diff --git a/build.zig b/build.zig
index 7f7918f..a5c90ac 100644
--- a/build.zig
+++ b/build.zig
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ pub const AddProgramOptions = struct {
     desc: []const u8,
     root_source_file: LazyPath,
     imports: []const Build.Module.Import = &.{},
+    staticBuild: bool = false, // ugh.... why is this so hard...
 };
 
 pub fn addProgram(self: *BuildSystem, opts: AddProgramOptions) *std.Build.Module {
@@ -185,12 +186,7 @@ pub fn addExtraModule(self: *BuildSystem, mod: *std.Build.Module, moduleName: []
 }
 
 pub fn addDependencyInstalls(self: *BuildSystem, b: *std.Build, optimize: std.builtin.OptimizeMode) void {
-    b.installArtifact(b.dependency("sdl3_lib", .{ .target = self.target, .optimize = optimize }).artifact("SDL3"));
-    // b.installArtifact(b.dependency("Backlog", .{ .target = self.target, .optimize = optimize }).artifact("backlog_c"));
-
-    //b.installArtifact(b.dependency("spng", .{ .target = self.target, .optimize = optimize }).artifact("spng_c"));
-    //b.installArtifact(b.dependency("zphysics", .{ .target = self.target, .optimize = optimize }).artifact("joltc"));
-    //b.installArtifact(b.dependency("ozz", .{ .target = self.target, .optimize = optimize }).artifact("ozz_cpp"));
+    // b.installArtifact(b.dependency("sdl3_lib", .{ .target = self.target, .optimize = optimize }).artifact("SDL3"));
 
     for (cDependencyList) |d| {
         b.installArtifact(b.dependency(
diff --git a/engine/imgui/src/utils/TopBar.zig b/engine/imgui/src/utils/TopBar.zig
index b8b5f9e..2c91573 100644
--- a/engine/imgui/src/utils/TopBar.zig
+++ b/engine/imgui/src/utils/TopBar.zig
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ allocator: std.mem.Allocator,
 arena: std.heap.ArenaAllocator,
 windowsMenu: std.ArrayListUnmanaged(*MenuEntry) = .{},
 entriesByName: std.AutoHashMapUnmanaged(u32, *MenuEntry) = .{},
-menuOpen: bool = true,
+menuOpen: bool = false,
 
 pub fn create(allocator: std.mem.Allocator) !*@This() {
     const self = try Slack.create(allocator);
diff --git a/engine/rend/src/sgpu/embedded/texture_sample.png b/engine/rend/src/sgpu/embedded/texture_sample.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9ff0970
Binary files /dev/null and b/engine/rend/src/sgpu/embedded/texture_sample.png differ
diff --git a/engine/rend/src/sgpu/renderer.zig b/engine/rend/src/sgpu/renderer.zig
index f0ef7f4..f049491 100644
--- a/engine/rend/src/sgpu/renderer.zig
+++ b/engine/rend/src/sgpu/renderer.zig
@@ -154,12 +154,15 @@ pub const Renderer = struct {
 
         try self.createSamplers();
 
+        _ = try core.fs().installFileBytesMount("embedded:texture_sample.png", @constCast(&texture_sample_png), true);
+        _ = try core.fs().installFileBytesMount("embedded:primitive_box.obj", @constCast(&primitive_box_obj), true);
+
         // todo... make these embedded
         try assets.load(
             assets.MakeImportRefOptions(
                 "Texture",
                 "t_default",
