diff --git a/tests/__init__.py b/tests/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/tests/vwf_renderer_test.py b/tests/vwf_renderer_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f1eb9fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/vwf_renderer_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+import unittest
+from pathlib import Path
+from xml.etree import ElementTree
+
+from build import read_fixed_from_xml
+from utils.smallvwf import VwfAsset
+
+
+class VwfRendererTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_render(self):
+        vwf = VwfAsset("./fonts/8x8vwf.png")
+        strings = []
+        # with open("./text/fr/monsters.xml", encoding='utf-8') as datasource:
+        #     tree = ElementTree.parse(datasource)
+        #     root = tree.getroot()
+        #
+        #     for child in root:
+        #         text = child.text
+        #         if text:
+        #             strings.append(text)
+
+        strings = [
+            "Objets", "Magie", "Equiper", "Statut", "Placer", "Changer", "Options", "Sauver"
+        ]
+
+        vwf.set_strings(strings)
+
+        vwf.render()
+        renderd = Path("./renderd.bin")
+        serialized = vwf.serialize()
+
+        renderd.write_bytes(serialized)
diff --git a/utils/dump.py b/utils/dump.py
index 9bede5b..683e59b 100755
--- a/utils/dump.py
+++ b/utils/dump.py
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3.4
+import struct
+
+import script
 from a816.cpu.cpu_65c816 import snes_to_rom
+from a816.symbols import low_rom_bus
 from script import Table
 from script.formulas import base_relative_16bits_pointer_formula
-from script.pointers import Script, write_pointers_as_xml
+from script.pointers import Script, write_pointers_as_xml, Pointer
 
 
 def write_fixed_text_as_xml(pointers, table, length, output_file):
@@ -16,9 +20,137 @@ def write_fixed_text_as_xml(pointers, table, length, output_file):
             fd.write('</sn:fixed>\n')
         fd.write('</sn:fixedlist>\n')
 
+def write_nul_terminated_strings_as_xml(strings, output_file):
+    with open(output_file, 'wt', encoding='utf-8') as fd:
+        fd.writelines('<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>\n')
+        fd.write('<sn:stringarray eos="0x00" xmlns:sn="http://snes.ninja/ScriptNS">\n')
+        for s in strings:
+            fd.write('<sn:string>')
+            fd.write(s) #.strip())
+            fd.write('</sn:string>\n')
+        fd.write('</sn:stringarray>\n')
+
+def dump_en():
+    # jtable = Table('../text/ff4_jap.tbl')
+    jtable = Table('../text/ff4_menus.tbl')
+    item_description = low_rom_bus.get_address(0x2407ad)
+    item_desc = []
+
+    # with open('../ff4j.smc', 'rb') as rom:
+    with open('../Final Fantasy IV (Japan) (Rev 1) [En by J2e v3.21].sfc', 'rb') as rom:
+        rom.seek(item_description.physical)
+        for k in range(443):
+            s = bytes()
+            while (char := rom.read(1)) != b'\x00':
+                print(char)
+                s += char
+            item_desc.append(jtable.to_text(s))
+
+    write_nul_terminated_strings_as_xml(item_desc, "../text/en/item_descriptions.xml")
+    ...
+
+def dump_jp():
+    jtable = Table('../text/ff4_jap.tbl')
+    #jtable = Table('.text/ff4_menus.tbl')
+    item_description = low_rom_bus.get_address(0x0fae2a)
+    item_desc = []
+
+    with open('../ff4j.smc', 'rb') as rom:
+    #with open('../Final Fantasy IV (Japan) (Rev 1) [En by J2e v3.21].sfc', 'rb') as rom:
+        rom.seek(item_description.physical)
+        for k in range(47):
+            s = bytes()
+            while (char := rom.read(1)) != b'\x00':
+                print(char)
+                s += char
+            item_desc.append(jtable.to_text(s))
+
+    write_nul_terminated_strings_as_xml(item_desc, "../text/jp/item_descriptions.xml")
+    ...
+
+
+def dump_handedness():
+    jtable = Table('../text/ff4_jap.tbl')
+    addr = low_rom_bus.get_address(0x01e2d9)
+    with open('../ff4j.smc', 'rb') as rom:
+        rom.seek(addr.physical)
+        data = rom.read(8*4)
+        text = jtable.to_text(data)
+        ...
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    table = Table('text/ff4_menus.tbl')
+    jtable = Table('../text/ff4_jap.tbl')
+#     addr = low_rom_bus.get_address(0xef200)
+#     with open('../ff4j.smc', 'rb') as rom:
+#         rom.seek(addr.physical)
+#         i = 0
+#         battle_messages_pointers = []
+#         while i < 0xba:
+#             data = rom.read(2)
+#             pointer = struct.unpack('<H', data)
+#             pos = rom.tell()
+#
+#             string_pointer = low_rom_bus.get_address((addr.logical_value & 0xff0000)+ pointer[0])
+#             rom.seek(string_pointer.physical)
+#             s = bytes()
+#
+#             end_of_string = False
+#             while end_of_string is False:
+#                 # print(char)
+#                 char = rom.read(1)
+#                 s += char
+#
+#                 if char == b'\x04':
+#                     char = rom.read(1)
+#                     s += char
+#                     continue
+#
+#                 if char == b'\x00':
+#                     end_of_string = True
+#             ptr = Pointer(i)
+#             ptr.value = s
+#             battle_messages_pointers.append( ptr)
+#             rom.seek(pos)
+#             i+=1
+#         write_pointers_as_xml(battle_messages_pointers, jtable, '../text/jp/battle_messages.xml')
+
+    addr = low_rom_bus.get_address(0x0fb200)
+    with open('../ff4j.smc', 'rb') as rom:
+        rom.seek(addr.physical)
+        i = 0
+        battle_messages_pointers = []
+        while i < 58:
+            data = rom.read(2)
+            pointer = struct.unpack('<H', data)
+            pos = rom.tell()
+
+            string_pointer = low_rom_bus.get_address((addr.logical_value & 0xff0000) + pointer[0])
+            rom.seek(string_pointer.physical)
+            s = bytes()
+
+            end_of_string = False
+            while end_of_string is False:
+                # print(char)
+                char = rom.read(1)
+                s += char
+
+                if char == b'\x04':
+                    char = rom.read(1)
+                    s += char
+                    continue
+
+                if char == b'\x00':
+                    end_of_string = True
+            ptr = Pointer(i)
+            ptr.value = s
+            battle_messages_pointers.append(ptr)
+            rom.seek(pos)
+            i += 1
+        write_pointers_as_xml(battle_messages_pointers, jtable, '../text/jp/battle_text.xml')
+
+    # dump_en()
+    exit(0)
+    table = Table('.text/ff4_menus.tbl')
     jtable = Table('text/ff4_jap.tbl')
 
 
@@ -66,4 +198,4 @@ def write_fixed_text_as_xml(pointers, table, length, output_file):
         # jp_places_end = 0xA9C80
         #
         # # write_pointers_as_xml(pointers_places_name, table, 'text/en/us-places.xml')
-        # write_fixed_text_as_xml(monster_spells, table, 8, 'text/en/en-monster-spells.xml')
\ No newline at end of file
+        # write_fixed_text_as_xml(monster_spells, table, 8, 'text/en/en-monster-spells.xml')
diff --git a/utils/font.py b/utils/font.py
index 35e9655..ed8c35f 100644
--- a/utils/font.py
+++ b/utils/font.py
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import numpy as np
 from PIL import Image
 
-def get_char(image, char, has_grid, char_width, char_height):
+
+def get_char(image: np.ndarray, char, has_grid, char_width, char_height) -> np.ndarray:
     shape = image.shape
     width = shape[1]
     height = shape[0]
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@ def char_as_1bbp(char):
     return bytes(binary_data)
 
