diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/media/sprite/ImageSprite.java b/src/java/com/threerings/media/sprite/ImageSprite.java
index 34981a6fc..12ccf1804 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/media/sprite/ImageSprite.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/media/sprite/ImageSprite.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: ImageSprite.java,v 1.9 2002/06/20 21:42:53 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: ImageSprite.java,v 1.10 2002/07/08 21:15:35 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.media.sprite;
 
@@ -39,28 +39,15 @@ public class ImageSprite extends Sprite
     public static final int TIME_BASED = 2;
 
     /**
-     * Constructs an image sprite without any associated frames and with a
-     * default initial location of <code>(0, 0)</code>.  The sprite should
-     * be populated with a set of frames used to display it via a
-     * subsequent call to {@link #setFrames}, and its location updated
-     * with {@link #setLocation}.
+     * Constructs an image sprite without any associated frames and with
+     * an invalid default initial location. The sprite should be populated
+     * with a set of frames used to display it via a subsequent call to
+     * {@link #setFrames}, and its location updated with {@link
+     * #setLocation}.
      */
     public ImageSprite ()
     {
-        this(0, 0, null);
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Constructs an image sprite without any associated frames. The
-     * sprite should be populated with a set of frames used to display it
-     * via a subsequent call to {@link #setFrames}.
-     *
-     * @param x the sprite x-position in pixels.
-     * @param y the sprite y-position in pixels.
-     */
-    public ImageSprite (int x, int y)
-    {
-        this(x, y, null);
+        this(null);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -70,10 +57,8 @@ public class ImageSprite extends Sprite
      * @param y the sprite y-position in pixels.
      * @param frames the multi-frame image used to display the sprite.
      */
-    public ImageSprite (int x, int y, MultiFrameImage frames)
+    public ImageSprite (MultiFrameImage frames)
     {
-        super(x, y);
-
 	// initialize frame animation member data
         _frames = frames;
         _frameIdx = 0;
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/media/sprite/LabelSprite.java b/src/java/com/threerings/media/sprite/LabelSprite.java
index 8da700c2b..722406f57 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/media/sprite/LabelSprite.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/media/sprite/LabelSprite.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: LabelSprite.java,v 1.2 2002/06/20 09:01:28 shaper Exp $
+// $Id: LabelSprite.java,v 1.3 2002/07/08 21:15:35 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.media.sprite;
 
@@ -23,17 +23,6 @@ public class LabelSprite extends Sprite
      */
     public LabelSprite (Label label)
     {
-        this(0, 0, label);
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Constructs a label sprite with the given initial position that
-     * renders itself with the specified label.
-     */
-    public LabelSprite (int x, int y, Label label)
-    {
-        super(x, y);
-
         _label = label;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/media/sprite/Sprite.java b/src/java/com/threerings/media/sprite/Sprite.java
index 2a7e93e70..e811ace5c 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/media/sprite/Sprite.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/media/sprite/Sprite.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: Sprite.java,v 1.49 2002/06/20 21:42:53 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: Sprite.java,v 1.50 2002/07/08 21:15:35 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.media.sprite;
 
@@ -24,24 +24,15 @@ public abstract class Sprite
     implements DirectionCodes, Pathable
 {
     /**
-     * Constructs a sprite with a default initial location of <code>(0,
-     * 0)</code>.
+     * Constructs a sprite with an initially invalid location. Because
+     * sprite derived classes generally want to get in on the business
+     * when a sprite's location is set, it is not safe to do so in the
+     * constructor because their derived methods will be called before
+     * their constructor has been called. Thus a sprite should be fully
+     * constructed and <em>then</em> its location should be set.
      */
     public Sprite ()
     {
-        this(0, 0);
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Constructs a sprite initially positioned at the specified location.
-     *
-     * @param x the sprite x-position in pixels.
-     * @param y the sprite y-position in pixels.
-     */
-    public Sprite (int x, int y)
-    {
-        _ox = x;
-        _oy = y;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -430,7 +421,7 @@ public abstract class Sprite
      * sprite positions itself via a hotspot that is not the upper left
      * coordinate of the sprite's bounds, the offset to the hotspot should
      * be maintained in {@link #_oxoff} and {@link #_oyoff}. */
-    protected int _ox, _oy;
+    protected int _ox = Integer.MIN_VALUE, _oy = Integer.MIN_VALUE;
 
     /** The offsets from our upper left coordinate to our origin (or hot
      * spot). Derived classes will need to update these values if the