diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/flash/FloatingTextAnimation.as b/src/as/com/threerings/flash/FloatingTextAnimation.as
index e15d388d..b7d29396 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/flash/FloatingTextAnimation.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/flash/FloatingTextAnimation.as
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 package com.threerings.flash {
 
+import flash.display.Sprite;
+
 import flash.events.Event;
 
 import flash.filters.GlowFilter;
@@ -8,9 +10,10 @@ import flash.text.TextField;
 import flash.text.TextFieldAutoSize;
 import flash.text.TextFormat;
 
-public class FloatingTextAnimation extends TextField
+public class FloatingTextAnimation extends Sprite
     implements Animation
 {
+/*
     public static function create (
         text :String, duration :Number = 1000, dy :int = -10,
         size :int = 18, font :String = "Arial", bold :Boolean = true,
@@ -35,24 +38,29 @@ public class FloatingTextAnimation extends TextField
 
         return fta;
     }
+    */
 
     public var duration :Number;
 
     public var dy :Number;
 
-    public function FloatingTextAnimation ()
+    public function FloatingTextAnimation (
+        text :String, textArgs :Object = null, duration :Number = 1000, dy :int = -10)
     {
-        AnimationManager.addDisplayAnimation(this);
-    }
+        var tf :TextField = TextFieldUtil.createField(text, textArgs);
+        tf.x = -(tf.width/2)
+        tf.y = -(tf.height/2);
+        addChild(tf);
 
-    override public function set x (val :Number) :void
-    {
-        super.x = (val - width/2);
+        this.duration = duration;
+        this.dy = dy;
+
+        AnimationManager.addDisplayAnimation(this);
     }
 
     override public function set y (val :Number) :void
     {
-        super.y = _startY = (val - height/2);
+        super.y = _startY = val;
     }
 
     // from Animation
diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/flash/SiningTextAnimation.as b/src/as/com/threerings/flash/SiningTextAnimation.as
index 67c86085..cac436bc 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/flash/SiningTextAnimation.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/flash/SiningTextAnimation.as
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ import flash.text.TextFormat;
 
 public class SiningTextAnimation extends TextCharAnimation
 {
-    public function SiningTextAnimation (text :String, format :TextFormat)
+    public function SiningTextAnimation (text :String, textArgs :Object)
     {
-        super(text, movementFn, format);
+        super(text, movementFn, textArgs);
     }
 
     protected function movementFn (elapsed :Number, index :Number) :Number
diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/flash/TextCharAnimation.as b/src/as/com/threerings/flash/TextCharAnimation.as
index 5512d7a8..1d7adba0 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/flash/TextCharAnimation.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/flash/TextCharAnimation.as
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import flash.utils.getTimer; // function import
 public class TextCharAnimation extends Sprite
     implements Animation
 {
-    public function TextCharAnimation (text :String, fn :Function, format :TextFormat)
+    public function TextCharAnimation (text :String, fn :Function, textArgs :Object)
     {
         _fn = fn;
 
@@ -23,11 +23,7 @@ public class TextCharAnimation extends Sprite
         var h :Number = 0;
         var tf :TextField;
         for (var ii :int = 0; ii < text.length; ii++) {
-            tf = createTextField(format);
-            tf.autoSize = TextFieldAutoSize.CENTER;
-            tf.text = text.charAt(ii);
-            tf.width = tf.textWidth + 5;
-            tf.height = tf.textHeight + 5;
+            tf = TextFieldUtil.createField(text.charAt(ii), textArgs);
 
             tf.x = w;
             w += tf.width;
@@ -52,15 +48,6 @@ public class TextCharAnimation extends Sprite
         }
     }
 
-    protected function createTextField (format :TextFormat) :TextField
-    {
-        var tf :TextField = new TextField();
-        tf.defaultTextFormat = format;
-        return tf;
-    }
-
-    protected var _startStamp :Number;
-
     protected var _texts :Array = [];
 
     protected var _fn :Function;