diff --git a/SConstruct b/SConstruct
index 7d3f1be..8147c58 100644
--- a/SConstruct
+++ b/SConstruct
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@ env = Environment(CCFLAGS=[
     '-fno-exceptions',
     '-Wall', '-Wpedantic', '-Wextra', '-Werror',
     '-O0', '-g3', '-Isrc',
-    '-DPROJECTNAME=\\\"'+project+'\\\"'
+    '-DPROJECTNAME=\\\"'+project+'\\\"',
+    '-DDEBUG'
 ],
 LINKFLAGS=[
     '-lSDL2', '-lSDL2_image', '-lm',
diff --git a/src/core/canvas_engine.cpp b/src/core/canvas_engine.cpp
index 1bcaa58..32ba31d 100644
--- a/src/core/canvas_engine.cpp
+++ b/src/core/canvas_engine.cpp
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ CanvasEngine::CanvasEngine() {
         SDL_Quit();
         return;
     }
-    this->window = SDL_CreateWindow(PROJECTNAME, SDL_WINDOWPOS_CENTERED, SDL_WINDOWPOS_CENTERED, 1000, 800, SDL_WINDOW_FULLSCREEN | SDL_WINDOW_RESIZABLE); if(this->window == nullptr) {
+    this->window = SDL_CreateWindow(PROJECTNAME, SDL_WINDOWPOS_CENTERED, SDL_WINDOWPOS_CENTERED, 1000, 800, SDL_WINDOW_RESIZABLE | SDL_WINDOW_FULLSCREEN_DESKTOP);
+    if(this->window == nullptr) {
         SDL_LogError(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_ERROR, "Failed to create window, SDL error: %s", SDL_GetError());
         IMG_Quit();
         SDL_Quit();
diff --git a/src/core/math/transform.cpp b/src/core/math/transform.cpp
index 1322384..92c5e55 100644
--- a/src/core/math/transform.cpp
+++ b/src/core/math/transform.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include "transform.hpp"
+#include <cassert>
 
 namespace ce {
 void Transform::translate_by(Vecf const &translation) {
@@ -22,17 +23,20 @@ Vecf Transform::up() const {
 }
 
 Transform operator *(Transform const &lhs, Transform const &rhs) {
-    return Transform {
+    Transform t{
         .position = rhs.position + lhs.position.rotated(rhs.rotation),
         .rotation = rhs.rotation + lhs.rotation,
         .scale = lhs.scale.scaled(rhs.scale)
     };
+    assert(t.scale.x != 0.f || t.scale.y != 0.f); // !!!
+    return t;
 }
 
 Transform &operator *=(Transform &lhs, Transform const &rhs) {
-    lhs.position += rhs.position.rotated(lhs.rotation);
+    lhs.position += lhs.position.rotated(rhs.rotation);
     lhs.rotation += rhs.rotation;
     lhs.scale.scale(rhs.scale);
+    assert(lhs.scale.x != 0.f || lhs.scale.y != 0.f); // !!!
     return lhs;
 }
 }
diff --git a/src/core/math/transform.hpp b/src/core/math/transform.hpp
index b2ca24d..049298a 100644
--- a/src/core/math/transform.hpp
+++ b/src/core/math/transform.hpp
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@
 
 namespace ce {
 struct Transform {
-    Vecf position;
-    double rotation;
-    Vecf scale;
+    Vecf position{0.f, 0.f};
+    double rotation{0.0};
+    Vecf scale{1.f, 1.f};
     void translate_by(Vecf const &translation);
     void rotate_by(double rotation);
     void scale_by(Vecf const &factors);
diff --git a/src/core/node.cpp b/src/core/node.cpp
index 5a2b8e4..976b66b 100644
--- a/src/core/node.cpp
+++ b/src/core/node.cpp
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@
 #include <vector>
 
 namespace ce {
+Node::Node(std::string name) {
+    this->name = name;
+}
+
 Node::~Node() {
     this->destroyed.invoke();
 }
@@ -111,7 +115,6 @@ void Node::propagate_post_tick() {
     });
     for(std::pair<std::string const, Node::OwnedPtr> &pair : this->children)
         pair.second->propagate_post_tick();
-    this->_update_transform();
 }
 
 void Node::propagate_removed() {
@@ -121,6 +124,7 @@ void Node::propagate_removed() {
 }
 
