diff --git a/overviewer.py b/overviewer.py
index 71e0eab..31b4c2d 100755
--- a/overviewer.py
+++ b/overviewer.py
@@ -100,13 +100,14 @@ def main():
     parser.add_option("--imgformat", dest="imgformat", help="The image output format to use. Currently supported: png(default), jpg.", configFileOnly=True )
     parser.add_option("--imgquality", dest="imgquality", default=95, help="Specify the quality of image output when using imgformat=\"jpg\".", type="int", configFileOnly=True)
     parser.add_option("--bg_color", dest="bg_color", help="Configures the background color for the GoogleMap output.  Specify in #RRGGBB format", configFileOnly=True, type="string", default="#1A1A1A")
-    parser.add_option("--optimize-img", dest="optimizeimg", help="If using png, perform image file size optimizations on the output. Specify 1 for pngcrush, 2 for pngcrush+optipng+advdef. This may double (or more) render times, but will produce up to 30% smaller images. NOTE: requires corresponding programs in $PATH or %PATH%", configFileOnly=True)
+    parser.add_option("--optimize-img", dest="optimizeimg", help="If using png, perform image file size optimizations on the output. Specify 1 for pngcrush, 2 for pngcrush+advdef and 3 for pngcrush-advdef with more agressive settings. This may double (or more) render times, but will produce up to 30% smaller images. NOTE: requires corresponding programs in $PATH or %PATH%", configFileOnly=True)
     parser.add_option("--web-assets-hook", dest="web_assets_hook", help="If provided, run this function after the web assets have been copied, but before actual tile rendering begins. It should accept a QuadtreeGen object as its only argument.", action="store", metavar="SCRIPT", type="function", configFileOnly=True)
     parser.add_option("--web-assets-path", dest="web_assets_path", help="Specifies a non-standard web_assets directory to use. Files here will overwrite the default web assets.", metavar="PATH", type="string", configFileOnly=True)
     parser.add_option("--textures-path", dest="textures_path", help="Specifies a non-standard textures path, from which terrain.png and other textures are loaded.", metavar="PATH", type="string", configFileOnly=True)
     parser.add_option("-q", "--quiet", dest="quiet", action="count", default=0, help="Print less output. You can specify this option multiple times.")
     parser.add_option("-v", "--verbose", dest="verbose", action="count", default=0, help="Print more output. You can specify this option multiple times.")
     parser.add_option("--skip-js", dest="skipjs", action="store_true", help="Don't output marker.js or regions.js")
+    parser.add_option("--no-signs", dest="nosigns", action="store_true", help="Don't output signs to markers.js")
     parser.add_option("--display-config", dest="display_config", action="store_true", help="Display the configuration parameters, but don't render the map.  Requires all required options to be specified", commandLineOnly=True)
     #parser.add_option("--write-config", dest="write_config", action="store_true", help="Writes out a sample config file", commandLineOnly=True)
 
diff --git a/overviewer_core/data/web_assets/overviewer.js b/overviewer_core/data/web_assets/overviewer.js
index 467affb..615e78a 100644
--- a/overviewer_core/data/web_assets/overviewer.js
+++ b/overviewer_core/data/web_assets/overviewer.js
@@ -598,6 +598,11 @@ var overviewer = {
                 var items = [];
                 for (i in overviewerConfig.objectGroups.signs) {
                     var signGroup = overviewerConfig.objectGroups.signs[i];
+                    // don't create an option for this group if empty
+                    if (overviewer.collections.markers[signGroup.label].length == 0) {
+                        continue;
+                    }
+                    
                     var iconURL = signGroup.icon;
                     if(!iconURL) {
                         iconURL = overviewerConfig.CONST.image.defaultMarker;
@@ -616,7 +621,11 @@ var overviewer = {
                         }
                     });
                 }
-                overviewer.util.createDropDown('Signposts', items);
+                
+                // only create drop down if there's used options
+                if (items.length > 0) {
+                    overviewer.util.createDropDown('Signposts', items);
+                }
             }
 
             // if there are any regions data, lets show the option to hide/show them.
diff --git a/overviewer_core/googlemap.py b/overviewer_core/googlemap.py
index d853534..7d4dc7e 100644
--- a/overviewer_core/googlemap.py
+++ b/overviewer_core/googlemap.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ import stat
 import cPickle
 import Image
 import shutil
-from time import strftime, gmtime
+from time import strftime, localtime
 import json
 
 import util
@@ -67,7 +67,8 @@ class MapGen(object):
         image format, and world. 
         Note:tiledir for each quadtree should be unique. By default the tiledir is determined by the rendermode"""
         
