diff --git a/src/Core/OOStringParsing.m b/src/Core/OOStringParsing.m
index 5b94c718..e0a96a55 100644
--- a/src/Core/OOStringParsing.m
+++ b/src/Core/OOStringParsing.m
@@ -49,7 +49,6 @@ NSMutableArray *ScanTokensFromString(NSString *values)
 	
 	// Note: Shark suggests we're getting a lot of early exits, but testing showed a pretty steady 2% early exit rate.
 	if (EXPECT_NOT(values == nil))  return [NSArray array];
-	
 	if (EXPECT_NOT(space_set == nil)) space_set = [[NSCharacterSet whitespaceAndNewlineCharacterSet] retain];
 	
 	result = [NSMutableArray array];
@@ -232,7 +231,7 @@ Random_Seed RandomSeedFromString(NSString *abcdefString)
 	else
 	{
 		OOLog(kOOLogStringRandomSeedConversion, @"***** ERROR cannot make Random_Seed from '%@': %@", abcdefString, error);
-		result = nil_seed();
+		result = kNilRandomSeed;
 	}
 	
 	return result;
diff --git a/src/Core/ParticleEntity.m b/src/Core/ParticleEntity.m
index e0716089..3b2ebee9 100644
--- a/src/Core/ParticleEntity.m
+++ b/src/Core/ParticleEntity.m
@@ -1282,7 +1282,7 @@ static	Vector	circleVertex[65];		// holds vector coordinates for a unit circle
 - (void) updateExhaust2:(double) delta_t
 {
 	#if ADDITIVE_BLENDING
-		#define OVERALL_ALPHA		0.3f
+		#define OVERALL_ALPHA		0.4f
 	#else
 		#define OVERALL_ALPHA		1.0f
 	#endif
diff --git a/src/Core/Universe.m b/src/Core/Universe.m
index 47c11e15..71e87b8a 100644
--- a/src/Core/Universe.m
+++ b/src/Core/Universe.m
@@ -5617,7 +5617,7 @@ BOOL maintainLinkedLists(Universe* uni)
 			return systems[i];
 	}
 	OOLog(kOOLogScriptNoSystemForName, @"SCRIPT ERROR could not find a system with the name '%@' in this galaxy", sysname);
-	return nil_seed();
+	return kNilRandomSeed;
 }
 
 - (NSDictionary *) shipyard
@@ -5683,6 +5683,16 @@ BOOL maintainLinkedLists(Universe* uni)
 
 - (NSDictionary *) generateSystemData:(Random_Seed) s_seed
 {
+	static NSDictionary	*cachedResult = nil;
+	static Random_Seed	cachedSeed = {0};
+	
+	// Cache hit ratio is over 95% during respawn, about 80% during initial set-up.
+	if (EXPECT(cachedResult != nil && equal_seeds(cachedSeed, s_seed)))  return cachedResult;
+	
+	[cachedResult autorelease];	// Stuff may have references to old value, so don't release right off the bat
+	cachedResult = nil;
+	cachedSeed = s_seed;
+	
 	NSMutableDictionary* systemdata = [[NSMutableDictionary alloc] initWithCapacity:8];
 		
 	int government = (s_seed.c / 8) & 7;
@@ -5723,8 +5733,9 @@ BOOL maintainLinkedLists(Universe* uni)
 		[systemdata addEntriesFromDictionary:(NSDictionary *)[planetinfo objectForKey:override_key]];
 	if ([local_planetinfo_overrides objectForKey:override_key])
 		[systemdata addEntriesFromDictionary:(NSDictionary *)[local_planetinfo_overrides objectForKey:override_key]];
-	
-	return [NSDictionary dictionaryWithDictionary:[systemdata autorelease]];
+
+	cachedResult = [systemdata copy];
+	return cachedResult;
 }
 
 - (NSDictionary *) currentSystemData
diff --git a/src/Core/legacy_random.c b/src/Core/legacy_random.c
index 00154e58..bbfb5b84 100644
--- a/src/Core/legacy_random.c
+++ b/src/Core/legacy_random.c
@@ -29,8 +29,14 @@ MA 02110-1301, USA.
 #include <math.h>
 #include "legacy_random.h"
 
+
+const Random_Seed	kNilRandomSeed = {0};
+
+
 static struct random_seed   rnd_seed;
 
+
+// TODO: Why is this based on a static? Should change to MungeCheckSum(&checkSum, value);
 static int checksum;
 void clear_checksum()
 {
@@ -92,25 +98,6 @@ inline int ranrot_rand()
 	m_low += m_high;
 	return m_high & 0x7FFFFFFF;
 }
- 
-// a method used to determine interplanetary distances,
-// if accurate, it has to scale distance down by a factor of 7.15:7.0
-// to allow routes navigable in the original!
-double distanceBetweenPlanetPositions ( int x1, int y1, int x2, int y2)
-{
-	int dx = x1 - x2;
-	int dy = (y1 - y2)/2;
-	int dist = sqrt(dx*dx + dy*dy); // here's where the rounding errors come in!
-	return 0.4*dist;
-}
-
-double accurateDistanceBetweenPlanetPositions ( int x1, int y1, int x2, int y2)
-{
-	double dx = x1 - x2;
-	double dy = (y1 - y2)/2;
-	double dist = sqrt(dx*dx + dy*dy); // here's where the rounding errors come in!
-	return 0.4*dist;
-}
 
 void seed_for_planet_description (Random_Seed s_seed)
 {
@@ -194,17 +181,9 @@ void make_pseudo_random_seed (struct rand_seed_6uc *seed_ptr)
 
