diff --git a/components/nif/nifstream.hpp b/components/nif/nifstream.hpp
index a2595d17b8..7abfae9e84 100644
--- a/components/nif/nifstream.hpp
+++ b/components/nif/nifstream.hpp
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 #ifndef OPENMW_COMPONENTS_NIF_NIFSTREAM_HPP
 #define OPENMW_COMPONENTS_NIF_NIFSTREAM_HPP
 
+#include <boost/static_assert.hpp>
+
 namespace Nif
 {
 
@@ -11,168 +13,278 @@ class NIFStream {
     /// Input stream
     Ogre::DataStreamPtr inp;
 
-    uint8_t read_byte()
+    template <typename value_t>
+    value_t read_le ()
     {
-        uint8_t byte;
-        if(inp->read(&byte, 1) != 1) return 0;
-        return byte;
-    }
-    uint16_t read_le16()
-    {
-        uint8_t buffer[2];
-        if(inp->read(buffer, 2) != 2) return 0;
-        return buffer[0] | (buffer[1]<<8);
-    }
-    uint32_t read_le32()
-    {
-        uint8_t buffer[4];
-        if(inp->read(buffer, 4) != 4) return 0;
-        return buffer[0] | (buffer[1]<<8) | (buffer[2]<<16) | (buffer[3]<<24);
-    }
-    float read_le32f()
-    {
-        union {
-            uint32_t i;
-            float f;
-        } u = { read_le32() };
-        return u.f;
+        uint8_t buffer [sizeof (value_t)];
+
+        if (inp->read (buffer, sizeof (buffer)) != sizeof (buffer))
+            throw std::runtime_error ("unexpected");
+
+        value_t Value = 0;
+        value_t Shift = 0;
+
+        for (size_t i = 0; i < sizeof (value_t); ++i)
+        {
+            Value |= value_t (buffer[i]) << Shift;
+            Shift += 8;
+        }
+
+        return Value;
     }
 
 public:
 
+    /*
+     *  This should be true for any processor/platform whose endianess, alignment
+     *  and packing rules would be compatible with x86 and not fault or degrade
+     *  with misaligned reads. This enables some pretty big savings when reading in
+     *  animations and meshes.
+     */
+#if defined (__i386__) || defined(_M_IX86) || defined(__x86_64__) || defined(_M_X64)
+    static const bool FileCompatiblePlatform = true;
+#else
+    static const bool FileCompatiblePlatform = false;
+#endif
+
+    template <typename type>
+    struct handler;
+
+    template <typename presentation_type, typename backing_type>
+    struct le_handler;
+
+    template <typename presentation_type, typename backing_type>
+    friend struct le_handler;
+
+    template <typename store_type, typename final_type, bool SameLayout>
+    struct conversion_handler;
+
     NIFFile * const file;
 
-    NIFStream (NIFFile * file, Ogre::DataStreamPtr inp): file (file), inp (inp) {}
+    NIFStream (NIFFile * file, Ogre::DataStreamPtr inp) : file (file), inp (inp) {}
 
     /*************************************************
                Parser functions
     ****************************************************/
 
-    template <typename T>
-    struct GetHandler
-    {
-        typedef T (NIFStream::*fn_t)();
-
-        static const fn_t sValue; // this is specialized per supported type in the .cpp file
-
-        static T read (NIFStream* nif)
-        {
-            return (nif->*sValue) ();
-        }
-    };
+    void skip(size_t size) { return inp->skip (size); }
+    size_t read (void * data, size_t size) { return inp->read (data, size); }
 
     template <typename T>
-    void read (NIFStream* nif, T & Value)
+    void uncheckedRead (T & Value)
     {
-        Value = GetHandler <T>::read (nif);
+        typedef handler <T> handler_t;
+        handler_t::extract (*this, Value);
     }
 