-                .{ .path = "textures/texture_sample.png" },
+                .{ .path = "embedded:texture_sample.png" },
             ),
         );
 
@@ -167,7 +170,7 @@ pub const Renderer = struct {
             assets.MakeImportRefOptions(
                 "Mesh",
                 "m_default_cube",
-                .{ .path = "meshes/primitive_box.obj" },
+                .{ .path = "embedded:primitive_box.obj" },
             ),
         );
         var defaultTextureName = core.MakeName("t_default");
@@ -1020,6 +1023,8 @@ pub const GPUTextureType = gpu.GPUTexture;
 
 const plane_obj align(8) = @embedFile("embedded/plane.obj").*;
 const screenPlane_obj align(8) = @embedFile("embedded/screenPlane.obj").*;
+const texture_sample_png align(8) = @embedFile("embedded/texture_sample.png").*;
+const primitive_box_obj align(8) = @embedFile("embedded/primitive_box.obj").*;
 const tracy = core.tracy;
 
 pub const SsaoSystem = @import("ssao.zig");
diff --git a/lib/packer/src/packerfs.zig b/lib/packer/src/packerfs.zig
index ed6eec3..11f8845 100644
--- a/lib/packer/src/packerfs.zig
+++ b/lib/packer/src/packerfs.zig
@@ -156,6 +156,10 @@ pub const PackerFS = struct {
 
     pub fn watchPath(self: *@This(), path: []const u8) void {
         // std.debug.print("self = {x}\n", .{@intFromPtr(self)});
+
+        // check the path exists before attempting to watch
+        std.fs.cwd().access(path, .{}) catch return;
+
         const p = self.stringArena.allocator().dupeZ(u8, path) catch return;
         const watch = watcher.createWatchPoint(
             p,
diff --git a/projects/minimal/.fontcache/bitmap.fontcache b/projects/minimal/.fontcache/bitmap.fontcache
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..93a1ff9
Binary files /dev/null and b/projects/minimal/.fontcache/bitmap.fontcache differ
diff --git a/projects/minimal/.fontcache/default.fontcache b/projects/minimal/.fontcache/default.fontcache
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ee1eb77
Binary files /dev/null and b/projects/minimal/.fontcache/default.fontcache differ
diff --git a/projects/minimal/.fontcache/monospace.fontcache b/projects/minimal/.fontcache/monospace.fontcache
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9956d98
Binary files /dev/null and b/projects/minimal/.fontcache/monospace.fontcache differ
diff --git a/projects/minimal/Saved/Session_Log.txt b/projects/minimal/Saved/Session_Log.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f8d41df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/minimal/Saved/Session_Log.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+[ENGINE   ]: defining componentScene
+[ENGINE   ]: Component container created scene.Scene  @1c60c524798
+[ENGINE   ]: creating lua metatable Scene
+[ENGINE   ]: module started >>>> core <<<<
+[ENGINE   ]: platform settings windowing.PlatformParams{ .extent = math.Vector2Type(c_int,"Vector2c"[0..8]){ .x = 1600, .y = 900 }, .windowName = { 66, 97, 99, 107, 108, 111, 103, 32, 69, 110, 103, 105, 110, 101 }, .icon = { 116, 101, 120, 116, 117, 114, 101, 115, 47, 105, 99, 111, 110, 46, 112, 110, 103 }, .hasVideo = true }
