diff --git a/TODO.txt b/TODO.txt
index 2d7edfb..93d69ae 100644
--- a/TODO.txt
+++ b/TODO.txt
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 =========== GENERAL ==============
 
-- maybe remove setting string from menu (like music: 1) and use popups instead
-  (have just music and show "on" or "off" in popup)
 - on 1st map the camera is obscured by the wall at the start, fix it somehow
   (not the best first impression)
 - culling is very slow now, it showed that distance bailout can accelerate it
@@ -37,7 +35,6 @@
 - replay validation
 - maybe each map could have a target time embedded: when beaten, the map would
   be marked as such
-- player name (modifiable via resource file)
 - make the racing module usable by itself, e.g. to allow making tools for
   verifying replays etc., i.e. make the module measure time, count checkpoints
   etc.
@@ -54,6 +51,9 @@
 
 =========== HANDLED ==============
 
+- player name (modifiable via resource file) <-- prolly not
+- maybe remove setting string from menu (like music: 1) and use popups instead
+  (have just music and show "on" or "off" in popup)
 - add indication when CP is taken: in 1st man view it may be unclear if CP was
   taken or not otherwise
 - popup messages? would be useful for several things: showing checkpoint times,
diff --git a/assets.h b/assets.h
index 6b4d48c..8d1f5fb 100644
--- a/assets.h
+++ b/assets.h
@@ -35,9 +35,9 @@ static const char *LCR_texts[] =
   "race repl",
 
 #define LCR_TEXTS_MAIN_MENU 5
-  "camera: $",
-  "music: $",
-  "sound: $",
+  "camera",
+  "music",
+  "sound",
   "save repl",
   "exit",
 
diff --git a/game.h b/game.h
index ba593ef..309e483 100644
--- a/game.h
+++ b/game.h
@@ -365,6 +365,13 @@ void LCR_gamePopupMessage(const char *str)
     (LCR_SETTING_POPUP_DURATION * LCR_SETTING_FPS) / 1000;
 }
 
+void LCR_gamePopupNumber(uint8_t num)
+{
+  LCR_game.popupStr[0] = '0' + num;
+  LCR_game.popupStr[1] = 0;
+  LCR_gamePopupMessage(LCR_game.popupStr); 
+}
+
 void LCR_gameDrawPixelXYUnsafe(unsigned int x, unsigned int y,
   uint16_t color)
 {
@@ -801,24 +808,14 @@ void LCR_gameEraseMenuItemNames(void)
   LCR_game.menu.itemCount = 0;
 }
 
-void LCR_gameSetMenuItemStr(uint8_t item, const char *str, char replaceChar)
-{
-  for (int i = 0; i < LCR_MENU_STRING_SIZE - 1; ++i)
-  {
-    LCR_game.menu.itemNames[item][i] = str[i] == '$' ? replaceChar : str[i];
-    LCR_game.menu.itemNames[item][i + 1] = 0;
-  }
-}
-
 void LCR_gameLoadMainMenuItems(void)
 {
-  for (int i = 0; i < 5; ++i)
-  {
-    char replaceChar = i == 0 ? '0' + LCR_game.cameraMode :
-      (i == 1 ? '0' + LCR_game.musicOn : ('0' + LCR_audio.on));
-
-    LCR_gameSetMenuItemStr(i,LCR_texts[LCR_TEXTS_MAIN_MENU + i],replaceChar);
-  }
+  for (int j = 0; j < 5; ++j)
+    for (int i = 0; i < LCR_MENU_STRING_SIZE - 1; ++i)
+    {
+      LCR_game.menu.itemNames[j][i] = LCR_texts[LCR_TEXTS_MAIN_MENU + j][i];
+      LCR_game.menu.itemNames[j][i + 1] = 0; 
+    }
 
   LCR_game.menu.itemCount = 4;
 }
@@ -1054,14 +1051,14 @@ void LCR_gameTimeToStr(uint32_t timeMS, char *str)
       
 LCR_gameDrawPopupMessage(void)
 {
-  int textH = LCR_rendererComputeTextHeight(4);
-  int textW = LCR_rendererComputeTextWidth(LCR_game.popupStr,4);
+  int textH = LCR_rendererComputeTextHeight(5);
+  int textW = LCR_rendererComputeTextWidth(LCR_game.popupStr,5);
 
   LCR_rendererDrawRect((LCR_EFFECTIVE_RESOLUTION_X - textW) / 2 - 6,4,
     textW + 12,textH + 8,0xffff,1);
 
   LCR_rendererDrawText(LCR_game.popupStr,(LCR_EFFECTIVE_RESOLUTION_X - textW)
-    / 2,8,0x0700,4);
+    / 2,8,0x0300,5);
 }
 
 void LCR_gameDraw3DView(void)
@@ -1246,16 +1243,19 @@ void LCR_gameHandleInput(void)
                 LCR_rendererSetCarVisibility(
                   LCR_game.cameraMode != LCR_CAMERA_MODE_INSIDE);
                 LCR_rendererCameraReset();
+                LCR_gamePopupNumber(LCR_game.cameraMode);
                 break;
 
 #if LCR_SETTING_MUSIC
               case 1:
                 LCR_game.musicOn = !LCR_game.musicOn;
+                LCR_gamePopupNumber(LCR_game.musicOn);
                 break;
 #endif
 
               case 2:
                 LCR_audio.on = !LCR_audio.on;
+                LCR_gamePopupNumber(LCR_audio.on);
                 break;
 
               case 4:
@@ -1314,12 +1314,8 @@ void LCR_gameHandleInput(void)
         LCR_gamePopupMessage("");
       }
       else
-      {
-        LCR_game.popupStr[0] = '0' + LCR_SETTING_COUNTDOWN_SECONDS -
-          (LCR_game.time - LCR_game.stateStartTime) / 1000;
-        LCR_game.popupStr[1] = 0;
-        LCR_gamePopupMessage(LCR_game.popupStr);
-      }
+        LCR_gamePopupNumber(LCR_SETTING_COUNTDOWN_SECONDS -
+          (LCR_game.time - LCR_game.stateStartTime) / 1000);
 
       // fall through
     default:
diff --git a/settings.h b/settings.h
index a26ff16..11397ed 100644
--- a/settings.h
+++ b/settings.h
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@
 
 #ifndef LCR_SETTING_COUNTDOWN_SECONDS
   /** Run start countdown length in seconds. */
-  #define LCR_SETTING_COUNTDOWN_SECONDS 3 // for release make 3
+  #define LCR_SETTING_COUNTDOWN_SECONDS 1 // for release make 3
 #endif
 
 #ifndef LCR_SETTING_MAP_CHUNK_RELOAD_INTERVAL