diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/media/animation/FadeAnimation.java b/src/java/com/threerings/media/animation/FadeAnimation.java
index d025badca..7aadd69f4 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/media/animation/FadeAnimation.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/media/animation/FadeAnimation.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: FadeAnimation.java,v 1.8 2004/08/27 02:12:38 mdb Exp $
+// $Id$
 //
 // Narya library - tools for developing networked games
 // Copyright (C) 2002-2004 Three Rings Design, Inc., All Rights Reserved
@@ -27,37 +27,32 @@ import java.awt.Graphics2D;
 import java.awt.Rectangle;
 
 import com.threerings.media.Log;
-import com.threerings.media.image.Mirage;
 
 /**
  * An animation that displays an image fading from one alpha level to
  * another in specified increments over time.  The animation is finished
  * when the specified target alpha is reached.
  */
-public class FadeAnimation extends Animation
+public abstract class FadeAnimation extends Animation
 {
     /**
      * Constructs a fade animation.
      *
      * @param image the image to animate.
-     * @param x the image x-position.
-     * @param y the image y-position.
+     * @param bounds our bounds.
      * @param alpha the starting alpha.
      * @param step the alpha amount to step by each millisecond.
      * @param target the target alpha level.
      */
-    public FadeAnimation (
-        Mirage image, int x, int y, float alpha, float step, float target)
+    protected FadeAnimation (
+        Rectangle bounds, float alpha, float step, float target)
     {
-        super(new Rectangle(x, y, image.getWidth(), image.getHeight()));
+        super(bounds);
 
         // save things off
-        _image = image;
-        _x = x;
-        _y = y;
-        _startAlpha = _alpha = alpha;
+        _startAlpha = _alpha = Math.max(alpha, 0.0f);
         _step = step;
-        _target = target;
+        _target = Math.min(target, 1.0f);
 
         // create the initial composite
         _comp = AlphaComposite.getInstance(AlphaComposite.SRC_OVER, _alpha);
@@ -66,13 +61,8 @@ public class FadeAnimation extends Animation
     // documentation inherited
     public void tick (long timestamp)
     {
-        if (_start == 0) {
-            // initialize our starting time
-            _start = timestamp;
-        }
-
         // figure out the current alpha
-        long msecs = timestamp - _start;
+        long msecs = timestamp - _firstTick;
         _alpha = _startAlpha + (msecs * _step);
         if (_alpha < 0.0f) {
             _alpha = 0.0f;
@@ -90,14 +80,6 @@ public class FadeAnimation extends Animation
         invalidate();
     }
 
-    // documentation inherited
-    public void fastForward (long timeDelta)
-    {
-        if (_start > 0) {
-            _start += timeDelta;
-        }
-    }
-
     // documentation inherited
     public void paint (Graphics2D gfx)
     {
@@ -107,17 +89,20 @@ public class FadeAnimation extends Animation
         } else {
             gfx.setComposite(_comp);
         }
-        _image.paint(gfx, _x, _y);
+        paintAnimation(gfx);
         gfx.setComposite(ocomp);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Here is where derived animations actually render their image.
+     */
+    protected abstract void paintAnimation (Graphics2D gfx);
+
     // documentation inherited
     protected void toString (StringBuffer buf)
     {
         super.toString(buf);
 
-        buf.append(", x=").append(_x);
-        buf.append(", y=").append(_y);
         buf.append(", alpha=").append(_alpha);
         buf.append(", startAlpha=").append(_startAlpha);
         buf.append(", step=").append(_step);
@@ -138,13 +123,4 @@ public class FadeAnimation extends Animation
 
