diff --git a/config/firstrun.cfg b/config/firstrun.cfg
index ffd7936d..5524a3b2 100644
--- a/config/firstrun.cfg
+++ b/config/firstrun.cfg
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 music "pingpong/03-pp-kamikadze.ogg" (* 89 1000) " " // 90 secs, fade
 
 alias delayed_firstrun [
+    new_gfx_quality 2
 	showmenu "QUICK setup"
 ]
 
diff --git a/config/menus_settings.cfg b/config/menus_settings.cfg
index 15f98919..174623f4 100644
--- a/config/menus_settings.cfg
+++ b/config/menus_settings.cfg
@@ -84,7 +84,6 @@ alias new_gfx_quality [
         watersubdiv 2
         dynlight 16
         waterreflect 1
-        stencilshadow 40
         stencilbits 8
         dynshadow 40
         lighterror 1
@@ -101,7 +100,6 @@ alias new_gfx_quality [
             watersubdiv 2
             dynlight 16
             waterreflect 1
-            stencilshadow 40
             stencilbits 8
             dynshadow 40
             lighterror 4
@@ -124,10 +122,8 @@ alias new_gfx_quality [
                     waterreflect 0
                 ]
                 if (|| (glext "GL_EXT_stencil_two_side") (glext "GL_ATI_separate_stencil")) [
-                    stencilshadow 40
                     stencilbits 8
                 ] [
-                    stencilshadow 0
                     stencilbits 0
                 ]
                 dynshadow 40
diff --git a/source/src/clientgame.cpp b/source/src/clientgame.cpp
index 07ba2cec..6ffad527 100644
--- a/source/src/clientgame.cpp
+++ b/source/src/clientgame.cpp
@@ -660,7 +660,9 @@ void startmap(const char *name)   // called just after a map load
     // run once
     if(firstrun)
     {
+        persistidents = false;
         execfile("config/firstrun.cfg");
+        persistidents = true;
         firstrun = false;
     }
     // execute mapstart event
diff --git a/source/src/command.cpp b/source/src/command.cpp
index 49651c8b..9def120e 100644
--- a/source/src/command.cpp
+++ b/source/src/command.cpp
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 #include "cube.h"
 
 bool allowidentaccess(ident *id);
-char *exchangestr(char *o, char *n) { delete[] o; return newstring(n); }
+char *exchangestr(char *o, const char *n) { delete[] o; return newstring(n); }
 
 int execcontext;
 
@@ -124,22 +124,35 @@ char *svariable(const char *name, const char *cur, char **storage, void (*fun)()
     return newstring(cur);
 }
 
-void setvar(const char *name, int i) { *idents->access(name)->storage.i = i; }
-int getvar(const char *name) { return *idents->access(name)->storage.i; }
-bool identexists(const char *name) { return idents->access(name)!=NULL; }
-
-void touchvar(const char *name)
+#define _GETVAR(id, vartype, name, retval) \
+    ident *id = idents->access(name); \
+    if(!id || id->type!=vartype) return retval;
+#define GETVAR(id, name, retval) _GETVAR(id, ID_VAR, name, retval)
+void setvar(const char *name, int i, bool dofunc)
 {
-    ident *id = idents->access(name);
-    if(id) switch(id->type)
-    {
-        case ID_VAR:
-        case ID_FVAR:
-        case ID_SVAR:
-            if(id->fun) ((void (__cdecl *)())id->fun)();            // call trigger function if available
-            break;
-    }
+    GETVAR(id, name, );
+    *id->storage.i = clamp(i, id->minval, id->maxval);
+    if(dofunc && id->fun) ((void (__cdecl *)())id->fun)();            // call trigger function if available
 }
+void setfvar(const char *name, float f, bool dofunc)
+{
+    _GETVAR(id, ID_FVAR, name, );
+    *id->storage.f = f;
+    if(dofunc && id->fun) ((void (__cdecl *)())id->fun)();            // call trigger function if available
+}
+void setsvar(const char *name, const char *str, bool dofunc)
+{
+    _GETVAR(id, ID_SVAR, name, );
+    *id->storage.s = exchangestr(*id->storage.s, str);
+    if(dofunc && id->fun) ((void (__cdecl *)())id->fun)();            // call trigger function if available
+}
+int getvar(const char *name)
+{
+    GETVAR(id, name, 0);
+    return *id->storage.i;
+}
+
+bool identexists(const char *name) { return idents->access(name)!=NULL; }
 
 const char *getalias(const char *name)
 {
diff --git a/source/src/main.cpp b/source/src/main.cpp
index 95a20544..f525a3a8 100644
--- a/source/src/main.cpp
+++ b/source/src/main.cpp
@@ -574,6 +574,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     if(!notexture) fatal("could not find core textures (hint: run AssaultCube from the parent of the bin directory)");
 
     initlog("console");
+    persistidents = false;
     if(!execfile("config/font.cfg")) fatal("cannot find font definitions");
     if(!setfont("default")) fatal("no default font specified");
 
@@ -597,7 +598,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     docmenu = addmenu("reference", NULL, true, renderdocmenu);
     applymenu = addmenu("apply", "apply changes now?", true, refreshapplymenu);
 
