diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 89dd24a..4b256b4 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ set(SRC_FILES
 	"src/scene_manager.cpp"
 	"src/gfx_device_vulkan.cpp"
 
+	"src/scene.cpp"
+	"src/object.cpp"
+
 	"src/util/files.cpp"
 )
 
@@ -32,6 +35,10 @@ set(INCLUDE_FILES
 	"include/scene_manager.hpp"
 	"include/gfx.hpp"
 	"include/gfx_device.hpp"
+
+	"include/scene.hpp"
+	"include/object.hpp"
+
 	"include/util/files.hpp"
 )
 
diff --git a/include/engine.hpp b/include/engine.hpp
index d23cfec..8112bd7 100644
--- a/include/engine.hpp
+++ b/include/engine.hpp
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@
 
 namespace engine {
 
-	class Window;
-	class GFXDevice;
-	class InputManager;
-	class SceneManager;
+	class Window; // "window.hpp"
+	class GFXDevice; // "gfx_device.hpp"
+	class InputManager; // "input_manager.hpp"
+	class SceneManager; // "scene_manager.hpp"
 
 	class Application {
 
diff --git a/include/gfx.hpp b/include/gfx.hpp
index e54dc37..0f4f9d7 100644
--- a/include/gfx.hpp
+++ b/include/gfx.hpp
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <cstdint>
-#include <cstddef>
 #include <vector>
 
 namespace engine::gfx {
diff --git a/include/gfx_device.hpp b/include/gfx_device.hpp
index 62a5b64..b202817 100644
--- a/include/gfx_device.hpp
+++ b/include/gfx_device.hpp
@@ -1,16 +1,14 @@
 #pragma once
 
-#include "engine_api.h"
-
 #include "gfx.hpp"
 
 #include <memory>
 
-struct SDL_Window;
+struct SDL_Window; // <SDL_video.h>
 
 namespace engine {
 	
-	class ENGINE_API GFXDevice {
+	class GFXDevice {
 
 	public:
 		GFXDevice(const char* appName, const char* appVersion, SDL_Window* window, bool vsync = false);
diff --git a/include/input_manager.hpp b/include/input_manager.hpp
index 585c5a2..344ef64 100644
--- a/include/input_manager.hpp
+++ b/include/input_manager.hpp
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
 namespace engine {
 
-	class Window;
+	class Window; // "window.hpp"
 
 	enum class InputDevice : int {
 		MOUSE,
diff --git a/include/object.hpp b/include/object.hpp
index 5b15ddb..2127f66 100644
--- a/include/object.hpp
+++ b/include/object.hpp
@@ -2,105 +2,79 @@
 
 #include "engine_api.h"
 
+#include "log.hpp"
+
 #include <glm/mat4x4.hpp>
-
-#include "transform.hpp"
-
-#include "components/component.hpp"
+#include <glm/gtc/quaternion.hpp>
 
 #include <list>
 #include <vector>
 #include <string>
 #include <memory>
-#include <stdexcept>
 
 namespace engine {
-	class Window;
-	class Input;
-	class ResourceManager;
 
-	class SceneRoot;
-	class Component;
+	/* forward declarations */
+	class Scene;
 
-	namespace components {
-		class Camera;
-		class Renderer;
-		class UI;
-		class CustomComponent;
-	}
+	class Component {
 
-	// This object lives until it is deleted by its parent(s) or finally when the "Scene" is destroyed.
-	// Therefore it is safe to return raw pointers
-	class ENGINE_API Object {
+	};
+
+	struct Transform {
+		// Scale, rotate (XYZ), translate
+		glm::vec3 position{ 0.0f };
+		glm::quat rotation{};
+		glm::vec3 scale{ 1.0f };
+	};
+
+	class Object {
 
 	public:
-		Object(std::string name, Object* parent, SceneRoot& root);
+		Object(const std::string& name, Object* parent, Scene* scene);
 		Object(const Object&) = delete;
 		Object& operator=(const Object&) = delete;
 		~Object();
 
