Aerie's main visual feature is soft bloom lighting: bright objects glow naturally when it's dark around them. You can design your builds to show this off.
Where bloom looks best
Bloom is most visible where bright meets dark. To see it clearly:
1. Build or visit an area at night, or underground where there's no daylight.
2. Place your usual light sources, such as torches, lanterns or other glowing blocks, against darker surroundings.
3. Step back and look at them from a short distance. The soft glow spreads around the bright source without blurring the blocky shapes.
Build ideas that use the glow
- Pathways: Line a dark path with light sources spaced apart. Each one becomes a soft glowing point instead of a flat bright pixel.
- Windows: Put light sources inside a house so they shine out through windows into the night.
- Caves and mines: Light a cavern sparingly. Darker gaps between lights make the bloom stand out more.
- Dark backdrops: Put glowing blocks in front of dark materials so the contrast shows the effect.
Keep the vanilla feel
Aerie keeps the original look of the game intact, so your textures and building style stay the same. It also unifies lighting so blocks and items fit together better. Dropped items and placed blocks near your lights should look consistent rather than mismatched. You don't need to change your palette, only where you put your light.