diff --git a/README b/README
index bf722c9..6623d1b 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@ demos.  Plus, I am told that the Regular edition does seem to work by
 renaming a file or two.
 
 
+Unless someone feels strongly about it, I probably will decide not to support
+save games (save games were added in the gold edition).
+
+
 At least with the Gold edition, a number of files are encoded on the CD. So
 you would need to install the game in Windows (VMware works also) in order
 to get this to work.  Currently wine does not work because it fails the CD
diff --git a/src/avp/gamecmds.cpp b/src/avp/gamecmds.cpp
index 53b4b96..9a71aaa 100644
--- a/src/avp/gamecmds.cpp
+++ b/src/avp/gamecmds.cpp
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 
 extern "C"
 {
-#include "3dc.h"
 #include "module.h"
 #include "inline.h"
 
diff --git a/src/avp/language.c b/src/avp/language.c
index 45e611f..cd4fc0e 100644
--- a/src/avp/language.c
+++ b/src/avp/language.c
@@ -71,6 +71,9 @@ void InitTextStrings(void)
 	for (i=1; i<MAX_NO_OF_TEXTSTRINGS; i++)
 	{	
 		/* scan for a quote mark */
+		if (*textPtr == 0) /* TODO: probably a broken hack (added for predator demo)... */
+			break;
+
 		while (*textPtr++ != '"');
 
 		/* now pointing to a text string after quote mark*/
@@ -84,6 +87,7 @@ void InitTextStrings(void)
 
 		/* change quote mark to zero terminator */
 		*textPtr = 0;
+		textPtr++;
 
 		#if SupportWindows95
 		AddToTable( TextStringPtr[i] );
diff --git a/src/avp/win95/frontend/avp_menus.h b/src/avp/win95/frontend/avp_menus.h
index 8d0cbf8..800747b 100644
--- a/src/avp/win95/frontend/avp_menus.h
+++ b/src/avp/win95/frontend/avp_menus.h
@@ -1,15 +1,20 @@
 #ifndef _included_AvP_Menus_h_
 #define _included_AvP_Menus_h_
 
+#ifndef MARINE_DEMO
 #define MARINE_DEMO 0
+#endif
+
+#ifndef PREDATOR_DEMO
 #define PREDATOR_DEMO 0
+#endif
+
+#ifndef ALIEN_DEMO
 #define ALIEN_DEMO 0
- // Edmond modified for Mplayer Demo
- #ifdef MPLAYER_DEMO
- #define DEATHMATCH_DEMO 1
- #else
- #define DEATHMATCH_DEMO 0 // more multiplayer-only demo really
- #endif
+#endif
+
+#define DEATHMATCH_DEMO 0 // more multiplayer-only demo really
+
 
 #ifdef AVP_DEBUG_VERSION
 	#define CONSOLE_DEBUGGING_COMMANDS_ACTIVATED 1
diff --git a/src/avp/win95/npcsetup.cpp b/src/avp/win95/npcsetup.cpp
index e1b8878..238ad1c 100644
--- a/src/avp/win95/npcsetup.cpp
+++ b/src/avp/win95/npcsetup.cpp
@@ -558,7 +558,9 @@ void InitNPCs(RIFFHANDLE h)
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	#if 1
+
+/* predator disk not included in demos */
+#if !(PREDATOR_DEMO||MARINE_DEMO||ALIEN_DEMO)
 	if(AvP.PlayerType==I_Predator || Load_HNPC[HNPC_Predator])
 	{
 		//need to load the disk hierarchy
@@ -569,7 +571,10 @@ void InitNPCs(RIFFHANDLE h)
 		}
 
 	}
+#endif
 
+/* i believe this was added for the gold edition */
+#if !(PREDATOR_DEMO||MARINE_DEMO||ALIEN_DEMO)//||REGULAR_EDITION /* TODO */
 	if(AvP.PlayerType==I_Marine || Load_HNPC[HNPC_Marine])
 	{
 		//need to load the mdisk hierarchy
@@ -580,7 +585,7 @@ void InitNPCs(RIFFHANDLE h)
 		}
 
