diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 0b2f793d..31cd7e69 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ Debug/voxel_engine
 /build
 
 /world
+/worlds
 
 .vscode
 
diff --git a/src/engine.cpp b/src/engine.cpp
index a730377d..ae35e5c2 100644
--- a/src/engine.cpp
+++ b/src/engine.cpp
@@ -59,12 +59,15 @@ Engine::Engine(const EngineSettings& settings_) {
 	std::cout << "-- initializing finished" << std::endl;
 
 	std::cout << "-- loading world" << std::endl;
-	vec3 playerPosition = vec3(0, 64, 0);
-	Camera* camera = new Camera(playerPosition, radians(90.0f));
-	World* world = new World("world-1", enginefs::get_worlds_folder()/"world", 42, settings);
-	Player* player = new Player(playerPosition, 4.0f, camera);
-	setScreen(new LevelScreen(this, world->loadLevel(player, settings)));
 
+	//World* world = new World("world-1", enginefs::get_worlds_folder()/"world", 42, settings);
+	
+	//vec3 playerPosition = vec3(0, 64, 0);
+	//Camera* camera = new Camera(playerPosition, radians(90.0f));
+	//Player* player = new Player(playerPosition, 4.0f, camera);
+	//setScreen(new LevelScreen(this, world->loadLevel(player, settings)));
+
+	setScreen(new MenuScreen(this));
 }
 
 void Engine::updateTimers() {
diff --git a/src/frontend/gui/GUI.cpp b/src/frontend/gui/GUI.cpp
index fdf90a25..b3011356 100644
--- a/src/frontend/gui/GUI.cpp
+++ b/src/frontend/gui/GUI.cpp
@@ -3,33 +3,35 @@
 #include "panels.h"
 
 #include <iostream>
+#include <algorithm>
 
 #include "../../assets/Assets.h"
 #include "../../graphics/Batch2D.h"
+#include "../../graphics/Shader.h"
 #include "../../window/Events.h"
 #include "../../window/input.h"
+#include "../../window/Camera.h"
 
 using std::shared_ptr;
 using namespace gui;
 
 GUI::GUI() {
     container = new Container(vec2(0, 0), vec2(Window::width, Window::height));
+
+    uicamera = new Camera(vec3(), Window::height);
+	uicamera->perspective = false;
+	uicamera->flipped = true;
 }
 
 GUI::~GUI() {
+    delete uicamera;
     delete container;
 }
 
 void GUI::act(float delta) {
-    for (IntervalEvent& event : intervalEvents) {
-        event.timer += delta;
-        if (event.timer > event.interval) {
-            event.callback();
-            event.timer = fmod(event.timer, event.interval);
-        }
-    }
-
     container->size(vec2(Window::width, Window::height));
+    container->act(delta);
+
     int mx = Events::x;
     int my = Events::y;
 
@@ -77,6 +79,12 @@ void GUI::act(float delta) {
 }
 
 void GUI::draw(Batch2D* batch, Assets* assets) {
+    uicamera->fov = Window::height;
+
+	Shader* uishader = assets->getShader("ui");
+	uishader->use();
+	uishader->uniformMatrix("u_projview", uicamera->getProjection()*uicamera->getView());
+
     batch->begin();
     container->draw(batch, assets);
 }
@@ -93,6 +101,6 @@ void GUI::add(shared_ptr<UINode> panel) {
     container->add(panel);
 }
 
-void GUI::interval(float interval, ontimeout callback) {
-    intervalEvents.push_back({callback, interval, 0.0f});
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+void GUI::remove(std::shared_ptr<UINode> panel) {
+    container->remove(panel);
+}
diff --git a/src/frontend/gui/GUI.h b/src/frontend/gui/GUI.h
index 4ce8f858..b261c630 100644
--- a/src/frontend/gui/GUI.h
+++ b/src/frontend/gui/GUI.h
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 
 class Batch2D;
 class Assets;
+class Camera;
 
 /*
  Some info about padding and margin.
@@ -44,19 +45,12 @@ namespace gui {
     class UINode;
     class Container;
 
