diff --git a/assets/tiles.json b/assets/tiles.json
index 3b6c226..8ca54de 100644
--- a/assets/tiles.json
+++ b/assets/tiles.json
@@ -7,21 +7,21 @@
     "display": 10398,
     "id": 0
   },
-  "WALL_MOSS": {
-    "texture": "assets/glowing_moss_wall-256.png",
+  "WALL_PLAIN": {
+    "texture": "assets/wall_texture_test-256.png",
     "foreground": [230, 20, 30],
     "background": [230, 20, 120],
     "collision": true,
-    "display": 8820,
+    "display": 9608,
     "id": 1
   },
-  "WALL_PLAIN": {
-    "texture": "assets/wall_texture_test-256.png",
+  "WALL_MOSS": {
+    "texture": "assets/glowing_moss_wall-256.png",
     "foreground": [230, 20, 30],
     "background": [230, 20, 120],
     "collision": true,
-    "display": 9608,
-    "id": 2
+    "display": 8820,
+    "id": 3
   },
   "WALL_VINES": {
     "texture": "assets/wall_with_vines-256.png",
diff --git a/gui/map_view.hpp b/gui/map_view.hpp
index 9a34819..ed00a22 100644
--- a/gui/map_view.hpp
+++ b/gui/map_view.hpp
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 #include "levelmanager.hpp"
 #include "textures.hpp"
 #include <guecs/ui.hpp>
-#include "tilemap.hpp"
 #include <string>
 
 namespace gui {
diff --git a/gui/mini_map.hpp b/gui/mini_map.hpp
index bf159d5..ed2727e 100644
--- a/gui/mini_map.hpp
+++ b/gui/mini_map.hpp
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 #include "levelmanager.hpp"
 #include "textures.hpp"
 #include <guecs/ui.hpp>
-#include "tilemap.hpp"
 
 namespace gui {
   class MiniMapUI {
diff --git a/map.cpp b/map.cpp
index e2dbfc5..52e3e9a 100644
--- a/map.cpp
+++ b/map.cpp
@@ -13,13 +13,11 @@ using namespace fmt;
 Map::Map(size_t width, size_t height) :
   $width(width),
   $height(height),
-  $tiles(width, height),
   $walls(height, matrix::Row(width, SPACE_VALUE)),
   $paths(width, height)
 {}
 
 Map::Map(Matrix &walls, Pathing &paths) :
-  $tiles(matrix::width(walls), matrix::height(walls)),
   $walls(walls),
   $paths(paths)
 {
@@ -144,8 +142,12 @@ bool Map::INVARIANT() {
   return true;
 }
 
-void Map::load_tiles() {
-  $tiles.load($walls);
+void Map::init_tiles() {
+  $tiles = $walls;
+}
+
+Matrix& Map::tiles() {
+  return $walls;
 }
 
 void Map::enclose() {
diff --git a/map.hpp b/map.hpp
index 80f2f2d..fd00998 100644
--- a/map.hpp
+++ b/map.hpp
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@
 #include "pathing.hpp"
 #include "matrix.hpp"
 #include "constants.hpp"
-#include "tilemap.hpp"
 
 using lighting::LightSource;
 
@@ -25,8 +24,8 @@ class Map {
 public:
   size_t $width;
   size_t $height;
-  TileMap $tiles;
   Matrix $walls;
+  Matrix $tiles;
   Pathing $paths;
   std::vector<Room> $rooms;
   std::vector<Point> $dead_ends;
@@ -36,7 +35,6 @@ public:
   Map(Matrix &walls, Pathing &paths);
 
   Matrix& paths() { return $paths.paths(); }
-  TileMap& tiles() { return $tiles; }
   Matrix& input_map() { return $paths.input(); }
   Matrix& walls() { return $walls; }
   size_t width() { return $width; }
@@ -65,7 +63,8 @@ public:
   void dump(int show_x=-1, int show_y=-1);
   bool INVARIANT();
 
-  void load_tiles();
+  void init_tiles();
+  Matrix& tiles();
   void add_room(Room &room);
   void invert_space();
 };
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index e8fd589..772a1fe 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -122,7 +122,6 @@ sources = [
   'stats.cpp',
   'systems.cpp',
   'textures.cpp',
-  'tilemap.cpp',
   'worldbuilder.cpp',
   'maze.cpp'
 ]
@@ -150,7 +149,6 @@ executable('runtests', sources + [
   'tests/spatialmap.cpp',
   'tests/stats.cpp',
   'tests/textures.cpp',
-  'tests/tilemap.cpp',
   'tests/mazes.cpp',
   ],
   cpp_args: cpp_args,
diff --git a/raycaster.cpp b/raycaster.cpp
index 055f4f6..4fe1898 100644
--- a/raycaster.cpp
+++ b/raycaster.cpp
@@ -417,9 +417,8 @@ void Raycaster::update_level(GameLevel level) {
   $sprites.clear();
 