 
-def get_max_width(char):
+def get_max_width(char: np.ndarray) -> int:
     max_width = 0
     for byte in char:
         trimmed = np.trim_zeros(byte, 'b')
@@ -43,23 +44,43 @@ def get_max_width(char):
     return max_width
 
 
-def convert_font_to_1bpp(font_file, has_grid=True):
+def convert_font_to_1bpp(font_file, has_grid=True, char_height=16):
     image = np.array(Image.open(font_file))
 
     # image = ndimage.imread(font_file)
 
-    char = get_char(image, 0x00, has_grid, 8, 16)
+    char = get_char(image, 0x00, has_grid, 8, char_height)
 
     data = b''
     char_index = 1
     while len(char) > 0:
         data += char_as_1bbp(char)
-        char = get_char(image, char_index, has_grid, 8, 16)
+        char = get_char(image, char_index, has_grid, 8, char_height)
+        char_index += 1
+
+    len_table = {}
+    for i in range(char_index - 1):
+        len_table[i] = get_max_width(get_char(image, i, has_grid, 8, char_height))
+
+    return len_table, data
+
+def convert_font_to_2bpp(font_file, has_grid=True, char_height=16):
+    image = np.array(Image.open(font_file))
+
+    # image = ndimage.imread(font_file)
+
+    char = get_char(image, 0x00, has_grid, 8, char_height)
+
+    data = b''
+    char_index = 1
+    while len(char) > 0:
+        data += write_as_2bpp(char)
+        char = get_char(image, char_index, has_grid, 8, char_height)
         char_index += 1
 
     len_table = {}
     for i in range(char_index - 1):
-        len_table[i] = get_max_width(get_char(image, i, has_grid, 8, 16))
+        len_table[i] = get_max_width(get_char(image, i, has_grid, 8, char_height))
 
     return len_table, data
 
@@ -89,4 +110,17 @@ def remove_grid(font_file):
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    remove_grid('/Users/emmanuel/PycharmProjects/ff4/fonts/wicked_vwf.png')
\ No newline at end of file
+    remove_grid('/Users/emmanuel/PycharmProjects/ff4/fonts/wicked_vwf.png')
+
+
+def write_as_2bpp(data: np.ndarray) -> bytearray:
+    binary_data = bytearray()
+    for y_value in range(0, len(data[0]), 8):
+        char = data[0:8, y_value:y_value + 8]
+
+        for byte in char:
+            byte_value = int(''.join(byte.astype(str)).ljust(8, '0'), 2)
+            binary_data.append(0xFF)
+            binary_data.append(byte_value)
+
+    return binary_data
diff --git a/utils/scratchpad.py b/utils/scratchpad.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..83b98d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utils/scratchpad.py
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    texts = [
+        "Requis",
+        "Garde",
+        "Rang"
+    ]
+    t = ' '.join(texts)
+
+    available = sorted({c for c in t})
+    print(''.join(sorted(available)))
+    print (len(available))
+    mp_needed = [available.index(c) + 0xdd for c in "Requis"]
+    # mp_needed[mp_needed.index(0xdd)]= 0xff
+
+    garde_text = [available.index(c) + 0xdd for c in "Garde "]
+    garde_text[garde_text.index(0xdd)]= 0xff
+
+    passer_text = [available.index(c) + 0xdd for c in "Rang"]
+
+    print(mp_needed)
+    print(garde_text)
+    print(passer_text)
diff --git a/utils/smallvwf.py b/utils/smallvwf.py
index 4896421..6b1253c 100644
--- a/utils/smallvwf.py
+++ b/utils/smallvwf.py
@@ -1,12 +1,15 @@
-from math import ceil
 import binascii
 import struct
-from PIL import Image
-from utils.font import get_char, get_max_width
+from math import ceil
+
 import numpy as np
+from PIL import Image
+from script import Table
+
+from utils.font import get_char, get_max_width, write_as_2bpp
+
 
 def text_to_char(text):
-    ord('Z') - ord('A')
     data = []
     for char in text:
         if 'A' <= char <= 'Z':
@@ -44,18 +47,6 @@ def build_text_image(font_file, text_data):
     return buffer
 
