diff --git a/src/main/java/electrosphere/controls/CameraHandler.java b/src/main/java/electrosphere/controls/CameraHandler.java
index d60daccc..5867a19f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/electrosphere/controls/CameraHandler.java
+++ b/src/main/java/electrosphere/controls/CameraHandler.java
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@ public class CameraHandler {
     //if set to true, the camera will track the player's entity
     boolean trackPlayerEntity = true;
 
+    //sets whether the camera handler should update the player's camera or not
+    boolean update = true;
+
     /**
      * Handles a mouse event
      * @param event The mouse event
@@ -75,88 +78,90 @@ public class CameraHandler {
      */
     public void updateGlobalCamera(){
         Globals.profiler.beginCpuSample("updateGlobalCamera");
-        if(Globals.playerCamera != null){
-            cameraSpeed = 2.5f * (float)Globals.timekeeper.getMostRecentRawFrametime();
+        if(update){
+            if(Globals.playerCamera != null){
+                cameraSpeed = 2.5f * (float)Globals.timekeeper.getMostRecentRawFrametime();
 
-            if(Crosshair.getCrosshairActive()){
-                
-                // if(Globals.playerCharacter != null){
-                //     Vector3d charPos = EntityUtils.getPosition(Globals.playerCharacter);
-                //     CameraEntityUtils.setCameraCenter(Globals.playerCamera, new Vector3f((float)charPos.x,(float)charPos.y,(float)charPos.z));
-                // }
-                
-                Vector3d characterPos = EntityUtils.getPosition(Globals.playerEntity);
-                Vector3d targetPos = Crosshair.getTargetPosition();
-                Vector3d diffed = new Vector3d(targetPos).sub(characterPos).mul(-1).normalize();
-                cameraRotationVector.set((float)diffed.x, 0.5f, (float)diffed.z).normalize();
-                
-                yaw = (float)Math.toDegrees(Math.atan2(diffed.z, diffed.x));
-                
-                CameraEntityUtils.setCameraPitch(Globals.playerCamera, pitch);
-                CameraEntityUtils.setCameraYaw(Globals.playerCamera, yaw);
-                
-            } else {
-                CameraEntityUtils.setCameraPitch(Globals.playerCamera, pitch);
-                CameraEntityUtils.setCameraYaw(Globals.playerCamera, yaw);
+                if(Crosshair.getCrosshairActive()){
+                    
+                    // if(Globals.playerCharacter != null){
+                    //     Vector3d charPos = EntityUtils.getPosition(Globals.playerCharacter);
+                    //     CameraEntityUtils.setCameraCenter(Globals.playerCamera, new Vector3f((float)charPos.x,(float)charPos.y,(float)charPos.z));
+                    // }
+                    
+                    Vector3d characterPos = EntityUtils.getPosition(Globals.playerEntity);
+                    Vector3d targetPos = Crosshair.getTargetPosition();
+                    Vector3d diffed = new Vector3d(targetPos).sub(characterPos).mul(-1).normalize();
+                    cameraRotationVector.set((float)diffed.x, 0.5f, (float)diffed.z).normalize();
+                    
+                    yaw = (float)Math.toDegrees(Math.atan2(diffed.z, diffed.x));
+                    
+                    CameraEntityUtils.setCameraPitch(Globals.playerCamera, pitch);
+                    CameraEntityUtils.setCameraYaw(Globals.playerCamera, yaw);
+                    
+                } else {
+                    CameraEntityUtils.setCameraPitch(Globals.playerCamera, pitch);
+                    CameraEntityUtils.setCameraYaw(Globals.playerCamera, yaw);
 
-                // System.out.println(pitch);
-                // if(Globals.playerCharacter != null){
-                //     Vector3d charPos = EntityUtils.getPosition(Globals.playerCharacter);
-                //     CameraEntityUtils.setCameraCenter(Globals.playerCamera, new Vector3f((float)charPos.x,(float)charPos.y,(float)charPos.z));
-                // }
+                    // System.out.println(pitch);
+                    // if(Globals.playerCharacter != null){
+                    //     Vector3d charPos = EntityUtils.getPosition(Globals.playerCharacter);
+                    //     CameraEntityUtils.setCameraCenter(Globals.playerCamera, new Vector3f((float)charPos.x,(float)charPos.y,(float)charPos.z));
+                    // }
 
