An absolute treat to judge, this was! We're all feeling pretty festive here at Habbo Hotel: Origins HQ and this competition ramped up the seasonal cheer just that little bit more 🎄
As is usually the case with these furni design competitions, StrongHandle has both judged the entire competition, commented on the entries as a whole, and commented on the top 10 entries.
Check it all below!
👨🏻🎨 Christmas commentary from StrongHandle
Merry Origins Xmas everyone!
For once I am managing to wish you whatever holiday or event we are celebrating with one of these contests in time, I think last two the results were there only after the actual moment. Hopefully this will be a trend going forward too!
So yeah, a furni competition. I am again not going to read my previous forewords before writing this one so bear with me if it sounds repetitious! Yet again I had a fine selection of entries to go through, very festive. I was expecting to get more generally wintery submissions which is traditionally very acceptable way to go with Habbo Xmas lines, but nice to see everyone being in proper holiday spirits.
As always I am explaining the judging process a little bit. As always I was looking at the technical execution and the base idea. There was some discussion on Discord about if using existing assets in your work is okay or preferable, so again couple words about that. Hopefully I am not sounding inconsistent compared to the last explanations, but here goes. Using existing assets in your work is completely fine, we in the actual art team do it, so you should be able to do it too. It is the execution that matters. Is it just a recolor? I am not giving those much attention. Is it using old thing as a base for something new? That is better. The line of something feeling uninspired or not can be thin, and everyone has their own feel for this. However this is a solo judge competition, so sadly you are at mercy of my whims and feels. I again just hope my line feels consistent to you and you don't feel someone is getting robbed.
I have some explaining comments for the top 10 finishers down below like I always do! I was in a bit more hurry with these ones than normally, hopefully they will still be satisfactory. I know there has been demand for extending the comments for all 20, but I am also just a human and I need to do my actual work as well! Also remember that we all have different tastes and the marginals are very small like always, some things could've been placement or two up or down depending who you ask.
Thanks to everyone participating and congratulations to our winners! Hopefully you all will enter next time too!
Yet again, Merry Xmas
🏆 Top 10
1st: Vincent (.COM)
This is partly why I bothered to comment the issue of using existing assets in one's work in the foreword (read the foreword if you didn't already!), because this heavily uses the original set of HC furni in it. But in my opinion very well mixed, also I am pretty sure the main tower is mostly self drawn (the base is the oil lamp obviously). Here I think the execution of making something inspired and new from old succeeds. The HC style at least in my mind works really well as Santa-like tech. One thing hindering it is its absolute monstrous size, which made me consider dropping it from the first spot. But nothing else this time felt better. This is also the first winning entry without a small size drawn in the submission in these contests, so I need to draw it myself!
2nd: URT (.COM)
This is just charmingly delightful. Obviously it does not show in this article, but surely you can find the whole submission somewhere in Discord or Twitter. But those who wont find it, it is meant as an extension piece for the Santa and Elf photo-stand-in rare. Very simple and effective, granted I don't think we have released the main piece yet? Would've been bit awkward if this won then! I promise that was not any kind of factor for this not making it to the absolute top.
3rd: Spirit-sea (.ES)
This was the most complex elf sub this time around, and its not a shelf! Looks good, and I think the actual rendering style is very Origins compliant with the color selection and the dithering. I think it could use some animation frames though, if this was the overall winner it could look bit stiff in a room maybe?
4th: Marcos (.COM.BR)
Fun idea and fitting with the theme. The animation (which is not shown in this article, seek it out) is especially cute. I think technically it the clearest problem I have with it is that is it does not seem to have the perfect balance, it looks like it is leaning behind. I assume you were trying to achieve the feel of the inverted knee of the deer's hind legs, but I don't think it worked here. Smaller problem is that the tips of the antlers are bit weird, maybe could've gone with a highlight at the top instead of going darker? Any way real fun entry.
5th: Bab (.COM)
I've said in other contests there that simple is best. Maybe, I think I've said it. But this is simple and cute item. And it does not have a face! Just very fitting to the theme.
6th: Fuel (.COM)
This was a funny one to judge, it kept going more higher and higher against other entries. It is real simple (and I did catch the base being the Dino Egg leaves) but really effective as christmassy item. For execution I think I'll note that the frosting (if that is the right term) does not sell the roundness of the ball portion that well, now the trickling (no idea if that is the best word here but you get it) of the frosting goes up and down in very much in sameish line. And the frosting could've gone pixel more wide than the ball to sell the form of it being on top bit better. Things to consider for the next time!
7th: GuReiPanda (.COM.BR)
Well made, but even though the concept is there, could be more on the theme. On a technical level its looking real nice, maybe the main green is looking a bit weird? Outside of that nice work on the actual stuff on the screen, again this article will most likely just show one frame, but seek the full concept somewhere.
8th: Honk (.COM)
This one here I might be little bit biased for, since I have been wondering on if I should be making a chimney furni in similar way for couple Decembers already. A simple, timeless, silly idea.
9th: Goob (.COM)
These are solid technically, however maybe tad too modern in look to end up higher. I think the gradient in the inside lines makes it too smooth looking for Origins in the end. The snow itself looks fine, but maybe it couldve still had higher contrast. Though thats more of an opinion, looks good either way. The form is also bit stiff, that snow is really packed in tight!
10th: Wsly (.COM)
Simple and clean one. It might not be the most christmassy one outside of it being for nog though. Otherwise yet another pretty neat use of existing stuff. I got called out by favouring hand item providers too much on Discord, I need to watch myself in the future! But these just look nice. Technically I guess having a shadow all over the logo looks bit off, and if this made it to the game I would've cleaned maybe that off.
🏅 Runners up (in no particular order)
Remorso (.COM.BR)
Steve (.COM)
Teschietto96 (.COM)
Funkydonuts (.COM)
KingKen (.COM)
Chelle (.COM)
Database (.ES)
mossyman (.ES)
Sance (.ES)
hustle (.COM)
🏨 Final words
To everyone that submitted an entry – thank you! StrongHandle had a tough time judging and it means so much to us that people are keen to put so much time, effort, and creativity into producing Habbo Hotel: Origins art.
We're expecting to donate the prizes from this competition and the previous Neopets Room Building competition tomorrow once the badges for each of them are uploaded to the Hotel.
We can't yet say when the HC / Santa contraption from Vincent will be released in-game, so keep an eye on our X page, Discord announcements, and website.
Happy holidays!
- Harry