diff --git a/TODO.md b/TODO.md
index b1d9054..6bcb04c 100644
--- a/TODO.md
+++ b/TODO.md
@@ -17,9 +17,14 @@ stairsplus/API.md
 
 ### other things
 
-* finish documentation
-* unified_inventory / sfinv / i3 support
-* finish legacy support
-* finish compatability support
+* finish updating documentation, for both users and API
+* update translations (i18n, locale)
+* unified_inventory / i3 support
+* finish testing (and creating) legacy support
 * create a way to analyze and reduce node_count
 * ? create a way for admins to execute a command to create a config option to register a shaped node?
+
+### future goals
+
+* port other "microblocks" mods to use this framework, e.g. pkarcs and facade
+* maybe integration w/ the technic cnc and such
diff --git a/stairsplus/api/alias.lua b/stairsplus/api/alias.lua
index a09fac6..435562f 100644
--- a/stairsplus/api/alias.lua
+++ b/stairsplus/api/alias.lua
@@ -7,6 +7,15 @@ function api.register_alias_single(old_node, new_node, shape)
 	local new_shaped_node = api.format_name(new_node, shape)
 
 	minetest.register_alias(old_shaped_node, new_shaped_node)
+
+	local shape_def = api.registered_shapes[shape]
+	if shape_def.aliases then
+		local old_mod, old_name = old_node:match("^([^:]+):(.*)$")
+		for _, alias in ipairs(shape_def.aliases) do
+			old_shaped_node = ("%s:%s"):format(old_mod, alias:format(old_name))
+			minetest.register_alias(old_shaped_node, new_shaped_node)
+		end
+	end
 end
 
 function api.register_alias_all(old_node, new_node)
@@ -39,6 +48,15 @@ function api.register_alias_force_single(old_node, new_node, shape)
 
 	minetest.register_alias_force(old_shaped_node, new_shaped_node)
 
+	local shape_def = api.registered_shapes[shape]
+	if shape_def.aliases then
+		local old_mod, old_name = old_node:match("^([^:]+):(.*)$")
+		for _, alias in ipairs(shape_def.aliases) do
+			old_shaped_node = ("%s:%s"):format(old_mod, alias:format(old_name))
+			minetest.register_alias_force(old_shaped_node, new_shaped_node)
+		end
+	end
+
 	local nodes = api.nodes_by_shape[shape] or {}
 	if nodes[old_node] then
 		nodes[old_node] = nil
diff --git a/stairsplus/api/group_filters.lua b/stairsplus/api/group_filters.lua
index 4047608..cad6a73 100644
--- a/stairsplus/api/group_filters.lua
+++ b/stairsplus/api/group_filters.lua
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ function api.build_groups(node, shape)
 
 	local groups = {
 		[("shape_%s"):format(shape)] = 1,
-		not_in_creative_inventory = in_creative_inventory and 1,
+		not_in_creative_inventory = in_creative_inventory and 1 or nil,
 	}
 
 	local shape_def = api.registered_shapes[shape]
diff --git a/stairsplus/api/node.lua b/stairsplus/api/node.lua
index 90239dc..d25523f 100644
--- a/stairsplus/api/node.lua
+++ b/stairsplus/api/node.lua
@@ -179,6 +179,11 @@ function api.register_single(node, shape, overrides, meta)
 
 	-- register node
 	local shaped_name = api.format_name(node, shape)
+	for k, v in pairs(def.groups) do
+		if type(v) ~= "number" then
+			error(("%s %s group:%s = %s"):format(node, shape, k, v))
+		end
+	end
 	minetest.register_node(":" .. shaped_name, def)
 
 	-- alias old name formats
@@ -228,7 +233,9 @@ function api.register_groups(node, groups, overrides, meta)
 end
 
 function api.get_shapes(node)
-	return table_sort_keys(api.shapes_by_node[node])
+	if api.shapes_by_node[node] then
+		return table_sort_keys(api.shapes_by_node[node])
+	end
 end
 
