diff --git a/ControlCore/Client.cpp b/ControlCore/Client.cpp
deleted file mode 100644
index 57cc7d0..0000000
--- a/ControlCore/Client.cpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-#include "Client.h"
-
-bool Passer::Control::ControlClient::SendMsg(unsigned char *buffer,
-                                             unsigned char bufferSize) {
-  return false;
-}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ControlCore/Client.h b/ControlCore/Client.h
deleted file mode 100644
index e0edf13..0000000
--- a/ControlCore/Client.h
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-#pragma once
-
-namespace Passer::Control {
-
-class ControlClient {
-public:
-  unsigned char *buffer;
-  bool SendMsg(unsigned char *buffer, unsigned char bufferSize);
-};
-
-} // namespace Passer::Control
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ControlCore/CoreThing.cpp b/ControlCore/CoreThing.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..40c7fa6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ControlCore/CoreThing.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+#include "CoreThing.h"
+
+CoreThing::CoreThing(
+    // Participant *client,
+    unsigned char networkId, unsigned char thingId, unsigned char thingType) {
+  // this->client = client;
+  this->id = thingId;
+  this->type = thingType;
+  this->networkId = networkId;
+  this->Init();
+  // CoreThings::Add(this);
+}
+
+void CoreThing::Init() {}
+
+// CoreThing *CoreThings::allThings[256] = {nullptr};
+
+// CoreThing *CoreThings::Get(unsigned char networkId, unsigned char thingId) {
+//   for (unsigned char ix = 0; ix < 256; ix++) {
+//     CoreThing *thing = allThings[ix];
+//     if (thing == nullptr)
+//       continue;
+//     if (thing->networkId == networkId && thing->id == thingId)
+//       return thing;
+//   }
+//   return nullptr;
+// }
+
+// bool CoreThings::Add(CoreThing *newThing) {
+//   for (unsigned char ix = 0; ix < 256; ix++) {
+//     CoreThing *thing = allThings[ix];
+//     if (thing == nullptr) {
+//       allThings[ix] = newThing;
+//       return true;
+//     }
+//   }
+//   return false;
+// }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ControlCore/CoreThing.h b/ControlCore/CoreThing.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8937455
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ControlCore/CoreThing.h
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include "Participant.h"
+
+namespace Passer::Control {
+
+class CoreThing {
+public:
+  // Participant *client;
+  unsigned char networkId;
+  unsigned char id;
+  // CoreThing *parent;
+  unsigned char type;
+  const char *name;
+  const char *modelUrl;
+  // protected Sensor sensor;
+
+public:
+  CoreThing(
+      // Participant *client,
+      unsigned char networkId, unsigned char thingId,
+      unsigned char thingType = 0);
+
+protected:
+  virtual void Init();
+
+  // Things
+};
+
+// class CoreThings {
+//   friend class CoreThing;
+
+// public:
+//   static CoreThing *allThings[];
+
+// public:
+//   static CoreThing *Get(unsigned char networkId, unsigned char thingId);
+//   static bool Add(CoreThing *thing);
+// };
+
+} // namespace Passer::Control
diff --git a/ControlCore/Messages.cpp b/ControlCore/Messages.cpp
index 7705a91..799e7d6 100644
--- a/ControlCore/Messages.cpp
+++ b/ControlCore/Messages.cpp
@@ -1,19 +1,15 @@
 #include "Messages.h"
 
 #include "LowLevelMessages.h"
+#include "string.h"
 
 #pragma region IMessage
 
 unsigned char IMessage::Serialize(unsigned char *buffer) { return 0; }
 
-bool IMessage::SendMsg(ControlClient client, IMessage msg,
-                       unsigned char bufferSize) {
-  return SendMsg(client, client.buffer, msg.Serialize(client.buffer));
-}
-
-bool IMessage::SendMsg(ControlClient client, unsigned char *buffer,
-                       unsigned char bufferSize) {
-  return false; // client.SendMsg(buffer, bufferSize);
+bool IMessage::SendMsg(Participant *client, IMessage msg) {
+  // return SendMsg(client, client.buffer, );nameLength
+  return client->SendBuffer(msg.Serialize(client->buffer));
 }
 
