I didn't get this one to be honest. Maybe you meant something like 'bumpmapping' to 'faux it's shape', or what?
Not really,Bump-mapping is to change normals to cause a 3d distortion. I'm talking about more like per-frame shadow mapping. Right now the whole sprite gets a uniformed shadow. A flat shadow across the flat surface. Which just adjust the surface color by a gray-scale(or color-scale). But the shadow can make the shape pop up if using a map.
Pictures - QaD for example
From top left - Hand and Gun - Shadow map - Shadow mapped hand 100% -Shadowmapped 50%
Hand and Gun
http://i.imgur.com/AmYh425.pngShadow map
http://i.imgur.com/2AYDYAv.pngShadow mapped hand 100%
http://i.imgur.com/F4tt9KM.pngShadowmapped 50%
http://i.imgur.com/Sx5eilJ.pngSo you can get d-shadows with intensity by light distance and using 4 mapping per -frame you could lerp/blend (whatever) by light-source direction.
So the shadow will faux the shaped of the sprite object.
Anyway just an idea and post just for clarification sake.
Great work man !
