# Lighting problems: hard shadows or no complete darkness

**URL:** <https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/lighting-problems-hard-shadows-or-no-complete-darkness/588252>\
**Category:** World Creation\
**Tags:** Sky, unreal-engine, UE5-0, question\
**Created:** [June 23, 2022, 4:01am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/lighting-problems-hard-shadows-or-no-complete-darkness/588252 "2022-06-23T04:01:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jamestown02](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.unrealengine.com/jamestown02/32/1190310_2.png) [@Jamestown02](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Jamestown02)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2022, 4:01am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/lighting-problems-hard-shadows-or-no-complete-darkness/588252/1 "2022-06-23T04:01:01Z")

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How do I get complete darkness in some areas, and much softer shadows in others?

In my 3D world, I can’t get complete darkness unless I turn off “Affects World”. When I do turn it off, there’s hard shadows that are completely black. And that’s the skylight.  
And yes, I have a post process volume infinite extended, and exposure is on manual.  
1st picture is “Affects world off”, next are “affects world on”, shows I get very hard shadows when it’s off, but when it’s on I can’t get complete darkness.

 ![affects world off](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/a/c/6/ac6d78d3aacb3e2fc70b1da95518a5cdf3d7fc62.jpeg)  
 ![affects world on 1](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/c/9/b/c9b21e5bde62ffcb60504b01d5c5c95a6911c5dc.jpeg)  
 ![affects world on 2](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/9/2/1/9214ee7b4c12ec53c6d012e233334b995630d84b.jpeg)  
I have all connections to the outside blocked off in this last picture.

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**Author:** ![herb64](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@herb64](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/herb64)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2022, 6:15am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/lighting-problems-hard-shadows-or-no-complete-darkness/588252/2 "2022-06-23T06:15:25Z")

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Just some ideas. Is your skylight movable? If not, setting to movable could help to get a darker room.

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**Author:** ![Jamestown02](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.unrealengine.com/jamestown02/32/1190310_2.png) [@Jamestown02](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Jamestown02)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2022, 4:03pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/lighting-problems-hard-shadows-or-no-complete-darkness/588252/3 "2022-06-23T16:03:51Z")

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Yes, it is moveable.