 #pragma endregion
@@ -33,10 +29,10 @@ unsigned char InvestigateMsg::Serialize(unsigned char *buffer) {
   return ix;
 }
 
-bool InvestigateMsg::Send(ControlClient client, unsigned char networkId,
+bool InvestigateMsg::Send(Participant *client, unsigned char networkId,
                           unsigned char thingId) {
   InvestigateMsg msg = InvestigateMsg(networkId, thingId);
-  return SendMsg(client, msg, InvestigateMsg::length);
+  return SendMsg(client, msg);
 }
 
 // Investigate
@@ -44,10 +40,8 @@ bool InvestigateMsg::Send(ControlClient client, unsigned char networkId,
 
 #pragma region Thing
 
-Passer::Control::ThingMsg::ThingMsg(unsigned char networkId,
-                                    unsigned char thingId,
-                                    unsigned char thingType,
-                                    unsigned char parentId) {
+ThingMsg::ThingMsg(unsigned char networkId, unsigned char thingId,
+                   unsigned char thingType, unsigned char parentId) {
   this->networkId = networkId;
   this->thingId = thingId;
   this->thingType = thingType;
@@ -64,13 +58,11 @@ unsigned char ThingMsg::Serialize(unsigned char *buffer) {
   return ix;
 }
 
-bool Passer::Control::ThingMsg::Send(ControlClient client,
-                                     unsigned char networkId,
-                                     unsigned char thingId,
-                                     unsigned char thingType,
-                                     unsigned char parentId) {
+bool ThingMsg::Send(Participant *client, unsigned char networkId,
+                    unsigned char thingId, unsigned char thingType,
+                    unsigned char parentId) {
   ThingMsg msg = ThingMsg(networkId, thingId, thingType, parentId);
-  return SendMsg(client, msg, ThingMsg::length);
+  return SendMsg(client, msg);
 }
 
 // Thing
@@ -79,24 +71,37 @@ bool Passer::Control::ThingMsg::Send(ControlClient client,
 #pragma region Name
 
 NameMsg::NameMsg(unsigned char networkId, unsigned char thingId,
-                 unsigned char nameLength, const char *name) {
+                 const char *name, unsigned char nameLength) {
   this->networkId = networkId;
   this->thingId = thingId;
-  this->nameLength = nameLength;
   this->name = name;
+  this->nameLength = nameLength;
 }
 
-unsigned char Passer::Control::NameMsg::Serialize(unsigned char *buffer) {
+unsigned char NameMsg::Serialize(unsigned char *buffer) {
   unsigned char ix = 0;
   buffer[ix++] = this->id;
   buffer[ix++] = this->networkId;
   buffer[ix++] = this->thingId;
   buffer[ix++] = this->nameLength;
   for (int nameIx = 0; nameIx < this->nameLength; nameIx++)
-    buffer[ix++] = name[nameIx];
+    buffer[ix++] = this->name[nameIx];
+
   return ix;
 }
 
+bool NameMsg::Send(Participant *client, CoreThing *thing,
+                   unsigned char nameLength) {
+  if (thing->name == nullptr)
+    return true; // nothing sent, but still a success!
+
+  if (strlen(thing->name) == 0)
+    return true;
+
+  NameMsg msg = NameMsg(thing->networkId, thing->id, thing->name, nameLength);
+  return SendMsg(client, msg);
+}
+
 // Name
 #pragma endregion
 
diff --git a/ControlCore/Messages.h b/ControlCore/Messages.h
index e5f5164..0033f0a 100644
--- a/ControlCore/Messages.h
+++ b/ControlCore/Messages.h
@@ -1,19 +1,15 @@
 #pragma once
 #include "../float16/float16.h"
-#include "Client.h"
+#include "CoreThing.h"
+#include "Participant.h"
 
 namespace Passer::Control {
 
 class IMessage {
 public:
-  // static unsigned char buffer[256];
-
   virtual unsigned char Serialize(unsigned char *buffer);
 
