diff --git a/forms/regionmappropertiesdialog.ui b/forms/regionmappropertiesdialog.ui
index 85f54f9c..80e7020a 100644
--- a/forms/regionmappropertiesdialog.ui
+++ b/forms/regionmappropertiesdialog.ui
@@ -31,7 +31,11 @@
     </widget>
    </item>
    <item row="0" column="1">
-    <widget class="QLineEdit" name="config_alias"/>
+    <widget class="QLineEdit" name="config_alias">
+     <property name="toolTip">
+      <string>A nickname for this region map that will differentiate it from others (should be unique).</string>
+     </property>
+    </widget>
    </item>
    <item row="1" column="1">
     <widget class="QLabel" name="message_alias">
@@ -58,6 +62,9 @@
       </item>
       <item row="0" column="1">
        <widget class="QComboBox" name="config_tilemapFormat">
+        <property name="toolTip">
+         <string>&lt;html&gt;&lt;head/&gt;&lt;body&gt;&lt;p&gt;The tilemap format can be either:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;1) Plain (tilemap is a list of 8-bit tile indexes into the tileset)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;2) 4BPP (tilemap entries are 16 bits, with x/y-flip, and palette index for 16 16-color palettes)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;3) 8BPP (tilemap entries are 16 bits, with x/y-flip, single 256-color palette)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/body&gt;&lt;/html&gt;</string>
+        </property>
         <item>
          <property name="text">
           <string>plain</string>
@@ -123,6 +130,9 @@
           <height>0</height>
          </size>
         </property>
+        <property name="toolTip">
+         <string>The height of the tilemap</string>
+        </property>
         <property name="maximum">
          <number>255</number>
         </property>
@@ -170,6 +180,9 @@
              <height>0</height>
             </size>
            </property>
+           <property name="toolTip">
+            <string>&lt;html&gt;&lt;head/&gt;&lt;body&gt;&lt;p&gt;Path to the tileset image (.png) relative to the project root.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/body&gt;&lt;/html&gt;</string>
+           </property>
           </widget>
          </item>
          <item>
@@ -201,6 +214,9 @@
       </item>
       <item row="8" column="1">
        <widget class="QFrame" name="frame_2">
+        <property name="toolTip">
+         <string>&lt;html&gt;&lt;head/&gt;&lt;body&gt;&lt;p&gt;Path to the tilemap binary relative to the project root.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/body&gt;&lt;/html&gt;</string>
+        </property>
         <property name="frameShape">
          <enum>QFrame::NoFrame</enum>
         </property>
@@ -272,7 +288,11 @@
           <number>0</number>
          </property>
          <item>
-          <widget class="QLineEdit" name="config_tilemapPalettePath"/>
+          <widget class="QLineEdit" name="config_tilemapPalettePath">
+           <property name="toolTip">
+            <string>&lt;html&gt;&lt;head/&gt;&lt;body&gt;&lt;p&gt;(optional) Path to the .pal JASC palette file&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/body&gt;&lt;/html&gt;</string>
+           </property>
+          </widget>
          </item>
          <item>
           <widget class="QPushButton" name="browse_tilemapPalettePath">
@@ -308,6 +328,9 @@
           <height>0</height>
          </size>
         </property>
+        <property name="toolTip">
+         <string>&lt;html&gt;&lt;head/&gt;&lt;body&gt;&lt;p&gt;The width of the tilemap&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/body&gt;&lt;/html&gt;</string>
+        </property>
         <property name="maximum">
          <number>255</number>
         </property>
@@ -334,6 +357,9 @@