-                Quaternionf pitchQuat = new Quaternionf().fromAxisAngleDeg(MathUtils.getLeftVectorf(), -pitch);
-                Quaternionf yawQuat = new Quaternionf().fromAxisAngleDeg(MathUtils.getUpVectorf(), -yaw);
-                // float yawRad = yaw / 180.0f * (float)Math.PI;
-                // float pitchRad = pitch / 180.0f * (float)Math.PI;
-                // float rollRad = 0.0f;
-                // pitchQuat.mul(yawQuat);
-                cameraRotationVector = pitchQuat.transform(MathUtils.getOriginVectorf());
-                cameraRotationVector = yawQuat.transform(cameraRotationVector);
-                cameraRotationVector.normalize();
+                    Quaternionf pitchQuat = new Quaternionf().fromAxisAngleDeg(MathUtils.getLeftVectorf(), -pitch);
+                    Quaternionf yawQuat = new Quaternionf().fromAxisAngleDeg(MathUtils.getUpVectorf(), -yaw);
+                    // float yawRad = yaw / 180.0f * (float)Math.PI;
+                    // float pitchRad = pitch / 180.0f * (float)Math.PI;
+                    // float rollRad = 0.0f;
+                    // pitchQuat.mul(yawQuat);
+                    cameraRotationVector = pitchQuat.transform(MathUtils.getOriginVectorf());
+                    cameraRotationVector = yawQuat.transform(cameraRotationVector);
+                    cameraRotationVector.normalize();
 
