diff --git a/data/shader/particle.vert b/data/shader/particle.vert
index 5356692..4cf4f03 100644
--- a/data/shader/particle.vert
+++ b/data/shader/particle.vert
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@ void main()
   decay = ageMod / halfAge;
 
   // faster particles are smaller
-  float speedScale = (1.0 - 0.8*length(in_velocity)/maxVelocity);
-  float finalSize = size * speedScale;
+  float scaleBySpeed = (1.0 - 0.95*length(in_velocity)/maxVelocity);
+  float finalSize = size * scaleBySpeed;
   vec2 base = in_vertex;
   vec3 p = finalSize*vec3(base, 0.0);
   vec3 offset = (0.2*age + log(1.0+age*5.0)) * in_velocity + in_position;
diff --git a/game/renderer_polygon_3d/renderer_polygon_3d.cpp b/game/renderer_polygon_3d/renderer_polygon_3d.cpp
index 1dcb7a1..a1898e8 100644
--- a/game/renderer_polygon_3d/renderer_polygon_3d.cpp
+++ b/game/renderer_polygon_3d/renderer_polygon_3d.cpp
@@ -51,9 +51,9 @@ namespace endofthejedi {
         // TODO: add dust particles
         // TODO: add little rocks flying around
 
-        //glClearColor(0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0);
-        float s = 0.1;
-        glClearColor(s, s, s, 1.0);
+        glClearColor(0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0);
+        //float s = 0.1;
+        //glClearColor(s, s, s, 1.0);
 
         m_shader.bind();
 
@@ -69,10 +69,8 @@ namespace endofthejedi {
         renderPlanets();
         renderShips();
         renderMissiles();
-
         renderParticles();
-
-        //renderTraces();
+        renderTraces();
 
         //glColor3f(1.0, 0.0, 0.0);
         //glBegin(GL_QUADS);
@@ -97,7 +95,7 @@ namespace endofthejedi {
     {
         //float particleRadius = 0.005;
         //float particleRadius = 0.003;
-        float particleRadius = 0.007;
+        float particleRadius = 0.005;
 
         // TODO: use this as shader input too and make the area 2x around this
         // so that it stays hot/yellow for 2/3 of the time
@@ -142,7 +140,7 @@ namespace endofthejedi {
             }
 
             if (!gotIt) {
-                addExplosionEffect(expl->id, expl->position, 500, 0.5);
+                addExplosionEffect(expl->id, expl->position, 1000, 1.0);
             }
         }
 
@@ -247,8 +245,7 @@ namespace endofthejedi {
     glm::mat4 RendererPolygon3d::computeModelMatrix(const game::Ship *ship)
     {
         // TODO: rotate them before shooting, that looks better
-        //glm::mat4 mat = computeModelMatrix(ship->position, m_state->shipRadius());
-        glm::mat4 mat = computeModelMatrix(ship->position, 5.0*m_state->shipRadius());
+        glm::mat4 mat = computeModelMatrix(ship->position, m_state->shipRadius());
 
         // XXX model is flipped
         //glm::mat4 mat = computeModelMatrix(ship->position, 0.3);