       </item>
       <item row="0" column="1">
        <widget class="QComboBox" name="config_layoutFormat">
+        <property name="toolTip">
+         <string>&lt;html&gt;&lt;head/&gt;&lt;body&gt;&lt;p&gt;The format of the layout file, can be a C array in a text file with &amp;quot;MAPSEC_&amp;quot;-prefixed constants, or a binary file where each byte is a value of some &amp;quot;MAPSEC_&amp;quot;-prefixed constant.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/body&gt;&lt;/html&gt;</string>
+        </property>
         <item>
          <property name="text">
           <string>C array</string>
@@ -385,7 +411,11 @@
           <number>0</number>
          </property>
          <item>
-          <widget class="QLineEdit" name="config_layoutPath"/>
+          <widget class="QLineEdit" name="config_layoutPath">
+           <property name="toolTip">
+            <string>&lt;html&gt;&lt;head/&gt;&lt;body&gt;&lt;p&gt;The path to the layout file, relative to the project root.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/body&gt;&lt;/html&gt;</string>
+           </property>
+          </widget>
          </item>
          <item>
           <widget class="QPushButton" name="browse_layoutPath">
@@ -443,6 +473,9 @@
              <height>0</height>
             </size>
            </property>
+           <property name="toolTip">
+            <string>&lt;html&gt;&lt;head/&gt;&lt;body&gt;&lt;p&gt;The layout width.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/body&gt;&lt;/html&gt;</string>
+           </property>
            <property name="minimum">
             <number>0</number>
            </property>
@@ -473,6 +506,9 @@
          </item>
          <item>
           <widget class="QSpinBox" name="config_leftOffs">
+           <property name="toolTip">
+            <string>&lt;html&gt;&lt;head/&gt;&lt;body&gt;&lt;p&gt;The offset from the left of the tilemap where the layout starts.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(ie, coordinate (0,0) in the layout would be (offset left, offset top) in the tilemap).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/body&gt;&lt;/html&gt;</string>
+           </property>
            <property name="maximum">
             <number>255</number>
            </property>
@@ -540,6 +576,9 @@
              <height>0</height>
             </size>
            </property>
+           <property name="toolTip">
+            <string>&lt;html&gt;&lt;head/&gt;&lt;body&gt;&lt;p&gt;The layout height.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/body&gt;&lt;/html&gt;</string>
+           </property>
            <property name="minimum">
             <number>0</number>
            </property>
@@ -569,7 +608,11 @@
           </widget>
          </item>
          <item>
-          <widget class="QSpinBox" name="config_topOffs"/>
+          <widget class="QSpinBox" name="config_topOffs">
+           <property name="toolTip">
+            <string>&lt;html&gt;&lt;head/&gt;&lt;body&gt;&lt;p&gt;The offset from the top of the tilemap where the layout starts.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(ie, coordinate (0,0) in the layout would be (offset left, offset top) in the tilemap).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/body&gt;&lt;/html&gt;</string>
+           </property>
+          </widget>
          </item>
          <item>
           <spacer name="horizontalSpacer_5">
diff --git a/include/core/regionmap.h b/include/core/regionmap.h
index 7a29c2a8..d5535138 100644
--- a/include/core/regionmap.h
+++ b/include/core/regionmap.h
@@ -181,6 +181,7 @@ private:
     bool layout_uses_layers = false;
     QStringList layout_constants;
     QString layout_qualifiers;
+    QString layout_type;
 
