diff --git a/a8/sysutils.cc b/a8/sysutils.cc
index b01e928..1a365a3 100644
--- a/a8/sysutils.cc
+++ b/a8/sysutils.cc
@@ -245,6 +245,11 @@ namespace a8
         return (int)(int64_val >> 32);
     }
 
+    int MkRgb(int red, int green, int blue)
+    {
+        return red | (green << 8) | (blue << 16) ;
+    }
+
     float RandAngle()
     {
         float angle = 0.00001f + ((float)rand() / RAND_MAX) * 2.0f;
diff --git a/a8/sysutils.h b/a8/sysutils.h
index b66b8b7..5b00577 100644
--- a/a8/sysutils.h
+++ b/a8/sysutils.h
@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@ namespace a8
     int Low32(long long int64_val);
     int High32(long long int64_val);
 
+    int MkRgb(int red, int green, int blue);
+
     float RandAngle();
 
     void ClearSendQueue(a8::SendQueueNode* node);