diff --git a/src/render_group.cpp b/src/render_group.cpp
index 41defc9..db67cb8 100644
--- a/src/render_group.cpp
+++ b/src/render_group.cpp
@@ -14,16 +14,8 @@
 #include "render_group.h"
 #include "mesh.h"
 
-gl_render_group*
-rgCreateGroup()
-{
-	gl_render_group* rg = (gl_render_group *) std::calloc(1, sizeof(gl_render_group));
-	return rg;
-}
-
 bool
-rgInitShaderProgram(gl_render_group* rg, const char * vertex_code, const char * frag_code,
-	const char* model_name, const char* view_name, const char* projection_name)
+rgInitShaderProgram(gl_render_group* rg, const char * vertex_code, const char * frag_code)
 {
 	glGenVertexArrays(1, &rg->vertex_array_id);
 	glBindVertexArray(rg->vertex_array_id);
@@ -40,9 +32,9 @@ rgInitShaderProgram(gl_render_group* rg, const char * vertex_code, const char *
 	glAttachShader(rg->program_id, fragment_shader_id);
 	glLinkProgram(rg->program_id);
 
-	rg->model_matrix_id = glGetUniformLocation(rg->program_id, model_name);
-	rg->view_matrix_id = glGetUniformLocation(rg->program_id, view_name);
-	rg->projection_matrix_id = glGetUniformLocation(rg->program_id, projection_name);
+	rg->model_matrix_id = glGetUniformLocation(rg->program_id, "model");
+	rg->view_matrix_id = glGetUniformLocation(rg->program_id, "view");
+	rg->projection_matrix_id = glGetUniformLocation(rg->program_id, "projection");
 	rg->normal_matrix_id = glGetUniformLocation(rg->program_id, "normal_matrix");
 
 	glDetachShader(rg->program_id, vertex_shader_id);
diff --git a/src/render_group.h b/src/render_group.h
index 33cabbc..b1224bd 100644
--- a/src/render_group.h
+++ b/src/render_group.h
@@ -37,12 +37,7 @@ typedef struct gl_buffer gl_buffer;
 typedef struct gl_index_buffer gl_index_buffer;
 typedef struct gl_render_group gl_render_group;
 
-gl_render_group* rgCreateGroup();
-
-// NOTE: model_name, view_name, and projection_name should match the matrix variable
-// 	names in the shader source
-bool rgInitShaderProgram(gl_render_group* rg, const char * vertex_code, const char * frag_code,
-	const char* model_name, const char* view_name, const char* projection_name);
+bool rgInitShaderProgram(gl_render_group* rg, const char * vertex_code, const char * frag_code);
 
 void rgInitGLBufferObject(gl_buffer* buf_obj, uint len, GLenum usage, GLenum target, GLfloat data[]);
 
diff --git a/src/renderer.cpp b/src/renderer.cpp
index 315cf9a..3c36c32 100644
--- a/src/renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/renderer.cpp
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@
 #define CAMERA_Z_CLAMP_ANGLE 85.f
 //#define PROJ_TYPE ORTHOGRAPHIC
 #define PROJ_TYPE PERSPECTIVE
+#define DEFAULT_VERTEX_SHADER_FILE "../data/default.vs"
+#define DEFAULT_FRAGMENT_SHADER_FILE "../data/default.fs"
 
 const char * LINE_FRAGMENT_SHADER_CODE =
 	"#version 330 core\n"
@@ -82,11 +84,10 @@ struct camera
 
 
 gl_matrix_info g_scene_matrices;
-// TODO: maybe don't allocate memory here, at least before initRenderer()
-gl_render_group* g_filled_hex_render_group = rgCreateGroup();
-gl_render_group* g_hex_line_render_group = rgCreateGroup();
-gl_render_group* g_debug_render_group = rgCreateGroup();
-gl_render_group* g_entity_render_group = rgCreateGroup();
+gl_render_group* g_filled_hex_render_group;
+gl_render_group* g_hex_line_render_group;
+gl_render_group* g_debug_render_group;
+gl_render_group* g_entity_render_group;
 camera g_camera;
 
 
@@ -223,37 +224,19 @@ initRenderer(SDL_Handles &handles, v2i vpDims)
 	SDL_GL_SetAttribute(SDL_GL_STENCIL_SIZE, 8);
 	SDL_GL_SetAttribute(SDL_GL_CONTEXT_MAJOR_VERSION, 3);
 	SDL_GL_SetAttribute(SDL_GL_CONTEXT_MINOR_VERSION, 3);
-	// TODO: Line drawing quality seems to depend on graphics driver whims
-	// 	maybe try using textured billboards instead?
-	//SDL_GL_SetAttribute(SDL_GL_MULTISAMPLEBUFFERS, 1);
-	//SDL_GL_SetAttribute(SDL_GL_MULTISAMPLESAMPLES, 4);
 	SDL_GL_SetSwapInterval(1);	// vsync
 	SDL_GetCurrentDisplayMode(0, &handles.currentDisplayMode);
 	handles.window = 
 		SDL_CreateWindow("hexgame", SDL_WINDOWPOS_CENTERED, SDL_WINDOWPOS_CENTERED,
 							vpDims.x, vpDims.y, SDL_WINDOW_OPENGL|SDL_WINDOW_RESIZABLE);
 	
