# Ground plane

## Overview

The Ground Plane is a virtual surface that helps integrate 3D objects into a scene by providing a base for casting shadows. It enhances realism by ensuring objects appear grounded rather than floating in space.

{% embed url="<https://vimeo.com/830631279>" %}

## **Dynamic shadows**

Dynamic Shadows adjust in real time based on scene lighting, ensuring accurate interaction with moving elements.

## Baked shadow

Pre-rendered shadows that remain fixed, improving performance and producing a much more photorealistic result.

Learn more about texture baking and its settings here: [baked-textures](https://help.vectary.com/documentation/design-process/materials-and-textures/baked-textures "mention")<br>

* **Black point** — controls the darkest areas of the shadow, determining how deep the shadows appear
* **White point** — adjusts the lightest parts of the shadow, influencing shadow softness and blending with the environment

## Settings

Settings in the Adjust tab apply to both Dynamic and Baked shadows:

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Size" %}
The size of the shadow plane can be adjusted, and values greater than **2500** can be manually entered.

<figure><img src="https://2973737105-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FAXNLyKVZ2tvtyDr8sVES%2Fuploads%2FcJyAiTbEeGhSOrMF9Ikz%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=4aa8646a-9811-4730-a777-56fbabd019a9" alt="" width="375"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Opacity" %}
A transparency setting allows control over shadow opacity.

<figure><img src="https://2973737105-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FAXNLyKVZ2tvtyDr8sVES%2Fuploads%2Fl6FBgBX35icMjvkpOv7u%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=4280c3ed-e312-4245-8ed2-02999bd087c8" alt="" width="375"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Color" %}
Shadow color can be modified to match the scene.

<figure><img src="https://2973737105-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FAXNLyKVZ2tvtyDr8sVES%2Fuploads%2FKgZvJP3bZ76Hcaqbo8nE%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=7df02cd8-3da2-4f51-8e36-fa052888a3dd" alt="" width="375"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Shadow intensity" %}
`Only for Dynamic` \
Shadow intensity is determined by the light source. If the shadow originates from the Environment, the 'Shadow' setting in the environment controls affects its intensity.

<figure><img src="https://2973737105-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FAXNLyKVZ2tvtyDr8sVES%2Fuploads%2Fs3gAzYFWISl1v0sbMYCS%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=3c1690db-7a87-4ee5-9279-229c4aa1b3e7" alt="" width="375"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}