Hexagon
September 21, 2012 10:25 AM Subscribe
Flash Friday Fun: Hexagon
Brutal
posted by Windopaene at 10:32 AM on September 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Windopaene at 10:32 AM on September 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
For those unaware, this is by Terry Cavanagh, who was responsible for, among other things, VVVVVV.
Also I am fucking awful at this game.
posted by griphus at 10:32 AM on September 21, 2012 [3 favorites]
Also I am fucking awful at this game.
posted by griphus at 10:32 AM on September 21, 2012 [3 favorites]
I keep getting within seconds of beating level 2.
What I'm saying is I've lasted all of 25 seconds so far.
posted by koeselitz at 10:33 AM on September 21, 2012
What I'm saying is I've lasted all of 25 seconds so far.
posted by koeselitz at 10:33 AM on September 21, 2012
I keep getting within seconds of beating level 1.... God damn this game is twitchy and hard, yet also kinda awesome.
posted by BishopsLoveScifi at 10:37 AM on September 21, 2012
posted by BishopsLoveScifi at 10:37 AM on September 21, 2012
If you want more (and own an iOS device), there's a sequel of sorts in [Super Hexagon](http://superhexagon.com/). The trailer serves as a useful warning.
posted by skymt at 10:43 AM on September 21, 2012
posted by skymt at 10:43 AM on September 21, 2012
non-Kongregate link is here (loads much faster!)
after playing this game multiple times a day for the last week, my best time is 45 seconds.
posted by raihan_ at 10:43 AM on September 21, 2012
after playing this game multiple times a day for the last week, my best time is 45 seconds.
posted by raihan_ at 10:43 AM on September 21, 2012
"Fun."
posted by beaucoupkevin at 10:44 AM on September 21, 2012 [11 favorites]
posted by beaucoupkevin at 10:44 AM on September 21, 2012 [11 favorites]
I do all my writing with Markdown, so please forgive my habit. Super Hexagon is the proper link.
posted by skymt at 10:46 AM on September 21, 2012
posted by skymt at 10:46 AM on September 21, 2012
... Game Over. Again... Game Over. Again... Game Over. Again... Game Over. Again... Game Over. Again... Game Over. Again... Game Over. Again... Game Over.
That's enough of that
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 10:49 AM on September 21, 2012 [4 favorites]
That's enough of that
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 10:49 AM on September 21, 2012 [4 favorites]
People love this game and I don't really get it, it seems from the "fuck you" school of game design. But I'm not wired right. I liked VVVVVV or Super Meat Boy better because with persistence you could make progress. Here it's just endless dying after a few seconds.
posted by Nelson at 10:51 AM on September 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by Nelson at 10:51 AM on September 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
I spent a full day or two in the grips of a serious Super Hexagon addiction. It's seemingly the only video game actually designed to make the player nauseous and under go an epileptic attack.
posted by pmv at 10:55 AM on September 21, 2012
posted by pmv at 10:55 AM on September 21, 2012
I feel nauseous.
posted by hydrophonic at 10:57 AM on September 21, 2012
posted by hydrophonic at 10:57 AM on September 21, 2012
...after about 30 seconds.
posted by hydrophonic at 10:58 AM on September 21, 2012
posted by hydrophonic at 10:58 AM on September 21, 2012
This is pretty much the best thing ever. Also I need to lie down now because I'm terribly dizzy.
posted by backseatpilot at 10:58 AM on September 21, 2012
posted by backseatpilot at 10:58 AM on September 21, 2012
I made it to 8:59 and feel like I need one of those seasickness patches.
posted by Forktine at 11:00 AM on September 21, 2012
posted by Forktine at 11:00 AM on September 21, 2012
Nelson, I think this is a game you enter a long term, somewhat abusive relationship with. It's not a 5 minute quickie game. It's still about persistence, but just the sheer quantity of it required is greater. As your reflexes (ever so slowly) adapt, you learn to deal with it.
I finally beat level 1, it only took 20 mins of GAME OVERs, and even then, getting that far was probably a fluke. I can only dream of matching raihan's achievement until I too have played for a week or so.
posted by BishopsLoveScifi at 11:00 AM on September 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
I finally beat level 1, it only took 20 mins of GAME OVERs, and even then, getting that far was probably a fluke. I can only dream of matching raihan's achievement until I too have played for a week or so.
posted by BishopsLoveScifi at 11:00 AM on September 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
People love this game and I don't really get it
Having played it for a couple tries - I'm at work and can't really get too into playing anything right now - I think the appeal is kind of like when you play Tetris and you get up into the really high levels and the blocks are falling incredibly fast and you're not even actually making conscious decisions anymore, you're doing all of it at seemingly superhuman speeds and it's all very Zen.
Of course, the learning curve is a whole hell of a lot steeper with this game, but what can you do.