+[ENGINE   ]: module started >>>> platform <<<<
+[ENGINE   ]: allocated size: 4035286 (3.848 MiB)
+[ENGINE   ]: peak allocated size size: 4035414 (3.848 MiB) (76 peak allocations)
+[ENGINE   ]: module started >>>> assets <<<<
+[ENGINE   ]: sgpu device created, using shader format: .spv
+[ENGINE   ]: using renderer... scientist
+[ENGINE   ]: creating shader meshes.vert => _shaders/spv/meshes.vert.spv gpu.GPUShaderStage.shaderstageVertex args: shaderTypes.ShaderLoadArgs{ .num_samplers = 0, .num_storage_textures = 0, .num_storage_buffers = 1, .num_uniform_buffers = 1 }
+[ENGINE   ]: creating shader lit_mesh.frag => _shaders/spv/lit_mesh.frag.spv gpu.GPUShaderStage.shaderstageFragment args: shaderTypes.ShaderLoadArgs{ .num_samplers = 4, .num_storage_textures = 0, .num_storage_buffers = 1, .num_uniform_buffers = 1 }
+[GRAPHICS ]: swapchain format: gpu.GPUTextureFormat.textureformatB8g8r8a8Unorm
+[ENGINE   ]: creating shader postProc.vert => _shaders/spv/postProc.vert.spv gpu.GPUShaderStage.shaderstageVertex args: shaderTypes.ShaderLoadArgs{ .num_samplers = 0, .num_storage_textures = 0, .num_storage_buffers = 0, .num_uniform_buffers = 0 }
+[ENGINE   ]: creating shader postProc.frag => _shaders/spv/postProc.frag.spv gpu.GPUShaderStage.shaderstageFragment args: shaderTypes.ShaderLoadArgs{ .num_samplers = 3, .num_storage_textures = 0, .num_storage_buffers = 0, .num_uniform_buffers = 0 }
+[GRAPHICS ]: hdr texture format format: gpu.GPUTextureFormat.textureformatR16g16b16a16Float
+[GRAPHICS ]: mesh pool created 4000k vertices, 16000k indices
+[ENGINE   ]: asset loader for asset type (Mesh) registered
+[ENGINE   ]: Texture List Added
+[ENGINE   ]: asset loader for asset type (Texture) registered
+[ENGINE   ]: creating blocky sampler
+[ENGINE   ]: loading asset t_default (Texture) [embedded:texture_sample.png]
+[ENGINE   ]: loading texture t_default
+[ENGINE   ]: creating mipmap level 9
+[ENGINE   ]: loading asset m_default_cube (Mesh) [embedded:primitive_box.obj]
+[ENGINE   ]: loading mesh asset embedded:primitive_box.obj [obj]
+[GRAPHICS ]: [embedded:primitive_box.obj] vertex count vertices=24 indices=36
+[ENGINE   ]: [DebugDrawSystem] starting up...
+[ENGINE   ]: loading asset m_debug_box (Mesh) [embedded:debug_box.obj]
+[ENGINE   ]: loading mesh asset embedded:debug_box.obj [obj]
+[GRAPHICS ]: [embedded:debug_box.obj] vertex count vertices=24 indices=36
+[ENGINE   ]: loading asset m_debug_line (Mesh) [embedded:debug_line.obj]
+[ENGINE   ]: loading mesh asset embedded:debug_line.obj [obj]
+[GRAPHICS ]: [embedded:debug_line.obj] vertex count vertices=2 indices=3
+[ENGINE   ]: loading asset m_debug_sphere (Mesh) [embedded:debug_sphere.obj]
+[ENGINE   ]: loading mesh asset embedded:debug_sphere.obj [obj]
+[GRAPHICS ]: [embedded:debug_sphere.obj] vertex count vertices=240 indices=336
+[ENGINE   ]: [DebugDrawSystem] registering to renderer...
