Easter Bunny

I will also take this moment to acknowledge that having a dedicated criterion for functional seating was asinine and i'm embarrassed we ran with that. That criterion has now been revised to something more meaningful: Accessibility: Does the layout account for player character hitboxes? Are pathways, seating, and interactable areas spaced in a way that allows characters to navigate, sit, or interact without obstruction or clipping?

That’s interesting phrasing - “what you guys are looking for.” Just to be clear, we’re not looking for anything in particular We don’t believe there’s one correct way to build a base, and the rubric wasn’t designed to define what a base should be. It’s not a checklist for perfection - and there’s no expectation that every base should or could hit every mark. Some bases excel in one area and do less in others, and that’s completely fine The goal with the rubric was never to narrow creative expression, but to try and name all the different ways a base might stand out. Points aren’t deducted for missing something - bases start at zero and earn recognition for the things they do include. It’s not about hitting every category - it’s about surfacing the wide spectrum of what makes a base great Are we claiming the system is perfect? Definitely not. Judging is done by people - passionate, thoughtful, but still human. We’ve already refined the rubric based on what we’ve learned, and we’ll keep improving it At the end of the day, our goal is simple: to celebrate the creativity and skill that goes into base building, and to do our best to honor that effort in a structured, thoughtful way

It’s only day 1, but we’re already seeing an overwhelming response around one request: You want to see more than just the winners - you want to see the runners-up! We want you to know: we’re listening - and this is one thing we don’t have to wait a whole year to improve on. So with that… - Top 3 finalists per category, - Top 10 highest-scoring bases overall (across all categories), ...have now been posted to the Winner's Announcement! Thank you for the feedback - keep it coming. You're helping shape the future of these contests in real time.

It’s only day 1 of the Contest Survey, but we’re already seeing an overwhelming response around one request: You want to see more than just the winners - you want to see the runners-up! We want you to know: we’re listening - and this is one thing we don’t have to wait a whole year to improve on. So with that… - Top 3 finalists per category, - Top 10 highest-scoring bases overall (across all categories), ...have now been posted to the Winner's Announcement! Thank you for the feedback - keep it coming. You're helping shape the future of these contests in real time.

Help shape the future of our contests by sharing your thoughts in this quick follow-up survey: https://forms.gle/ybeoMneaqWPVEv5C7 Whether you participated or just have opinions on how things are run - we’d love to hear from you! The survey takes just a few minutes, and your input will directly influence future contest formats, themes, and category decisions. Thanks for being part of the community!

This is fantastic @SupaFreak! I logged on to share my own feedback survey and was delighted to see others thinking the same! I won’t share my link here to avoid stepping on your post - I’ll make a separate one. Just wanted to say I love your approach and will take time to consider the thoughtful questions and feedback you’ve raised.

Holy crap! GOY!! You made it!!! Welcome!! I've been hoping to see you!

Updated with the winners and Spirit Award recipients of the 2025 HC Base Building Contest - Congrats to all!!