-  static bool SendMsg(ControlClient client, IMessage msg,
-                      unsigned char bufferSize);
-  static bool SendMsg(ControlClient client, unsigned char *buffer,
-                      unsigned char bufferSize);
+  static bool SendMsg(Participant *client, IMessage msg);
 };
 
 class InvestigateMsg : public IMessage {
@@ -27,7 +23,7 @@ public:
 
   virtual unsigned char Serialize(unsigned char *buffer) override;
 
-  static bool Send(ControlClient client, unsigned char networkId,
+  static bool Send(Participant *client, unsigned char networkId,
                    unsigned char thingId);
 };
 
@@ -45,7 +41,7 @@ public:
 
   virtual unsigned char Serialize(unsigned char *buffer) override;
 
-  static bool Send(ControlClient client, unsigned char networkId,
+  static bool Send(Participant *client, unsigned char networkId,
                    unsigned char thingId, unsigned char thingType,
                    unsigned char parentId);
 };
@@ -59,10 +55,13 @@ public:
   unsigned char nameLength;
   const char *name;
 
-  NameMsg(unsigned char networkId, unsigned char thingId,
-          unsigned char nameLength, const char *name);
+  NameMsg(unsigned char networkId, unsigned char thingId, const char *name,
+          unsigned char nameLength);
 
   virtual unsigned char Serialize(unsigned char *buffer) override;
+
+  static bool Send(Participant *client, CoreThing *thing,
+                   unsigned char nameLength);
 };
 
 class ModelUrlMsg : public IMessage {
diff --git a/ControlCore/Participant.cpp b/ControlCore/Participant.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1056dd0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ControlCore/Participant.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+#include "Participant.h"
+
+// bool Passer::Control::ControlClient::SendMsg(unsigned char *buffer,
+//                                              unsigned char bufferSize) {
+//   return false;
+// }
+
+bool Participant::SendBuffer(unsigned char bufferSize) { return false; }
+
+bool Participant::PublishBuffer(unsigned char bufferSize) { return false; }
diff --git a/ControlCore/Participant.h b/ControlCore/Participant.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1ab3190
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ControlCore/Participant.h
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+#pragma once
+
+namespace Passer::Control {
+
+class Participant {
+public:
+  // unsigned char *buffer;
+  // bool SendMsg(unsigned char *buffer, unsigned char bufferSize);
+
+  unsigned char buffer[1024];
+  virtual bool SendBuffer(unsigned char bufferSize);
+  virtual bool PublishBuffer(unsigned char bufferSize);
+};
+
+} // namespace Passer::Control
+using namespace Passer::Control;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/NetworkSync.cpp b/NetworkSync.cpp
index 3c3d2ef..4ac9784 100644
--- a/NetworkSync.cpp
+++ b/NetworkSync.cpp
@@ -166,9 +166,11 @@ void NetworkSync::SendName(Thing *thing) {
 
   // SendBuffer(ix);
   Passer::Control::NameMsg msg =
-      Passer::Control::NameMsg(this->networkId, thing->id, len, thing->name);
+      Passer::Control::NameMsg(this->networkId, thing->id, thing->name, len);
   SendBuffer(msg.Serialize(this->buffer));
 
+  // Passer::Control::NameMsg::Send(this, thing);
+
 #ifdef RC_DEBUG
   SERIALPORT.printf("Sent Name [%d/%d] %s\n", networkId, buffer[1],
                     thing->name);
@@ -406,9 +408,10 @@ void NetworkSync::SendInt(const int x) {
 
 // Low-level functions
 
-void NetworkSync::SendBuffer(unsigned char bufferSize) {}
+// bool NetworkSync::SendBuffer(unsigned char bufferSize) { return false; }
 
-void NetworkSync::PublishBuffer(unsigned char bufferSize) {}
+// bool NetworkSync::PublishBuffer(unsigned char bufferSize) { return false; }
 
