for the benefit of those not in IRC, my response to mm765's comments are as follows:
he makes a good point that I wasnt thinking about the security ramifications of allowing the client to request entity information from the server. Fortunately in this particular instance, it seems safe because you're only able to ask for model and basic inventory information and not updated position.
as for the text, it seems like I was too worried about it at this stage in the game. I'll worry less about it. Especially since I can simply go back and change all my raknet BitStream calls from .Write() to .WriteCompressed() if it looks like i need to use less bandwidth.
The current state of my project: have client and server connected, sending world update from client to server. currently no real physics so its sending all events within a level to the client and its immediately applying all clientRequests directly to entities (all client requests being 'moveForward' and 'turnXdegrees' lol )
soon i'll have the client displaying an origin and billboards at each entity position, so you'll be able to float around in the void and see other little willow wisps floating around as well. maybe i'll add a particle system at the origin for extra effect