   $level = level;
-  // BUG: this is way too complex, please make it easier, the issue is that I need to convert the maps to visible tiles and that involves wstring convert, but this is many steps done probably over and over
-  auto& tiles = $level.map->tiles();
-  $map = textures::convert_char_to_texture(tiles.$tile_ids);
+
+  $map = $level.map->tiles();
 
   $level.world->query<components::Sprite>([&](const auto ent, auto& sprite) {
       // player doesn't need a sprite
diff --git a/systems.cpp b/systems.cpp
index 08e9575..12f527f 100644
--- a/systems.cpp
+++ b/systems.cpp
@@ -390,6 +390,7 @@ std::wstring System::draw_map(GameLevel level, size_t view_x, size_t view_y, int
   auto player_pos = world.get<Position>(level.player).location;
   Point cam_orig = map.center_camera(player_pos, view_x, view_y);
   auto &tiles = map.tiles();
+  (void)tiles;
 
   // make a grid of chars to work with
   auto grid = shiterator::make<wchar_t>(view_x+1, view_y+1);
@@ -398,12 +399,11 @@ std::wstring System::draw_map(GameLevel level, size_t view_x, size_t view_y, int
   for(shiterator::each_cell_t it{grid}; it.next();) {
     size_t tile_y = size_t(it.y) + cam_orig.y;
     size_t tile_x = size_t(it.x) + cam_orig.x;
+    (void)tile_y;
+    (void)tile_x;
 
-    if(tile_x < tiles.$width && tile_y < tiles.$height) {
-      grid[it.y][it.x] = tiles.at(tile_x, tile_y).display;
-    } else {
-      grid[it.y][it.x] = ' ';
-    }
+    // FIX ME
+    grid[it.y][it.x] = 'F';
   }
 
 
diff --git a/tests/textures.cpp b/tests/textures.cpp
index e705c3c..55c03c8 100644
--- a/tests/textures.cpp
+++ b/tests/textures.cpp
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ TEST_CASE("test texture management", "[textures]") {
   LevelManager levels;
   GameLevel level = levels.current();
   auto& tiles = level.map->tiles();
-  auto map = textures::convert_char_to_texture(tiles.$tile_ids);
-  REQUIRE(matrix::width(map) == matrix::width(tiles.$tile_ids));
-  REQUIRE(matrix::height(map) == matrix::height(tiles.$tile_ids));
+  auto& walls = level.map->walls();
+  REQUIRE(matrix::width(tiles) == matrix::width(walls));
+  REQUIRE(matrix::height(tiles) == matrix::height(walls));
 }
diff --git a/tests/tilemap.cpp b/tests/tilemap.cpp
deleted file mode 100644
index 4a82518..0000000
--- a/tests/tilemap.cpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,22 +0,0 @@
-#include <catch2/catch_test_macros.hpp>
-#include <fmt/core.h>
-#include "map.hpp"
-#include "levelmanager.hpp"
-#include "tilemap.hpp"
-#include "config.hpp"
-#include "rand.hpp"
-
-using namespace fmt;
-using std::string;
-
-TEST_CASE("tilemap can load tiles and make a map", "[tilemap]") {
-  LevelManager levels;
-  GameLevel level = levels.current();
-  auto &map = *level.map;
-
-  TileMap tiles(map.width(), map.height());
-  auto& walls = map.walls();
-  tiles.load(walls);
-  tiles.dump();
-  REQUIRE(tiles.INVARIANT());
-}
diff --git a/textures.cpp b/textures.cpp
index c2fa8e1..ff12199 100644
--- a/textures.cpp
+++ b/textures.cpp
@@ -35,12 +35,21 @@ namespace textures {
   void load_tiles() {
     Config assets("assets/tiles.json");
     auto &tiles = assets.json();
+    TMGR.surfaces.resize(tiles.size());
 
     for(auto &el : tiles.items()) {
       auto &config = el.value();
-      TMGR.surfaces.emplace_back(load_image(config["texture"]));
+      const std::string& texture_fname = config["texture"];
+      size_t surface_i = config["id"];
+
+      if(surface_i >= tiles.size()) {
+        TMGR.surfaces.resize(surface_i + 1);
+      }
+
+      TMGR.surfaces[surface_i] = load_image(texture_fname);
+
       wchar_t tid = config["display"];
-      int surface_i = TMGR.surfaces.size() - 1;
+      fmt::println("texture {} has surface_i={}", texture_fname, surface_i);
       TMGR.char_to_texture[tid] = surface_i;
     }
   }
@@ -72,7 +81,6 @@ namespace textures {
     sf::Image texture;
     bool good = texture.loadFromFile(filename);
     dbc::check(good, fmt::format("failed to load {}", filename));
-    fmt::println("texture size={}", sizeof(texture));
     return texture;
   }
 
@@ -80,17 +88,6 @@ namespace textures {
     return (const uint32_t *)TMGR.surfaces[num].getPixelsPtr();
   }
 