-    typedef std::function<void()> ontimeout;
-    struct IntervalEvent {
-        ontimeout callback;
-        float interval;
-        float timer;
-    };
-
     class GUI {
         Container* container;
         std::shared_ptr<UINode> hover = nullptr;
         std::shared_ptr<UINode> pressed = nullptr;
         std::shared_ptr<UINode> focus = nullptr;
-        std::vector<IntervalEvent> intervalEvents;
+        Camera* uicamera;
     public:
         GUI();
         ~GUI();
@@ -67,8 +61,7 @@ namespace gui {
         void act(float delta);
         void draw(Batch2D* batch, Assets* assets);
         void add(std::shared_ptr<UINode> panel);
-
-        void interval(float interval, ontimeout callback);
+        void remove(std::shared_ptr<UINode> panel);
     };
 }
 
diff --git a/src/frontend/gui/UINode.h b/src/frontend/gui/UINode.h
index 7a2aa74c..63bb03d0 100644
--- a/src/frontend/gui/UINode.h
+++ b/src/frontend/gui/UINode.h
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ namespace gui {
         UINode(glm::vec2 coord, glm::vec2 size);
     public:
         virtual ~UINode();
+        virtual void act(float delta) {};
         virtual void draw(Batch2D* batch, Assets* assets) = 0;
 
         virtual void visible(bool flag);
diff --git a/src/frontend/gui/panels.cpp b/src/frontend/gui/panels.cpp
index e1a30c1a..8cc22511 100644
--- a/src/frontend/gui/panels.cpp
+++ b/src/frontend/gui/panels.cpp
@@ -29,6 +29,20 @@ shared_ptr<UINode> Container::getAt(vec2 pos, shared_ptr<UINode> self) {
     return UINode::getAt(pos, self);
 }
 
+void Container::act(float delta) {
+    for (IntervalEvent& event : intervalEvents) {
+        event.timer += delta;
+        if (event.timer > event.interval) {
+            event.callback();
+            event.timer = fmod(event.timer, event.interval);
+        }
+    }
+    for (auto node : nodes) {
+        if (node->visible())
+            node->act(delta);
+    }
+}
+
 void Container::draw(Batch2D* batch, Assets* assets) {
     vec2 coord = calcCoord();
     vec2 size = this->size();
@@ -50,6 +64,18 @@ void Container::add(shared_ptr<UINode> node) {
     refresh();
 }
 
+void Container::remove(shared_ptr<UINode> selected) {
+    selected->setParent(nullptr);
+    nodes.erase(std::remove_if(nodes.begin(), nodes.end(), [selected](const shared_ptr<UINode> node) {
+        return node == selected;
+    }), nodes.end());
+    refresh();
+}
+
+void Container::listenInterval(float interval, ontimeout callback) {
+    intervalEvents.push_back({callback, interval, 0.0f});
+}
+
 Panel::Panel(vec2 size, glm::vec4 padding, float interval, bool resizing)
     : Container(vec2(), size), padding(padding), interval(interval), resizing_(resizing) {
     color_ = vec4(0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 0.75f);
diff --git a/src/frontend/gui/panels.h b/src/frontend/gui/panels.h
index f7ec7334..8bc20aea 100644
--- a/src/frontend/gui/panels.h
+++ b/src/frontend/gui/panels.h
@@ -10,18 +10,29 @@ class Batch2D;
 class Assets;
 
 namespace gui {
+    typedef std::function<void()> ontimeout;
+    struct IntervalEvent {
+        ontimeout callback;
+        float interval;
+        float timer;
+    };
+
     enum class Orientation { vertical, horizontal };
 
     class Container : public UINode {
     protected:
         std::vector<std::shared_ptr<UINode>> nodes;
+        std::vector<IntervalEvent> intervalEvents;
     public:
         Container(glm::vec2 coord, glm::vec2 size);
 