     /** The starting alpha. */
     protected float _startAlpha;
-
-    /** The image position. */
-    protected int _x, _y;
-
-    /** The image to animate. */
-    protected Mirage _image;
-
-    /** The starting animation time. */
-    protected long _start;
 }
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/media/animation/FadeImageAnimation.java b/src/java/com/threerings/media/animation/FadeImageAnimation.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..11814efbd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/media/animation/FadeImageAnimation.java
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+//
+// $Id$
+//
+// Narya library - tools for developing networked games
+// Copyright (C) 2002-2005 Three Rings Design, Inc., All Rights Reserved
+// http://www.threerings.net/code/narya/
+//
+// This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+// under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published
+// by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2.1 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+// Lesser General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+// License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
+// Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
+
+package com.threerings.media.animation;
+
+import java.awt.Graphics2D;
+import java.awt.Rectangle;
+
+import com.threerings.media.image.Mirage;
+
+/**
+ * Fades an image in or out by varying the alpha level during rendering.
+ */
+public class FadeImageAnimation extends FadeAnimation
+{
+    /**
+     * Creates an image fading animation.
+     */
+    public FadeImageAnimation (Mirage image, int x, int y,
+                               float alpha, float step, float target)
+    {
+        super(new Rectangle(x, y, image.getWidth(), image.getHeight()),
+              alpha, step, target);
+        _image = image;
+    }
+
+    // documentation inherited
+    protected void paintAnimation (Graphics2D gfx)
+    {
+        _image.paint(gfx, _bounds.x, _bounds.y);
+    }
+
+    protected Mirage _image;
+}
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/media/animation/FadeLabelAnimation.java b/src/java/com/threerings/media/animation/FadeLabelAnimation.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..688378837
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/media/animation/FadeLabelAnimation.java
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+//
+// $Id$
+//
+// Narya library - tools for developing networked games
+// Copyright (C) 2002-2005 Three Rings Design, Inc., All Rights Reserved
+// http://www.threerings.net/code/narya/
+//
+// This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+// under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published
+// by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2.1 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+// Lesser General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+// License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
+// Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
+
+package com.threerings.media.animation;
+
+import java.awt.Dimension;
+import java.awt.Graphics2D;
+import java.awt.Rectangle;
+import java.awt.RenderingHints;
+
+import com.samskivert.swing.Label;
+import com.samskivert.swing.util.SwingUtil;
+
+import com.threerings.media.Log;
+
+/**
+ * Does something extraordinary.
+ */
+public class FadeLabelAnimation extends FadeAnimation
+{
+    /**
+     * Creates a label fading animation.
+     */
+    public FadeLabelAnimation (Label label, int x, int y,
+                               float alpha, float step, float target)
+    {
+        super(new Rectangle(x, y, 0, 0), alpha, step, target);
+        _label = label;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Indicates that our label should be rendered with antialiased text.
+     */
+    public void setAntiAliased (boolean antiAliased)
+    {
+        _antiAliased = antiAliased;
+    }
+
+    // documentation inherited
+    protected void init ()
+    {
+        super.init();
+
+        // if our label is not yet laid out, do the deed
+        if (!_label.isLaidOut()) {
+            Graphics2D gfx = (Graphics2D)_mgr.getMediaPanel().getGraphics();
+            if (gfx != null) {
+                gfx.setRenderingHint(RenderingHints.KEY_ANTIALIASING,
+                                     _antiAliased ?
+                                     RenderingHints.VALUE_ANTIALIAS_ON :
+                                     RenderingHints.VALUE_ANTIALIAS_OFF);
+                _label.layout(gfx);
+                gfx.dispose();
+            }
+        }
+
+        // size the bounds to fit our label
+        Dimension size = _label.getSize();
+        _bounds.width = size.width;
+        _bounds.height = size.height;
+    }
+
+    // documentation inherited
+    protected void paintAnimation (Graphics2D gfx)
+    {
+        Object ohints = null;
+        if (_antiAliased) {
+            ohints = SwingUtil.activateAntiAliasing(gfx);
+        }
+        _label.render(gfx, _bounds.x, _bounds.y);
+        if (_antiAliased) {
+            SwingUtil.restoreAntiAliasing(gfx, ohints);
+        }
+    }
+
+    /** The label we are rendering. */
+    protected Label _label;
+
+    /** Whether or not to use anti-aliased rendering. */
+    protected boolean _antiAliased;
+}