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 11:02 AM on September 21, 2012
Having played it for a couple tries - I'm at work and can't really get too into playing anything right now - I think the appeal is kind of like when you play Tetris and you get up into the really high levels and the blocks are falling incredibly fast and you're not even actually making conscious decisions anymore, you're doing all of it at seemingly superhuman speeds and it's all very Zen.
Of course, the learning curve is a whole hell of a lot steeper with this game, but what can you do.
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 11:02 AM on September 21, 2012
One thing I love about this game is that it's got pretty much the best music of any game ever. I keep playing again just to hear it.
Level 4, 31:29. And that's about all I can do of that before I get a massive migraine. Great game, though.
posted by koeselitz at 11:09 AM on September 21, 2012
Level 4, 31:29. And that's about all I can do of that before I get a massive migraine. Great game, though.
posted by koeselitz at 11:09 AM on September 21, 2012
Yeah, no instructions, just expected to intuitively figure out how I'm supposed to stop it saying "Game Over" in two seconds flat, no thanks, I'm too old and impatient. When you get to be my age you'll realise you probably only have maybe twenty years left on the planet, and this realisation will weigh upon you with increasing gravity every single day you still wake up, and nothing will irritate you more than people who expect you to figure shit out because they can't be bothered to tell you. Except possibly misplaced apostrophes and people who say "The thing is, is...". They might irritate you more. Oh yeah, and people who write "alot" as if it were just one word. Where the hell did that come from?
posted by Decani at 11:24 AM on September 21, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by Decani at 11:24 AM on September 21, 2012 [4 favorites]
When you get to be my age you'll realise you probably only have maybe twenty years left on the planet, and this realisation will weigh upon you with increasing gravity every single day...
You should play VVVVVV.
posted by griphus at 11:35 AM on September 21, 2012 [4 favorites]
You should play VVVVVV.
posted by griphus at 11:35 AM on September 21, 2012 [4 favorites]
YOUR HEAD ASPLODE
posted by 4ster at 11:36 AM on September 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by 4ster at 11:36 AM on September 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
Okay, goddammit. I figured it out, and now I love it. 10:59. This is a brutal game. And short. I like brutal and short. I am brutal and short.
posted by Decani at 11:39 AM on September 21, 2012 [6 favorites]
posted by Decani at 11:39 AM on September 21, 2012 [6 favorites]
It took my a couple tries to figure out what was going on, and when I did, I'm not sure I got better at the game.
I'm still playing it, though, so there's that.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 11:42 AM on September 21, 2012
I'm still playing it, though, so there's that.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 11:42 AM on September 21, 2012
It's those corkscrews that are absolutely brutal; there's zero room for error.
posted by leotrotsky at 11:43 AM on September 21, 2012
posted by leotrotsky at 11:43 AM on September 21, 2012
It said 'game over' so I stopped playing.
posted by hexatron at 11:45 AM on September 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by hexatron at 11:45 AM on September 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
All right, for impatient bastards like me, here's what you do. Move your little arrow around so that it passes through the gaps in the hexagons. That's it. And bloody good luck to you. I'm up to 12:49 now.
This reminds me of old school computer games from eighties BBC computers. I am so happy and infuriated all at the same time. I have generally found I am at my best in this condition. On the other hand, I suspect my ex-wife did not agree.
posted by Decani at 11:50 AM on September 21, 2012
This reminds me of old school computer games from eighties BBC computers. I am so happy and infuriated all at the same time. I have generally found I am at my best in this condition. On the other hand, I suspect my ex-wife did not agree.
posted by Decani at 11:50 AM on September 21, 2012
DO NOT LIKE.
posted by mochapickle at 11:59 AM on September 21, 2012
posted by mochapickle at 11:59 AM on September 21, 2012
People love this game and I don't really get it, it seems from the "fuck you" school of game design.
Yeah it's not even about it being hard, it's about interface. The immediate snap back to the credits screen after you die. No basic ramp-up of difficulty, or if it is, it starts too high. That goddamn "gme...ohveh" every time. No pause between levels, which would give an incremental feeling of accomplishment. And we figured out the concept of "multiple lives" in video games decades ago.
posted by spinn at 12:00 PM on September 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
Yeah it's not even about it being hard, it's about interface. The immediate snap back to the credits screen after you die. No basic ramp-up of difficulty, or if it is, it starts too high. That goddamn "gme...ohveh" every time. No pause between levels, which would give an incremental feeling of accomplishment. And we figured out the concept of "multiple lives" in video games decades ago.
posted by spinn at 12:00 PM on September 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
Was going to blame my wonky right arrow key (popped it off to clean under it two years ago, then promptly lost the scissor lever bits, then superglued the silcone nub underneath the replacement cover, and still is wonky) but after seeing the comments, I'm proud I managed to make it to 2:55.
posted by lineofsight at 12:03 PM on September 21, 2012
posted by lineofsight at 12:03 PM on September 21, 2012
I found the instant snap back to be a good thing because it makes it easier to restart. It's a game where you lose a lot, and then quickly get back in and keep playing.