+[ENGINE   ]: creating shader debug.vert => _shaders/spv/debug.vert.spv gpu.GPUShaderStage.shaderstageVertex args: shaderTypes.ShaderLoadArgs{ .num_samplers = 0, .num_storage_textures = 0, .num_storage_buffers = 1, .num_uniform_buffers = 1 }
+[ENGINE   ]: creating shader debug.frag => _shaders/spv/debug.frag.spv gpu.GPUShaderStage.shaderstageFragment args: shaderTypes.ShaderLoadArgs{ .num_samplers = 0, .num_storage_textures = 0, .num_storage_buffers = 0, .num_uniform_buffers = 0 }
+[ENGINE   ]: creating shader meshes.vert => _shaders/spv/meshes.vert.spv gpu.GPUShaderStage.shaderstageVertex args: shaderTypes.ShaderLoadArgs{ .num_samplers = 0, .num_storage_textures = 0, .num_storage_buffers = 1, .num_uniform_buffers = 1 }
+[ENGINE   ]: creating shader depthOnly.frag => _shaders/spv/depthOnly.frag.spv gpu.GPUShaderStage.shaderstageFragment args: shaderTypes.ShaderLoadArgs{ .num_samplers = 0, .num_storage_textures = 0, .num_storage_buffers = 0, .num_uniform_buffers = 0 }
+[ENGINE   ]: loading asset m_skybox (Mesh) [embedded:skybox_mesh.obj]
+[ENGINE   ]: loading mesh asset embedded:skybox_mesh.obj [obj]
+[GRAPHICS ]: [embedded:skybox_mesh.obj] vertex count vertices=24 indices=36
+[ENGINE   ]: creating shader skybox.vert => _shaders/spv/skybox.vert.spv gpu.GPUShaderStage.shaderstageVertex args: shaderTypes.ShaderLoadArgs{ .num_samplers = 0, .num_storage_textures = 0, .num_storage_buffers = 0, .num_uniform_buffers = 1 }
+[ENGINE   ]: creating shader skybox.frag => _shaders/spv/skybox.frag.spv gpu.GPUShaderStage.shaderstageFragment args: shaderTypes.ShaderLoadArgs{ .num_samplers = 1, .num_storage_textures = 0, .num_storage_buffers = 0, .num_uniform_buffers = 1 }
+[ENGINE   ]: loading asset m_plane (Mesh) [embedded:plane.obj]
+[ENGINE   ]: loading mesh asset embedded:plane.obj [obj]
+[GRAPHICS ]: [embedded:plane.obj] vertex count vertices=4 indices=6
+[ENGINE   ]: loading asset m_screenPlane (Mesh) [embedded:screenPlane.obj]
+[ENGINE   ]: loading mesh asset embedded:screenPlane.obj [obj]
+[GRAPHICS ]: [embedded:screenPlane.obj] vertex count vertices=4 indices=6
+[ENGINE   ]: creating ssao pipeline
+[ENGINE   ]: creating shader postProc.vert => _shaders/spv/postProc.vert.spv gpu.GPUShaderStage.shaderstageVertex args: shaderTypes.ShaderLoadArgs{ .num_samplers = 0, .num_storage_textures = 0, .num_storage_buffers = 0, .num_uniform_buffers = 0 }
+[ENGINE   ]: creating shader ssao.frag => _shaders/spv/ssao.frag.spv gpu.GPUShaderStage.shaderstageFragment args: shaderTypes.ShaderLoadArgs{ .num_samplers = 3, .num_storage_textures = 0, .num_storage_buffers = 0, .num_uniform_buffers = 1 }
+[ENGINE   ]: defining component_MeshComponent
+[ENGINE   ]: Component container created meshes.MeshComponent  @24618af28e8
+[ENGINE   ]: creating lua metatable Mesh
+[ENGINE   ]: defining component_CameraComponent
+[ENGINE   ]: Component container created camera.CameraComponent  @1c60e4b9d68
+[ENGINE   ]: creating lua metatable Camera
+[ENGINE   ]: module started >>>> rend <<<<
+[GRAPHICS ]: imgui startup
+[ENGINE   ]: module started >>>> imgui <<<<
+[ENGINE   ]: UI module started
+[ENGINE   ]: [Fontcache] loading font cache for default font
+[ENGINE   ]: [Fontcache] loading font cache for monospace font
+[ENGINE   ]: [Fontcache] loading font cache for bitmap font
+[GRAPHICS ]: imgui startup
+[ENGINE   ]: module started >>>> ui <<<<
+[ENGINE   ]: creating Game context
+[ENGINE   ]: calling gEngine.run
+[ENGINE   ]: engine loop started
+[ENGINE   ]: program ready
+[ENGINE   ]: uploading mesh => m_default_cube
+[GRAPHICS ]: uploading 24 vertices and 36 indices
+[ENGINE   ]: install mesh by name 16
+[ENGINE   ]: uploading mesh => m_debug_box
