diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index e8dede7..0548053 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -235,8 +235,8 @@ zoom=ZOOM
 
     This is equivalent to setting the dimensions of the highest zoom level. It
     does not actually change how the map is rendered, but rather *how much of
-    the map is rendered.* (Calling this option "zoom" may be a bit misleading,
-    I know)
+    the map is rendered.* Setting this option too low *will crop your map.*
+    (Calling this option "zoom" may be a bit misleading, I know)
    
     To be precise, it sets the width and height of the highest zoom level, in
     tiles. A zoom level of z means the highest zoom level of your map will be
diff --git a/contrib/benchmark.py b/contrib/benchmark.py
index 145654e..6de19e1 100644
--- a/contrib/benchmark.py
+++ b/contrib/benchmark.py
@@ -1,3 +1,13 @@
+"""Simple Benchmarking script.
+
+Usage and example:
+
+$ python contrib/benchmark.py World4/
+Rendering 50 chunks...
+Took 20.290062 seconds or 0.405801 seconds per chunk, or 2.464261 chunks per second
+"""
+
+
 import chunk
 import world
 import tempfile
@@ -8,12 +18,6 @@ import os
 import sys
 import shutil
 
-# Simple Benchmarking script.  Usage and example:
-
-#  $ python contrib/benchmark.py World4/
-#  Rendering 50 chunks...
-#  Took 20.290062 seconds or 0.405801 seconds per chunk, or 2.464261 chunks per second
-
 
 # create a new, empty, cache dir
 cachedir = tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix="benchmark_cache", dir=".")
diff --git a/contrib/blockcounter.py b/contrib/blockcounter.py
index b3603d3..6d69d55 100644
--- a/contrib/blockcounter.py
+++ b/contrib/blockcounter.py
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+"""Produces block counts
+
+"""
+
 import world, chunk
 
 import sys
diff --git a/contrib/clearOldCache.py b/contrib/clearOldCache.py
index 01b604d..45f8b0a 100644
--- a/contrib/clearOldCache.py
+++ b/contrib/clearOldCache.py
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 #!/usr/bin/python
 
+"""Deletes files from the old chunk-based cache"""
+
+
 usage = "python contrib/%prog [OPTIONS] <World # / Name / Path to World>"
 
