diff --git a/shaders/shader.frag b/shaders/shader.frag
index f10222e..430322a 100644
--- a/shaders/shader.frag
+++ b/shaders/shader.frag
@@ -40,6 +40,9 @@ void main() {
     if (colour.a <= 0) {
         discard;
     }
+    // make it always opaque (for mipmapping)
+    colour.a = max(colour.a, 1);
+
     // mix the fog colour between it and the sky
     vec4 mixedFogColour = mix(fogColour, skyColour, ratio);
     // mix fog
diff --git a/shaders/simpleBlock.frag b/shaders/simpleBlock.frag
index 7a8ee64..f20f4ed 100644
--- a/shaders/simpleBlock.frag
+++ b/shaders/simpleBlock.frag
@@ -21,4 +21,5 @@ void main() {
     if (color.a <= 0) {
         discard;
     }
+    color.a = max(color.a, 1);
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/render/Particle.cs b/src/render/Particle.cs
index 8511b5c..9cf0b1f 100644
--- a/src/render/Particle.cs
+++ b/src/render/Particle.cs
@@ -5,26 +5,44 @@
 namespace BlockGame;
 
 public class Particle : Entity {
-    public Color4b tint;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// The texture coordinates of the particle.
+    /// </summary>
+    public float u;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// The texture coordinates of the particle.
+    /// </summary>
+    public float v;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// The texture the particle uses.
+    /// </summary>
+    public string texture;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// The size of the particle. (world coords)
+    /// </summary>
     public double size;
 
     /// <summary>
     /// The time-to-live of the particle in ticks.
     /// </summary>
     public int ttl;
-    public int maxLife;
 
     /// <summary>
     /// Is this particle valid?
     /// </summary>
     public bool active;
 
-    public Particle(Vector3D<double> position, Color4b tint, double size, int ttl) {
+    public Particle(Vector3D<double> position, string texture, float u, float v, double size, int ttl) {
         this.position = position;
-        this.tint = tint;
+        this.texture = texture;
+        this.u = u;
+        this.v = v;
         this.size = size;
         this.ttl = ttl;
-        maxLife = ttl;
         active = true;
     }
 
@@ -36,7 +54,7 @@ public void update(double dt) {
         }
     }
 
-    public void render(double interp) {
+    public void render(double dt, double interp) {
         if (active) {
             //var pos = Vector3D<int>.Lerp(prevPosition, position, (float)interp);
             //var col = new Vector4(tint, ttl / maxLife);
diff --git a/src/render/ParticleManager.cs b/src/render/ParticleManager.cs
index a512110..b9decef 100644
--- a/src/render/ParticleManager.cs
+++ b/src/render/ParticleManager.cs
@@ -1,51 +1,40 @@
-using Silk.NET.Maths;
-using TrippyGL;
+using Silk.NET.OpenGL;
 
 namespace BlockGame;
 
 public class ParticleManager {
-    private Particle[] particles;
+    private readonly List<Particle> particles = [];
 
-    public ParticleManager(int maxParticles) {
-        particles = new Particle[maxParticles];
+    public void add(Particle particle) {
+        particles.Add(particle);
     }
 
     public void update(double dt) {
-        for (int i = 0; i < particles.Length; i++) {
-            if (particles[i] != null) {
-                particles[i].update(dt);
-                if (particles[i].ttl <= 0) {
-                    particles[i].active = false;
-                }
+        for (var i = 0; i < particles.Count; i++) {
+            var particle = particles[i];
+            particle.update(dt);
+
+            if (!particle.active) {
+                particles.RemoveAt(i);
+                // don't skip the next particle
+                i--;
             }
         }
     }
 
-    public void render(double interp) {
-        for (int i = 0; i < particles.Length; i++) {
-            if (particles[i].active) {
-                particles[i].render(interp);
-            }
-        }
-    }
+    public void render(double dt, double interp) {
 
-    // TODO implement pooling
-    public Particle newParticle(Vector3D<double> position, Color4b color, double size, int ttl) {
-        return new Particle(position, color, size, ttl);
-    }
+        var currentTexture = "textures/blocks.png";
+        Game.GL.ActiveTexture(TextureUnit.Texture0);
+        Game.GL.BindTexture(TextureTarget.Texture2D, Game.textureManager.blockTexture.handle);
 
-    public void addParticle(Particle particle) {
-        for (int i = 0; i < particles.Length; i++) {
-            if (!particles[i].active) {
-                particles[i] = particle;
-                return;
+        foreach (var particle in particles) {
+            if (particle.texture != currentTexture) {
+                Game.textureManager.load(particle.texture, particle.texture);
+                var tex = Game.textureManager.get(particle.texture);
+                Game.GL.BindTexture(TextureTarget.Texture2D, tex.Handle);
             }
-        }
-    }
-
-    public void clear() {
-        for (int i = 0; i < particles.Length; i++) {
-            particles[i].reset();
+            particle.render(dt, interp);
         }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/render/TerrainParticle.cs b/src/render/TerrainParticle.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b410821
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/render/TerrainParticle.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+using Silk.NET.Maths;
+
+namespace BlockGame;
+
+public class TerrainParticle : Particle {
+
+    public TerrainParticle(Vector3D<double> position, string texture, float u, float v, double size, int ttl) : base(position, texture, u, v, size, ttl) {
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/ui/menu/SettingsMenu.cs b/src/ui/menu/SettingsMenu.cs
index e671edb..c39d0cf 100644
--- a/src/ui/menu/SettingsMenu.cs
+++ b/src/ui/menu/SettingsMenu.cs
@@ -91,8 +91,9 @@ public SettingsMenu() {
         renderDistance.topCentre();
         renderDistance.tooltip = "The maximum distance at which blocks are rendered.\nHigher values may reduce performance.";
         renderDistance.applied += () => {
+            var old = settings.renderDistance;
             settings.renderDistance = (int)renderDistance.value;
-            remeshIfRequired((int)renderDistance.value);
+            remeshIfRequired(old);
         };
         renderDistance.getText = value => "Render Distance: " + value;
         settingElements.Add(renderDistance);
diff --git a/src/ui/screen/GameScreen.cs b/src/ui/screen/GameScreen.cs
index c9d6f7e..86e34c8 100644
--- a/src/ui/screen/GameScreen.cs
+++ b/src/ui/screen/GameScreen.cs
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ public override void onKeyDown(IKeyboard keyboard, Key key, int scancode) {
             if (!world.inMenu && !world.paused) {
                 pause();
             }
-            else {
+            else if (currentMenu != Menu.SETTINGS) {
                 backToGame();
             }
         }
@@ -241,13 +241,8 @@ public void remeshWorld(int oldRenderDist) {
         foreach (var chunk in world.chunks.Values) {
             // don't set chunk if not loaded yet, else we will have broken chunkgen/lighting errors
             if (chunk.status >= ChunkStatus.MESHED) {
-                if (oldRenderDist < Settings.instance.renderDistance) {
-                    // just unload everything
-                    chunk.status = ChunkStatus.MESHED - 1;
-                }
-                else {
-                    chunk.meshChunk();
-                }
+                // just unload everything
+                chunk.status = ChunkStatus.MESHED - 1;
             }
         }
         world.player.loadChunksAroundThePlayer(Settings.instance.renderDistance);