+        virtual void act(float delta) override;
         virtual void drawBackground(Batch2D* batch, Assets* assets) {};
-        virtual void draw(Batch2D* batch, Assets* assets);
+        virtual void draw(Batch2D* batch, Assets* assets) override;
         virtual std::shared_ptr<UINode> getAt(glm::vec2 pos, std::shared_ptr<UINode> self) override;
         virtual void add(std::shared_ptr<UINode> node);
+        virtual void remove(std::shared_ptr<UINode> node);
+        void listenInterval(float interval, ontimeout callback);
     };
 
     class Panel : public Container {
diff --git a/src/frontend/hud.cpp b/src/frontend/hud.cpp
index 1f7b0d13..de1ce563 100644
--- a/src/frontend/hud.cpp
+++ b/src/frontend/hud.cpp
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@
 #include "gui/panels.h"
 #include "gui/UINode.h"
 #include "gui/GUI.h"
+#include "screens.h"
+#include "../engine.h"
 
 using std::wstring;
 using std::shared_ptr;
@@ -42,18 +44,18 @@ inline Label* create_label(gui::wstringsupplier supplier) {
 	return label;
 }
 
-HudRenderer::HudRenderer(GUI* gui, Level* level, Assets* assets) : level(level), assets(assets), guiController(gui) {
+HudRenderer::HudRenderer(Engine* engine, Level* level) : level(level), assets(engine->getAssets()), guiController(engine->getGUI()) {
 	batch = new Batch2D(1024);
 	uicamera = new Camera(vec3(), Window::height);
 	uicamera->perspective = false;
 	uicamera->flipped = true;
 
-	gui->interval(1.0f, [this]() {
+	Panel* panel = new Panel(vec2(200, 200), vec4(5.0f), 1.0f);
+	panel->listenInterval(1.0f, [this]() {
 		fpsString = std::to_wstring(fpsMax)+L" / "+std::to_wstring(fpsMin);
 		fpsMin = fps;
 		fpsMax = fps;
 	});
-	Panel* panel = new Panel(vec2(200, 200), vec4(5.0f), 1.0f);
 	panel->setCoord(vec2(10, 10));
 	panel->add(shared_ptr<Label>(create_label([this](){
 		return L"chunks: "+std::to_wstring(this->level->chunks->chunksCount);
@@ -102,9 +104,9 @@ HudRenderer::HudRenderer(GUI* gui, Level* level, Assets* assets) : level(level),
 		panel->add(shared_ptr<UINode>(sub));
 	}
 	panel->refresh();
-	debugPanel = panel;
+	debugPanel = shared_ptr<UINode>(panel);
 
-	pauseMenu = new Panel(vec2(350, 200));
+	Panel* pauseMenu = new Panel(vec2(350, 200));
 	pauseMenu->color(vec4(0.0f));
 	{
 		Button* button = new Button(L"Continue", vec4(12.0f, 10.0f, 12.0f, 12.0f));
@@ -114,17 +116,21 @@ HudRenderer::HudRenderer(GUI* gui, Level* level, Assets* assets) : level(level),
 		pauseMenu->add(shared_ptr<UINode>(button));
 	}
 	{
-		Button* button = new Button(L"Save and Quit", vec4(12.0f, 10.0f, 12.0f, 12.0f));
-		button->listenAction([this](GUI*){
-			Window::setShouldClose(true);
+		Button* button = new Button(L"Save and Quit to Menu", vec4(12.0f, 10.0f, 12.0f, 12.0f));
+		button->listenAction([this, engine](GUI*){
+			this->pauseMenu->visible(false);
+			engine->setScreen(new MenuScreen(engine));
 		});
 		pauseMenu->add(shared_ptr<UINode>(button));
 	}
-	guiController->add(shared_ptr<UINode>(debugPanel));
-	guiController->add(shared_ptr<UINode>(pauseMenu));
+	this->pauseMenu = std::shared_ptr<gui::UINode>(pauseMenu);
+	guiController->add(this->debugPanel);
+	guiController->add(this->pauseMenu);
 }
 