-        self.skipjs = configInfo.get('skipjs', None)
+        self.skipjs = configInfo.get('skipjs', False)
+        self.nosigns = configInfo.get('nosigns', False)
         self.web_assets_hook = configInfo.get('web_assets_hook', None)
         self.web_assets_path = configInfo.get('web_assets_path', None)
         self.bg_color = configInfo.get('bg_color')
@@ -135,8 +136,7 @@ class MapGen(object):
         indexpath = os.path.join(self.destdir, "index.html")
 
         index = open(indexpath, 'r').read()
-        index = index.replace(
-                "{time}", str(strftime("%a, %d %b %Y %H:%M:%S +0000", gmtime())))
+        index = index.replace("{time}", str(strftime("%a, %d %b %Y %H:%M:%S %Z", localtime())))
         versionstr = "%s (%s)" % (overviewer_version.VERSION, overviewer_version.HASH[:7])
         index = index.replace("{version}", versionstr)
 
@@ -159,13 +159,18 @@ class MapGen(object):
         # we need to merge self.world.POI with the persistant data in world.PersistentData
 
         self.world.POI += filter(lambda x: x['type'] != 'spawn', self.world.persistentData['POI'])
+        
+        if self.nosigns:
+            markers = filter(lambda x: x['type'] != 'sign', self.world.POI)
+        else:
+            markers = self.world.POI
 
         # write out the default marker table
         with open(os.path.join(self.destdir, "markers.js"), 'w') as output:
             output.write("overviewer.collections.markerDatas.push([\n")
-            for marker in self.world.POI:
+            for marker in markers:
                 output.write(json.dumps(marker))
-                if marker != self.world.POI[-1]:
+                if marker != markers[-1]:
                     output.write(",")
                 output.write("\n")
             output.write("]);\n")
diff --git a/overviewer_core/optimizeimages.py b/overviewer_core/optimizeimages.py
index 01799e4..4422feb 100644
--- a/overviewer_core/optimizeimages.py
+++ b/overviewer_core/optimizeimages.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ def check_programs(level):
         result = filter(lambda x: os.path.exists(os.path.join(x, prog)), path)
         return len(result) != 0
     
-    for prog,l in [(pngcrush,1), (optipng,2), (advdef,2)]:
+    for prog,l in [(pngcrush,1), (advdef,2)]:
         if l <= level:
             if (not exists_in_path(prog)) and (not exists_in_path(prog + ".exe")):
                 raise Exception("Optimization prog %s for level %d not found!" % (prog, l))
@@ -46,8 +46,7 @@ def optimize_image(imgpath, imgformat, optimizeimg):
 
         if optimizeimg >= 2:
             # the "-nc" it's needed to no broke the transparency of tiles
-            subprocess.Popen([optipng, "-nc", imgpath], stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,
-                stdout=subprocess.PIPE).communicate()[0]
-            subprocess.Popen([advdef, "-z4",imgpath], stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,
+            recompress_option = "-z2" if optimizeimg == 2 else "-z4"
+            subprocess.Popen([advdef, recompress_option,imgpath], stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,
                 stdout=subprocess.PIPE).communicate()[0]
 
diff --git a/sample.settings.py b/sample.settings.py
index 863b266..8c85a3e 100644
--- a/sample.settings.py
+++ b/sample.settings.py
@@ -92,9 +92,11 @@ imgformat = "jpg"
 ################################################################################
 ### optimizeimg
 ## If using png, perform image file size optimizations on the output. Specify 1
-## for pngcrush, 2 for pngcrush+optipng+advdef.  This may double (or more) 
-## render times, but will produce up to 30% smaller images. NOTE: requires 
-## corresponding programs in $PATH or %PATH%
+## for pngcrush, 2 for pngcrush+advdef, 3 for pngcrush+advdef with more agressive
+## options. Option 1 gives around 19% of reduction, option 2 gives around 21% 
+## (it doubles the optimizing time) and option 3 gives around 23% (it doubles, 
+## again, the optimizing time). Using this option may double (or more) 
+## render times. NOTE: requires corresponding programs in $PATH or %PATH%
 ## Default: not set
 ## Type: integer
 ## Example: