feat: emotive animations + anime speed lines — hit flinch, dance emote (B)

- SkinnedPlayerModel: generic play_oneshot() (generalizes the Land lock),
  Hit and Dance in the clip table (Dance loops), restartable clips
- Hit flinch: victims visibly react on every peer's screen via the existing
  damage broadcast — no new RPC
- Dance emote on B: toggles while grounded and idle, breaks on any movement;
  synced to remotes via synced_is_dancing (all three spawner configs)
- Anime radial speed-lines overlay (canvas shader): fades in past ~1.2x walk
  speed, spikes on dash, widescreen-corrected clear center
- New input action 'emote' (B) in project.godot

11/11 FSM tests, spawn smoke 0 failures.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <[email protected]>

assets/shaders/speed_lines.gdshader

@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+shader_type canvas_item;
+
+// Anime-style radial speed lines. Fullscreen ColorRect overlay; `intensity`
+// (0..1) is driven by the player controller from horizontal speed + dash.
+// Lines live at the screen edges and jitter inward, center stays clear.
+
+uniform float intensity : hint_range(0.0, 1.0) = 0.0;
+uniform vec4 line_color : source_color = vec4(1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0);
+
+float hash(float n) {
+	return fract(sin(n * 4310.17) * 43758.5453);
+}
+
+void fragment() {
+	vec2 uv = UV - vec2(0.5);
+	uv.x *= 1.6; // widescreen: keep the clear zone round-ish
+	float dist = length(uv);
+	float ang = atan(uv.y, uv.x);
+
+	// Quantize the circle into spokes; each spoke gets a stable random phase.
+	float spokes = 90.0;
+	float id = floor((ang / 6.2831853 + 0.5) * spokes);
+	float rnd = hash(id);
+
+	// Only some spokes draw, and they flicker over time.
+	float alive = step(0.55, fract(rnd + floor(TIME * 9.0) * 0.13));
+
+	// Thin line across the spoke's angular width.
+	float local = fract((ang / 6.2831853 + 0.5) * spokes);
+	float line = smoothstep(0.5, 0.05, abs(local - 0.5)) ;
+
+	// Radial extent: start further out for weak intensity, reach inward as it grows.
+	float start = mix(0.62, 0.34, intensity) + rnd * 0.12;
+	float mask = smoothstep(start, start + 0.25, dist);
+
+	float a = intensity * alive * line * mask;
+	COLOR = vec4(line_color.rgb, a * line_color.a * 0.55);
+}

assets/shaders/speed_lines.gdshader.uid

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+uid://l1bq145iht8

assets/shaders/toon.gdshader

@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+shader_type spatial;
+
+// Cel/toon surface shader used across the game.
+//  - Banded (stepped) diffuse with a tinted shadow color instead of black
+//  - Soft rim light for silhouette pop
+//  - Optional world-space triplanar albedo (level geometry: no UVs needed,
+//    grid stays world-scaled) — otherwise standard UV sampling (characters)
+
+uniform vec4 albedo_color : source_color = vec4(1.0);
+uniform sampler2D albedo_texture : source_color, filter_linear_mipmap, repeat_enable;
+uniform bool has_texture = true;
+uniform bool use_triplanar = false;
+uniform float triplanar_tile = 2.0;      // world units per texture tile
+
+uniform float band_edge : hint_range(-1.0, 1.0) = 0.05;   // NdotL where light band starts
+uniform float band_softness : hint_range(0.001, 0.5) = 0.04;
+uniform float mid_band_edge : hint_range(-1.0, 1.0) = 0.55; // second, brighter band
+uniform vec4 shadow_color : source_color = vec4(0.62, 0.65, 0.78, 1.0); // cool shadow tint
+uniform float rim_strength : hint_range(0.0, 2.0) = 0.35;
+uniform float rim_width : hint_range(0.0, 1.0) = 0.65;
+uniform float specular_strength : hint_range(0.0, 1.0) = 0.25;
+uniform float specular_shininess : hint_range(1.0, 128.0) = 24.0;
+
+varying vec3 world_pos;
+varying vec3 world_normal;
+
+void vertex() {
+	world_pos = (MODEL_MATRIX * vec4(VERTEX, 1.0)).xyz;
+	world_normal = normalize((MODEL_MATRIX * vec4(NORMAL, 0.0)).xyz);
+}
+
+vec3 sample_triplanar(vec3 p, vec3 n) {
+	vec3 w = abs(n);
+	w = pow(w, vec3(4.0));
+	w /= (w.x + w.y + w.z);
+	vec2 uv_x = p.zy / triplanar_tile;
+	vec2 uv_y = p.xz / triplanar_tile;
+	vec2 uv_z = p.xy / triplanar_tile;
+	vec3 cx = texture(albedo_texture, uv_x).rgb;
+	vec3 cy = texture(albedo_texture, uv_y).rgb;
+	vec3 cz = texture(albedo_texture, uv_z).rgb;
+	return cx * w.x + cy * w.y + cz * w.z;
+}
+
+void fragment() {
+	vec3 base = albedo_color.rgb;
+	if (has_texture) {
+		if (use_triplanar) {
+			base *= sample_triplanar(world_pos, world_normal);
+		} else {
+			base *= texture(albedo_texture, UV).rgb;
+		}
+	}
+	ALBEDO = base;
+	ROUGHNESS = 1.0;
+	SPECULAR = 0.0;
+
+	// Rim: brighten grazing angles for that inked-silhouette pop.
+	float rim = 1.0 - clamp(dot(normalize(VIEW), NORMAL), 0.0, 1.0);
+	rim = smoothstep(1.0 - rim_width, 1.0, rim);
+	EMISSION = base * rim * rim_strength;
+}
+
+void light() {
+	float ndotl = dot(NORMAL, LIGHT);
+	// Shadowing folds into the band test so shadow edges band too.
+	float lit = ndotl * ATTENUATION;
+	float band = smoothstep(band_edge - band_softness, band_edge + band_softness, lit);
+	float mid = smoothstep(mid_band_edge - band_softness, mid_band_edge + band_softness, lit);
+	// 3 tones: shadow tint -> base band (0.82) -> full light.
+	float tone = mix(0.82, 1.0, mid);
+	vec3 shade = mix(shadow_color.rgb, vec3(tone), band);
+	DIFFUSE_LIGHT += ALBEDO * LIGHT_COLOR / PI * shade;
+
+	// Stepped specular dot for glossy toon highlights.
+	vec3 h = normalize(VIEW + LIGHT);
+	float spec = pow(clamp(dot(NORMAL, h), 0.0, 1.0), specular_shininess);
+	spec = smoothstep(0.5 - band_softness, 0.5 + band_softness, spec);
+	SPECULAR_LIGHT += LIGHT_COLOR * spec * specular_strength * band;
+}

assets/shaders/toon.gdshader.uid

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+uid://rm8cyl45cawk

assets/shaders/toon_outline.gdshader

@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+shader_type spatial;
+render_mode cull_front, unshaded;
+
+// Inverted-hull outline. Assign as material_overlay on a GeometryInstance3D:
+// the mesh renders a second time, grown along its normals with front faces
+// culled, leaving a colored shell visible only at the silhouette.
+
+uniform vec4 outline_color : source_color = vec4(0.06, 0.05, 0.09, 1.0);
+uniform float outline_width : hint_range(0.0, 0.1) = 0.02;
+
+void vertex() {
+	VERTEX += NORMAL * outline_width;
+}
+
+void fragment() {
+	ALBEDO = outline_color.rgb;
+}

assets/shaders/toon_outline.gdshader.uid

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+uid://dn2biq23l8yuv

characters/skinned_player_model.gd

@@ -44,10 +44,12 @@ const CLIP_FALLBACKS := {
 	"Grapple": ["Grapple", "Fall", "Jump", "Idle"],
 	"Dash": ["Dash", "Sprint", "Run", "Idle"],
 	"Death": ["Death", "Fall"],
+	"Hit": ["Hit", "Idle"],
+	"Dance": ["Dance", "Idle"],
 }
 
 const LOOPING_CLIPS := ["Idle", "Walk", "Run", "Sprint", "Fall", "Crouch",
-	"CrouchIdle", "CrouchWalk", "Slide", "WallRun", "WallCling", "Grapple"]
+	"CrouchIdle", "CrouchWalk", "Slide", "WallRun", "WallCling", "Grapple", "Dance"]
 
