diff --git a/docs/plans/2026-04-13-rendering-rebuild.md b/docs/plans/2026-04-13-rendering-rebuild.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b4eb17c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/plans/2026-04-13-rendering-rebuild.md
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+# Rendering Rebuild from ACME
+
+Port ACME's rendering pipeline to acdream. Each step produces a
+visually testable result. The animation system stays unchanged (ACME
+has none — ours is ported from the decompiled client).
+
+## Step 1: Port StaticObject shader + instanced rendering
+
+The biggest performance win. Replace per-entity DrawElements with
+instanced rendering using a shared instance VBO.
+
+**From ACME:**
+- StaticObject.vert: aInstanceMatrix (mat4 at locations 3-6, divisor=1)
+- StaticObject.frag: sampler2DArray + alpha cutout
+- Instance buffer pattern: single float[] upload per frame
+
+**Changes:**
+- New shader: mesh_instanced.vert/frag (from ACME StaticObject.vert/frag)
+- Rewrite StaticMeshRenderer to use instance buffer pattern
+- Group entities by (GfxObjId, textureAtlas) → one DrawElementsInstanced per group
+- Per-GfxObj TextureAtlasManager (grow-on-demand, starts at 32 slots)
+- ushort indices (not uint32) for objects
+
+**Test:** Same visual output, fewer draw calls (check perf overlay).
+
+## Step 2: Port Landscape shader + terrain chunks
+
+Replace per-landblock terrain draws with chunk batching.
+
+**From ACME:**
+- Landscape.vert/frag: 8 packed uvec4 attributes, sampler2DArray terrain + alpha
+- TerrainChunk: N×N landblocks baked into one VBO/IBO
+- TerrainGPUResourceManager: buffer creation + partial updates
+
+**Changes:**
+- New shader: terrain_acme.vert/frag (from ACME Landscape.vert/frag)
+- New TerrainChunkRenderer (replaces TerrainRenderer)
+- LandblockMesh.Build outputs VertexLandscape-compatible structs
+- Single DrawElements per chunk (multiple landblocks)
+
+**Test:** Same terrain appearance, one draw call per chunk.
+
+## Step 3: Port AdjustPlanes lighting
+
+Replace guessed sun direction with decompiled retail values.
+
+**From decompiled:**
+- FUN_00532440 (AdjustPlanes): face-normal accumulation + per-vertex lighting
+- DAT constants: sun direction, ambient, diffuse
+
+**Changes:**
+- LandblockMesh: face-normal accumulation (replaces central differences)
+- Shader uniforms: xLightDirection, xAmbient from decompiled constants
+- Static objects: same lighting model
+
+**Test:** Side-by-side with retail client shows matching lighting.
+
+## Step 4: Port EnvCell portal visibility
+
+Render only visible interior cells.
+
+**From ACME:**
+- EnvCellManager: portal visibility BFS from camera cell
+- Portal occluder pass: depth-only draw of portal polygons
+- Conditional depth clear when camera is inside a cell
+
+**Changes:**
+- New CellVisibility system (BFS through CellPortals)
+- Portal occluder depth pass before EnvCell geometry
+- Conditional depth clear in render order
+
+**Test:** Enter a building — only visible rooms render.
+
+## Step 5: Wire animation into instanced pipeline
+
+The AnimationSequencer outputs per-part transforms. These need to flow
+into the instance buffer alongside static transforms.
+
+**Changes:**
+- Animated entities write their per-part instance matrices into the
+  shared instance buffer every frame (same buffer as static objects)
+- AnimationSequencer.Advance(dt) is called BEFORE the instance buffer
+  upload so the latest frame's transforms are included
+
+**Test:** NPCs breathe, player walks — all through the instanced pipeline.
+
+## Render Order (target)
+
+```
+1. Terrain (one DrawElements per chunk, PolygonOffset on)
+2. Conditional depth clear (if camera inside EnvCell)
+3. EnvCell geometry (DrawElementsInstanced, portal visibility culled)
+4. Static objects opaque (DrawElementsInstanced, alpha cutout)
+5. Static objects translucent (DrawElementsInstanced, blend on)
+6. Particles (additive blend — future)
+```
diff --git a/src/AcDream.App/Rendering/InstancedMeshRenderer.cs b/src/AcDream.App/Rendering/InstancedMeshRenderer.cs
index 5b95ef6..f21cf57 100644
--- a/src/AcDream.App/Rendering/InstancedMeshRenderer.cs
+++ b/src/AcDream.App/Rendering/InstancedMeshRenderer.cs
@@ -227,6 +227,7 @@ public sealed unsafe class InstancedMeshRenderer : IDisposable
                 // group share the same GfxObj so they have compatible overrides
                 // only in the degenerate case of mixed-palette entities using the
                 // same GfxObj — rare enough to accept the approximation here).
+                if (grp.Count == 0) continue;
                 var firstEntry = grp.Entries[0];
                 uint tex = ResolveTex(firstEntry.Entity, firstEntry.MeshRef, sub);
                 _gl.ActiveTexture(TextureUnit.Texture0);
@@ -295,6 +296,7 @@ public sealed unsafe class InstancedMeshRenderer : IDisposable
                         false, 64, (void*)(byteOffset + row * 16));
                 }
 
+                if (grp.Count == 0) continue;
                 var firstEntry = grp.Entries[0];
                 uint tex = ResolveTex(firstEntry.Entity, firstEntry.MeshRef, sub);
                 _gl.ActiveTexture(TextureUnit.Texture0);