 void Node::propagate_draw(SDL_Renderer *render) {
+    this->_update_transform();
     if(this->visible) {
         this->_draw(render);
         for(std::pair<std::string const, Node::OwnedPtr> &pair : this->children)
diff --git a/src/core/node.hpp b/src/core/node.hpp
index c9c2ae0..ae951d7 100644
--- a/src/core/node.hpp
+++ b/src/core/node.hpp
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ public:
     Signal<Node*> child_removed{}; //!< Signal invoked when a child is removed.
     Signal<Node*> child_added{}; //!< Signal invoked when a child is added.
 public:
-    Node() = default;
+    Node(std::string name);
     virtual ~Node();
 protected:
     virtual void _added(Node *parent [[maybe_unused]]) {} //!< called the moment after the object is added as a child to another node
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ protected:
     virtual void _update_transform() {}
 public:
     template <class TNode> TNode *get_child(std::string const &name); //!< get a non-owning pointer to a child
+    template <class TNode, typename... Args> TNode *create_child(Args... cargs);
     void add_child(Node::OwnedPtr &child); //!< add a child, the caller must own the pointer
     void set_parent(Node *new_parent);
     Node *get_parent() const; //!< get the parent.
@@ -61,6 +62,12 @@ private:
 template <class TNode> TNode *Node::get_child(std::string const &name) {
     return children.contains(name) ? dynamic_cast<TNode*>(children.at(name).get()) : nullptr;
 }
+template <class TNode, typename... Args> TNode *Node::create_child(Args... cargs) {
+    OwnedPtr owned{std::make_unique<TNode>(cargs...)};
+    TNode *referenced{dynamic_cast<TNode*>(owned.get())};
+    this->add_child(owned);
+    return referenced;
+}
 }
 
 #endif // !CANVAS_NODE_HPP
diff --git a/src/core/node2d.cpp b/src/core/node2d.cpp
index c8dc12a..d87eb14 100644
--- a/src/core/node2d.cpp
+++ b/src/core/node2d.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 #include "node2d.hpp"
+#include <cassert>
 
 namespace ce {
+Node2D::Node2D(std::string name) : Node(name) {}
+
 void Node2D::_added(Node *parent) {
     this->parent_node2d = dynamic_cast<Node2D*>(parent);
 }
@@ -8,14 +11,13 @@ void Node2D::_added(Node *parent) {
 void Node2D::_update_transform() {
     if(this->parent_node2d != nullptr)
         this->global_transform = this->transform * this->parent_node2d->get_global_transform();
+    else
+        this->global_transform = this->transform;
 }
 
 void Node2D::set_transform(Transform const &transform) {
     this->transform = transform;
-}
-
-Transform &Node2D::get_transform() {
-    return this->transform;
+    this->_update_transform();
 }
 
 Transform const &Node2D::get_transform() const {
@@ -28,12 +30,13 @@ void Node2D::set_global_transform(Transform transform) {
         Transform parent = this->parent_node2d->get_global_transform();
         transform.position -= parent.position.rotated(-parent.rotation);
         transform.scale_by(parent.scale.reciprocal());
+        assert(transform.scale.x != 0.f || transform.scale.y != 0.f); // !!!
         transform.rotation -= parent.rotation;
     }
     this->transform = transform;
 }
 
-Transform Node2D::get_global_transform() const {
+Transform const &Node2D::get_global_transform() const {
     return this->global_transform;
 }
 }
diff --git a/src/core/node2d.hpp b/src/core/node2d.hpp
index 8a20005..0037cc6 100644
--- a/src/core/node2d.hpp
+++ b/src/core/node2d.hpp
@@ -10,14 +10,14 @@ class Node2D : public Node {
     Transform global_transform{};
     Node2D *parent_node2d{nullptr};
 public:
+    Node2D(std::string name);
     virtual void _added(Node *parent) override;
     Node2D *get_parent_node2d() const;
     virtual void _update_transform() override;
     void set_transform(Transform const &transform);
-    Transform &get_transform();
     Transform const &get_transform() const;
     void set_global_transform(Transform transform);
-    Transform get_global_transform() const;
+    Transform const &get_global_transform() const;
 };
 }
 
diff --git a/src/core/sprite.cpp b/src/core/sprite.cpp
index 5fa3c13..9243065 100644
--- a/src/core/sprite.cpp
+++ b/src/core/sprite.cpp
@@ -5,23 +5,30 @@
 #include <cmath>
 
 namespace ce {
-Sprite::Sprite(std::string const &texture)
-: Node2D() {
+Sprite::Sprite(std::string name, std::string texture)
+: Node2D(name) {
     std::optional<std::shared_ptr<Texture>> asset = CanvasEngine::get_singleton()->get_assets().get_asset<Texture>(texture);
     this->texture = asset.value();
 }
 