 const BLEND_TIME := 0.15
 
@@ -108,6 +110,9 @@ func load_model(path: String) -> void:
 		_pose_mod = ShooterPoseModifier.new()
 		_pose_mod.name = "ShooterPose"
 		skeleton.add_child(_pose_mod)
+
+	# Cel-shaded look: toon shading over the imported textures + ink outline.
+	LevelMaterials.apply_toon_recursive(scene)
 	if animation_player:
 		_index_animations()
 	else:
@@ -188,7 +193,23 @@ func _set_shadow_mode_recursive(node: Node, mode: int) -> void:
 # ── Animation state ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 var _prev_state: String = ""
-var _land_lock: float = 0.0  # seconds left where the Land one-shot owns playback
+var _oneshot_lock: float = 0.0  # seconds left where a one-shot owns playback
+var _dancing: bool = false
+
+
+## Play a one-shot clip (Hit reaction, Land, ...) over locomotion for
+## `lock_time` seconds; locomotion resumes afterwards.
+func play_oneshot(canonical: String, lock_time: float = 0.35) -> void:
+	if not loaded or not _resolved_clips.has(canonical):
+		return
+	_oneshot_lock = lock_time
+	_play_clip(canonical, true)
+
+
+## Emote toggle (Dance). Shown while grounded and near-idle; any real
+## movement breaks it (the controller clears the flag too).
+func set_dancing(on: bool) -> void:
+	_dancing = on
 
 
 ## Same contract as HumanoidModel.update_state(). Called by the movement
@@ -197,15 +218,16 @@ func update_state(state: String, speed: float, is_crouching: bool = false) -> vo
 	if not loaded or not animation_player:
 		return
 
-	# A heavy landing plays the Land one-shot before locomotion resumes.
-	if _land_lock > 0.0:
-		_land_lock -= get_process_delta_time()
-		if _land_lock > 0.0 and state in ["ground", "idle"]:
+	# One-shots (Land, Hit) own playback briefly.
+	if _oneshot_lock > 0.0:
+		_oneshot_lock -= get_process_delta_time()
+		if _oneshot_lock > 0.0:
 			_prev_state = state
 			return
+	# A heavy landing plays the Land one-shot before locomotion resumes.
 	if state in ["ground", "idle"] and _prev_state == "air" \
 			and _vertical_speed() < -12.0 and _resolved_clips.has("Land"):
-		_land_lock = 0.25
+		_oneshot_lock = 0.25
 		_play_clip("Land")
 		_prev_state = state
 		return
@@ -214,7 +236,9 @@ func update_state(state: String, speed: float, is_crouching: bool = false) -> vo
 	var clip := "Idle"
 	match state:
 		"ground", "idle":
-			if is_crouching:
+			if _dancing and speed < 0.5 and not is_crouching:
+				clip = "Dance"
+			elif is_crouching:
 				clip = "CrouchWalk" if speed > 0.5 else "Crouch"
 			elif speed > run_anim_reference_speed * 1.35:
 				clip = "Sprint"
@@ -288,12 +312,14 @@ func _process(delta: float) -> void:
 	_pose_mod.wall = _cur_wall
 
 
-func _play_clip(canonical: String) -> void:
+func _play_clip(canonical: String, restart: bool = false) -> void:
 	if not animation_player or not _resolved_clips.has(canonical):
 		return
 	var clip_name: String = _resolved_clips[canonical]
-	if _current_clip == clip_name and animation_player.is_playing():
+	if not restart and _current_clip == clip_name and animation_player.is_playing():
 		return
+	if restart:
+		animation_player.stop()
 	animation_player.play(clip_name, BLEND_TIME)
 	_current_clip = clip_name
 

debug/dust2_level_builder.gd

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ func _build_geometry() -> void:
 	var env = get_node_or_null("WorldEnvironment")
 	if env:
 		var environment = env.environment
-		environment.tonemap_mode = Environment.TONE_MAPPER_ACES
+		# (keep the shared linear tonemap — ACES crushes the cel bands)
 		if environment.sky and environment.sky.sky_material:
 			var sky_mat = environment.sky.sky_material
 			sky_mat.sky_top_color = Color(0.3, 0.5, 0.8)

