Struggling with a tileset, need suggestions

I hate these vines. I want an organic source of light for these tunnels, but this wont do. It's become an obstacle to any progress on the level it's for. I can't get past it. Any ideas to improve or replace them would be appreciated.

Edit June 3, 2010, 8:45 PM: Changed sample picture to full resolution, added second sample picture.

We can't even tell how they look unless you give us a screenshot that isn't blurred.

Maybe make them a little shorter...?

The green and blue hues stick out too much form the background, which is the exact opposite colors of the cave. Might wanna stick to a blue and underwater theme, or a damp cave. It would look so much cooler Also the rocks stick out too much. Might wanna make it discreet or it would kinda ruin the focus of the lights. Though its a good thing if you want people to look around the screen!

Or try to cool down the temperature :



see? it fits more! It creates a mood to it too! if you really wanna go advanced try adding some stuff on the tiles:


lighting is a good way to blend things!






Sorry I had to edit it, I just really wanted to show you

I hope you're not mad

@Minmay: Full size screen shots now available.

@Pumpkin: Simple but likely effective idea. If I make them shorter I think I'd need to add a bottom growing version for larger tunnels. This will probably be part of the solution.

@Evil: A lot of ideas here. First, I know the colors are a little intense. The whole level is that way. I'm not going for realistic so much as rich. I expanded the first screen to give a better feel of how this area works with the world at large. For more screens see my collaboration topic.

@Evil more: Second, I do have a glow behind the vines. It's not very intense. You can see it better in the second screen shot I added. If I make it any brighter I don't think it would work as well on the black background.

@Evil more: Overall, what I think you're getting at is the vines just don't look like they belong in this enviroment; Wrong color, too saturated, too bright, but the glow is too dim on the background.

OK. I think I'll try darkening the background a little, and adjusting the color and length of the vines. Please keep the criticism coming. I'd also like to hear ideas of what else I could add to the tunnels. They're soft burrows dug into the soil, home to rabbits and salamanders up top, mysterious and dark down deep.

I tried my best




this looks awesome!

Evil, I appreciate your thoughts. Everything you mentioned are things I've contemplated myself, but it's helpful to hear what others think. I realized I knew things about the level that you didn't, and that's why I added the extra imagery.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the problem here is that they just don't fit in.  You'd need a different color entirely and probably a different texture.

I think evil's look really good. Minmay does have a point about them not fitting in though, perhaps a bluer or more white, but not necessarily brighter... Hmmm.

What about coloring the vines with a brownish shade of green while leaving the bulb just as it is now? I think it would look better than an entirely blue vine and it'd fit better with the background.

Thanks for all the help everyone. I'm not saying this is the final product, but it's heading in a better direction.

Edit: @Vegetal G: The vines are a brownish green, but you can't tell because the glow is layered on top of them.

why don't you put a nice warm yellowish glow instead of cold blueish?

Even if I can't really tell the new color, the contrast between the vines and the glowing bulbs is stronger now. The original vines were a little too bright. They look nicer now

As for the color of the glow, I think blue is fine. A yellow glow wouldn't feel right, unless it was coming from a torch or some other "warm" light source.

True.

Aw so very nice actually got me happy to see it. Happy tileset I hope you make a very nice level with it.

Why not try to color the top of the vines same color as tileset. Might become nice