 #if QT_VERSION < QT_VERSION_CHECK(6, 0, 0)
     QVector<shared_ptr<TilemapTile>> tilemap;
diff --git a/include/ui/regionmapeditor.h b/include/ui/regionmapeditor.h
index 84f16f0f..047edad7 100644
--- a/include/ui/regionmapeditor.h
+++ b/include/ui/regionmapeditor.h
@@ -93,11 +93,11 @@ private:
     bool saveRegionMapEntries();
     tsl::ordered_map<QString, MapSectionEntry> region_map_entries;
 
-    void buildConfigDialog();
+    bool buildConfigDialog();
     poryjson::Json configRegionMapDialog();
     void buildUpdateConfigDialog();
     poryjson::Json buildDefaultJson();
-    poryjson::Json getJsonFromAlias(QString alias);
+    bool verifyConfig(poryjson::Json cfg);
 
     bool modified();
 
@@ -117,7 +117,6 @@ private:
     void setRegionMap(RegionMap *map);
 
     bool createCityMap(QString name);
-    bool tryInsertNewMapEntry(QString);
 
     void restoreWindowState();
     void closeEvent(QCloseEvent* event);
diff --git a/resources/text/region_map_default_ruby.json b/resources/text/region_map_default_ruby.json
index e69de29b..4fcaa555 100644
--- a/resources/text/region_map_default_ruby.json
+++ b/resources/text/region_map_default_ruby.json
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+{
+    "region_maps": [
+        {
+            "alias": "hoenn",
+            "tilemap": {
+                "width": 64,
+                "height": 64,
+                "format": "plain",
+                "tileset_path": "graphics/pokenav/region_map.png",
+                "tilemap_path": "graphics/pokenav/region_map_map.bin"
+            },
+            "layout": {
+                "width": 28,
+                "height": 15,
+                "offset_left": 1,
+                "offset_top": 2,
+                "format": "C array",
+                "path": "src/data/region_map/region_map_layout.h"
+            }
+        }
+    ]
+}
diff --git a/src/core/regionmap.cpp b/src/core/regionmap.cpp
index 6297b63e..509c46ee 100644
--- a/src/core/regionmap.cpp
+++ b/src/core/regionmap.cpp
@@ -15,13 +15,7 @@
 
 using std::make_shared;
 
-static bool ensureRegionMapFileExists(QString filepath) {
-    if (!QFile::exists(filepath)) {
-        logError(QString("Region map file does not exist: %1").arg(filepath));
-        return false;
-    }
-    return true;
-}
+
 
 RegionMap::RegionMap(Project *project) {
     this->project = project;
@@ -39,8 +33,7 @@ bool RegionMap::loadMapData(poryjson::Json data) {
     this->layout_layers.clear();
     this->layouts.clear();
 
-    loadTilemap(tilemapJson);
-    loadLayout(layoutJson);
+    return loadTilemap(tilemapJson) && loadLayout(layoutJson);
 }
 
 int RegionMap::tilemapBytes() {
@@ -166,8 +159,6 @@ bool RegionMap::loadLayout(poryjson::Json layoutJson) {
         }
         case LayoutFormat::CArray:
         {
-            // TODO: pokeruby / non-layered style C array or just an array of mapsections
-
             ParseUtil parser;
             QString text = parser.readTextFile(fullPath(this->layout_path));
 
@@ -228,8 +219,46 @@ bool RegionMap::loadLayout(poryjson::Json layoutJson) {
                 }
 
             } else {
-                logError("Region map layout is not readable.");
-                return false;
+                // try single-layered
+                QRegularExpression reAlt("(?<qual_1>static)?\\s?(?<qual_2>const)?\\s?(?<type>[A-Za-z0-9_]+)?\\s+(?<label>[A-Za-z0-9_]+)\\[\\]");
+                QRegularExpressionMatch matchAlt = reAlt.match(text);
+                if (matchAlt.hasMatch()) {
+                    // TODO: save type info
+                    QString qualifiers = matchAlt.captured("qual_1") + " " + matchAlt.captured("qual_2");
+                    QString type = matchAlt.captured("type");
+                    QString label = matchAlt.captured("label");
+                    this->layout_constants.append("");
+                    this->layout_qualifiers = qualifiers + " " + type;
+                    this->layout_array_label = label;
+                    this->layout_type = type;
+
+                    QRegularExpression reSec("(?<sec>MAPSEC_[A-Za-z0-9_]+)");
+                    QRegularExpressionMatchIterator k = reSec.globalMatch(text);
+
+                    QList<LayoutSquare> layout;
+                    int l = 0;
+                    while (k.hasNext()) {
+                        QRegularExpressionMatch p = k.next();
+                        QString sec = p.captured("sec");
+
+                        int x = l % this->layout_width;
+                        int y = l / this->layout_width;
+
+                        LayoutSquare square;
+                        square.map_section = sec;
+                        square.has_map = (sec != "MAPSEC_NONE" && !sec.isEmpty());
+                        square.x = x;
+                        square.y = y;
+                        layout.append(square);
+
+                        l++;
+                    }
+                    this->layout_layers.append("main");
+                    setLayout("main", layout);
+                } else {
+                    logError("Region map layout is not readable.");
+                    return false;
+                }
             }
             break;
         }
@@ -256,6 +285,8 @@ void RegionMap::redo() {
 void RegionMap::save() {
     saveTilemap();
     saveLayout();
+
+    this->editHistory.setClean();
 }
 
