diff --git a/ansi_parser.cpp b/ansi_parser.cpp
index e490c63..4934304 100644
--- a/ansi_parser.cpp
+++ b/ansi_parser.cpp
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 using namespace fmt;
 
 
-#line 105 "ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 107 "ansi_parser.rl"
 
 
 
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ static const int foo_error = 0;
 static const int foo_en_main = 23;
 
 
-#line 108 "ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 110 "ansi_parser.rl"
 
 #include <ftxui/screen/terminal.hpp>
 
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ bool ANSIParser::parse(std::wstring_view codes, ColorCB color_cb, WriteCB write_
 	cs = foo_start;
 	}
 
-#line 133 "ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 135 "ansi_parser.rl"
   
 #line 120 "ansi_parser.cpp"
 	{
@@ -267,8 +267,8 @@ _match:
 	case 8:
 #line 56 "ansi_parser.rl"
 	{
-    color = {100,100,100}; // UNDO THIS
-    bgcolor = $default_bg; // THIS TOO
+    color = $default_bg;
+    bgcolor = $default_fg;
     color_cb(color, bgcolor);
   }
 	break;
@@ -283,29 +283,31 @@ _match:
 	case 10:
 #line 66 "ansi_parser.rl"
 	{
+    color = sf::Color(100,100,100);
+    color_cb(color, bgcolor);
   }
 	break;
 	case 11:
-#line 69 "ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 71 "ansi_parser.rl"
 	{ target.r = value; }
 	break;
 	case 12:
-#line 70 "ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 72 "ansi_parser.rl"
 	{ target.g = value; }
 	break;
 	case 13:
-#line 71 "ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 73 "ansi_parser.rl"
 	{ target.b = value; }
 	break;
 	case 14:
-#line 72 "ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 74 "ansi_parser.rl"
 	{ value = 0; }
 	break;
 	case 15:
-#line 73 "ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 75 "ansi_parser.rl"
 	{}
 	break;
-#line 279 "ansi_parser.cpp"
+#line 281 "ansi_parser.cpp"
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -322,10 +324,10 @@ _again:
 	while ( __nacts-- > 0 ) {
 		switch ( *__acts++ ) {
 	case 15:
-#line 73 "ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 75 "ansi_parser.rl"
 	{}
 	break;
-#line 297 "ansi_parser.cpp"
+#line 299 "ansi_parser.cpp"
 		}
 	}
 	}
@@ -333,7 +335,7 @@ _again:
 	_out: {}
 	}
 
-#line 134 "ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 136 "ansi_parser.rl"
 
   bool good = p - pe == 0;
 
diff --git a/ansi_parser.rl b/ansi_parser.rl
index 4327cbb..cbe829d 100644
--- a/ansi_parser.rl
+++ b/ansi_parser.rl
@@ -54,8 +54,8 @@ using namespace fmt;
   action reset_fg { color = $default_fg; }
   action reset_bg { bgcolor = $default_bg; }
   action invert {
-    color = {100,100,100}; // UNDO THIS
-    bgcolor = $default_bg; // THIS TOO
+    color = $default_bg;
+    bgcolor = $default_fg;
     color_cb(color, bgcolor);
   }
   action reset_invert {
@@ -64,6 +64,8 @@ using namespace fmt;
     color_cb(color, bgcolor);
   }
   action half_bright {
+    color = sf::Color(100,100,100);
+    color_cb(color, bgcolor);
   }
 
   action red { target.r = value; }
diff --git a/render.cpp b/render.cpp
index 0ca52a0..3346e39 100644
--- a/render.cpp
+++ b/render.cpp
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ SFMLRender::SFMLRender() :
   $ui_text.setPosition(0,0);
   $ui_text.setCharacterSize(UI_FONT_SIZE);
   $ui_text.setFillColor(color(Value::LIGHT_MID));
-  sf::Glyph glyph = $font.getGlyph(L'█', UI_FONT_SIZE, false);
+  sf::Glyph glyph = $font.getGlyph(UI_BASE_CHAR, UI_FONT_SIZE, false);
   $ui_bounds = glyph.bounds;
 }
 
@@ -148,11 +148,22 @@ void SFMLRender::render_grid(const std::wstring &text, float x, float y) {
   });
 }
 
