diff --git a/lightpreview/glview.cpp b/lightpreview/glview.cpp
index e982050c..27f541e3 100644
--- a/lightpreview/glview.cpp
+++ b/lightpreview/glview.cpp
@@ -551,6 +551,20 @@ void GLView::setLightStyleIntensity(int style_id, int intensity)
     update();
 }
 
+void GLView::setMagFilter(QOpenGLTexture::Filter filter)
+{
+    m_filter = filter;
+
+    if (placeholder_texture)
+        placeholder_texture->setMagnificationFilter(m_filter);
+
+    for (auto &dc : m_drawcalls) {
+        dc.texture->setMagnificationFilter(m_filter);
+    }
+
+    update();
+}
+
 void GLView::takeScreenshot(QString destPath, int w, int h)
 {
     // update aspect ratio
@@ -632,7 +646,7 @@ void GLView::renderBSP(const QString &file, const mbsp_t &bsp, const bspxentries
         placeholder_texture->setSize(64, 64);
         placeholder_texture->setFormat(QOpenGLTexture::TextureFormat::RGBA8_UNorm);
         placeholder_texture->setAutoMipMapGenerationEnabled(true);
-        placeholder_texture->setMagnificationFilter(QOpenGLTexture::Linear);
+        placeholder_texture->setMagnificationFilter(m_filter);
         placeholder_texture->setMinificationFilter(QOpenGLTexture::Linear);
         placeholder_texture->allocateStorage();
 
@@ -752,19 +766,20 @@ void GLView::renderBSP(const QString &file, const mbsp_t &bsp, const bspxentries
 
         skybox_texture = std::make_shared<QOpenGLTexture>(QOpenGLTexture::TargetCubeMap);
 
-
         {
             QImage up_img;
             {
-                auto up = img::load_texture(fmt::format("env/{}up", skybox), false, bsp.loadversion->game, settings, true);
-                up_img = QImage((const uchar *) std::get<0>(up)->pixels.data(), std::get<0>(up)->width, std::get<0>(up)->height, QImage::Format_RGB32);
+                auto up =
+                    img::load_texture(fmt::format("env/{}up", skybox), false, bsp.loadversion->game, settings, true);
+                up_img = QImage((const uchar *)std::get<0>(up)->pixels.data(), std::get<0>(up)->width,
+                    std::get<0>(up)->height, QImage::Format_RGB32);
                 up_img = std::move(up_img.transformed(QTransform().rotate(-90.0)).mirrored(false, true));
             }
 
             skybox_texture->setSize(up_img.width(), up_img.height());
             skybox_texture->setFormat(QOpenGLTexture::TextureFormat::RGBA8_UNorm);
             skybox_texture->setAutoMipMapGenerationEnabled(true);
-            skybox_texture->setMagnificationFilter(QOpenGLTexture::Linear);
+            skybox_texture->setMagnificationFilter(m_filter);
             skybox_texture->setMinificationFilter(QOpenGLTexture::LinearMipMapLinear);
             skybox_texture->setMaximumAnisotropy(16);
             skybox_texture->allocateStorage();
@@ -777,8 +792,10 @@ void GLView::renderBSP(const QString &file, const mbsp_t &bsp, const bspxentries
         {
             QImage down_img;
             {
-                auto down = img::load_texture(fmt::format("env/{}dn", skybox), false, bsp.loadversion->game, settings, true);
-                down_img = QImage((const uchar *) std::get<0>(down)->pixels.data(), std::get<0>(down)->width, std::get<0>(down)->height, QImage::Format_RGB32);
+                auto down =
+                    img::load_texture(fmt::format("env/{}dn", skybox), false, bsp.loadversion->game, settings, true);
+                down_img = QImage((const uchar *)std::get<0>(down)->pixels.data(), std::get<0>(down)->width,
+                    std::get<0>(down)->height, QImage::Format_RGB32);
                 down_img = std::move(down_img.transformed(QTransform().rotate(90.0)).mirrored(true, false));
             }
 