-    void skip(size_t size) { inp->skip(size); }
-    void read (void * data, size_t size) { inp->read (data, size); }
+    template <typename T>
+    T getValue ()
+    {
+        T Value;
+        getValue (Value);
+        return Value;
+    }
 
-    char getChar() { return read_byte(); }
-    short getShort() { return read_le16(); }
-    unsigned short getUShort() { return read_le16(); }
-    int getInt() { return read_le32(); }
-    int getUInt() { return read_le32(); }
-    float getFloat() { return read_le32f(); }
-    Ogre::Vector2 getVector2()
+    template <typename T>
+    void getValue (T & Value)
     {
-        float a[2];
-        for(size_t i = 0;i < 2;i++)
-            a[i] = getFloat();
-        return Ogre::Vector2(a);
-    }
-    Ogre::Vector3 getVector3()
-    {
-        float a[3];
-        for(size_t i = 0;i < 3;i++)
-            a[i] = getFloat();
-        return Ogre::Vector3(a);
-    }
-    Ogre::Vector4 getVector4()
-    {
-        float a[4];
-        for(size_t i = 0;i < 4;i++)
-            a[i] = getFloat();
-        return Ogre::Vector4(a);
-    }
-    Ogre::Matrix3 getMatrix3()
-    {
-        Ogre::Real a[3][3];
-        for(size_t i = 0;i < 3;i++)
+        typedef handler <T> handler_t;
+        if (FileCompatiblePlatform && handler_t::FileCompatibleLayout)
         {
-            for(size_t j = 0;j < 3;j++)
-                a[i][j] = Ogre::Real(getFloat());
+            BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT_MSG (handler_t::FixedLength, "non-fixed length encoding not supported...");
+            BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT_MSG (handler_t::EncodedLength == sizeof (T), "unexpected structure size");
+
+            inp->read (&Value, handler_t::EncodedLength);
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            handler_t::extract (*this, Value);
         }
-        return Ogre::Matrix3(a);
     }
-    Ogre::Quaternion getQuaternion()
+
+    template <typename element_type>
+    void getArray (element_type * Array, size_t Size)
     {
-        float a[4];
-        for(size_t i = 0;i < 4;i++)
-            a[i] = getFloat();
-        return Ogre::Quaternion(a);
+        typedef handler <element_type> handler_t;
+
+        if (FileCompatiblePlatform && handler_t::FileCompatibleLayout)
+        {
+            BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT_MSG (handler_t::FixedLength, "non-fixed length encoding not supported...");
+            BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT_MSG (handler_t::EncodedLength == sizeof (element_type), "unexpected structure size");
+
+            inp->read (Array, handler_t::EncodedLength * Size);
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            for(size_t i = 0; i < Size; i++)
+                handler_t::extract (*this, Array[i]);
+        }
     }
-    Transformation getTrafo()
+
+    template <typename element_type, typename allocator_type>
+    void getStdVector (std::vector <element_type, allocator_type> & Vector, size_t Size)
     {
-        Transformation t;
-        t.pos = getVector3();
-        t.rotation = getMatrix3();
-        t.scale = getFloat();
-        return t;
+        Vector.resize(Size);
+
+        getArray (&Vector.front (), Vector.size ());
     }
 
