Index: mods/starlit-electronics/sw.lua
==================================================================
--- mods/starlit-electronics/sw.lua
+++ mods/starlit-electronics/sw.lua
@@ -131,11 +131,11 @@
 	size = 500e3;
 	cost = {
 		cycles = 100e6;
 		ram = 500e6;
 	};
-	run = shredder{range=2, powerDraw=200};
+	run = shredder{range=3, powerDraw=200};
 })
 
 starlit.item.sw.link('starlit_electronics:compile_commune', {
 	name = 'Compile Matter';
 	kind = 'suitPower', powerKind = 'direct';

Index: mods/starlit/init.lua
==================================================================
--- mods/starlit/init.lua
+++ mods/starlit/init.lua
@@ -48,16 +48,17 @@
 	};
 
 	interface = lib.registry.mk 'starlit:interface';
 	item = {
 		food = lib.registry.mk 'starlit:food';
+		seed = lib.registry.mk 'starlit:seed';
 	};
 
 	region = {
 		radiator = {
 			store = AreaStore();
-			emitters = {}
+			emitters = {};
 		};
 	};
 
 	-- standardized effects
 	fx = {};
@@ -388,12 +389,14 @@
 	type = "none",
 	wield_image = "wieldhand.png",
 	wield_scale = {x=1,y=1,z=2.5},
 	tool_capabilities = {
 		groupcaps = {
-			plant = {maxlevel=1, times = {.50,.5,.5}};
-			dirt = {maxlevel=1, times = {2.5,1,1}};
+			plant = {maxlevel=1, times = {.50}};
+			dirt = {maxlevel=1, times = {2.5}};
+
+			log = {maxlevel=1, times = {1}};
 		};
 	}
 })
 
 minetest.register_on_player_inventory_action(function(luser, act, inv, p)
@@ -420,20 +423,24 @@
 	return delta
 end, true)
 
 function minetest.handle_node_drops(pos, drops, digger)
 	local function jitter(pos)
-		local function r(x) return x+math.random(-0.2, 0.2) end
+		local function r(x) return x+math.random(-0.01, 0.01) end
 		return vector.new(
 			r(pos.x),
 			r(pos.y),
 			r(pos.z)
 		)
 	end
 	for i, it in ipairs(drops) do
-		minetest.add_item(jitter(pos), it)
+		local it = minetest.add_item(jitter(pos), it)
+		local dp = vector.new(0,0,0)
+		if digger then dp = digger:get_pos() end
+		local delta = dp - it:get_pos()
+		it:add_velocity(vector.new(delta.x,0,delta.z));
 	end
 end
 
 
 -- TODO timer iterates live UI
 

Index: mods/starlit/interfaces.lua
==================================================================
--- mods/starlit/interfaces.lua
+++ mods/starlit/interfaces.lua
@@ -347,11 +347,11 @@
 					padding = 0.5, 
 					{kind = 'hztl', padding = 0.25;
 						{kind = 'label', text = 'Name', w = 2, h = barh};
 						{kind = 'label', text = user.persona.name, w = 4, h = barh}};
 				}
-				local statBars = {'hunger', 'thirst', 'fatigue', 'morale', 'irradiation', 'illness'}
+				local statBars = {'nutrition', 'hydration', 'fatigue', 'morale', 'irradiation', 'illness'}
 				for idx, id in ipairs(statBars) do
 					local s = starlit.world.stats[id]
 					local amt, sv = user:effectiveStat(id)
 					local min, max = starlit.world.species.statRange(user.persona.species, user.persona.speciesVariant, id)
 					local st = string.format('%s / %s', s.desc(amt, true), s.desc(max))

