diff --git a/src/common/ecs/README.md b/src/common/ecs/README.md
index 73db0182..7dc1c759 100644
--- a/src/common/ecs/README.md
+++ b/src/common/ecs/README.md
@@ -143,6 +143,7 @@ banks need to duplicate code and/or rodata
 - don't split critical code across banks
 need bank trampoline macro
 nested scopes for game modes? (title / demo / play)
+access parent data from child scope
 
 critical data fields
 if accessed in critical section, make critical
@@ -150,4 +151,8 @@ ignore arrays that aren't referenced
 
 use DASM for multipass?
 
-default values for component fields
+processes
+take up at least one byte if stateful
+might need free list
+need jump table?
+you'd like to change "mode" from any event
diff --git a/src/common/ecs/compiler.ts b/src/common/ecs/compiler.ts
index 8ca73c01..45957533 100644
--- a/src/common/ecs/compiler.ts
+++ b/src/common/ecs/compiler.ts
@@ -139,7 +139,12 @@ export class ECSCompiler extends Tokenizer {
             let lo = this.expectInteger();
             this.expectToken('..');
             let hi = this.expectInteger();
-            return { dtype: 'int', lo, hi } as IntType;
+            // TODO: use default value?
+            let defvalue;
+            if (this.ifToken('default')) {
+                defvalue = this.expectInteger();
+            }
+            return { dtype: 'int', lo, hi, defvalue } as IntType;
         }
         if (this.peekToken().str == '[') {
             return { dtype: 'ref', query: this.parseQuery() } as RefType;
@@ -392,8 +397,7 @@ export class ECSCompiler extends Tokenizer {
             entname = this.expectIdent().str;
         }
         let etype = this.parseEntityArchetype();
-        let entity = this.currentScope.newEntity(etype);
-        entity.name = entname;
+        let entity = this.currentScope.newEntity(etype, entname);
         let cmd2: string;
         // TODO: remove init?
         while ((cmd2 = this.expectTokens(['const', 'init', 'var', 'decode', 'end']).str) != 'end') {
diff --git a/src/common/ecs/decoder.ts b/src/common/ecs/decoder.ts
index 7b2e91e0..51f5beb2 100644
--- a/src/common/ecs/decoder.ts
+++ b/src/common/ecs/decoder.ts
@@ -73,6 +73,24 @@ export class VCSSpriteDecoder extends LineDecoder {
     }
 }
 
+export class VCSBitmapDecoder extends LineDecoder {
+    parse() {
+        let height = this.lines.length;
+        let bitmapdata = new Uint8Array(height);
+        for (let i=0; i<height; i++) {
+            this.curline = height - 1 - i;
+            let toks = this.lines[this.curline];
+            this.assertTokens(toks, 1);
+            bitmapdata[i] = this.decodeBits(toks[0], 8, true);
+        }
+        return {
+            properties: {
+                bitmapdata, height: height-1
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 export class VCSPlayfieldDecoder extends LineDecoder {
     parse() {
         let height = this.lines.length;
@@ -178,6 +196,7 @@ export function newDecoder(name: string, text: string) : LineDecoder | undefined
 
 const DECODERS = {
     'vcs_sprite': VCSSpriteDecoder,
+    'vcs_bitmap': VCSBitmapDecoder,
     'vcs_playfield': VCSPlayfieldDecoder,
     'vcs_versatile': VCSVersatilePlayfieldDecoder,
     'vcs_bitmap48': VCSBitmap48Decoder,
diff --git a/src/common/ecs/ecs.ts b/src/common/ecs/ecs.ts
index 33dc644b..6c6bee9a 100644
--- a/src/common/ecs/ecs.ts
+++ b/src/common/ecs/ecs.ts
@@ -156,6 +156,7 @@ export interface IntType {
     dtype: 'int'
     lo: number
     hi: number
+    defvalue?: number
 }
 
 export interface ArrayType {
@@ -1088,15 +1089,18 @@ export class EntityScope implements SourceLocated {
     ) {
         parent?.childScopes.push(this);
     }
-    newEntity(etype: EntityArchetype): Entity {
+    newEntity(etype: EntityArchetype, name: string): Entity {
         // TODO: add parent ID? lock parent scope?
         // TODO: name identical check?
+        if (name && this.getEntityByName(name))
+            throw new ECSError(`already an entity named "${name}"`);
         let id = this.entities.length;
         etype = this.em.addArchetype(etype);
         let entity: Entity = { id, etype, consts: {}, inits: {} };
         for (let c of etype.components) {
             this.componentsInScope.add(c.name);
         }
+        entity.name = name;
         this.entities.push(entity);
         return entity;
     }
@@ -1172,7 +1176,14 @@ export class EntityScope implements SourceLocated {
             } else {
                 array.ehi = i;
             }
-            //console.log(i,e.name,array,cfname);
+            // set default values for entity/field
+            if (ftype == 'init') {
+                if (f.dtype == 'int' && f.defvalue !== undefined) {
+                    let ecfname = mkscopesymbol(this, c, f.name);
+                    if (e.inits[ecfname] == null)
+                        this.setInitValue(e, c, f, f.defvalue);
+                }
+            }
         }
     }
     // TODO: cull unused entity fields
@@ -1323,7 +1334,7 @@ export class EntityScope implements SourceLocated {
         let cfname = mksymbol(component, fieldName);
         let ecfname = mkscopesymbol(this, component, fieldName);
         if (e.consts[cfname] !== undefined) throw new ECSError(`"${fieldName}" is already defined as a constant`, e);
-        if (e.inits[ecfname] !== undefined) throw new ECSError(`"${fieldName}" is already defined as a`, e);
+        if (e.inits[ecfname] !== undefined) throw new ECSError(`"${fieldName}" is already defined as a variable`, e);
         if (type == 'const') e.consts[cfname] = value;
         if (type == 'init') e.inits[ecfname] = value;
         this.fieldtypes[cfname] = type;