diff --git a/src/main/java/com/seibel/lod/builders/lodTemplates/CubicLodTemplate.java b/src/main/java/com/seibel/lod/builders/lodTemplates/CubicLodTemplate.java
index 9446cedbd..7217aadb3 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/seibel/lod/builders/lodTemplates/CubicLodTemplate.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/seibel/lod/builders/lodTemplates/CubicLodTemplate.java
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ package com.seibel.lod.builders.lodTemplates;
 
 import java.awt.Color;
 
-import com.seibel.lod.enums.ColorDirection;
 import com.seibel.lod.enums.LodDetail;
+import com.seibel.lod.enums.ShadingMode;
 import com.seibel.lod.handlers.LodConfig;
 import com.seibel.lod.objects.LodChunk;
 import com.seibel.lod.objects.LodDimension;
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ import net.minecraft.util.math.AxisAlignedBB;
  * Builds LODs as rectangular prisms.
  * 
  * @author James Seibel
- * @version 06-16-2021
+ * @version 07-25-2021
  */
 public class CubicLodTemplate extends AbstractLodTemplate
 {
@@ -104,79 +104,55 @@ public class CubicLodTemplate extends AbstractLodTemplate
 	
 	private void addBoundingBoxToBuffer(BufferBuilder buffer, AxisAlignedBB bb, Color c)
 	{
+		Color topColor = c;
+		Color sideColor = c;
+		Color bottomColor = c;
+		
+		// darken the bottom and side colors if requested
+		if (LodConfig.CLIENT.shadingMode.get() == ShadingMode.DARKEN_SIDES)
+		{
+			int sideDarkenAmount = 50;
+			int bottomDarkenAmount = sideDarkenAmount + 25;
+			
+			sideColor =   new Color(Math.max(0, c.getRed() - sideDarkenAmount),   Math.max(0, c.getGreen() - sideDarkenAmount),   Math.max(0, c.getBlue() - sideDarkenAmount),   Math.max(0, c.getAlpha() - sideDarkenAmount));
+			bottomColor = new Color(Math.max(0, c.getRed() - bottomDarkenAmount), Math.max(0, c.getGreen() - bottomDarkenAmount), Math.max(0, c.getBlue() - bottomDarkenAmount), Math.max(0, c.getAlpha() - bottomDarkenAmount));
+		}
+		
+		
 		// top (facing up)
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.maxY, bb.minZ, c.getRed(), c.getGreen(), c.getBlue(), c.getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.maxY, bb.maxZ, c.getRed(), c.getGreen(), c.getBlue(), c.getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.maxY, bb.maxZ, c.getRed(), c.getGreen(), c.getBlue(), c.getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.maxY, bb.minZ, c.getRed(), c.getGreen(), c.getBlue(), c.getAlpha());
+		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.maxY, bb.minZ, topColor.getRed(), topColor.getGreen(), topColor.getBlue(), topColor.getAlpha());
+		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.maxY, bb.maxZ, topColor.getRed(), topColor.getGreen(), topColor.getBlue(), topColor.getAlpha());
+		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.maxY, bb.maxZ, topColor.getRed(), topColor.getGreen(), topColor.getBlue(), topColor.getAlpha());
+		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.maxY, bb.minZ, topColor.getRed(), topColor.getGreen(), topColor.getBlue(), topColor.getAlpha());
 		// bottom (facing down)
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.minY, bb.minZ, c.getRed(), c.getGreen(), c.getBlue(), c.getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.minY, bb.maxZ, c.getRed(), c.getGreen(), c.getBlue(), c.getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.minY, bb.maxZ, c.getRed(), c.getGreen(), c.getBlue(), c.getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.minY, bb.minZ, c.getRed(), c.getGreen(), c.getBlue(), c.getAlpha());
+		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.minY, bb.minZ, bottomColor.getRed(), bottomColor.getGreen(), bottomColor.getBlue(), bottomColor.getAlpha());
+		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.minY, bb.maxZ, bottomColor.getRed(), bottomColor.getGreen(), bottomColor.getBlue(), bottomColor.getAlpha());
+		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.minY, bb.maxZ, bottomColor.getRed(), bottomColor.getGreen(), bottomColor.getBlue(), bottomColor.getAlpha());
+		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.minY, bb.minZ, bottomColor.getRed(), bottomColor.getGreen(), bottomColor.getBlue(), bottomColor.getAlpha());
 
