)
-                         (printf "sending plant info to ~a ~n" from)
-                         (send-msg (list from) msg))
-                       (send game-logic get-player-plant-desc))
+                      (heir-send from (send game-logic serialise))
                       (fetch-messages l game-logic))
                      ((eq? name 'i-am-here)
                       (set! plants-present (cons (send msg get-data 'plant-id) plants-present))
diff --git a/plant-eyes/controller.ss b/plant-eyes/controller.ss
index 2f17413..0a026a0 100644
--- a/plant-eyes/controller.ss
+++ b/plant-eyes/controller.ss
@@ -64,8 +64,8 @@
       (when (or (key-pressed "a") (key-special-pressed 100)) (set! yaw (+ yaw 2)))
       (when (or (key-pressed "d") (key-special-pressed 102)) (set! yaw (- yaw 2)))
       (when (or (key-pressed "w") (key-special-pressed 101)) (set! tilt (- tilt 2)))
-      (when (or (key-pressed "s") (key-special-pressed 103)) (set! tilt (+ tilt 2)))      
-      
+      (when (or (key-pressed "s") (key-special-pressed 103)) (set! tilt (+ tilt 2)))  
+            
       ; clamp tilt to prevent gimbal lock
       (when (> tilt 88) (set! tilt 88))
       (when (< tilt -88) (set! tilt -88))
diff --git a/plant-eyes/logic.ss b/plant-eyes/logic.ss
index 6dfdf24..c37d4fc 100644
--- a/plant-eyes/logic.ss
+++ b/plant-eyes/logic.ss
@@ -62,14 +62,15 @@
      (width 0)            ; the width of this root
      (num-points max-twig-points) ; number of points in this twig
      (render-type 'extruded) ; the way to tell the view to render this twig
-     (dist start-twig-dist))               ; distance between points          
+     (dist start-twig-dist)               ; distance between points          
+     (parent-twig-id -1)
+     (parent-twig-point-index -1))
     
     (field
      (points '())     ; the 3d points for this twig
      (widths '())
      (twigs '())      ; children are stored with the point number they are connected to.
      (ornaments '())  ; the things attached to this twig, an assoc list with point index
-     (branch #f)   ; are we a main branch twig?
      (w 0)                ; the width of this segment
      (curl (vmul (crndvec) curl-amount))) ; the angles to turn each point, if curly  
     
@@ -96,9 +97,6 @@
     (define/public (get-render-type)
       render-type)
     
-    (define/public (set-branch! s)
-      (set! branch s))
-    
     (define/public (get-point point-index)
       (list-ref points point-index))
     
@@ -118,7 +116,7 @@
       (when (< (length points) num-points)
         (let ((new-point (if (zero? (length points))
                              ; first point should be at edge of the seed if we are a branch
-                             (if branch (vadd last-point (vmul dir dist)) 
+                             (if (eq? parent-twig-id -1) (vadd last-point (vmul dir dist)) 
                                  last-point)
                              (vadd last-point (vmul dir dist)))))
           
@@ -141,6 +139,18 @@
          (send (cadr twig) grow ndir))
        twigs))
     
+    (define/public (get-desc-list)
+       (list
+          (list 'plant-id (send plant get-id))
+          (list 'parent-twig-id parent-twig-id)
+          (list 'point-index parent-twig-point-index)
+          (list 'twig-id id)
+          (list 'type type)
+          (list 'dir dir)
+          (list 'width width)
+          (list 'num-points num-points)
+          (list 'render-type render-type)))
+    
     (define/public (add-twig point-index dir)
       (let ((twig (make-object twig-logic% 
                     (get-point point-index)
@@ -151,22 +161,32 @@
                       (list-ref widths point-index)
                       (quotient num-points 2)
                       render-type
-                      dist)))
+                      dist
+                    id
+                    point-index
+                    )))
       