-  matrix::Matrix convert_char_to_texture(matrix::Matrix &tile_ids) {
-    auto result = matrix::make(matrix::width(tile_ids), matrix::height(tile_ids));
-
-    for(matrix::each_cell it(tile_ids); it.next();) {
-      wchar_t tid = tile_ids[it.y][it.x];
-      result[it.y][it.x] = TMGR.char_to_texture.at(tid);
-    }
-
-    return result;
-  }
-
   const uint32_t* get_floor() {
     return (const uint32_t *)TMGR.floor.getPixelsPtr();
   }
diff --git a/textures.hpp b/textures.hpp
index 050cd17..efca76e 100644
--- a/textures.hpp
+++ b/textures.hpp
@@ -30,8 +30,6 @@ namespace textures {
 
   const uint32_t* get_surface(size_t num);
 
-  matrix::Matrix convert_char_to_texture(matrix::Matrix &from);
-
   const uint32_t* get_floor();
 
   const uint32_t* get_ceiling();
diff --git a/tilemap.cpp b/tilemap.cpp
deleted file mode 100644
index 80b0879..0000000
--- a/tilemap.cpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,78 +0,0 @@
-#include "tilemap.hpp"
-#include "dbc.hpp"
-#include "constants.hpp"
-#include <iostream>
-
-using nlohmann::json;
-using components::Tile;
-using std::string;
-
-TileMap::TileMap(size_t width, size_t height) :
-  $config("./assets/tiles.json"),
-  $width(width),
-  $height(height),
-  $tile_ids(height, matrix::Row(width, SPACE_VALUE)),
-  $display(height, TileRow(width, {L'#', {0,0,0}, {0,0,0}}))
-{
-}
-
-std::string TileMap::to_string(int show_x, int show_y) {
-  std::string result;
-
-  for(matrix::each_row it{$tile_ids}; it.next();) {
-    const Tile &cell = $display[it.y][it.x];
-
-    if(int(it.x) == show_x && int(it.y) == show_y) {
-      result += "@";
-    } else {
-      result += cell.display;
-    }
-
-    if(it.row) result += "\n";
-  }
-
-  return result;
-}
-
-void TileMap::dump(int show_x, int show_y) {
-  std::cout << to_string(show_x, show_y) << std::endl;
-}
-
-void TileMap::set_tile(size_t x, size_t y, const string& tile_name) {
-  json& tile_conf = $config[tile_name];
-
-  auto tile = components::convert<Tile>(tile_conf);
-  $tile_ids[y][x] = tile.display;
-  $display[y][x] = tile;
-}
-
-void TileMap::load(matrix::Matrix &walls) {
-  for(matrix::each_cell it{walls}; it.next();) {
-    string tile_name = walls[it.y][it.x] == SPACE_VALUE ? "FLOOR_TILE" : "WALL_PLAIN";
-    set_tile(it.x, it.y, tile_name);
-  }
-}
-
-const Tile &TileMap::at(size_t x, size_t y) {
-  return $display[y][x];
-}
-
-std::vector<std::string> TileMap::tile_names(bool collision) {
-  const auto &json = $config.json();
-  std::vector<std::string> keys;
-
-  for(const auto& el : json.items()) {
-    const auto &val = el.value();
-    if(val["collision"] == collision) {
-      keys.push_back(el.key());
-    }
-  }
-
-  return keys;
-}
-
-bool TileMap::INVARIANT() {
-  dbc::check(matrix::height($tile_ids) == $height, "$tile_ids has wrong height");
-  dbc::check(matrix::width($tile_ids) == $width, "$tile_ids has wrong width");
-  return true;
-}
diff --git a/tilemap.hpp b/tilemap.hpp
deleted file mode 100644
index b450da4..0000000
--- a/tilemap.hpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,38 +0,0 @@
-#pragma once
-#include <vector>
-#include <utility>
-#include <string>
-#include <algorithm>
-#include <fmt/core.h>
-#include "point.hpp"
-#include "matrix.hpp"
-#include "config.hpp"
-#include "components.hpp"
-
-typedef std::vector<components::Tile> TileRow;
-typedef std::vector<TileRow> TileGrid;
-
-class TileMap {
-public:
-  Config $config;
-  size_t $width;
-  size_t $height;
-  matrix::Matrix $tile_ids;
-  TileGrid $display;
-
-  TileMap(size_t width, size_t height);
-
-  // disable copying
-  TileMap(TileMap &map) = delete;
-
-  size_t width() { return $width; }
-  size_t height() { return $height; }
-  void load(matrix::Matrix &walls);
-  const components::Tile& at(size_t x, size_t y);
-  void set_tile(size_t x, size_t y, const std::string& tile_name);
-  std::vector<std::string> tile_names(bool collision);
-
-  std::string to_string(int show_x, int show_y);
-  void dump(int show_x=-1, int show_y=-1);
-  bool INVARIANT();
-};
diff --git a/worldbuilder.cpp b/worldbuilder.cpp
index fbc0845..dab3d29 100644
--- a/worldbuilder.cpp
+++ b/worldbuilder.cpp
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ void WorldBuilder::generate_map() {
   maze.hunt_and_kill();
 
   $map.enclose();
-  $map.load_tiles();
+  $map.init_tiles();
 }
 
 bool WorldBuilder::find_open_spot(Point& pos_out) {