 		// south (facing -Z) 
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.minY, bb.maxZ, c.getRed(), c.getGreen(), c.getBlue(), c.getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.maxY, bb.maxZ, c.getRed(), c.getGreen(), c.getBlue(), c.getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.maxY, bb.maxZ, c.getRed(), c.getGreen(), c.getBlue(), c.getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.minY, bb.maxZ, c.getRed(), c.getGreen(), c.getBlue(), c.getAlpha());
+		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.minY, bb.maxZ, sideColor.getRed(), sideColor.getGreen(), sideColor.getBlue(), sideColor.getAlpha());
+		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.maxY, bb.maxZ, sideColor.getRed(), sideColor.getGreen(), sideColor.getBlue(), sideColor.getAlpha());
+		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.maxY, bb.maxZ, sideColor.getRed(), sideColor.getGreen(), sideColor.getBlue(), sideColor.getAlpha());
+		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.minY, bb.maxZ, sideColor.getRed(), sideColor.getGreen(), sideColor.getBlue(), sideColor.getAlpha());
 		// north (facing +Z)
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.minY, bb.minZ, c.getRed(), c.getGreen(), c.getBlue(), c.getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.maxY, bb.minZ, c.getRed(), c.getGreen(), c.getBlue(), c.getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.maxY, bb.minZ, c.getRed(), c.getGreen(), c.getBlue(), c.getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.minY, bb.minZ, c.getRed(), c.getGreen(), c.getBlue(), c.getAlpha());
+		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.minY, bb.minZ, sideColor.getRed(), sideColor.getGreen(), sideColor.getBlue(), sideColor.getAlpha());
+		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.maxY, bb.minZ, sideColor.getRed(), sideColor.getGreen(), sideColor.getBlue(), sideColor.getAlpha());
+		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.maxY, bb.minZ, sideColor.getRed(), sideColor.getGreen(), sideColor.getBlue(), sideColor.getAlpha());
+		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.minY, bb.minZ, sideColor.getRed(), sideColor.getGreen(), sideColor.getBlue(), sideColor.getAlpha());
 
 		// west (facing -X)
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.minY, bb.minZ, c.getRed(), c.getGreen(), c.getBlue(), c.getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.minY, bb.maxZ, c.getRed(), c.getGreen(), c.getBlue(), c.getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.maxY, bb.maxZ, c.getRed(), c.getGreen(), c.getBlue(), c.getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.maxY, bb.minZ, c.getRed(), c.getGreen(), c.getBlue(), c.getAlpha());
+		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.minY, bb.minZ, sideColor.getRed(), sideColor.getGreen(), sideColor.getBlue(), sideColor.getAlpha());
+		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.minY, bb.maxZ, sideColor.getRed(), sideColor.getGreen(), sideColor.getBlue(), sideColor.getAlpha());
+		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.maxY, bb.maxZ, sideColor.getRed(), sideColor.getGreen(), sideColor.getBlue(), sideColor.getAlpha());
+		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.maxY, bb.minZ, sideColor.getRed(), sideColor.getGreen(), sideColor.getBlue(), sideColor.getAlpha());
 		// east (facing +X)
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.maxY, bb.minZ, c.getRed(), c.getGreen(), c.getBlue(), c.getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.maxY, bb.maxZ, c.getRed(), c.getGreen(), c.getBlue(), c.getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.minY, bb.maxZ, c.getRed(), c.getGreen(), c.getBlue(), c.getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.minY, bb.minZ, c.getRed(), c.getGreen(), c.getBlue(), c.getAlpha());
+		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.maxY, bb.minZ, sideColor.getRed(), sideColor.getGreen(), sideColor.getBlue(), sideColor.getAlpha());
+		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.maxY, bb.maxZ, sideColor.getRed(), sideColor.getGreen(), sideColor.getBlue(), sideColor.getAlpha());
+		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.minY, bb.maxZ, sideColor.getRed(), sideColor.getGreen(), sideColor.getBlue(), sideColor.getAlpha());
+		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.minY, bb.minZ, sideColor.getRed(), sideColor.getGreen(), sideColor.getBlue(), sideColor.getAlpha());
 	}
 	