 -- warning: don't mutate the return value
diff --git a/stairsplus/api/recipe.lua b/stairsplus/api/recipe.lua
index c49b519..60ceba6 100644
--- a/stairsplus/api/recipe.lua
+++ b/stairsplus/api/recipe.lua
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ local function verify_schema(schema)
 end
 
 function api.register_on_register_craft_schema(func)
-	table.insert(api.registered_on_register_craft_schema, func)
+	table.insert(api.registered_on_register_craft_schemas, func)
 end
 
 function api.register_craft_schema(schema)
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ function api.register_schema_crafts_for_node(node)
 	local shapes = api.get_shapes_hash(node)
 	for _, schema in ipairs(api.registered_recipe_schemas) do
 		if has_the_right_shapes(schema, shapes) then
-			stairsplus.log("debug", "using schema %q", minetest.serialize(schema):sub(#("return ")))
+			stairsplus.log("verbose", "using schema %s", minetest.serialize(schema):sub(#("return ")))
 			register_for_schema(node, schema)
 		end
 	end
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ function api.register_crafts_for_shapes(def)
 				output = api.get_schema_recipe_item(def.output, shape),
 				recipe = api.get_schema_recipe_item(def.recipe, shape),
 				cooktime = def.cooktime(api.registered_shapes[shape].eighths),
-				groups = (not recipes_in_creative_inventory) and {not_in_creative_inventory = 1}
+				groups = (not recipes_in_creative_inventory) and {not_in_creative_inventory = 1} or nil
 			})
 		end
 
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ function api.register_crafts_for_shapes(def)
 				type = "fuel",
 				recipe = api.get_schema_recipe_item(def.recipe, shape),
 				burntime = def.burntime(api.registered_shapes[shape].eighths),
-				groups = (not recipes_in_creative_inventory) and {not_in_creative_inventory = 1}
+				groups = (not recipes_in_creative_inventory) and {not_in_creative_inventory = 1} or nil
 			})
 		end
 
diff --git a/stairsplus/compat1/init.lua b/stairsplus/compat1/init.lua
index 70298b5..8ef7502 100644
--- a/stairsplus/compat1/init.lua
+++ b/stairsplus/compat1/init.lua
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 -- compatability stuff for after the API is created, but before we start using it
 
-stairsplus.dofile("compat", "i3")
-stairsplus.dofile("compat", "unified_inventory")
+--stairsplus.dofile("compat1", "i3")
+--stairsplus.dofile("compat1", "unified_inventory")
 
diff --git a/stairsplus/compat2/init.lua b/stairsplus/compat2/init.lua
index 0d4713b..484583a 100644
--- a/stairsplus/compat2/init.lua
+++ b/stairsplus/compat2/init.lua
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@ stairsplus.compat = {
 	end
 }
 
-stairsplus.dofile("compat", "stairs")
-stairsplus.dofile("compat", "old_moreblocks")
+stairsplus.dofile("compat2", "stairs")
+stairsplus.dofile("compat2", "old_moreblocks")
 
 -- stairsplus.dofile("compat", "inventory_managers")
 -- unified_inventory, sfinv, i3
diff --git a/stairsplus/util.lua b/stairsplus/util.lua
index f4e5a60..4070381 100644
--- a/stairsplus/util.lua
+++ b/stairsplus/util.lua
@@ -21,5 +21,20 @@ stairsplus.util = {
 			table.sort(sorted)
 		end
 		return sorted
+	end,
+
+	check_call = function(func)
+		-- wrap a function w/ logic to avoid crashing the game
+		local f = function(...)
+			local status, out = pcall(func, ...)
+			if status then
+				return out
+			else
+				local message = ("Error (func): %s %s"):format(out, dump({...}))
+				stairsplus.log("error", message)
+				error(message)
+			end
+		end
+		return f
 	end
 }
diff --git a/stairsplus_legacy/init.lua b/stairsplus_legacy/init.lua
index f10e6b4..b4d782c 100644
--- a/stairsplus_legacy/init.lua
+++ b/stairsplus_legacy/init.lua
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ stairsplus_legacy = {
 stairsplus_legacy.dofile("settings")
 
 function stairsplus_legacy.register_legacy(node, overrides, meta)
-	if stairsplus_legacy.settings.stairsplus_legacy_mode then
+	if stairsplus.settings.legacy_mode then
 		stairsplus.api.register_group(node, "legacy", overrides, meta)
 	else
 		stairsplus.api.register_group(node, "common", overrides, meta)
diff --git a/stairsplus_legacy/settings.lua b/stairsplus_legacy/settings.lua
index aec66cb..3e1ace1 100644
--- a/stairsplus_legacy/settings.lua
+++ b/stairsplus_legacy/settings.lua
@@ -8,6 +8,4 @@ stairsplus_legacy.settings = {
 	technic = s:get_bool("stairsplus_legacy.technic", true),
 	prefab = s:get_bool("stairsplus_legacy.prefab", true),
 	wool = s:get_bool("stairsplus_legacy.wool", true),
-
-	stairsplus_legacy_mode = s:get_bool("stairsplus.legacy_mode")
 }