-		Window& win;
-		Input& inp;
-		ResourceManager& res;
+		/* methods */
 
-
-		SceneRoot& root;
-
-		std::string getName();
-
-		Object* getParent();
-
-		Object* getChild(std::string name);
+		Object* getChild(const std::string& name);
 		std::vector<Object*> getChildren();
-
-		Object* createChild(std::string name);
-		void deleteChild(std::string name);
+		Object* createChild(const std::string& name);
+		bool deleteChild(const std::string& name);
 
 		void printTree(int level = 0);
 
 		// Returns the component of type T
 		// Returns nullptr if the component is not found.
 		template<class T> T* getComponent();
-
-		// returns the component added
 		template<class T> T* createComponent();
+		template<class T> bool deleteComponent();
 
-		template<class T> void deleteComponent();
+		/* public member variables */
 
-		struct CompList {
-			std::vector<std::pair<components::Camera*, glm::mat4>> cameras;
-			std::vector<std::pair<components::Renderer*, glm::mat4>> renderers;
-			std::vector<std::pair<components::UI*, glm::mat4>> uis;
-			std::vector<std::pair<components::CustomComponent*, glm::mat4>> customs;
-		};
-
-		// Adds to the provided vector all components of this object and of its children recursively.
-		// Ignores 'Transform'
-		void getAllSubComponents(struct CompList& compList, glm::mat4 t);
+		const std::string name;
+		
+		Object* const parent;
+		Scene* const scene;
 
 		Transform transform;
 
 	private:
-		static int s_object_count;
-		int m_id = s_object_count;
-		std::string m_name;
+		static int s_next_id;
+		int m_id = s_next_id;
 
+		// If nullptr, this is the root object
 		std::list<std::unique_ptr<Object>> m_children{};
 		std::list<std::unique_ptr<Component>> m_components{};
 
-		// If nullptr, this is the root object
-		Object* const m_parent;
-		struct GameIO m_gameIO;
 
 	};
 
-	// implementation of template functions
+	/* implementation of template functions */
 
 	template<class T> T* Object::getComponent()
 	{
-		if (std::is_base_of<Component, T>::value == false) {
-			throw std::runtime_error("getComponent() error: specified type is not a subclass of 'Component'");
-		}
 		for (const auto& component : m_components) {
 			T* derived = dynamic_cast<T*>(component.get());
 			if (derived != nullptr) {
@@ -113,27 +87,26 @@ namespace engine {
 	template <class T> T* Object::createComponent()
 	{
 		if (std::is_base_of<Component, T>::value == false) {
-			throw std::runtime_error("addComponent() error: specified type is not a subclass of 'Component'");
+			ERROR("Object::createComponent(): attempt to create a component with a non-component class");
+			return nullptr;
 		}
 		if (getComponent<T>() != nullptr) {
-			throw std::runtime_error("addComponent() error: attempt to add component of a type already present");
+			ERROR("Object::createComponent(): attempt to create a component that already exists on an object");
+			return nullptr;
 		}
 		m_components.emplace_back(std::make_unique<T>(this));
 		return dynamic_cast<T*>(m_components.back().get());
 	}
 
-	template<class T> void Object::deleteComponent()
+	template<class T> bool Object::deleteComponent()
 	{
-		if (std::is_base_of<Component, T>::value == false) {
-			throw std::runtime_error("deleteComponent() error: specified type is not a subclass of 'Component'");
-		}
 		for (auto itr = m_components.begin(); itr != m_components.end(); ++itr) {
 			if (dynamic_cast<T*>((*itr).get()) != nullptr) {
 				m_components.erase(itr);
-				return;
+				return true;
 			}
 		}
-		throw std::runtime_error("deleteComponent() error: attempt to delete component that is not present.");
+		return false;
 	}
 
 }
diff --git a/include/scene.hpp b/include/scene.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..81c73c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/scene.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include "object.hpp"
+
+namespace engine {
+
+	class Scene : public Object {
+	
+	public:
+		Scene();
+		Scene(const Scene&) = delete;
+		Scene& operator=(const Scene&) = delete;
+		~Scene() = delete;
+
+	private:
+
+	};
+
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/include/scene_manager.hpp b/include/scene_manager.hpp
index a113a8f..fd5a9ae 100644
--- a/include/scene_manager.hpp
+++ b/include/scene_manager.hpp
@@ -1,7 +1,12 @@
 #pragma once
 