 description = """
diff --git a/contrib/cyrillic_convert.py b/contrib/cyrillic_convert.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..3273c02
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/cyrillic_convert.py
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python
+
+"""Convert gibberish back into Cyrillic"""
+
+import fileinput
+import os
+import sys
+
+usage = """
+If you have signs that should be Cyrillic, but are instead gibberish,
+this script will convert it back to proper Cyrillic.
+
+usage: python %(script)s <markers.js>
+ex. python %(script)s C:\\Inetpub\\www\\map\\markers.js
+ or %(script)s /srv/http/map/markers.js
+""" % {'script': os.path.basename(sys.argv[0])}
+
+if len(sys.argv) < 2:
+    sys.exit(usage)
+
+gibberish_to_cyrillic = {
+    r"\u00c0": r"\u0410",
+    r"\u00c1": r"\u0411",
+    r"\u00c2": r"\u0412",
+    r"\u00c3": r"\u0413",
+    r"\u00c4": r"\u0414",
+    r"\u00c5": r"\u0415",
+    r"\u00c6": r"\u0416",
+    r"\u00c7": r"\u0417",
+    r"\u00c8": r"\u0418",
+    r"\u00c9": r"\u0419",
+    r"\u00ca": r"\u041a",
+    r"\u00cb": r"\u041b",
+    r"\u00cc": r"\u041c",
+    r"\u00cd": r"\u041d",
+    r"\u00ce": r"\u041e",
+    r"\u00cf": r"\u041f",
+    r"\u00d0": r"\u0420",
+    r"\u00d1": r"\u0421",
+    r"\u00d2": r"\u0422",
+    r"\u00d3": r"\u0423",
+    r"\u00d4": r"\u0424",
+    r"\u00d5": r"\u0425",
+    r"\u00d6": r"\u0426",
+    r"\u00d7": r"\u0427",
+    r"\u00d8": r"\u0428",
+    r"\u00d9": r"\u0429",
+    r"\u00da": r"\u042a",
+    r"\u00db": r"\u042b",
+    r"\u00dc": r"\u042c",
+    r"\u00dd": r"\u042d",
+    r"\u00de": r"\u042e",
+    r"\u00df": r"\u042f",
+    r"\u00e0": r"\u0430",
+    r"\u00e1": r"\u0431",
+    r"\u00e2": r"\u0432",
+    r"\u00e3": r"\u0433",
+    r"\u00e4": r"\u0434",
+    r"\u00e5": r"\u0435",
+    r"\u00e6": r"\u0436",
+    r"\u00e7": r"\u0437",
+    r"\u00e8": r"\u0438",
+    r"\u00e9": r"\u0439",
+    r"\u00ea": r"\u043a",
+    r"\u00eb": r"\u043b",
+    r"\u00ec": r"\u043c",
+    r"\u00ed": r"\u043d",
+    r"\u00ee": r"\u043e",
+    r"\u00ef": r"\u043f",
+    r"\u00f0": r"\u0440",
+    r"\u00f1": r"\u0441",
+    r"\u00f2": r"\u0442",
+    r"\u00f3": r"\u0443",
+    r"\u00f4": r"\u0444",
+    r"\u00f5": r"\u0445",
+    r"\u00f6": r"\u0446",
+    r"\u00f7": r"\u0447",
+    r"\u00f8": r"\u0448",
+    r"\u00f9": r"\u0449",
+    r"\u00fa": r"\u044a",
+    r"\u00fb": r"\u044b",
+    r"\u00fc": r"\u044c",
+    r"\u00fd": r"\u044d",
+    r"\u00fe": r"\u044e",
+    r"\u00ff": r"\u044f"
+}
+
+for line in fileinput.FileInput(inplace=1):
+    for i, j in gibberish_to_cyrillic.iteritems():
+        line = line.replace(i, j)
+    sys.stdout.write(line)
+
diff --git a/contrib/findSigns.py b/contrib/findSigns.py
index 3213b35..a344c71 100644
--- a/contrib/findSigns.py
+++ b/contrib/findSigns.py
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 #!/usr/bin/python
 
 '''
+Updates overviewer.dat file sign info
+
 This script will scan through every chunk looking for signs and write out an
 updated overviewer.dat file.  This can be useful if your overviewer.dat file
 is either out-of-date or non-existant.  
diff --git a/contrib/playerInspect.py b/contrib/playerInspect.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d20d2ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/playerInspect.py
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+import sys
+
+"""
+Very basic player.dat inspection script
+"""
+
+sys.path.append(".")
+
+from overviewer_core.nbt import load
+from overviewer_core import items
+
+print "Inspecting %s" % sys.argv[1]
+
+data  = load(sys.argv[1])[1]
+
+
+print "Position:  %r" % data['Pos']
+print "Health:    %s" % data['Health']
+print "Inventory: %d items" % len(data['Inventory'])
+for item in data['Inventory']:
+    print "  %-3d %s" % (item['Count'], items.id2item(item['id']))
+
diff --git a/contrib/rerenderBlocks.py b/contrib/rerenderBlocks.py
index eb93871..ff7b02a 100644
--- a/contrib/rerenderBlocks.py
+++ b/contrib/rerenderBlocks.py
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 #!/usr/bin/python
 
 '''
+Generate a region list to rerender certain chunks
+
 This is used to force the regeneration of any chunks that contain a certain
 blockID.  The output is a chunklist file that is suitable to use with the
 --chunklist option to overviewer.py.
diff --git a/contrib/testRender.py b/contrib/testRender.py
index c4de264..4fa9e7e 100644
--- a/contrib/testRender.py
+++ b/contrib/testRender.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/python
 
