Building a Custom Shadow System for Veildelve

Small visual details often make a bigger difference than they first appear — especially when it comes to how believable a scene feels. For Veildelve, I am currently building a custom shadow system for characters in combat. The goal is to connect figures more clearly to the ground and the lighting around them, not as an afterthought, but as part of the visual foundation.

This is not a prefab shadow dropped under every sprite. The shadow mechanics are being developed specifically for Veildelve and are intended to respond to the position and direction of light sources. When the light changes, the shadow projection should change with it.

A key part of this work is the link to ground contact. The shadow should orient believably to both the character and the surface beneath them — and remain visibly connected to the feet and foot placement. That is what I am working through right now: trying different light positions, checking the projection, and adjusting step by step.

The system is still in development. The screenshot above shows the current state in my working tool — including shadow preview and test lighting — not the finished in-game result. There is still fine-tuning ahead for length, opacity, and transitions. Once the foundations are stable enough, the system will move into further testing in combat contexts.