diff --git a/src/assets/Assets.cpp b/src/assets/Assets.cpp
index cb6c16aa..497f6a6b 100644
--- a/src/assets/Assets.cpp
+++ b/src/assets/Assets.cpp
@@ -6,32 +6,17 @@
 #include "../graphics/Font.h"
 
 Assets::~Assets() {
-	for (auto& iter : shaders){
-		delete iter.second;
-	}
-
-	for (auto& iter : textures){
-		delete iter.second;
-	}
-
-	for (auto& iter : fonts){
-		delete iter.second;
-	}
-
-	for (auto& iter : atlases) {
-		delete iter.second;
-	}
 }
 
 Texture* Assets::getTexture(std::string name) const {
 	auto found = textures.find(name);
 	if (found == textures.end())
 		return nullptr;
-	return found->second;
+	return found->second.get();
 }
 
 void Assets::store(Texture* texture, std::string name){
-	textures[name] = texture;
+	textures[name].reset(texture);
 }
 
 
@@ -39,11 +24,11 @@ Shader* Assets::getShader(std::string name) const{
 	auto found = shaders.find(name);
 	if (found == shaders.end())
 		return nullptr;
-	return found->second;
+	return found->second.get();
 }
 
 void Assets::store(Shader* shader, std::string name){
-	shaders[name] = shader;
+	shaders[name].reset(shader);
 }
 
 
@@ -51,20 +36,35 @@ Font* Assets::getFont(std::string name) const {
 	auto found = fonts.find(name);
 	if (found == fonts.end())
 		return nullptr;
-	return found->second;
+	return found->second.get();
 }
 
 void Assets::store(Font* font, std::string name){
-	fonts[name] = font;
+	fonts[name].reset(font);
 }
 
 Atlas* Assets::getAtlas(std::string name) const {
 	auto found = atlases.find(name);
 	if (found == atlases.end())
 		return nullptr;
-	return found->second;
+	return found->second.get();
 }
 
 void Assets::store(Atlas* atlas, std::string name){
-	atlases[name] = atlas;
+	atlases[name].reset(atlas);
+}
+
+void Assets::extend(const Assets& assets) {
+    for (auto entry : assets.textures) {
+        textures[entry.first] = entry.second;
+    }
+    for (auto entry : assets.shaders) {
+        shaders[entry.first] = entry.second;
+    }
+    for (auto entry : assets.fonts) {
+        fonts[entry.first] = entry.second;
+    }
+    for (auto entry : assets.atlases) {
+        atlases[entry.first] = entry.second;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/assets/Assets.h b/src/assets/Assets.h
index 2bccb784..a561682a 100644
--- a/src/assets/Assets.h
+++ b/src/assets/Assets.h
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #define ASSETS_ASSETS_H_
 
 #include <string>
+#include <memory>
 #include <unordered_map>
 
 class Texture;
@@ -10,10 +11,10 @@ class Font;
 class Atlas;
 
 class Assets {
-	std::unordered_map<std::string, Texture*> textures;
-	std::unordered_map<std::string, Shader*> shaders;
-	std::unordered_map<std::string, Font*> fonts;
-	std::unordered_map<std::string, Atlas*> atlases;
+	std::unordered_map<std::string, std::shared_ptr<Texture>> textures;
+	std::unordered_map<std::string, std::shared_ptr<Shader>> shaders;
+	std::unordered_map<std::string, std::shared_ptr<Font>> fonts;
+	std::unordered_map<std::string, std::shared_ptr<Atlas>> atlases;
 public:
 	~Assets();
 	Texture* getTexture(std::string name) const;
@@ -27,6 +28,8 @@ public:
 
 	Atlas* getAtlas(std::string name) const;
 	void store(Atlas* atlas, std::string name);
+
+    void extend(const Assets& assets);
 };
 
 #endif /* ASSETS_ASSETS_H_ */
diff --git a/src/engine.cpp b/src/engine.cpp
index a4d46fa1..d49c2738 100644
--- a/src/engine.cpp
+++ b/src/engine.cpp
@@ -51,8 +51,23 @@ Engine::Engine(EngineSettings& settings, EnginePaths* paths)
 	}
 
     auto resdir = paths->getResources();
-    contentPacks.push_back(ContentPack::read(resdir/path("content/base")));
-    loadContent();
+
+	std::cout << "-- loading assets" << std::endl;
+    std::vector<path> roots {resdir};
+    resPaths.reset(new ResPaths(resdir, roots));
+    assets.reset(new Assets());
+	AssetsLoader loader(assets.get(), resPaths.get());
+	AssetsLoader::createDefaults(loader);
+	AssetsLoader::addDefaults(loader);
+
+    Shader::preprocessor->setPaths(resPaths.get());
+	while (loader.hasNext()) {
+		if (!loader.loadNext()) {
+			assets.reset();
+			Window::terminate();
+			throw initialize_error("could not to initialize assets");
+		}
+	}
 
 	Audio::initialize();
 	gui = new GUI();
@@ -169,16 +184,16 @@ void Engine::loadContent() {
 
     Shader::preprocessor->setPaths(resPaths.get());
 
-	assets.reset(new Assets());
+    unique_ptr<Assets> new_assets(new Assets());
 	std::cout << "-- loading assets" << std::endl;
-	AssetsLoader loader(assets.get(), resPaths.get());
-	AssetsLoader::createDefaults(loader);
-	AssetsLoader::addDefaults(loader);
+	AssetsLoader loader(new_assets.get(), resPaths.get());
+    AssetsLoader::createDefaults(loader);
+    AssetsLoader::addDefaults(loader);
 	while (loader.hasNext()) {
 		if (!loader.loadNext()) {
-			assets.reset();
-			Window::terminate();
-			throw initialize_error("could not to initialize assets");
+			new_assets.reset();
+			throw std::runtime_error("could not to load assets");
 		}
 	}
+    assets->extend(*new_assets.get());
 }
diff --git a/src/frontend/menu.cpp b/src/frontend/menu.cpp
index a3f625ec..e132f8db 100644
--- a/src/frontend/menu.cpp
+++ b/src/frontend/menu.cpp
@@ -158,6 +158,13 @@ Panel* create_main_menu_panel(Engine* engine, PagesControl* menu) {
                                         vec4(10.0f, 8.0f, 10.0f, 8.0f));
             button->color(vec4(1.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f, 0.1f));
             button->listenAction([=](GUI* gui) {
+                // TODO: complete and move somewhere
+                auto resdir = engine->getPaths()->getResources();
+                auto& packs = engine->getContentPacks();
+                packs.clear();
+                packs.push_back(ContentPack::read(resdir/path("content/base")));
+                engine->loadContent();
+
                 auto* content = engine->getContent();
                 auto& settings = engine->getSettings();
                 auto folder = paths->getWorldsFolder()/u8path(name);
@@ -269,6 +276,14 @@ Panel* create_new_world_panel(Engine* engine, PagesControl* menu) {
 
             auto folder = paths->getWorldsFolder()/u8path(nameutf8);
             std::filesystem::create_directories(folder);
+
+            // TODO: complete and move somewhere
+            auto resdir = engine->getPaths()->getResources();
+            auto packs = engine->getContentPacks();
+            packs.clear();
+            packs.push_back(ContentPack::read(resdir/path("content/base")));
+            engine->loadContent();
+            
             Level* level = World::create(nameutf8, 
                                          folder, 
                                          seed,