Nice, I really like the second one.
I'm thinking to make the lower branches real, then the tops just a flat image of leaves, and from a distance I'll have the trees fade out and be replaced by sprite-trees. This will be using Cluster-Groups (called dupli-verts in blender) for the trees to reduce file size. I think plasma can handle 500 trees at once, then I have mist and vines to fill out the forest(and hide the non-visible parts).
The second one would be a bit better if it had vines and jungle stuff(jungle bushes etc.) it looks kind of like a forest in Europe the way it is. We want a little more of that "thick jungle" feel to it.
Also, it's pretty hard to merge 2d and 3d things and have it look good, that's why I'm thinking about full modeled lower branches--we don't want the canopy-plane to be too low.
~Lontahv
Currently getting some ink on my hands over at the Guild Of Ink-Makers (PyPRP2).