+[GRAPHICS ]: uploading 24 vertices and 36 indices
+[ENGINE   ]: install mesh by name 20
+[ENGINE   ]: uploading mesh => m_debug_line
+[GRAPHICS ]: uploading 2 vertices and 3 indices
+[ENGINE   ]: install mesh by name 21
+[ENGINE   ]: uploading mesh => m_debug_sphere
+[GRAPHICS ]: uploading 240 vertices and 336 indices
+[ENGINE   ]: install mesh by name 22
+[ENGINE   ]: uploading mesh => m_skybox
+[GRAPHICS ]: uploading 24 vertices and 36 indices
+[ENGINE   ]: install mesh by name 30
+[ENGINE   ]: uploading mesh => m_plane
+[GRAPHICS ]: uploading 4 vertices and 6 indices
+[ENGINE   ]: install mesh by name 37
+[ENGINE   ]: uploading mesh => m_screenPlane
+[GRAPHICS ]: uploading 4 vertices and 6 indices
+[ENGINE   ]: install mesh by name 38
+[ENGINE   ]: Processing exit signals
+[ENGINE   ]: checking everything is ready to exit
+[ENGINE   ]: checking everything is ready to exit engineObject.InterfaceRef2(engineObject.EngineObjectVTable){ .ptr = anyopaque@1c60c49a9e8, .vtable = engineObject.EngineObjectVTable{ .typeName = { 119, 105, 110, 100, 111, 119, 105, 110, 103, 46, 80, 108, 97, 116, 102, 111, 114, 109, 73, 110, 115, 116, 97, 110, 99, 101 }, .typeSize = 112, .typeAlign = 8, .singletonName = { 112, 108, 97, 116, 102, 111, 114, 109, 46, 73, 110, 115, 116, 97, 110, 99, 101 }, .init_func = fn (mem.Allocator) error{OutOfMemory,UnknownStatePanic,BadInit,UnknownError}!*anyopaque@7ff66491a590, .tick_func = null, .engineDraw_func = null, .preTick_func = null, .deinit_func = fn (*anyopaque) void@7ff66491a7f0, .postInit_func = null, .processEvents = null, .exitSignal_func = fn (*anyopaque) error{OutOfMemory,UnknownStatePanic,BadInit,UnknownError}!void@7ff66491a6d0, .readyToExit_func = fn (*anyopaque) bool@7ff66491a750, .prepare_func = null, .fieldListHash = null, .fieldList = null, .slackSize = null } }
+[ENGINE   ]: exiting
+[ENGINE   ]: module shutting down >>>> ui <<<<
+[ENGINE   ]: module shutting down >>>> imgui <<<<
+[ENGINE   ]: module shutting down >>>> rend <<<<
+[ENGINE   ]: undefining component meshes.MeshComponent
+[ENGINE   ]: undefining component camera.CameraComponent
+[ENGINE   ]: module shutting down >>>> assets <<<<
+[ENGINE   ]: module shutting down >>>> platform <<<<
+[ENGINE   ]: module shutting down >>>> core <<<<
+[ENGINE   ]: allocated size: 3064738 (2.923 MiB)
+[ENGINE   ]: peak allocated size size: 9418782 (8.982 MiB) (190 peak allocations)
+[ENGINE   ]: undefining component scene.Scene
diff --git a/projects/minimal/build.zig b/projects/minimal/build.zig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d00b329
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/minimal/build.zig
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+const std = @import("std");
+const Backlog = @import("Backlog");
+
+pub fn build(b: *std.Build) void {
+    const target = b.standardTargetOptions(.{});
+    const optimize = b.standardOptimizeOption(.{});
+
+    var blbuild = Backlog.init(b, .{
+        .target = target,
+        .optimize = optimize,
+        .backlogRoot = "../",
+    });
+
+    _ = blbuild.addProgram(.{
+        .name = "minimal",
+        .desc = "tool program, no assets",
+        .root_source_file = b.path("src/main.zig"),
+    });
+
+    blbuild.addDependencyInstalls(b, .ReleaseFast); //.ReleaseFast);
+}
diff --git a/projects/minimal/build.zig.zon b/projects/minimal/build.zig.zon
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f91ce8c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/minimal/build.zig.zon
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+.{
+    .name = .MyProjects,
+    .version = "0.0.0",
+    .dependencies = .{
+        // engine libraries
+        // you will want to change these paths.