Hello again, everyone - we made it! We’re thrilled to finally unveil the winners of the 2025 HC Base Building Contest! To every builder who poured their heart, time, and talent into an entry: thank you. You turned this contest into a true celebration of everything we love about this community. I can't even begin to tell you how many judging records this contest broke. The number of eyebrows raised, double takes taken, and jaws that hit the floor - all completely off the charts! I'm not exaggerating when I say that many of these showdowns were truly hair-splitting (and yes, hare-splitting, too). In the spirit of growth and transparency, we’d like everyone to know that we're offering participants the option to request a copy of their judging evaluation. If you’re interested in receiving constructive feedback and using it as a tool to sharpen your skills - we’re happy to share your evaluation. This can be a great opportunity to understand how your work was received, and where you might grow for future events. That said, a gentle reminder: no matter how thoughtfully given - critique can sometimes sting. If you know you’re likely to take the feedback to heart in a way that may cause more hurt than help, we encourage you to consider whether requesting your assessment is right for you. This offering is meant to support, not discourage. If you’d like your feedback, just DM @Easter Bunny, here or on Discord. And now, finally, without further ado... Let’s meet your 2025 Champions! But wait! There's MORE ... Introducing The Base Building Spirit Awards! Capturing the Heart of Base Building on Your Shard The Spirit Award honors one recognition-worthy base on each shard that, while not a top winner, stood out for its passion, creativity, and spark. It’s not just about polish or technical complexity - it’s about showing up, playing along, and creating something memorable. This award goes to a base that may not have taken the top prize but made the judges stop and smile, saying, “Now this is what base building is all about.” We define base building spirit as: Creativity: Doing something unique, unexpected, or clever with your space - even if it’s not perfect. Effort & Enthusiasm: A sense that you enjoyed the process and poured yourself into the build, no matter your experience level. Shard Personality: A build that reflects the community, humor, or style of your shard - intentionally or otherwise. Participation: Showing up. Submitting a base when you didn’t have to. Playing along. That counts more than you might think. To all our Spirit Award recipients: thank you for showing up and sharing your passion. Some builds whisper instead of shout - and still manage to echo. To our winners: you earned this. We’re in awe of what you built - congratulations! Special Thanks Huge gratitude to our judging panel - BBB, Deep Six, Garbage Wizard, Gem, and Interrabang - for your time, passion, and thoughtful evaluations. And thank YOU to everyone who participated, supported a builder, or toured the entries. You continue to make this contest something truly special. What’s Next? If you didn’t win this year, don’t let that discourage you! The skill, artistry, and fun on display this year has us inspired - and we hope it inspires you, too. We encourage everyone to keep building, keep experimenting, and keep sharing your creations with the community! Until next time - Happy Building! ❤️ Easter Bunny, Dacy & the 2023 Base Building Champions BBB | Deep Six | Garbage Wizard | Gem | Interrabang

No worries at all. I get it 🙂 I want to ensure information is seen so please submit as new posts.

This is for everyone - not just those who may end up as finalists. If there's something important you'd like the judges to notice, now is the time to share it. We included space on the entry forms for additional notes and do refer to them during judging - holding back key details in hopes of sharing them later could mean they don’t get seen at all.

Absolutely, yes. It certainly couldn't hurt! If anyone has been holding onto any important details - like hidden features, cleverly tucked-away services, or anything else that might not be immediately obvious - this would be a very good time to loop us judges in. 😄 Feel free to point out anything you think we might otherwise miss. We want to give credit where it's due, and we know that sometimes the cleverest things are the easiest to overlook. So if there’s something worth highlighting, please do!

Hey everyone, I’m writing with an update that’s tough to share, and one I wish weren’t necessary. We wanted to give you a quick update regarding the judging process for the 2025 HC Base Building Contest. Originally, we had hoped to include guided tours with the builders of finalist bases as part of the final judging phase. Unfortunately, due to a sudden and significant change in my real-life schedule, I’m no longer able to support that part of the process - and that shift has affected our team’s ability to carry out the plan as we had envisioned. This decision wasn’t made lightly, and it’s definitely not what we had hoped for. If I had the time, I would have truly loved to walk through each base with its creator - especially knowing how much care, creativity, and thought went into so many of these builds. That said, I want to reassure you that your bases are all still being visited and carefully considered by our full panel. While the final decisions are still in progress, all entries have been reviewed using our official rubric, with full attention to detail and fairness. Thank you all for your understanding - and most of all, for sharing your work with the community. It’s been an honor to explore what you’ve built, and we’re looking forward to celebrating the incredible creativity and talent this contest has brought together. With gratitude, EB 💔 & the 2025 Base Building Contest Team

We’re only just now beginning to emerge from the fog of judging and start the process of determining tour selections. It’s a complex puzzle, and we’re approaching it with care and excitement. That said, please rest assured: in no way would I ever expect the sacrifice to be so one-sided. Should you be selected for a tour, we will absolutely work with you to find a time that is, at worst, only mildly disagreeable for all involved. Your willingness to be flexible is deeply appreciated, and we’ll do everything we can to meet you halfway (or at least a time that doesn’t require setting an alarm for 3am!).

Yes 🙂 We will release the rubrics to anyone that requests theirs - once the competition is over.

