Halloween Base Contest!

[Dacy]

Every year, Dacy has put together a Halloween Giveaway Event. She's gotten people from all the shards to join in for a night of showing off their bases while giving the community awesome treats, provided by the donations of generous donors. It's always a lot of fun, and this year, with the help and support of the HC team, CRs Dacy and Easter Bunny are able to give base hosts official recognition and rewards for their building skills!  (There will also be one additional base award, see rules for details.)

 

So, we're having a Halloween Base Contest!  Bases should be Halloween themed or compatible with Halloween. They could be spooky, scary, mystical, monstrous, creepy, or set up for a Halloween party!

 

 

 

 

 Important Details:

 

There are a good number of bases that are well done scary/spooky/creepy/dark sorts of bases. For host bases, we are specifically looking for bases that are thematic, but also ones that will handle trick or treaters well. We will be looking for:

 

• Good intuitive or directed flow. Where do people go to get the treats? Clear, even simple is good here.

• A theme compatible with Halloween

• Preferably, something that visitors can experience that gives an element of fun or a thrill! Slides, drops, mazes, places haunted by scary monsters (which can be played by players or created in the editor), all make it a real experience, not just a grab and go for the player.

• If there is no interactive element to the base, a simpler layout is better. Players who get lost or frustrated while searching for the giveaway will just leave.

• All the usual standards for a champion base apply: flicker/shimmer/glitching should be minimally present, and demonstrated higher level editing, artistic, and imaginative skills will always score better than entries without those features.

 

We are looking for Host Bases, and the criteria for those are a little different than just "what's the 'best' base design". Since many, if not most, of the thematically appropriate bases out there do not include things specifically designed to involve visitors, or have a complicated layout, we included a category for a well designed base that, although not optimal for trick or treat visitors, is still a very well done and on point base design. This will be the Haunted Halloween Base Winner.

 

There will only be 1 base hosting Halloween this year on each of the smaller shards of Reunion, Indomitable, and Torchbearer, and 2 on the larger shards of Excelsior and Everlasting. (One of bases on Everlasting is Dacy’s the Witch’s House, the base that started it all, so it gets to host, but no title or merits.) This means that there will be one winner from each shard, two from Excelsior, and the one that is not hosting can be from any of the shards.

 

 

INDOMITABLE, TORCHBEARER, REUNION, we will need to see entries from you, please! There will be a winner from each shard, so you builders on the smaller shards, this is a great chance to shine!

 

So, here's the fine print. Please read.

 

Rules:

1. All entries must be completed by October 6, 2023. Judging will begin then.

2. Winners will be announced Friday, October 13, 2023!

3. All entries must commit to having someone in the base to hand out treats to trick or treaters on Saturday, October 28, and on Tuesday, October 31, for four hours in the evening on each date, at a minimum (evening should be EST, except for Reunion, which may be open for evening hours on UTC time). Being open for more hours and even for more days would be wonderful, but is optional. The person present can be someone other than the person who entered the base into the contest, but it is the entrant’s responsibility to have someone there.

4. Bases may be entered in the competition by their owners or builders, but if entered by the builder, they must have the owner’s permission. Exceptions will be made for owners who have been out of contact for more than a year. If a base was not built by the owner, the owner will only get the title and share in the merits if they are a host for at least half of time spent handing out treats. If you’re willing to put in the work and it's your base, you earned the title. Bases entered by the owner automatically include the builder in the awards, unless the builder has chosen to be represented by another base.

5. Bases that have won other contests are not eligible to enter this one. Builders who have won may enter a different base, however.

6. Cooperative builds are acceptable entries, and all involved builders will get titles, but the merits will be split according to how many people participated.

7. Please do not enter multiple accounts for the same player. You will be given the choice of what character on what account will wear the title if they win. It need not be the same character or account you used to build the base.

8. One entry per player. If you worked on another base that is also entered, you will not share in the rewards if that one wins. You must choose only one base to represent you.

9. Although the Haunted Base winner must be willing to host, as the entries are all entered and considered under the same rules, they will not be participating in the giveaway. Any base, whether in the contest or not, may of course choose to do a Halloween Giveaway of their own, but only winning Host Bases will be provided with materials and promotion.

