It works!

src/engine/Engine.zig

@@ -104,6 +104,9 @@ graphics_command_pool: vk.CommandPool,
 compute_command_pool: vk.CommandPool,
 transfer_command_pool: vk.CommandPool,
 
+prng_ptr: *std.Random.Pcg,
+random: std.Random,
+
 const debug = @import("builtin").mode == .Debug;
 
 const vk_application_info: vk.ApplicationInfo = .{
@@ -164,7 +167,7 @@ pub fn init(allocator: std.mem.Allocator, maybe_window: ?*glfw.Window) !Engine {
 
         break :blk try base.createInstance(&.{
             .p_application_info = &vk_application_info,
-            .enabled_layer_count = enabled_layers.len,
+            .enabled_layer_count = 0, //enabled_layers.len,
             .pp_enabled_layer_names = enabled_layers.ptr,
             .enabled_extension_count = @intCast(enabled_extensions.items.len),
             .pp_enabled_extension_names = enabled_extensions.items.ptr,
@@ -345,6 +348,15 @@ pub fn init(allocator: std.mem.Allocator, maybe_window: ?*glfw.Window) !Engine {
     const transfer_queue: Queue = .initAllocation(device, queue_allocations.transfer_queue);
     const presentation_queue: Queue = if (maybe_window != null) .initAllocation(device, queue_allocations.presentation_queue) else undefined;
 
+    // --- CREATE AND SEED RNG -------------------------------------------------
+
+    const prng_ptr = try allocator.create(std.Random.Pcg);
+    errdefer allocator.destroy(prng_ptr);
+
+    const timestamp: u128 = @bitCast(std.time.nanoTimestamp());
+    prng_ptr.* = .init(@truncate(timestamp));
+    const random = prng_ptr.random();
+
     // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
     return .{
@@ -371,12 +383,17 @@ pub fn init(allocator: std.mem.Allocator, maybe_window: ?*glfw.Window) !Engine {
         .graphics_command_pool = graphics_command_pool,
         .compute_command_pool = compute_command_pool,
         .transfer_command_pool = transfer_command_pool,
+
+        .prng_ptr = prng_ptr,
+        .random = random,
     };
 }
 
 pub fn deinit(self: *Engine) void {
     const allocator = self.vk_allocator.allocator;
 
+    allocator.destroy(self.prng_ptr);
+
     self.device.destroyCommandPool(self.graphics_command_pool, &self.vk_allocator.interface);
     self.device.destroyCommandPool(self.compute_command_pool, &self.vk_allocator.interface);
     self.device.destroyCommandPool(self.transfer_command_pool, &self.vk_allocator.interface);