Happy Holidays from the Hideaway Team
Updates, sneak peeks, and never-before-seen content straight from Hideaway - we hope you enjoy our gift to you this holiday season.
Happy Holidays, vacationers!
We figure it’s been long enough since we gave you any fresh updates on the state of Hideaway and our journey into making this game - so we thought it was time to fill you in on where we’re at in development and give you plenty of new content to feast your eyes on.
We’re coming up on two years since production started on Hideaway and we currently have 30 people actively working on the different areas of the game, with over 60 members on the team in total. The characters, world, features and details have already been through many iterations - the process of creation involves things being updated and redone many times over while we get closer to having a final product we’re ready to share with all of you.
We thought we'd show you some of that process and let you in on what we’ve been working on!
The PALM Plate and Dark Theme
When you arrive on Hideaway, the first item you’ll receive will be your Personal Automated Lifestyle Monitor - or PALM for short. Your PALM Plate is your key to everything the island offers. Manage your contacts, check your mail, travel quickly from place to place and see the latest island updates and activities - you name it! The PALM Plate does it all.
And don’t worry nerds, we’ve included a dark theme setting… *mic drop*
The Art of Hideaway
Almost everything you come across on Hideaway has gone through many changes and edits to get it to where it is now. Each idea starts with a rough proof-of-concept or early design that gives the team a reference for the look and feel of whatever it is we're trying to create. Whether it's a character (like Bill Beaks the Pelican fisherman), location, item, or aesthetic - the Hideaway creative team always deliver something vibrant, unique and original for the creators to be inspired by.
And we don’t stop at the standard design of a character alone - no ma’am! With an ever-evolving world and new reasons to get dressed up all the time, the inhabitants of Hideaway will always be wearing their Sunday best for any occasion…
And we’re never in short supply when it comes to vibrant characters!
The world of Hideaway is packed with original and exciting locations that have never been seen before, yet still somehow feel familiar with a nostalgic and cozy vibe. Whether it be a location for events to take place, activities for players to engage in or story destinations for you to explore - each area we’ve conceptualized has its own purpose to the world and game…
The Hideaway model team love a good reference image! Below you’ll find some examples of how our artists conceptualize the look and design for items, objects, and interactables found throughout the game…
The World of Hideaway
Every nook and cranny of the island has been designed to tell a story or serve a purpose. Not only that, but the island will change with every update we do to the game. New shops or caves may open up, a limited-time show may be playing at the Astral Auditorium, or the erupting volcano could cause some serious damage to the nearby forests! We want our little island to offer something new with every visit and every detail will be tied to the story of Hideaway…
As you may already know, the island is home to a huge array of interesting characters, with their own story to tell. They all have unique personalities and will always have something new to say. Some are hard to find, some may not always be in the same location. One of the best ways to learn about the island and its happenings (just like in real life) is to get to know the locals!
A Focus on Roleplay & Player-Created Content
Hideaway will be a home for roleplayers and content creators. We are passionate storytellers who want to offer our community whatever tools we can to help them tell their own stories on Hideaway. This starts with our chat features. We've got emojis for expressing yourself and roleplay action messages to show what it is you (or a character of yours) might be doing!
And for those of you wanting to make shorts or record content on Hideaway - we’ve got you covered too! From interactable furniture and items to green screen surface materials and advanced housing tools - you will be able to make immersive and unique looking content with your friends, all from the comfort of your hotel room!
The Road Ahead
There’s still a lot we’re working on that isn't quite ready to show just yet, but we’re always here, chipping away at this project we’ve come to really love over the past two years. These characters and locations are already feeling really special to the team and we’re excited to share more about them with you in upcoming blogs.
Hideaway is a little while out from being ready but we promise to keep you in the loop more in the new year. It’s a good idea to keep an eye on our socials (particularly Twitter) where we share sneak peeks, comics, art, and all kinds of details relating to Hideaway.
We truly appreciate the patience and constant support from you all! The Hideaway Team wishes you a Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year as well!
Stay up to date on socials or join our Discord to be the first to hear about our latest updates!