diff --git a/class.lua b/class.lua
index b0fec0c..de242a9 100644
--- a/class.lua
+++ b/class.lua
@@ -1,14 +1,24 @@
 --[[
 	barebones oop basics
 
-	call the class object to construct a new instance
+	construction
+
+		call the class object to construct a new instance
+
+		this will construct a new table, assign it as a class
+		instance, and call `new`
+
+		if you are defining a subclass, you will need to call
+		`self:super(...)` as part of `new` to complete superclass
+		construction - if done correctly this will propagate
+		up the chain and you wont have to think about it
 
 	classes are used as metatables directly so that
 	metamethods "just work" - except for index, which is
 	used to hook up instance methods
 
-	classes do use a prototype chain for inheritance, but
-	also copy their interfaces (including superclass)
+		classes do use a prototype chain for inheritance, but
+		also copy their interfaces (including superclass)
 
 		we copy interfaces in classes rather than relying on
 		a prototype chain, so that pairs on the class gets
@@ -100,14 +110,24 @@ local function class(config)
 	--get the inherited class for super calls if/as needed
 	--allows overrides that still refer to superclass behaviour
 	c.__super = extends
-	--nop by default
-	function c:super() end
+
+	--perform a (partial) super construction for an instance
+	--for any nested super calls, it'll call the relevant one in the
+	--heirarchy, assuming no super calls have been missed
+	function c:super(...)
+		if not c.__super then return end
+		--hold reference so we can restore
+		local current_super = c.__super
+		--push next super
+		c.__super = c.__super.__super
+		--call
+		current_super.new(self, ...)
+		--restore
+		c.__super = current_super
+	end
+
 
 	if c.__super then
-		--perform a super construction for an instance
-		function c:super(...)
-			c.__super.new(self, ...)
-		end
 		--implement superclass interface
 		implement(c, c.__super)
 	end
diff --git a/pubsub.lua b/pubsub.lua
index e0220ec..e52f975 100644
--- a/pubsub.lua
+++ b/pubsub.lua
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ end
 
 --subscribe to an event
 --can be a specifically named event, or "everything" to get notified for any event
---for "everything", the callback will recieve the event name as the first argument
+--for "everything", the callback will receive the event name as the first argument
 function pubsub:subscribe(event, callback)
 	local callbacks = self.subscriptions[event]
 	if not callbacks then
diff --git a/timer.lua b/timer.lua
index 961ac6c..07712cc 100644
--- a/timer.lua
+++ b/timer.lua
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ local timer = class({
 })
 
 --create a timer, with optional callbacks
---callbacks recieve as arguments:
+--callbacks receive as arguments:
 --	the current progress as a number from 0 to 1, so can be used for lerps
 --	the timer object, so can be reset if needed
 function timer:new(time, on_progress, on_finish)
diff --git a/vec2.lua b/vec2.lua
index 9cd1aa6..e712228 100644
--- a/vec2.lua
+++ b/vec2.lua
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ function vec2:new(x, y)
 	if type(x) == "number" or type(x) == "nil" then
 		self:sset(x or 0, y)
 	elseif type(x) == "table" then
-		if x.type and x:type() == "vec2" then
+		if type(x.type) == "function" and x:type() == "vec2" then
 			self:vset(x)
 		elseif x[1] then
 			self:sset(x[1], x[2])
diff --git a/vec3.lua b/vec3.lua
index b1a7b72..695b2ee 100644
--- a/vec3.lua
+++ b/vec3.lua
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ function vec3:new(x, y, z)
 	if type(x) == "number" or type(x) == "nil" then
 		self:sset(x or 0, y, z)
 	elseif type(x) == "table" then
-		if x.type and x:type() == "vec3" then
+		if type(x.type) == "function" and x:type() == "vec3" then
 			self:vset(x)
 		elseif x[1] then
 			self:sset(x[1], x[2], x[3])