had the same problem as you, when i started to germinate my seeds i used the damp paper towel in a plastic bag method which didnt work. my advice is take a mug (or some cup that light cant penetrate) cover the top so no light gets in and soak your seeds in the warm water for 24-48 hours, this jump starts the processs, i had old seeds and it made most of them crack within this time frame, once they cracked an the little root started to pop out a bit i planted them in dirt. so far so good. alright well i hope that helps, good luck with your grow!