diff --git a/src/external/SDLGL_Util.cpp b/src/external/SDLGL_Util.cpp
index c102a89..1317f2c 100755
--- a/src/external/SDLGL_Util.cpp
+++ b/src/external/SDLGL_Util.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 #if (GFX_BACKEND == ZE_OGL)
 
-//finds nearest power of two (going up), needed for surfaces
+//finds next largest power of two, needed for GL textures
 int power_of_two(int input)
 {
     int value = 1;
@@ -20,12 +20,12 @@ GLuint SDL_GL_LoadTexture(SDL_Surface *surface, GLfloat *texcoord)
 {
     GLuint texture;
     int w, h;
-    SDL_Surface *image;
+    SDL_Surface *temp;
     SDL_Rect area;
     Uint32 saved_flags;
     Uint8  saved_alpha;
 
-    /* Use the surface width and height expanded to powers of 2 */
+    //expand width and height to nearest powers of 2
     w = power_of_two(surface->w);
     h = power_of_two(surface->h);
     texcoord[0] = 0.0f; //min X
@@ -33,11 +33,11 @@ GLuint SDL_GL_LoadTexture(SDL_Surface *surface, GLfloat *texcoord)
     texcoord[2] = (GLfloat)surface->w / w;  //max X
     texcoord[3] = (GLfloat)surface->h / h;  //max Y
 
-    image = SDL_CreateRGBSurface(
+    temp = SDL_CreateRGBSurface(
         SDL_SWSURFACE,
         w, h,
         32,
-#if SDL_BYTEORDER == SDL_LIL_ENDIAN /* OpenGL RGBA masks */
+#if SDL_BYTEORDER == SDL_LIL_ENDIAN //endian specific color masks
         0x000000FF, 
         0x0000FF00, 
         0x00FF0000, 
@@ -49,43 +49,34 @@ GLuint SDL_GL_LoadTexture(SDL_Surface *surface, GLfloat *texcoord)
         0x000000FF
 #endif
     );
-    if ( image == NULL ) {
-            return 0;
-    }
+    if(!temp)  //failure in CreateRGBSurface
+        return 0;
 
-    /* Save the alpha blending attributes */
+    //save alpha
     saved_flags = surface->flags&(SDL_SRCALPHA|SDL_RLEACCELOK);
     saved_alpha = surface->format->alpha;
-    if ( (saved_flags & SDL_SRCALPHA) == SDL_SRCALPHA ) {
-            SDL_SetAlpha(surface, 0, 0);
-    }
+    if((saved_flags & SDL_SRCALPHA) == SDL_SRCALPHA)
+        SDL_SetAlpha(surface, 0, 0);
 
-    /* Copy the surface into the GL texture image */
+    //copy surface (do not alter passed surface to allow this function to be used in special situations)
     area.x = 0;
     area.y = 0;
     area.w = static_cast<Sint16>(surface->w);
     area.h = static_cast<Sint16>(surface->h);
-    SDL_BlitSurface(surface, &area, image, &area);
+    SDL_BlitSurface(surface, &area, temp, &area);
 
-    /* Restore the alpha blending attributes */
-    if ( (saved_flags & SDL_SRCALPHA) == SDL_SRCALPHA ) {
-            SDL_SetAlpha(surface, saved_flags, saved_alpha);
-    }
+    //restore saved alpha
+    if((saved_flags & SDL_SRCALPHA) == SDL_SRCALPHA)
+        SDL_SetAlpha(surface, saved_flags, saved_alpha);
 
-    /* Create an OpenGL texture for the image */
+    //create the OpenGL texture
     glGenTextures(1, &texture); 
+    //setup texture parmaters
     glBindTexture(GL_TEXTURE_2D, texture);
-    glTexParameteri(GL_TEXTURE_2D, GL_TEXTURE_MAG_FILTER, GL_NEAREST);
-    glTexParameteri(GL_TEXTURE_2D, GL_TEXTURE_MIN_FILTER, GL_NEAREST);
-    glTexImage2D(GL_TEXTURE_2D,
-                    0,
-                    GL_RGBA16,
-                    w, h,
-                    0,
-                    GL_RGBA,
-                    GL_UNSIGNED_BYTE,
-                    image->pixels);
-    SDL_FreeSurface(image); /* No longer needed */
+    glTexParameteri(GL_TEXTURE_2D, GL_TEXTURE_MAG_FILTER, GL_LINEAR);
+    glTexParameteri(GL_TEXTURE_2D, GL_TEXTURE_MIN_FILTER, GL_LINEAR);
+    glTexImage2D(GL_TEXTURE_2D, 0, GL_RGBA16, w, h, 0, GL_RGBA, GL_UNSIGNED_BYTE, temp->pixels);
+    SDL_FreeSurface(temp); //temp surface no longer needed
 
     return texture;
 }