diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 7a79fcf..b1b1764 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -3,16 +3,17 @@ all: build test
 reset:
 	powershell -executionpolicy bypass .\scripts\reset_build.ps1
 
-rageldev:
-	make ragel
+%.cpp : %.rl
+	ragel -o $@ $<
+
+rageldev: ragel
 	make test > test.txt
 	vim test.txt
 
 ragel:
-	ragel -o .\scratchpad\testragel.cpp .\scratchpad\testragel.rl
 	ragel -o .\ansi_parser.cpp .\ansi_parser.rl
 
-build:
+build: ansi_parser.cpp
 	meson compile -j 4 -C builddir
 
 test: build
diff --git a/ansi_parser.cpp b/ansi_parser.cpp
index fb345eb..0c36f62 100644
--- a/ansi_parser.cpp
+++ b/ansi_parser.cpp
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 using namespace fmt;
 
 
-#line 59 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 77 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
 
 
 
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ static const char _foo_key_offsets[] = {
 	27, 28, 29, 30, 31
 };
 
-static const char _foo_trans_keys[] = {
+static const int _foo_trans_keys[] = {
 	27, 91, 51, 52, 56, 57, 59, 50, 
 	59, 48, 57, 59, 48, 57, 48, 57, 
 	59, 48, 57, 48, 57, 109, 48, 57, 
@@ -85,15 +85,15 @@ static const int foo_error = 0;
 static const int foo_en_main = 19;
 
 
-#line 62 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 80 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
 
-bool parse_ansi(std::string_view codes, sf::Color default_fg, sf::Color default_bg, WriteCB write) {
-  const char *start = NULL;
+bool parse_ansi(std::wstring_view codes, sf::Color default_fg, sf::Color default_bg, WriteCB write) {
+  const wchar_t *start = NULL;
   int cs = 0;
   unsigned int value = 0;
-  const char *p = codes.data();
-  const char *pe = p + codes.size();
-  const char *eof = pe;
+  const wchar_t *p = codes.data();
+  const wchar_t *pe = p + codes.size();
+  const wchar_t *eof = pe;
   sf::Color bgcolor(default_bg);
   sf::Color color(default_fg);
   sf::Color &target = bgcolor;
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ bool parse_ansi(std::string_view codes, sf::Color default_fg, sf::Color default_
 	cs = foo_start;
 	}
 
-#line 75 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 93 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
   
 #line 97 ".\\ansi_parser.cpp"
 	{
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ bool parse_ansi(std::string_view codes, sf::Color default_fg, sf::Color default_
 	unsigned int _trans;
 	const char *_acts;
 	unsigned int _nacts;
-	const char *_keys;
+	const int *_keys;
 
 	if ( p == pe )
 		goto _test_eof;
@@ -124,9 +124,9 @@ _resume:
 
 	_klen = _foo_single_lengths[cs];
 	if ( _klen > 0 ) {
-		const char *_lower = _keys;
-		const char *_mid;
-		const char *_upper = _keys + _klen - 1;
+		const int *_lower = _keys;
+		const int *_mid;
+		const int *_upper = _keys + _klen - 1;
 		while (1) {
 			if ( _upper < _lower )
 				break;
@@ -147,9 +147,9 @@ _resume:
 