Index: mods/starlit/species.lua
==================================================================
--- mods/starlit/species.lua
+++ mods/starlit/species.lua
@@ -47,43 +47,43 @@
 				end;
 				stats = {
 					psiRegen = 1.3;
 					psiPower = 1.2;
 					psi = 1.2;
-					hunger = .8; -- women have smaller stomachs
-					thirst = .8;
+					nutrition = .8; -- women have smaller stomachs
+					hydration = .8;
 					staminaRegen = 1.0;
 					morale = 0.8; -- you are not She-Bear Grylls
 				};
 				traits = {
 					health = 400;
 					lungCapacity = .6;
 					irradiation = 0.8; -- you are smaller, so it takes less rads to kill ya
 					sturdiness = 0; -- women are more fragile and thus susceptible to blunt force trauma
-					metabolism = 1800e3 / 24 / 60 / 60; --kCal/s
+					metabolism = .150; -- kCal/s
 					painTolerance = 0.4;
-					dehydration = 3; -- mL/s
+					dehydration = 10e-4; -- L/s
 				};
 			};
 			male = {
 				name = 'Human Male';
 				eyeHeight = 1.6;
 				stats = {
 					psiRegen = 1.0;
 					psiPower = 1.0;
 					psi = 1.0;
-					hunger = 1.0;
-					thirst = 1.0;
+					nutrition = 1.0;
+					hydration = 1.0;
 					staminaRegen = .7; -- men are strong but have inferior endurance
 				};
 				traits = {
 					health = 500;
 					painTolerance = 1.0;
 					lungCapacity = 1.0;
 					sturdiness = 0.3;
-					metabolism = 2200e3 / 24 / 60 / 60; --Cal/s
-					dehydration = 5; -- mL/s
+					metabolism = .150; -- kCal/s
+					dehydration = 15e-4; -- L/s
 				};
 			};
 		};
 		traits = {};
 	};
@@ -167,11 +167,11 @@
 		elseif base == false then
 			base = min
 		end
 
 	end
-	return min, max, base
+	return min, max, base or 0
 end
 
 -- set the necessary properties and create a persona for a newspawned entity
 function starlit.world.species.birth(pSpecies, pVariant, entity, circumstances)
 	circumstances = circumstances or {}
@@ -186,10 +186,12 @@
 	local startingHP = pct('health', 1.0)
 	if circumstances.injured    then startingHP = pct('health', circumstances.injured) end
 	if circumstances.psiCharged then ps.statDeltas.psi = pct('psi', circumstances.psiCharged) end
 	for k,v in pairs(starlit.world.stats) do ps.statDeltas[k] = 0 end
 	ps.statDeltas.warmth = 20 -- don't instantly start dying of frostbite
+	ps.statDeltas.nutrition = 2000 -- shoulda packed more MRE :c
+	ps.statDeltas.hydration = 3 -- stay hydrated uwu
 
 	entity:set_properties{hp_max = var.traits.health or sp.traits.health}
 	entity:set_hp(startingHP, 'initial hp')
 	return ps
 end

Index: mods/starlit/stats.lua
==================================================================
--- mods/starlit/stats.lua
+++ mods/starlit/stats.lua
@@ -1,14 +1,15 @@
 local lib = starlit.mod.lib
+local T,G = lib.marshal.t, lib.marshal.g
 