Does it stop after level 6? I assume it does, but I could be wrong. I'm up to level four.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 12:09 PM on September 21, 2012
Does it stop after level 6? I assume it does, but I could be wrong. I'm up to level four.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 12:09 PM on September 21, 2012
I wish there was a way to practice those leap of faith death spirals that start pummeling you at level 3... I finally made it through one and the experience was so thrilling that I let my guard down and got killed immediately after.
posted by SharkParty at 12:10 PM on September 21, 2012
posted by SharkParty at 12:10 PM on September 21, 2012
The spirals are just taking the piss. But that's okay. I like pain. Please sir, can I have another?
I bloody love this game. I am now officially obsessed with it.
posted by Decani at 12:13 PM on September 21, 2012
I bloody love this game. I am now officially obsessed with it.
posted by Decani at 12:13 PM on September 21, 2012
Video of Terry beating super hexagon.
posted by jonbro at 12:19 PM on September 21, 2012 [7 favorites]
posted by jonbro at 12:19 PM on September 21, 2012 [7 favorites]
The worst part about VVVVVV were the hours I spent attempting Veni Vidi Vici assuming it was something that humans could complete. But no, we cannot.
(This recording was obviously made by some sort of alien with no hand-eye latency.)
posted by Gary at 12:26 PM on September 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
(This recording was obviously made by some sort of alien with no hand-eye latency.)
posted by Gary at 12:26 PM on September 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
Video of Terry beating super hexagon .
posted by jonbro at 8:19 PM on September 21
There's always one, isn't there? One guy (come on, it's almost always a guy) who obsesses about a stupid game enough to learn the exact moves he has to make in order to totally own the stupid game.
I did it with original Space Invaders and Dragon's Lair. Then I had a word with myself. I need to have another word with myself because I'm finding Terry to be somewhat like a god right now.
posted by Decani at 12:33 PM on September 21, 2012
posted by jonbro at 8:19 PM on September 21
There's always one, isn't there? One guy (come on, it's almost always a guy) who obsesses about a stupid game enough to learn the exact moves he has to make in order to totally own the stupid game.
I did it with original Space Invaders and Dragon's Lair. Then I had a word with myself. I need to have another word with myself because I'm finding Terry to be somewhat like a god right now.
posted by Decani at 12:33 PM on September 21, 2012
This thread is more entertaining if you reframe "playing Hexagon" as a euphemism for something else.
"The longest I can last is..."
"People love this and I don't really get it..."
"I feel nauseous."
posted by ceribus peribus at 12:37 PM on September 21, 2012 [3 favorites]
"The longest I can last is..."
"People love this and I don't really get it..."
"I feel nauseous."
posted by ceribus peribus at 12:37 PM on September 21, 2012 [3 favorites]
17:11! I am starting to become obsessed here. Oh dear.
posted by Decani at 12:40 PM on September 21, 2012
posted by Decani at 12:40 PM on September 21, 2012
Decani, Terry Cavanaugh MADE the game. He presumably didn't have to obsess over it that much.
posted by Curious Artificer at 12:41 PM on September 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by Curious Artificer at 12:41 PM on September 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
Nice concept, terrible interface. If I could rotate the arrow by moving my mouse, it'd be a lot more interesting. As it is, using the arrow keys makes it way too twitchy, at least on my keyboard. Can't make it more than 3 or 4 seconds. *goes back to Kerbal Space Program*--er, I mean work. Yeah, work.
posted by xedrik at 12:44 PM on September 21, 2012
posted by xedrik at 12:44 PM on September 21, 2012
I started feeling sick and went away for a bit. Just tried again, and 39:26 is my best now.
The difficulty definitely starts very high, but I think having it start slower would be infuriating once you got good. Having an "easy" mode to get into the game would be nice though.
posted by lucidium at 1:00 PM on September 21, 2012
The difficulty definitely starts very high, but I think having it start slower would be infuriating once you got good. Having an "easy" mode to get into the game would be nice though.
posted by lucidium at 1:00 PM on September 21, 2012
I don't know if I have the self-loathing required to advance past level 4.
posted by SharkParty at 1:09 PM on September 21, 2012
posted by SharkParty at 1:09 PM on September 21, 2012
Getting into the rhythm of it a bit, it's stopped feeling like rotating through a maze and more like responding to Guitar Hero-like prompts of "rotate 180˚" or "spiral with a pause".
posted by lucidium at 1:17 PM on September 21, 2012
posted by lucidium at 1:17 PM on September 21, 2012
Here it's just endless dying after a few seconds.