-    persistidents = false;
     exec("config/scontext.cfg");
     exec("config/keymap.cfg");
     exec("config/menus.cfg");
@@ -641,7 +641,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     preload_entmodels();
 
     initlog("docs");
+    persistidents = false;
     execfile("config/docs.cfg");
+    persistidents = true;
 
     initlog("localconnect");
     localconnect();
diff --git a/source/src/md2.h b/source/src/md2.h
index 80f6c85f..5a36263e 100644
--- a/source/src/md2.h
+++ b/source/src/md2.h
@@ -247,11 +247,13 @@ struct md2 : vertmodel
         if(skin==notexture) conoutf("could not load model skin for %s", name1);
         loadingmd2 = this;
         s_sprintfd(name2)("packages/models/%s/md2.cfg", loadname);
+        persistidents = false;
         if(!execfile(name2))
         {
             s_sprintf(name2)("packages/models/%s/md2.cfg", pname);
             execfile(name2);
         }
+        persistidents = true;
         loadingmd2 = 0;
         loopv(parts) parts[i]->scaleverts(scale/16.0f, vec(translate.x, -translate.y, translate.z));
         radius = calcradius();
diff --git a/source/src/md3.h b/source/src/md3.h
index 6cdc751f..1bed526a 100644
--- a/source/src/md3.h
+++ b/source/src/md3.h
@@ -211,14 +211,17 @@ struct md3 : vertmodel
         s_sprintfd(cfgname)("packages/models/%s/md3.cfg", loadname);
 
         loadingmd3 = this;
+        persistidents = false;
         if(execfile(cfgname) && parts.length()) // configured md3, will call the md3* commands below
         {
+            persistidents = true;
             loadingmd3 = NULL;
             if(parts.empty()) return false;
             loopv(parts) if(!parts[i]->filename) return false;
         }
         else // md3 without configuration, try default tris and skin
         {
+            persistidents = false;
             loadingmd3 = NULL;
             md3part &mdl = *new md3part;
             parts.add(&mdl);
diff --git a/source/src/protos.h b/source/src/protos.h
index ad5f1149..ecfeb21f 100644
--- a/source/src/protos.h
+++ b/source/src/protos.h
@@ -37,8 +37,9 @@ extern bool persistidents;
 extern int variable(const char *name, int min, int cur, int max, int *storage, void (*fun)(), bool persist);
 extern float fvariable(const char *name, float cur, float *storage, void (*fun)(), bool persist);
 extern char *svariable(const char *name, const char *cur, char **storage, void (*fun)(), bool persist);
-extern void setvar(const char *name, int i);
-extern void touchvar(const char *name);
+extern void setvar(const char *name, int i, bool dofunc = false);
+extern void setfvar(const char *name, float f, bool dofunc = false);
+extern void setsvar(const char *name, const char *str, bool dofunc = false);
 extern int getvar(const char *name);
 extern bool identexists(const char *name);
 extern bool addcommand(const char *name, void (*fun)(), int narg);
diff --git a/source/src/rendergl.cpp b/source/src/rendergl.cpp
index 5bff2424..b2e28c45 100644
--- a/source/src/rendergl.cpp
+++ b/source/src/rendergl.cpp
@@ -87,12 +87,6 @@ void gl_checkextensions()
 
     if(strstr(exts, "GL_EXT_stencil_wrap")) hasSTW = true;
 
-    if((!hasST2 && !hasSTS) || !hasSTW) 
-    {
-        // only enable stencil shadows by default if card is efficient at rendering them
-        stencilshadow = 0;
-    }
-
     if(!strstr(exts, "GL_ARB_fragment_program"))
     {
         // not a required extension, but ensures the card has enough power to do reflections
diff --git a/source/src/sound.cpp b/source/src/sound.cpp
index b03442ae..fe0874f7 100644
--- a/source/src/sound.cpp
+++ b/source/src/sound.cpp
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 #include "vorbis/vorbisfile.h"
 #endif
 
-VARF(audio, 0, 1, 1, initwarning("audio", INIT_RESET, CHANGE_SOUND));
+VARF(audio, 0, 1, 1, initwarning("sound configuration", INIT_RESET, CHANGE_SOUND));
 VARP(audiodebug, 0, 0, 1);
 VARP(gainscale, 1, 100, 100);
 
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ struct source
 // AC sound scheduler, manages available sound sources
 // under load it uses priority and distance information to reassign its resources
 
-VARF(soundchannels, 4, 32, 1024, initwarning("soundchannels", INIT_RESET, CHANGE_SOUND));
+VARF(soundchannels, 4, 32, 1024, initwarning("sound configuration", INIT_RESET, CHANGE_SOUND));
 
 struct sourcescheduler
 {
diff --git a/source/src/world.cpp b/source/src/world.cpp
index 0bae1240..ff519e22 100644
--- a/source/src/world.cpp
+++ b/source/src/world.cpp
@@ -339,9 +339,11 @@ void empty_world(int factor, bool force)    // main empty world creation routine
         {
             toggleedit();
             pushscontext(IEXC_MAPCFG);
+            persistidents = false;
             execfile("config/default_map_settings.cfg");
+            persistidents = true;
             popscontext();
-            execute("fullbright 1");
+            setvar("fullbright", 1, true);
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/source/src/worldio.cpp b/source/src/worldio.cpp
index 0b440a06..28210d59 100644
--- a/source/src/worldio.cpp
+++ b/source/src/worldio.cpp
@@ -424,9 +424,11 @@ bool load_world(char *mname)        // still supports all map formats that have
     startmap(mname);
 
     pushscontext(IEXC_MAPCFG); // untrusted altogether
+    persistidents = false;
     execfile("config/default_map_settings.cfg");
     execfile(pcfname);
     execfile(mcfname);
+    persistidents = true;
     popscontext();
 
 	c2skeepalive();