 local function U(unit, prec, fixed)
 	local trunc = 2
 	if fixed then
 		return function(amt, excludeUnit)
 			local ta = lib.math.trim(amt/prec, trunc)
 			if excludeUnit then return tostring(ta) end
-			return string.format("%s %s", ta, unit)
+			return string.format("%s%s", ta, unit)
 		end
 	else
 		return function(amt, excludeUnit)
 			local ta = lib.math.trim(amt/prec, trunc)
 			if excludeUnit then return tostring(ta) end
@@ -22,23 +23,23 @@
 end
 starlit.world.stats = {
 	psi        = {min = 0, max = 500, base = 0, desc = U('ψ', 10), color = C(320), name = 'Numina'};
 	-- numina is measured in daψ
 	warmth     = {min = -1000, max = 1000, base = 0, desc = U('°C', 10, true), color = C(5), name = 'Warmth'};
-	-- warmth in measured in °C×10
+	-- warmth in measured in d°C
 	fatigue    = {min = 0, max = 76 * 60, base = 0, desc = U('hr', 60, true), color = C(288,.3,.5), name = 'Fatigue'};
 	-- fatigue is measured in minutes one needs to sleep to cure it
 	stamina    = {min = 0, max = 20 * 100, base = true, desc = U('m', 100), color = C(88), name = 'Stamina'};
 	-- stamina is measured in how many 10th-nodes (== cm) one can sprint
-	hunger     = {min = 0, max = 2000e3, base = 0, desc = U('kCal', 1000, true), color = C(43,.5,.4), name = 'Hunger'};
-	-- hunger is measured in calories one must consume to cure it. at a 2kCal deficit, you start dying
-	thirst     = {min = 0, max = 4e3, base = 0, desc = U('L', 1e3), color = C(217, .25,.4), name = 'Thirst'};
-	-- thirst is measured in mL of H²O required to cure it
+	nutrition  = {min = 0, max = 8000, base = 0, desc = U('kCal', 1, true), color = C(43,.5,.4), name = 'Nutrition', srzType = T.decimal};
+	-- hunger is measured in kcalories one must consume to cure it. at 0, you start dying
+	hydration  = {min = 0, max = 4, base = 0, desc = U('L', 1), color = C(217, .25,.4), name = 'Hydration', srzType = T.decimal};
+	-- thirst is measured in L of H²O required to cure it
 	morale     = {min = 0, max = 24 * 60 * 10, base = true, desc = U('hr', 60, true), color = C(0,0,.8), name = 'Morale'};
 	-- morale is measured in minutes. e.g. at base rate morale degrades by
 	-- 60 points every hour. morale can last up to 10 days
-	irradiation = {min = 0, max = 20000, base = 0, desc = U('Gy', 1000), color = C(141,1,.5), name = 'Irradiation'};
+	irradiation = {min = 0, max = 10, base = 0, desc = U('Gy', 1), color = C(141,1,.5), name = 'Irradiation', srzType = T.decimal};
 	-- irrad is measured is milligreys
 	-- 1Gy counters natural healing
 	-- ~3Gy counters basic nanomedicine
 	-- 5Gy causes death within two weeks without nanomedicine
 	-- radiation speeds up psi regen

Index: mods/starlit/terrain.lua
==================================================================
--- mods/starlit/terrain.lua
+++ mods/starlit/terrain.lua
@@ -6,11 +6,11 @@
 	footstep = 'default-dirt-footstep';
 	dig = 'default-dig-crumbly';
 	dug = 'default-dug-node';
 }
 local sandSounds = {
-	footstep = 'default-sand-footstep';
+	footstep = {name='default-sand-footstep',gain=0.1};
 	dig = 'default-dig-crumbly';
 	dug = 'default-dug-node';
 }
 local grassSounds = {
 	footstep = 'default-grass-footstep';
@@ -23,11 +23,10 @@
 	tiles = {'default_dirt.png'};
 	groups = {dirt = 1};
 	drop = '';
 	sounds = soilSounds;
 	_starlit = {
-		onDestroy = function() end;
 		kind = 'block';
 		elements = {};
 	};
 })
 

Index: mods/starlit/user.lua
==================================================================
--- mods/starlit/user.lua
+++ mods/starlit/user.lua
@@ -74,14 +74,12 @@
 			s.write('persona', self.persona)
 		end;
 		uiColor = function(self) return lib.color {hue=238,sat=.5,lum=.5} end;
 		statDelta = function(self, stat, d, cause, abs)
 			local dt = self.persona.statDeltas
-			local base
+			local min, max, base = self:statRange(stat)
 			if abs then
-				local min, max
-				min, max, base = self:statRange(stat)
 				if     d == true  then d = max
 				elseif d == false then d = min end
 			end
 			if stat == 'health' then
 				self.entity:set_hp(abs and d or (self.entity:get_hp() + d), cause)
@@ -91,12 +89,17 @@
 				if abs then
 					dt[stat] = d - base
 				else
 					dt[stat] = dt[stat] + d
 				end
+
+				if     dt[stat]+base > max then dt[stat] = max-base
+				elseif dt[stat]+base < min then dt[stat] = min-base end
 				self:pushPersona()
 			end
+
+
 			self:updateHUD()
 			-- TODO trigger relevant animations?
 		end;
 		lookupSpecies = function(self)
 			return starlit.world.species.lookup(self.persona.species, self.persona.speciesVariant)
@@ -471,19 +474,20 @@
 
