> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://matiasgql.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quickstart

> Begin to use GT-VBAO or HBAO+ Plugins fast.

## Prerequisites

Before you begin, you must have:

* Unreal Engine 5
* Deferred Rendering enabled (Forward Rendering is not supported)

## Get started

<Steps>
  <Step title="Install">
    Enable the plugin in your project by going to **Edit → Plugins**, searching for **HBAO+** (or **GT-VBAO**) and enabling it. Restart the editor when prompted.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify it's working">
    Set the composite mode to `0` and enable Debug Mode to see the raw AO buffer in the viewport:

    <CodeGroup>
      ```text HBAO+ theme={null}
      r.HBAOPlus.Mode 0
      r.HBAOPlus.DebugMode 1
      ```

      ```text GT-VBAO theme={null}
      r.GTVBAO.Mode 0
      r.GTVBAO.DebugMode 1
      ```
    </CodeGroup>

    You can run these commads using the console (press \~ in the viewport) or via the Cmd input in the Output Log.

    Set `DebugMode` back to `0` when done.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Switch to production mode">
    Once everything looks correct, switch to Mode `1` for the best integration with Unreal's native pipeline:

    <CodeGroup>
      ```text HBAO+ theme={null}
      r.HBAOPlus.Mode 1
      r.HBAOPlus.DebugMode 0
      ```

      ```text GT-VBAO theme={null}
      r.GTVBAO.Mode 1
      r.GTVBAO.DebugMode 0
      ```
    </CodeGroup>
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  For optimal results, enable TAA or TSR (`r.AntiAliasingMethod 2`). This allows Temporal Accumulation to smooth out the AO signal over time, reducing noise and producing a cleaner result overall.
</Tip>

<Warning>
  Unreal's native pipeline doesn't work in 5.0. Substrate is supported in 5.5+.
</Warning>

Need help? Join us on [Discord](https://discord.gg/SQna4DZEfQ).