diff --git a/include/rendering/renderer.hpp b/include/rendering/renderer.hpp
index a2c051a9..169928ef 100644
--- a/include/rendering/renderer.hpp
+++ b/include/rendering/renderer.hpp
@@ -184,7 +184,13 @@ private:
     glm::mat4 lightSpaceMatrix = glm::mat4(1.0f);
     glm::vec3 shadowCenter = glm::vec3(0.0f);
     bool shadowCenterInitialized = false;
+    bool shadowsEnabled = true;
 
+public:
+    void setShadowsEnabled(bool enabled) { shadowsEnabled = enabled; }
+    bool areShadowsEnabled() const { return shadowsEnabled; }
+
+private:
     void initShadowMap();
     void renderShadowPass();
     uint32_t compileShadowShader();
diff --git a/include/rendering/wmo_renderer.hpp b/include/rendering/wmo_renderer.hpp
index a7c646ea..b936729f 100644
--- a/include/rendering/wmo_renderer.hpp
+++ b/include/rendering/wmo_renderer.hpp
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@ private:
     bool frustumCulling = true;
     bool portalCulling = false;  // Disabled by default - needs debugging
     bool distanceCulling = false;  // Disabled - causes ground to disappear
-    bool occlusionCulling = true;  // GPU occlusion queries
+    bool occlusionCulling = false;  // GPU occlusion queries - disabled, adds overhead
     float maxGroupDistance = 500.0f;
     float maxGroupDistanceSq = 250000.0f;  // maxGroupDistance^2
     uint32_t lastDrawCalls = 0;
diff --git a/src/core/application.cpp b/src/core/application.cpp
index 0e853f21..96c86136 100644
--- a/src/core/application.cpp
+++ b/src/core/application.cpp
@@ -255,6 +255,14 @@ void Application::run() {
                         LOG_INFO("Performance HUD: ", enabled ? "ON" : "OFF");
                     }
                 }
+                // F4: Toggle shadows
+                else if (event.key.keysym.scancode == SDL_SCANCODE_F4) {
+                    if (renderer) {
+                        bool enabled = !renderer->areShadowsEnabled();
+                        renderer->setShadowsEnabled(enabled);
+                        LOG_INFO("Shadows: ", enabled ? "ON" : "OFF");
+                    }
+                }
                 // T: Toggle teleporter panel
                 else if (event.key.keysym.scancode == SDL_SCANCODE_T) {
                     if (state == AppState::IN_GAME && uiManager) {
diff --git a/src/rendering/renderer.cpp b/src/rendering/renderer.cpp
index 37c8472d..93ea481a 100644
--- a/src/rendering/renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/rendering/renderer.cpp
@@ -1039,8 +1039,14 @@ void Renderer::renderWorld(game::World* world) {
     lastM2RenderMs = 0.0;
 
     // Shadow pass (before main scene)
-    if (shadowFBO && shadowShaderProgram && terrainLoaded) {
+    if (shadowsEnabled && shadowFBO && shadowShaderProgram && terrainLoaded) {
         renderShadowPass();
+    } else {
+        // Clear shadow maps when disabled
+        if (terrainRenderer) terrainRenderer->clearShadowMap();
+        if (wmoRenderer) wmoRenderer->clearShadowMap();
+        if (m2Renderer) m2Renderer->clearShadowMap();
+        if (characterRenderer) characterRenderer->clearShadowMap();
     }
 
     // Bind HDR scene framebuffer for world rendering
diff --git a/src/rendering/wmo_renderer.cpp b/src/rendering/wmo_renderer.cpp
index e902de38..2b1f2603 100644
--- a/src/rendering/wmo_renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/rendering/wmo_renderer.cpp
@@ -645,7 +645,7 @@ void WMORenderer::render(const Camera& camera, const glm::mat4& view, const glm:
                 continue;
             }
 
-            // Occlusion culling check (uses previous frame results)
+            // Occlusion culling check first (uses previous frame results)
             if (occlusionCulling && isGroupOccluded(instance.id, static_cast<uint32_t>(gi))) {
                 lastOcclusionCulledGroups++;
                 continue;
@@ -654,14 +654,12 @@ void WMORenderer::render(const Camera& camera, const glm::mat4& view, const glm:
             if (gi < instance.worldGroupBounds.size()) {
                 const auto& [gMin, gMax] = instance.worldGroupBounds[gi];
 
-                // Distance culling: skip groups whose center is too far
-                if (distanceCulling) {
-                    glm::vec3 groupCenter = (gMin + gMax) * 0.5f;
-                    float distSq = glm::dot(groupCenter - camPos, groupCenter - camPos);
-                    if (distSq > maxGroupDistanceSq) {
-                        lastDistanceCulledGroups++;
-                        continue;
-                    }
+                // Hard distance cutoff - skip groups entirely if closest point is too far
+                glm::vec3 closestPoint = glm::clamp(camPos, gMin, gMax);
+                float distSq = glm::dot(closestPoint - camPos, closestPoint - camPos);
+                if (distSq > 40000.0f) {  // Beyond 200 units - hard skip
+                    lastDistanceCulledGroups++;
+                    continue;
                 }
 
                 // Frustum culling