diff --git a/ansi_parser.cpp b/ansi_parser.cpp
index d0443f6..c23479e 100644
--- a/ansi_parser.cpp
+++ b/ansi_parser.cpp
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 using namespace fmt;
 
 
-#line 115 "ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 121 "ansi_parser.rl"
 
 
 
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ static const int ansi_parser_error = 0;
 static const int ansi_parser_en_main = 26;
 
 
-#line 118 "ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 124 "ansi_parser.rl"
 
 #include <ftxui/screen/terminal.hpp>
 
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ bool ANSIParser::parse(std::wstring_view codes, ColorCB color_cb, WriteCB write_
   const wchar_t *eof = pe;
   sf::Color bgcolor($default_bg);
   sf::Color color($default_fg);
-  sf::Color &target = color;
+  sf::Color* target = &color;
 
   
 #line 122 "ansi_parser.cpp"
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ bool ANSIParser::parse(std::wstring_view codes, ColorCB color_cb, WriteCB write_
 	cs = ansi_parser_start;
 	}
 
-#line 143 "ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 149 "ansi_parser.rl"
   
 #line 125 "ansi_parser.cpp"
 	{
@@ -246,13 +246,13 @@ _match:
 	case 3:
 #line 43 "ansi_parser.rl"
 	{
-    target = color;
+    target = &color;
   }
 	break;
 	case 4:
 #line 46 "ansi_parser.rl"
 	{
-    target = bgcolor;
+    target = &bgcolor;
   }
 	break;
 	case 5:
@@ -263,14 +263,20 @@ _match:
 	break;
 	case 6:
 #line 54 "ansi_parser.rl"
-	{ color = $default_fg; }
+	{
+    color = $default_fg;
+    color_cb(color, bgcolor);
+  }
 	break;
 	case 7:
-#line 55 "ansi_parser.rl"
-	{ bgcolor = $default_bg; }
+#line 58 "ansi_parser.rl"
+	{
+    bgcolor = $default_bg;
+    color_cb(color, bgcolor);
+  }
 	break;
 	case 8:
-#line 56 "ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 62 "ansi_parser.rl"
 	{
     color = $default_bg;
     bgcolor = $default_fg;
@@ -278,7 +284,7 @@ _match:
   }
 	break;
 	case 9:
-#line 61 "ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 67 "ansi_parser.rl"
 	{
     color = $default_fg;
     bgcolor = $default_bg;
@@ -286,40 +292,40 @@ _match:
   }
 	break;
 	case 10:
-#line 66 "ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 72 "ansi_parser.rl"
 	{
     color = sf::Color(100,100,100);
     color_cb(color, bgcolor);
   }
 	break;
 	case 11:
-#line 70 "ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 76 "ansi_parser.rl"
 	{
     color = sf::Color::Red;
     color_cb(color, bgcolor);
   }
 	break;
 	case 12:
-#line 75 "ansi_parser.rl"
-	{ target.r = value; }
+#line 81 "ansi_parser.rl"
+	{ target->r = value; }
 	break;
 	case 13:
-#line 76 "ansi_parser.rl"
-	{ target.g = value; }
+#line 82 "ansi_parser.rl"
+	{ target->g = value; }
 	break;
 	case 14:
-#line 77 "ansi_parser.rl"
-	{ target.b = value; }
+#line 83 "ansi_parser.rl"
+	{ target->b = value; }
 	break;
 	case 15:
-#line 78 "ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 84 "ansi_parser.rl"
 	{ value = 0; }
 	break;
 	case 16:
-#line 79 "ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 85 "ansi_parser.rl"
 	{}
 	break;
-#line 292 "ansi_parser.cpp"
+#line 298 "ansi_parser.cpp"
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -336,10 +342,10 @@ _again:
 	while ( __nacts-- > 0 ) {
 		switch ( *__acts++ ) {
 	case 16:
-#line 79 "ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 85 "ansi_parser.rl"
 	{}
 	break;
-#line 310 "ansi_parser.cpp"
+#line 316 "ansi_parser.cpp"
 		}
 	}
 	}
@@ -347,12 +353,11 @@ _again:
 	_out: {}
 	}
 
-#line 144 "ansi_parser.rl"
+#line 150 "ansi_parser.rl"
 
   bool good = pe - p == 0;
 
   if(!good) {
-    println("FAIL AT {}", pe - p);
     p -= 10;
     // dear cthuhlu, save me from the pain that is wstring
     for(int i = 0; i < 100; i++) {
diff --git a/ansi_parser.rl b/ansi_parser.rl
index 595caec..e73b679 100644
--- a/ansi_parser.rl
+++ b/ansi_parser.rl
@@ -41,18 +41,24 @@ using namespace fmt;
     color_cb(color, bgcolor);
   }
   action is_fg {
-    target = color;
+    target = &color;
   }
   action is_bg {
-    target = bgcolor;
+    target = &bgcolor;
   }
 
   action out {
     write_cb(fc);
   }
 
-  action reset_fg { color = $default_fg; }
-  action reset_bg { bgcolor = $default_bg; }
+  action reset_fg {
+    color = $default_fg;
+    color_cb(color, bgcolor);
+  }
+  action reset_bg {
+    bgcolor = $default_bg;
+    color_cb(color, bgcolor);
+  }
   action invert {
     color = $default_bg;
     bgcolor = $default_fg;
@@ -72,9 +78,9 @@ using namespace fmt;
     color_cb(color, bgcolor);
   }
 
