diff --git a/.vscode/launch.json b/.vscode/launch.json
index 86d8be9..5d855e1 100644
--- a/.vscode/launch.json
+++ b/.vscode/launch.json
@@ -2,20 +2,30 @@
     "version": "2.0.0",
     "configurations": [
         {
-            "name": "(lldb) C Launch",
+            "name": "(lldb) debug project",
             "type": "lldb",
             "request": "launch",
             "program": "",
             "linux": {
-                "program": "${workspaceFolder}/bin/linux-x86_64/tetris_clone",
-                "preLaunchTask": "build linux-x86_64"
+                "program": "make",
+                "args": [
+                    "run"
+                ],
+                "env": {
+                    "ARCH": "linux-x86_64",
+                    "DEBUG": "1",
+                },
             },
             "windows": {
-                "program": "${workspaceFolder}/bin/win-x86_64/sdl_template",
-                "preLaunchTask": "build win-x86_64"
+                "program": "make",
+                "args": [
+                    "run"
+                ],
+                "env": {
+                    "ARCH": "win-x86_64",
+                    "DEBUG": "1",
+                },
             },
-            "args": [],
-            "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}",
         }
     ]
 }
diff --git a/.vscode/tasks.json b/.vscode/tasks.json
deleted file mode 100644
index 0fd34b4..0000000
--- a/.vscode/tasks.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,58 +0,0 @@
-{
-    "version": "2.0.0",
-    "options": {
-        "env": {
-            "DEBUG": "1"
-        }
-    },
-    "tasks": [
-        {
-            "type": "shell",
-            "label": "build linux-x86_64",
-            "command": "make",
-            "args": [
-                "linux-x86_64"
-            ],
-            "options": {
-                "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}"
-            },
-            "group": {
-                "kind": "build",
-                "isDefault": true
-            },
-            "detail": "builds the program for linux x86_64"
-        },
-        {
-            "type": "shell",
-            "label": "build win-x86_64",
-            "command": "make",
-            "args": [
-                "win-x86_64"
-            ],
-            "options": {
-                "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}"
-            },
-            "group": {
-                "kind": "build",
-                "isDefault": false
-            },
-            "detail": "builds the program for windows x86_64"
-        },
-        {
-            "type": "shell",
-            "label": "build web",
-            "command": "make",
-            "args": [
-                "web"
-            ],
-            "options": {
-                "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}"
-            },
-            "group": {
-                "kind": "build",
-                "isDefault": false
-            },
-            "detail": "builds the program for web using emscripten"
-        }
-    ]
-}
diff --git a/makefile b/makefile
index 4dad723..eeb387d 100644
--- a/makefile
+++ b/makefile
@@ -13,45 +13,68 @@ else
 REL_FLAGS += -O3
 endif
 
-# file locations
+# dirs
 DIR_BIN := bin
 DIR_OBJ := obj
+DIR_BUILD := $(DIR_BIN)/$(ARCH)
 DIR := $(DIR_BIN)/$(ARCH) $(DIR_OBJ)/$(ARCH)
 
+# source files
 SRC := $(wildcard src/*.c) $(wildcard src/**/*.c) $(wildcard src/**/**/*.c) $(wildcard src/**/**/**/*.c) $(wildcard src/**/**/**/**/*.c)
+SRC_ASSETS := $(wildcard assets/*)
+
+# output locations
 OBJ := $(patsubst src/%,$(DIR_OBJ)/$(ARCH)/%,$(SRC:.c=.o))
 DEP := $(OBJ:.o=.d)
-TARGET := $(DIR_BIN)/$(ARCH)/$(NAME)$(EXT)
+ASSETS := $(patsubst assets/%,$(DIR_BUILD)/%,$(SRC_ASSETS))
+TARGET := $(DIR_BUILD)/$(NAME)$(EXT)
+
 
 # sets the variables for the different targets
 linux-x86_64:
-	$(MAKE) build ARCH=linux-x86_64 CFLAGS="$(CFLAGS) -target x86_64-pc-linux-gnu"
+	@$(MAKE) _build ARCH=linux-x86_64 CFLAGS="$(CFLAGS) -target x86_64-pc-linux-gnu"
 win-x86_64:
-	$(MAKE) build ARCH=win-x86-64 CFLAGS="$(CFLAGS) -target x86_64-pc-windows-gnu" EXT=".exe"
+	@$(MAKE) _build ARCH=win-x86-64 CFLAGS="$(CFLAGS) -target x86_64-pc-windows-gnu" EXT=".exe"
 web:
-	$(MAKE) build ARCH=web CC=emcc EXT=".html"
+	@$(MAKE) _build ARCH=web CC=emcc EXT=".html"
+
+# execute the binary
+run: $(ARCH)
+	cd $(DIR_BUILD) && ./$(NAME)$(EXT)
 
 all: linux-x86_64 win-x86_64 web
-build: $(DIR) $(TARGET) compile_commands.json
+_build: $(DIR) $(TARGET) $(ASSETS) compile_commands.json
 clean:
 	rm -rf $(DIR_BIN) $(DIR_OBJ)
 
-# creates the binary
+# create the binary
 $(TARGET): $(OBJ)
-	$(CC) -o $(TARGET) $^ $(CFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS)
+	@echo "using arguments: $(CFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS)"
+	@$(CC) -o $(TARGET) $^ $(CFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS)
 
-# creates .o and .d files, include a flag for no unused command line arguments, because in this context it's unneeded
+# create .o and .d files
 $(DIR_OBJ)/$(ARCH)/%.o: src/%.c
-	mkdir -p $(dir $@)
-	$(CC) -o $@ -MD -MP -c $< $(CFLAGS) -std=$(STD) -x $(LANG) -Wno-unused-command-line-argument
+	@mkdir -p $(dir $@)
+	@$(CC) -o $@ -MD -MP -c $< $(CFLAGS) -std=$(STD) -x $(LANG) -Wno-unused-command-line-argument
 
+# copy assets
+$(DIR_BUILD)/%: assets/%
+	@mkdir -p $(dir $@)
+	cp $< $@
+
+# create directories
 $(DIR):
-	mkdir -p $@
+	@mkdir -p $@
 
 # update compile commands if the makefile has been updated (for linting)
+ifeq ($(DEBUG),1)
 compile_commands.json: makefile
-	touch compile_commands.json
+else
+compile_commands.json: makefile
+	@touch compile_commands.json
 	$(MAKE) clean
 	bear -- make
+endif
 
+# include the dependencies
 -include $(DEP)