-void NetworkSync::SendCBuffer(unsigned char bufferSize, unsigned char *buffer) {
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+// void NetworkSync::SendCBuffer(unsigned char bufferSize, unsigned char
+// *buffer) {
+//}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/NetworkSync.h b/NetworkSync.h
index 1a4b30e..a20191b 100644
--- a/NetworkSync.h
+++ b/NetworkSync.h
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include "ControlCore/Messages.h"
+#include "ControlCore/Participant.h"
 #include "NetworkPerception.h"
 #include "Perception.h"
 #include "Roboid.h"
@@ -10,7 +11,7 @@ namespace Passer {
 namespace RoboidControl {
 
 /// @brief Interface for synchronizaing state between clients across a network
-class NetworkSync {
+class NetworkSync : public Participant {
 public:
   NetworkSync() {};
   NetworkSync(Roboid *roboid);
@@ -97,11 +98,11 @@ protected:
   //                            UInt8 parentId,
   //                            InterestingThing* object);
 
-  unsigned char buffer[256];
-  virtual void SendBuffer(unsigned char bufferSize);
-  virtual void PublishBuffer(unsigned char bufferSize);
+  // unsigned char buffer[256];
+  // virtual bool SendBuffer(unsigned char bufferSize);
+  // virtual bool PublishBuffer(unsigned char bufferSize);
 
-  virtual void SendCBuffer(unsigned char bufferSize, unsigned char *buffer);
+  // virtual void SendCBuffer(unsigned char bufferSize, unsigned char *buffer);
 
   void PublishClient();
 };
diff --git a/Roboid.cpp b/Roboid.cpp
index 4212e22..3649202 100644
--- a/Roboid.cpp
+++ b/Roboid.cpp
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ Roboid::Roboid() : Thing(0) {
 #ifdef RC_DEBUG
   Serial.begin(115200);
 #endif
-  this->type = RoboidType;
+  this->type = (unsigned char)RoboidType;
   this->perception = new Perception();
   this->perception->roboid = this;
   this->propulsion = new Propulsion();
diff --git a/Sensor.cpp b/Sensor.cpp
index f44e411..2def1af 100644
--- a/Sensor.cpp
+++ b/Sensor.cpp
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 #include "Roboid.h"
 
 Sensor::Sensor() : Thing() { // for now, id should be set properly later
-  this->type = Thing::SensorType;
+  this->type = (unsigned char)Thing::SensorType;
 }
 
 void Sensor::SetParent(Thing *parent) {
diff --git a/Thing.cpp b/Thing.cpp
index c5b646c..377a048 100644
--- a/Thing.cpp
+++ b/Thing.cpp
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ using namespace Passer::RoboidControl;
 int Thing::lastThingId = 1;
 
 Thing::Thing() {
+  //: CoreThing(0, lastThingId++, (unsigned char)Type::Undetermined) {
   this->id = lastThingId++;
   this->type = (unsigned int)Type::Undetermined;
   this->childCount = 0;
@@ -14,8 +15,10 @@ Thing::Thing() {
   this->children = nullptr;
 }
 
-Thing::Thing(unsigned char id) : id(id) {
-  // this->position = SphericalOf<signed short>::zero;
+Thing::Thing(unsigned char id) {
+  //: CoreThing(0, id, (unsigned char)Type::Undetermined) {
+  this->id = id;
+  //  this->position = SphericalOf<signed short>::zero;
   this->type = (unsigned int)Type::Undetermined;
   this->childCount = 0;
   this->parent = nullptr;
diff --git a/Thing.h b/Thing.h
index 2c8ee21..bd27e63 100644
--- a/Thing.h
+++ b/Thing.h
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #pragma once
 
+#include "ControlCore/CoreThing.h"
 #include "LinearAlgebra/AngleAxis.h"
 #include "LinearAlgebra/Quaternion.h"
 #include "LinearAlgebra/Spherical.h"
@@ -9,7 +10,7 @@ namespace Passer {
 namespace RoboidControl {
 
 /// @brief A thing is a functional component on a robot
-class Thing {
+class Thing { //: public CoreThing {
 public:
   Thing();
   /// @brief Default constructor for a Thing