diff --git a/OpenRa.Game/Chat.cs b/OpenRa.Game/Chat.cs
index 69e8e0bb61..5f28a0860b 100644
--- a/OpenRa.Game/Chat.cs
+++ b/OpenRa.Game/Chat.cs
@@ -39,5 +39,10 @@ namespace OpenRa.Game
 			recentLines.Add(line);
 			while (recentLines.Count > logLength) recentLines.RemoveAt(0);
 		}
+
+		public void AddLine(string from, string text)
+		{
+			AddLine(Pair.New(from, text));
+		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/OpenRa.Game/Chrome.cs b/OpenRa.Game/Chrome.cs
index 893235086a..355ae94aae 100644
--- a/OpenRa.Game/Chrome.cs
+++ b/OpenRa.Game/Chrome.cs
@@ -86,12 +86,11 @@ namespace OpenRa.Game
 			buildItems.Clear();
 
 			renderer.Device.DisableScissor();
-			renderer.DrawText(string.Format("RenderFrame {0} ({2:F1} ms)\nTick {1} ({3:F1} ms)\n$ {4}\nPower {5}\nReady: {6} (F8 to toggle)",
+			renderer.DrawText("RenderFrame {0} ({2:F1} ms)\nTick {1} ({3:F1} ms)\nPower {4}\nReady: {5} (F8 to toggle)".F(
 				Game.RenderFrame,
 				Game.orderManager.FrameNumber,
 				PerfHistory.items["render"].LastValue,
 				PerfHistory.items["tick_time"].LastValue,
-				Game.LocalPlayer.DisplayCash,
 				Game.LocalPlayer.GetTotalPower(),
 				Game.LocalPlayer.IsReady ? "Yes" : "No"
 				), new int2(140, 5), Color.White);
@@ -220,8 +219,7 @@ namespace OpenRa.Game
 			{
 				var rect = new Rectangle(Game.viewport.Width - (3 - x) * 64, 40 + 48 * y, 64, 48);
 				buildPaletteRenderer.DrawSprite(blank, Game.viewport.Location + new float2(rect.Location), 0);
-				buildItems.Add(Pair.New(rect,
-					(Action<bool>)(_ => { })));
+				buildItems.Add(Pair.New(rect, (Action<bool>)(_ => { })));
 				if (++x == 3) { x = 0; y++; }
 			}
 
diff --git a/OpenRa.Game/Exts.cs b/OpenRa.Game/Exts.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fc53555d6f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/OpenRa.Game/Exts.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Linq;
+using System.Text;
+
+namespace OpenRa.Game
+{
+	static class Exts
+	{
+		public static string F(this string fmt, params object[] args)
+		{
+			return string.Format(fmt, args);
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/OpenRa.Game/Game.cs b/OpenRa.Game/Game.cs
index 3d884a53a8..e8fde823b4 100644
--- a/OpenRa.Game/Game.cs
+++ b/OpenRa.Game/Game.cs
@@ -58,10 +58,7 @@ namespace OpenRa.Game
 			Rules.LoadRules(mapName, useAftermath);
 
 			for (int i = 0; i < 8; i++)
-				players.Add(i, 
-					new Player(i, i, 
-						string.Format("Multi{0}", i),
-						Race.Allies));
+				players[i] = new Player(i, i, "Multi{0}".F(i), Race.Allies);
 
 			localPlayerIndex = localPlayer;
 
diff --git a/OpenRa.Game/OpenRa.Game.csproj b/OpenRa.Game/OpenRa.Game.csproj
index 5c7e4c1d40..ef4f4e9694 100644
--- a/OpenRa.Game/OpenRa.Game.csproj
+++ b/OpenRa.Game/OpenRa.Game.csproj
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@
   <ItemGroup>
     <Compile Include="Chat.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Chrome.cs" />
+    <Compile Include="Exts.cs" />
     <Compile Include="GameRules\GeneralInfo.cs" />
     <Compile Include="GameRules\TechTree.cs" />
     <Compile Include="OrderManager.cs" />
diff --git a/OpenRa.Game/UnitOrders.cs b/OpenRa.Game/UnitOrders.cs
index c8953b8cde..795427c9c4 100755
--- a/OpenRa.Game/UnitOrders.cs
+++ b/OpenRa.Game/UnitOrders.cs
@@ -99,33 +99,30 @@ namespace OpenRa.Game
 				}
 			case "Chat":
 				{
-					Game.chat.AddLine(Pair.New(order.Player.PlayerName + ":", order.TargetString));
+					Game.chat.AddLine(order.Player.PlayerName + ":", order.TargetString);
 					break;
 				}
 			case "ToggleReady":
 				{
-					Game.chat.AddLine(Pair.New(order.Player.PlayerName, "is " + order.TargetString ));
+					Game.chat.AddLine(order.Player.PlayerName, "is " + order.TargetString );
 					break;
 				}
 			case "AssignPlayer":
 				{
 					Game.LocalPlayer = order.Player;
-					Game.chat.AddLine(Pair.New(order.Player.PlayerName, "is now YOU."));
+					Game.chat.AddLine(order.Player.PlayerName, "is now YOU.");
 					break;
 				}
 			case "SetName":
 				{
-					Game.chat.AddLine(Pair.New(order.Player.PlayerName, "is now known as " + order.TargetString));
+					Game.chat.AddLine(order.Player.PlayerName, "is now known as " + order.TargetString);
 					order.Player.PlayerName = order.TargetString;
 					break;
 				}
 			case "SetRace":
 				{
-					order.Player.Race = order.TargetString == "0" 
-						? Race.Soviet : Race.Allies;
-					Game.chat.AddLine(Pair.New(order.Player.PlayerName,
-						string.Format("is now playing {0}",
-						order.Player.Race)));
+					order.Player.Race = order.TargetString == "0" ? Race.Soviet : Race.Allies;
+					Game.chat.AddLine(order.Player.PlayerName, "is now playing {0}".F(order.Player.Race));
 					break;
 				}
 			case "SetLag":
@@ -133,31 +130,24 @@ namespace OpenRa.Game
 					int lag = int.Parse(order.TargetString);
 					if (Game.orderManager.GameStarted)
 					{
-						Game.chat.AddLine(Pair.New("Server",
-							string.Format("Failed to change lag to {0} frames",
-								lag)));
+						Game.chat.AddLine("Server", "Failed to change lag to {0} frames".F(lag));
 						return;
 					}
 
 					Game.orderManager.FramesAhead = lag;
-					Game.chat.AddLine(Pair.New("Server",
-						string.Format("Order lag is now {0} frames.",
-							lag)));
+					Game.chat.AddLine("Server", "Order lag is now {0} frames.".F(lag));
 					break;
 				}
 			case "SetPalette":
 				{
 					int palette = int.Parse(order.TargetString);
-					Game.chat.AddLine(Pair.New(order.Player.PlayerName,
-						string.Format("has changed color to {0}",
-							palette)));
-
+					Game.chat.AddLine(order.Player.PlayerName, "has changed color to {0}".F(palette));
 					order.Player.Palette = palette;
 					break;
 				}
 			case "StartGame":
 				{
-					Game.chat.AddLine(Pair.New("Server:", "The game has started."));
+					Game.chat.AddLine("Server:", "The game has started.");
 					Game.orderManager.StartGame();
 					break;
 				}