 	_klen = _foo_range_lengths[cs];
 	if ( _klen > 0 ) {
-		const char *_lower = _keys;
-		const char *_mid;
-		const char *_upper = _keys + (_klen<<1) - 2;
+		const int *_lower = _keys;
+		const int *_mid;
+		const int *_upper = _keys + (_klen<<1) - 2;
 		while (1) {
 			if ( _upper < _lower )
 				break;
@@ -180,65 +180,82 @@ _match:
 		switch ( *_acts++ )
 		{
 	case 0:
-#line 13 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 14 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
 	{
     start = p;
   }
 	break;
 	case 1:
-#line 17 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 18 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
 	{
-    auto [ptr, ec] = std::from_chars(start, p, value);
-    dbc::check(ec == std::errc(), "error in number parsing");
+    value = 0;
+    size_t len = p - start;
+    dbc::check(start[0] != '-', "negative numbers not supported");
+
+    switch(len) {
+      case 10:    value += (start[len-10] - '0') * 1000000000;
+      case  9:    value += (start[len- 9] - '0') * 100000000;
+      case  8:    value += (start[len- 8] - '0') * 10000000;
+      case  7:    value += (start[len- 7] - '0') * 1000000;
+      case  6:    value += (start[len- 6] - '0') * 100000;
+      case  5:    value += (start[len- 5] - '0') * 10000;
+      case  4:    value += (start[len- 4] - '0') * 1000;
+      case  3:    value += (start[len- 3] - '0') * 100;
+      case  2:    value += (start[len- 2] - '0') * 10;
+      case  1:    value += (start[len- 1] - '0');
+        break;
+      default:
+        dbc::sentinel("can't process > 10 digits");
+    }
   }
 	break;
 	case 2:
-#line 22 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 40 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
 	{ }
 	break;
 	case 3:
-#line 23 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 41 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
 	{ target = color; }
 	break;
 	case 4:
-#line 24 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 42 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
 	{ target = bgcolor; }
 	break;
 	case 5:
-#line 26 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 44 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
 	{
     write(bgcolor, color, (*p));
   }
 	break;
 	case 6:
-#line 30 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 48 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
 	{ color = default_fg; }
 	break;
 	case 7:
-#line 31 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 49 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
 	{ bgcolor = default_bg; }
 	break;
 	case 8:
-#line 33 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 51 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
 	{ target.r = value; }
 	break;
 	case 9:
-#line 34 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 52 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
 	{ target.g = value; }
 	break;
 	case 10:
-#line 35 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 53 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
 	{ target.b = value; }
 	break;
 	case 11:
-#line 36 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 54 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
 	{ value = 0; }
 	break;
 	case 12:
-#line 37 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 55 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
 	{ }
 	break;
-#line 215 ".\\ansi_parser.cpp"
+#line 232 ".\\ansi_parser.cpp"
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -255,10 +272,10 @@ _again:
 	while ( __nacts-- > 0 ) {
 		switch ( *__acts++ ) {
 	case 12:
-#line 37 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 55 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
 	{ }
 	break;
-#line 233 ".\\ansi_parser.cpp"
+#line 250 ".\\ansi_parser.cpp"
 		}
 	}
 	}
@@ -266,7 +283,7 @@ _again:
 	_out: {}
 	}
 
-#line 76 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 94 ".\\ansi_parser.rl"
 
   return p - pe == 0;
 }
diff --git a/ansi_parser.hpp b/ansi_parser.hpp
index 3d403ce..f0b0043 100644
--- a/ansi_parser.hpp
+++ b/ansi_parser.hpp
@@ -2,6 +2,6 @@
 #include <string_view>
 #include <SFML/Graphics.hpp>
 
-typedef std::function<void(sf::Color bgcolor, sf::Color color, char ch)> WriteCB;
+typedef std::function<void(sf::Color bgcolor, sf::Color color, wchar_t ch)> WriteCB;
 
-bool parse_ansi(std::string_view codes, sf::Color default_fg, sf::Color default_bg, WriteCB write);
+bool parse_ansi(std::wstring_view codes, sf::Color default_fg, sf::Color default_bg, WriteCB write);
diff --git a/ansi_parser.rl b/ansi_parser.rl
index be7577c..7434b9d 100644
--- a/ansi_parser.rl
+++ b/ansi_parser.rl
@@ -9,14 +9,32 @@ using namespace fmt;
 
 %%{
   machine foo;
+  alphtype int;
 
   action tstart {
     start = fpc;
   }
 
   action number {
-    auto [ptr, ec] = std::from_chars(start, fpc, value);
-    dbc::check(ec == std::errc(), "error in number parsing");
+    value = 0;
+    size_t len = fpc - start;
+    dbc::check(start[0] != '-', "negative numbers not supported");
+
+    switch(len) {
+      case 10:    value += (start[len-10] - '0') * 1000000000;
+      case  9:    value += (start[len- 9] - '0') * 100000000;
+      case  8:    value += (start[len- 8] - '0') * 10000000;
+      case  7:    value += (start[len- 7] - '0') * 1000000;
+      case  6:    value += (start[len- 6] - '0') * 100000;
+      case  5:    value += (start[len- 5] - '0') * 10000;
+      case  4:    value += (start[len- 4] - '0') * 1000;
+      case  3:    value += (start[len- 3] - '0') * 100;
+      case  2:    value += (start[len- 2] - '0') * 10;
+      case  1:    value += (start[len- 1] - '0');
+        break;
+      default:
+        dbc::sentinel("can't process > 10 digits");
+    }
   }
 
   action color24b { }
@@ -60,13 +78,13 @@ using namespace fmt;
 
