diff --git a/include/area_data.h b/include/area_data.h
index a70553a..49f0a28 100644
--- a/include/area_data.h
+++ b/include/area_data.h
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ class Logger;
 class AreaData : public QObject {
   Q_OBJECT
   public:
-    AreaData(QStringList p_characters, QString p_name, int p_index);
+    AreaData(QString p_name, int p_index);
 
     struct Evidence {
         QString name;
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ class AreaData : public QObject {
     QList<QTimer*> timers;
     QString name;
     int index;
-    QMap<QString, bool> characters_taken;
+    QList<int> characters_taken;
     QList<Evidence> evidence;
     int player_count;
     enum Status {
diff --git a/src/aoclient.cpp b/src/aoclient.cpp
index 16bd350..2d8f26c 100644
--- a/src/aoclient.cpp
+++ b/src/aoclient.cpp
@@ -64,8 +64,7 @@ void AOClient::clientDisconnected()
         arup(ARUPType::PLAYER_COUNT, true);
     }
     if (current_char != "") {
-        server->areas[current_area]->characters_taken[current_char] =
-            false;
+        server->areas[current_area]->characters_taken.removeAll(server->getCharID(current_char));
         server->updateCharsTaken(server->areas[current_area]);
     }
     bool update_locks;
@@ -116,8 +115,7 @@ void AOClient::changeArea(int new_area)
     }
 
     if (current_char != "") {
-        server->areas[current_area]->characters_taken[current_char] =
-            false;
+        server->areas[current_area]->characters_taken.removeAll(server->getCharID(current_char));
         server->updateCharsTaken(server->areas[current_area]);
     }
     server->areas[new_area]->player_count++;
@@ -128,13 +126,13 @@ void AOClient::changeArea(int new_area)
     sendPacket("HP", {"1", QString::number(server->areas[new_area]->def_hp)});
     sendPacket("HP", {"2", QString::number(server->areas[new_area]->pro_hp)});
     sendPacket("BN", {server->areas[new_area]->background});
-    if (server->areas[current_area]->characters_taken[current_char]) {
+    if (server->areas[current_area]->characters_taken.contains(server->getCharID(current_char))) {
         server->updateCharsTaken(server->areas[current_area]);
         current_char = "";
         sendPacket("DONE");
     }
     else {
-        server->areas[current_area]->characters_taken[current_char] = true;
+        server->areas[current_area]->characters_taken.append(server->getCharID(current_char));
         server->updateCharsTaken(server->areas[current_area]);
     }
     for (QTimer* timer : server->areas[current_area]->timers) {
@@ -157,7 +155,7 @@ void AOClient::changeCharacter(int char_id)
     AreaData* area = server->areas[current_area];
 
     if (current_char != "") {
-        area->characters_taken[current_char] = false;
+        area->characters_taken.removeAll(server->getCharID(current_char));
     }
 
     if(char_id > server->characters.length())
@@ -165,11 +163,11 @@ void AOClient::changeCharacter(int char_id)
 
     if (char_id >= 0) {
         QString char_selected = server->characters[char_id];
-        bool taken = area->characters_taken.value(char_selected);
+        bool taken = area->characters_taken.contains(char_id);
         if (taken || char_selected == "")
             return;
 
-        area->characters_taken[char_selected] = true;
+        area->characters_taken.append(char_id);
         current_char = char_selected;
     }
     else {
diff --git a/src/area_data.cpp b/src/area_data.cpp
index c85ea25..83bfc38 100644
--- a/src/area_data.cpp
+++ b/src/area_data.cpp
@@ -17,13 +17,10 @@
 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 #include "include/area_data.h"
 
-AreaData::AreaData(QStringList characters, QString p_name, int p_index)
+AreaData::AreaData(QString p_name, int p_index)
 {
     name = p_name;
     index = p_index;
-    for (QString cur_char : characters) {
-        characters_taken.insert(cur_char, false);
-    }
     QSettings areas_ini("config/areas.ini", QSettings::IniFormat);
     areas_ini.beginGroup(p_name);
     background = areas_ini.value("background", "gs4").toString();
diff --git a/src/server.cpp b/src/server.cpp
index 0f4d23a..131ec47 100644
--- a/src/server.cpp
+++ b/src/server.cpp
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ void Server::start()
     area_names = sanitized_area_names;
     for (int i = 0; i < area_names.length(); i++) {
         QString area_name = area_names[i];
-        areas.insert(i, new AreaData(characters, area_name, i));
+        areas.insert(i, new AreaData(area_name, i));
     }
 }
 
@@ -139,8 +139,8 @@ void Server::clientConnected()
 void Server::updateCharsTaken(AreaData* area)
 {
     QStringList chars_taken;
-    for (QString cur_char : area->characters_taken.keys()) {
-        chars_taken.append(area->characters_taken.value(cur_char)
+    for (QString cur_char : characters) {
+        chars_taken.append(area->characters_taken.contains(getCharID(cur_char))
                                ? QStringLiteral("-1")
                                : QStringLiteral("0"));
     }