 HudRenderer::~HudRenderer() {
+	guiController->remove(debugPanel);
+	guiController->remove(pauseMenu);
 	delete batch;
 	delete uicamera;
 }
@@ -216,7 +222,7 @@ void HudRenderer::drawInventory(Player* player) {
 void HudRenderer::draw(){
 	debugPanel->visible(level->player->debug);
 	pauseMenu->visible(pause);
-	pauseMenu->setCoord(vec2(Window::width/2.0f, Window::height/2.0f) - pauseMenu->size() / 2.0f);
+	pauseMenu->setCoord((Window::size() - pauseMenu->size()) / 2.0f);
 
 	glDisable(GL_DEPTH_TEST);
 	glDisable(GL_CULL_FACE);
diff --git a/src/frontend/hud.h b/src/frontend/hud.h
index 4bd63b89..a9b0ae4a 100644
--- a/src/frontend/hud.h
+++ b/src/frontend/hud.h
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #define SRC_HUD_H_
 
 #include <string>
+#include <memory>
 
 class Batch2D;
 class Camera;
@@ -9,10 +10,11 @@ class Level;
 class Assets;
 class Player;
 class Level;
+class Engine;
 
 namespace gui {
 	class GUI;
-	class Panel;
+	class UINode;
 }
 
 class HudRenderer {
@@ -27,13 +29,13 @@ class HudRenderer {
 	std::wstring fpsString;
 	bool occlusion;
 	bool inventoryOpen = false;
-	bool pause = true;
+	bool pause = false;
 
-	gui::Panel* debugPanel;
-	gui::Panel* pauseMenu;
+	std::shared_ptr<gui::UINode> debugPanel;
+	std::shared_ptr<gui::UINode> pauseMenu;
 	gui::GUI* guiController;
 public:
-	HudRenderer(gui::GUI* gui, Level* level, Assets* assets);
+	HudRenderer(Engine* engine, Level* level);
 	~HudRenderer();
 	void drawInventory(Player* player);
 	void draw();
diff --git a/src/frontend/screens.cpp b/src/frontend/screens.cpp
index d56b50e4..87ed5863 100644
--- a/src/frontend/screens.cpp
+++ b/src/frontend/screens.cpp
@@ -2,10 +2,13 @@
 
 #include <iostream>
 #include <memory>
+#include <glm/glm.hpp>
+#include <filesystem>
 
 #include "../window/Camera.h"
 #include "../window/Events.h"
 #include "../window/input.h"
+#include "../graphics/Shader.h"
 #include "../assets/Assets.h"
 #include "../world/Level.h"
 #include "../world/World.h"
@@ -16,13 +19,84 @@
 #include "world_render.h"
 #include "hud.h"
 #include "gui/GUI.h"
+#include "gui/panels.h"
+#include "gui/controls.h"
 #include "../engine.h"
+#include "../files/engine_files.h"
+#include "../util/stringutil.h"
 
+using std::wstring;
+using glm::vec3;
+using glm::vec4;
 using std::shared_ptr;
+using std::filesystem::directory_iterator;
+using namespace gui;
+
+MenuScreen::MenuScreen(Engine* engine_) : Screen(engine_) {
+    Panel* panel = new Panel(vec2(400, 200), vec4(5.0f), 1.0f);
+    panel->color(vec4(0.0f));
+	panel->setCoord(vec2(10, 10));
+
+    {
+        Button* button = new Button(L"Continue", vec4(12.0f, 10.0f, 12.0f, 10.0f));
+        button->listenAction([this, panel](GUI*) {
+            EngineSettings& settings = engine->getSettings();
+            World* world = new World("world", enginefs::get_worlds_folder()/"world", 42, settings);
+            vec3 playerPosition = vec3(0, 64, 0);
+            Camera* camera = new Camera(playerPosition, radians(90.0f));
+            Player* player = new Player(playerPosition, 4.0f, camera);
+            engine->setScreen(new LevelScreen(engine, world->loadLevel(player, settings)));
+        });
+        panel->add(shared_ptr<UINode>(button));
+    }
+    // ATTENTION: FUNCTIONALITY INCOMPLETE ZONE
+    /*Panel* worldsPanel = new Panel(vec2(390, 200), vec4(5.0f));
+    worldsPanel->color(vec4(0.1f));
+    for (auto const& entry : directory_iterator(enginefs::get_worlds_folder())) {
+        std::string name = entry.path().filename();
+        Button* button = new Button(util::str2wstr_utf8(name), vec4(10.0f, 8.0f, 10.0f, 8.0f));
+        button->color(vec4(0.5f));
+        button->listenAction([this, panel, name](GUI*) {
+            EngineSettings& settings = engine->getSettings();
+            World* world = new World(name, enginefs::get_worlds_folder()/name, 42, settings);
+            vec3 playerPosition = vec3(0, 64, 0);
+            Camera* camera = new Camera(playerPosition, radians(90.0f));
+            Player* player = new Player(playerPosition, 4.0f, camera);
+            engine->setScreen(new LevelScreen(engine, world->loadLevel(player, settings)));
+        });
+        worldsPanel->add(shared_ptr<UINode>(button));
+    }
+    panel->add(shared_ptr<UINode>(worldsPanel));*/
+    
+    {
+        Button* button = new Button(L"Quit", vec4(12.0f, 10.0f, 12.0f, 10.0f));
+        button->listenAction([this](GUI*) {
+            Window::setShouldClose(true);
+        });
+        panel->add(shared_ptr<UINode>(button));
+    }
+
+    this->panel = shared_ptr<UINode>(panel);
+    engine->getGUI()->add(this->panel);
+}
+
+MenuScreen::~MenuScreen() {
+    engine->getGUI()->remove(panel);
+}
+
+void MenuScreen::update(float delta) {
+}
+
+void MenuScreen::draw(float delta) {
+    panel->setCoord((Window::size() - panel->size()) / 2.0f);
+    
+    Window::clear();
+    Window::setBgColor(vec3(0.2f, 0.2f, 0.2f));
+}
 
