diff --git a/include/rendering/renderer.hpp b/include/rendering/renderer.hpp
index 0799eccc..2e253d2c 100644
--- a/include/rendering/renderer.hpp
+++ b/include/rendering/renderer.hpp
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ private:
     glm::mat4 lightSpaceMatrix = glm::mat4(1.0f);
     glm::vec3 shadowCenter = glm::vec3(0.0f);
     bool shadowCenterInitialized = false;
-    bool shadowsEnabled = true;
+    bool shadowsEnabled = false;
 
 public:
     void setShadowsEnabled(bool enabled) { shadowsEnabled = enabled; }
diff --git a/include/ui/game_screen.hpp b/include/ui/game_screen.hpp
index 241abf10..ebd7407f 100644
--- a/include/ui/game_screen.hpp
+++ b/include/ui/game_screen.hpp
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ private:
     bool pendingFullscreen = false;
     bool pendingVsync = false;
     int pendingResIndex = 0;
-    bool pendingShadows = true;
+    bool pendingShadows = false;
     int pendingMusicVolume = 30;
     int pendingSfxVolume = 100;
     float pendingMouseSensitivity = 0.2f;
diff --git a/src/rendering/camera_controller.cpp b/src/rendering/camera_controller.cpp
index e407d78d..af38f7a1 100644
--- a/src/rendering/camera_controller.cpp
+++ b/src/rendering/camera_controller.cpp
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ void CameraController::update(float deltaTime) {
                 glm::vec3 stepPos = swimFrom;
 
                 if (swimMoveDist > 0.01f) {
-                    int swimSteps = std::max(1, std::min(2, static_cast<int>(std::ceil(swimMoveDist / 1.0f))));
+                    int swimSteps = std::max(1, std::min(3, static_cast<int>(std::ceil(swimMoveDist / 0.65f))));
                     glm::vec3 stepDelta = (swimTo - swimFrom) / static_cast<float>(swimSteps);
 
                     for (int i = 0; i < swimSteps; i++) {
@@ -420,8 +420,7 @@ void CameraController::update(float deltaTime) {
             float moveDist = glm::length(desiredPos - startPos);
 
             if (moveDist > 0.01f) {
-                // Adaptive CCD: 1.0f step size, max 2 steps.
-                int sweepSteps = std::max(1, std::min(2, static_cast<int>(std::ceil(moveDist / 1.0f))));
+                int sweepSteps = std::max(1, std::min(3, static_cast<int>(std::ceil(moveDist / 0.65f))));
                 glm::vec3 stepPos = startPos;
                 glm::vec3 stepDelta = (desiredPos - startPos) / static_cast<float>(sweepSteps);
 
@@ -812,7 +811,7 @@ void CameraController::update(float deltaTime) {
             float moveDist = glm::length(desiredFeet - startFeet);
 
             if (moveDist > 0.01f) {
-                int sweepSteps = std::max(1, std::min(2, static_cast<int>(std::ceil(moveDist / 1.0f))));
+                int sweepSteps = std::max(1, std::min(3, static_cast<int>(std::ceil(moveDist / 0.65f))));
                 glm::vec3 stepPos = startFeet;
                 glm::vec3 stepDelta = (desiredFeet - startFeet) / static_cast<float>(sweepSteps);
 
diff --git a/src/ui/game_screen.cpp b/src/ui/game_screen.cpp
index b422d6d6..a39e2c56 100644
--- a/src/ui/game_screen.cpp
+++ b/src/ui/game_screen.cpp
@@ -3425,7 +3425,7 @@ void GameScreen::renderSettingsWindow() {
     constexpr int kDefaultResH = 1080;
     constexpr bool kDefaultFullscreen = false;
     constexpr bool kDefaultVsync = true;
-    constexpr bool kDefaultShadows = true;
+    constexpr bool kDefaultShadows = false;
     constexpr int kDefaultMusicVolume = 30;
     constexpr int kDefaultSfxVolume = 100;
     constexpr float kDefaultMouseSensitivity = 0.2f;