diff --git a/overcooked_simulator/overcooked_environment.py b/overcooked_simulator/overcooked_environment.py
index c38ad3871c7793e39b9edc5307d011e7f0672b12..624121caeef30e0426c1546b290a08ae86eba162 100644
--- a/overcooked_simulator/overcooked_environment.py
+++ b/overcooked_simulator/overcooked_environment.py
@@ -239,8 +239,6 @@ class Environment:
         ) = self.parse_layout_file()
         self.hook(LAYOUT_FILE_PARSED)
 
-        self.counter_positions = np.array([c.pos for c in self.counters])
-
         self.world_borders = np.array(
             [[-0.5, self.kitchen_width - 0.5], [-0.5, self.kitchen_height - 0.5]],
             dtype=float,
@@ -250,6 +248,9 @@ class Environment:
             "player_speed_units_per_seconds"
         ]
         self.player_radius = self.environment_config["player_config"]["radius"]
+        self.player_interaction_range = self.environment_config["player_config"][
+            "interaction_range"
+        ]
 
         progress_counter_classes = list(
             filter(
@@ -269,6 +270,8 @@ class Environment:
         )
         """Counters that needs to be called in the step function via the `progress` method."""
 
+        self.counter_positions = np.array([c.pos for c in self.counters])
+
         self.order_and_score.create_init_orders(self.env_time)
         self.start_time = self.env_time
         """The relative env time when it started."""
@@ -290,6 +293,27 @@ class Environment:
             env_start_time_worldtime=datetime.now(),
         )
 
+    def overwrite_counters(self, counters):
+        self.counters = counters
+        self.counter_positions = np.array([c.pos for c in self.counters])
+
+        progress_counter_classes = list(
+            filter(
+                lambda cl: hasattr(cl, "progress"),
+                dict(
+                    inspect.getmembers(
+                        sys.modules["overcooked_simulator.counters"], inspect.isclass
+                    )
+                ).values(),
+            )
+        )
+        self.progressing_counters = list(
+            filter(
+                lambda c: c.__class__ in progress_counter_classes,
+                self.counters,
+            )
+        )
+
     @property
     def game_ended(self) -> bool:
         """Whether the game is over or not based on the calculated `Environment.env_time_end`"""
@@ -666,9 +690,21 @@ class Environment:
 
         for idx, p in enumerate(self.players.values()):
             if not (new_positions[idx] == player_positions[idx]).all():
-                p.move_abs(new_positions[idx])
+                p.pos = new_positions[idx]
+                p.perform_interact_stop()
+
             p.turn(player_movement_vectors[idx])
 
+            facing_distances = np.linalg.norm(
+                p.facing_point - self.counter_positions, axis=1
+            )
+            closest_counter = self.counters[facing_distances.argmin()]
+            p.current_nearest_counter = (
+                closest_counter
+                if facing_distances.min() <= self.player_interaction_range
+                else None
+            )
+
     def add_player(self, player_name: str, pos: npt.NDArray = None):
         """Add a player to the environment.
 
diff --git a/overcooked_simulator/player.py b/overcooked_simulator/player.py
index 82c2c8cdcb570fe37a609e50715f63387a60eed3..638bc4cd5c0d537aa5823af96543a008b43c3300 100644
--- a/overcooked_simulator/player.py
+++ b/overcooked_simulator/player.py
@@ -91,19 +91,7 @@ class Player:
         function of the environment"""
         self.current_movement = move_vector
         self.movement_until = move_until
-
-    def move(self, movement: npt.NDArray[float]):
-        """Moves the player position by the given movement vector.
-        A unit direction vector multiplied by move_dist is added to the player position.
-
-        Args:
-            movement: 2D-Vector of length 1
-        """
-        if self.interacting and np.any(movement):
-            self.perform_interact_stop()
-        self.pos += movement
-        if np.linalg.norm(movement) != 0:
-            self.turn(movement)
+        self.perform_interact_stop()
 
     def move_abs(self, new_pos: npt.NDArray[float]):
         """Overwrites the player location by the new_pos 2d-vector. Absolute movement.
diff --git a/tests/test_start.py b/tests/test_start.py
index 8efe8da9ecf1c67974f88a18b1bcdb0b1cd3786a..8531f9d81dc52cb4327c98e641406ad2d45bdec2 100644
--- a/tests/test_start.py
+++ b/tests/test_start.py
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ def test_player_reach(env_config, layout_empty_config, item_info):
 
     counter_pos = np.array([2, 2])
     counter = Counter(pos=counter_pos, hook=Hooks(env))
-    env.counters = [counter]
+    env.overwrite_counters([counter])
     env.add_player("1", np.array([2, 4]))
     env.player_movement_speed = 1
     player = env.players["1"]
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ def test_pickup(env_config, layout_config, item_info):
     counter_pos = np.array([2, 2])
     counter = Counter(pos=counter_pos, hook=Hooks(env))
     counter.occupied_by = Item(name="Tomato", item_info=None)
-    env.counters = [counter]
+    env.overwrite_counters([counter])
 
     env.add_player("1", np.array([2, 3]))
     player = env.players["1"]