 LevelScreen::LevelScreen(Engine* engine, Level* level) : Screen(engine), level(level) {
     worldRenderer = new WorldRenderer(level, engine->getAssets());
-    hud = new HudRenderer(engine->getGUI(), level, engine->getAssets());
+    hud = new HudRenderer(engine, level);
 }
 
 LevelScreen::~LevelScreen() {
diff --git a/src/frontend/screens.h b/src/frontend/screens.h
index f186ba39..9350ab72 100644
--- a/src/frontend/screens.h
+++ b/src/frontend/screens.h
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #ifndef FRONTEND_SCREENS_H_
 #define FRONTEND_SCREENS_H_
 
+#include <memory>
 #include "../settings.h"
 
 class Assets;
@@ -8,6 +9,11 @@ class Level;
 class WorldRenderer;
 class HudRenderer;
 class Engine;
+class Camera;
+
+namespace gui {
+    class UINode;
+}
 
 
 /* Screen is a mainloop state */
@@ -21,6 +27,16 @@ public:
     virtual void draw(float delta) = 0;
 };
 
+class MenuScreen : public Screen {
+    std::shared_ptr<gui::UINode> panel;
+public:
+    MenuScreen(Engine* engine);
+    ~MenuScreen();
+
+    void update(float delta) override;
+    void draw(float delta) override;
+};
+
 class LevelScreen : public Screen {
     Level* level;
     WorldRenderer* worldRenderer;
diff --git a/src/util/stringutil.cpp b/src/util/stringutil.cpp
index 24c716c4..927e998f 100644
--- a/src/util/stringutil.cpp
+++ b/src/util/stringutil.cpp
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include <vector>
 #include <locale>
 #include <sstream>
+#include <stdexcept>
 
 using std::vector;
 using std::string;
@@ -10,7 +11,7 @@ using std::stringstream;
 using std::wstring;
 using std::wstringstream;
 
-wstring lfill(wstring s, uint length, wchar_t c) {
+wstring util::lfill(wstring s, uint length, wchar_t c) {
     if (s.length() >= length) {
         return s;
     }
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@ wstring lfill(wstring s, uint length, wchar_t c) {
     return ss.str();
 }
 
-wstring rfill(wstring s, uint length, wchar_t c) {
+wstring util::rfill(wstring s, uint length, wchar_t c) {
     if (s.length() >= length) {
         return s;
     }
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@ wstring rfill(wstring s, uint length, wchar_t c) {
     return ss.str();
 }
 