+        //
+        // .. theoretically if this is a static build, 
+        .Backlog = .{ .path = "../../" },
+        .SpirvReflect = .{ .path = "../../lib/spirv-reflect-zig" },
+
+        .zphysics = .{.path = "../../lib/zphysics"},
+        .spng = .{ .path = "../../lib/spng" },
+        .ozz = .{ .path = "../../lib/ozz" },
+        .sdl3_lib = .{ .path = "../../lib/sdl3/SDL" },
+        .miniaudio = .{ .path = "../../lib/miniaudio" },
+        .lua = .{ .path = "../../lib/lua" },
+    },
+    .paths = .{
+        "",
+    },
+    .fingerprint = 0x14099f7390321175
+}
diff --git a/projects/minimal/build.zig.zon.template b/projects/minimal/build.zig.zon.template
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..975d0ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/minimal/build.zig.zon.template
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+.{
+    .name = .MyProjects,
+    .version = "0.0.0",
+    .dependencies = .{
+        // engine libraries
+        // you will want to change these paths.
+        //
+        // .. theoretically if this is a static build, 
+        .Backlog = .{ .path = "$RELATIVEPATH/" },
+        .SpirvReflect = .{ .path = "$RELATIVEPATH/lib/spirv-reflect-zig" },
+
+        .zphysics = .{.path = "$RELATIVEPATH/lib/zphysics"},
+        .spng = .{ .path = "$RELATIVEPATH/lib/spng" },
+        .ozz = .{ .path = "$RELATIVEPATH/lib/ozz" },
+        .sdl3_lib = .{ .path = "$RELATIVEPATH/lib/sdl3/SDL" },
+        .miniaudio = .{ .path = "$RELATIVEPATH/lib/miniaudio" },
+        .lua = .{ .path = "$RELATIVEPATH/lib/lua" },
+    },
+    .paths = .{
+        "",
+    },
+    .fingerprint = 0x14099f7390321175
+}
diff --git a/projects/minimal/buildShaders.py b/projects/minimal/buildShaders.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9d5bf2c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/minimal/buildShaders.py
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+import os
+import sys
+import subprocess
+
+origDir = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
+backlogEngineDir = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(origDir, "../../"))
+
+cmd = [sys.executable, os.path.join(backlogEngineDir, "tools/scripts/cookShaders.py")]
+
+subprocess.run(cmd, cwd=origDir)
diff --git a/projects/minimal/src/main.zig b/projects/minimal/src/main.zig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..be23c16
--- /dev/null
+++ b/projects/minimal/src/main.zig
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+pub var NeonObjectTable = core.EngineObjectVTable.from(@This(), "main");
+
+allocator: std.mem.Allocator,
+
+pub fn init(allocator: std.mem.Allocator) !*@This() {
+    const self = try allocator.create(@This());
+    self.* = .{
+        .allocator = allocator,
+    };
+    return self;
+}
+
+pub fn prepare(self: *@This()) !void {
+    _ = self;
+    core.engine_log("program ready", .{});
+}
+
+pub fn tick(self: *@This(), dt: f64) void {
+    _ = self;
+    _ = dt;
+}
+
+pub fn deinit(self: *@This()) void {
+    self.allocator.destroy(self);
+}
+
+pub fn main() anyerror!void {
+    var spec = try bl.createSpecVariant(.{
+        .name = "sampleGame",
+        .imgui = true,
+        .physics = false,
+        .audio = false,
+    }, std.heap.c_allocator);
+
+    _ = bl.initAndRun(&NeonObjectTable, &spec);
+}
+
+const std = @import("std");
+const bl = @import("Backlog");
+// const ig = backlog.imgui.api; // imgui api
+const core = bl.core;