diff --git a/include/engine/object.hpp b/include/engine/object.hpp
index 4f91aa3..74af426 100644
--- a/include/engine/object.hpp
+++ b/include/engine/object.hpp
@@ -39,8 +39,11 @@ namespace egn{
 		math::vec3<GLfloat> m_position;                //track current positon in world space
 		math::quaternion<GLfloat> m_orientation;       //track current model space rotation
 		math::vec3<GLfloat> m_scale{1.0f, 1.0f, 1.0f}; //track model space scale
+	private:
 		mutable math::mat4<GLfloat> m_model_matrix;    //compile all the above info into a matrix
+	protected:
 		mutable int m_update_flag = NO_UPDATE;         //whether or not to update the matrix upon access
+		                                               //make the update flag protected so subclasses can share it
 
 	public:
 		object_base() = default;
@@ -62,10 +65,10 @@ namespace egn{
 		virtual void set_orientation(const math::quaternion<GLfloat>& orient);
 		virtual void set_scale(const math::vec3<GLfloat>& scale);
 
-		const math::mat4<GLfloat>& get_model_matrix()const;
-		const math::vec3<GLfloat>& get_position()const;
-		const math::vec3<GLfloat>& get_scale()const;
-		const math::quaternion<GLfloat>& get_orientation()const;
+		const math::mat4<GLfloat>& model_matrix()const;
+		const math::vec3<GLfloat>& position()const;
+		const math::vec3<GLfloat>& scale()const;
+		const math::quaternion<GLfloat>& orientation()const;
 
 	protected:
 		void recalc_model_matrix()const;
@@ -75,6 +78,7 @@ namespace egn{
 	{
 	protected:
 		aabb         m_model_bounding_box; //model coordinate bounding volume
+	private:
 		mutable aabb m_world_bounding_box; //world coordinate bounding volume
 	public:
 		using object_base::object_base;
@@ -97,6 +101,7 @@ namespace egn{
 	{
 	protected:
 		aabs         m_model_bounding_sphere; //model coordinate bounding volume
+	private:
 		mutable aabs m_world_bounding_sphere; //world coordinate bounding volume
 	public:
 		using object_base::object_base;
diff --git a/src/engine/object.cpp b/src/engine/object.cpp
index c8908c0..3fc17ae 100644
--- a/src/engine/object.cpp
+++ b/src/engine/object.cpp
@@ -59,20 +59,20 @@ namespace egn{
 		m_update_flag |= (SCALE_UPDATE | BOUNDING_VOLUME_UPDATE);
 		m_scale = scale;
 	}
-	const math::mat4<GLfloat>& object_base::get_model_matrix()const{
+	const math::mat4<GLfloat>& object_base::model_matrix()const{
 		if(m_update_flag & (SCALE_UPDATE | ROTATION_UPDATE | TRANSLATION_UPDATE)){
 			recalc_model_matrix();
 			m_update_flag &= (~(SCALE_UPDATE | ROTATION_UPDATE | TRANSLATION_UPDATE));
 		}
 		return m_model_matrix;
 	}
-	const math::vec3<GLfloat>& object_base::get_position()const{
+	const math::vec3<GLfloat>& object_base::position()const{
 		return m_position;
 	}
-	const math::vec3<GLfloat>& object_base::get_scale()const{
+	const math::vec3<GLfloat>& object_base::scale()const{
 		return m_scale;
 	}
-	const math::quaternion<GLfloat>& object_base::get_orientation()const{
+	const math::quaternion<GLfloat>& object_base::orientation()const{
 		return m_orientation;
 	}
 
@@ -99,9 +99,9 @@ namespace egn{
 	}
 	const aabb& aabb_object::get_bounding_box()const{
 		if(m_update_flag){
-			recalc_model_matrix();
-			m_world_bounding_box.point1 = m_model_matrix * math::vec4<float>(m_model_bounding_box.point1, 1.0f);
-			m_world_bounding_box.point2 = m_model_matrix * math::vec4<float>(m_model_bounding_box.point2, 1.0f);
+			const auto& model_mat = model_matrix();
+			m_world_bounding_box.point1 = model_mat * math::vec4<float>(m_model_bounding_box.point1, 1.0f);
+			m_world_bounding_box.point2 = model_mat * math::vec4<float>(m_model_bounding_box.point2, 1.0f);
 			m_update_flag &= ~BOUNDING_VOLUME_UPDATE;
 		}
 		return m_world_bounding_box;
diff --git a/src/play_state.cpp b/src/play_state.cpp
index b73a6f9..18dc73a 100644
--- a/src/play_state.cpp
+++ b/src/play_state.cpp
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ void play_state::handle_input(const egn::input_event& ev){
 
 			for(size_t i = 0;i < m_scene.renderables.size();++i){
 				square& sq = static_cast<square&>(*m_scene.renderables[i]);
-				const math::vec3<GLfloat>& sq_pos = sq.get_position();
+				const math::vec3<GLfloat>& sq_pos = sq.position();
 				if((projected1.x() > (sq_pos.x() - 1.0f) && projected1.x() < (sq_pos.x() + 1.0f)) &&
 				   (projected1.y() > (sq_pos.y() - 1.0f) && projected1.y() < (sq_pos.y() + 1.0f)))
 				{
diff --git a/src/square.cpp b/src/square.cpp
index 0b49281..d2433ed 100644
--- a/src/square.cpp
+++ b/src/square.cpp
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ void square::set_color(const math::vec4<float>& color){
 }
 
 void square::render(gfx::shader_program& shader){
-	shader.set_uniform("model_mat", get_model_matrix());
+	shader.set_uniform("model_mat", model_matrix());
 	shader.set_uniform("model_color", m_color_filter);
 	shader.set_uniform("texture1", *m_model->mesh(0).material().get_material((int)m_active_value));
 	m_model->mesh(0).vertex().render(shader);