 			self:reconfigureSuit()
 
 			-- i feel like there has to be a better way
 			local cx = math.random(-500,500)
-			local startPoint
+			local iter, startPoint = 1
 			repeat local temp = -100
 				local cz = math.random(-500,500)
 				local cy = minetest.get_spawn_level(cx, cz)
 				if cy then
 					startPoint = vector.new(cx,cy,cz)
 					temp = starlit.world.climate.eval(startPoint,.5,.5).surfaceTemp
 				end
-				if cx > 10000 then break end -- avoid infiniloop in pathological conditions
+				iter = iter + 1
+				if iter > 100 then break end -- avoid infiniloop in pathological conditions
 			until temp > -2
 			self.entity:set_pos(startPoint)
 			meta:set_string('starlit_spawn', startPoint:to_string())
 		end;
 		onDie = function(self, reason)
@@ -498,15 +502,15 @@
 				end
 				inv:set_list(lst, {})
 			end
 			dropInv 'main'
 			dropInv 'starlit_suit'
-			self:statDelta('psi',     0, 'death', true)
-			self:statDelta('hunger',  0, 'death', true)
-			self:statDelta('thirst',  0, 'death', true)
-			self:statDelta('fatigue', 0, 'death', true)
-			self:statDelta('stamina', 0, 'death', true)
+			self:statDelta('psi',          0, 'death', true)
+			self:statDelta('nutrition', 1500, 'death', true)
+			self:statDelta('hydration',    2, 'death', true)
+			self:statDelta('fatigue',      0, 'death', true)
+			self:statDelta('stamina',      0, 'death', true)
 			self:updateSuit()
 		end;
 		onRespawn = function(self)
 			local meta = self.entity:get_meta()
 			self.entity:set_pos(vector.from_string(meta:get_string'starlit_spawn'))
@@ -842,12 +846,26 @@
 
 		local dehydration = p:trait 'dehydration' * biointerval
 		-- you dehydrate faster in higher temp
 		dehydration = dehydration * math.max(1, starlit.world.climate.temp(u.entity:get_pos()) / 10)
 
-		u:statDelta('hunger', bmr)
-		u:statDelta('thirst', dehydration)
+		u:statDelta('nutrition', -bmr)
+		u:statDelta('hydration', -dehydration)
+
+		if u:effectiveStat 'nutrition' == 0 then
+			-- starvation
+		end
+
+		if u:effectiveStat 'hydration' == 0 then
+			-- dying of thirst
+		end
+
+		local rads = u:effectiveStat 'irradiation'
+		if rads > 0 then
+			u:statDelta('irradiation', -0.0001 * biointerval)
+		end
+
 	end
 end)
 
 local cbit = {
 	up   = 0x001;

Index: mods/starlit/world.lua
==================================================================
--- mods/starlit/world.lua
+++ mods/starlit/world.lua
@@ -139,25 +139,23 @@
 				node.name = stageID(st.swap)
 				minetest.swap_node(pos, node)
 				return true
 			end
 		end
-		if st.biolum then
-			base.light_source = math.floor(st.biolum * (n/stageCt))
-		end
+		if st.biolum then base.light_source = st.biolum; end
 		return base
 	end
 	for i, v in ipairs(b.stages) do
 		local n = regStage(i, v)
-		b.stageNodes[i] = n
 		minetest.register_node(stageID(i), n)
+		b.stageNodes[i] = stageID(i)
 	end
 	b.fullyGrown = stageID(stageCt)
 