 	}
-	#endif
+#endif
 	
 	
 	// see what we already have, unloading what we don't need, and ensuring we don't load a npc twice
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index f1acf0d..f2c856f 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -573,7 +573,17 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 }
 
 	AvP.CurrentEnv = AvP.StartingEnv = 0; /* are these even used? */
-	
+
+#if ALIEN_DEMO
+	AvP.PlayerType = I_Alien;
+	SetLevelToLoad(AVP_ENVIRONMENT_INVASION_A);
+#elif PREDATOR_DEMO
+	AvP.PlayerType = I_Predator;
+	SetLevelToLoad(AVP_ENVIRONMENT_INVASION_P);
+#elif MARINE_DEMO
+	AvP.PlayerType = I_Marine;
+	SetLevelToLoad(AVP_ENVIRONMENT_INVASION);
+#else		
 //	AvP.PlayerType = I_Alien;
 //	SetLevelToLoad(AVP_ENVIRONMENT_TEMPLE); /* starting alien level */
 	
@@ -586,6 +596,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 //	SetLevelToLoad(AVP_ENVIRONMENT_LEADWORKS_MP); /* multiplayer */
 
 //	SetLevelToLoad(AVP_ENVIRONMENT_E3DEMOSP); /* demo level */
+#endif
 
 // while(AvP_MainMenus()) {
 
diff --git a/src/opengl.c b/src/opengl.c
index 3ea3293..8cc43de 100644
--- a/src/opengl.c
+++ b/src/opengl.c
@@ -1536,6 +1536,8 @@ void D3D_RenderHUDString(char *stringPtr,int x,int y,int colour)
 {
 	struct VertexTag quadVertices[4];
 
+if (stringPtr == NULL) return;
+
 	quadVertices[0].Y = y-1;
 	quadVertices[1].Y = y-1;
 	quadVertices[2].Y = y + HUD_FONT_HEIGHT + 1;
@@ -1581,6 +1583,7 @@ void D3D_RenderHUDString_Clipped(char *stringPtr,int x,int y,int colour)
 	struct VertexTag quadVertices[4];
 
 // 	LOCALASSERT(y<=0);
+if (stringPtr == NULL) return;
 
 	CheckFilteringModeIsCorrect(FILTERING_BILINEAR_OFF);
 
@@ -1628,6 +1631,8 @@ void D3D_RenderHUDString_Centred(char *stringPtr, int centreX, int y, int colour
 	int x, length = 0;
 	char *ptr = stringPtr;
 	struct VertexTag quadVertices[4];
+
+if (stringPtr == NULL) return;
 	
 	while(*ptr)
 	{
@@ -1679,6 +1684,8 @@ void D3D_RenderHUDString_Centred(char *stringPtr, int centreX, int y, int colour
 
 void RenderString(char *stringPtr, int x, int y, int colour)
 {
+if (stringPtr == NULL) return;
+
 	D3D_RenderHUDString(stringPtr,x,y,colour);
 }
 
@@ -1686,6 +1693,8 @@ void RenderStringCentred(char *stringPtr, int centreX, int y, int colour)
 {
 	int length = 0;
 	char *ptr = stringPtr;
+	
+if (stringPtr == NULL) return;
 
 	while(*ptr)
 	{
@@ -1699,6 +1708,8 @@ void RenderStringVertically(char *stringPtr, int centreX, int bottomY, int colou
 	struct VertexTag quadVertices[4];
 	int y = bottomY;
 
+if (stringPtr == NULL) return;
+ 
 	quadVertices[0].X = centreX - (HUD_FONT_HEIGHT/2) - 1;
 	quadVertices[1].X = quadVertices[0].X;
 	quadVertices[2].X = quadVertices[0].X+2+HUD_FONT_HEIGHT*1;