diff --git a/src/renderer.cpp b/src/renderer.cpp
index 8bf9ca1..6ec9d3e 100644
--- a/src/renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/renderer.cpp
@@ -85,10 +85,10 @@ struct camera
 
 // globals
 static gl_matrix_info g_scene_matrices;
-static render_group g_filled_hex_render_group;
-static render_group g_hex_line_render_group;
-static render_group g_debug_render_group;
-// NOTE: entity render_group references are kept in the entity struct
+static render_group* g_filled_hex_render_group;
+static render_group* g_hex_line_render_group;
+static render_group* g_debug_render_group;
+// NOTE: entity render_group pointers are kept in the entity struct
 static camera g_camera;
 
 // TODO: testing lighting
@@ -275,6 +275,9 @@ initRenderer(SDL_Handles &handles, v2i vpDims)
 	// hide VRAM debug messages
 	glDebugMessageControl(GL_DONT_CARE, 33361, GL_DONT_CARE, 0, 0, GL_FALSE);
 
+	g_filled_hex_render_group = UTIL_ALLOC(1, render_group);
+	g_hex_line_render_group = UTIL_ALLOC(1, render_group);
+	g_debug_render_group = UTIL_ALLOC(1, render_group);
 #if 0
 	const char* vs_code = utilDumpTextFile(DEFAULT_VERTEX_SHADER_FILE);
 	const char* fs_code = utilDumpTextFile(DEFAULT_FRAGMENT_SHADER_FILE);
@@ -433,9 +436,6 @@ createScene(std::vector<hex_info>* hexes, Entity* entities, uint32 entity_count)
 #endif
 	// entities
 
-	// TODO: wtf, I only accounted for 1 entity in the entity render group :(
-	// 	probably need one render_group struct for each entity
-#if 1
 	const char* vs_code = utilDumpTextFile(DEFAULT_VERTEX_SHADER_FILE);
 	const char* fs_code = utilDumpTextFile(DEFAULT_FRAGMENT_SHADER_FILE);
 	rg_shader_program sp;
@@ -452,15 +452,6 @@ createScene(std::vector<hex_info>* hexes, Entity* entities, uint32 entity_count)
 		entities[i].ren_group->shader = sp;
 	}
 
-	//mi->model_transform = glm::scale(glm::mat4(1), glm::vec3(100, 100, 100));
-	//entityTranslate(&g_game_state->entities[1], 640, 500, 0);
-#else
-	if (!rgInitEntity(&entities[0])) {
-		LOG(ERROR) << "Error initialzing entity\n";
-		return false;
-	}
-#endif
-
 	// lights
 	// TODO: load light properties from scene/level files
 
@@ -615,16 +606,13 @@ renderDebug(std::vector<Point> &vertices)
 void
 freeBuffers()
 {
-	LOG(DEBUG) << "redo freeBuffers function after render_group update\n";
-#if 0
-	std::vector<render_group> groups = {
+	std::vector<render_group*> groups = {
 		g_filled_hex_render_group,
 		g_hex_line_render_group,
 		g_debug_render_group,
 	};
 	
-	for (render_group group : groups)
+	for (render_group* group : groups)
 		rgFree(group);
-#endif
 }