diff --git a/BBGE/Base.h b/BBGE/Base.h
index e6a0516..a0b7f31 100644
--- a/BBGE/Base.h
+++ b/BBGE/Base.h
@@ -152,34 +152,6 @@ enum Direction
 	DIR_MAX			= 8
 };
 
-#ifdef _DEBUG
-
-#ifndef _DBG_NEW
-
-	#include <crtdbg.h>
-
-	inline void* __operator_new(size_t __n) {
-		 return ::operator new(__n,_NORMAL_BLOCK,__FILE__,__LINE__);
-	}
-	inline void* _cdecl operator new(size_t __n,const char* __fname,int __line) {
-		 return ::operator new(__n,_NORMAL_BLOCK,__fname,__line);
-	}
-	inline void _cdecl operator delete(void* __p,const char*,int) {
-		 ::operator delete(__p);
-	}
-
-	#define _DBG_NEW new(__FILE__,__LINE__)
-	#define new _DBG_NEW
-
-
-	//#endif // _DBG_NEW
-#else
-
-	#define __operator_new(__n) operator new(__n)
-
-#endif
-#endif
-
 #include "Event.h"
 
 #include "Vector.h"
diff --git a/BBGE/Core.cpp b/BBGE/Core.cpp
index 3cc12af..35cafa3 100644
--- a/BBGE/Core.cpp
+++ b/BBGE/Core.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA.
 #include "Particles.h"
 
 #include <time.h>
+#include <iostream>
 
 #ifdef BBGE_BUILD_UNIX
 #include <limits.h>
@@ -852,15 +853,19 @@ void Core::debugLog(const std::string &s)
 {
 	if (debugLogActive)
 	{
-		static std::ofstream out((debugLogPath + "debug.log").c_str());
-		out << s << std::endl;	
+		_logOut << s << std::endl;
 	}
+#ifdef _DEBUG
+	std::cout << s << std::endl;
+#endif
 }
 
 const float SORT_DELAY = 10;
 Core::Core(const std::string &filesystem, int numRenderLayers, const std::string &appName, int particleSize, std::string userDataSubFolder)
 : ActionMapper(), StateManager(), appName(appName)
 {
+	_logOut.open((debugLogPath + "debug.log").c_str());
+	sound = NULL;
 	screenCapScale = Vector(1,1,1);
 	timeUpdateType = TIMEUPDATE_DYNAMIC;
 
@@ -1153,6 +1158,8 @@ Core::~Core()
 		delete sound;
 		sound = 0;
 	}
+	debugLog("~Core()");
+	_logOut.close();
 	core = 0;
 }
 
@@ -4201,17 +4208,7 @@ void Core::instantQuit()
 
 bool Core::exists(const std::string &filename)
 {
-	if (filename.empty()) return false;
-	FILE *file;
-	file=fopen(adjustFilenameCase(filename).c_str(),"r");
-
-	if (file)
-	{
-		fclose(file);
-		return true;
-	}
-	else
-		return false;
+	return ::exists(filename, false); // defined in Base.cpp
 }
 
 Resource* Core::findResource(const std::string &name)
diff --git a/BBGE/Core.h b/BBGE/Core.h
index 608612a..6c7495e 100644
--- a/BBGE/Core.h
+++ b/BBGE/Core.h
@@ -1382,6 +1382,8 @@ protected:
 	__int64 lastTime, curTime, freq;
 #endif
 
+	std::ofstream _logOut;
+
 #ifdef BBGE_BUILD_SDL
 	int nowTicks, thenTicks;
 #endif
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 9eba0b7..f814e17 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -203,6 +203,11 @@ ADD_DEFINITIONS(-DAQUARIA_FULL=1)
 ADD_DEFINITIONS(-DAQUARIA_BUILD_CONSOLE=1)
 ADD_DEFINITIONS(-DAQUARIA_BUILD_SCENEEDITOR=1)
 
+IF(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE STREQUAL "Debug")
+    ADD_DEFINITIONS(-D_DEBUG) # MSVC defines this in debug mode by default, gcc/mingw do not
+    message(STATUS "This is a debug build.")
+ENDIF(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE STREQUAL "Debug")
+
 IF(UNIX)
     ADD_DEFINITIONS(-DBBGE_BUILD_UNIX=1)
 ENDIF(UNIX)