+    template <typename length_type, typename element_type, typename allocator_type>
+    void getStdVector (std::vector <element_type, allocator_type> & Vector)
+    {
+        length_type Length;
+
+        getValue (Length);
+
+        getStdVector (Vector, Length);
+    }
+
+    char getChar()              { return getValue <char> (); }
+    signed int getInt()         { return getValue <int32_t> (); }
+    unsigned int getUInt()      { return getValue <uint32_t> (); }
+    signed short getShort()     { return getValue <int16_t> (); }
+    unsigned short getUShort()  { return getValue <uint16_t> (); }
+    //signed long getLong()     { return getValue <signed long> (); }
+    //unsigned long getULong()  { return getValue <unsigned long> (); }
+    float getFloat()            { return getValue <float> (); }
+
+    Ogre::Vector2 getVector2()  { return getValue <Ogre::Vector2> (); }
+    Ogre::Vector3 getVector3()  { return getValue <Ogre::Vector3> (); }
+    Ogre::Vector4 getVector4()  { return getValue <Ogre::Vector4> (); }
+    Ogre::Matrix3 getMatrix3()  { return getValue <Ogre::Matrix3> (); }
+    Ogre::Quaternion getQuaternion() { return getValue <Ogre::Quaternion> (); }
+
+    Transformation getTrafo()   { return getValue <Transformation> (); }
+
+    void getShorts(std::vector<short> &vec, size_t size)                 { return getStdVector (vec, size); }
+    void getFloats(std::vector<float> &vec, size_t size)                 { return getStdVector (vec, size); }
+    void getVector2s(std::vector<Ogre::Vector2> &vec, size_t size)       { return getStdVector (vec, size); }
+    void getVector3s(std::vector<Ogre::Vector3> &vec, size_t size)       { return getStdVector (vec, size); }
+    void getVector4s(std::vector<Ogre::Vector4> &vec, size_t size)       { return getStdVector (vec, size); }
+	void getQuaternions(std::vector<Ogre::Quaternion> &vec, size_t size) { return getStdVector (vec, size); }
+
     std::string getString(size_t length)
     {
         std::vector<char> str (length+1, 0);
 
-        if(inp->read(&str[0], length) != length)
+        if(read(&str[0], length) != length)
             throw std::runtime_error ("string length in NIF file does not match");
 
         return &str[0];
     }
     std::string getString()
     {
-        size_t size = read_le32();
+        size_t size = getValue <uint32_t> ();
         return getString(size);
     }
+};
 
