diff --git a/RBG_Server.Core/CommunicationHandler.cs b/RBG_Server.Core/CommunicationHandler.cs
index 737e4b9..b46f04a 100644
--- a/RBG_Server.Core/CommunicationHandler.cs
+++ b/RBG_Server.Core/CommunicationHandler.cs
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ namespace RBG_Server
         /// This limit can be changed at any time
         /// </summary>
         public ConcurrentDictionary<string, CachedByteArray> ImageCollection { get; } = new();
+
+        public List<Player> Players {  get; } = new List<Player>();
         public List<string> ImageList {  get; } = new();
         public string BoardName { get; set; }
 
@@ -95,20 +97,47 @@ namespace RBG_Server
                 // Response data
                 stateResponse = await GetResponse(stateStream, GetInt32(stateResponse)); // Get the full response data
                 // Board state data
-                ColumnCount = GetInt32(stateResponse[..4]);
-                RowCount = GetInt32(stateResponse[4..8]);
-                ColumnZoomStart = GetInt32(stateResponse[8..12]);
-                RowZoomStart = GetInt32(stateResponse[12..16]);
-                ColumnZoomSpan = GetInt32(stateResponse[16..20]);
-                RowZoomSpan = GetInt32(stateResponse[20..24]);
-                StartingColumn = GetInt32(stateResponse[24..28]);
-                StartingRow = GetInt32(stateResponse[28..32]);
+                int playerID = GetInt32(stateResponse[..4]);
+                ColumnCount = GetInt32(stateResponse[..8]);
+                RowCount = GetInt32(stateResponse[8..12]);
+                ColumnZoomStart = GetInt32(stateResponse[12..16]);
+                RowZoomStart = GetInt32(stateResponse[16..20]);
+                ColumnZoomSpan = GetInt32(stateResponse[20..24]);
+                RowZoomSpan = GetInt32(stateResponse[24..28]);
+                StartingColumn = GetInt32(stateResponse[28..32]);
+                StartingRow = GetInt32(stateResponse[32..36]);
                 // Basic board data loaded; fetch players
                 buffer = new byte[] { 1, 0, 0, 0, 2};
                 stateStream.Write(buffer, 0, buffer.Length);
                 stateResponse = await GetResponse(stateStream, 4);
                 stateResponse = await GetResponse(stateStream, GetInt32(stateResponse));
-                // state response contains a player list
+                // state response contains a player list;
+                // Player ID (Int32)
+                // Player Name (null-terminated string)
+                // Player Sprite (null-terminated string)
+                // Player Column (Int32)
+                // Player Row (Int32)
+                int start = 0;
+                while (start < stateResponse.Length)
+                {
+                    int pos = start + 4;
+                    int responsePlayerID = GetInt32(stateResponse[start..pos]);
+                    start = pos;
+                    while (stateResponse[pos++] != 0); // skip the bytes that aren't null
+                    string responsePlayerName = Encoding.UTF8.GetString(stateResponse[start..pos]);
+                    start = pos;
+                    while (stateResponse[pos++] != 0); // skip the bytes that aren't null
+                    string responsePlayerSprite = Encoding.UTF8.GetString(stateResponse[start..pos]);
+                    start = pos;
+                    pos += 4;
+                    int playerColumn = GetInt32(stateResponse[start..pos]);
+                    start = pos;
+                    pos += 4;
+                    int playerRow = GetInt32(stateResponse[start..pos]);
+                    start = pos;
+                    Player player = new Player(responsePlayerName, responsePlayerSprite, playerRow, playerColumn);
+                    Players.Add(player);
+                }
             });
             
 
@@ -122,19 +151,14 @@ namespace RBG_Server
 
                 dataResponse = await GetResponse(dataStream, GetInt32(dataResponse));
                 List<byte> data = new List<byte>();
-                for (int i = 0; i < dataResponse.Length; i++)
+                int start = 0;
+                while (start < dataResponse.Length)
                 {
-                    if (dataResponse[i] != 0)
-                    {
-                        data.Add(dataResponse[i]);
-                    }
-                    else
-                    {
-                        ImageList.Add(Encoding.UTF8.GetString(data.ToArray()));
-                        data.Clear();
-                    }
+                    int pos = start;
+                    while (dataResponse[pos++] != 0);
+                    ImageList.Add(Encoding.UTF8.GetString(dataResponse[start..pos]));
+                    start = pos;
                 }
-
                 // Load all low-resolution images
                 foreach (string item in ImageList)
                 {
@@ -150,6 +174,7 @@ namespace RBG_Server
                     dataResponse = await GetResponse(dataStream);
                     dataResponse = await GetResponse(dataStream, GetInt32(dataResponse));
                     ImageCollection.TryAdd(item + "_mip_low", (CachedByteArray)dataResponse);
+
                 }
                 // At this point, the minimal amount of work required by the data thread has been done (load all thumbs)
                 // When an asset is needed from here, queue a load
@@ -190,13 +215,12 @@ namespace RBG_Server
             if (stream.CanRead)
             {
                 byte[] buffer = new byte[targetLength];
-                StringBuilder myCompleteMessage = new StringBuilder();
                 int numberOfBytesRead = 0;
 
                 // Incoming message may be larger than the buffer size.
                 do
                 {
-                    numberOfBytesRead += await stream.ReadAsync(buffer, numberOfBytesRead, targetLength - numberOfBytesRead);
+                    numberOfBytesRead += await stream.ReadAsync(buffer.AsMemory(numberOfBytesRead, targetLength - numberOfBytesRead));
                 }
                 while (numberOfBytesRead < targetLength);
                 return buffer;
diff --git a/RBG_Server.Core/Player.cs b/RBG_Server.Core/Player.cs
index bc1439f..c062072 100644
--- a/RBG_Server.Core/Player.cs
+++ b/RBG_Server.Core/Player.cs
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ namespace RBG_Server
         public int Column { get; set; }
         public long LastTime { get; set; } = DateTime.Now.Ticks;
         public bool Connected { get; private set; }
+
+        public string Sprite { get; private set; }
         public byte[] UnhandledBuffer { get; set; }
 
         public Image PlayerSprite { get; set; } = new();
@@ -52,9 +54,10 @@ namespace RBG_Server
 
         // public Image sprite; // Sprite is now set as the implementation of this class
 
-        public Player(string name, int row, int column) : base() // Call the base constructor at the same time; inits a Grid()
+        public Player(string name, string sprite, int row, int column) : base() // Call the base constructor at the same time; inits a Grid()
         {
             PlayerName = name;
+            Sprite = sprite;
             Row = row;
             Column = column;
             LastTime = DateTime.Now.Ticks;