+"Test Render Script"
+
 import os, shutil, tempfile, time, sys, math, re
 from subprocess import Popen, PIPE, STDOUT, CalledProcessError
 from optparse import OptionParser
diff --git a/contrib/validateRegionFile.py b/contrib/validateRegionFile.py
index 7dd2763..b9276f3 100644
--- a/contrib/validateRegionFile.py
+++ b/contrib/validateRegionFile.py
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
 
+'''
+Validate a region file
+
+TODO description here'''
+
 import os.path
 import sys
 overviewer_dir = os.path.split(os.path.split(os.path.abspath(__file__))[0])[0]
diff --git a/contribManager.py b/contribManager.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..0f89d1b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contribManager.py
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
+# The contrib manager is used to help control the contribs script 
+# that are shipped with overviewer in Windows packages
+
+import sys
+import os.path
+sys.path.append("overviewer_core")
+import nbt
+import ast
+
+scripts=dict( # keys are names, values are scripts
+        benchmark       = "benchmark.py",
+        findSigns       = "findSigns.py",
+        validate        = "validateRegionFile.py",
+        playerInspect   = "playerInspect.py",
+        convertCyrillic = "cyrillic_convert.py"
+        )
+
+# you can symlink or hardlink contribManager.py to another name to have it
+# automatically find the right script to run.  For example:
+# > ln -s contribManager.py validate.exe
+# > chmod +x validate.exe
+# > ./validate.exe -h
+
+
+# figure out what script to execute
+argv=os.path.basename(sys.argv[0])
+
+if argv[-4:] == ".exe":
+    argv=argv[0:-4]
+if argv[-3:] == ".py":
+    argv=argv[0:-3]
+
+
+usage="""Usage:
+%s --list-contribs | <script name> <arguments>
+
+Executes a contrib script.  
+
+Options:
+  --list-contribs           Lists the supported contrib scripts
+
+""" % os.path.basename(sys.argv[0])
+
+if argv in scripts.keys():
+    script = scripts[argv]
+    sys.argv[0] = script
+else:
+    if "--list-contribs" in sys.argv:
+        for contrib in scripts.keys():
+            # use an AST to extract the docstring for this module
+            script = scripts[contrib]
+            with open(os.path.join("contrib",script)) as f:
+                d = f.read()
+            node=ast.parse(d, script);
+            docstring = ast.get_docstring(node)
+            if docstring:
+                docstring = docstring.strip().splitlines()[0]
+            else:
+                docstring="(no description found.  add one by adding a docstring to %s)" % script
+            print "%s : %s" % (contrib, docstring)
+        sys.exit(0)
+    if len(sys.argv) > 1 and sys.argv[1] in scripts.keys():
+        script = scripts[sys.argv[1]]
+        sys.argv = [script] + sys.argv[2:]
+    else:
+        print usage
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+
+torun = os.path.join("contrib", script)
+
+if not os.path.exists(torun):
+    print "Script '%s' is missing!" % script
+    sys.exit(1)
+
+execfile(torun)
+
diff --git a/overviewer.py b/overviewer.py
index 47bf66f..c422113 100755
--- a/overviewer.py
+++ b/overviewer.py
@@ -159,6 +159,17 @@ def main():
         sys.exit(1)
     worlddir = args[0]
 
