diff --git a/shaders/forward.frag.glsl b/shaders/forward.frag.glsl
index 3bfb81f..6ffc830 100644
--- a/shaders/forward.frag.glsl
+++ b/shaders/forward.frag.glsl
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ void main(void) {
 #endif
 
 #ifdef AMBIENT_LIGHT
-    outColor = vec4(diffuse*0, 1);
+    outColor = vec4(diffuse*0.1, 1);
 #else
     vec3 light = phongLighting(diffuse, specular, materialNs, lightColor, normal, lightDirInView, halfVecInView);
     outColor = vec4(light*shadow*(1+cos(1.57 + att*1.57)), 1);
diff --git a/src/mesh.cpp b/src/mesh.cpp
index 2c88be1..8bc92f4 100644
--- a/src/mesh.cpp
+++ b/src/mesh.cpp
@@ -232,6 +232,8 @@ unsigned int Mesh::getFlags()
             flags |= 1 << MESH_TANGENT_SPACE;
         if(isBillboard)
             flags |= 1 << MESH_BILLBOARD;
+        if(isShadowCaster)
+            flags |= 1 << MESH_SHADOWED;
     }
     else
         flags |= 1 << MESH_2D;
@@ -400,3 +402,23 @@ void Mesh::computeTangents()
         tangents[vertexId2] = {tangentDir, binormalDir};
     }
 }
+
+void Mesh::computeBoundingBox(glm::vec3 &min, glm::vec3 &max)
+{
+    min = max = positions3D[0];
+    for(const glm::vec3 &pos : positions3D)
+    {
+        if(pos.x < min.x)
+            min.x = pos.x;
+        else if(pos.x > max.x)
+            max.x = pos.x;
+        if(pos.y < min.y)
+            min.y = pos.y;
+        else if(pos.y > max.y)
+            max.y = pos.y;
+        if(pos.z < min.z)
+            min.z = pos.z;
+        else if(pos.z > max.z)
+            max.z = pos.z;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/mesh.h b/src/mesh.h
index 7540467..b50dbd6 100644
--- a/src/mesh.h
+++ b/src/mesh.h
@@ -177,7 +177,12 @@ public:
      * compute tangent space from a textured indexed mesh (positions + normals + texcoords + indices)
      */
     void computeTangents();
-
+    
+    /**
+     * compute the bounding box of the mesh based on the 3D positions
+     */
+    void computeBoundingBox(glm::vec3 &min, glm::vec3 &max);
+    
     /*************************************************************/
     /*                   ADVANCED CUSTOMISATION                  */
     /*************************************************************/
diff --git a/src/texture.cpp b/src/texture.cpp
index 857f631..22c0754 100644
--- a/src/texture.cpp
+++ b/src/texture.cpp
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ Texture::Texture(GLenum format,
     m_internal_format(internal_format),
     m_width(width),
     m_height(height),
-    m_dataType(dataType)
+    m_dataType(dataType),
+    m_hasMipMaps(false)
 {
     glGenTextures(1, &texId);
     glBindTexture(m_target, texId);
@@ -38,24 +39,28 @@ Texture::Texture(GLenum format,
     }
 }
 
-Texture::Texture(Image* myImage) :
+Texture::Texture(Image* myImage, bool makeMipMaps) :
     m_target(GL_TEXTURE_2D),
     m_width(myImage->width),
     m_height(myImage->height),
-    m_dataType(GL_UNSIGNED_BYTE)
+    m_dataType(GL_UNSIGNED_BYTE),
+    m_hasMipMaps(makeMipMaps)
 {
     glGenTextures(1, &texId);
     glBindTexture(m_target, texId);
     initPixels(myImage, GL_TEXTURE_2D);
     setWrap(GL_REPEAT);
     setFiltering(GL_LINEAR);
+    if(makeMipMaps)
+        createMipMaps();
 }
 
-Texture::Texture(Image* myCubemapImages[6]) :
+Texture::Texture(Image* myCubemapImages[6], bool makeMipMaps) :
     m_target(GL_TEXTURE_CUBE_MAP),
     m_width(myCubemapImages[0]->width),
     m_height(myCubemapImages[0]->height),
-    m_dataType(GL_UNSIGNED_BYTE)
+    m_dataType(GL_UNSIGNED_BYTE),
+    m_hasMipMaps(makeMipMaps)
 {
     glGenTextures(1, &texId);
     glBindTexture(m_target, texId);
@@ -63,6 +68,8 @@ Texture::Texture(Image* myCubemapImages[6]) :
         initPixels(myCubemapImages[i], GL_TEXTURE_CUBE_MAP_POSITIVE_X + i);
     setWrap(GL_CLAMP_TO_EDGE);
     setFiltering(GL_LINEAR);
+    if(makeMipMaps)
+        createMipMaps();
 }
 
 Texture::Texture(Texture* tex, bool halfDim) :
@@ -71,7 +78,8 @@ Texture::Texture(Texture* tex, bool halfDim) :
     m_internal_format(tex->m_internal_format),
     m_width(tex->m_width),
     m_height(tex->m_height),
-    m_dataType(tex->m_dataType)
+    m_dataType(tex->m_dataType),
+    m_hasMipMaps(false)
 {
     glGenTextures(1, &texId);
     glBindTexture(m_target, texId);
@@ -121,6 +129,13 @@ void Texture::setFiltering(GLint filter)
     glTexParameteri(m_target, GL_TEXTURE_MAG_FILTER, filter);
 }
 
+void Texture::createMipMaps()
+{
+    m_hasMipMaps = true;
+    glGenerateMipmap(m_target);
+    glTexParameteri(m_target, GL_TEXTURE_MIN_FILTER, GL_LINEAR_MIPMAP_LINEAR);
+}
+
 void Texture::bind(int slot)
 {
     glActiveTexture(GL_TEXTURE0+slot);
diff --git a/src/texture.h b/src/texture.h
index 01be8c7..c7515fb 100644
--- a/src/texture.h
+++ b/src/texture.h
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ private:
     int m_width;
     int m_height;
     GLenum m_dataType;
+    bool m_hasMipMaps;
 
     void initPixels(Image* myImage, GLenum textureSlot);
 public:
@@ -29,9 +30,9 @@ public:
             GLenum dataType = GL_UNSIGNED_BYTE,
             GLenum texTarget = GL_TEXTURE_2D);
     // creates a standard texture from an image
-    Texture(Image* myImage);
+    Texture(Image* myImage, bool makeMipMaps = true);
     // creates a cubeMap from 6 images
-	Texture(Image* myCubemapImages[6]);
+	Texture(Image* myCubemapImages[6], bool makeMipMaps = true);
     // creates a texture from another
     Texture(Texture* tex, bool halfDim = false);
 
@@ -41,7 +42,9 @@ public:
     GLenum getTarget() {return m_target;}
     void setWrap(GLint wrap);
     void setFiltering(GLint filter);
+    void createMipMaps();
     bool isCubeMap() {return m_target == GL_TEXTURE_CUBE_MAP;}
+    bool hasMipMaps() {return m_hasMipMaps;}
 
     int getWidth() {return m_width;}
     int getHeight() {return m_height;}