diff --git a/client/scenes/world.cpp b/client/scenes/world.cpp
index 2357614..b967d94 100644
--- a/client/scenes/world.cpp
+++ b/client/scenes/world.cpp
@@ -77,16 +77,12 @@ World::World(int* const argClientIndex,	int* const argAccountIndex):
 	disconnectButton.SetText(GetRenderer(), font, WHITE, "Disconnect");
 	shutdownButton.SetBackgroundTexture(GetRenderer(), buttonImage.GetTexture());
 	shutdownButton.SetText(GetRenderer(), font, WHITE, "Shutdown");
-	inventoryButton.SetBackgroundTexture(GetRenderer(), buttonImage.GetTexture());
-	inventoryButton.SetText(GetRenderer(), font, WHITE, "Inventory");
 
 	//set the button positions
 	disconnectButton.SetX(50);
 	disconnectButton.SetY(50);
 	shutdownButton.SetX(50);
 	shutdownButton.SetY(70);
-	inventoryButton.SetX(50);
-	inventoryButton.SetY(90);
 
 	//load the tilesheet
 	//TODO: (2) Tile size and tile sheet should be loaded elsewhere
@@ -270,7 +266,6 @@ void World::RenderFrame(SDL_Renderer* renderer) {
 	//draw UI
 	disconnectButton.DrawTo(renderer);
 	shutdownButton.DrawTo(renderer);
-	inventoryButton.DrawTo(renderer);
 
 	//FPS
 	fpsTextLine.DrawTo(renderer);
@@ -295,13 +290,11 @@ void World::QuitEvent() {
 void World::MouseMotion(SDL_MouseMotionEvent const& event) {
 	disconnectButton.MouseMotion(event);
 	shutdownButton.MouseMotion(event);
-	inventoryButton.MouseMotion(event);
 }
 
 void World::MouseButtonDown(SDL_MouseButtonEvent const& event) {
 	disconnectButton.MouseButtonDown(event);
 	shutdownButton.MouseButtonDown(event);
-	inventoryButton.MouseButtonDown(event);
 }
 
 void World::MouseButtonUp(SDL_MouseButtonEvent const& event) {
@@ -311,9 +304,6 @@ void World::MouseButtonUp(SDL_MouseButtonEvent const& event) {
 	if (shutdownButton.MouseButtonUp(event) == Button::State::RELEASED) {
 		SendAdminShutdownRequest();
 	}
-	if (inventoryButton.MouseButtonUp(event) == Button::State::RELEASED) {
-		//TODO: show the inventory screen
-	}
 }
 
 void World::MouseWheel(SDL_MouseWheelEvent const& event) {
diff --git a/client/scenes/world.hpp b/client/scenes/world.hpp
index 3446a37..99e54c5 100644
--- a/client/scenes/world.hpp
+++ b/client/scenes/world.hpp
@@ -143,7 +143,6 @@ private:
 	TTF_Font* font = nullptr;
 	Button disconnectButton;
 	Button shutdownButton;
-	Button inventoryButton;
 	FrameRate fps;
 	TextLine fpsTextLine;
 
diff --git a/server/combat/barrier_data.cpp b/server/combat/barrier_data.cpp
index 648d398..838071c 100644
--- a/server/combat/barrier_data.cpp
+++ b/server/combat/barrier_data.cpp
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ BarrierData::~BarrierData() {
 int BarrierData::Update(lua_State* L) {
 	int ret = 0;
 
+	//NOTE: this is here mostly for the "barrier tick" effect
 	if (scriptRef != LUA_NOREF) {
 		//Call the script reference
 		lua_pushinteger(L, scriptRef);
diff --git a/server/rooms/room_data.cpp b/server/rooms/room_data.cpp
index 3f23bb5..0561349 100644
--- a/server/rooms/room_data.cpp
+++ b/server/rooms/room_data.cpp
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 #include <stack>
 #include <stdexcept>
 
-//TODO: (9) character collisions should be preformed client-side
+//NOTE: character collisions should be preformed client-side
 void RoomData::RunFrame() {
 	//get the hook
 	lua_rawgeti(lua, LUA_REGISTRYINDEX, tickRef);
@@ -67,6 +67,27 @@ void RoomData::RunFrame() {
 	creatureMgr.Update(&creatureList, updateAll);
 	barrierMgr.Update(&barrierList, updateAll);
 