-	
-	
-	@SuppressWarnings("unused")
-	private void addBoundingBoxToBuffer(BufferBuilder buffer, AxisAlignedBB bb, Color[] c)
-	{
-		// top (facing up)
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.maxY, bb.minZ, c[ColorDirection.TOP.value].getRed(), c[ColorDirection.TOP.value].getGreen(), c[ColorDirection.TOP.value].getBlue(), c[ColorDirection.TOP.value].getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.maxY, bb.maxZ, c[ColorDirection.TOP.value].getRed(), c[ColorDirection.TOP.value].getGreen(), c[ColorDirection.TOP.value].getBlue(), c[ColorDirection.TOP.value].getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.maxY, bb.maxZ, c[ColorDirection.TOP.value].getRed(), c[ColorDirection.TOP.value].getGreen(), c[ColorDirection.TOP.value].getBlue(), c[ColorDirection.TOP.value].getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.maxY, bb.minZ, c[ColorDirection.TOP.value].getRed(), c[ColorDirection.TOP.value].getGreen(), c[ColorDirection.TOP.value].getBlue(), c[ColorDirection.TOP.value].getAlpha());
-		// bottom (facing down)
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.minY, bb.minZ, c[ColorDirection.BOTTOM.value].getRed(), c[ColorDirection.BOTTOM.value].getGreen(), c[ColorDirection.BOTTOM.value].getBlue(), c[ColorDirection.BOTTOM.value].getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.minY, bb.maxZ, c[ColorDirection.BOTTOM.value].getRed(), c[ColorDirection.BOTTOM.value].getGreen(), c[ColorDirection.BOTTOM.value].getBlue(), c[ColorDirection.BOTTOM.value].getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.minY, bb.maxZ, c[ColorDirection.BOTTOM.value].getRed(), c[ColorDirection.BOTTOM.value].getGreen(), c[ColorDirection.BOTTOM.value].getBlue(), c[ColorDirection.BOTTOM.value].getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.minY, bb.minZ, c[ColorDirection.BOTTOM.value].getRed(), c[ColorDirection.BOTTOM.value].getGreen(), c[ColorDirection.BOTTOM.value].getBlue(), c[ColorDirection.BOTTOM.value].getAlpha());
-
-		// south (facing -Z) 
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.minY, bb.maxZ, c[ColorDirection.SOUTH.value].getRed(), c[ColorDirection.SOUTH.value].getGreen(), c[ColorDirection.SOUTH.value].getBlue(), c[ColorDirection.SOUTH.value].getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.maxY, bb.maxZ, c[ColorDirection.SOUTH.value].getRed(), c[ColorDirection.SOUTH.value].getGreen(), c[ColorDirection.SOUTH.value].getBlue(), c[ColorDirection.SOUTH.value].getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.maxY, bb.maxZ, c[ColorDirection.SOUTH.value].getRed(), c[ColorDirection.SOUTH.value].getGreen(), c[ColorDirection.SOUTH.value].getBlue(), c[ColorDirection.SOUTH.value].getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.minY, bb.maxZ, c[ColorDirection.SOUTH.value].getRed(), c[ColorDirection.SOUTH.value].getGreen(), c[ColorDirection.SOUTH.value].getBlue(), c[ColorDirection.SOUTH.value].getAlpha());
-		// north (facing +Z)
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.minY, bb.minZ, c[ColorDirection.NORTH.value].getRed(), c[ColorDirection.NORTH.value].getGreen(), c[ColorDirection.NORTH.value].getBlue(), c[ColorDirection.NORTH.value].getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.maxY, bb.minZ, c[ColorDirection.NORTH.value].getRed(), c[ColorDirection.NORTH.value].getGreen(), c[ColorDirection.NORTH.value].getBlue(), c[ColorDirection.NORTH.value].getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.maxY, bb.minZ, c[ColorDirection.NORTH.value].getRed(), c[ColorDirection.NORTH.value].getGreen(), c[ColorDirection.NORTH.value].getBlue(), c[ColorDirection.NORTH.value].getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.minY, bb.minZ, c[ColorDirection.NORTH.value].getRed(), c[ColorDirection.NORTH.value].getGreen(), c[ColorDirection.NORTH.value].getBlue(), c[ColorDirection.NORTH.value].getAlpha());
-
-		// west (facing -X)
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.minY, bb.minZ, c[ColorDirection.WEST.value].getRed(), c[ColorDirection.WEST.value].getGreen(), c[ColorDirection.WEST.value].getBlue(), c[ColorDirection.WEST.value].getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.minY, bb.maxZ, c[ColorDirection.WEST.value].getRed(), c[ColorDirection.WEST.value].getGreen(), c[ColorDirection.WEST.value].getBlue(), c[ColorDirection.WEST.value].getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.maxY, bb.maxZ, c[ColorDirection.WEST.value].getRed(), c[ColorDirection.WEST.value].getGreen(), c[ColorDirection.WEST.value].getBlue(), c[ColorDirection.WEST.value].getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.minX, bb.maxY, bb.minZ, c[ColorDirection.WEST.value].getRed(), c[ColorDirection.WEST.value].getGreen(), c[ColorDirection.WEST.value].getBlue(), c[ColorDirection.WEST.value].getAlpha());
-		// east (facing +X)
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.maxY, bb.minZ, c[ColorDirection.EAST.value].getRed(), c[ColorDirection.EAST.value].getGreen(), c[ColorDirection.EAST.value].getBlue(), c[ColorDirection.EAST.value].getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.maxY, bb.maxZ, c[ColorDirection.EAST.value].getRed(), c[ColorDirection.EAST.value].getGreen(), c[ColorDirection.EAST.value].getBlue(), c[ColorDirection.EAST.value].getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.minY, bb.maxZ, c[ColorDirection.EAST.value].getRed(), c[ColorDirection.EAST.value].getGreen(), c[ColorDirection.EAST.value].getBlue(), c[ColorDirection.EAST.value].getAlpha());
-		addPosAndColor(buffer, bb.maxX, bb.minY, bb.minZ, c[ColorDirection.EAST.value].getRed(), c[ColorDirection.EAST.value].getGreen(), c[ColorDirection.EAST.value].getBlue(), c[ColorDirection.EAST.value].getAlpha());
-	}
-
 
