diff --git a/res/models/stairs.xml b/res/models/stairs.xml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5dbd344c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/res/models/stairs.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+<model>
+    <box from="0,0,0" to="1,0.5,1" delete="top"/>
+    <box from="0,0.5,0.5" to="1,1,1" delete="bottom"/>
+    <rect from="0,0.5,0" right="1,0,0" up="0,0,0.5"/>
+</model>
diff --git a/src/assets/assetload_funcs.cpp b/src/assets/assetload_funcs.cpp
index 2afae28c..af8fb3c9 100644
--- a/src/assets/assetload_funcs.cpp
+++ b/src/assets/assetload_funcs.cpp
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include "coders/imageio.hpp"
 #include "coders/json.hpp"
 #include "coders/obj.hpp"
+#include "coders/vcm.hpp"
 #include "coders/vec3.hpp"
 #include "constants.hpp"
 #include "debug/Logger.hpp"
@@ -300,7 +301,8 @@ assetload::postfunc assetload::sound(
 
 static void request_textures(AssetsLoader* loader, const model::Model& model) {
     for (auto& mesh : model.meshes) {
-        if (mesh.texture.find('$') == std::string::npos) {
+        if (mesh.texture.find('$') == std::string::npos &&
+            mesh.texture.find(':') == std::string::npos) {
             auto filename = TEXTURES_FOLDER + "/" + mesh.texture;
             loader->add(
                 AssetType::TEXTURE, filename, mesh.texture, nullptr
@@ -337,17 +339,34 @@ assetload::postfunc assetload::model(
         };
     }
     path = paths.find(file + ".obj");
-    auto text = io::read_string(path);
-    try {
-        auto model = obj::parse(path.string(), text).release();
-        return [=](Assets* assets) {
-            request_textures(loader, *model);
-            assets->store(std::unique_ptr<model::Model>(model), name);
-        };
-    } catch (const parsing_error& err) {
-        std::cerr << err.errorLog() << std::endl;
-        throw;
+    if (io::exists(path)) {
+        auto text = io::read_string(path);
+        try {
+            auto model = obj::parse(path.string(), text).release();
+            return [=](Assets* assets) {
+                request_textures(loader, *model);
+                assets->store(std::unique_ptr<model::Model>(model), name);
+            };
+        } catch (const parsing_error& err) {
+            std::cerr << err.errorLog() << std::endl;
+            throw;
+        }
     }
+    path = paths.find(file + ".xml");
+    if (io::exists(path)) {
+        auto text = io::read_string(path);
+        try {
+            auto model = vcm::parse(path.string(), text).release();
+            return [=](Assets* assets) {
+                request_textures(loader, *model);
+                assets->store(std::unique_ptr<model::Model>(model), name);
+            };
+        } catch (const parsing_error& err) {
+            std::cerr << err.errorLog() << std::endl;
+            throw;
+        }
+    }
+    throw std::runtime_error("could not to find model " + util::quote(file));
 }
 
 static void read_anim_file(
diff --git a/src/coders/vcm.cpp b/src/coders/vcm.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..44e0b10b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/coders/vcm.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,143 @@
+#include "vcm.hpp"
+
+#include <iostream>
+
+#include "xml.hpp"
+#include "util/stringutil.hpp"
+#include "graphics/commons/Model.hpp"
+
+using namespace vcm;
+using namespace xml;
+
+static const std::unordered_map<std::string, int> side_indices {
+    {"east", 0},
+    {"west", 1},
+    {"top", 2},
+    {"bottom", 3},
+    {"back", 4},
+    {"front", 5},
+};
+
+static void perform_rect(const xmlelement& root, model::Model& model) {
+    auto from = root.attr("from").asVec3();
+    auto right = root.attr("right").asVec3();
+    auto up = root.attr("up").asVec3();
+
+    right *= -1;
+    from -= right;
+
+    UVRegion region {};
+    if (root.has("region")) {
+        region.set(root.attr("region").asVec4());
