diff --git a/Engine.cpp b/Engine.cpp
index cadd991..fcc6a1d 100644
--- a/Engine.cpp
+++ b/Engine.cpp
@@ -128,7 +128,6 @@ void Engine::Initiate()
     // ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Font* arial = new Font("assets/ft/arial.ttf");
     Texture* blanktex = new Texture("assets/blanktexture.png");
-    Texture* blacktex = new Texture("assets/blacktexture.png");
     Texture* magic = new Texture("assets/itsmagicbitch.jpg");
     Texture* snowflake = new Texture("assets/snowflake.png");
     Texture* shockwavetex = new Texture("assets/shockwave.png");
@@ -472,7 +471,8 @@ void Engine::Initiate()
     glm::vec3   grappleLineEnd(0.0f);
     Mesh* grappleLine = CreateCubeMesh();
     grappleLine->name = "grappleline";
-    grappleLine->meshTexture = blacktex;
+    grappleLine->meshTexture = blanktex;
+    grappleLine->colorOverride = glm::vec4(0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f);  // black
     grappleLine->t.TranslateTo({ 0.0f, -1000.0f, 0.0f });  // hidden until a grapple latches
     grappleLine->BindToRenderSystem();
     mainf->AddChild(grappleLine);
@@ -1034,7 +1034,8 @@ void Engine::Initiate()
             if (len > 0.01f) {
                 grappleLine->t.TranslateTo(handPos + delta * 0.5f);
                 grappleLine->t.ScaleTo({ 0.05f, 0.05f, len });
-                grappleLine->t.RotateToQuaternion(LookAt(delta));
+                // Plain shortest-arc rotation of the box's long (z) axis onto the rope; LookAt breaks on straight up/down
+                grappleLine->t.RotateToQuaternion(RotationBetweenVectors(glm::vec3(0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f), delta));
             }
         }
         else grappleLine->t.TranslateTo(hiddenPos);
diff --git a/Mesh.h b/Mesh.h
index 21adfd9..3acf753 100644
--- a/Mesh.h
+++ b/Mesh.h
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ class Mesh : public Object , public Renderable, public t_package , public MeshDa
 protected:
 public:
 	Texture* meshTexture = nullptr;
+	glm::vec4 colorOverride = glm::vec4(0.0f);  // rgb + strength; 0 = use the texture's own colour
 
 	VAO vao;
 	VBO vbo;
@@ -469,6 +470,7 @@ public:
 		else glBindTexture(GL_TEXTURE_2D, 0);
 
 		ShaderProgram.SetMat4("modl",  topass);
+		ShaderProgram.Set4F("colorOverride", colorOverride);
 		vao.Bind();
 		glDrawElements(GL_TRIANGLES, indices.size(), GL_UNSIGNED_INT, 0);
 		vao.Unbind();
diff --git a/assets/blacktexture.png b/assets/blacktexture.png
deleted file mode 100644
index 8ef45ce..0000000
Binary files a/assets/blacktexture.png and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/assets/shockwave.png b/assets/shockwave.png
index 03534e9..ed6a1e4 100644
Binary files a/assets/shockwave.png and b/assets/shockwave.png differ