-      (send-message 'new-twig (list 
-                               (list 'plant-id (send plant get-id))
-                               (list 'parent-twig-id id)
-                               (list 'point-index point-index)
-                               (list 'twig-id (send twig get-id))
-                               (list 'type (send twig get-type))
-                               (list 'dir (send twig get-dir))
-                               (list 'width (send twig get-width))
-                               (list 'num-points (send twig get-num-points))
-                               (list 'render-type (send twig get-render-type))
-                               ))
+      (send-message 'new-twig (send twig get-desc-list))
       (set! twigs (cons (list point-index twig) twigs))
         twig))
     
+    (define/public (serialise)
+      (append  
+        (list (make-object message% 'new-twig (get-desc-list)))
+        (append (map
+                 (lambda (point width)
+                   (make-object message% 'twig-grow (list 
+                                                     (list 'plant-id (send plant get-id))
+                                                     (list 'twig-id id)
+                                                     (list 'point point)
+                                                     (list 'width width))))
+                 points widths))
+        (append
+         (map
+          (lambda (twig)
+            (send (cadr twig) serialise))
+          twigs))))
+    
     (define/public (get-twig point-index)
       (cadr (assq point-index twigs)))
     
@@ -375,21 +395,10 @@
       (send twig set-id! (get-next-twig-id))
       (set! size (* size grow-amount))
       (send twig scale size)  
-      (send twig set-branch! #t)
-
       (send-message 'grow-seed (list 
                                 (list 'plant-id id)
                                 (list 'amount grow-amount)))
-      (send-message 'new-branch-twig (list 
-                               (list 'plant-id id)
-                               (list 'twig-id (send twig get-id))
-                               (list 'type (send twig get-type))
-                               (list 'dir (send twig get-dir))
-                               (list 'width (send twig get-width))
-                               (list 'num-points (send twig get-num-points))             
-                               (list 'render-type (send twig get-render-type))
-                               ))
-      
+      (send-message 'new-twig (send twig get-desc-list))      
       (set! twigs (cons-twig twig twigs max-twigs '())))
 
     
@@ -409,6 +418,16 @@
              (list -99 #f)
              twigs))))
       
+    (define/public (serialise)
+      (append (list (make-object message% 'new-plant (list
+                                              (list 'plant-id id)
+                                              (list 'pos pos)
+                                              (list 'size size))))
+              (append
+               (map
+                (lambda (twig)
+                  (send twig serialise))
+                twigs))))
     
     (define/augment (update)      
       ; grow a new ornament?
@@ -484,13 +503,8 @@
                                        (list 'pos (send pickup get-pos))))
       (set! pickups (cons pickup pickups)))
     
-    (define/public (get-player-plant-desc)          
-      (list (make-object message% 'new-plant (list
-                                              (list 'plant-id (send player get-id))
-                                              (list 'pos (send player get-pos))
-                                              (list 'size (send player get-size))))))
-
-    
+    (define/public (serialise)
+      (send player serialise))
     
     ; todo - distribute the checking of stuff like
     ; this to a random selection of pickups/plants
diff --git a/plant-eyes/view.ss b/plant-eyes/view.ss
index c2d0c76..6e172dc 100644
--- a/plant-eyes/view.ss
+++ b/plant-eyes/view.ss
@@ -375,15 +375,6 @@
           (if l              
               (cadr (assq twig-id twigs))
               #f)))
-
-      (define/public (add-branch-twig twig)     
-        ; attach to seed
-        (with-primitive (send twig get-root)
-                        (parent root))
-        (send twig set-col! col)
-        (send twig set-tex! tex)
-        (send twig build)        
-        (set! twigs (cons (list (send twig get-id) twig) twigs)))
       
       (define/public (destroy-branch-twig twig-id)
         (for-each
@@ -393,21 +384,29 @@
         (send (get-twig twig-id) destroy-twig)
         (set! twigs (assoc-remove twig-id twigs)))
       