debug/test_level_builder.gd

@@ -96,29 +96,9 @@ func _ramp_static(pos: Vector3, size: Vector3, rot_deg: Vector3, color: Color, n
 # ── Environment ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 func _build_environment() -> void:
-	var env := WorldEnvironment.new()
-	env.name = "WorldEnvironment"
-	var environment := Environment.new()
-	environment.background_mode = Environment.BG_SKY
-	var sky := Sky.new()
-	var sky_mat := ProceduralSkyMaterial.new()
-	sky_mat.sky_top_color = Color(0.15, 0.2, 0.35)
-	sky_mat.sky_horizon_color = Color(0.45, 0.5, 0.65)
-	sky_mat.ground_bottom_color = Color(0.1, 0.08, 0.06)
-	sky_mat.ground_horizon_color = Color(0.35, 0.3, 0.25)
-	sky.sky_material = sky_mat
-	environment.sky = sky
-	environment.ambient_light_source = Environment.AMBIENT_SOURCE_SKY
-	environment.ambient_light_energy = 0.4
-	environment.tonemap_mode = Environment.TONE_MAPPER_FILMIC
-	environment.glow_enabled = true
-	environment.glow_intensity = 0.3
-	environment.glow_bloom = 0.1
-	environment.fog_enabled = true
-	environment.fog_light_color = Color(0.5, 0.55, 0.65)
-	environment.fog_density = 0.002
-	env.environment = environment
-	add_child(env)
+	# Shared stylized environment (anime sky, bloom, cel color grade).
+	# Also creates the Sun/FillLight pair since none exists yet.
+	LevelEnvironment.add_to(self)
 
 
 # ── Floor ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -261,24 +241,9 @@ func _build_target_dummy() -> void:
 # ── Lighting ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 func _build_lighting() -> void:
-	var sun := DirectionalLight3D.new()
-	sun.name = "Sun"
-	sun.rotation_degrees = Vector3(-50, 30, 0)
-	sun.light_color = Color(1.0, 0.95, 0.85)
-	sun.light_energy = 1.2
-	sun.shadow_enabled = true
-	sun.directional_shadow_mode = DirectionalLight3D.SHADOW_PARALLEL_4_SPLITS
-	sun.directional_shadow_max_distance = 100.0
-	add_child(sun)
-
-	# Fill light (opposite side)
-	var fill := DirectionalLight3D.new()
-	fill.name = "FillLight"
-	fill.rotation_degrees = Vector3(-30, -150, 0)
-	fill.light_color = Color(0.6, 0.7, 0.9)
-	fill.light_energy = 0.3
-	fill.shadow_enabled = false
-	add_child(fill)
+	# Sun and fill are created by LevelEnvironment.add_to in _build_environment;
+	# kept as a hook for subclasses that re-style them (see dust2).
+	pass
 
 
 # ── Player ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -316,6 +281,7 @@ func _spawn_player(pid: int) -> CharacterBody3D:
 	client_rep_config.add_property(":synced_is_crouching")
 	client_rep_config.add_property(":synced_is_ads")
 	client_rep_config.add_property(":synced_wall_side")
+	client_rep_config.add_property(":synced_is_dancing")
 	client_rep_config.add_property(":synced_grapple_point")
 	client_rep_config.add_property(":synced_is_grapple_shooting")
 	client_rep_config.add_property(":synced_skin_id")

movement/player_movement_controller.gd

@@ -75,6 +75,11 @@ var synced_position: Vector3 = Vector3.ZERO
 var synced_velocity: Vector3 = Vector3.ZERO
 var synced_is_ads: bool = false
 var synced_wall_side: float = 0.0  # -1 wall left, +1 wall right (wall-run lean)
+var synced_is_dancing: bool = false  # dance emote (B), shown on the model
+
+# Anime speed-lines overlay (local player only)
+var _speedlines: ColorRect = null
+var _speedline_burst: float = 0.0
 @export var synced_skin_id: String = ""
 @export var synced_weapon_path: String = ""
 
@@ -130,6 +135,7 @@ func _ready() -> void:
 		add_child(_damage_layer)
 		_setup_hit_marker()
 		_setup_hud()
+		_setup_speedlines()
 	else:
 		call_deferred("_hide_remote_weapons")
 
@@ -315,6 +321,18 @@ func _setup_audio() -> void:
 	add_child(grapple_swing_player)
 	grapple_swing_player.play()
 