 	@Override
 	public int getBufferMemoryForSingleLod(LodDetail detail)
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/seibel/lod/enums/ShadingMode.java b/src/main/java/com/seibel/lod/enums/ShadingMode.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..96950a0ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/com/seibel/lod/enums/ShadingMode.java
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+package com.seibel.lod.enums;
+
+/**
+ * NONE, DARKEN_SIDES
+ * 
+ * @author James Seibel
+ * @version 7-25-2020
+ */
+public enum ShadingMode
+{
+	/** LODs will have the same lighting on every side.
+	Fastest, but can make large similarly colored areas hard to differentiate */
+	NONE,
+	
+	/** LODs will have darker sides and bottoms to simulate top down lighting.
+	Fastest */
+	DARKEN_SIDES;
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/seibel/lod/handlers/LodConfig.java b/src/main/java/com/seibel/lod/handlers/LodConfig.java
index 9d6568b8b..1062d32bc 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/seibel/lod/handlers/LodConfig.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/seibel/lod/handlers/LodConfig.java
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import com.seibel.lod.enums.FogDistance;
 import com.seibel.lod.enums.FogDrawOverride;
 import com.seibel.lod.enums.LodDetail;
 import com.seibel.lod.enums.LodTemplate;
+import com.seibel.lod.enums.ShadingMode;
 
 import net.minecraftforge.common.ForgeConfigSpec;
 import net.minecraftforge.eventbus.api.SubscribeEvent;
@@ -40,7 +41,7 @@ import net.minecraftforge.fml.config.ModConfig;
 /**
  * 
  * @author James Seibel
- * @version 7-5-2021
+ * @version 7-25-2021
  */
 @Mod.EventBusSubscriber
 public class LodConfig
@@ -65,6 +66,8 @@ public class LodConfig
 		
 		public ForgeConfigSpec.IntValue numberOfWorldGenerationThreads;
 		
+		public ForgeConfigSpec.EnumValue<ShadingMode> shadingMode;
+		
 		/** this is multiplied by the default view distance
 		 * to determine how far out to generate/render LODs */
 		public ForgeConfigSpec.IntValue lodChunkRadiusMultiplier;
@@ -210,6 +213,18 @@ public class LodConfig
 	                		)
 	                .defineInRange("numberOfWorldGenerationThreads", Runtime.getRuntime().availableProcessors(), 1, Runtime.getRuntime().availableProcessors());
 	        
+	        shadingMode = builder
+	                .comment("\n\n"
+	                		+ " What kind of shading should LODs have? \n"
+	                		+ " " + ShadingMode.NONE.toString() + " \n"
+	                		+ " " + "LODs will have the same lighting on every side. \n" 
+	                		+ " " + "Can make large similarly colored areas hard to differentiate. \n"
+	                		+ " " + "Fastest"
+	                		+ "/n"
+            				+ " " + ShadingMode.DARKEN_SIDES.toString() + " \n"
+            				+ " " + "LODs will have darker sides and bottoms to simulate top down lighting."
+            				+ " " + "Fastest /n")
+	                .defineEnum("lightingMode", ShadingMode.DARKEN_SIDES);
 	        
 	        builder.pop();
 	    }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/seibel/lod/proxy/ClientProxy.java b/src/main/java/com/seibel/lod/proxy/ClientProxy.java
index 34a82be7d..a76a41a25 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/seibel/lod/proxy/ClientProxy.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/seibel/lod/proxy/ClientProxy.java
@@ -119,9 +119,11 @@ public class ClientProxy
 //		LodConfig.CLIENT.lodChunkRadiusMultiplier.set(12);
 //		LodConfig.CLIENT.fogDistance.set(FogDistance.FAR);
 //		LodConfig.CLIENT.fogDrawOverride.set(FogDrawOverride.ALWAYS_DRAW_FOG_FANCY);
+//		LodConfig.CLIENT.shadingMode.set(ShadingMode.DARKEN_SIDES);
 		
 //		LodConfig.CLIENT.distanceGenerationMode.set(DistanceGenerationMode.FEATURES);
 //		LodConfig.CLIENT.allowUnstableFeatureGeneration.set(false);
+		
 //		LOGGER.info(lodBufferBuilder.numberOfChunksWaitingToGenerate.get());