-uint encode_utf8(uint c, ubyte* bytes) {
+uint util::encode_utf8(uint32_t c, ubyte* bytes) {
     if (c < 0x80) {
         bytes[0] = c >> 0 & 0x7F | 0x00;
         return 1;
@@ -56,7 +57,52 @@ uint encode_utf8(uint c, ubyte* bytes) {
     }
 }
 
-string wstr2str_utf8(const wstring ws) {
+struct utf_t {
+	char mask;
+	char lead;
+	uint32_t beg;
+	uint32_t end;
+	int bits_stored;
+};
+
+const utf_t utf[] = {
+	/*             mask        lead        beg      end       bits */
+	{(char)0b00111111, (char)0b10000000, 0,       0,        6},
+	{(char)0b01111111, (char)0b00000000, 0000,    0177,     7},
+	{(char)0b00011111, (char)0b11000000, 0200,    03777,    5},
+	{(char)0b00001111, (char)0b11100000, 04000,   0177777,  4},
+	{(char)0b00000111, (char)0b11110000, 0200000, 04177777, 3},
+	{0, 0, 0, 0, 0},
+};
+
+
+inline uint utf8_len(ubyte cp) {
+    uint len = 0;
+	for (const utf_t* u = utf; u->mask; ++u) {
+		if((cp >= u->beg) && (cp <= u->end)) {
+			break;
+		}
+		++len;
+	}
+	if(len > 4) /* Out of bounds */
+		throw std::runtime_error("utf-8 decode error");
+
+	return len;
+}
+
+extern uint32_t util::decode_utf8(uint& size, const char* chr) {
+	size = utf8_len(*chr);
+	int shift = utf[0].bits_stored * (size - 1);
+	uint32_t code = (*chr++ & utf[size].mask) << shift;
+
+	for(uint i = 1; i < size; ++i, ++chr) {
+		shift -= utf[0].bits_stored;
+		code |= ((char)*chr & utf[0].mask) << shift;
+	}
+    return code;
+}
+
+string util::wstr2str_utf8(const wstring ws) {
     vector<char> chars;
     char buffer[4];
     for (wchar_t wc : ws) {
@@ -66,4 +112,23 @@ string wstr2str_utf8(const wstring ws) {
         }
     }
     return string(chars.data(), chars.size());
+}
+
+wstring util::str2wstr_utf8(const string s) {
+    vector<wchar_t> chars;
+    size_t pos = 0;
+    uint size = 0;
+    while (pos < s.length()) {
+        chars.push_back(decode_utf8(size, &s.at(pos)));
+        pos += size;
+    }
+    return wstring(chars.data(), chars.size());
+}
+
+bool util::is_integer(string text) {
+    for (char c : text) {
+        if (c < '0' || c > '9')
+            return false;
+    }
+    return true;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/util/stringutil.h b/src/util/stringutil.h
index 9969bc41..465556d0 100644
--- a/src/util/stringutil.h
+++ b/src/util/stringutil.h
@@ -4,10 +4,15 @@
 #include <string>
 #include "../typedefs.h"
 
-extern std::wstring lfill(std::wstring s, uint length, wchar_t c);
-extern std::wstring rfill(std::wstring s, uint length, wchar_t c);
+namespace util {
+    extern std::wstring lfill(std::wstring s, uint length, wchar_t c);
+    extern std::wstring rfill(std::wstring s, uint length, wchar_t c);
 
-extern uint encode_utf8(uint c, ubyte* bytes);
-extern std::string wstr2str_utf8(const std::wstring ws);
+    extern uint encode_utf8(uint32_t c, ubyte* bytes);
+    extern uint32_t decode_utf8(uint& size, const char* bytes);
+    extern std::string wstr2str_utf8(const std::wstring ws);
+    extern std::wstring str2wstr_utf8(const std::string s);
+    extern bool is_integer(std::string text);
+}
 
 #endif // UTIL_STRINGUTIL_H_
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/window/Window.h b/src/window/Window.h
index 6641e2c8..ac70ae71 100644
--- a/src/window/Window.h
+++ b/src/window/Window.h
@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@ public:
 	static void setBgColor(glm::vec3 color);
 	static double time();
 
+	static glm::vec2 size() {
+		return glm::vec2(width, height);
+	}
+
 	static ImageData* takeScreenshot();
 };