+    if len(args) > 2:
+        # it's possible the user has a space in one of their paths but didn't properly escape it
+        # attempt to detect this case
+        for start in range(len(args)):
+            if not os.path.exists(args[start]):
+                for end in range(start+1, len(args)+1):
+                    if os.path.exists(" ".join(args[start:end])):
+                        logging.warning("It looks like you meant to specify \"%s\" as your world dir or your output\n\
+dir but you forgot to put quotes around the directory, since it contains spaces." % " ".join(args[start:end]))
+                        sys.exit(1)
+
     if not os.path.exists(worlddir):
         # world given is either world number, or name
         worlds = world.get_worlds()
diff --git a/overviewer_core/items.py b/overviewer_core/items.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9b01aed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/overviewer_core/items.py
@@ -0,0 +1,211 @@
+items = {
+    0: 'Air',
+    1: 'Stone',
+    2: 'Grass',
+    3: 'Dirt',
+    4: 'Cobblestone',
+    5: 'Wooden plank',
+    6: 'Sapling',
+    7: 'Bedrock',
+    8: 'Water',
+    9: 'Stationary',
+    10: 'Lava',
+    11: 'Stationary',
+    12: 'Sand',
+    13: 'Gravel',
+    14: 'Gold ore',
+    15: 'Iron ore',
+    16: 'Coal ore',
+    17: 'Wood',
+    18: 'Leaves',
+    19: 'Sponge',
+    20: 'Glass',
+    21: 'Lapis lazuli ore',
+    22: 'Lapis lazuli block',
+    23: 'Dispenser',
+    24: 'Sandstone',
+    25: 'Note block',
+    26: 'Bed',
+    27: 'Powered rail',
+    28: 'Detector rail',
+    29: 'Sticky piston',
+    30: 'Cobweb',
+    31: 'Tall grass',
+    32: 'Dead shrubs',
+    33: 'Piston',
+    34: 'Piston extension',
+    35: 'Wool',
+    36: 'Block moved by piston',
+    37: 'Dandelion',
+    38: 'Rose',
+    39: 'Brown mushroom',
+    40: 'Red mushroom',
+    41: 'Block of gold',
+    42: 'Block of iron',
+    43: 'Double slabs',
+    44: 'Slabs',
+    45: 'Brick block',
+    46: 'TNT',
+    47: 'Bookshelf',
+    48: 'Moss stone',
+    49: 'Obsidian',
+    50: 'Torch',
+    51: 'Fire',
+    52: 'Monster spawner',
+    53: 'Wooden stairs',
+    54: 'Chest',
+    55: 'Redstone wire',
+    56: 'Diamond ore',
+    57: 'Block of diamond',
+    58: 'Crafting table',
+    59: 'Seeds',
+    60: 'Farmland',
+    61: 'Furnace',
+    62: 'Burning furnace',
+    63: 'Sign',
+    64: 'Wooden door',
+    65: 'Ladders',
+    66: 'Rails',
+    67: 'Cobblestone stairs',
+    68: 'Wall sign',
+    69: 'Lever',
+    70: 'Stone pressure plate',
+    71: 'Iron door',
+    72: 'Wooden pressure plate',
+    73: 'Redstone ore',
+    74: 'Glowing redstone ore',
+    75: 'Redstone torch (off)',
+    76: 'Redstone torch (on)',
+    77: 'Stone button',
+    78: 'Snow',
+    79: 'Ice',
+    80: 'Snow block',
+    81: 'Cactus',
+    82: 'Clay block',
+    83: 'Sugar cane',
+    84: 'Jukebox',
+    85: 'Fence',
+    86: 'Pumpkin',
+    87: 'Netherrack',
+    88: 'Soul sand',
+    89: 'Glowstone block',
+    90: 'Portal',
+    91: 'Jack-O-Lantern',
+    92: 'Cake',