-	if (handles.window == NULL)
-	{
-		// TODO: log error SDL_GetError()
+	if (handles.window == NULL)	{
+		LOG(ERROR) << SDL_GetError() << "\n";
 		return false;
 	}
 
 	handles.glContext = SDL_GL_CreateContext(handles.window);
-	
-	// TODO: decide on extension library
-	gl3wInit();
-#if 0
-	// Initialize GLEW
-	// glewExperimental is only needed in GLEW <= 1.13.0
-	// we can require version 2.0.0+
-	//glewExperimental = true; // Needed for core profile
-	GLenum err = glewInit();
-	if (err != GLEW_OK) {
-		LOG(ERROR) << "Failed to initilize GLEW" << glewGetErrorString(err) << "\n";
-		return false;
-	}
-#endif
+	gl3wInit(); // TODO: decide on extension library
 
 	LOG(INFO) << "opengl vendor: " << glGetString(GL_VENDOR) << "\n";
 	LOG(INFO)<< "opengl renderer: " << glGetString(GL_RENDERER) << "\n";
@@ -277,22 +260,25 @@ initRenderer(SDL_Handles &handles, v2i vpDims)
 	glDebugMessageCallback((GLDEBUGPROC) openglDebugCallback, 0);
 	// hide VRAM debug messages
 	glDebugMessageControl(GL_DONT_CARE, 33361, GL_DONT_CARE, 0, 0, GL_FALSE);
+
+	g_filled_hex_render_group = (gl_render_group *) std::calloc(1, sizeof(gl_render_group));
+	g_hex_line_render_group = (gl_render_group *) std::calloc(1, sizeof(gl_render_group));
+	g_debug_render_group = (gl_render_group *) std::calloc(1, sizeof(gl_render_group));
+	g_entity_render_group = (gl_render_group *) std::calloc(1, sizeof(gl_render_group));
+
+	if (!g_filled_hex_render_group || !g_hex_line_render_group
+		|| !g_debug_render_group || !g_entity_render_group)
+	{
+		return false;
+	}
 	
-	const char* vs_code = utilDumpTextFile("../data/default.vs");
-	const char* fs_code = utilDumpTextFile("../data/default.fs");
-
-	if (!rgInitShaderProgram(
-				g_filled_hex_render_group, vs_code, fs_code,
-				"model", "view", "projection")
-		|| !rgInitShaderProgram(
-				g_hex_line_render_group, vs_code, LINE_FRAGMENT_SHADER_CODE,
-				"model", "view", "projection")
-		|| !rgInitShaderProgram(
-				g_debug_render_group, vs_code, DEBUG_FRAGMENT_SHADER_CODE,
-			   "model", "view", "projection")
-		|| !rgInitShaderProgram(
-				g_entity_render_group, vs_code, fs_code,
-				"model", "view", "projection"))
+	const char* vs_code = utilDumpTextFile(DEFAULT_VERTEX_SHADER_FILE);
+	const char* fs_code = utilDumpTextFile(DEFAULT_FRAGMENT_SHADER_FILE);
+
+	if (!rgInitShaderProgram(g_filled_hex_render_group, vs_code, fs_code)
+		|| !rgInitShaderProgram(g_hex_line_render_group, vs_code, LINE_FRAGMENT_SHADER_CODE)
+		|| !rgInitShaderProgram(g_debug_render_group, vs_code, DEBUG_FRAGMENT_SHADER_CODE)
+		|| !rgInitShaderProgram(g_entity_render_group, vs_code, fs_code))
 	{
 		return false;
 	}
diff --git a/src/util.cpp b/src/util.cpp
index c54ee67..1a49539 100644
--- a/src/util.cpp
+++ b/src/util.cpp
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 #include <cstdlib>
 #include <cstdio>
 
+#include "aixlog.hpp"
+
 #include "util.h"
 
 const uint MAX_FILESIZE = 2 * 1024 * 1024; // 2MB
diff --git a/src/util.h b/src/util.h
index c106e3c..e278a88 100644
--- a/src/util.h
+++ b/src/util.h
@@ -64,19 +64,6 @@ SafeTruncateToInt32(int64 val)
 	return (int32) val;
 }
 
-// TODO: can't implement this before removing aixlog because of global name clashes
-#if 0
-enum utilLogLevel {
-	DEBUG,
-	INFO,
-	WARNING,
-	ERROR,
-	ENUM_COUNT
-};
-
-void utilLog(utilLogError lvl,  char* message);
-#endif
-
 char * utilDumpTextFile(const char* filename);
 
 void utilSafeFree(void* mem);