diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9e7edcd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+character_*.png
+character_*.txt
diff --git a/update_from_db.py b/update_from_db.py
index be6930c..159acf7 100755
--- a/update_from_db.py
+++ b/update_from_db.py
@@ -1,61 +1,180 @@
 #!/usr/bin/python3
-from http.client import HTTPConnection
+from http.client import HTTPConnection,HTTPException,BadStatusLine,_CS_IDLE
 import json
 import base64
+from contextlib import closing
+import sys,os,shutil,time
+
+def die(message,code=23):
+		print(message,file=sys.stderr)
+		raise SystemExit(code)
 
 server = "minetest.fensta.bplaced.net"
 skinsdir = "u_skins/textures/"
 metadir = "u_skins/meta/"
-i = 1
-pages = 1
+curskin = 0
+curpage = 1
+pages = None
 
-c = HTTPConnection(server)
-def addpage(page):
-	global i, pages
-	print("Page: " + str(page))
-	r = 0
-	try:
-		c.request("GET", "/api/get.json.php?getlist&page=" + str(page) + "&outformat=base64")
-		r = c.getresponse()
-	except Exception:
-		if r != 0:
-			if r.status != 200:
-				print("Error", r.status)
-				exit(r.status)
-		return
-	
-	data = r.read().decode()
-	l = json.loads(data)
-	if not l["success"]:
-		print("Success != True")
-		exit(1)
-	r = 0
-	pages = int(l["pages"])
-	for s in l["skins"]:
-		f = open(skinsdir + "character_" + str(i) + ".png", "wb")
-		f.write(base64.b64decode(bytes(s["img"], 'utf-8')))
-		f.close()
-		f = open(metadir + "character_" + str(i) + ".txt", "w")
-		f.write(str(s["name"]) + '\n')
-		f.write(str(s["author"]) + '\n')
-		f.write(str(s["license"]))
-		f.close()
+def replace(location,base,encoding=None,path=None):
+	if path is None:
+		path = os.path.join(location,base)
+	mode = "wt" if encoding else "wb"
+	# an unpredictable temp name only needed for a+rwxt directories
+	tmp = os.path.join(location,'.'+base+'-tmp')
+	def deco(handle):
+		with open(tmp,mode,encoding=encoding) as out:
+			handle(out)
+		os.rename(tmp,path)
+	return deco
+
+def maybeReplace(location,base,encoding=None):
+	def deco(handle):
+		path = os.path.join(location,base)
+		if os.path.exists(path): return
+		return replace(location,base,encoding=encoding,path=path)(handle)
+	return deco
+
+class Penguin:
+	"idk"
+	def __init__(self, url, recv, diemessage):
+		self.url = url
+		self.recv = recv
+		self.diemessage = diemessage		
+
+class Pipeline(list):
+	"Gawd why am I being so elaborate?"
+	def __init__(self, threshold=10):
+		"threshold is how many requests in parallel to pipeline"
+		self.threshold = threshold
+		self.sent = True
+	def __enter__(self):
+		self.reopen()
+		return self
+	def __exit__(self,typ,exn,trace):
+		self.send()
+		self.drain()
+	def reopen(self):
+		self.c = HTTPConnection(server)
+		self.send()
+	def append(self,url,recv,diemessage):
+		self.sent = False
+		super().append(Penguin(url,recv,diemessage))
+		if len(self) > self.threshold:			
+			self.send()
+			self.drain()
+	def trydrain(self):		
+		for penguin in self:
+			print('drain',penguin.url)
+			try:
+				penguin.response.begin()
+				penguin.recv(penguin.response)
+			except BadStatusLine as e:
+				print('derped requesting',penguin.url)
+				return False			
+			except HTTPException as e:
+				die(penguin.diemessage+' '+repr(e)+' (url='+penguin.url+')')
+		self.clear()
+		return True
+	def drain(self):
+		print('draining pipeline...',len(self))
+		assert self.sent, "Can't drain without sending the requests!"
+		self.sent = False
+		while self.trydrain() is not True:
+			self.c.close()
+			print('drain failed, trying again')
+			time.sleep(1)
+			self.reopen()
+	def trysend(self):
+		for penguin in pipeline:
+			print('fill',penguin.url)
+			try:
+				self.c.request("GET", penguin.url)
+				self.c._HTTPConnection__state = _CS_IDLE
+				penguin.response = self.c.response_class(self.c.sock,
+														 method="GET")
+				# begin LATER so we can send multiple requests w/out response headers
+			except BadStatusLine:
+				return False
+			except HTTPException as e:
+				die(diemessage+' because of a '+repr(e))
+		return True
+	def send(self):
+		if self.sent: return
+		print('filling pipeline...',len(self))
+		while self.trysend() is not True:
+			self.c.close()
+			print('derped resending')
+			time.sleep(1)
+			self.reopen()
+		self.sent = True
+		
+with Pipeline() as pipeline:
+	# two connections is okay, right? one for json, one for preview images
+	c = HTTPConnection(server)
+	def addpage(page):
+		global curskin, pages
+		print("Page: " + str(page))
+		r = 0
 		try:
-			c.request("GET", "/skins/1/" + str(s["id"]) + ".png")
+			c.request("GET", "/api/get.json.php?getlist&page=" + str(page) + "&outformat=base64")
 			r = c.getresponse()
 		except Exception:
 			if r != 0:
 				if r.status != 200:
-					print("Error", r.status)
-			continue
+					die("Error", r.status)
+			return
 		
-		data = r.read()
-		f = open(skinsdir + "character_" + str(i) + "_preview.png", "wb")
-		f.write(data)
-		f.close()
-		i = i + 1
-addpage(1)
-if pages > 1:
-	for p in range(pages-1):
-		addpage(p+2)
-print("Skins have been updated!")
+		data = r.read().decode()
+		l = json.loads(data)
+		if not l["success"]:
+			die("Success != True")
+		r = 0
+		pages = int(l["pages"])
+		foundOne = False
+		for s in l["skins"]:
+			# make sure to increment this, even if the preview exists!
+			curskin = curskin + 1
+			previewbase = "character_" + str(curskin) + "_preview.png"
+			preview = os.path.join(skinsdir, previewbase)
+			if os.path.exists(preview):
+				print('skin',curskin,'already retrieved')
+				continue
+			print('updating skin',curskin,'id',s["id"])
+			foundOne = True
+			@maybeReplace(skinsdir, "character_" + str(curskin) + ".png")
+			def go(f):
+				f.write(base64.b64decode(bytes(s["img"], 'utf-8')))
+				f.close()
+				
+			@maybeReplace(metadir, "character_" + str(curskin) + ".txt",
+						  encoding='utf-8')
+			def go(f):
+				f.write(str(s["name"]) + '\n')
+				f.write(str(s["author"]) + '\n')
+				f.write(str(s["license"]))
+			url = "/skins/1/" + str(s["id"]) + ".png"
+			def closure(skinsdir,previewbase,preview,s):
+				"explanation: python sucks"
+				def tryget(r):
+					print('replacing',s["id"])
+					if r.status != 200:
+						print("Error", r.status)
+						return
+					@replace(skinsdir,previewbase,path=preview)
+					def go(f):
+						shutil.copyfileobj(r,f)
+				return tryget
+					
+			pipeline.append(url,closure(skinsdir,previewbase,preview,s),
+							"Couldn't get {} because of a".format(
+								s["id"]))
+		if not foundOne:
+			print("No skins updated on this page. Seems we're done?")
+			#raise SystemExit
+	addpage(curpage)
+	while pages > curpage:
+		curpage = curpage + 1
+		addpage(curpage)
+	print("Skins have been updated!")
+