-  action red { target.r = value; }
-  action blue { target.g = value; }
-  action green { target.b = value; }
+  action red { target->r = value; }
+  action blue { target->g = value; }
+  action green { target->b = value; }
   action start { value = 0; }
   action end {}
   action log { println("command {}", (char)fc); }
@@ -137,7 +143,7 @@ bool ANSIParser::parse(std::wstring_view codes, ColorCB color_cb, WriteCB write_
   const wchar_t *eof = pe;
   sf::Color bgcolor($default_bg);
   sf::Color color($default_fg);
-  sf::Color &target = color;
+  sf::Color* target = &color;
 
   %% write init;
   %% write exec;
@@ -145,7 +151,6 @@ bool ANSIParser::parse(std::wstring_view codes, ColorCB color_cb, WriteCB write_
   bool good = pe - p == 0;
 
   if(!good) {
-    println("FAIL AT {}", pe - p);
     p -= 10;
     // dear cthuhlu, save me from the pain that is wstring
     for(int i = 0; i < 100; i++) {
diff --git a/assets/config.json b/assets/config.json
index e1f0d3f..6328805 100644
--- a/assets/config.json
+++ b/assets/config.json
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 {
   "map": {
-    "WALL_TILE": "█",
+    "WALL_TILE": "\ua5b8",
     "FLOOR_TILE": "\u2849",
-    "PLAYER_TILE": "♣",
+    "PLAYER_TILE": "\ua66b",
     "ENEMY_TILE": "Ω",
     "BG_TILE": "█"
   },
diff --git a/systems.cpp b/systems.cpp
index 9b17ba9..9e6116b 100644
--- a/systems.cpp
+++ b/systems.cpp
@@ -159,27 +159,34 @@ void System::draw_map(DinkyECS::World &world, Map &game_map, ftxui::Canvas &canv
       // LIGHT: if tile is in light then color ++ otherwise --
       // LIGHT: is put into the/a collision map and if a cell is a light's neighbor
       // it gets brighter.
-      const int LIGHT_MIN = 30;
-      const int LIGHT_MAX = 180;
+      const int LIGHT_MIN = 10;
+      const int LIGHT_MAX = 110;
+      int light_strength = 100; // lower is stronger
 
       Point light_at{start.x+x, start.y+y};
       int dnum = paths[light_at.y][light_at.x];
-      int light_value = std::clamp(255 - (dnum * 75), LIGHT_MIN, LIGHT_MAX);
+      int light_value = std::clamp(255 - (dnum * light_strength), LIGHT_MIN, LIGHT_MAX);
 
+      // "WALL_TILE": "\u2591",
+      // "WALL_TILE": "\ua5b8",
       if(tile == config.WALL_TILE) {
-        canvas.DrawText(x * 2, y * 4, tile, Color::HSV(230, 20, 20));
+        canvas.DrawText(x * 2, y * 4, config.WALL_TILE, [](auto &pixel) {
+            pixel.foreground_color = Color::HSV(230, 20, 10);
+            pixel.background_color = Color::HSV(230, 20, 30);
+        });
       } else if(DEBUG_MAP) {
         string num = format("{:x}", dnum);
         num = num.size() > 2 ? "*" : num;
 
-        canvas.DrawText(x * 2, y * 4, num, Color::HSV(dnum * 20, 150, light_value));
+        canvas.DrawText(x * 2, y * 4, num, [dnum, light_value](auto &pixel) {
+           pixel.foreground_color = Color::HSV(dnum * 20, 150, 200);
+           pixel.background_color = Color::HSV(30, 20, light_value / 5);
+        });
       } else {
-        // floor tile or similar
-        // BUG: no idea why this works but this actually implements decent light
-        canvas.DrawText(x * 2, y * 4, tile, [&, light_value](auto &pixel) {
-            pixel.foreground_color = Color::HSV(30, light_value / 2, light_value);
-            pixel.background_color = Color::HSV(30, 20, light_value);
-            });
+        canvas.DrawText(x * 2, y * 4, tile, [light_value](auto &pixel) {
+            pixel.foreground_color = Color::HSV(30, 40, light_value);
+            pixel.background_color = Color::HSV(30, 20, light_value / 5);
+        });
       }
     }
   }