diff --git a/src/avatar.rs b/src/avatar.rs
index 1b96a76..75ea8fa 100644
--- a/src/avatar.rs
+++ b/src/avatar.rs
@@ -1,28 +1,64 @@
-use crate::{AnimationFrames, Image, mock, Position};
+use crate::{AnimationFrames, Image, mock, Position, optional_data_line, ToBase36, from_base36};
 
 /// avatar is a "sprite" in the game data but with a specific id
 #[derive(Debug, Eq, PartialEq)]
 pub struct Avatar {
     pub animation_frames: Vec<Image>,
-    pub room: String, /// room id
+    pub room_id: u64,
     pub position: Position,
+    pub colour_id: Option<u64>,
+}
+
+impl Avatar {
+    fn room_position_line(&self) -> String {
+        format!("\nPOS {} {}", self.room_id.to_base36(), self.position.to_string())
+    }
+
+    fn colour_line(&self) -> String {
+        optional_data_line("COL", self.colour_id.as_ref())
+    }
 }
 
 impl From<String> for Avatar {
     fn from(string: String) -> Avatar {
         let string = string.replace("SPR A\n", "");
         let mut lines: Vec<&str> = string.lines().collect();
-        let room_pos = lines.pop().unwrap().replace("POS ", "");
-        let room_pos: Vec<&str> = room_pos.split_whitespace().collect();
-        let room = room_pos[0].to_string();
-        let position = Position::from(room_pos[1].to_string());
+
+        let mut room_id: Option<u64> = None;
+        let mut position: Option<Position> = None;
+        let mut colour_id: Option<u64> = None;
+
+        loop {
+            let last_line = lines.pop().unwrap();
+
+            if last_line.starts_with("POS") {
+                let room_pos = last_line.replace("POS ", "");
+                let room_pos: Vec<&str> = room_pos.split_whitespace().collect();
+                room_id = Some(from_base36(room_pos[0]));
+
+                if room_pos.len() < 2 {
+                    panic!("Bad room/position for avatar: {}", string);
+                }
+
+                position = Some(Position::from(room_pos[1].to_string()));
+            } else if last_line.starts_with("COL") {
+                colour_id = Some(last_line.replace("COL ", "").parse().unwrap());
+            } else {
+                lines.push(last_line);
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+
+        let room_id = room_id.unwrap();
+        let position = position.unwrap();
+
         let animation_frames: String = lines.join("\n");
-        let animation_frames: Vec<&str> = animation_frames.split("\n>\n").collect();
+        let animation_frames: Vec<&str> = animation_frames.split(">").collect();
         let animation_frames: Vec<Image> = animation_frames.iter().map(|&frame| {
             Image::from(frame.to_string())
         }).collect();
 
-        Avatar { animation_frames, room, position }
+        Avatar { animation_frames, room_id, position , colour_id }
     }
 }
 
@@ -30,10 +66,10 @@ impl ToString for Avatar {
     #[inline]
     fn to_string(&self) -> String {
         format!(
-            "SPR A\n{}\nPOS {} {}",
+            "SPR A\n{}{}{}",
             self.animation_frames.to_string(),
-            self.room,
-            self.position.to_string()
+            self.room_position_line(),
+            self.colour_line(),
         )
     }
 }