+func _setup_speedlines() -> void:
+	_speedlines = ColorRect.new()
+	_speedlines.name = "SpeedLines"
+	_speedlines.set_anchors_preset(Control.PRESET_FULL_RECT)
+	_speedlines.mouse_filter = Control.MOUSE_FILTER_IGNORE
+	var mat := ShaderMaterial.new()
+	mat.shader = load("res://assets/shaders/speed_lines.gdshader")
+	mat.set_shader_parameter("intensity", 0.0)
+	_speedlines.material = mat
+	_damage_layer.add_child(_speedlines)
+
+
 func _setup_hit_marker() -> void:
 	hit_marker = Control.new()
 	hit_marker.set_anchors_preset(Control.PRESET_CENTER)
@@ -665,6 +683,12 @@ func rpc_take_damage(amount: float, hit_pos: Vector3, attacker_id: int, weapon_n
 	if attacker_id != 0:
 		recent_attackers[attacker_id] = Time.get_ticks_msec() / 1000.0
 
+	# Flinch: the victim's model plays a hit reaction on every screen.
+	if amount > 0.0:
+		var vm = get_visual_model()
+		if vm and vm.has_method("play_oneshot"):
+			vm.play_oneshot("Hit", 0.3)
+
 	# Knockback lands on the simulating peer (movement is client-authoritative)
 	if is_multiplayer_authority() and impulse.length_squared() > 0.01:
 		apply_impulse(impulse)
@@ -817,6 +841,22 @@ func _physics_process(_delta: float) -> void:
 			if Input.is_action_just_pressed("toggle_camera_view"):
 				set_third_person(not third_person)
 
+			# Dance emote (B): toggles while grounded and idle-ish; any
+			# movement/jump/crouch input breaks it.
+			if Input.is_action_just_pressed("emote"):
+				var m := _ensure_machine()
+				var slow: bool = Vector2(velocity.x, velocity.z).length() < 1.0
+				if not synced_is_dancing and m and m.current_state == "ground" and slow:
+					synced_is_dancing = true
+				else:
+					synced_is_dancing = false
+		if synced_is_dancing:
+			var m2 := _ensure_machine()
+			var moving := raw_input.length() > 0.1 or input_jump or input_crouch or input_dash
+			var airborne: bool = m2 and m2.current_state != "ground"
+			if moving or airborne:
+				synced_is_dancing = false
+
 		var machine := _ensure_machine()
 		if machine:
 			machine.input_dir = raw_input
@@ -834,6 +874,16 @@ func _physics_process(_delta: float) -> void:
 	if not wind_player.playing and wind_factor > 0.0:
 		wind_player.play()
 
+	# Anime speed lines: fade in past ~1.2x walk speed, spike on dash.
+	if is_instance_valid(_speedlines):
+		_speedline_burst = maxf(_speedline_burst - _delta * 2.5, 0.0)
+		var hs := Vector2(velocity.x, velocity.z).length()
+		var speed_intensity := clampf((hs - params.walk_speed * 1.2) / 12.0, 0.0, 0.85)
+		var target := maxf(speed_intensity, _speedline_burst)
+		var mat := _speedlines.material as ShaderMaterial
+		var cur: float = mat.get_shader_parameter("intensity")
+		mat.set_shader_parameter("intensity", lerpf(cur, target, 1.0 - exp(-10.0 * _delta)))
+
 	var sm := _ensure_machine()
 	if not sm:
 		return
@@ -879,6 +929,8 @@ func _physics_process(_delta: float) -> void:
 			visual.set_locomotion(d.x, d.y, 1.0 if synced_is_ads else 0.0)
 		if visual.has_method("set_wall_side"):
 			visual.set_wall_side(sm.wall_side)
+		if visual.has_method("set_dancing"):
+			visual.set_dancing(synced_is_dancing)
 
