Best way to add shadows to Bomber result? Making shadows without blur?

Hello, I have been trying to learn more about making shadows inside filter forge for giving more realistic effect to some things, and sometimes I got good and nice results but other times do not, and specially this happens when using bomber with multiple particles as for example in my Alphabet Texture Creator filter but now I want to add shadows to each of the letters as alternative texture creation, but the problem is that it seems that the only way it works right from what I have tested is adding blur to each component of the 5 source letters, and this slows down much the filter.

So I wonder if there could be an alternative to make shadows for the bomber particles result without using blur, and that it could be a faster way to do it.

What would be the best, faster and optimized way to shadows to the bomber particles?

I have thought to use the a surface filter instead for using the AO, although the problem is that converting the filter to surface BREAKS TOTALLY ALL THE SETTINGS

Then I have found today this Ambient Occlusion by Mike Blackney but have not tested it yet

I also made some months ago this complete and very long list of shadows filters compilation to know more about making shadows in the best way

Simulating real shadows inside Filter Forge - compilation of threads

In this thread there are also many examples showing some bomber results shadow

Thanks very much for your help


Here below is what I have done but is slow

Thanks for the answer Skybase/Yuya

Quote
Note: I rarely use AO in anything I produce. It can be faked, and the results render faster.

And how do you fake the AO?

Is what you have explained in the "Edit" note?

Would be good to have fake AO for the bomber results?

Quote
Basically put, unless you just feed in images with shadows on it already, there's probably no "nice way" of accomplishing soft drop shadows

This is what I have done already, add a shadow to the shape/image before feeding it into Bomber, and I do not think that this is something bad, and from what you say it seems it must be done as I thought, before entering bomber, but the problem is that is not ONE one shape, is 5 shapes, that needs 5 blur for the shadows, and this slows down the filter.

So this is why I was asking if there is a faster alternative to make shadows without using blur to add to a shape/image before feeding it into Bomber

And as you suggest maybe is better idea not to use the surface filter

OK, you are right, I will put here the filter I already have with the shadows, but can't put it now as I need to make it to be used by another user AND also want to test and check some things before putting it here.

Thanks for the help you may give after I upload the filter