-      (define/public (add-twig parent-twig-id point-index twig)     
+      (define/public (destroy-plant)
+        (destroy root)
+        (for-each
+         (lambda (twig)
+           (destroy-branch-twig (car twig)))
+         twigs))
+      
+      (define/public (add-twig parent-twig-id point-index twig)             
         (let ((ptwig (get-twig parent-twig-id)))
-          ; attach to parent twig              
-          (send twig set-pos! (send ptwig get-point point-index))
+          (when ptwig                        
+            (send twig set-pos! (send ptwig get-point point-index)) ; attach to parent twig   
+            ; tell the twigs about this relationship (might turn out to be overkill)
+            (send ptwig add-child-twig-id (send twig get-id))
+            (send twig set-parent-twig-id parent-twig-id))
+            
           (send twig set-col! col)   
           (send twig set-tex! tex)   
           (send twig build)
+          
           (with-primitive (send twig get-root)
-                          (parent (send ptwig get-root)))
-          
-          ; tell the twigs about this relationship (might turn out to be overkill)
-          (send ptwig add-child-twig-id (send twig get-id))
-          (send twig set-parent-twig-id parent-twig-id)
-          
-          (set! twigs (cons (list (send twig get-id) twig) twigs))))      
+                          (parent root))
+                    
+          (set! twigs (cons (list (send twig get-id) twig) twigs))))
       
       (define/public (grow-twig twig-id point width)
         (send (get-twig twig-id) grow point width)) 
@@ -419,11 +418,6 @@
         (send (get-twig twig-id) add-ornament point-index property))
       
       (define/public (update-nutrients t d)
-       #;(with-primitive nutrients
-                       (pdata-map!
-                        (lambda (p)
-                          (rndvec))
-                        "p"))
        (when (not (null? twigs))
           (with-primitive nutrients
                           (pdata-index-map!
@@ -564,15 +558,17 @@
       (fog fog-col fog-strength 1 100))
     
     (define/public (add-plant plant)
+      (destroy-plant (send plant get-id)) ; just in case
       (set! plants (cons (list (send plant get-id) plant) plants)))
     
     (define/public (get-plant plant-id)
       (let ((p (assoc plant-id plants)))
-        (when (not p) (error "plant id does not exist " plant-id))
-        (cadr p)))
+        (if (not p) #f (cadr p))))
     
-    (define/public (add-branch-twig plant-id twig)
-      (send (get-plant plant-id) add-branch-twig twig))
+    (define/public (destroy-plant plant-id)
+      (let ((p (get-plant plant-id)))
+        (when p (send p destroy-plant)
+          (set! plants (assoc-remove plant-id plants)))))
     
     (define/public (destroy-branch-twig plant-id twig-id)
       (send (get-plant plant-id) destroy-branch-twig twig-id))
@@ -638,28 +634,7 @@
                        (send msg get-data 'amount)))
            
            ((eq? (send msg get-name) 'destroy-branch-twig)
-            (destroy-branch-twig (send msg get-data 'plant-id) (send msg get-data 'twig-id)))
-           
-           ((eq? (send msg get-name) 'new-branch-twig)
-            (add-branch-twig (send msg get-data 'plant-id) 
-                             (cond 
-                               ((eq? (send msg get-data 'render-type) 'ribbon)
-                                (make-object ribbon-twig-view%                               
-                                  (send msg get-data 'twig-id)
-                                  (vector 0 0 0)
-                                  (send msg get-data 'type)                               
-                                  (send msg get-data 'dir)
-                                  (send msg get-data 'width)
-                                  (send msg get-data 'num-points)))
-
-                             ((eq? (send msg get-data 'render-type) 'extruded)
-                              (make-object extruded-twig-view%                               
-                                (send msg get-data 'twig-id)
-                                (vector 0 0 0)
-                                (send msg get-data 'type)                               
-                                (send msg get-data 'dir)
-                                (send msg get-data 'width)
-                                (send msg get-data 'num-points))))))
+            (destroy-branch-twig (send msg get-data 'plant-id) (send msg get-data 'twig-id)))          
            
            ((eq? (send msg get-name) 'new-twig)
             (add-twig (send msg get-data 'plant-id)