diff --git a/collada/header.py b/collada/header.py
index 037dcd9..9547f74 100644
--- a/collada/header.py
+++ b/collada/header.py
@@ -41,6 +41,10 @@ class State:
     # channel nodes: node_id to list of sanitized target names
     node_animation_channels: Dict[str, set]
 
+    # linearized_nodes
+    linearized_nodes: List[types.Node]
+    node_parents: Dict[int, int]
+
     def __init__(self):
         self.vertex_buffer = BytesIO()
         self.index_buffer = BytesIO()
@@ -50,6 +54,8 @@ class State:
         self.symbol_names = {}
         self.emitted_input_elements_arrays = {}
         self.node_animation_channels = defaultdict(set)
+        self.linearized_nodes = []
+        self.node_parents = {}
 
 def sanitize_name(state, name, value, *, allow_slash=False):
     assert name is not None, value
@@ -284,13 +290,13 @@ def get_node_name_id(node):
     assert name is not None, node
     return name
 
-def render_node_children(state, collada, node_name, nodes):
-    yield f"node const * const node_children_{node_name}[] = {{"
-    for node in nodes:
-        node_name_id = get_node_name_id(node)
-        node_name = sanitize_name(state, node_name_id, node)
-        yield "&node_{node_name},"
-    yield "};"
+#def render_node_children(state, collada, node_name, nodes):
+#    yield f"node const * const node_children_{node_name}[] = {{"
+#    for node in nodes:
+#        node_name_id = get_node_name_id(node)
+#        node_name = sanitize_name(state, node_name_id, node)
+#        yield "&node_{node_name},"
+#    yield "};"
 
 def render_node_channels(state, collada, node, node_name):
     if node.id is None:
@@ -304,14 +310,10 @@ def render_node_channels(state, collada, node, node_name):
         yield f"&node_channel_{target_name},"
     yield "};"
 
-def render_node(state, collada, node):
-    # render children first
-    for child_node in node.nodes:
-        yield from render_node(state, collada, child_node)
-
+def render_node(state, collada, node, node_index):
     node_name_id = get_node_name_id(node)
     node_name = sanitize_name(state, node_name_id, node)
-    yield from render_node_children(state, collada, node_name, node.nodes)
+    #yield from render_node_children(state, collada, node_name, node.nodes)
     yield from render_node_transforms(state, collada, node_name, node.transformation_elements)
     yield from render_node_instance_geometries(state, collada, node_name, node.instance_geometries)
     yield from render_node_channels(state, collada, node, node_name)
@@ -322,6 +324,8 @@ def render_node(state, collada, node):
     }[node.type]
 
     yield f"node const node_{node_name} = {{"
+    yield f".parent_index = {state.node_parents[node_index]},"
+    yield ""
     yield f".type = node_type::{type},"
     yield ""
     yield f".transforms = transforms_{node_name},"
@@ -332,22 +336,34 @@ def render_node(state, collada, node):
     yield ""
     yield f".channels = node_channels_{node_name},"
     yield f".channels_count = {len(state.node_animation_channels[node.id])},"
-    yield ""
-    yield f".nodes = node_children_{node_name},"
-    yield f".nodes_count = {len(node.nodes)},"
+    #yield ""
+    #yield f".nodes = node_children_{node_name},"
+    #yield f".nodes_count = {len(node.nodes)},"
     yield "};"
 
-def linear_nodes(collada):
+def traverse_node(state, parent_node_index, node):
+    assert parent_node_index < len(state.linearized_nodes)
+    node_index = len(state.linearized_nodes)
+    state.linearized_nodes.append(node)
+    assert node_index not in state.node_parents
+    state.node_parents[node_index] = parent_node_index
+    for child_node in node.nodes:
+        traverse_node(state, node_index, child_node)
+
+def linearize_nodes(state, collada):
     for library_visual_scenes in collada.library_visual_scenes:
         for visual_scene in library_visual_scenes.visual_scenes:
             for node in visual_scene.nodes:
-                yield node
+                traverse_node(state, -1, node)
 
 def render_library_visual_scenes(state, collada):
-    for node in linear_nodes(collada):
-        yield from render_node(state, collada, node)
+    linearize_nodes(state, collada)
+
+    for node_index, node in enumerate(state.linearized_nodes):
+        yield from render_node(state, collada, node, node_index)
+
     yield "node const * const nodes[] = {"
-    for node in linear_nodes(collada):
+    for node_index, node in enumerate(state.linearized_nodes):
         node_name_id = get_node_name_id(node)
         node_name = sanitize_name(state, node_name_id, node)
         yield f"&node_{node_name},"
diff --git a/include/collada_scene.hpp b/include/collada_scene.hpp
index 1246aa6..c02f6db 100644
--- a/include/collada_scene.hpp
+++ b/include/collada_scene.hpp
@@ -43,17 +43,9 @@ namespace collada_scene {
     HRESULT load_scene(collada::descriptor const * const descriptor);
     void render();
 