Pitiful humans. I came back from lunch early just to play this game some more.
OK, that's a lie. I took an extra half hour at lunch to score a tab of acid to come back and play this game some more.
Yeah, no instructions, just expected to intuitively figure out how I'm supposed to stop it saying "Game Over"
Oh, fer fuck's SASKE, aim for the open space. I think the acid is kicking in. I'll report back. My best time so far is 4 parsecs.
I've been studying level § for quite a while now. All I can say there that the best course of action is to get ahead of the circular saw as best possible, then whip it counterclockwise ahap.
Seriously, just pay no attention at all to the whirling and you should do fine.
Getting into the rhythm of it a bit, it's stopped feeling like rotating through a maze and more like responding to Guitar Hero-like prompts of "rotate 180˚" or "spiral with a pause".
Yes. Now we're getting it. I'm 1/2 way there.
posted by mrgrimm at 2:04 PM on September 21, 2012
Pitiful humans. I came back from lunch early just to play this game some more.
OK, that's a lie. I took an extra half hour at lunch to score a tab of acid to come back and play this game some more.
Yeah, no instructions, just expected to intuitively figure out how I'm supposed to stop it saying "Game Over"
Oh, fer fuck's SASKE, aim for the open space. I think the acid is kicking in. I'll report back. My best time so far is 4 parsecs.
I've been studying level § for quite a while now. All I can say there that the best course of action is to get ahead of the circular saw as best possible, then whip it counterclockwise ahap.
Seriously, just pay no attention at all to the whirling and you should do fine.
Getting into the rhythm of it a bit, it's stopped feeling like rotating through a maze and more like responding to Guitar Hero-like prompts of "rotate 180˚" or "spiral with a pause".
Yes. Now we're getting it. I'm 1/2 way there.
posted by mrgrimm at 2:04 PM on September 21, 2012
I'm sorry but "New Record 9:59" twice in a row might as well be a slap in the face.
Trapped here at work waiting for a phone call before I can leave but with no work I actually want to do, this is like the shitty small town gay club of video games for me. I'll spend tons of time some place I don't actually enjoy as there's music with a beat I like and something worth doing that seems better than where I was before.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 2:40 PM on September 21, 2012
Trapped here at work waiting for a phone call before I can leave but with no work I actually want to do, this is like the shitty small town gay club of video games for me. I'll spend tons of time some place I don't actually enjoy as there's music with a beat I like and something worth doing that seems better than where I was before.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 2:40 PM on September 21, 2012
There's always one, isn't there? One guy (come on, it's almost always a guy)
One of the top ranked players for the first week or so on super hexagon was a woman. I think she may have had beta access though...
Nice concept, terrible interface. If I could rotate the arrow by moving my mouse, it'd be a lot more interesting.
Nah, I kinda doubt it. Although I am not willing to put in the work to build a clone that plays with a mouse. I suspect that you would have to way way way slow down the game to deal with the sloppyness of mouse input. But maybe you want to play a game that isn't so hard?
I guess when you say terrible interface, you mean, terrible interface (for me). I always forget about subjectivity.
posted by jonbro at 2:41 PM on September 21, 2012
One of the top ranked players for the first week or so on super hexagon was a woman. I think she may have had beta access though...
Nice concept, terrible interface. If I could rotate the arrow by moving my mouse, it'd be a lot more interesting.
Nah, I kinda doubt it. Although I am not willing to put in the work to build a clone that plays with a mouse. I suspect that you would have to way way way slow down the game to deal with the sloppyness of mouse input. But maybe you want to play a game that isn't so hard?
I guess when you say terrible interface, you mean, terrible interface (for me). I always forget about subjectivity.
posted by jonbro at 2:41 PM on September 21, 2012
It's no trick to make a hard game.
GUESS THE NUMBER I'M THINKING OF. WRONG! GAME O VER!
posted by JHarris at 2:44 PM on September 21, 2012
GUESS THE NUMBER I'M THINKING OF. WRONG! GAME O VER!
posted by JHarris at 2:44 PM on September 21, 2012
This game is a great example of "flow"- when your body knows how to do something complicated and your brain takes on (even more of) an observer role. It's like how riding a bike, or driving a car, doesn't require you to think about where all the pedals and levers are.
Since it's a game and not a driving lesson, we don't have to worry about crashing and breaking important parts of our bodies- so there's no reason to pull punches with a tutorial or "easy mode" or whatnot. We learn best through direct experience, so the game makes it very easy to get a lot of experience as quickly as possible.
The trick to making a game like this is to make it hard enough to require skill but not so hard that it turns into blind luck. I thought VVVVVV was great at this (especially the previously mentioned Veni Vidi Vici part) and Hexagon continues the tradition.
