diff --git a/engine/backlog.zig b/engine/backlog.zig
index 246acb6..77282c6 100644
--- a/engine/backlog.zig
+++ b/engine/backlog.zig
@@ -90,9 +90,12 @@ pub fn run_everything(comptime GameContext: type) !void {
     if (@hasDecl(GameContext, "tick")) {
         canTick = true;
     }
+    core.engine_logs("creating Game context");
 
     _ = try core.createObject(GameContext, .{ .can_tick = canTick });
 
+    core.engine_logs("calling gEngine.run");
+
     try core.gEngine.run();
 
     while (!core.gEngine.exitFinished()) {
diff --git a/engine/core/src/core.zig b/engine/core/src/core.zig
index 2c20e32..aa9da01 100644
--- a/engine/core/src/core.zig
+++ b/engine/core/src/core.zig
@@ -174,10 +174,9 @@ pub fn registerRendererSetup(ctx: *anyopaque, setup: engine.SetupFuncFn) void {
     gEngine.rendererSetupFunc = setup;
 }
 
-pub fn setupEnginePlatform(ctx: *anyopaque, setup: engine.SetupFuncFn, poll: engine.PollFuncFn, proc: engine.ProcEventsFn) void {
+pub fn setupEnginePlatform(ctx: *anyopaque, poll: engine.PollFuncFn, proc: engine.ProcEventsFn) void {
     gEngine.platformCtx = ctx;
 
-    gEngine.platformSetupFunc = setup;
     gEngine.platformPollFunc = poll;
     gEngine.platformProcEventsFunc = proc;
 }
diff --git a/engine/core/src/engine.zig b/engine/core/src/engine.zig
index 91a67a6..ac0e15f 100644
--- a/engine/core/src/engine.zig
+++ b/engine/core/src/engine.zig
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ pub const Engine = struct {
 
     allocator: std.mem.Allocator,
 
+    createObjectLock: bool = false,
+
     // better name for these engineObject objects is actually 'engine object'
     engineObjects: ArrayListUnmanaged(EngineObjectRef),
     eventors: ArrayListUnmanaged(EngineObjectRef),
@@ -69,7 +71,6 @@ pub const Engine = struct {
 
     platformCtx: *anyopaque = undefined,
     platformPollFunc: ?PollFuncFn = null,
-    platformSetupFunc: ?PollFuncFn = null,
     platformProcEventsFunc: ?ProcEventsFn = null,
 
     rendererCtx: *anyopaque = undefined,
@@ -142,6 +143,12 @@ pub const Engine = struct {
 
     // creates an engine object using the engine's allocator.
     pub fn createObject(self: *@This(), comptime T: type, params: NeonObjectParams) !*T {
+        if (self.createObjectLock) {
+            core.engine_err("RECURSIVE OBJECT CREATION NOT ALLOWED", .{});
+            return error.BadInit;
+        }
+        self.createObjectLock = true;
+        defer self.createObjectLock = false;
         const newIndex = self.engineObjects.items.len;
         const vtable = &@field(T, "NeonObjectTable");
         const newObjectPtr = try vtable.init_func(self.allocator);
@@ -276,6 +283,7 @@ pub const Engine = struct {
 
     pub fn run(self: *@This()) !void {
         core.engine_logs("engine loop started");
+
         const SystemsThread = struct {
             engine: *Engine,
 
@@ -308,23 +316,21 @@ pub const Engine = struct {
         self.dependentsDestroyed.store(true, .seq_cst);
     }
 
+    pub fn runPrepares(self: *@This()) !void {
+        var z = core.tracy.Zone(@src());
+        for (self.prepares.items) |prep| {
+            var z1 = core.tracy.ZoneN(@src(), "Preparing game");
+            core.tracy.Message(prep.vtable.typeName);
+            prep.vtable.prepare_func.?(prep.ptr) catch unreachable;
+            z1.End();
+        }
+        z.End();
+    }
+
     fn mainLoop(self: *@This()) !void {
         var exitSignaled: bool = false;
 
-        if (self.platformSetupFunc) |setupFunc| {
-            setupFunc(self.platformCtx) catch unreachable;
-        }
-
-        {
-            var z = core.tracy.Zone(@src());
-            for (self.prepares.items) |prep| {
-                var z1 = core.tracy.ZoneN(@src(), "Preparing game");
-                core.tracy.Message(prep.vtable.typeName);
-                prep.vtable.prepare_func.?(prep.ptr) catch unreachable;
-                z1.End();
-            }
-            z.End();
-        }
+        try self.runPrepares();
 
         while (true) {
             self.tick() catch unreachable;
diff --git a/engine/modulelist.zig b/engine/modulelist.zig
index 4bda2af..c09b12d 100644
--- a/engine/modulelist.zig
+++ b/engine/modulelist.zig
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ pub const list = [_][]const u8{
     "physics",
 
