diff --git a/Diamond/Textures/Texture.cs b/Diamond/Textures/Texture.cs
index f9f29aa..bdd69b4 100644
--- a/Diamond/Textures/Texture.cs
+++ b/Diamond/Textures/Texture.cs
@@ -68,5 +68,10 @@ namespace Diamond.Textures
             tex.Unbind();
             return tex;
         }
+
+        public static Texture FromFile(string path)
+        {
+            return FromBitmap(new Bitmap(path));
+        }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/hexworld/HexRender.cs b/hexworld/HexRender.cs
index bc3b124..ec7068d 100644
--- a/hexworld/HexRender.cs
+++ b/hexworld/HexRender.cs
@@ -1,8 +1,13 @@
 using System;
 using System.Drawing;
+using System.IO;
+using System.Linq;
+using Diamond;
+using Diamond.Buffers;
 using Diamond.Level;
 using Diamond.Shaders;
 using Diamond.Textures;
+using Newtonsoft.Json.Linq;
 using OpenTK;
 using OpenTK.Graphics;
 using OpenTK.Graphics.OpenGL4;
@@ -15,17 +20,32 @@ namespace hexworld
 
         #region GLObjects
 
-        private Level _level;
+        private Program _texPgm;
+
+        private Texture _doorTex;
+        private Texture _grassTex;
+
+        private GLBuffer<ObjVertex> _meshBuffer;
+        private GLBuffer<TileData> _tileBuffer;
 
         protected override void OnClosed(EventArgs e)
         {
-            base.OnClosed(e);
+            _texPgm?.Dispose();
 
-            _level?.Dispose();
+            _doorTex?.Dispose();
+            _grassTex?.Dispose();
+
+            _meshBuffer?.Dispose();
+            _tileBuffer?.Dispose();
         }
 
         #endregion
 
+        private SubArray<TileData> _floorTiles;
+        private SubArray<TileData> _doorTiles;
+
+        private Mesh<ObjVertex> _cubeMesh;
+
         private Matrix4 _view;
         private Matrix4 _proj;
 
@@ -47,7 +67,48 @@ namespace hexworld
         {
             base.OnLoad(e);
 
-            _level = Level.LoadLevel(@"res\level.json");
+            _texPgm = Program.FromFiles("res/obj.vs.glsl", "res/obj.fs.glsl");
+
+            _doorTex = Texture.FromFile("res/door.png");
+            _grassTex = Texture.FromFile("res/grass.png");
+
+            _meshBuffer = new GLBuffer<ObjVertex>(BufferTarget.ArrayBuffer);
+            _tileBuffer = new GLBuffer<TileData>(BufferTarget.ArrayBuffer, BufferUsageHint.DynamicDraw);
+
+            var dir = "res";
+
+            var json = JObject.Parse(File.ReadAllText("res/level.json"));
+
+            var allTiles = json["tiles"]
+                .GroupBy(ti => ti["tex"])
+                .Select(g => g
+                    .Select(ti => ti["pos"])
+                    .Select(pos => pos.ToObject<Vector3>())
+                    .Select(pos => new TileData(pos))
+                    .ToArray())
+                .Select(arr => new SubArray<TileData>(arr))
+                .ToArray();
+
+            _doorTiles = allTiles[0];
+            _floorTiles = allTiles[1];
+
+            _tileBuffer.Data(SubArray.Join(_doorTiles, _floorTiles));
+
+            var cubeMesh = json["models"]
+                .Select(path => (string) path)
+                .Select(path => Path.Combine(dir, path))
+                .Select(path => Mesh.FromObj(path, false))
+                .SelectMany(meshes => meshes)
+                .First(mesh => mesh.Name == "Cube");
+
+            _cubeMesh = cubeMesh;
+
+            _meshBuffer.Data(cubeMesh.Vertices.ToArray());
+
+            // meshes, tiles, etc
+
+            // can still use JObject queries to keep it short,
+            // but don't use Level. hat structure is broken
         }
 
         protected override void OnUpdateFrame(FrameEventArgs e)
@@ -75,13 +136,18 @@ namespace hexworld
             GL.Enable(EnableCap.Blend);
             GL.BlendFunc(BlendingFactorSrc.SrcAlpha, BlendingFactorDest.OneMinusSrcAlpha);
 
-            var pgm = _level.Programs["textured"];
+            _texPgm.Use();
 
-            pgm.Use();
-            GL.UniformMatrix4(pgm.GetUniform("view"), false, ref _view);
-            GL.UniformMatrix4(pgm.GetUniform("proj"), false, ref _proj);
-            
-            _level.Draw();
+            _texPgm.SetAttribPointers(_meshBuffer);
+            _texPgm.SetAttribPointers(_tileBuffer);
+
+            _grassTex.Bind(0);
+
+            GL.Uniform1(_texPgm.GetUniform("tex"), 0);
+            GL.UniformMatrix4(_texPgm.GetUniform("view"), false, ref _view);
+            GL.UniformMatrix4(_texPgm.GetUniform("proj"), false, ref _proj);
+
+            _cubeMesh.DrawInstanced(_floorTiles);
 
             SwapBuffers();
         }