 	# Publish state for remote peers
 	synced_movement_state = sm.current_state
@@ -918,6 +970,8 @@ func _on_movement_event(ev: String, data: Dictionary) -> void:
 		grapple_shoot_player.play()
 	elif ev == "grapple_latch":
 		grapple_latch_player.play()
+	elif ev == "dash":
+		_speedline_burst = 1.0
 	elif ev == "land":
 		# Landing thud: reuse the footstep sample, pitched down and louder
 		# with impact. Ground state resets pitch/volume before each step.
@@ -960,6 +1014,8 @@ func _process(delta: float) -> void:
 				visual.set_locomotion(d.x, d.y, 1.0 if synced_is_ads else 0.0)
 			if visual.has_method("set_wall_side"):
 				visual.set_wall_side(synced_wall_side)
+			if visual.has_method("set_dancing"):
+				visual.set_dancing(synced_is_dancing)
 			# Check for weapon changes
 			if synced_weapon_path != "" and synced_weapon_path != visual.get_meta("current_weapon_path", ""):
 				visual.set_weapon(synced_weapon_path)

project.godot

@@ -113,6 +113,11 @@ toggle_camera_view={
 "events": [Object(InputEventKey,"resource_local_to_scene":false,"resource_name":"","device":-1,"window_id":0,"alt_pressed":false,"shift_pressed":false,"ctrl_pressed":false,"meta_pressed":false,"pressed":false,"keycode":86,"physical_keycode":0,"key_label":0,"unicode":0,"location":0,"echo":false,"script":null)
 ]
 }
+emote={
+"deadzone": 0.0,
+"events": [Object(InputEventKey,"resource_local_to_scene":false,"resource_name":"","device":-1,"window_id":0,"alt_pressed":false,"shift_pressed":false,"ctrl_pressed":false,"meta_pressed":false,"pressed":false,"keycode":66,"physical_keycode":0,"key_label":0,"unicode":0,"location":0,"echo":false,"script":null)
+]
+}
 
 [physics]
 

scenes/maps/level_environment.gd

@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+extends Object
+class_name LevelEnvironment
+
+## Shared stylized environment for every level: saturated anime-sky gradient,
+## bloom for emissives (tracers, plasma), and a color grade that pushes the
+## cel-shaded look (high saturation, slight contrast lift). Builders call
+## add_to(level) instead of hand-rolling WorldEnvironment + sun.
+
+
+## Creates and adds a WorldEnvironment + key sun + cool fill light.
+## Returns the WorldEnvironment node.
+static func add_to(level: Node, sky_variant: String = "day") -> WorldEnvironment:
+	var env := WorldEnvironment.new()
+	env.name = "WorldEnvironment"
+	env.environment = make_environment(sky_variant)
+	level.add_child(env)
+
+	if not level.has_node("Sun"):
+		var sun := DirectionalLight3D.new()
+		sun.name = "Sun"
+		sun.rotation_degrees = Vector3(-52, 38, 0)
+		sun.light_color = Color(1.0, 0.97, 0.88)
+		sun.light_energy = 1.4
+		sun.shadow_enabled = true
+		sun.directional_shadow_mode = DirectionalLight3D.SHADOW_PARALLEL_4_SPLITS
+		sun.directional_shadow_max_distance = 120.0
+		level.add_child(sun)
+
+		var fill := DirectionalLight3D.new()
+		fill.name = "FillLight"
+		fill.rotation_degrees = Vector3(-30, -142, 0)
+		fill.light_color = Color(0.6, 0.7, 1.0)
+		fill.light_energy = 0.25
+		fill.shadow_enabled = false
+		level.add_child(fill)
+	return env
+
+
+static func make_environment(sky_variant: String = "day") -> Environment:
+	var environment := Environment.new()
+	environment.background_mode = Environment.BG_SKY
+	var sky := Sky.new()
+	var sky_mat := ProceduralSkyMaterial.new()
+	match sky_variant:
+		"sunset":
+			sky_mat.sky_top_color = Color(0.25, 0.2, 0.5)
+			sky_mat.sky_horizon_color = Color(0.95, 0.6, 0.45)
+			sky_mat.ground_bottom_color = Color(0.18, 0.12, 0.2)
+			sky_mat.ground_horizon_color = Color(0.85, 0.55, 0.45)
+			sky_mat.sun_curve = 0.12
+		_:
+			# Bold anime day sky: deep saturated blue up top, bright cyan horizon.
+			sky_mat.sky_top_color = Color(0.18, 0.4, 0.85)
+			sky_mat.sky_horizon_color = Color(0.72, 0.88, 0.98)
+			sky_mat.ground_bottom_color = Color(0.22, 0.2, 0.24)
+			sky_mat.ground_horizon_color = Color(0.62, 0.7, 0.75)
+			sky_mat.sun_curve = 0.1
+	sky_mat.sun_angle_max = 20.0
+	sky.sky_material = sky_mat
+	environment.sky = sky
+
+	# Flat-ish ambient keeps toon shadow bands readable (sun does the shaping).
+	environment.ambient_light_source = Environment.AMBIENT_SOURCE_SKY
+	environment.ambient_light_energy = 0.55
+
+	# Filmic crushes the cel bands; linear-ish keeps them crisp.
+	environment.tonemap_mode = Environment.TONE_MAPPER_LINEAR
+
+	# Bloom sells emissives (tracers, plasma, rim highlights).
+	environment.glow_enabled = true
+	environment.glow_intensity = 0.5
+	environment.glow_bloom = 0.05
+	environment.glow_hdr_threshold = 1.1
+
+	# Cel color grade: punchy saturation, hint of contrast.
+	environment.adjustment_enabled = true
+	environment.adjustment_saturation = 1.22
+	environment.adjustment_contrast = 1.05
+
+	# A touch of depth haze for scale; far enough to not gray the arena.
+	environment.fog_enabled = true
+	environment.fog_light_color = Color(0.65, 0.75, 0.9)
+	environment.fog_density = 0.0012
+	return environment