 
-def write_as_2bpp(data):
-    binary_data = bytearray()
-    for y_value in range(0, len(data[0]), 8):
-        char = data[0:8, y_value:y_value + 8]
-
-        for byte in char:
-            byte_value = int(''.join(byte.astype(str)).ljust(8, '0'), 2)
-            binary_data.append(0xFF)
-            binary_data.append(byte_value)
-
-    return binary_data
-
 classes = [
     'Chevalier noir     ',
     'Chevalier dragon   ',
@@ -117,6 +108,82 @@ def write_as_2bpp(data):
 ]
 
 
+# new file format:
+# ptr: 2 len:1 tile_count: 1
+#
+# ptr: data: len
+# on the programming side:
+# we need to know where we can write in the vram
+# vram_ptr
+# need to display item n: lookup the n-th pointer and the data size,
+# setup DMA transfer
+# know the tile_id and tile_count ?
+# ring buffer ?
+
+class VwfAsset:
+    def __init__(self, font_file: str, table: Table) -> None:
+        self.font = np.array(Image.open(font_file))
+        self.strings = []
+        self.rendered_strings: dict[str, np.ndarray] = {}
+        self.table = table
+
+    def set_strings(self, strings: list[str]) -> None:
+        self.strings = strings
+
+    def get_char(self, char: int) -> np.ndarray:
+        current_char = get_char(self.font, char, True, 8, 8)
+        if char == 0xFF:
+            width = 2
+        else:
+            width = get_max_width(current_char)
+
+        return current_char[0:8, 0:width + 1]
+
+    def render_string(self, string: str) -> np.ndarray | None:
+        buffer: np.ndarray | None = None
+        chars = self.table.to_bytes(string)
+        for char in chars:
+            culled_char = self.get_char(char)
+
+            if buffer is not None:
+                buffer = np.concatenate((buffer, culled_char), 1)
+            else:
+                buffer = culled_char
+
+        return buffer
+
+    def render(self) -> None:
+        buffer: np.ndarray | None = None
+
+        for string in self.strings:
+            string_buffer = self.render_string(string)
+            self.rendered_strings[string] = string_buffer
+
+        return buffer
+
+    def serialize(self) -> bytearray:
+        pointers: list[tuple[int, int, int]] = []
+        data = bytearray()
+        data_origin = len(self.rendered_strings.keys()) * 3
+
+        for string, rendered_string in self.rendered_strings.items():
+            serialized_string = write_as_2bpp(rendered_string)
+            pointers.append((len(data) + data_origin, len(serialized_string), len(serialized_string) // 16))
+            data += serialized_string
+
+        pointer_data = bytearray()
+
+        for pointer in pointers:
+            pointer_data += struct.pack(">HBB", pointer[0] & 0xffff, pointer[1], pointer[2])
+
+
+        return pointer_data + data
+
+
+
+
+
+
 def generate_8x8_vwf_asset(string_list, prefix, table_start, max_tile_length=None):
     k = 0
     current_id = table_start
@@ -129,7 +196,7 @@ def generate_8x8_vwf_asset(string_list, prefix, table_start, max_tile_length=Non
                 for string in string_list:
                     if max_tile_length:
                         output.seek(k * line_length)
-                    data = build_text_image('fonts/8x8vwf.png', string.strip())
+                    data = build_text_image('fonts/8x8vwf2.png', string.strip())
                     data_2bpp = write_as_2bpp(data)
                     output.write(data_2bpp)
                     length_table.write(struct.pack('<H', len(data_2bpp)))
@@ -143,4 +210,4 @@ def generate_8x8_vwf_asset(string_list, prefix, table_start, max_tile_length=Non
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    generate_8x8_vwf_asset(['Niveau', 'Gils'], 'niveau', 0xF0)
\ No newline at end of file
+    generate_8x8_vwf_asset(['Niveau', 'Gils'], 'niveau', 0xF0)