+#include <list>
+#include <memory>
+
 namespace engine {
 
+	class Scene; // "scene.hpp"
+
 	class SceneManager {
 
 	public:
@@ -11,6 +16,8 @@ namespace engine {
 		SceneManager& operator=(const SceneManager&) = delete;
 
 	private:
+		std::list<std::unique_ptr<Scene>> m_scenes;
+		std::list<std::unique_ptr<Scene>>::iterator m_activeScene{};
 
 	};
 
diff --git a/include/window.hpp b/include/window.hpp
index 718cbc7..0215f64 100644
--- a/include/window.hpp
+++ b/include/window.hpp
@@ -12,8 +12,6 @@
 #include <array>
 #include <string>
 
-ENGINE_API extern const uint64_t BILLION;
-
 namespace engine {
 
 	class ENGINE_API Window {
diff --git a/src/gfx_device_vulkan.cpp b/src/gfx_device_vulkan.cpp
index 6187aec..8fb8ed1 100644
--- a/src/gfx_device_vulkan.cpp
+++ b/src/gfx_device_vulkan.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 // The implementation of the graphics layer using Vulkan 1.3.
-// This uses SDL specific code
 
 //#undef ENGINE_BUILD_VULKAN
 #ifdef ENGINE_BUILD_VULKAN
@@ -355,7 +354,7 @@ namespace engine {
 		return surface;
 	}
 
-	// returns the index of the queue supporting the requested flags
+	// returns the queue supporting the requested flags
 	static Queue getQueueSupporting(const std::vector<Queue> queues, QueueFlags flags)
 	{
 		uint32_t bitmask = static_cast<uint32_t>(flags);
diff --git a/src/input_manager.cpp b/src/input_manager.cpp
index 334d6ec..d4d93d3 100644
--- a/src/input_manager.cpp
+++ b/src/input_manager.cpp
@@ -12,11 +12,9 @@ namespace engine {
 		m_enabledDevices.fill(true);
 	}
 
-	InputManager::~InputManager()
-	{
-	}
+	InputManager::~InputManager() {}
 
-	// private methods
+	/* private methods */
 
 	float InputManager::getDeviceAxis(enum InputDevice device, int axis) const
 	{
@@ -114,7 +112,6 @@ namespace engine {
 
 	// OVERLOADS:
 
-	// Add a mouse input
 	void InputManager::addInputButton(const std::string& name, inputs::MouseButton button)
 	{
 		addInputButton(name, InputDevice::MOUSE, static_cast<int>(button));
@@ -179,7 +176,6 @@ namespace engine {
 			}
 		}
 		return 0.0f; // instead of throwing an exception, just return nothing
-	//	throw std::runtime_error("Unable to find mapping in input table");
 	}
 
 	bool InputManager::getButton(const std::string& buttonName) const
diff --git a/src/object.cpp b/src/object.cpp
index 46efc52..65bd195 100644
--- a/src/object.cpp
+++ b/src/object.cpp
@@ -1,46 +1,23 @@
 #include "object.hpp"
 
-#include "components/camera.hpp"
-#include "components/mesh_renderer.hpp"
-#include "components/text_ui_renderer.hpp"
-#include "components/custom.hpp"
-
-#include <log.hpp>
-
-#include <glm/gtc/quaternion.hpp>
+#include "log.hpp"
 
 namespace engine {
 
-	int Object::s_object_count = 0;
+	int Object::s_next_id = 1000;
 
-	Object::Object(std::string name, Object* parent, SceneRoot& root, struct GameIO things)
-		: m_name(name), m_parent(parent), root(root),
-		m_gameIO(things),
-		win(*things.win),
-		inp(*things.input),
-		res(*things.resMan)
+	Object::Object(const std::string& name, Object* parent, Scene* scene)
+		: name(name), parent(parent), scene(scene)
 	{
-		s_object_count++;
+		s_next_id++;
 	}
 