+    93: 'Redstone repeater (off)',
+    94: 'Redstone repeater (on)',
+    95: 'Locked',
+    96: 'Trapdoor',
+    256: 'Iron shovel',
+    257: 'Iron pickaxe',
+    258: 'Iron axe',
+    259: 'Flint and steel',
+    260: 'Red apple',
+    261: 'Bow',
+    262: 'Arrow',
+    263: 'Coal',
+    264: 'Diamond',
+    265: 'Iron ingot',
+    266: 'Gold ingot',
+    267: 'Iron sword',
+    268: 'Wooden sword',
+    269: 'Wooden shovel',
+    270: 'Wooden pickaxe',
+    271: 'Wooden axe',
+    272: 'Stone sword',
+    273: 'Stone shovel',
+    274: 'Stone pickaxe',
+    275: 'Stone axe',
+    276: 'Diamond sword',
+    277: 'Diamond shovel',
+    278: 'Diamond pickaxe',
+    279: 'Diamond axe',
+    280: 'Stick',
+    281: 'Bowl',
+    282: 'Mushroom soup',
+    283: 'Gold sword',
+    284: 'Gold shovel',
+    285: 'Gold pickaxe',
+    286: 'Gold axe',
+    287: 'String',
+    288: 'Feather',
+    289: 'Gunpowder',
+    290: 'Wooden hoe',
+    291: 'Stone hoe',
+    292: 'Iron hoe',
+    293: 'Diamond hoe',
+    294: 'Gold hoe',
+    295: 'Seeds',
+    296: 'Wheat',
+    297: 'Bread',
+    298: 'Leather cap',
+    299: 'Leather tunic',
+    300: 'Leather pants',
+    301: 'Leather boots',
+    302: 'Chain helmet',
+    303: 'Chain chestplate',
+    304: 'Chain leggings',
+    305: 'Chain boots',
+    306: 'Iron helmet',
+    307: 'Iron chestplate',
+    308: 'Iron leggings',
+    309: 'Iron boots',
+    310: 'Diamond helmet',
+    311: 'Diamond chestplate',
+    312: 'Diamond leggings',
+    313: 'Diamond boots',
+    314: 'Gold helmet',
+    315: 'Gold chestplate',
+    316: 'Gold leggings',
+    317: 'Gold boots',
+    318: 'Flint',
+    319: 'Raw porkchop',
+    320: 'Cooked porkchop',
+    321: 'Paintings',
+    322: 'Golden apple',
+    323: 'Sign',
+    324: 'Wooden door',
+    325: 'Bucket',
+    326: 'Water bucket',
+    327: 'Lava bucket',
+    328: 'Minecart',
+    329: 'Saddle',
+    330: 'Iron door',
+    331: 'Redstone',
+    332: 'Snowball',
+    333: 'Boat',
+    334: 'Leather',
+    335: 'Milk',
+    336: 'Clay brick',
+    337: 'Clay',
+    338: 'Sugar cane',
+    339: 'Paper',
+    340: 'Book',
+    341: 'Slimeball',
+    342: 'Minecart with chest',
+    343: 'Minecart with furnace',
+    344: 'Egg',
+    345: 'Compass',
+    346: 'Fishing rod',
+    347: 'Clock',
+    348: 'Glowstone dust',
+    349: 'Raw fish',
+    350: 'Cooked fish',
+    351: 'Dye',
+    352: 'Bone',
+    353: 'Sugar',
+    354: 'Cake',
+    355: 'Bed',
+    356: 'Redstone repeater',
+    357: 'Cookie',
+    358: 'Map',
+    359: 'Shears',
+    2256: 'Gold music disc',
+    2257: 'Green music disc'
+}
+
+def id2item(item_id):
+    if item_id in items:
+        return items[item_id]
+    else:
+        return item_id
diff --git a/overviewer_core/src/composite.c b/overviewer_core/src/composite.c
index 432ece8..d83701c 100644
--- a/overviewer_core/src/composite.c
+++ b/overviewer_core/src/composite.c
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ alpha_over_full(PyObject *dest, PyObject *src, PyObject *mask, float overall_alp
             }
             