10. All treats for the trick or treaters, as well as instructions on hosting and randomizing the giveaway, will be provided.

11. Although every effort to publicize the event will be made, it is helpful if Hosts will remind people on their shard about the giveway during the hours of operation, via general chat announcements. Spamming the announcements in quick succession, however, is discouraged.

12. The décor is, of course, important, but of equal importance is the layout, and this will be a big factor in judging. Layout needs to be clear to people unfamiliar with the base, who may even be unfamiliar with bases in general.

13. PARTIAL BASES MAY BE ENTERED. You may section off an area that is just for hosting, as long as it is clearly it's own area, separate from the rest of the base. Separation may be by being in a separate area, or by using surface tiles with collision to visually and physically cordon off the area, but entry to the area should be through the main entry portal, to avoid confusing participants. Entry to the rest of the base may be disabled for the event, or via secret portal. We will only judge the area that is visible and accessible to us, not the area the base covers on the map.

14. ADDENDUM: If your base includes something that requires player presence, such as monsters operated by characters, be sure to let us know that so we can schedule a time when they can be present.

 

Disclaimer: Contest judging is subjective and everyone's tastes are different. Please be kind to our judges who volunteer their time for these community events. If you have any issues, please contact Dacy and Easter Bunny here or on Discord! Judges other than the CRs were chosen for specific skills, and because none of them were going to enter this contest.

 

Rewards:

 

Each winner will be awarded a golden title and 5,000 merits (divisible by the number of those involved). Host base builders will be awarded the title of “Halloween Base Winner & Host 2023”. The winner that is not also a host will be awarded the title of, “Haunted Halloween Base Winner 2023”. (The word “Haunted” may be added or subtracted from the applicable title upon request.)

 

Accepting the reward for base hosting commits you to handing out treats on the specified days. Character title award is dependent upon honoring that commitment. In the event that a designated Host Base becomes unable to carry out their commitments, the next highest scoring base will be designated as the Host Base and rewarded accordingly.

 

There will be a Halloween base crawl of all the entries on Sunday, October 29^th, at 8 PM EST. You worked hard, we want to show off your bases!

 

We know there are a lot of amazing bases out there, and we can’t wait to see them all!

 

Your Community Reps,

@Dacy and @Easter Bunny

Edited September 2 by Dacy

[Dacy]

Copy/paste in this topic with your responses, for your entry.

 

Entry Form:

 

Global (in game):

Forum Handle:

Discord Handle (if applicable):

Collaborators (if applicable):

Are you the owner or builder?

If not the owner, do you have the owner’s permission?

Owner’s global, if different from above:

Builder’s global, if different from above:

Base Name:

Base Code:

Base Shard:

**Additional information you want us to know:

(This might include whether you have an interactive element, such as a monster, that needs to be there, so we can schedule a time)

Edited September 2 by Dacy

[starro]

Woot!  Looking forward to seeing all the bases!   I love how this neglected feature from live has been improved greatly on HC with all the creativity from the COH community.

Edited September 1 by starro

[Dacy]

Addendum: If you are going to feature something in your base that requires character presence, like monsters operated by a player, let us know so we can schedule a time to judge when the character will be there, too.

 

-Dacy

 

[stealthnight]

Entry Form:

 

Global (in game): @Envious

Forum Handle: Stealthnight

Discord Handle (if applicable): Mascot#9000

Collaborators (if applicable): None

Are you the owner or builder? Builder

If not the owner, do you have the owner’s permission? Yes

Owner’s global, if different from above: @Mage45

Builder’s global, if different from above:

Base Name: Eerie Defenders

Base Code: Monster-25383

Base Shard: Everlasting

**Additional information you want us to know: There are many locations for 'player' monsters to occupy. dungeon, coffins, mad scientist lab, swamp, cemetery, altar, and balconies. This base was made to support the habitat of many different kinds of monsters. They are not necessary but can be incorporated.