@@ -788,8 +805,10 @@ void GLView::renderBSP(const QString &file, const mbsp_t &bsp, const bspxentries
         {
             QImage left_img;
             {
-                auto left = img::load_texture(fmt::format("env/{}lf", skybox), false, bsp.loadversion->game, settings, true);
-                left_img = QImage((const uchar *) std::get<0>(left)->pixels.data(), std::get<0>(left)->width, std::get<0>(left)->height, QImage::Format_RGB32);
+                auto left =
+                    img::load_texture(fmt::format("env/{}lf", skybox), false, bsp.loadversion->game, settings, true);
+                left_img = QImage((const uchar *)std::get<0>(left)->pixels.data(), std::get<0>(left)->width,
+                    std::get<0>(left)->height, QImage::Format_RGB32);
                 left_img = std::move(left_img.transformed(QTransform().rotate(-90.0)).mirrored(true, false));
             }
             skybox_texture->setData(0, 0, QOpenGLTexture::CubeMapNegativeX, QOpenGLTexture::RGBA, QOpenGLTexture::UInt8,
@@ -798,8 +817,10 @@ void GLView::renderBSP(const QString &file, const mbsp_t &bsp, const bspxentries
         {
             QImage right_img;
             {
-                auto right = img::load_texture(fmt::format("env/{}rt", skybox), false, bsp.loadversion->game, settings, true);
-                right_img = QImage((const uchar *) std::get<0>(right)->pixels.data(), std::get<0>(right)->width, std::get<0>(right)->height, QImage::Format_RGB32);
+                auto right =
+                    img::load_texture(fmt::format("env/{}rt", skybox), false, bsp.loadversion->game, settings, true);
+                right_img = QImage((const uchar *)std::get<0>(right)->pixels.data(), std::get<0>(right)->width,
+                    std::get<0>(right)->height, QImage::Format_RGB32);
                 right_img = std::move(right_img.transformed(QTransform().rotate(90.0)).mirrored(true, false));
             }
             skybox_texture->setData(0, 0, QOpenGLTexture::CubeMapPositiveX, QOpenGLTexture::RGBA, QOpenGLTexture::UInt8,
@@ -808,8 +829,10 @@ void GLView::renderBSP(const QString &file, const mbsp_t &bsp, const bspxentries
         {
             QImage front_img;
             {
-                auto front = img::load_texture(fmt::format("env/{}ft", skybox), false, bsp.loadversion->game, settings, true);
-                front_img = QImage((const uchar *) std::get<0>(front)->pixels.data(), std::get<0>(front)->width, std::get<0>(front)->height, QImage::Format_RGB32);
+                auto front =
+                    img::load_texture(fmt::format("env/{}ft", skybox), false, bsp.loadversion->game, settings, true);
+                front_img = QImage((const uchar *)std::get<0>(front)->pixels.data(), std::get<0>(front)->width,
+                    std::get<0>(front)->height, QImage::Format_RGB32);
                 front_img = std::move(front_img.mirrored(true, false));
             }
             skybox_texture->setData(0, 0, QOpenGLTexture::CubeMapNegativeY, QOpenGLTexture::RGBA, QOpenGLTexture::UInt8,
@@ -818,8 +841,10 @@ void GLView::renderBSP(const QString &file, const mbsp_t &bsp, const bspxentries
         {
             QImage back_img;
             {
-                auto back = img::load_texture(fmt::format("env/{}bk", skybox), false, bsp.loadversion->game, settings, true);
-                back_img = QImage((const uchar *) std::get<0>(back)->pixels.data(), std::get<0>(back)->width, std::get<0>(back)->height, QImage::Format_RGB32);
+                auto back =
+                    img::load_texture(fmt::format("env/{}bk", skybox), false, bsp.loadversion->game, settings, true);
+                back_img = QImage((const uchar *)std::get<0>(back)->pixels.data(), std::get<0>(back)->width,
+                    std::get<0>(back)->height, QImage::Format_RGB32);
                 back_img = std::move(back_img.transformed(QTransform().rotate(-180.0)).mirrored(true, false));
             }
             skybox_texture->setData(0, 0, QOpenGLTexture::CubeMapPositiveY, QOpenGLTexture::RGBA, QOpenGLTexture::UInt8,
@@ -925,7 +950,7 @@ void GLView::renderBSP(const QString &file, const mbsp_t &bsp, const bspxentries
             qtexture->setMaximumAnisotropy(16);
             qtexture->setAutoMipMapGenerationEnabled(true);
 