 %% write data;
 
-bool parse_ansi(std::string_view codes, sf::Color default_fg, sf::Color default_bg, WriteCB write) {
-  const char *start = NULL;
+bool parse_ansi(std::wstring_view codes, sf::Color default_fg, sf::Color default_bg, WriteCB write) {
+  const wchar_t *start = NULL;
   int cs = 0;
   unsigned int value = 0;
-  const char *p = codes.data();
-  const char *pe = p + codes.size();
-  const char *eof = pe;
+  const wchar_t *p = codes.data();
+  const wchar_t *pe = p + codes.size();
+  const wchar_t *eof = pe;
   sf::Color bgcolor(default_bg);
   sf::Color color(default_fg);
   sf::Color &target = bgcolor;
diff --git a/map.hpp b/map.hpp
index e403a89..80bdd98 100644
--- a/map.hpp
+++ b/map.hpp
@@ -11,10 +11,10 @@
 #define INV_SPACE 1
 #define WALL_VALUE 1
 #define SPACE_VALUE 0
-#define WALL_TILE "#"
+#define WALL_TILE "█"
 #define FLOOR_TILE "."
-#define PLAYER_TILE "&"
-#define ENEMY_TILE "!"
+#define PLAYER_TILE "☺"
+#define ENEMY_TILE "Ω"
 
 struct Room {
   size_t x = 0;
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 8b3e324..317f936 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ runtests = executable('runtests', [
   'sound.cpp',
   'collider.cpp',
   'ansi_parser.cpp',
-  'render.cpp',
+  #'render.cpp',
   'tests/fsm.cpp',
   'tests/dbc.cpp',
   'tests/map.cpp',
@@ -51,10 +51,4 @@ collider = executable('collider', [
   ],
   dependencies: dependencies)
 
-testragel = executable('testragel', [
-  'dbc.cpp',
-  './scratchpad/testragel.cpp'
-  ],
-  dependencies: dependencies)
-
 test('tests', runtests)
diff --git a/render.cpp b/render.cpp
index 9870435..a737def 100644
--- a/render.cpp
+++ b/render.cpp
@@ -87,10 +87,10 @@ void SFMLRender::draw_screen(bool clear, float map_off_x, float map_off_y) {
   // make a copy so we don't modify the cached one
   auto bg_sprite = get_text_sprite(L'█');
   auto bg_bounds = bg_sprite.getLocalBounds();
-  sf::Color def_fg(color(Value::LIGHT_LIGHT));
+  sf::Color def_fg(color(Value::MID));
   sf::Color def_bg(color(Value::BLACK));
 
-  parse_ansi(map_screenout, def_fg, def_bg, [&](sf::Color bg, sf::Color fg, char tile) {
+  parse_ansi(map_screen_utf8, def_fg, def_bg, [&](sf::Color bg, sf::Color fg, wchar_t tile) {
     if(tile == '\n') {
       // don't bother processing newlines, just skip
       y += $line_spacing;
diff --git a/tests/ansi_parser.cpp b/tests/ansi_parser.cpp
index ab29b40..fd35f29 100644
--- a/tests/ansi_parser.cpp
+++ b/tests/ansi_parser.cpp
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #include <fmt/core.h>
 #include <string>
 #include "ansi_parser.hpp"
+#include <codecvt>
 
 
 #include "ftxui/dom/elements.hpp"  // for text, bgcolor, color, vbox, hbox, separator, operator|, Elements, Element, Fit, border
@@ -52,11 +53,14 @@ std::string generate_colors() {
 
 TEST_CASE("test out ragel parser", "[gui]") {
   std::string colors = generate_colors();
+
+  std::wstring_convert<std::codecvt_utf8_utf16<wchar_t>> converter;
+  std::wstring colors_utf8 = converter.from_bytes(colors);
+
   sf::Color default_fg(0,0,0);
   sf::Color default_bg(100,100,100);
 
-  println("--- PARSING");
-  bool good = parse_ansi(colors, default_fg, default_bg, [&](sf::Color bgcolor, sf::Color color, char ch) {
+  bool good = parse_ansi(colors_utf8, default_fg, default_bg, [&](sf::Color bgcolor, sf::Color color, wchar_t ch) {
       bool correct_char = ch == '#' || ch == ' ' || ch == '\n' || ch == '\r';
       // println("FG: {},{},{},{}; BG: {},{},{},{}; ch: {}",
       //     color.r, color.g, color.b, color.a,