assets/shaders/toon.gdshader

@@ -16,10 +16,12 @@ uniform float band_edge : hint_range(-1.0, 1.0) = 0.05;   // NdotL where light b
 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;
+// Matte-anime defaults: a thin rim and a tiny tight glint. Anything hotter
+// reads as wet plastic / patent leather on dark surfaces.
+uniform float rim_strength : hint_range(0.0, 2.0) = 0.15;
+uniform float rim_width : hint_range(0.0, 1.0) = 0.4;
+uniform float specular_strength : hint_range(0.0, 1.0) = 0.06;
+uniform float specular_shininess : hint_range(1.0, 128.0) = 56.0;
 
 varying vec3 world_pos;
 varying vec3 world_normal;

scenes/maps/level_environment.gd

@@ -91,18 +91,23 @@ static func make_environment(sky_variant: String = "day") -> Environment:
 	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
+	# Filmic with a high white point: near-linear through the cel bands (they
+	# stay crisp) but a soft shoulder above 1.0. LINEAR clipped lit white
+	# surfaces and then bloomed the clip — every facade glowed like porcelain.
+	environment.tonemap_mode = Environment.TONE_MAPPER_FILMIC
+	environment.tonemap_white = 2.4
 
-	# Bloom sells emissives (tracers, plasma, rim highlights).
+	# Bloom for genuine emissives only (tracers, plasma, neon) — lit geometry
+	# must never cross this threshold or it reads as glowing glass.
 	environment.glow_enabled = true
-	environment.glow_intensity = 0.5
+	environment.glow_intensity = 0.4
 	environment.glow_bloom = 0.05
-	environment.glow_hdr_threshold = 1.1
+	environment.glow_hdr_threshold = 1.45
 
-	# Cel color grade: punchy saturation, hint of contrast.
+	# Cel color grade: punchy saturation, hint of contrast (bumped a touch to
+	# make up for filmic's slightly tamer mids — vibrancy stays).
 	environment.adjustment_enabled = true
-	environment.adjustment_saturation = 1.22
+	environment.adjustment_saturation = 1.3
 	environment.adjustment_contrast = 1.05
 
 	# A touch of depth haze for scale; far enough to not gray the arena.

scenes/maps/level_materials.gd

@@ -85,8 +85,13 @@ static func toonify(src: Material) -> Material:
 	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)
+	# Matte anime surfaces: a thin rim for silhouette pop and a small tight
+	# glint. The old hot rim (0.45 over 65% width) + broad specular made
+	# every character and prop read as wet plastic / a colored mirror.
+	mat.set_shader_parameter("rim_strength", 0.15)
+	mat.set_shader_parameter("rim_width", 0.4)
+	mat.set_shader_parameter("specular_strength", 0.06)
+	mat.set_shader_parameter("specular_shininess", 56.0)
 	return mat
 
 

scenes/maps/neon_alley/neon_alley_builder.gd

@@ -321,14 +321,17 @@ func _build_environment() -> void:
 	# the energies the old dark flat palette needed).
 	env.environment.ambient_light_source = Environment.AMBIENT_SOURCE_COLOR
 	env.environment.ambient_light_color = Color(0.58, 0.54, 0.66)
-	env.environment.ambient_light_energy = 1.7
+	# Under the filmic shoulder the ambient's lavender tint actually shows
+	# (LINEAR used to clip it to white) — keep it lower so the sun shapes
+	# surfaces and lit faces stay bright.
+	env.environment.ambient_light_energy = 1.35
 	env.environment.fog_density = 0.0007   # light city haze for depth over 600m
 	# Ambient occlusion grounds the modeled facade detail (ZZZ-style depth)
 	env.environment.ssao_enabled = true
 	env.environment.ssao_intensity = 2.0
 	var sun := get_node_or_null("Sun")
 	if sun:
-		sun.light_energy = 2.2
+		sun.light_energy = 2.5
 		sun.rotation_degrees = Vector3(-38, 55, 0)
 		sun.directional_shadow_max_distance = 220.0