Go ahead and make your changes 🙂 We'll stir clear of the base on Saturday

The Entry Period is Now Closed! You all have done it! - 102 bases entered into the contest! 🎉🎉 That’s an incredible milestone and a true testament to the creativity and passion of this community. Thank you to everyone who contributed! Judging begins now. With 100+ entries, it will take some time. We also plan to schedule guided tours with the top finalists, which adds to the process. While we’d love to announce winners in two weeks, it may take up to three weeks to fully deliberate and tour. Please remember our judges are volunteers with real-life responsibilities, so we ask for your patience and grace during this phase. And one more thing… Because of this amazing community response, we’re thrilled to announce that the HC Base Building Contest will return next year! Thanks again for being part of something so special - and good luck to all our entrants!

With nearly 100 entries (one entry away at time of post) it will take some time. We also intend to schedule guided tours with the top finalists. We’d love to announce in two weeks, but it very well could take 3 weeks to deliberate and tour.

No, you are not locked in until after the deadline. You may still reconsider 🙂 Similarly, judges won’t begin touring or judging bases until after the deadline, since players may still be adjusting and fine-tuning their bases up until then.

Ah! Whoops! Sorry for missing your earlier question! Yes, the collaborators portion of the entry form does directly connect to the "one base per player" rule. However, I love that you want to thank your friends and fully support that. Maybe add a Special Thanks section on your entry ❤️ That should bypass the rule just fine, they won't be credited as builders to your base that way.

Yes, multiple entries from the same Supergroup are allowed - there’s no rule against that. However, individual builders can only be part of ONE entry. If a builder contributes to multiple bases, they must choose one to be officially listed on. This means a person cannot be credited on more than one entry, even if they belong to the same SG. I see the post you are referring to and have reached out to those involved for clarification on how they want to proceed.

Yes, both Dacy and I and the HC Council gave this a lot of thought, as it was a major concern before implementing the Novice category. Ultimately, three key factors led to our decision: Honor System Disclaimer: The contest announcement includes a clear statement: "We are relying on the honor system to ensure fair competition. The Novice tier is meant for casual builders and those still honing their craft- not experienced builders seeking an easy win. Violating this may result in disqualification and a ban from future contests." We want the event to be fun and fair for everyone. Enter with integrity and respect for fellow builders. Title Transparency: Winners will be labeled as “Novice Champion.” For a true novice, this is something to be proud of. For a skilled builder trying to game the system, it’s less appealing. Community Awareness: We know our community well. If someone’s competed before, we’ll likely recognize them. If they haven’t, chances are they are genuinely new. Lastly, while we’re not actively investigating every entry upfront, we reserve the right to review standout bases and ensure the category’s integrity is upheld.

@Viking Queen We found this link from a previous showcase for Victrix Historical Society. Looks as though the correct passcode should be VICTRIX001-3323.

Thank you for your message. We truly appreciate your interest in participating and completely understand the desire to maintain some privacy around your base. That said, in the interest of fairness and transparency, all contest entries must be made publicly accessible during the judging period, which runs from May 4th to May 18th. We feel it’s important that any base being considered for recognition can be viewed not only by our judges, but also by the wider community. This helps ensure that our selection process is open, consistent, and aboveboard. If your base is selected as a winner, we’d also ask that it remain accessible for a few weeks after the contest concludes, so others can visit and appreciate your work. After that window, we’d still love the option to show the winning base to interested parties upon request, but ongoing public access would not be required. If you're concerned about your usual passcode being exposed, one suggestion is to change it to a temporary code just for the contest period. That way, your usual access remains protected while still allowing the community to enjoy your creation. We completely understand if these terms don’t align with your preferences. If keeping your base private is a top priority, then this particular contest might not be the best fit. That said, we’d truly love to see your work and share it with the community, even if only for a limited time. Please let us know how you’d like to proceed.

@DarionLeonidas Our intention wasn't to actively police the novice category, as we trust players to assess their own skill level. Since your base was recognized in a player-sponsored contest rather than an HC-sponsored one, I believe you should be fine entering as a novice. We just ask that you honestly evaluate your experience and honor the spirit of the category. If you've done that, then we should be good to go 🙂 Thanks for entering, and best of luck to you!