Last week we concluded our Hideout Competition. Over the past several days we've checked out hundreds of impressive and creative hideouts and are ready to announce the winners today!

Check out the video with the top five winners below!



Top Three Winners

Prize pool
  • Custom avatar of a portion of the hideout
  • Hideout Competition Winner Forum Badge
  • Your choice of two Path of Exile T-shirts - (Chaos Orb, Shaper, Untainted Paradise or Solaris/Lunaris)
  • Signed Brutus Art Print
  • Foam Exalted Orb
  • Your choice of a Hideout from the list below
  • Your choice of an Armour Set from the list below
  • Hideout Decorations: Celestial Tree Decoration, Arcane Throne, Huntsman Building Supplies x2, Mystic Building Supplies Decoration x2, Black Statue x2, White Statue x2, Water Elemental Hideout Decoration x3, Fire Ball Pet, Ice Ball Pet, White Crystal Decoration x2, Harlequin Apparition Environment Decoration, Ringmaster Fireworks Environment Decoration x2, Lightning Swarm Pet x2, Falling Leaves Decoration x5, Wide Light Beam Decoration x5
  • Hideout Bundle: Black Building Supplies x2, White Building Supplies x2, Wasteland Sandstorm Decoration x2, Wild Wind Effect x2, Oriath Citizen Decoration, Light Swarm Pet x2

Dan A., Level Designer: "Synopsis' enchanting, Lothlorien-inspired hideout managed to impress me with not only its visuals but the skill with which it was constructed. It's not an easy task to balance thematic visuals against practical playability concerns, but Synopsis made them work in harmony instead. In fact the hideout is filled with artistic flourishes that help players interpret and navigate the space.

You most notice these around the edges and transitions between different elements of the level. If the plants at the edge of the paths had been placed haphazardly all over the grass, they might have been glossed over as visual noise. Instead they help to divide up the space, without any reduction in visual quality. When Synopsis had to build staircases and platforms it could've looked like a mess, but clever use of lighting and misdirection encourages the player to gloss over those parts and prevents them from breaking the illusion.

For example the Watch Tower made of Betrayal shelves could have been distracting if you saw them from above where their geometry would intersect. But instead they're lit from below, they have a tree covering them, and your eye is drawn to Alva and her ladder. The result is an extremely convincing workaround for the limitations of the medium.

Synopsis has made some really impressive hideouts, and I definitely recommend checking them out! I have a lot of fondness for the original Fable, so I particularly enjoyed the authenticity and creativity that went into the Oakvale hideout."



Dan A., Level Designer: "What impresses me most about this hideout is not the elaborate, complex collages that we often see from DerroK, but just how coherent the entire visual style of this hideout is. The extravagant, glowing fountain is like a more complex version of the lonely archways we see in the water. The style of the outer border made of ruins and coral is consistent, and full of subtle variation and complexity, while maintaining a clear visual language. DerroK knows what the visual points of interest in the hideout are, and the entire rest of the hideout is dedicated to creating a backdrop that reinforces and enhances them.

The way this hideout is built out of clear edges and iconic motifs make it a template you could build a really beautiful Path of Exile level from, and a lot of it is down to the restraint with which it was created. By letting background elements be part of the background, DerroK is able to focus attention to the functional and interesting parts of the Hideout which would benefit gameplay.

I definitely recommend checking out DerroK's other hideouts. Aside from looking consistently fantastic, they're full of effects and set-pieces that are worth studying and taking apart to figure out how they work."



Ben K., Level Designer: "Masterful use of form and lighting to bring out a really creepy theme. My favourite of all the submissions."

Dan A., Level Designer: "The Dracula entombed in this hideout clearly makes no secret of his vampiric nature - it's a macabre fortress full of his victims, both posed ceremoniously and mercilessly discarded.

The designs and detailing on the floor draw the eye and frame the scenes. I love how well integrated each of the decorations are and I appreciate a secret backstage route that leads behind the painting of Dominus. No doubt the perfect way to spy on unsuspecting guests, if only this wasn't the single most suspicious manor in the world."


4th - 5th Place

Prize pool
  • Your choice of one Path of Exile T-shirt - (Chaos Orb, Shaper, Untainted Paradise or Solaris/Lunaris)
  • Signed Brutus Art Print
  • Foam Exalted Orb
  • Your choice of an Armour Set from the list below
  • Hideout Decorations: Celestial Tree Decoration, Arcane Throne, Huntsman Building Supplies x2, Mystic Building Supplies Decoration x2, Black Statue x2, White Statue x2, Water Elemental Hideout Decoration x3, Fire Ball Pet, Ice Ball Pet, White Crystal Decoration x2, Harlequin Apparition Environment Decoration, Ringmaster Fireworks Environment Decoration x2, Lightning Swarm Pet x2, Falling Leaves Decoration x5, Wide Light Beam Decoration x5
  • Hideout Bundle: Black Building Supplies x2, White Building Supplies x2, Wasteland Sandstorm Decoration x2, Wild Wind Effect x2, Oriath Citizen Decoration, Light Swarm Pet x2

Dan A., Level Designer: "A wonderful Halloween themed hideout, full of creepy, atmospheric scenes. It does a great job at once again turning a building into a very naturalistic area. The different types of lighting create distinct scenes with distinct moods, but I was particularly impressed by the Witch's grave. I also quite appreciated the short story that went with this one!"

  • The Demonic Crypt by Max34

Dan A., Level Designer: "This hideout would be impressive enough if it were just a bleak Gothic edifice, but it takes advantage of the Luxurious Hideout's lighting and room structure to enhance the impact of its visuals. The demonic blood and fire surrounding the map device are all the more striking because the rest of the hideout has such a muted colour palette. It almost lulls you into a false sense of security with its serene atmosphere before giving way to nightmare."

6th - 10th Place

Prize pool
  • Your choice of one Path of Exile T-shirt - (Chaos Orb, Shaper, Untainted Paradise or Solaris/Lunaris)
  • Your choice of an Armour Set from the list below
  • Hideout Decorations: Mystic Building Supplies Decoration x2, White Statue x2, Ice Ball Pet, White Crystal Decoration x2, Wide Light Beam Decoration x5
  • Hideout Bundle: Black Building Supplies x2, White Building Supplies x2, Wasteland Sandstorm Decoration x2, Wild Wind Effect x2, Oriath Citizen Decoration, Light Swarm Pet x2
Lioneye's Watch by TallBird

Spoiler
Inferno Gate by SolPoe

Spoiler
Remains Of A Hidden Sea by rvdeh

Spoiler
Untainted Paradise by lexblack

Spoiler
Minas Morgul by ZakkPerish

Spoiler

11th - 30th Place

Prize pool
  • Hideout Bundle: Black Building Supplies x2, White Building Supplies x2, Wasteland Sandstorm Decoration x2, Wild Wind Effect x2, Oriath Citizen Decoration, Light Swarm Pet x2

Congratulations to all the winners! We'll be in touch with you very soon to arrange your prizes.

We're very happy with how this competition turned out and due to a huge amount of high-quality submissions we will also reward more runners-up next week. Thank you so much to everyone who submitted your hideout!
Posted by 
on
Grinding Gear Games

Report Forum Post

Report Account:

Report Type

Additional Info