diff --git a/src/basic/main.c b/src/basic/main.c
index ad567a8d0..7973cd47a 100644
--- a/src/basic/main.c
+++ b/src/basic/main.c
@@ -4,13 +4,14 @@
 #include <eressea.h>
 #include <gmtool.h>
 #include <kernel/config.h>
+#include <kernel/save.h>
 #include <iniparser/iniparser.h>
 
 static const char * luafile = "init.lua";
 static const char * entry_point = NULL;
 static int memdebug = 0;
 
-static void load_config(const char * filename)
+static void parse_config(const char * filename)
 {
   dictionary * d = iniparser_new(filename);
   if (d) {
@@ -26,12 +27,84 @@ static void load_config(const char * filename)
   global.inifile = d;
 }
 
+static int
+usage(const char * prog, const char * arg)
+{
+  if (arg) {
+    fprintf(stderr, "unknown argument: %s\n\n", arg);
+  }
+  fprintf(stderr, "Usage: %s [options]\n"
+    "-t <turn>        : read this datafile, not the most current one\n"
+    "-q               : be quite (same as -v 0)\n"
+    "-v <level>       : verbosity level\n"
+    "-C               : run in interactive mode\n"
+    "--color          : force curses to use colors even when not detected\n"
+    "--help           : help\n", prog);
+  return -1;
+}
+
+static int
+parse_args(int argc, char **argv)
+{
+  int i;
+
+  for (i=1;i!=argc;++i) {
+    if (argv[i][0]!='-') {
+      return usage(argv[0], argv[i]);
+    } else if (argv[i][1]=='-') { /* long format */
+      if (strcmp(argv[i]+2, "version")==0) {
+        printf("\n%s PBEM host\n"
+          "Copyright (C) 1996-2005 C. Schlittchen, K. Zedel, E. Rehling, H. Peters.\n\n"
+          "Compilation: " __DATE__ " at " __TIME__ "\nVersion: %f\n\n", global.gamename, version());
+      }
+      else if (strcmp(argv[i]+2, "color")==0) {
+        /* force the editor to have colors */
+        force_color = 1;
+      }
+      else if (strcmp(argv[i]+2, "help")==0) {
+        return usage(argv[0], NULL);
+      }
+      else {
+        return usage(argv[0], argv[i]);
+      }
+    } else switch(argv[i][1]) {
+      case 'C':
+        entry_point = NULL;
+        break;
+      case 'e':
+        entry_point = argv[++i];
+        break;
+      case 't':
+        turn = atoi(argv[++i]);
+        break;
+      case 'q':
+        verbosity = 0;
+        break;
+      case 'v':
+        verbosity = atoi(argv[++i]);
+        break;
+      case 'h':
+        return usage(argv[0], NULL);
+      default:
+        return usage(argv[0], argv[i]);
+    }
+  }
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+
 int main(int argc, char ** argv)
 {
   int err;
 
   log_open("eressea.log");
-  load_config("eressea.ini");
+  parse_config("eressea.ini");
+
+  err = parse_args(argc, argv);
+  if (err) {
+    return err;
+  }
 
   err = eressea_init();
   if (err) {
@@ -46,5 +119,6 @@ int main(int argc, char ** argv)
   }
 
   eressea_done();
+  log_close();
   return 0;
 }
diff --git a/src/common/eressea.c b/src/common/eressea.c
index 3c94593ac..f3fd48f5a 100644
--- a/src/common/eressea.c
+++ b/src/common/eressea.c
@@ -187,7 +187,6 @@ void eressea_done(void)
   game_done();
   kernel_done();
   lua_done((lua_State *)global.vm_state);
-  log_close();
 }
 
 static int
diff --git a/src/common/kernel/curse.c b/src/common/kernel/curse.c
index 80eef1fc8..c700817c7 100644
--- a/src/common/kernel/curse.c
+++ b/src/common/kernel/curse.c
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ curse_read(attrib * a, struct storage * store)
     if (result!=0) {
       log_error(("missing curse %s, no compatibility code either.\n", cursename));
     }
-    assert(result!=0);
+    assert(result==0);
     return AT_READ_FAIL;
   }
   if (store->version < CURSEFLAGS_VERSION) {
diff --git a/src/common/kernel/move.c b/src/common/kernel/move.c
index d20719bae..6ca51f2e1 100644
--- a/src/common/kernel/move.c
+++ b/src/common/kernel/move.c
@@ -687,12 +687,15 @@ ship_allowed(const struct ship * sh, const region * r)
 static boolean
 flying_ship(const ship * sh)
 {
+  static int init = 0;
   static const curse_type * ct_flyingship;
-  if (!ct_flyingship) {
-    ct_flyingship = ct_find("flyingship");
-    assert(ct_flyingship);
-  }
+
   if (sh->type->flags & SFL_FLY) return true;
+  if (!init) {
+    ct_flyingship = ct_find("flyingship");
+    init = 1;
+  }
+  if (!ct_flyingship) return false;
   if (curse_active(get_curse(sh->attribs, ct_flyingship))) return true;
   return false;
 }
diff --git a/src/eressea/main.c b/src/eressea/main.c
index f8f3795f0..51ffe86b9 100644
--- a/src/eressea/main.c
+++ b/src/eressea/main.c
@@ -154,7 +154,6 @@ static boolean g_ignore_errors = false;
 static const char * luafile = "init.lua";
 static const char * entry_point = NULL;
 static int memdebug = 0;
-static int g_console = 1;
 #if defined(HAVE_SIGACTION) && defined(HAVE_EXECINFO)
 #include <execinfo.h>
 #include <signal.h>
@@ -302,14 +301,12 @@ read_args(int argc, char **argv, lua_State * luaState)
         return usage(argv[0], argv[i]);
     } else switch(argv[i][1]) {
       case 'C':
-        g_console = 1;
         entry_point = NULL;
         break;
       case 'R':
         g_reportdir = argv[++i];
         break;
       case 'e':
-        g_console = 0;
         entry_point = argv[++i];
         break;
       case 'd':
@@ -322,7 +319,6 @@ read_args(int argc, char **argv, lua_State * luaState)
         game_name = argv[++i];
         break;
       case 't':
-        g_console = 0;
         turn = atoi(argv[++i]);
         break;
       case 'q':