scenes/maps/level_environment.gd.uid

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+uid://cpl4d7ndkc4ft

scenes/maps/level_materials.gd

@@ -1,41 +1,93 @@
 extends Object
 class_name LevelMaterials
 
-## Shared prototype-grid materials for code-built levels.
+## Shared cel-shaded materials for code-built levels and characters.
 ##
-## Every level builder makes its geometry from flat-colored boxes; this gives
-## them all the same world-space grid surface (0.5 m cells via triplanar
-## mapping) so speed and distance stay readable at movement-shooter velocity,
-## while keeping each builder's color coding as a tint.
+## Level geometry gets the toon shader with world-space triplanar grid
+## (0.5 m cells) tinted per surface; characters get the same toon shading
+## over their own textures via convert_to_toon(), plus an inverted-hull
+## outline overlay for the inked silhouette.
 
 const GRID_GRAY := "res://assets/textures/prototype/grid_gray.png"
 const GRID_DARK := "res://assets/textures/prototype/grid_dark.png"
+const TOON_SHADER := "res://assets/shaders/toon.gdshader"
+const OUTLINE_SHADER := "res://assets/shaders/toon_outline.gdshader"
 
 ## One texture tile = 2 m of world, so one grid cell = 0.5 m.
 const WORLD_UNITS_PER_TILE := 2.0
 
 static var _cache: Dictionary = {}
+static var _outline_cache: Dictionary = {}
 
 
-## A tinted grid material. Cached per (tint, dark) so identical surfaces share
-## one material (fewer draw-state changes, and edits apply everywhere).
-static func tinted(tint: Color, dark: bool = false) -> StandardMaterial3D:
+## A tinted toon grid material for level geometry. Cached per (tint, dark) so
+## identical surfaces share one material.
+static func tinted(tint: Color, dark: bool = false) -> Material:
 	var key := "%s|%s" % [tint.to_html(), dark]
 	if _cache.has(key):
 		return _cache[key]
-	var mat := StandardMaterial3D.new()
+	var shader: Shader = load(TOON_SHADER)
+	var mat := ShaderMaterial.new()
+	mat.shader = shader
 	var tex_path := GRID_DARK if dark else GRID_GRAY
 	var tex: Texture2D = load(tex_path) if ResourceLoader.exists(tex_path) else null
 	if tex:
-		mat.albedo_texture = tex
-		# World triplanar: boxes need no UVs and the grid stays world-scaled.
-		mat.uv1_triplanar = true
-		mat.uv1_world_triplanar = true
-		mat.uv1_scale = Vector3.ONE / WORLD_UNITS_PER_TILE
+		mat.set_shader_parameter("albedo_texture", tex)
+		mat.set_shader_parameter("has_texture", true)
+		mat.set_shader_parameter("use_triplanar", true)
+		mat.set_shader_parameter("triplanar_tile", WORLD_UNITS_PER_TILE)
+	else:
+		mat.set_shader_parameter("has_texture", false)
 	# The texture is grayscale ~mid value; multiply by ~2x-brightened tint to
 	# land near the original flat color while keeping the grid contrast.
-	mat.albedo_color = Color(
-		minf(tint.r * 1.9, 1.0), minf(tint.g * 1.9, 1.0), minf(tint.b * 1.9, 1.0))
-	mat.roughness = 0.85
+	mat.set_shader_parameter("albedo_color", Color(
+		minf(tint.r * 1.9, 1.0), minf(tint.g * 1.9, 1.0), minf(tint.b * 1.9, 1.0)))
 	_cache[key] = mat
 	return mat
+
+
+## Toon version of an arbitrary material (usually a character's imported
+## StandardMaterial3D): keeps its albedo texture/color, swaps the shading.
+static func toonify(src: Material) -> Material:
+	var mat := ShaderMaterial.new()
+	mat.shader = load(TOON_SHADER)
+	var tex: Texture2D = null
+	var col := Color.WHITE
+	if src is BaseMaterial3D:
+		tex = src.albedo_texture
+		col = src.albedo_color
+	mat.set_shader_parameter("albedo_texture", tex)
+	mat.set_shader_parameter("has_texture", tex != null)
+	mat.set_shader_parameter("use_triplanar", false)
+	mat.set_shader_parameter("albedo_color", col)
+	# Characters read best with a slightly wider lit band and stronger rim.
+	mat.set_shader_parameter("rim_strength", 0.45)
+	return mat
+
+
+## Swap every mesh surface under `node` to toon shading and add an
+## inverted-hull outline overlay. Safe on skinned meshes (material_overlay
+## re-renders the same deformed mesh).
+static func apply_toon_recursive(node: Node, outline_width: float = 0.015) -> void:
+	if node is MeshInstance3D:
+		var mi := node as MeshInstance3D
+		var surface_count: int = mi.mesh.get_surface_count() if mi.mesh else 0
+		for s in range(surface_count):
+			var src := mi.get_active_material(s)
+			if src and not (src is ShaderMaterial):
+				mi.set_surface_override_material(s, toonify(src))
+		if outline_width > 0.0:
+			mi.material_overlay = outline(outline_width)
+	for child in node.get_children():
+		apply_toon_recursive(child, outline_width)
+
+
+static func outline(width: float = 0.015) -> ShaderMaterial:
+	var key := "%.4f" % width
+	if _outline_cache.has(key):
+		return _outline_cache[key]
+	var mat := ShaderMaterial.new()
+	mat.shader = load(OUTLINE_SHADER)
+	mat.set_shader_parameter("outline_width", width)
+	_outline_cache[key] = mat
+	return mat

scenes/maps/level_runtime.gd

@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ func _spawn_player(pid: int) -> CharacterBody3D:
 	client_rep_config.add_property(":synced_is_crouching")
 	client_rep_config.add_property(":synced_is_ads")
 	client_rep_config.add_property(":synced_wall_side")
+	client_rep_config.add_property(":synced_is_dancing")
 	client_rep_config.add_property(":synced_grapple_point")
 	client_rep_config.add_property(":synced_is_grapple_shooting")
 	client_rep_config.add_property(":synced_skin_id")

scenes/maps/procedural_arena/procedural_arena_runtime.gd

@@ -19,6 +19,16 @@ func _ready() -> void:
 	# Hide mouse
 	Input.mouse_mode = Input.MOUSE_MODE_CAPTURED
 
+	# Cel-shaded presentation: stylized sky/grade + toon materials over the
+	# arena's baked geometry. The scene ships its own DirectionalLight3D;
+	# rename it to Sun so the helper doesn't stack extra suns.
+	var existing_light := get_node_or_null("DirectionalLight3D")
+	if existing_light:
+		existing_light.name = "Sun"
+	if not has_node("WorldEnvironment"):
+		LevelEnvironment.add_to(self)
+	LevelMaterials.apply_toon_recursive(self, 0.0)
+
 	_build_hud()
 	
 	# Multiplayer Spawning
@@ -83,6 +93,7 @@ func _spawn_player(pid: int) -> CharacterBody3D:
 	client_rep_config.add_property(":synced_is_crouching")
 	client_rep_config.add_property(":synced_is_ads")
 	client_rep_config.add_property(":synced_wall_side")
+	client_rep_config.add_property(":synced_is_dancing")
 	client_rep_config.add_property(":synced_grapple_point")
 	client_rep_config.add_property(":synced_is_grapple_shooting")
 	client_rep_config.add_property(":synced_skin_id")