-            qtexture->setMagnificationFilter(QOpenGLTexture::Linear);
+            qtexture->setMagnificationFilter(m_filter);
             qtexture->setMinificationFilter(QOpenGLTexture::LinearMipMapLinear);
         }
 
diff --git a/lightpreview/glview.h b/lightpreview/glview.h
index ce8d1d39..e3aff7f3 100644
--- a/lightpreview/glview.h
+++ b/lightpreview/glview.h
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ private:
     bool m_showTris = false;
     bool m_drawFlat = false;
     bool m_keepOrigin = false;
+    QOpenGLTexture::Filter m_filter = QOpenGLTexture::Linear;
 
     QOpenGLVertexArrayObject m_vao;
     QOpenGLBuffer m_vbo;
@@ -157,6 +158,7 @@ public:
     void setKeepOrigin(bool keeporigin);
     // intensity = 0 to 200
     void setLightStyleIntensity(int style_id, int intensity);
+    void setMagFilter(QOpenGLTexture::Filter filter);
     const bool &getKeepOrigin() const { return m_keepOrigin; }
 
     void takeScreenshot(QString destPath, int w, int h);
diff --git a/lightpreview/mainwindow.cpp b/lightpreview/mainwindow.cpp
index 59bac52f..9e469e79 100644
--- a/lightpreview/mainwindow.cpp
+++ b/lightpreview/mainwindow.cpp
@@ -151,6 +151,8 @@ void MainWindow::createPropertiesSidebar()
 
     auto *keepposition = new QCheckBox(tr("Keep Camera Pos"));
 
+    nearest = new QCheckBox(tr("Nearest Filter"));
+
     formLayout->addRow(tr("qbsp"), qbsp_options);
     formLayout->addRow(vis_checkbox, vis_options);
     formLayout->addRow(tr("light"), light_options);
@@ -158,6 +160,7 @@ void MainWindow::createPropertiesSidebar()
     formLayout->addRow(rendermode_group);
     formLayout->addRow(showtris);
     formLayout->addRow(keepposition);
+    formLayout->addRow(nearest);
 
     lightstyles = new QVBoxLayout();
 
@@ -187,6 +190,10 @@ void MainWindow::createPropertiesSidebar()
     vis_checkbox->setChecked(s.value("vis_enabled").toBool());
     vis_options->setText(s.value("vis_options").toString());
     light_options->setText(s.value("light_options").toString());
+    nearest->setChecked(s.value("nearest").toBool());
+    if (nearest->isChecked()) {
+        glView->setMagFilter(QOpenGLTexture::Nearest);
+    }
 
     // setup event handlers
 
@@ -197,6 +204,8 @@ void MainWindow::createPropertiesSidebar()
     connect(showtris, &QAbstractButton::toggled, this, [=](bool checked) { glView->setShowTris(checked); });
     connect(drawflat, &QAbstractButton::toggled, this, [=](bool checked) { glView->setDrawFlat(checked); });
     connect(keepposition, &QAbstractButton::toggled, this, [=](bool checked) { glView->setKeepOrigin(checked); });
+    connect(nearest, &QAbstractButton::toggled, this,
+        [=](bool checked) { glView->setMagFilter(checked ? QOpenGLTexture::Nearest : QOpenGLTexture::Linear); });
     connect(glView, &GLView::cameraMoved, this, &MainWindow::displayCameraPositionInfo);
 
     // set up load timer
@@ -210,10 +219,10 @@ void MainWindow::createOutputLog()
 {
     QDockWidget *dock = new QDockWidget(tr("Output Log"), this);
 
-    auto *textEdit = new QTextEdit();
+    m_outputTextEdit = new QTextEdit();
 
     // finish dock widget setup
-    dock->setWidget(textEdit);
+    dock->setWidget(m_outputTextEdit);
     addDockWidget(Qt::BottomDockWidgetArea, dock);
     viewMenu->addAction(dock->toggleViewAction());
 }
@@ -511,6 +520,7 @@ void MainWindow::loadFileInternal(const QString &file, bool is_reload)
     s.setValue("vis_enabled", vis_checkbox->isChecked());
     s.setValue("vis_options", vis_options->text());
     s.setValue("light_options", light_options->text());
+    s.setValue("nearest", nearest->isChecked());
 