On preview, a guessing game is a perfect example of no skill and all luck- which, unless you're gambling, is no fun at all.
posted by Maxson at 2:47 PM on September 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
Since it's a game and not a driving lesson, we don't have to worry about crashing and breaking important parts of our bodies- so there's no reason to pull punches with a tutorial or "easy mode" or whatnot. We learn best through direct experience, so the game makes it very easy to get a lot of experience as quickly as possible.
The trick to making a game like this is to make it hard enough to require skill but not so hard that it turns into blind luck. I thought VVVVVV was great at this (especially the previously mentioned Veni Vidi Vici part) and Hexagon continues the tradition.
On preview, a guessing game is a perfect example of no skill and all luck- which, unless you're gambling, is no fun at all.
posted by Maxson at 2:47 PM on September 21, 2012 [2 favorites]
Game over... again.
Game over... again.
Game over... again.
I want a loop of this so I can play it to myself whenever I am trying to achieve anything of value or substance in my life at all, ever. Because that's how I roll.
posted by Decani at 3:00 PM on September 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
Game over... again.
Game over... again.
I want a loop of this so I can play it to myself whenever I am trying to achieve anything of value or substance in my life at all, ever. Because that's how I roll.
posted by Decani at 3:00 PM on September 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
I've never felt so much like a lab rat in a maze before.
posted by thorny at 3:23 PM on September 21, 2012
posted by thorny at 3:23 PM on September 21, 2012
1st rule: always take the shortest distance to the open space
posted by mrgrimm at 3:43 PM on September 21, 2012
posted by mrgrimm at 3:43 PM on September 21, 2012
I have Super Hexagon on the iPhone and beat Hexagon and have a record of 52 seconds on the Hexagoner level. However, the interface in the Flash game feels waaaay less responsive. This may just have to do with the laptop keyboard I'm using.
Fundamentally this is a pattern recognition game a bit like DDR but with the music being a bit of a looser guide. As I got better I started looking closer and closer to the edge of the screen to detect the *type* of the oncoming barrage and my fingers would start executing the necessary preparatory moves, setting the triangle into position for the wiggles necessary to escape this particular enemy.
So, no, this isn't luck, and it's hard, but has a very clear effort/response curve. It just isn't so much about just finding the right pattern of moves as Super Meat Boy, but because each playthrough is randomized requires you to come up with specific escape wiggles for each oncoming pattern.
posted by anateus at 3:47 PM on September 21, 2012
Fundamentally this is a pattern recognition game a bit like DDR but with the music being a bit of a looser guide. As I got better I started looking closer and closer to the edge of the screen to detect the *type* of the oncoming barrage and my fingers would start executing the necessary preparatory moves, setting the triangle into position for the wiggles necessary to escape this particular enemy.
So, no, this isn't luck, and it's hard, but has a very clear effort/response curve. It just isn't so much about just finding the right pattern of moves as Super Meat Boy, but because each playthrough is randomized requires you to come up with specific escape wiggles for each oncoming pattern.
posted by anateus at 3:47 PM on September 21, 2012
2nd rule: take the shortest path to the open space as quickly as possible
posted by mrgrimm at 3:50 PM on September 21, 2012
posted by mrgrimm at 3:50 PM on September 21, 2012
3rd rule: I find it helps considerably to imagine each triangle as a family member and that crashing into a wall causes their death: Good-bye Grandpa George; farewell, Grandma Georgina; so long, Grandpa Joe ...
posted by mrgrimm at 4:00 PM on September 21, 2012
posted by mrgrimm at 4:00 PM on September 21, 2012
This kind of reminds me of "bullet hell" style Japanese shooters, especially the bosses that would spray thousands of bullets and missiles out at once in a pattern, and your little fighter jet has to find a twisted path that's a few pixels wide. All the while you're throwing enough of your own blue lasers to put GI Joe to shame.
Hexagon seems to have that patterned dodging element, while removing your ability to shoot back. I got to level 3 and quit. I think this game would be better with a more pressure sensitive joystick. I keep over or undershooting my space and it gets a bit frustrating when you're limiting factor is the keyboard.
posted by FJT at 4:54 PM on September 21, 2012
Hexagon seems to have that patterned dodging element, while removing your ability to shoot back. I got to level 3 and quit. I think this game would be better with a more pressure sensitive joystick. I keep over or undershooting my space and it gets a bit frustrating when you're limiting factor is the keyboard.
posted by FJT at 4:54 PM on September 21, 2012
I played this for five solid minutes (Game OVer. Game OVer. Game OVer) and then came back here to figure out what the hell was going on.
My problem was, I hadn't even realised I was controlling the arrow. I thought I was the middle hexagon.