 poryjson::Json::object RegionMap::config() {
@@ -330,8 +361,11 @@ void RegionMap::saveLayout() {
             }
             text += " = {\n";
             if (this->layout_layers.size() == 1) {
-                // TODO: single layered
-                // just dump the array of map sections, or save as multi dimensional [width][height]?
+                for (LayoutSquare s : this->getLayout("main")) {
+                    text += "    " + s.map_section + ",\n";
+                }
+                text.chop(2);
+                text += "\n";
             } else {
                 // multi layered
                 for (auto layoutName : this->layout_layers) {
diff --git a/src/mainwindow.cpp b/src/mainwindow.cpp
index 21a8b1b7..1e5f4daf 100644
--- a/src/mainwindow.cpp
+++ b/src/mainwindow.cpp
@@ -1798,14 +1798,11 @@ void MainWindow::connectSubEditorsToShortcutsEditor() {
     connect(shortcutsEditor, &ShortcutsEditor::shortcutsSaved,
             tilesetEditor, &TilesetEditor::applyUserShortcuts);
 
-    // TODO: Remove this check when the region map editor supports pokefirered.
-    //if (projectConfig.getBaseGameVersion() != BaseGameVersion::pokefirered) {
-        if (!regionMapEditor)
-            initRegionMapEditor();
-        if (regionMapEditor)
-            connect(shortcutsEditor, &ShortcutsEditor::shortcutsSaved,
-                    regionMapEditor, &RegionMapEditor::applyUserShortcuts);
-    //}
+    if (!regionMapEditor)
+        initRegionMapEditor();
+    if (regionMapEditor)
+        connect(shortcutsEditor, &ShortcutsEditor::shortcutsSaved,
+                regionMapEditor, &RegionMapEditor::applyUserShortcuts);
 }
 
 void MainWindow::on_actionPencil_triggered()
diff --git a/src/ui/regionmapeditor.cpp b/src/ui/regionmapeditor.cpp
index 9b447a94..5ce8dbcf 100644
--- a/src/ui/regionmapeditor.cpp
+++ b/src/ui/regionmapeditor.cpp
@@ -180,8 +180,14 @@ void buildEmeraldDefaults(poryjson::Json &json) {
 
     QString err;
     json = poryjson::Json::parse(emeraldDefault, err);
+}
 
-    // TODO: error check these
+void buildRubyDefaults(poryjson::Json &json) {
+    ParseUtil parser;
+    QString emeraldDefault = parser.readTextFile(":/text/region_map_default_ruby.json");
+
+    QString err;
+    json = poryjson::Json::parse(emeraldDefault, err);
 }
 
 void buildFireredDefaults(poryjson::Json &json) {
@@ -201,7 +207,7 @@ poryjson::Json RegionMapEditor::buildDefaultJson() {
             break;
 
         case BaseGameVersion::pokeruby:
-            // TODO: pokeruby defaults
+            buildRubyDefaults(defaultJson);
             break;
 
         case BaseGameVersion::pokefirered:
@@ -212,7 +218,7 @@ poryjson::Json RegionMapEditor::buildDefaultJson() {
     return defaultJson;
 }
 
-void RegionMapEditor::buildConfigDialog() {
+bool RegionMapEditor::buildConfigDialog() {
     // use this temporary object while window is active, save only when user accepts
     poryjson::Json rmConfigJsonUpdate = this->rmConfigJson;
 
@@ -302,13 +308,13 @@ void RegionMapEditor::buildConfigDialog() {
     // //cityMapList->setFocusPolicy(Qt::NoFocus);
     // form.addRow(new QLabel("City Map List:"));
     // form.addRow(cityMapList);
-
+    //
     // for (int i = 0; i < 20; i++) {
     //     QListWidgetItem *newItem = new QListWidgetItem;
     //     newItem->setText(QString("city %1").arg(i));
     //     cityMapList->addItem(newItem);
     // }
-
+    //
     // QPushButton *addCitiesButton = new QPushButton("Configure City Maps...");
     // form.addRow(addCitiesButton);
     // // needs to pick tilemaps and such here too
@@ -347,12 +353,12 @@ void RegionMapEditor::buildConfigDialog() {
     if (dialog.exec() == QDialog::Accepted) {
         // if everything looks good, we can update the master json
         this->rmConfigJson = rmConfigJsonUpdate;
-    } else {
-        // TODO: return bool from this function so can close RME on error
+        return true;
     }
+
+    return false;
 }
 