     // update title bar
     setWindowFilePath(file);
@@ -522,39 +532,44 @@ void MainWindow::loadFileInternal(const QString &file, bool is_reload)
 
     settings::common_settings render_settings;
 
-    if (fs_path.extension().compare(".bsp") == 0) {
+    try {
+        if (fs_path.extension().compare(".bsp") == 0) {
 
-        LoadBSPFile(fs_path, &m_bspdata);
+            LoadBSPFile(fs_path, &m_bspdata);
 
-        auto opts = ParseArgs(light_options);
+            auto opts = ParseArgs(light_options);
 
-        std::vector<const char *> argPtrs;
+            std::vector<const char *> argPtrs;
 
-        argPtrs.push_back("");
+            argPtrs.push_back("");
 
-        for (const std::string &arg : opts) {
-            argPtrs.push_back(arg.data());
+            for (const std::string &arg : opts) {
+                argPtrs.push_back(arg.data());
+            }
+
+            render_settings.preinitialize(argPtrs.size(), argPtrs.data());
+            render_settings.initialize(argPtrs.size() - 1, argPtrs.data() + 1);
+            render_settings.postinitialize(argPtrs.size(), argPtrs.data());
+
+            m_bspdata.version->game->init_filesystem(fs_path, render_settings);
+
+            ConvertBSPFormat(&m_bspdata, &bspver_generic);
+
+        } else {
+            m_bspdata = QbspVisLight_Common(fs_path, ParseArgs(qbsp_options), ParseArgs(vis_options),
+                ParseArgs(light_options), vis_checkbox->isChecked());
+
+            // FIXME: move to a lightpreview_settings
+            settings::common_settings settings;
+
+            // FIXME: copy the -path args from light
+            settings.paths.copy_from(::light_options.paths);
+
+            m_bspdata.loadversion->game->init_filesystem(file.toStdString(), settings);
         }
-
-        render_settings.preinitialize(argPtrs.size(), argPtrs.data());
-        render_settings.initialize(argPtrs.size() - 1, argPtrs.data() + 1);
-        render_settings.postinitialize(argPtrs.size(), argPtrs.data());
-
-        m_bspdata.version->game->init_filesystem(fs_path, render_settings);
-
-        ConvertBSPFormat(&m_bspdata, &bspver_generic);
-
-    } else {
-        m_bspdata = QbspVisLight_Common(fs_path, ParseArgs(qbsp_options), ParseArgs(vis_options),
-            ParseArgs(light_options), vis_checkbox->isChecked());
-
-        // FIXME: move to a lightpreview_settings
-        settings::common_settings settings;
-
-        // FIXME: copy the -path args from light
-        settings.paths.copy_from(::light_options.paths);
-
-        m_bspdata.loadversion->game->init_filesystem(file.toStdString(), settings);
+    } catch (const settings::parse_exception &p) {
+        m_outputTextEdit->append(QString::fromUtf8(p.what()) + QString::fromLatin1("\n"));
+        return;
     }
 
     const auto &bsp = std::get<mbsp_t>(m_bspdata.bsp);
diff --git a/lightpreview/mainwindow.h b/lightpreview/mainwindow.h
index 68449428..e704c193 100644
--- a/lightpreview/mainwindow.h
+++ b/lightpreview/mainwindow.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ class QFileSystemWatcher;
 class QLineEdit;
 class QCheckBox;
 class QStringList;
+class QTextEdit;
 
 class MainWindow : public QMainWindow
 {
@@ -70,6 +71,7 @@ private:
     GLView *glView = nullptr;
 
     QCheckBox *vis_checkbox = nullptr;
+    QCheckBox *nearest = nullptr;
 
     QLineEdit *qbsp_options = nullptr;
     QLineEdit *vis_options = nullptr;
@@ -78,4 +80,6 @@ private:
 
     QMenu *viewMenu = nullptr;
     QMenu *openRecentMenu = nullptr;
+
+    QTextEdit *m_outputTextEdit = nullptr;
 };