     "rend",
-    "imgui",
+    // "imgui",
     // to be implemented
     // "graphics",
     // "ui",
diff --git a/engine/platform/src/platform.zig b/engine/platform/src/platform.zig
index ad16929..a6c182c 100644
--- a/engine/platform/src/platform.zig
+++ b/engine/platform/src/platform.zig
@@ -29,7 +29,9 @@ pub fn start_module(comptime programSpec: anytype, args: anytype, allocator: std
     gPlatformInstance = try allocator.create(windowing.PlatformInstance);
     gPlatformInstance.* = try windowing.PlatformInstance.init(allocator, gStartupParams);
 
-    try gPlatformInstance.registerSetupFuncs();
+    try gPlatformInstance.setupWindow();
+
+    try gPlatformInstance.registerFuncs();
 }
 
 pub fn getInstance() *windowing.PlatformInstance {
diff --git a/engine/platform/src/windowing.zig b/engine/platform/src/windowing.zig
index 89b5d5a..b56419c 100644
--- a/engine/platform/src/windowing.zig
+++ b/engine/platform/src/windowing.zig
@@ -105,15 +105,13 @@ pub const PlatformInstance = struct {
         return self;
     }
 
-    pub fn setupWindow(opaqueSelf: *anyopaque) core.EngineDataEventError!void {
-        const self: *@This() = @alignCast(@ptrCast(opaqueSelf));
-
+    pub fn setupWindow(self: *@This()) core.EngineDataEventError!void {
         sdl3.init(.{ .video = true, .gamepad = true }) catch return error.BadInit;
         self.window = sdl3.c.SDL_CreateWindow(self.windowName, self.windowExtent.x, self.windowExtent.y, 0).?; // resizeable
     }
 
-    pub fn registerSetupFuncs(self: *@This()) !void {
-        core.setupEnginePlatform(self, setupWindow, enginePoll, processEvents);
+    pub fn registerFuncs(self: *@This()) !void {
+        core.setupEnginePlatform(self, enginePoll, processEvents);
     }
 
     // runs pinned on io thread.
diff --git a/engine/rend/src/rend.zig b/engine/rend/src/rend.zig
index 7082be8..c063806 100644
--- a/engine/rend/src/rend.zig
+++ b/engine/rend/src/rend.zig
@@ -42,12 +42,9 @@ pub const Module: core.ModuleDescription = .{
 pub fn start_module(comptime programSpec: anytype, args: anytype, allocator: std.mem.Allocator) !void {
     _ = args;
     _ = programSpec;
-    core.engine_log("starting up renderer interface", .{});
     rendAllocator = allocator;
+    try renderer.createInstance();
     try renderer.start();
-
-    try core.defineComponent(MeshComponent, allocator);
-    try core.defineComponent(CameraComponent, allocator);
 }
 
 pub fn shutdown_module(allocator: std.mem.Allocator) void {
diff --git a/engine/rend/src/sgpu/renderer.zig b/engine/rend/src/sgpu/renderer.zig
index e4b34f7..c26cac4 100644
--- a/engine/rend/src/sgpu/renderer.zig
+++ b/engine/rend/src/sgpu/renderer.zig
@@ -45,12 +45,10 @@ pub const Renderer = struct {
             .allocator = allocator,
         };
 
-        return self;
-    }
+        try core.defineComponent(rend.MeshComponent, allocator);
+        try core.defineComponent(rend.CameraComponent, allocator);
 
-    pub fn prepare(self: *@This()) core.EngineDataEventError!void {
-        core.engine_log("starting up renderer interface", .{});
-        self.startRenderer() catch return error.BadInit;
+        return self;
     }
 
     pub fn registerRendererObject(self: *@This(), T: type) !*T {
@@ -448,11 +446,15 @@ pub fn reloadShaders() !void {
 }
 
 // ====== renderer API =======
-pub fn start() !void {
+pub fn createInstance() !void {
     gRenderer = try core.createObject(Renderer, .{ .can_tick = true, .isCore = true });
     gAllocator = gRenderer.allocator;
 }
 
+pub fn start() !void {
+    try gRenderer.startRenderer();
+}
+
 pub fn shutdown() void {}
 
 pub fn context() *Renderer {