diff --git a/gameview.py b/gameview.py
index 369c53f..648278d 100644
--- a/gameview.py
+++ b/gameview.py
@@ -472,11 +472,11 @@ class AOCharMovie(QtGui.QLabel):
     
     def play_talking(self, p_char, p_emote, scaling = SCALING_AUTO):
         p_char = p_char.lower()
-        gif_path = AOpath + 'characters/' + p_char + '/(b)' + p_emote + '.gif'
+        #gif_path = AOpath + 'characters/' + p_char + '/(b)' + p_emote + '.gif'
         
         self.m_movie.stop()
         self.clear()
-        self.m_movie.setFileName(gif_path)
+        #self.m_movie.setFileName(gif_path)
         self.m_movie.jumpToFrame(0)
         
         self.play_once = False
@@ -486,11 +486,11 @@ class AOCharMovie(QtGui.QLabel):
 
     def play_idle(self, p_char, p_emote, scaling = SCALING_AUTO):
         p_char = p_char.lower()
-        gif_path = AOpath + 'characters/' + p_char + '/(a)' + p_emote + '.gif'
+        #gif_path = AOpath + 'characters/' + p_char + '/(a)' + p_emote + '.gif'
         
         self.m_movie.stop()
         self.clear()
-        self.m_movie.setFileName(gif_path)
+        #self.m_movie.setFileName(gif_path)
         self.m_movie.jumpToFrame(0)
         
         self.play_once = False
@@ -2740,6 +2740,7 @@ class GUI(QtGui.QWidget):
                     self.icchatinput.insert(" ")
         
         m_chatmessage[CHARNAME] = m_chatmessage[CHARNAME].decode("utf-8")
+        m_chatmessage[OTHER_NAME] = m_chatmessage[OTHER_NAME].decode("utf-8")
         m_chatmessage[SHOWNAME] = m_chatmessage[SHOWNAME].decode('utf-8')
         
         f_char = m_chatmessage[CHARNAME]
@@ -2751,7 +2752,7 @@ class GUI(QtGui.QWidget):
         timestamp = "[%d:%.2d] " % (t[3], t[4]) if not self.demo_playing else ""
         
         if f_char.lower() != self.charlist[f_char_id][0].lower():
-            logcharname = self.charlist[f_char_id][0] + ' (' + f_char.decode("utf-8") + ')'
+            logcharname = self.charlist[f_char_id][0] + ' (' + f_char + ')'
         
         chatmsg = m_chatmessage[CHATMSG]