 
-                // cameraRotationVector.x = 0 + (float) Math.cos(yaw / 180.0f * Math.PI) * 1;
-                // cameraRotationVector.y = 0 + (float) Math.sin(pitch / 180.0f * Math.PI) * 1;
-                // cameraRotationVector.z = 0 + (float) Math.sin(yaw / 180.0f * Math.PI) * 1;
-                // cameraRotationVector.normalize();
-                // System.out.println(yaw + " " + pitch);
+                    // cameraRotationVector.x = 0 + (float) Math.cos(yaw / 180.0f * Math.PI) * 1;
+                    // cameraRotationVector.y = 0 + (float) Math.sin(pitch / 180.0f * Math.PI) * 1;
+                    // cameraRotationVector.z = 0 + (float) Math.sin(yaw / 180.0f * Math.PI) * 1;
+                    // cameraRotationVector.normalize();
+                    // System.out.println(yaw + " " + pitch);
+                }
+                if(trackPlayerEntity && Globals.playerEntity != null){
+                    Vector3d entityPos = EntityUtils.getPosition(Globals.playerEntity);
+                    CameraEntityUtils.setCameraCenter(Globals.playerCamera, new Vector3f((float)entityPos.x,(float)entityPos.y,(float)entityPos.z).add(CameraEntityUtils.getOrbitalCameraRadialOffset(Globals.playerCamera)));
+                }
+                //update view matrix offset
+                float xFactor = (float)Math.cos(yaw / 180.0f * Math.PI);
+                float yFactor = (float)Math.sin(yaw / 180.0f * Math.PI);
+                Vector3f radialOffset = CameraEntityUtils.getOrbitalCameraRadialOffset(Globals.playerCamera);
+                Vector3f trueOffset = new Vector3f(radialOffset).mul(xFactor,1.0f,yFactor);
+                CameraEntityUtils.setOrbitalCameraRadialOffset(Globals.playerCamera, trueOffset);
+                cameraRotationVector.mul(CameraEntityUtils.getOrbitalCameraDistance(Globals.playerCamera));
+                CameraEntityUtils.setCameraEye(Globals.playerCamera, cameraRotationVector);
+
+                //tell the server that we changed where we're looking, if we're in first person
+                int perspectiveVal = CameraHandler.CAMERA_PERSPECTIVE_FIRST;
+                if(Globals.controlHandler.cameraIsThirdPerson()){
+                    perspectiveVal = CameraHandler.CAMERA_PERSPECTIVE_THIRD;
+                }
+                if(Globals.cameraHandler.getTrackPlayerEntity() && Globals.playerEntity != null){
+                    Globals.clientConnection.queueOutgoingMessage(
+                        EntityMessage.constructupdateEntityViewDirMessage(
+                            Globals.clientSceneWrapper.mapClientToServerId(Globals.playerEntity.getId()),
+                            Globals.timekeeper.getNumberOfSimFramesElapsed(),
+                            perspectiveVal,
+                            yaw,
+                            pitch
+                        )
+                    );
+                }
+
+                //the view matrix
+                Globals.viewMatrix = CameraEntityUtils.getCameraViewMatrix(Globals.playerCamera);
+
+                //update the cursor on client side
+                updatePlayerCursor();
             }
-            if(trackPlayerEntity && Globals.playerEntity != null){
-                Vector3d entityPos = EntityUtils.getPosition(Globals.playerEntity);
-                CameraEntityUtils.setCameraCenter(Globals.playerCamera, new Vector3f((float)entityPos.x,(float)entityPos.y,(float)entityPos.z).add(CameraEntityUtils.getOrbitalCameraRadialOffset(Globals.playerCamera)));
-            }
-            //update view matrix offset
-            float xFactor = (float)Math.cos(yaw / 180.0f * Math.PI);
-            float yFactor = (float)Math.sin(yaw / 180.0f * Math.PI);
-            Vector3f radialOffset = CameraEntityUtils.getOrbitalCameraRadialOffset(Globals.playerCamera);
-            Vector3f trueOffset = new Vector3f(radialOffset).mul(xFactor,1.0f,yFactor);
-            CameraEntityUtils.setOrbitalCameraRadialOffset(Globals.playerCamera, trueOffset);
-            cameraRotationVector.mul(CameraEntityUtils.getOrbitalCameraDistance(Globals.playerCamera));
-            CameraEntityUtils.setCameraEye(Globals.playerCamera, cameraRotationVector);
-
-            //tell the server that we changed where we're looking, if we're in first person
-            int perspectiveVal = CameraHandler.CAMERA_PERSPECTIVE_FIRST;
-            if(Globals.controlHandler.cameraIsThirdPerson()){
-                perspectiveVal = CameraHandler.CAMERA_PERSPECTIVE_THIRD;
-            }
-            if(Globals.cameraHandler.getTrackPlayerEntity() && Globals.playerEntity != null){
-                Globals.clientConnection.queueOutgoingMessage(
-                    EntityMessage.constructupdateEntityViewDirMessage(
-                        Globals.clientSceneWrapper.mapClientToServerId(Globals.playerEntity.getId()),
-                        Globals.timekeeper.getNumberOfSimFramesElapsed(),
-                        perspectiveVal,
-                        yaw,
-                        pitch
-                    )
-                );
-            }
-
-            //the view matrix
-            Globals.viewMatrix = CameraEntityUtils.getCameraViewMatrix(Globals.playerCamera);
-
-            //update the cursor on client side
-            updatePlayerCursor();
         }
         Globals.profiler.endCpuSample();
     }
@@ -208,6 +213,14 @@ public class CameraHandler {
     public boolean getTrackPlayerEntity(){
         return trackPlayerEntity;
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Sets whether the camera should update with player input or not
+     * @param update true to update with input, false otherwise
+     */
+    public void setUpdate(boolean update){
+        this.update = update;
+    }
     
 
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/electrosphere/engine/loadingthreads/ClientLoading.java b/src/main/java/electrosphere/engine/loadingthreads/ClientLoading.java
index 0d1ddc12..a4c0845f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/electrosphere/engine/loadingthreads/ClientLoading.java
+++ b/src/main/java/electrosphere/engine/loadingthreads/ClientLoading.java
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ public class ClientLoading {
         //init camera
         Globals.playerCamera = CameraEntityUtils.spawnBasicCameraEntity(new Vector3f(0,0,0), new Vector3f(-1,0,0));
         Globals.cameraHandler.setTrackPlayerEntity(false);
+        Globals.cameraHandler.setUpdate(false);
         //initialize the "real" objects simulation
         initClientSimulation();
         //init foliage manager