+	//update the combat instances
+	combatInstanceMgr.Update();
+
+	//send the creature updates
+	for (auto& it : creatureList) {
+		CreaturePacket packet;
+		copyCreatureToPacket(&packet, it.second, it.first);
+		packet.type = SerialPacketType::CREATURE_UPDATE;
+		packet.roomIndex = roomIndex;
+		pumpPacketProximity(reinterpret_cast<SerialPacket*>(&packet), roomIndex, it.second->GetOrigin(), INFLUENCE_RADIUS);
+	}
+
+	//send the barrier updates
+	for (auto& it : barrierList) {
+		BarrierPacket packet;
+		copyBarrierToPacket(&packet, it.second, it.first);
+		packet.type = SerialPacketType::BARRIER_UPDATE;
+		packet.roomIndex = roomIndex;
+		pumpPacketProximity(reinterpret_cast<SerialPacket*>(&packet), roomIndex, it.second->GetOrigin(), INFLUENCE_RADIUS);
+	}
+
 	//build a list of entities for use with the triggers
 	std::stack<Entity*> entityStack;
 	for (auto& it : characterList) {
@@ -76,7 +97,7 @@ void RoomData::RunFrame() {
 	//Compare the triggers to the entities, using their real hitboxes
 	triggerMgr.Compare(entityStack);
 
-	//Creature/character collisions, O(m*n)
+	//Creature/character collisions, O(m*n), making the barriers
 	for (auto characterIt : characterList) {
 		BoundingBox characterBox = characterIt->GetBounds() + characterIt->GetOrigin();
 
@@ -86,7 +107,7 @@ void RoomData::RunFrame() {
 			BoundingBox creatureBox = creatureIt.second.GetBounds() + creatureIt.second.GetOrigin();
 
 			if (characterBox.CheckOverlap(creatureBox)) {
-				int barrierIndex = barrierMgr.Create(-1);
+				int barrierIndex = barrierMgr.Create(combatInstanceMgr.Create()); //link the barrier to an instance
 				BarrierData* barrierData = barrierMgr.Find(barrierIndex);
 				barrierData->SetRoomIndex(roomIndex);
 				barrierData->SetOrigin({
@@ -119,22 +140,23 @@ void RoomData::RunFrame() {
 		}
 	}
 
-	//send the creature updates
-	for (auto& it : creatureList) {
-		CreaturePacket packet;
-		copyCreatureToPacket(&packet, it.second, it.first);
-		packet.type = SerialPacketType::CREATURE_UPDATE;
-		packet.roomIndex = roomIndex;
-		pumpPacketProximity(reinterpret_cast<SerialPacket*>(&packet), roomIndex, it.second->GetOrigin(), INFLUENCE_RADIUS);
-	}
+	//TODO: check for character collisions with barriers, O(m*n)
+	for (auto characterIt : characterList) {
+		BoundingBox characterBox = characterIt->GetBounds() + characterIt->GetOrigin();
 
-	//send the barrier updates
-	for (auto& it : barrierList) {
-		BarrierPacket packet;
-		copyBarrierToPacket(&packet, it.second, it.first);
-		packet.type = SerialPacketType::BARRIER_UPDATE;
-		packet.roomIndex = roomIndex;
-		pumpPacketProximity(reinterpret_cast<SerialPacket*>(&packet), roomIndex, it.second->GetOrigin(), INFLUENCE_RADIUS);
+		for (auto barrierIt : *barrierMgr.GetContainer()) {
+			BoundingBox barrierBox = barrierIt.second.GetBounds() + barrierIt.second.GetOrigin();
+
+			if (characterBox.CheckOverlap(barrierBox)) {
+				//TODO: (0) actually move the character to an instance
+				CombatInstance* instance = combatInstanceMgr.Find(barrierIt.second.GetInstanceIndex());
+
+				//...
+
+				//only confirm one barrier per character
+				break;
+			}
+		}
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/server/rooms/room_data.hpp b/server/rooms/room_data.hpp
index 8cb31c2..ab6dfa4 100644
--- a/server/rooms/room_data.hpp
+++ b/server/rooms/room_data.hpp
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ private:
 	int roomIndex = 0;
 	BarrierManager barrierMgr;
 	std::list<CharacterData*> characterList;
-	CombatInstanceManager CombatInstanceMgr;
+	CombatInstanceManager combatInstanceMgr;
 	CreatureManager creatureMgr;
 	RegionPagerLua pager;
 	TriggerManager triggerMgr;