In my defence... No. There is no defence.
posted by lollusc at 5:03 PM on September 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
My problem was, I hadn't even realised I was controlling the arrow. I thought I was the middle hexagon.
In my defence... No. There is no defence.
posted by lollusc at 5:03 PM on September 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
FJT, that's what I hate about bullet hell games. I much prefer things like Gradius, where the enemies are more trying directly to aim at you, but don't always have great aim.
posted by JHarris at 6:17 PM on September 21, 2012
posted by JHarris at 6:17 PM on September 21, 2012
It's no trick to make a hard game.
I think I agree with you more often than I don't, JHarris, so I'm not sure whether to take your comment literally as a jab at this game in particular.
I'm going to propose something: that Hexagon is not a difficult game. It's simply one that doesn't make immediately clear the extent to which knowledge of the game system is necessary for success.
(It also happens to be a game that I think isn't meant to be mastered in one sitting, in which your skill will improve after coming back to it tomorrow and spending a few more minutes with it, and even more so on your third day.)
It's curious going back to this version after spending a bunch of time with Super Hexagon. For one thing, I had forgotten how much of Super Hexagon's trippiness wasn't in the original. The newer game -- which, by the way, should probably be considered the actual game, with this demoted to the status of made-in-a-few-hours prototype -- introduces pulsing at times instead of the purely smooth inward movement here, more variation in game-board rotation, and occasional transformation of the hexagonal board to and from pentagonal and square patterns. Its later modes (of which there are, of course, six, the original game being the equivalent of one full mode) are also much, much, much faster.
There's also a small but significant change in base-level game behavior. In Super Hexagon, you don't lose when navigating into the side of an obstacle piece. (I think I'm bringing this up to reinforce the view that the game's creator is not simply out to make the most difficult game possible.)
(Another change, which really only affects one's motivation, is that in Super Hexagon every time you reach the time milestones, the voice calls out the name of the "level" you've now reached: line, square, pentagon, etc. I had forgotten that in the original you only get to hear those names called out once.)
In any case, some rules of thumb:
posted by nobody at 6:47 PM on September 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
I think I agree with you more often than I don't, JHarris, so I'm not sure whether to take your comment literally as a jab at this game in particular.
I'm going to propose something: that Hexagon is not a difficult game. It's simply one that doesn't make immediately clear the extent to which knowledge of the game system is necessary for success.
(It also happens to be a game that I think isn't meant to be mastered in one sitting, in which your skill will improve after coming back to it tomorrow and spending a few more minutes with it, and even more so on your third day.)
It's curious going back to this version after spending a bunch of time with Super Hexagon. For one thing, I had forgotten how much of Super Hexagon's trippiness wasn't in the original. The newer game -- which, by the way, should probably be considered the actual game, with this demoted to the status of made-in-a-few-hours prototype -- introduces pulsing at times instead of the purely smooth inward movement here, more variation in game-board rotation, and occasional transformation of the hexagonal board to and from pentagonal and square patterns. Its later modes (of which there are, of course, six, the original game being the equivalent of one full mode) are also much, much, much faster.
There's also a small but significant change in base-level game behavior. In Super Hexagon, you don't lose when navigating into the side of an obstacle piece. (I think I'm bringing this up to reinforce the view that the game's creator is not simply out to make the most difficult game possible.)
(Another change, which really only affects one's motivation, is that in Super Hexagon every time you reach the time milestones, the voice calls out the name of the "level" you've now reached: line, square, pentagon, etc. I had forgotten that in the original you only get to hear those names called out once.)
In any case, some rules of thumb:
- All of the screen-level rotation is completely beside the point and eventually needs to be tuned out.
- A hole in the pattern is always at least the size of a complete triangle piece (six of which make up the entire board), so don't navigate to the hole, navigate to the correct triangle.
- Get a feel for how exactly how long you need to hold down the arrow key to make a precise 180 degree movement. Likewise for moving one or two triangles over.
- (The canonical reading of the voiceover is "Game Over...Begin," not "Again." She says the same word when starting a new game from scratch.)
posted by nobody at 6:47 PM on September 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
I've really enjoyed all the discussion here. I should amend my comments to say while I think this feels like "fuck you" game design, it feels like good design too. Simple, clean, fast restarts, everything tuned nicely. It hearkens back to the old arcade days as opposed to modern games where the player can never really lose. I just don't like it much, but that's me. VVVVVV is similar in many ways: spare, punishingly hard, uncompromising. But its sense of progress through levels is the hook I need to stay excited playing through it.
posted by Nelson at 7:23 PM on September 21, 2012
posted by Nelson at 7:23 PM on September 21, 2012
Wow. Maybe my favourite game posted to the blue. Exhilarating making a tight spiral or two. And 100% easier once I tuned in to the background striping and just plunked myself down where I needed to be (often for long stretches) with minimal to no movement. A real game of focus vs. distraction.
