diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 7441335..d829a6c 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ NETHACK_DIR=$(shell pwd)/savedata
 IMAGE_NAME=nethack_launch
 
 
-all: stat reclist
+all: stat
 
 run:
 	go run \
@@ -16,10 +16,6 @@ stat:
 	mkdir -p bin/
 	$(CGOR) $(GOC) $(GOFLAGS) -o bin/nethack-launcher nethack-launcher.go 
 
-reclist:
-	mkdir -p bin/
-	gcc -static deps/reclist.c -o bin/reclist
-
 dependencies:
 	go get github.com/gorilla/mux
 
@@ -27,7 +23,6 @@ build_docker:
 	mkdir -p stage.tmp/
 	cp deps/Dockerfile stage.tmp/
 	cp deps/server_config.gcfg stage.tmp/config.gcfg
-	cp bin/reclist stage.tmp/
 	cp bin/nethack-launcher stage.tmp/
 	cp deps/redis.conf stage.tmp/
 	cp deps/run.sh stage.tmp/
diff --git a/config.gcfg b/config.gcfg
index 4a38167..b02020c 100644
--- a/config.gcfg
+++ b/config.gcfg
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 [nethacklauncher]
   loglevel            = "debug"
   serverdisplay       = "unixvoid.com underground nethack server"
-  nethackversion      = "3.6.0"
+  nethackversion      = "3.6.1"
   hackdir             = "savedata/hack"
   nhdatlocation       = "/usr/lib/games/nethack/nhdat"
   bootstrapdelay      = 1
diff --git a/deps/Dockerfile b/deps/Dockerfile
index 58a46d3..d058edb 100644
--- a/deps/Dockerfile
+++ b/deps/Dockerfile
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ RUN mkdir /hack/
 # copy in files
 COPY config.gcfg /
 COPY nethack-launcher /
-COPY reclist /bin/
 COPY redis.conf /
 COPY run.sh /
 COPY nethackrc /hack/.nethackrc
diff --git a/deps/server_config.gcfg b/deps/server_config.gcfg
index e0f1599..1688c26 100644
--- a/deps/server_config.gcfg
+++ b/deps/server_config.gcfg
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 [nethacklauncher]
   loglevel            = "debug"
   serverdisplay       = "unixvoid.com underground nethack server"
-  nethackversion      = "3.6.0"
+  nethackversion      = "3.6.1"
   hackdir             = "/hack"
   nhdatlocation       = "/usr/lib/games/nethack/nhdat"
   bootstrapdelay      = 1
diff --git a/nethack-launcher.go b/nethack-launcher.go
index 9919451..b26e198 100644
--- a/nethack-launcher.go
+++ b/nethack-launcher.go
@@ -109,6 +109,13 @@ func checkFiles() {
 		fmt.Printf("%s\n", err)
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
+	// make sure initial rcfile exists
+	hackRCLoc := fmt.Sprintf("%s/.nethackrc", config.NethackLauncher.HackDir)
+	if _, err := os.Stat(hackRCLoc); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		glogger.Info.Printf("initial config file not found at: %s\n", hackRCLoc)
+		fmt.Printf("%s\n", err)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
 }
 
 func clearScreen() {
@@ -345,9 +352,6 @@ func printRegisterScreen(redisClient *redis.Client) {
 			secHash := sha3.Sum512([]byte(sec))
 			redisClient.Set(fmt.Sprintf("user:%s", username), fmt.Sprintf("%x", secHash), 0).Err()
 
-			// TODO create config file
-			// HackDir/user/username/<config>
-
 			// create user directories
 			userPath := fmt.Sprintf("%s/user/%s/ttyrec/", config.NethackLauncher.HackDir, username)
 			exec.Command("mkdir", "-p", userPath).Run()