 Random_Seed nil_seed()
 {
-	Random_Seed result = { (unsigned char)0,  (unsigned char)0,  (unsigned char)0,  (unsigned char)0,  (unsigned char)0,  (unsigned char)0};
-	return result;
+	return kNilRandomSeed;
 }
 
-int is_nil_seed(Random_Seed a_seed)
-{
-	if (a_seed.a | a_seed.b | a_seed.c | a_seed.d | a_seed.e | a_seed.f)
-		return 0;
-	else
-		return -1;
-}
 
 void rotate_seed (struct rand_seed_6uc *seed_ptr)
 {
@@ -239,15 +218,3 @@ void rotate_seed (struct rand_seed_6uc *seed_ptr)
 	seed_ptr->e = x;
 	seed_ptr->f = y;
 }
-
-int rotate_byte_left (int x)
-{
-	return ((x << 1) | (x >> 7)) & 255;
-}
-
-
-int equal_seeds (Random_Seed seed1, Random_Seed seed2)
-{
-	return ((seed1.a == seed2.a)&&(seed1.b == seed2.b)&&(seed1.c == seed2.c)&&(seed1.d == seed2.d)&&(seed1.e == seed2.e)&&(seed1.f == seed2.f));
-}
-
diff --git a/src/Core/legacy_random.h b/src/Core/legacy_random.h
index 89fd608a..bda2c6a7 100644
--- a/src/Core/legacy_random.h
+++ b/src/Core/legacy_random.h
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ MA 02110-1301, USA.
 #ifndef LEGACY_RANDOM_H
 #define LEGACY_RANDOM_H
 
+#import "OOFunctionAttributes.h"
+
 
 struct rand_seed_6uc
 {
@@ -51,13 +53,17 @@ struct random_seed
 
 typedef struct random_seed RNG_Seed;
 
+
+extern const Random_Seed	kNilRandomSeed;
+
+
 // checksum stuff
 void clear_checksum();
 int munge_checksum(int value);
 
 // cunning price rounding routine:
 //
-float cunningFee(float value);
+float cunningFee(float value) CONST_FUNC;
 
 // an implementation of RANROT
 // pseudo random number generator
@@ -65,13 +71,13 @@ float cunningFee(float value);
 inline void ranrot_srand(unsigned int seed);
 inline int ranrot_rand();
 
-double distanceBetweenPlanetPositions ( int x1, int y1, int x2, int y2);
-double accurateDistanceBetweenPlanetPositions ( int x1, int y1, int x2, int y2);
+OOINLINE double distanceBetweenPlanetPositions(int x1, int y1, int x2, int y2) INLINE_CONST_FUNC;
+OOINLINE double accurateDistanceBetweenPlanetPositions(int x1, int y1, int x2, int y2) INLINE_CONST_FUNC;
 
-void seed_for_planet_description (Random_Seed s_seed);
-void seed_RNG_only_for_planet_description (Random_Seed s_seed);
-RNG_Seed currentRandomSeed (void);
-void setRandomSeed (RNG_Seed a_seed);
+void seed_for_planet_description(Random_Seed s_seed);
+void seed_RNG_only_for_planet_description(Random_Seed s_seed);
+RNG_Seed currentRandomSeed(void);
+void setRandomSeed(RNG_Seed a_seed);
 
 inline float randf (void);
 inline float bellf (int n);
@@ -80,12 +86,54 @@ int gen_rnd_number (void);
 
 void make_pseudo_random_seed (struct rand_seed_6uc *seed_ptr);
 
-Random_Seed nil_seed();
-int is_nil_seed(Random_Seed a_seed);
+Random_Seed nil_seed() DEPRECATED_FUNC;
+OOINLINE int is_nil_seed(Random_Seed a_seed) INLINE_CONST_FUNC;
 
 void rotate_seed (struct rand_seed_6uc *seed_ptr);
-int rotate_byte_left (int x);
+OOINLINE int rotate_byte_left (int x) INLINE_CONST_FUNC;
 
-int equal_seeds (Random_Seed seed1, Random_Seed seed2);
+OOINLINE int equal_seeds(Random_Seed seed1, Random_Seed seed2) INLINE_CONST_FUNC;
+
+
+
+/*** Only inline definitions beyond this point ***/
+
+OOINLINE int equal_seeds(Random_Seed seed1, Random_Seed seed2)
+{
+	return ((seed1.a == seed2.a)&&(seed1.b == seed2.b)&&(seed1.c == seed2.c)&&(seed1.d == seed2.d)&&(seed1.e == seed2.e)&&(seed1.f == seed2.f));
+}
+
+
+OOINLINE int is_nil_seed(Random_Seed a_seed)
+{
+	return equal_seeds(a_seed, kNilRandomSeed);
+}
+
+
+OOINLINE int rotate_byte_left(int x)
+{
+	return ((x << 1) | (x >> 7)) & 255;
+}
+
+ 
+// a method used to determine interplanetary distances,
+// if accurate, it has to scale distance down by a factor of 7.15:7.0
+// to allow routes navigable in the original!
+OOINLINE double distanceBetweenPlanetPositions ( int x1, int y1, int x2, int y2)
+{
+	int dx = x1 - x2;
+	int dy = (y1 - y2)/2;
+	int dist = sqrtf(dx*dx + dy*dy); // here's where the rounding errors come in!
+	return 0.4 * dist;
+}
+
+
+OOINLINE double accurateDistanceBetweenPlanetPositions ( int x1, int y1, int x2, int y2)
+{
+	double dx = x1 - x2;
+	double dy = (y1 - y2) / 2.0;
+	double dist = sqrt(dx*dx + dy*dy); // here's where the rounding errors come in!
+	return 0.4 * dist;
+}
 
 #endif