diff --git a/src/hu_stuff.c b/src/hu_stuff.c
index 3bc643c3c..5a4f35a7a 100644
--- a/src/hu_stuff.c
+++ b/src/hu_stuff.c
@@ -71,6 +71,9 @@ patch_t *lt_font[LT_FONTSIZE];
 patch_t *cred_font[CRED_FONTSIZE];
 patch_t *ttlnum[20]; // act numbers (0-19)
 
+// Character name font
+patch_t *chrn_font[CHRN_FONTSIZE];
+
 static player_t *plr;
 boolean chat_on; // entering a chat message?
 static char w_chat[HU_MAXMSGLEN];
@@ -246,6 +249,19 @@ void HU_LoadGraphics(void)
 		ttlnum[i] = (patch_t *)W_CachePatchName(buffer, PU_HUDGFX);
 	}
 
+	// cache the character name font for entire game execution
+	j = CHRN_FONTSTART;
+	for (i = 0; i < CHRN_FONTSIZE; i++)
+	{
+		sprintf(buffer, "CHFNT%.3d", j);
+		j++;
+
+		if (W_CheckNumForName(buffer) == LUMPERROR)
+			chrn_font[i] = NULL;
+		else
+			chrn_font[i] = (patch_t *)W_CachePatchName(buffer, PU_HUDGFX);
+	}
+
 	// cache the crosshairs, don't bother to know which one is being used,
 	// just cache all 3, they're so small anyway.
 	for (i = 0; i < HU_CROSSHAIRS; i++)
diff --git a/src/hu_stuff.h b/src/hu_stuff.h
index ab77e67b6..ed56bad05 100644
--- a/src/hu_stuff.h
+++ b/src/hu_stuff.h
@@ -35,6 +35,11 @@
 #define CRED_FONTEND 'Z' // the last font character
 #define CRED_FONTSIZE (CRED_FONTEND - CRED_FONTSTART + 1)
 
+// Character name font
+#define CHRN_FONTSTART '!' // the first font character
+#define CHRN_FONTEND 'Z' // the last font character
+#define CHRN_FONTSIZE (CHRN_FONTEND - CHRN_FONTSTART + 1)
+
 #define HU_CROSSHAIRS 3 // maximum of 9 - see HU_Init();
 
 extern char *shiftxform; // english translation shift table
@@ -77,6 +82,7 @@ extern patch_t *tallnum[10];
 extern patch_t *nightsnum[10];
 extern patch_t *lt_font[LT_FONTSIZE];
 extern patch_t *cred_font[CRED_FONTSIZE];
+extern patch_t *chrn_font[CHRN_FONTSIZE];
 extern patch_t *ttlnum[20];
 extern patch_t *emeraldpics[3][8];
 extern patch_t *rflagico;
diff --git a/src/m_menu.c b/src/m_menu.c
index ed6cd5bd9..2113882ea 100644
--- a/src/m_menu.c
+++ b/src/m_menu.c
@@ -2399,7 +2399,7 @@ static boolean MIT_SetCurBackground(UINT32 menutype, INT32 level, INT32 *retval,
 	}
 	else if (menupres[menutype].bgname[0])
 	{
-		strncpy(curbgname, menupres[menutype].bgname, 9);
+		strncpy(curbgname, menupres[menutype].bgname, 8);
 		curbgxspeed = menupres[menutype].titlescrollxspeed != INT32_MAX ? menupres[menutype].titlescrollxspeed : titlescrollxspeed;
 		curbgyspeed = menupres[menutype].titlescrollyspeed != INT32_MAX ? menupres[menutype].titlescrollyspeed : titlescrollyspeed;
 		return true;
@@ -2517,7 +2517,7 @@ void M_ChangeMenuMusic(const char *defaultmusname, boolean defaultmuslooping)
 
 void M_SetMenuCurBackground(const char *defaultname)
 {
-	char name[8];
+	char name[9];
 	strncpy(name, defaultname, 8);
 	M_IterateMenuTree(MIT_SetCurBackground, &name);
 }
@@ -8212,8 +8212,13 @@ static void M_DrawSetupChoosePlayerMenu(void)
 
 		// cur
 		x = ox - txsh;
-		if (curpatch)
-			V_DrawScaledPatch(x, y, 0, curpatch);
+		//if (curpatch)
+		//	V_DrawScaledPatch(x, y, 0, curpatch);
+
+		col = Color_Opposite[charskin->prefcolor - 1][0];
+
+		// Dummy string to be removed when finalized
+		V_DrawCharacterName(x, y, col, "Sonic\n&Tails");
 	}
 
 	// Alternative menu header
diff --git a/src/v_video.c b/src/v_video.c
index 78a9ca8dc..358a65e4d 100644
--- a/src/v_video.c
+++ b/src/v_video.c
@@ -2627,6 +2627,63 @@ void V_DrawCreditString(fixed_t x, fixed_t y, INT32 option, const char *string)
 	}
 }
 
+// Draw a string using the chrn_font
+void V_DrawCharacterName(INT32 x, INT32 y, UINT8 color, const char *string)
+{
+	INT32 w, c, cx = x, cy = y, dupx, dupy, scrwidth, left = 0;
+	const char *ch = string;
+	INT32 spacewidth = 4;
+	const UINT8 *colormap = NULL;
+
+	dupx = dupy = 1;
+	scrwidth = vid.width/vid.dupx;
+	left = (scrwidth - BASEVIDWIDTH)/2;
+	scrwidth -= left;
+
+	if (!color)
+		colormap = R_GetTranslationColormap(TC_DEFAULT, SKINCOLOR_GREEN, 0);
+	else
+		colormap = R_GetTranslationColormap(TC_DEFAULT, color, 0);
+
+	for (;;ch++)
+	{
+		if (!*ch)
+			break;
+		if (*ch == '\n')
+		{
+			cx = x;
+			cy += 17*dupy;
+
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		c = *ch;
+		c = toupper(c);
+		c -= CHRN_FONTSTART;
+
+		// character does not exist or is a space
+		if (c < 0 || c >= CHRN_FONTSIZE || !chrn_font[c])
+		{
+			cx += spacewidth * dupx;
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		w = SHORT(chrn_font[c]->width) * dupx;
+
+		if (cx > scrwidth)
+			continue;
+		if (cx+left + w < 0) //left boundary check
+		{
+			cx += w;
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		V_DrawFixedPatch((cx)<<FRACBITS, cy<<FRACBITS, FRACUNIT, 0, chrn_font[c], colormap);
+
+		cx += w;
+	}
+}
+
 // Find string width from cred_font chars
 //
 INT32 V_CreditStringWidth(const char *string)
diff --git a/src/v_video.h b/src/v_video.h
index 7eb990295..e447e0514 100644
--- a/src/v_video.h
+++ b/src/v_video.h
@@ -203,6 +203,10 @@ INT32 V_LevelNameHeight(const char *string);
 INT32 V_LevelActNumWidth(INT32 num); // act number width
 
 void V_DrawCreditString(fixed_t x, fixed_t y, INT32 option, const char *string);
+
+// Draw a string using the chrn_font
+void V_DrawCharacterName(INT32 x, INT32 y, UINT8 color, const char *string);
+
 INT32 V_CreditStringWidth(const char *string);
 
 // Find string width from hu_font chars