Visual Feedback: Rimlight snapping to only one light source

[Coral_]

Hello everyone, I have been a big fan of the Don't Starve Together series for a long time, and I really love the new style of the Don't Starve: Elsewhere game. It looks so refreshing. Thank you, Klei, for working on such an amazing new game!

But there is something I noticed, and then I was wondering about something and felt like sharing!

In the Trailer the Rimlight snapps to only the closest light source there currently is it looks really stylized and thoughtful but I feel like it could be maybe even be more than that.

I cant really tell how the Engine of Dont starve works so I have no Idea if this could be an option but i Was trying out to use Normal maps on a Wilson Sprite to show what Lighting could look like if it used that maybe in addition to the Rimlights.

Secound Try:

Incase you wanna try for yourself:

Spoiler

Here is the Sprite I used, and the normal map I made for it.

(first try) I did a rough, definitely not polished, try of what it could look like!:

Spoiler

 

I can imagine that it would be rather exhausting, though, to draw for all characters and their skins their own normal map, especially on parts that rotate. It could become rather messy.

What do you think?

Edited June 7 by Coral_
Fixed typos; added materials to try for yourself

[Edible Coal]

would be a shame if is not change to this

[PeterA]

On 6/7/2026 at 2:47 AM, Coral_ said:

In the Trailer the Rimlight snapps to only the closest light source there currently is

Great post. I love the attention to detail in noticing stuff like this, and going further to test how normal maps would look.

[Coral_]

Quote

21 hours ago, PeterA said:

I love the attention to detail in noticing stuff like this, and going further to test how normal maps would look.

I really appreciate that a lot, this made my day!

I had a few 2D projects where I used normals on sprites to create more immersive lighting, so I've been wondering for a while what Don't Starve would look like with this technique. After seeing elsewhere, I felt like I should give it a shot.

I did another example with moving lights.

But still the biggest issue probably is having false light informations once the Asset starts to rotate.Those are the Same Lightings but on the right Image the Head is rotated by 180. I wonder if there are solutions for that.

 

 

Edited 18 hours ago by Coral_