diff --git a/artifacts/scripting/headers/sfall.h b/artifacts/scripting/headers/sfall.h
index 3c8b7b8a..55e84b26 100644
--- a/artifacts/scripting/headers/sfall.h
+++ b/artifacts/scripting/headers/sfall.h
@@ -278,11 +278,11 @@
                                                         if (get_flags(obj2) bwand FLAG_MULTIHEX) then distance--
 
 
-/* sfall metalure3 function macros */
-#define SET_HORRIGAN_ENCOUNTER                          (200)
-
+/* sfall metarule3 function macros */
 // sets the number of days (range 1...127) for the Frank Horrigan encounter, or disable the encounter if days is set to 0
-#define set_horrigan_days(day)                          metarule3(SET_HORRIGAN_ENCOUNTER, day, 0, 0)
+#define set_horrigan_days(day)                          metarule3(200, day, 0, 0)
+// clears the keyboard input buffer, use it in the HOOK_KEYPRESS hook to clear keyboard events before calling script functions that accept key input
+#define clear_keyboard_buffer                           metarule3(201, 0, 0, 0)
 
 
 /* sfall_funcX macros */
diff --git a/sfall/Modules/MetaruleExtender.cpp b/sfall/Modules/MetaruleExtender.cpp
index 78b081c9..006cb16e 100644
--- a/sfall/Modules/MetaruleExtender.cpp
+++ b/sfall/Modules/MetaruleExtender.cpp
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ static bool HorriganEncounterDisabled = false;
 
 enum class MetaruleFunction : long {
 	SET_HORRIGAN_ENCOUNTER = 200, // sets the number of days for the Frank Horrigan encounter or disable encounter
+	CLEAR_KEYBOARD_BUFFER  = 201, // clears the keyboard input buffer, should be used in the HOOK_KEYPRESS hook to clear keyboard events in some cases
 };
 
 /*
@@ -57,6 +58,9 @@ static long __fastcall op_metarule3_ext(long metafunc, long* args) {
 			}
 			break;
 		}
+		case MetaruleFunction::CLEAR_KEYBOARD_BUFFER:
+			__asm call fo::funcoffs::kb_clear_;
+			break;
 		default:
 			fo::func::debug_printf("\nOPCODE ERROR: metarule3(%d, ...) - metarule function number does not exist.\n > Script: %s, procedure %s.",
 								   metafunc, fo::var::currentProgram->fileName, fo::func::findCurrentProc(fo::var::currentProgram));
diff --git a/sfall/Modules/Movies.cpp b/sfall/Modules/Movies.cpp
index e78c4c58..dd89770f 100644
--- a/sfall/Modules/Movies.cpp
+++ b/sfall/Modules/Movies.cpp
@@ -107,7 +107,9 @@ private:
 		//}
 
 		if (d3d9Device->CreateTexture(lpAllocInfo->dwWidth, lpAllocInfo->dwHeight, 1, 0, lpAllocInfo->Format, D3DPOOL_DEFAULT, &mTex, nullptr) != D3D_OK) {
-			dlog(" Failed to create movie texture!", DL_INIT);
+			dlogr(" Failed to create movie texture!", DL_INIT);
+		} else {
+			dlogr(" OK!", DL_INIT);
 		}
 		return S_OK;
 	}
@@ -470,6 +472,8 @@ skip:
 
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
+#define DEFAULT_MOVIES    17 // max vanilla movies
+
 char MoviePaths[MaxMovies * 65];
 static DWORD Artimer1DaysCheckTimer;
 
@@ -485,6 +489,25 @@ less:
 	}
 }
 
+static void __declspec(naked) gmovie_play_hack_subpal() {
+	__asm {
+		xor eax, eax;
+		lea edx, [ebp * 4];
+		cmp ebp, DEFAULT_MOVIES;
+		cmovb eax, edx;
+		retn;
+	}
+}
+
+static void __declspec(naked) op_play_gmovie_hack() {
+	__asm {
+		mov edx, 0xB; // default play mode flags
+		cmp ecx, DEFAULT_MOVIES;
+		cmovb edx, eax;
+		retn;
+	}
+}
+
 void SkipOpeningMoviesPatch() {
 	int skipOpening = GetConfigInt("Misc", "SkipOpeningMovies", 0);
 	if (skipOpening) {
@@ -509,7 +532,7 @@ void Movies::init() {
 		MoviePaths[index + 64] = '\0';
 
 		_itoa_s(i + 1, &optName[5], 3, 10);
-		if (i < 17) {
+		if (i < DEFAULT_MOVIES) {
 			GetConfigString("Misc", optName, fo::var::movie_list[i], &MoviePaths[index], 65);
 		} else {
 			GetConfigString("Misc", optName, "", &MoviePaths[index], 65);
@@ -517,6 +540,8 @@ void Movies::init() {
 	}
 	dlog(".", DL_INIT);
 	SafeWriteBatch<DWORD>((DWORD)MoviePtrs, {0x44E6AE, 0x44E721, 0x44E75E, 0x44E78A}); // gmovie_play_
+	MakeCall(0x44E896, gmovie_play_hack_subpal, 2);
+	MakeCall(0x45A1C9, op_play_gmovie_hack);
 	dlog(".", DL_INIT);
 
 	/*
diff --git a/sfall/Modules/Movies.h b/sfall/Modules/Movies.h
index 94c30dc6..a6d002dd 100644
--- a/sfall/Modules/Movies.h
+++ b/sfall/Modules/Movies.h
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ public:
 	void exit() override;
 };
 
-static const int MaxMovies = 32;
+static constexpr int MaxMovies = 32;
 extern char MoviePaths[MaxMovies * 65];
 
 }
diff --git a/sfall/Modules/Sound.cpp b/sfall/Modules/Sound.cpp
index 4f7ce746..a30e9ab9 100644
--- a/sfall/Modules/Sound.cpp
+++ b/sfall/Modules/Sound.cpp
@@ -336,6 +336,7 @@ static const wchar_t *SoundExtensions[] = { L"wav", L"mp3", L"wma" };
 /*
 	TODO: For sfx sounds in wav format, playback must be performed using the game functions (DirectSound)
 	because there is a small delay (~50-100ms) when using DirectShow
+	sfx - environment effects must set their volume relative to the location from the player (see gsound_compute_relative_volume_)
 */
 static bool __fastcall SoundFileLoad(PlayType playType, const char* path) {
 	if (!path) return false;