 	local dec = {
 		deco_type = 'simple';
-		decoration = b.fullyGrown;
+		decoration = b.stageNodes;
 		height = 1;
 		param2 = b.meshOpt or 0;
 	}
 	for k,v in pairs(b.decoration) do dec[k] = v end
 	b.decoration = minetest.register_decoration(dec)
@@ -233,5 +231,29 @@
 			local dmg = math.ceil(dv * 2)
 			user:statDelta('health', -dmg)
 		end
 	end
 end)
+
+
+world.ecology.trees.foreach('starlit:tree-gen', {}, function(id, t)
+	local dec = {
+		deco_type = 'lsystem';
+		treedef = t.def;
+	}
+	for k,v in pairs(t.decorate) do dec[k]=v end
+	minetest.register_decoration(dec)
+end)
+
+minetest.register_abm {
+	label = "plant growth";
+	nodenames = {'group:plant_grow'};
+	chance = 15;
+	interval = 20;
+	catch_up = true;
+	action = function(pos, node)
+		local def = minetest.registered_nodes[node.name]._starlit.plant
+		local plant = starlit.world.ecology.plants.db[def.id]
+		local nextStage = plant.stageNodes[def.stage + 1]
+		minetest.swap_node(pos, {name=nextStage})
+	end;
+}

Index: mods/vtlib/marshal.lua
==================================================================
--- mods/vtlib/marshal.lua
+++ mods/vtlib/marshal.lua
@@ -136,27 +136,29 @@
 
 function G.int(bits,signed)
 	local bytes = math.ceil(bits / 8)
 	local max = 2 ^ bits
 	local spoint = math.floor(max/2)
-	return {
-		sz = bytes;
-		name = string.format("%sint<%s>",
+	local name = string.format("%sint<%s>",
 			signed and 's' or 'u', bits
 		);
+	return {
+		name = name;
+		sz = bytes;
 		enc = function(obj)
+			report('encoding %s value=%s', name, dump(obj))
 			obj = obj or 0
 			local val = math.abs(obj)
 			local str = ''
 			if signed then
 				local max = math.floor(max / 2)
 				if (obj > max) or (obj < (0-(max+1))) then
-					return m.err.domain end
+					return error('domain error') end
 				if obj < 0 then val = val + spoint end
 				-- e.g. for 8bit: 0x80 == -1; 0xFF = -128
 			else
-				if val > max then return m.err.domain end
+				if val > max then error('domain error') end
 			end
 			for i=1,bytes do
 				local n = math.fmod(val, 0x100)
 				str = str .. string.char(n)
 				val = math.floor(val / 0x100)
@@ -200,10 +202,11 @@
 	name = 'struct' .. (name and ':' .. name or '');
 	report('defining struct name=%q fields=%s', name, dump(def))
 	return {
 		name = name;
 		enc = function(obj)
+		report('encoding struct name=%q vals=%s', name, dump(obj))
 			local enc = m.streamEncoder()
 			local n = 0
 			for k,ty in pairs(def) do n=n+1
 				if obj[k] == nil then error('missing key '..dump(k)..' for type '..ty.name) end
 				local encoded = ty.enc(obj[k])

Index: mods/vtlib/ui.lua
==================================================================
--- mods/vtlib/ui.lua
+++ mods/vtlib/ui.lua
@@ -44,11 +44,11 @@
 	tooltipper = function(dui)
 		-- takes a configuration table mapping affinities to colors.
 		-- 'neutral' is the only required affinity
 		return function(a)
 			local color = a.color and a.color:readable(0.65, 1.0)
-			if color == nil then color = l.color(136,158,177) end
+			if color == nil then color = l.color(.5,.5,.5) end
 			local str = a.title
 			if a.desc then
 				str = str .. '\n' .. color:fmt(minetest.wrap_text(a.desc,60))
 			end
 			if a.props then