-	Object::~Object()
-	{
-	}
+	Object::~Object() {}
 
-	std::string Object::getName()
-	{
-		return m_name;
-	}
-
-	Object* Object::getParent()
-	{
-		return m_parent;
-	}
-
-	Object* Object::getChild(std::string name)
+	Object* Object::getChild(const std::string& name)
 	{
 		for (const auto& child : m_children) {
-			if (name == child->getName()) {
+			if (name == child->name) {
 				return child.get();
 			}
 		}
@@ -56,24 +33,25 @@ namespace engine {
 		return newVector;
 	}
 
-	Object* Object::createChild(std::string name)
+	Object* Object::createChild(const std::string& name)
 	{
 		if (getChild(name) != nullptr) {
-			throw std::runtime_error("Attempt to create child object with existing name");
+			ERROR("Attempt to create child object with existing name");
+			return nullptr;
 		}
-		m_children.emplace_back(std::make_unique<Object>(name, this, root, m_gameIO));
+		m_children.emplace_back(std::make_unique<Object>(name, this, scene));
 		return m_children.back().get();
 	}
 
-	void Object::deleteChild(std::string name)
+	bool Object::deleteChild(const std::string& name)
 	{
 		for (auto itr = m_children.begin(); itr != m_children.end(); ++itr) {
-			if ((*itr)->getName() == name) {
+			if ((*itr)->name == name) {
 				m_children.erase(itr);
-				return;
+				return true;
 			}
 		}
-		throw std::runtime_error("Unable to delete child '" + name + "' as it does not exist");
+		return false;
 	}
 
 	void Object::printTree(int level)
@@ -87,17 +65,16 @@ namespace engine {
 				buf += "        ";
 			}
 		}
-		buf += m_name;
-		INFO(buf);
+		buf += name;
+		INFO("{}", buf);
 		for (const auto& child : this->getChildren()) {
 			child->printTree(level + 1);
 		}
 	}
 
+/*
 	void Object::getAllSubComponents(struct CompList& compList, glm::mat4 parentTransform)
 	{
-		using namespace components;
-
 		glm::mat4 objTransform{ 1.0f };
 
 		auto t = transform;
@@ -136,5 +113,6 @@ namespace engine {
 			child->getAllSubComponents(compList, newTransform);
 		}
 	}
+*/
 
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/scene.cpp b/src/scene.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4034dd3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/scene.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#include "scene.hpp"
+
+namespace engine {
+
+	Scene::Scene()
+		: Object("root", nullptr, this)
+	{
+
+	}
+
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/scene_manager.cpp b/src/scene_manager.cpp
index 4e423b8..a82bbb5 100644
--- a/src/scene_manager.cpp
+++ b/src/scene_manager.cpp
@@ -2,14 +2,14 @@
 
 namespace engine {
 
+	class Scene {};
+
 	SceneManager::SceneManager()
 	{
-
+		m_scenes.emplace_back(std::make_unique<Scene>());
+		m_activeScene = m_scenes.begin();
 	}
 
-	SceneManager::~SceneManager()
-	{
-
-	}
+	SceneManager::~SceneManager() {}
 
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/window.cpp b/src/window.cpp
index b499b68..3202e1f 100644
--- a/src/window.cpp
+++ b/src/window.cpp
@@ -5,11 +5,12 @@
 #include <iostream>
 #include <stdexcept>
 
-const uint64_t BILLION = 1000000000;
+static const uint64_t BILLION = 1000000000;
 
 namespace engine {
 
-	Window::Window(const std::string& title, bool resizable, bool fullscreen) : m_title(title), m_resizable(resizable), m_fullscreen(fullscreen)
+	Window::Window(const std::string& title, bool resizable, bool fullscreen)
+		: m_title(title), m_resizable(resizable), m_fullscreen(fullscreen)
 	{
 
 		// init SDL
@@ -62,7 +63,7 @@ namespace engine {
 		const int WINDOWED_MIN_HEIGHT = 480;
 		SDL_SetWindowMinimumSize(m_handle, WINDOWED_MIN_WIDTH, WINDOWED_MIN_HEIGHT);
 
-		//	onResize(m_winSize.x, m_winSize.y);
+		// onResize(m_winSize.x, m_winSize.y);
 
 	}