Edited September 4 by stealthnight

[Dacy]

10 hours ago, stealthnight said:

 There are many locations for 'player' monsters to occupy. dungeon, coffins, mad scientist lab, swamp, cemetery, altar, and balconies. This base was made to support the habitat of many different kinds of monsters. They are not necessary but can be incorporated.

if you'd like them to be part of the decor, please let us know that, so we can schedule a time at which they are there. (In the Witch's House, we have several afk characters on alt accounts that are there, but not really manned, to help with the atmosphere, and that is  something that can be there every day.) If you want creatures that will move and interact with players, those will need to be scheduled.

 

-Dacy

[EnnVee]

Entry Form:

 

Global (in game): @EnnVee

Forum Handle: EnnVee

Discord Handle (if applicable): ennvee_coh

Collaborators (if applicable): NONE

Are you the owner or builder? YES to both

If not the owner, do you have the owner’s permission?

Owner’s global, if different from above: N/A

Builder’s global, if different from above: N/A

Base Name: Mischief Manor

Base Code: Manor-19011

Base Shard: Excelsior

**Additional information you want us to know: There are several trap rooms, as well as lots of spaces for many different "live actor" monsters of all genres to hide. This base has many details so please take your time when exploring. No live actors will be present for judging, my apologies for this. 

The "Haunted Demonic Carousel" is a must see, so hopefully you find yourself in the Carnival trap room ! Any questions or for a guided tour please PM me on discord at ennvee_coh or in game @EnnVee

Edited September 15 by EnnVee

[Wravis]

Global (in game): @Wravis

Forum Handle: Wravis

Discord Handle (if applicable): Wravis

Collaborators (if applicable): Jibily! Which is also me.

Are you the owner or builder?: Yes!

Base Name: Crash

Base Code: Crash-15210

Base Shard: Everlasting

Additional information you want us to know:  There is an associated monster that can be there but it is not required. Just extra for fun!

[remboroy25]

On 9/5/2023 at 10:24 AM, Dacy said:

if you'd like them to be part of the decor, please let us know that, so we can schedule a time at which they are there. (In the Witch's House, we have several afk characters on alt accounts that are there, but not really manned, to help with the atmosphere, and that is  something that can be there every day.) If you want creatures that will move and interact with players, those will need to be scheduled.

 

-Dacy

If you'd like characters as part of the decor at the Witch's House for a consistent atmosphere, we can arrange that. If you want interactive creatures, please specify your preferences and scheduling, and we'll accommodate accordingly.

[Dacy]

5 hours ago, remboroy25 said:

If you'd like characters as part of the decor at the Witch's House for a consistent atmosphere, we can arrange that. If you want interactive creatures, please specify your preferences and scheduling, and we'll accommodate accordingly.

 

I'm not really sure why you posted this? Your response seems like perhaps you are trying to reword what I wrote so that it's more comprehensible. If so, I apologize for not being more clear in the first place, but, that is not what I was trying to say.

 

Let me rephrase that. If, in the presentation of your Halloween base, you have planned for (or allowed for) some sort of creature to be included, be sure to let us know about that so we can plan to set up the time so you can include the monster. As an example, I gave the Witch's House, which has a good number of both "AFK monsters" which are creatures we've designed that we could not design otherwise, and they hang out in various places to give those places more "flavor", and also creatures we call "scare monsters" that are like a RL Haunted House, where they will try and scare the visitors in various ways. Those are manned and actively move.

 

It is pretty clear to me that I did not write what I had intended in that section, so, I will go back and edit it. Thanks for calling that to my attention!

 

-Dacy

[Romeyn]

Global (in game): @Fistsand45s

Forum Handle: romeyn

Discord Handle (if applicable): Storm Tracker

Collaborators (if applicable): none

Are you the owner or builder?: Yes

Base Name: Swampers

Base Code: SWAMP-26093

Base Shard: Excelsior

Additional information you want us to know: one room base (besides entrance), bets not to fly or those branches will catch you! and be sure to have volume on!

Edited September 23 by Romeyn

[Anyad]

If anyone on Torch has a base but does not want to commit to manning it for the entire 4 hours on the Saturday and Sunday, i can assist keeping the winning base open.