-// TODO: set tooltips, default values in spinboxes
 poryjson::Json RegionMapEditor::configRegionMapDialog() {
 
     RegionMapPropertiesDialog dialog(this);
@@ -361,8 +367,6 @@ poryjson::Json RegionMapEditor::configRegionMapDialog() {
     if (dialog.exec() == QDialog::Accepted) {
         poryjson::Json regionMapJson = dialog.saveToJson();
         return regionMapJson;
-    } else {
-        // TODO: anything?
     }
 
     return poryjson::Json();
@@ -373,17 +377,45 @@ void RegionMapEditor::buildUpdateConfigDialog() {
     // TODO: get rid of this function
 }
 
-poryjson::Json RegionMapEditor::getJsonFromAlias(QString alias) {
-    // unused
-    // TODO: get a map Json from an alias
+bool RegionMapEditor::verifyConfig(poryjson::Json cfg) {
+    OrderedJson::object obj = cfg.object_items();
+
+    if (!obj.contains("region_maps")) {
+        logError("Region map config json has no map list.");
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    OrderedJson::array arr = obj["region_maps"].array_items();
+
+    for (auto ref : arr) {
+        RegionMap tempMap(this->project);
+        if (!tempMap.loadMapData(ref)) {
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return true;
 }
 
 bool RegionMapEditor::load() {
     // check for config json file
     QString jsonConfigFilepath = this->project->root + "/src/data/region_map/porymap_config.json";
-    if (!QFile::exists(jsonConfigFilepath)) {
-        logWarn("Region Map config file not found.");
 
+    bool badConfig = true;
+
+    if (QFile::exists(jsonConfigFilepath)) {
+        logInfo("Region map configuration file found.");
+        ParseUtil parser;
+        OrderedJson::object obj;
+        if (parser.tryParseOrderedJsonFile(&obj, jsonConfigFilepath)) {
+            this->rmConfigJson = OrderedJson(obj);
+        }
+        badConfig = !verifyConfig(this->rmConfigJson);
+    } else {
+        logWarn("Region Map config file not found.");
+    }
+
+    if (badConfig) {
         // show popup explaining next window
         QMessageBox warning;
         warning.setText("Region map configuration not found.");
@@ -393,25 +425,16 @@ bool RegionMapEditor::load() {
 
         if (warning.exec() == QMessageBox::Ok) {
             // there is a separate window that allows to load multiple region maps, 
-            buildConfigDialog();
-
-            // TODO: need to somehow handle (by making above function return bool?)
-            //       when user closes the config dialog without setting up maps so we
-            //       can return false from here in that case as well
+            if (!buildConfigDialog()) {
+                logError("Region map loading interrupted [user]");
+                return false;
+            }
         } else {
-            // TODO: Do not open region map editor (maybe just return false is sufficient?)
+            // do not open editor
+            logError("Region map loading interrupted [user]");
             return false;
         }
     }
-    else {
-        // TODO: put this first? so can fall back on the above if parse errors
-        // TODO: verify this object before assignment
-        logInfo("Region map configuration file found.");
-        ParseUtil parser;
-        OrderedJson::object obj;
-        parser.tryParseOrderedJsonFile(&obj, jsonConfigFilepath);
-        this->rmConfigJson = OrderedJson(obj);
-    }
 
     // if all has gone well, this->rmConfigJson should be populated
     // next, load the entries
@@ -420,13 +443,14 @@ bool RegionMapEditor::load() {
     // load the region maps into this->region_maps
     poryjson::Json::object regionMapObjectCopy = this->rmConfigJson.object_items();
     for (auto o : regionMapObjectCopy["region_maps"].array_items()) {
-        // TODO: could this crash?
         QString alias = o.object_items().at("alias").string_value();
 
