diff --git a/stepmania/src/Actor.cpp b/stepmania/src/Actor.cpp
index 4e2ec1f5e1..28e6de3713 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Actor.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/Actor.cpp
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ void Actor::Reset()
 
 	m_bTextureWrapping = false;
 	m_BlendMode = BLEND_NORMAL;
+	m_bClearZBuffer = false;
 	m_bUseZBuffer = false;
 	m_bUseBackfaceCull = false;
 }
@@ -195,6 +196,8 @@ void Actor::SetRenderStates()
 	DISPLAY->SetTextureWrapping( m_bTextureWrapping );
 	DISPLAY->SetBlendMode( m_BlendMode );
 	DISPLAY->SetZBuffer( m_bUseZBuffer );
+	if( m_bClearZBuffer )
+		DISPLAY->ClearZBuffer();
 	DISPLAY->SetBackfaceCull( m_bUseBackfaceCull );
 }
 
@@ -775,6 +778,7 @@ void Actor::HandleCommand( const CStringArray &asTokens )
 	else if( sName=="additiveblend" )	SetBlendMode( bParam(1) ? BLEND_ADD : BLEND_NORMAL );
 	else if( sName=="blend" )			SetBlendMode( sParam(1) );
 	else if( sName=="zbuffer" )			SetUseZBuffer( bParam(1) );
+	else if( sName=="clearzbuffer" )	SetClearZBuffer( bParam(1) );
 	else
 	{
 		CString sError = ssprintf( "Actor::HandleCommand: Unrecognized command name '%s'.", sName.c_str() );
diff --git a/stepmania/src/Actor.h b/stepmania/src/Actor.h
index 9e90176957..802b1fcbfd 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Actor.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/Actor.h
@@ -247,6 +247,7 @@ public:
 	virtual void SetBlendMode( BlendMode mode ) { m_BlendMode = mode; } 
 	virtual void SetBlendMode( CString );
 	virtual void SetTextureWrapping( bool b ) 	{ m_bTextureWrapping = b; } 
+	virtual void SetClearZBuffer( bool b ) 		{ m_bClearZBuffer = b; } 
 	virtual void SetUseZBuffer( bool b ) 		{ m_bUseZBuffer = b; } 
 	virtual void SetUseBackfaceCull( bool b ) 	{ m_bUseBackfaceCull = b; } 
 
@@ -332,6 +333,7 @@ protected:
 	//
 	bool	m_bTextureWrapping;
 	BlendMode	m_BlendMode;
+	bool	m_bClearZBuffer;
 	bool	m_bUseZBuffer;
 	bool	m_bUseBackfaceCull;
 };
diff --git a/stepmania/src/BGAnimationLayer.cpp b/stepmania/src/BGAnimationLayer.cpp
index f1e0c33c76..f871805737 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/BGAnimationLayer.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/BGAnimationLayer.cpp
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ void BGAnimationLayer::Init()
 
 	m_fUpdateRate = 1;
 	m_fFOV = 0;		// ortho
+	m_bLighting = 0;		// ortho
 
 //	m_bCycleColor = false;
 //	m_bCycleAlpha = false;
@@ -516,6 +517,7 @@ void BGAnimationLayer::LoadFromIni( CString sAniDir, CString sLayer )
 	ini.GetValueI( sLayer, "Type", (int&)m_Type );
 	ini.GetValue ( sLayer, "Command", m_sCommand );
 	ini.GetValueF( sLayer, "FOV", m_fFOV );
+	ini.GetValueB( sLayer, "Lighting", m_bLighting );
 	ini.GetValueF( sLayer, "StretchTexCoordVelocityX", m_fStretchTexCoordVelocityX );
 	ini.GetValueF( sLayer, "StretchTexCoordVelocityY", m_fStretchTexCoordVelocityY );
 	ini.GetValueF( sLayer, "ZoomMin", m_fZoomMin );
@@ -902,9 +904,26 @@ void BGAnimationLayer::Update( float fDeltaTime )
 void BGAnimationLayer::Draw()
 {
 	DISPLAY->LoadMenuPerspective( m_fFOV );
+	if( m_bLighting )
+	{
+		DISPLAY->SetLighting( true );
+		DISPLAY->SetLightDirectional( 
+			0, 
+			RageColor(0.6,0.6,0.6,1), 
+			RageColor(0.9,0.9,0.9,1),
+			RageColor(0,0,0,1),
+			RageVector3(0, 0, 1) );
+	}
+
 	for( unsigned i=0; i<m_pActors.size(); i++ )
 		m_pActors[i]->Draw();
+	
 	DISPLAY->LoadMenuPerspective( 0 );
+	if( m_bLighting )
+	{
+		DISPLAY->SetLightOff( 0 );
+		DISPLAY->SetLighting( false );
+	}
 }
 
 void BGAnimationLayer::SetDiffuse( RageColor c )
diff --git a/stepmania/src/BGAnimationLayer.h b/stepmania/src/BGAnimationLayer.h
index 2b3879f9ff..865c8bc86b 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/BGAnimationLayer.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/BGAnimationLayer.h
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ protected:
 	CString m_sCommand;
 	float m_fUpdateRate;	// get by GainingFocus
 	float m_fFOV;
+	bool m_bLighting;
 
 	// stretch stuff
 	float m_fStretchTexCoordVelocityX;
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ScreenCaution.cpp b/stepmania/src/ScreenCaution.cpp
index 42da14e044..6b90df1649 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ScreenCaution.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/ScreenCaution.cpp
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ ScreenCaution::ScreenCaution() : Screen( "ScreenCaution" )
 	m_Back.Load( THEME->GetPathToB("Common back") );
 	this->AddChild( &m_Back );
 
-	this->PostScreenMessage( SM_StartClosing, 3 );
+	this->PostScreenMessage( SM_StartClosing, m_Background.GetLengthSeconds()-m_Out.GetLengthSeconds() );
 
 	SOUNDMAN->PlayMusic( THEME->GetPathToS("ScreenCaution music") );
 }