diff --git a/source/build/include/compat.h b/source/build/include/compat.h
index ceeddd802..bd950a9a0 100644
--- a/source/build/include/compat.h
+++ b/source/build/include/compat.h
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@
 #elif defined __cplusplus && __cplusplus >= 201103L
 # define CXXSTD 2011
 #elif defined __cplusplus && __cplusplus >= 199711L
-# define CXXSTD 1998
+# define CXXSTD 2014    // Thanks, Microsoft... :?
 #else
 # define CXXSTD 0
 #endif
diff --git a/source/common/engine/serializer.cpp b/source/common/engine/serializer.cpp
index ae2f872f9..9270e4629 100644
--- a/source/common/engine/serializer.cpp
+++ b/source/common/engine/serializer.cpp
@@ -1062,6 +1062,7 @@ FSerializer &Serialize(FSerializer &arc, const char *key, float &value, float *d
 
 FSerializer &Serialize(FSerializer &arc, const char *key, FTextureID &value, FTextureID *defval)
 {
+#if 0
 	if (arc.isWriting())
 	{
 		if (!arc.w->inObject() || defval == nullptr || value != *defval)
@@ -1138,6 +1139,7 @@ FSerializer &Serialize(FSerializer &arc, const char *key, FTextureID &value, FTe
 			}
 		}
 	}
+#endif
 	return arc;
 }
 
@@ -1503,7 +1505,7 @@ template<> FSerializer &Serialize(FSerializer &arc, const char *key, Dictionary
 {
 	if (arc.isWriting())
 	{
-		FString contents { dict ? DictionaryToString(*dict) : "null" };
+		FString contents { dict ? DictionaryToString(*dict) : FString("null") };
 		return arc(key, contents);
 	}
 	else
diff --git a/source/common/scripting/backend/codegen.cpp b/source/common/scripting/backend/codegen.cpp
index aaef459a6..10d1677da 100644
--- a/source/common/scripting/backend/codegen.cpp
+++ b/source/common/scripting/backend/codegen.cpp
@@ -2917,6 +2917,7 @@ ExpEmit FxAddSub::Emit(VMFunctionBuilder *build)
 
 texcheck:
 	// Do a bounds check for the texture index. Note that count can change at run time so this needs to read the value from the texture manager.
+#if 0
 	auto * ptr = (FArray*)&TexMan.Textures;
 	auto * countptr = &ptr->Count;
 	ExpEmit bndp(build, REGT_POINTER);
@@ -2926,6 +2927,7 @@ texcheck:
 	build->Emit(OP_BOUND_R, to.RegNum, bndc.RegNum);
 	bndp.Free(build);
 	bndc.Free(build);
+#endif
 	return to;
 }
 
diff --git a/source/common/scripting/backend/codegen.h b/source/common/scripting/backend/codegen.h
index 5a0fc0664..bcadae39d 100644
--- a/source/common/scripting/backend/codegen.h
+++ b/source/common/scripting/backend/codegen.h
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ struct ExpVal
 
 	const FString GetString() const
 	{
-		return Type == TypeString ? *(FString *)&pointer : Type == TypeName ? FString(FName(ENamedName(Int)).GetChars()) : "";
+		return Type == TypeString ? *(FString *)&pointer : Type == TypeName ? FString(FName(ENamedName(Int)).GetChars()) : FString();
 	}
 
 	bool GetBool() const
diff --git a/source/common/scripting/core/dictionary.cpp b/source/common/scripting/core/dictionary.cpp
index b8dacd2bc..50551c059 100644
--- a/source/common/scripting/core/dictionary.cpp
+++ b/source/common/scripting/core/dictionary.cpp
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ static void DictInsert(Dictionary *dict, const FString &key, const FString &valu
 static void DictAt(const Dictionary *dict, const FString &key, FString *result)
 {
 	const FString *value = dict->Map.CheckKey(key);
-	*result = value ? *value : "";
+	*result = value ? *value : FString("");
 }
 
 static void DictToString(const Dictionary *dict, FString *result)
diff --git a/source/common/scripting/jit/jit_move.cpp b/source/common/scripting/jit/jit_move.cpp
index 584de35a1..8e3f6ab4c 100644
--- a/source/common/scripting/jit/jit_move.cpp
+++ b/source/common/scripting/jit/jit_move.cpp
@@ -53,7 +53,11 @@ static void CastCo2S(FString *a, int b) { PalEntry c(b); a->Format("%02x %02x %0
 static int CastS2So(FString *b) { return FSoundID(*b); }
 static void CastSo2S(FString* a, int b) { *a = soundEngine->GetSoundName(b); }
 static void CastSID2S(FString* a, unsigned int b) { VM_CastSpriteIDToString(a, b); }
+#if 0
 static void CastTID2S(FString *a, int b) { auto tex = TexMan.GetTexture(*(FTextureID*)&b); *a = (tex == nullptr) ? "(null)" : tex->GetName().GetChars(); }
+#else
+static void CastTID2S(FString* a, int b) { *a = "(null)"; }
+#endif
 
 void JitCompiler::EmitCAST()
 {
diff --git a/source/common/scripting/vm/vmexec.h b/source/common/scripting/vm/vmexec.h
index 72e0d0199..f3565f388 100644
--- a/source/common/scripting/vm/vmexec.h
+++ b/source/common/scripting/vm/vmexec.h
@@ -1848,8 +1848,10 @@ static void DoCast(const VMRegisters &reg, const VMFrame *f, int a, int b, int c
 	case CAST_TID2S:
 	{
 		ASSERTS(a); ASSERTD(b);
+#if 0
 		auto tex = TexMan.GetTexture(*(FTextureID*)&(reg.d[b]));
 		reg.s[a] = tex == nullptr ? "(null)" : tex->GetName().GetChars();
+#endif
 		break;
 	}
 
diff --git a/source/common/thirdparty/sfmt/SFMT.h b/source/common/thirdparty/sfmt/SFMT.h
index ddaabf246..b7d3c42f3 100644
--- a/source/common/thirdparty/sfmt/SFMT.h
+++ b/source/common/thirdparty/sfmt/SFMT.h
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@
  * unsigned int and 64-bit unsigned int in hexadecimal format.
  */
 
+#include <inttypes.h>
+
 #ifndef SFMT_H
 #define SFMT_H
 
diff --git a/source/core/texturemanager.h b/source/core/texturemanager.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a8884b29a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/source/core/texturemanager.h
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+#pragma once
+
+// just a dummy to avoid editing other files.
+
+inline int V_GetColor(const void *m, const char *, void * a= nullptr) { return 0; }
+