         RegionMap *newMap = new RegionMap(this->project);
-        // TODO: is there a better way than this pointer to get entries to pixmap item? (surely)
         newMap->setEntries(&this->region_map_entries);
-        newMap->loadMapData(o);
+        if (!newMap->loadMapData(o)) {
+            delete newMap;
+            return false;
+        }
 
         connect(newMap, &RegionMap::mapNeedsDisplaying, [this]() {
             displayRegionMap();
@@ -481,7 +505,6 @@ bool RegionMapEditor::loadCityMaps() {
 }
 
 bool RegionMapEditor::saveRegionMap(RegionMap *map) {
-    //
     if (!map) return false;
 
     map->save();
@@ -512,7 +535,6 @@ void RegionMapEditor::saveConfig() {
 }
 
 void RegionMapEditor::on_action_RegionMap_Save_triggered() {
-    // TODO: add "Save All" to save all region maps
     saveRegionMap(this->region_map);
 
     // save entries
@@ -875,11 +897,6 @@ bool RegionMapEditor::createCityMap(QString name) {
     */
 }
 
-bool RegionMapEditor::tryInsertNewMapEntry(QString mapsec) {
-    // TODO
-    return false;
-}
-
 void RegionMapEditor::onRegionMapTileSelectorSelectedTileChanged(unsigned id) {
     this->selectedImageTile = id;
 }
@@ -1059,7 +1076,6 @@ void RegionMapEditor::on_comboBox_RM_Entry_MapSection_textActivated(const QStrin
 }
 
 void RegionMapEditor::on_comboBox_layoutLayer_textActivated(const QString &text) {
-    // TODO: verify whether layer is legit
     this->region_map->setLayer(text);
     displayRegionMapLayout();
     displayRegionMapLayoutOptions();
diff --git a/src/ui/tilemaptileselector.cpp b/src/ui/tilemaptileselector.cpp
index 48587893..96775e05 100644
--- a/src/ui/tilemaptileselector.cpp
+++ b/src/ui/tilemaptileselector.cpp
@@ -48,28 +48,40 @@ QImage TilemapTileSelector::tileImg(shared_ptr<TilemapTile> tile) {
     tilesetImage.convertTo(QImage::Format::Format_Indexed8);
 
     // TODO: bounds check on the palette copying
-
     switch(this->format) {
         case TilemapFormat::Plain:
             break;
         case TilemapFormat::BPP_4:
         {
+            QVector<QRgb> newColorTable;
+            int palMinLength = tile->palette() * 16 + 16;
+            if ((this->palette.count() < palMinLength) || (tilesetImage.colorTable().count() != 16)) {
+                // either a) the palette has less than 256 colors, or b) the image is improperly indexed
+                for (QRgb color : tilesetImage.colorTable()) {
+                    int gray = qGray(color);
+                    newColorTable.append(qRgb(gray, gray, gray));
+                }
+            } else {
+                // use actual pal
 // before Qt 6, the color table is a QVector which is deprecated now, and this method does not exits
 #if QT_VERSION < QT_VERSION_CHECK(6, 0, 0)
-            tilesetImage.setColorTable(this->palette.toVector().mid(tile->palette() * 16, 16));
+                newColorTable = this->palette.toVector().mid(tile->palette() * 16, 16);
 #else
-            tilesetImage.setColorTable(this->palette.mid(tile->palette() * 16, 16));
+                newColorTable = this->palette.mid(tile->palette() * 16, 16);
 #endif
+            }
+            tilesetImage.setColorTable(newColorTable);
             break;
         }
         case TilemapFormat::BPP_8:
         {
-            // TODO:
+            if (tilesetImage.colorTable().count() == this->palette.count()) {
 #if QT_VERSION < QT_VERSION_CHECK(6, 0, 0)
-            //tilesetImage.setColorTable(this->palette.toVector());
+                tilesetImage.setColorTable(this->palette.toVector());
 #else
-            //tilesetImage.setColorTable(this->palette);
+                tilesetImage.setColorTable(this->palette);
 #endif
+            }
             break;
         }
         default: break;