-    void getShorts(std::vector<short> &vec, size_t size)
+/*
+ * generic type handlers
+ */
+
+template <typename type, size_t Size>
+struct NIFStream::handler < type [Size] >
+{
+    typedef handler <type> inner_handler;
+
+    static const bool   FixedLength          = inner_handler::FixedLength;
+    static const size_t EncodedLength        = inner_handler::EncodedLength * Size;
+    static const bool   FileCompatibleLayout = inner_handler::FileCompatibleLayout;
+
+    static void extract (NIFStream & Stream, type (&Value) [Size])
     {
-        vec.resize(size);
-        for(size_t i = 0;i < vec.size();i++)
-            vec[i] = getShort();
+        for (size_t i = 0; i < Size; ++i)
+            inner_handler::extract (Stream, Value [i]);
     }
-    void getFloats(std::vector<float> &vec, size_t size)
+};
+
+template <typename presentation_type, typename backing_type>
+struct NIFStream::le_handler
+{
+    static const bool   FixedLength          = true;
+    static const size_t EncodedLength        = sizeof (backing_type);
+    static const bool   FileCompatibleLayout = true;
+
+    static void extract (NIFStream & Stream, presentation_type & Value)
     {
-        vec.resize(size);
-        for(size_t i = 0;i < vec.size();i++)
-            vec[i] = getFloat();
+        BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT_MSG(sizeof (presentation_type) == sizeof (backing_type), "Invalid use of NIFile::le_handler template");
+
+        union {
+
+            backing_type        Backing;
+            presentation_type   Presentation;
+
+        } u;
+            
+        u.Backing = Stream.read_le <backing_type> ();
+
+        Value = u.Presentation;
     }
-    void getVector2s(std::vector<Ogre::Vector2> &vec, size_t size)
+};
+
+template <typename store_type, typename final_type>
+struct NIFStream::conversion_handler <store_type, final_type, false>
+{
+    typedef handler <store_type> store_handler;
+
+    static const bool   FixedLength          = store_handler::FixedLength;
+    static const size_t EncodedLength        = store_handler::EncodedLength;
+    static const bool   FileCompatibleLayout = false;
+
+    static void extract (NIFStream & Stream, final_type & Value)
     {
-        vec.resize(size);
-        for(size_t i = 0;i < vec.size();i++)
-            vec[i] = getVector2();
+        store_type StoreValue;
+        store_handler::extract (Stream, StoreValue);
+        Value = final_type (StoreValue);
     }
-    void getVector3s(std::vector<Ogre::Vector3> &vec, size_t size)
+};
+
+template <typename store_type, typename final_type>
+struct NIFStream::conversion_handler <store_type, final_type, true>
+{
+    typedef handler <store_type> store_handler;
+
+    static const bool   FixedLength          = store_handler::FixedLength;
+    static const size_t EncodedLength        = store_handler::EncodedLength;
+    static const bool   FileCompatibleLayout = store_handler::FileCompatibleLayout;
+
+    static void extract (NIFStream & Stream, final_type & FinalValue)
     {
-        vec.resize(size);
-        for(size_t i = 0;i < vec.size();i++)
-            vec[i] = getVector3();
+        store_handler::extract (Stream, reinterpret_cast <store_type &> (FinalValue));
     }
-    void getVector4s(std::vector<Ogre::Vector4> &vec, size_t size)
+};
+
+template <> struct NIFStream::handler <int8_t>              : NIFStream::le_handler <int8_t,    uint8_t> {};
+template <> struct NIFStream::handler <uint8_t>             : NIFStream::le_handler <uint8_t,   uint8_t> {};
+template <> struct NIFStream::handler <int16_t>             : NIFStream::le_handler <int16_t,   uint16_t> {};
+template <> struct NIFStream::handler <uint16_t>            : NIFStream::le_handler <uint16_t,  uint16_t> {};
+template <> struct NIFStream::handler <int32_t>             : NIFStream::le_handler <int32_t,   uint32_t> {};
+template <> struct NIFStream::handler <uint32_t>            : NIFStream::le_handler <uint32_t,  uint32_t> {};
+
+template <> struct NIFStream::handler <char>                : NIFStream::le_handler <char,      uint8_t> {};
+template <> struct NIFStream::handler <float>               : NIFStream::le_handler <float,     uint32_t> {};
+
+template <> struct NIFStream::handler <Ogre::Vector2>       : NIFStream::conversion_handler <float[2],      Ogre::Vector2,      true> {};
+template <> struct NIFStream::handler <Ogre::Vector3>       : NIFStream::conversion_handler <float[3],      Ogre::Vector3,      true> {};
+template <> struct NIFStream::handler <Ogre::Vector4>       : NIFStream::conversion_handler <float[4],      Ogre::Vector4,      true> {};
+template <> struct NIFStream::handler <Ogre::Matrix3>       : NIFStream::conversion_handler <float[3][3],   Ogre::Matrix3,      true> {};
+template <> struct NIFStream::handler <Ogre::Quaternion>    : NIFStream::conversion_handler <float[4],      Ogre::Quaternion,   true> {};
+
+template <> struct NIFStream::handler <Transformation>
+{
+    static const bool FixedLength = true;
+    static const size_t EncodedLength =
+        handler <Ogre::Vector3>::EncodedLength + 
+        handler <Ogre::Matrix3>::EncodedLength + 
+        handler <Ogre::Real>::EncodedLength;
+    static const bool FileCompatibleLayout = true;
+
+    static void extract (NIFStream & stream, Transformation & value)
     {
-        vec.resize(size);
-        for(size_t i = 0;i < vec.size();i++)
-            vec[i] = getVector4();
-    }
-    void getQuaternions(std::vector<Ogre::Quaternion> &quat, size_t size)
-    {
-        quat.resize(size);
-        for(size_t i = 0;i < quat.size();i++)
-            quat[i] = getQuaternion();
+        stream.uncheckedRead (value.pos);
+        stream.uncheckedRead (value.rotation);
+        stream.uncheckedRead (value.scale);
     }
 };