             /* special cases */
-            if (in_alpha == 255 || *outmask == 0) {
+            if (in_alpha == 255 || (*outmask == 0 && in_alpha > 0)) {
                 *outmask = in_alpha;
 
                 *out = *in;
diff --git a/overviewer_core/src/overviewer.h b/overviewer_core/src/overviewer.h
index b85fa2f..efe63b9 100644
--- a/overviewer_core/src/overviewer.h
+++ b/overviewer_core/src/overviewer.h
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 
 // increment this value if you've made a change to the c extesion
 // and want to force users to rebuild
-#define OVERVIEWER_EXTENSION_VERSION 8
+#define OVERVIEWER_EXTENSION_VERSION 10
 
 /* Python PIL, and numpy headers */
 #include <Python.h>
diff --git a/overviewer_core/src/rendermode-lighting.c b/overviewer_core/src/rendermode-lighting.c
index 65f6162..00a99a5 100644
--- a/overviewer_core/src/rendermode-lighting.c
+++ b/overviewer_core/src/rendermode-lighting.c
@@ -178,9 +178,14 @@ get_lighting_coefficient(RenderModeLighting *self, RenderState *state,
         
         /* stairs and half-blocks take the skylevel from the upper block if it's transparent */
         if (local_z != 127) {
-            upper_block = getArrayByte3D(blocks, local_x, local_y, local_z + 1);
+            int upper_counter = 0;
+            /* but if the upper_block is one of these special half-steps, we need to look at *its* upper_block */
+            do {
+                upper_counter++; 
+                upper_block = getArrayByte3D(blocks, local_x, local_y, local_z + upper_counter);
+            } while ((upper_block == 44 || upper_block == 54 || upper_block == 67) && local_z < 127);
             if (is_transparent(upper_block)) {
-                skylevel = getArrayByte3D(skylight, local_x, local_y, local_z + 1);
+                skylevel = getArrayByte3D(skylight, local_x, local_y, local_z + upper_counter);
             }
         } else {
             upper_block = 0;
@@ -188,7 +193,7 @@ get_lighting_coefficient(RenderModeLighting *self, RenderState *state,
         }
         
         /* the block has a bad blocklevel, estimate it from neigborhood
-        /* use given coordinates, no local ones! */
+         * use given coordinates, no local ones! */
         blocklevel = estimate_blocklevel(self, state, x, y, z, NULL);
 
     }
diff --git a/sample.settings.py b/sample.settings.py
index cccdac8..f5761ea 100644
--- a/sample.settings.py
+++ b/sample.settings.py
@@ -33,7 +33,9 @@ if procs < 1: procs = 1
 ## Sets the zoom level manually instead of calculating it. This can be useful
 ## if you have outlier chunks that make your world too big.  This value will
 ## make the highest zoom level contain (2**ZOOM)^2 tiles
-## Normally you should not need to set this variable.
+## ***Normally you should not need to set this variable.***
+## ***Setting it too low will crop your map!***
+## Seriously, check the README before using this.
 ## Default: Automatically calculated from your world
 ## Type: integer
 ## Example:
@@ -163,7 +165,8 @@ north_direction = "upper-right"
 
 
 
-### As a reminder, don't use this file verbatim, it should only be used as
-### a guide.
+### As a reminder, *don't use this file verbatim*, it should only be used as
+### a guide. Be sure to read what each option does before you set it.
+### See the README for more details.
 import sys
 sys.exit("This sample-settings file shouldn't be used directly!")
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 13d7f7f..3365989 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -95,10 +95,11 @@ if py2exe is not None:
     # py2exe likes a very particular type of version number:
     setup_kwargs['version'] = util.findGitVersion().replace("-",".")
 
-    setup_kwargs['console'] = ['overviewer.py']
+    setup_kwargs['console'] = ['overviewer.py', 'contribManager.py']
     setup_kwargs['data_files'] = [('', doc_files)]
     setup_kwargs['data_files'] += recursive_data_files('overviewer_core/data/textures', 'textures')
     setup_kwargs['data_files'] += recursive_data_files('overviewer_core/data/web_assets', 'web_assets')
+    setup_kwargs['data_files'] += recursive_data_files('contrib', 'contrib')
     setup_kwargs['zipfile'] = None
     if platform.system() == 'Windows' and '64bit' in platform.architecture():
         b = 3