-inline sf::FloatRect draw_chunk(sf::RenderWindow& window, sf::Text& text, float x, float y, std::wstring &out) {
+inline sf::FloatRect draw_chunk(sf::RenderWindow& window,
+    sf::FloatRect ui_bounds, sf::Text& text,
+    sf::Color bgcolor, float x, float y, std::wstring &out)
+{
   text.setString(out);
-  text.setPosition(x, y);
-  sf::FloatRect bounds = text.getLocalBounds();
-  // need left,top,width,height for box to be accurate
+  text.setPosition({x, y});
+  // get a base character for the cell size
+  sf::FloatRect bounds(x, y, ui_bounds.width * out.size(), ui_bounds.height);
+  sf::RectangleShape backing({bounds.width, bounds.height});
+  backing.setFillColor(bgcolor);
+  backing.setPosition({bounds.left, bounds.top + BG_BOX_OFFSET});
+#ifdef DEBUG
+  backing.setOutlineColor(int(y) % 4 ? sf::Color::Red : sf::Color::Yellow);
+  backing.setOutlineThickness(1);
+#endif
+  window.draw(backing);
   window.draw(text);
   out.clear();
   return bounds;
@@ -162,10 +173,7 @@ void SFMLRender::render_text(const std::wstring &text, float start_x, float star
   std::wstring out;
   float x = start_x;
   float y = start_y;
-  enum State { START=1, BUILDING=2 };
-  enum Event { NL=1, CHAR=3, SKIP=5 };
-  State state = START;
-  Event event = CHAR;
+  sf::Color bgcolor = $default_bg;
 
   // start with the default_fg until it's changed
   $ui_text.setFillColor($default_fg);
@@ -173,42 +181,38 @@ void SFMLRender::render_text(const std::wstring &text, float start_x, float star
   $ansi.parse(text,
     [&](sf::Color fg, sf::Color bg){
         if(out.size() > 0 ) {
-          auto bounds = draw_chunk($window, $ui_text, x, y, out);
+          auto bounds = draw_chunk($window, $ui_bounds, $ui_text, bgcolor, x, y, out);
           x += bounds.width;
         }
+        bgcolor = bg;
         $ui_text.setFillColor(fg);
     },
     [&](wchar_t tile) {
-      if(tile == '\r') event = SKIP;
-      else if(tile == '\n') event = NL;
-      else event = CHAR;
-
-      switch(event) {
-        case SKIP: break; // ignore it
-        case NL: {
-          if(state == START) {
-            state = BUILDING;
-          } else if(state == BUILDING) {
-            sf::FloatRect bounds;
-
-            if(out.size() > 0) {
-              bounds = draw_chunk($window, $ui_text, x, y, out);
-            } else {
-              bounds = $ui_text.getLocalBounds();
-            }
-
-            y += bounds.height;
-            x = start_x; // reset to the original position
+      switch(tile) {
+        case '\r': break; // ignore it
+        case '\n': {
+          sf::FloatRect bounds;
+
+          if(out.size() > 0) {
+            bounds = draw_chunk($window, $ui_bounds, $ui_text, bgcolor, x, y, out);
+          } else {
+            bounds = $ui_text.getLocalBounds();
           }
+
+          y += bounds.height;
+          x = start_x; // reset to the original position
         }
         break;
-        case CHAR:
-          state = BUILDING;
+        default:
           out += tile;
           break;
       }
     }
   );
+
+  if(out.size() > 0) {
+    draw_chunk($window, $ui_bounds, $ui_text, bgcolor, x, y, out);
+  }
 }
 
 void SFMLRender::draw_text(Panel &panel, bool with_border) {
diff --git a/render.hpp b/render.hpp
index d0f6f21..e0bbcab 100644
--- a/render.hpp
+++ b/render.hpp
@@ -13,15 +13,16 @@
 
 using ftxui::Canvas, ftxui::Screen;
 
-#define BG_TILE L'█'
-
-constexpr int VIDEO_X = 1600;
-constexpr int VIDEO_Y = 900;
-constexpr int MIN_FONT_SIZE = 20;
-constexpr int MAX_FONT_SIZE = 140;
-constexpr int GAME_MAP_POS = 600;
-constexpr int UI_FONT_SIZE=30;
-constexpr int BASE_MAP_FONT_SIZE=90;
+const int VIDEO_X = 1600;
+const int VIDEO_Y = 900;
+const int MIN_FONT_SIZE = 20;
+const int MAX_FONT_SIZE = 140;
+const int GAME_MAP_POS = 600;
+const int UI_FONT_SIZE=30;
+const int BASE_MAP_FONT_SIZE=90;
+const wchar_t BG_TILE = L'█';
+const wchar_t UI_BASE_CHAR = L'█';
+const int BG_BOX_OFFSET=5;
 
 enum class Value {
   BLACK=0, DARK_DARK, DARK_MID,