Can't I just use any sprite shader with spine models, or does it have to be a shader specifically for spine?

Assuming you mean a Unity shader when you say "shader":
It doesn't have to be specifically for Spine but it does need to fit a few criteria, most of which are true for most Sprite shaders but not all.

Backface Culling is preferrably off, but this can be removed as a requirement in exchange for some some performance cost.

Depth Buffer/Z-buffer writing and reading is off. This can also be removed but you'll have frequent jagged edges visible. This will also potentially make sorting more problematic as the sorting will then (1) depend on more factors than just draw order via the engine's sorting system and (2) you have to juggle Z positions so the sprites don't become coplanar (or almost-coplanar) and cause z-fighting.

Lighting is not done through the deferred lighting because it will cause the lighting pass to overlap where the sprite pieces overlap. This is true even for SpriteRenderer. But if you have depth buffer on, this can work. The side effect of jagged-edges mentioned above will likewise apply.

AND
The premultiplied alpha setting of the shader needs to match the texture. More on that here: Premultiply Alpha
For this reason, if you packed your texture and it works with the Spine/Skeleton shader, you'll often get black edges with the built-in Sprites/Default shader. You just need to make sure you export with Premultiply alpha turned off whenever you want to use Sprites/Default.

I'm not sure which of these characteristics Magelight will fit in the end but it will likely affect what kind of shaders and sorting scheme you need to use.

Any updates? Really looking forward to testing out this tool

Is Equipman or MageLight ever going to happen? It has been 9 months of coming soon. Is this stuff abandoned?

Pretty sure this has been abandoned at this point.

Understandable Mitch. Thanks for at least replying.

I'm trying to figure out how to update the SPINE shader to at least receive shadows in Unity.

For anyone that's following this thread still. There is another topic ongoing about lighting\shadows

http://esotericsoftware.com/forum/Sprite-Shaders-for-Unity-5838

much thanks!

Note that forum user ToddRivers has released a Spine-Unity-compatible Sprite shader pack : Sprite Shaders for Unity

The samples don't show the light ramp feature (For stepped-tone shading) but it's there.

Amazing stuff!!! it really looks very good, I'm really excited to know when this is going to come out!. THANKS Mitch!

Status? We really need this.

Please see this thread for a continuation of shader discussion for Unity. I'm locking this thread for now, Mitch can unlock it if he is ever exhumed.