-    typedef void (collada_scene::scene_state::* const apply_node_func_t)(collada::node const * const node,
-                                                                         node_instance * node_instance);
-
   private:
     HRESULT load_layouts();
     void allocate_node_instances();
-    node_instance * apply_node_instances1(collada::node const * const node,
-                                          node_instance * node_instance,
-                                          apply_node_func_t func);
-    void apply_node_instances(apply_node_func_t func);
-
     void allocate_node_instance(collada::node const * const node,
                                 node_instance * node_instance);
 
diff --git a/include/collada_types.hpp b/include/collada_types.hpp
index 33de4d6..071078d 100644
--- a/include/collada_types.hpp
+++ b/include/collada_types.hpp
@@ -277,6 +277,8 @@ namespace collada {
   //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
   struct node {
+    int const parent_index;
+
     node_type const type;
 
     transform const * const transforms;
@@ -288,8 +290,8 @@ namespace collada {
     channel const * const * const channels;
     int const channels_count;
 
-    node const * const * const nodes;
-    int const nodes_count;
+    //node const * const * const nodes;
+    //int const nodes_count;
   };
 
   struct descriptor {
diff --git a/include/scenes/curve_interpolation.hpp b/include/scenes/curve_interpolation.hpp
index dcce592..6da641d 100644
--- a/include/scenes/curve_interpolation.hpp
+++ b/include/scenes/curve_interpolation.hpp
@@ -510,9 +510,6 @@ geometry const * const geometries[] = {
   &geometry_geom_plane001,
 };
 
-node const * const node_children_node_environmentambientlight[] = {
-};
-
 transform const transforms_node_environmentambientlight[] = {
 };
 
@@ -532,12 +529,6 @@ node const node_node_environmentambientlight = {
 
   .channels = node_channels_node_environmentambientlight,
   .channels_count = 0,
-
-  .nodes = node_children_node_environmentambientlight,
-  .nodes_count = 0,
-};
-
-node const * const node_children_node_cube[] = {
 };
 
 transform const transforms_node_cube[] = {
@@ -583,8 +574,8 @@ instance_geometry const instance_geometries_node_cube[] = {
 };
 
 channel const * const node_channels_node_cube[] = {
-  &node_channel_node_cube_translation_y,
   &node_channel_node_cube_translation_x,
+  &node_channel_node_cube_translation_y,
 };
 
 node const node_node_cube = {
@@ -598,12 +589,6 @@ node const node_node_cube = {
 
   .channels = node_channels_node_cube,
   .channels_count = 2,
-
-  .nodes = node_children_node_cube,
-  .nodes_count = 0,
-};
-
-node const * const node_children_node_cylinder001[] = {
 };
 
 transform const transforms_node_cylinder001[] = {
@@ -638,12 +623,6 @@ node const node_node_cylinder001 = {
 
   .channels = node_channels_node_cylinder001,
   .channels_count = 0,
-
-  .nodes = node_children_node_cylinder001,
-  .nodes_count = 0,
-};
-
-node const * const node_children_node_plane001[] = {
 };
 
 transform const transforms_node_plane001[] = {
@@ -686,9 +665,6 @@ node const node_node_plane001 = {
 
   .channels = node_channels_node_plane001,
   .channels_count = 0,
-
-  .nodes = node_children_node_plane001,
-  .nodes_count = 0,
 };
 
 node const * const nodes[] = {
diff --git a/src/collada_scene.cpp b/src/collada_scene.cpp
index 07af7f1..9b1bb46 100644
--- a/src/collada_scene.cpp
+++ b/src/collada_scene.cpp
@@ -67,15 +67,6 @@ namespace collada_scene {
     return S_OK;
   }
 
-  static int count_nodes(node const * const node)
-  {
-    int count = 1;
-    for (int i = 0; i < node->nodes_count; i++) {
-      count += count_nodes(node->nodes[i]);
-    }
-    return count;
-  }
-
   static void initialize_node_transforms(node const * const node,
                                          node_instance * node_instance)
   {
@@ -113,38 +104,13 @@ namespace collada_scene {
     initialize_node_transforms(node, node_instance);
   }
 
-  node_instance * scene_state::apply_node_instances1(node const * const node,
-                                                     node_instance * node_instance,
-                                                     apply_node_func_t func)
-  {
-    (this->*func)(node, node_instance);
-    node_instance = &node_instance[1];
-
-    for (int i = 0; i < node->nodes_count; i++) {
-      node_instance = apply_node_instances1(node->nodes[i], node_instance, func);
-    }
-
-    return node_instance;
-  }
-
-  void scene_state::apply_node_instances(apply_node_func_t func)
-  {
-    node_instance * node_instance = m_nodeInstances;
-    for (int i = 0; i < m_descriptor->nodes_count; i++) {
-      node_instance = apply_node_instances1(m_descriptor->nodes[i], node_instance, func);
-    }
-  }
-
   void scene_state::allocate_node_instances()
   {
-    int count = 0;
+    m_nodeInstances = New<node_instance>(m_descriptor->nodes_count);
+
     for (int i = 0; i < m_descriptor->nodes_count; i++) {
-      count += count_nodes(m_descriptor->nodes[i]);
+      allocate_node_instance(m_descriptor->nodes[i], &m_nodeInstances[i]);
     }
-
-    m_nodeInstances = New<node_instance>(count);
-
-    apply_node_instances(&scene_state::allocate_node_instance);
   }
 
   HRESULT scene_state::load_scene(collada::descriptor const * const descriptor)
@@ -383,7 +349,6 @@ namespace collada_scene {
 
     for (int i = 0; i < m_descriptor->nodes_count; i++) {
       node const& node = *m_descriptor->nodes[i];
-      assert(node.nodes_count == 0);
       if (node.type != node_type::NODE)
         continue;