Still only made it to level 4 ("square") but will definitely play again.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 7:38 PM on September 21, 2012
Still only made it to level 4 ("square") but will definitely play again.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 7:38 PM on September 21, 2012
And you know (playing again) my continual improvement tells me that this is a well-designed game and not just 2d sadism. The stuff that was tough 10 minutes ago is easy now...
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 7:41 PM on September 21, 2012
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 7:41 PM on September 21, 2012
The secret to this game is that the music is awesome. Just look at jonbro's video above of the creator of the game getting a high score just so the audience could listen to the sweet ass reward music (and visuals).
posted by grog at 7:44 PM on September 21, 2012
posted by grog at 7:44 PM on September 21, 2012
53:50 -- pentagon. And I luuurve what this game does to my brain. It's mental freaking floss. It's what "the game" would have been on The Enterprise had the pleasure center stimulation been a natural occurrence of making multiple nested spirals. I love it.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 9:08 PM on September 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 9:08 PM on September 21, 2012 [1 favorite]
Durn Bronzefist: “It's what "the game" would have been on The Enterprise had the pleasure center stimulation been a natural occurrence of making multiple nested spirals. I love it.”
Ha – that is precisely what I was thinking of this afternoon while playing! Like a weird kind of pulsing nirvana.
posted by koeselitz at 9:25 PM on September 21, 2012
Ha – that is precisely what I was thinking of this afternoon while playing! Like a weird kind of pulsing nirvana.
posted by koeselitz at 9:25 PM on September 21, 2012
posted by Durn Bronzefist An hour ago
The hell you say.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 10:17 PM on September 21, 2012
The hell you say.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 10:17 PM on September 21, 2012
To elaborate after my comment above: I don't think I like this game. It's just raw reaction. There's no strategy or even decision-making about it, at all. I can understand why some people might like it as a kind of elemental distillation of its type, but I probably got that out of my system unlocking Pyoro in the original GBA Wario Ware Inc., which requires getting a very good score on all of the cart's 100+ minigames, each getting faster and faster as you go along. I think that might have killed that part of my brain.
posted by JHarris at 1:40 AM on September 22, 2012
posted by JHarris at 1:40 AM on September 22, 2012
(Pyoro, on the other hand, is loads of fun. They shouldn't have made it such a hassle to open up.)
posted by JHarris at 1:40 AM on September 22, 2012
posted by JHarris at 1:40 AM on September 22, 2012
This review from Wired makes me feel not quite so inadequate.
He's fighting to keep his #1 position on his own game.
posted by halfbuckaroo at 4:44 AM on September 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
He's fighting to keep his #1 position on his own game.
posted by halfbuckaroo at 4:44 AM on September 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
When this kind of game lags, it's a blessing in disguise.
posted by ersatz at 4:49 AM on September 22, 2012
posted by ersatz at 4:49 AM on September 22, 2012
If I'm expected to spend that long pressing on a bar with my little paws, there had better be brightly coloured food pellets.
posted by flabdablet at 8:49 AM on September 22, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by flabdablet at 8:49 AM on September 22, 2012 [2 favorites]
The double and triple thin lines that come at you in triangle you can actually move between if your timing is absolutely perfect. It's not worth attempting but I managed it accidentally. I suspect I can't help but think of them as less solid than the thick walls that come my way which is why I careen into them far more often. Clever.
One psychological trick the game doesn't seem to exploit is to weakly correlate rotation with placement of each exit, because I also suspect there's a natural tendency to think you can move more quickly around the center by moving contra-rotation, which isn't the case here. But no, I think rotation and wall patterns are both random (which is good; this is not trial and error memory drudgery). But that kind of matching would be a nasty addition.
See? Hexagon loves you. All it requires is your absolute devotion.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 8:54 AM on September 22, 2012
One psychological trick the game doesn't seem to exploit is to weakly correlate rotation with placement of each exit, because I also suspect there's a natural tendency to think you can move more quickly around the center by moving contra-rotation, which isn't the case here. But no, I think rotation and wall patterns are both random (which is good; this is not trial and error memory drudgery). But that kind of matching would be a nasty addition.
See? Hexagon loves you. All it requires is your absolute devotion.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 8:54 AM on September 22, 2012
Also: it's a fun little cardiac exercise when you've left your computer on Hexagon and the screen has gone black. On return you hit the spacebar to wake the screen and hear a voice say "Again" and suddenly you're scrambling...
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 9:39 AM on September 22, 2012
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 9:39 AM on September 22, 2012
Intense game. Kind of wish that the field-of-view was a bit larger so that you can prepare for some of the more difficult patterns.