 void Sprite::_draw(SDL_Renderer *render) {
-    if(this->texture == nullptr)
+    if(this->texture == nullptr) {
+        SDL_LogInfo(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION, "No texture assigned");
+        this->set_visible(false);
         return;
+    }
     int w, h;
     SDL_QueryTexture(this->texture->get(), NULL, NULL, &w, &h);
-    Transform transform{this->get_transform()};
+    Transform transform{this->get_global_transform()};
+    assert(transform.scale.x != 0 && transform.scale.y != 0); // !!!
+    float fw{w * transform.scale.x}, fh{h * transform.scale.y};
+    assert(fw != 0.f && fh != 0.f);
+    //float fw(w), fh(h);
     SDL_Rect src{0, 0, w, h};
-    SDL_FRect dst{transform.position.x, transform.position.y, float(w), float(h)};
+    SDL_FRect dst{transform.position.x - fw/2.f, transform.position.y - fh/2.f, fw, fh};
     SDL_RenderCopyExF(render, this->texture->get(),
                       &src, &dst,
-                      transform.rotation,NULL,
+                      transform.rotation * 57.2958f,NULL,
                       SDL_FLIP_NONE);
 }
 }
diff --git a/src/core/sprite.hpp b/src/core/sprite.hpp
index a8a287b..16d5ae1 100644
--- a/src/core/sprite.hpp
+++ b/src/core/sprite.hpp
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ namespace ce {
 class Sprite : public Node2D {
     std::shared_ptr<Texture> texture{nullptr};
 public:
-    Sprite(std::string const &texture);
+    Sprite(std::string name, std::string texture);
     virtual void _draw(SDL_Renderer *render) override;
 };
 }
diff --git a/src/level_1.cpp b/src/level_1.cpp
index 28f7de8..8ad5e3a 100644
--- a/src/level_1.cpp
+++ b/src/level_1.cpp
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 #include "level_1.hpp"
 #include "core/node.hpp"
-#include "core/sprite.hpp"
+#include "test_node.hpp"
 
 void Level1::instantiate() {
     ce::Node::OwnedPtr &root_ptr{this->get_owned_root()};
-    root_ptr.reset(new ce::Node());
-    ce::Node::OwnedPtr sprite{std::make_unique<ce::Sprite>("neocat")};
-    root->add_child(sprite);
+    root_ptr.reset(new ce::Node("root"));
+    ce::Node::OwnedPtr node{std::make_unique<TestNode>()};
+    root->add_child(node);
 }
diff --git a/src/test_node.cpp b/src/test_node.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4f61595
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test_node.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+#include "test_node.hpp"
+#include "core/math/transform.hpp"
+#include <SDL2/SDL_render.h>
+#include <SDL2/SDL_timer.h>
+#include <cmath>
+
+TestNode::TestNode()
+: ce::Node2D("TestNode") {
+    this->sprite = this->create_child<ce::Sprite>("neocat", "neocat");
+}
+
+void TestNode::_first_tick() {
+    ce::Transform st{this->sprite->get_global_transform()};
+    st.position.x += 200;
+    this->sprite->set_global_transform(st);
+}
+
+void TestNode::_tick(double const &delta) {
+    ce::Node2D::_tick(delta);
+    ce::Transform trans{this->get_transform()};
+    trans.position.x = 500 + std::sin(SDL_GetTicks64() * 0.001) * 100.f;
+    trans.position.y = 500 + std::cos(SDL_GetTicks64() * 0.001) * 100.f;
+    trans.rotate_by(delta * 10.f);
+    this->set_transform(trans);
+}
+
+void TestNode::_draw(SDL_Renderer *render) {
+    ce::Node2D::_draw(render);
+    ce::Transform trans{this->get_global_transform()};
+    SDL_SetRenderDrawColor(render, 255, 255, 255, 255);
+    SDL_FRect rect{trans.position.x-101.f, trans.position.y-101.f, 202.f, 202.f};
+    SDL_RenderDrawRectF(render, &rect);
+}
diff --git a/src/test_node.hpp b/src/test_node.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0803385
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test_node.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#ifndef TEST_NODE_HPP
+#define TEST_NODE_HPP
+
+#include "core/node2d.hpp"
+#include "core/sprite.hpp"
+
+class TestNode : public ce::Node2D {
+private:
+    ce::Sprite *sprite{nullptr};
+public:
+    TestNode();
+    virtual void _first_tick() override;
+    virtual void _tick(double const &delta) override;
+    virtual void _draw(SDL_Renderer *render) override;
+};
+
+#endif // !TEST_NODE_HPP