diff --git a/src/hexgame.cpp b/src/hexgame.cpp
index b46d81a..0cd58f6 100644
--- a/src/hexgame.cpp
+++ b/src/hexgame.cpp
@@ -476,7 +476,11 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 		return 1;
 	}
 	
-	createScene(hexInfoArray);
+	if (!createScene(hexInfoArray))
+	{
+		LOG(ERROR) << "Error in vertex data, exiting\n";
+		return 1;
+	}
 
 	// TODO: rewrite gooey
 
diff --git a/src/renderer.h b/src/renderer.h
index ae6def8..904c457 100644
--- a/src/renderer.h
+++ b/src/renderer.h
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@
 // Interface
 
 bool initRenderer(SDL_Handles &handles, v2i vpDims);
-// TODO: re-implement debug erender
+bool createScene(std::vector<hex_info>* hexes);
+// TODO: re-implement debug renderer
 void debugRender(HexDrawMode mode, hex_info *startHex, hex_info *currentHex);
 void renderFrame(const std::vector<hex_info> *hexes);
 void freeBuffers();
@@ -52,6 +53,15 @@ const char * LINE_FRAGMENT_SHADER_CODE =
 	"}";
 
 
+typedef struct clear_col
+{
+	real32 R;
+	real32 G;
+	real32 B;
+	real32 A;
+} clear_col;
+clear_col g_clear_col { 75.f / 255.f, 135.f / 255.f, 135.f / 255.f, 1.f };
+
 typedef struct gl_matrix_info
 {
 	glm::mat4 projection;
@@ -89,9 +99,9 @@ bool initShaderProgram(gl_render_group &rg, const char * vertex_code, const char
 // enable debug output https://www.khronos.org/opengl/wiki/OpenGL_Error
 void openglDebugCallback(GLenum source, GLenum type, GLuint id, GLenum severity,
 						GLsizei length, const GLchar* message, const void* userParam);
-void createScene(std::vector<hex_info>* hexes);
 void parseHexToGLBuffer(GLfloat buf[], int idx,  const hex_info &hex);
-bool fillColorBuffer(GLfloat* buf, int len, std::vector<hex_info> *hexes);
+bool fillColorBuffer(GLfloat buf[], int len, std::vector<hex_info> *hexes);
+bool checkGLBufferSize(GLenum buf_type, int expected_size, int line_num);
 
 
 bool
@@ -183,7 +193,7 @@ initShaderProgram(gl_render_group &rg, const char * vertex_code, const char * fr
 	return true;
 }
 
-void
+bool
 createScene(std::vector<hex_info>* hexes)
 {
 	////////////////////
@@ -224,6 +234,9 @@ createScene(std::vector<hex_info>* hexes)
 	glBindBuffer(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, g_filled_hex_render_group.vertex_buffer.buffer_id);
 	glBufferData(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, vertex_buffer->buffer_len * sizeof(GLfloat), vertex_buffer->buffer, GL_DYNAMIC_DRAW);
 
+	if (!checkGLBufferSize(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, vertex_buffer->buffer_len * sizeof(GLfloat), __LINE__))
+		return false;
+
 	// color data for hex vertices
 	
 	gl_buffer *color_buffer = &g_filled_hex_render_group.color_buffer;
@@ -231,21 +244,18 @@ createScene(std::vector<hex_info>* hexes)
 	color_buffer->buffer = (GLfloat*) std::calloc(color_buffer->buffer_len, sizeof(GLfloat));
 
 	if (!fillColorBuffer(color_buffer->buffer, color_buffer->buffer_len, hexes))
-	{
-		//freeBuffers();
-		//return false;
-		// TODO: check for retval in main() and run cleanUp()
-		return;
-	}
+		return false;
 
 	glGenBuffers(1, &color_buffer->buffer_id);
 	glBindBuffer(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, color_buffer->buffer_id);
 	glBufferData(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, color_buffer->buffer_len * sizeof(GLfloat), color_buffer->buffer, GL_DYNAMIC_DRAW);
 
+	if (!checkGLBufferSize(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, color_buffer->buffer_len * sizeof(GLfloat), __LINE__))
+		return false;
 
 	// hex line vertex data
 	
-	// todo: surely there's a way to use indexed drawing for line vertices eg) line_loop
+	// TODO: surely there's a way to use indexed drawing for line vertices eg) line_loop
 	// 	and still use one buffer for multiple shapes/paths gldrawarraysintanced?, gldrawelements?
 	// 	https://gamedev.stackexchange.com/questions/104310/opengl-4-5-primitive-restart-vs-base-index
 	int line_vertices_per_hex = 6 * 2; // 12 vertices since we're using line segments atm
@@ -285,6 +295,11 @@ createScene(std::vector<hex_info>* hexes)
 	glGenBuffers(1, &line_vertex_buffer->buffer_id);
 	glBindBuffer(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, line_vertex_buffer->buffer_id);
 	glBufferData(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, line_vertex_buffer->buffer_len * sizeof(GLfloat), line_vertex_buffer->buffer, GL_STATIC_DRAW);
+
+	if (!checkGLBufferSize(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, line_vertex_buffer->buffer_len * sizeof(GLfloat), __LINE__))
+		return false;
+
+	return true;
 }
 
 void
@@ -338,20 +353,20 @@ fillColorBuffer(GLfloat buf[], int len, std::vector<hex_info> *hexes)
 {
 	if (!buf || len < 1)
 	{
-		// TODO: log fatal error
+		LOG(ERROR) << "buffer length mismatch\n";
 		return false;
 	}
 
 	if (!hexes || hexes->size() == 0)
 	{
-		// TODO: log fatal error
+		LOG(ERROR) << "hex_info input error\n";
 		return false;
 	}
 
 	// 3 floats per vertex, 3 vertexes per triangle, 6 triangles per hex
 	if (len != (int) hexes->size() * 3 * 3 * 6)
 	{
-		// TODO: log fatal error
+		LOG(ERROR) << "hex_info input error\n";
 		return false;
 	}
 
@@ -372,14 +387,21 @@ fillColorBuffer(GLfloat buf[], int len, std::vector<hex_info> *hexes)
 	return true;
 }
 
-typedef struct clear_col
+// NOTE: this will only work after a call to glBindBuffer
+bool
+checkGLBufferSize(GLenum buf_type, int expected_size, int line_num)
 {
-	real32 R;
-	real32 G;
-	real32 B;
-	real32 A;
-} clear_col;
-clear_col g_clear_col { 75.f / 255.f, 135.f / 255.f, 135.f / 255.f, 1.f };
+	GLint gl_size;
+	glGetBufferParameteriv(buf_type, GL_BUFFER_SIZE ,&gl_size);
+
+	if (expected_size != gl_size)
+	{
+		LOG(ERROR) << "line: " << line_num << "gl buffer size mismatch\n";
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	return true;
+}
 
 void
 openglDebugCallback(GLenum source, GLenum type, GLuint id, GLenum severity,