+    } else {
+        region.scale(glm::length(right), glm::length(up));
+    }
+
+    auto flip = root.attr("flip", "").getText();
+    if (flip == "h") {
+        std::swap(region.u1, region.u2);
+        right *= -1;
+        from -= right;
+    } else if (flip == "v") {
+        std::swap(region.v1, region.v2);
+        up *= -1;
+        from -= up;
+    }
+    std::string texture = root.attr("texture", "$0").getText();
+    auto& mesh = model.addMesh(texture);
+
+    auto normal = glm::cross(glm::normalize(right), glm::normalize(up));
+    mesh.addRect(
+        from + right * 0.5f + up * 0.5f,
+        right * 0.5f,
+        up * 0.5f,
+        normal,
+        region
+    );
+}
+
+static void perform_box(const xmlelement& root, model::Model& model) {
+    auto from = root.attr("from").asVec3();
+    auto to = root.attr("to").asVec3();
+
+    UVRegion regions[6] {};
+    regions[0].scale(to.x - from.x, to.y - from.y);
+    regions[1].scale(from.x - to.x, to.y - from.y);
+    regions[2].scale(to.x - from.x, to.z - from.z);
+    regions[3].scale(from.x - to.x, to.z - from.z);
+    regions[4].scale(to.z - from.z, to.y - from.y);
+    regions[5].scale(from.z - to.z, to.y - from.y);
+
+    auto center = (from + to) * 0.5f;
+    auto halfsize = (to - from) * 0.5f;
+
+    std::string texfaces[6] {"$0","$1","$2","$3","$4","$5"};
+
+    for (const auto& elem : root.getElements()) {
+        if (elem->getTag() == "part") {
+            // todo: replace by expression parsing
+            auto tags = util::split(elem->attr("tags").getText(), ',');
+            for (auto& tag : tags) {
+                util::trim(tag);
+                const auto& found = side_indices.find(tag);
+                if (found == side_indices.end()) {
+                    continue;
+                }
+                int idx = found->second;
+                if (elem->has("texture")) {
+                    texfaces[idx] = elem->attr("texture").getText();
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    bool deleted[6] {};
+    if (root.has("delete")) {
+        // todo: replace by expression parsing
+        auto names = util::split(root.attr("delete").getText(), ',');
+        for (auto& name : names) {
+            util::trim(name);
+            const auto& found = side_indices.find(name);
+            if (found != side_indices.end()) {
+                deleted[found->second] = true;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    for (int i = 0; i < 6; i++) {
+        if (deleted[i]) {
+            continue;
+        }
+        bool enabled[6] {};
+        enabled[i] = true;
+        auto& mesh = model.addMesh(texfaces[i]);
+        mesh.addBox(center, halfsize, regions, enabled);
+    }
+}
+
+static std::unique_ptr<model::Model> load_model(const xmlelement& root) {
+    model::Model model;
+
+    for (const auto& elem : root.getElements()) {
+        auto tag = elem->getTag();
+
+        if (tag == "rect") {
+            perform_rect(*elem, model);
+        } else if (tag == "box") {
+            perform_box(*elem, model);
+        }
+    }
+
+    return std::make_unique<model::Model>(std::move(model));
+}
+
+std::unique_ptr<model::Model> vcm::parse(std::string_view file, std::string_view src) {
+    auto doc = xml::parse(file, src);
+    const auto& root = *doc->getRoot();
+    if (root.getTag() != "model") {
+        throw std::runtime_error(
+            "'model' tag expected as root, got '" + root.getTag() + "'"
+        );
+    }
+    return load_model(root);
+}
diff --git a/src/coders/vcm.hpp b/src/coders/vcm.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6f239604
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/coders/vcm.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <memory>
+#include <string>
+
+namespace model {
+    struct Model;
+}
+
+namespace vcm {
+    std::unique_ptr<model::Model> parse(std::string_view file, std::string_view src);
+}