After watching the trailer for Super Hexagon, playing the game got a lot easier. Everything seems to be a lot more slower and manageable after watching that.
posted by cyberscythe at 10:11 AM on September 22, 2012
After watching the trailer for Super Hexagon, playing the game got a lot easier. Everything seems to be a lot more slower and manageable after watching that.
posted by cyberscythe at 10:11 AM on September 22, 2012
GUESS THE NUMBER I'M THINKING OF. WRONG! GAME O VER!
That's Hexagonwang!
posted by Strange Interlude at 2:13 PM on September 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
That's Hexagonwang!
posted by Strange Interlude at 2:13 PM on September 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
I just saw Terry at Fantastic Fest tonight. He was showing off his game to a large crowd. Even though he was mildly sloshed, using unfamiliar controls, and a highly distracting audience, he managed two to three minutes of face-melting awesome.
posted by spamguy at 9:38 PM on September 22, 2012
posted by spamguy at 9:38 PM on September 22, 2012
Super Hexagon challenge: Take a screenshot and survive.
posted by scottjacksonx at 2:01 AM on September 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by scottjacksonx at 2:01 AM on September 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
My best time so far is 4 parsecs
Your best time is measured with a unit of length? I think the acid is definitely kicking in, dude.
posted by Decani at 11:21 AM on September 24, 2012
Your best time is measured with a unit of length? I think the acid is definitely kicking in, dude.
posted by Decani at 11:21 AM on September 24, 2012
Your best time is measured with a unit of length? I think the acid is definitely kicking in, dude.
Yeah, that was the joke. Ha ha.
Exhilarating making a tight spiral or two.
It's even better when you do 2 or 3 in one direction, then it totally flips and sends you 2 or 3 in the other. Hitting those feels pretty good.
I've been playing this game about 200 times/day for the past two weeks. I *just* finally beat Hexagon level. Then I saw God.
posted by mrgrimm at 1:32 PM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
Yeah, that was the joke. Ha ha.
Exhilarating making a tight spiral or two.
It's even better when you do 2 or 3 in one direction, then it totally flips and sends you 2 or 3 in the other. Hitting those feels pretty good.
I've been playing this game about 200 times/day for the past two weeks. I *just* finally beat Hexagon level. Then I saw God.
posted by mrgrimm at 1:32 PM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
For the record, it doesn't get much harder at all after Square. What I call the "whipsaws" (the tight spirals) are the toughest challenge, especially when they come one after another. Once you get those down, it's fairly easy to get to 60+ seconds.
OK, maybe not easy, but very doable.
posted by mrgrimm at 2:42 PM on October 5, 2012
OK, maybe not easy, but very doable.
posted by mrgrimm at 2:42 PM on October 5, 2012
Curious, if you keep going with the other game modes I wonder if you'll eventually agree that the tight spirals actually serve as a tension release. The tricky thing about them is keeping your head ready for whatever comes afterward, but the spirals themselves are a nice little breather since you get to just hold one direction down for a couple seconds.
posted by nobody at 2:45 AM on October 7, 2012
posted by nobody at 2:45 AM on October 7, 2012
I wonder if you'll eventually agree that the tight spirals actually serve as a tension release.
I won't.
I will stake 86:26 as my best so far, and I'll probably stop until someone posts a higher score.
posted by mrgrimm at 1:21 PM on October 8, 2012
I won't.
I will stake 86:26 as my best so far, and I'll probably stop until someone posts a higher score.
posted by mrgrimm at 1:21 PM on October 8, 2012
I won't.
I realize I forgot we were talking about regular Hexagon and not Super Hexagon (which still, by the way, has yet to be released on PC/Mac), but just to make sure we're on the same page: is it clear that as long as you're properly aligned at the entrance to a tight spiral, all you have to do is hold down the proper direction until exiting? (They're specifically timed to spiral at the same speed as the player rotation).
(Wait -- hold on -- I just went to double-check that and it turns out the spirals are actually a bit harder here than in Super Hexagon. They still spiral at the perfect speed for you to just hold down the button the whole way, but since in regular Hexagon you're penalized for butting up against a wall from the side, here you sometimes need to actually pay attention and stop rotating at the correct time, depending on precisely where you were in the starting gate when it began. (In Super Hexagon you can just hold it down until you're completely through.))
I will stake 86:26 as my best so far, and I'll probably stop until someone posts a higher score.
Not to egg you on (you should wait for Super Hexagon!), but it looks like my high score was around 106:00 until trying again just now, after which it's now 240:25.
posted by nobody at 8:45 AM on October 14, 2012
I realize I forgot we were talking about regular Hexagon and not Super Hexagon (which still, by the way, has yet to be released on PC/Mac), but just to make sure we're on the same page: is it clear that as long as you're properly aligned at the entrance to a tight spiral, all you have to do is hold down the proper direction until exiting? (They're specifically timed to spiral at the same speed as the player rotation).
(Wait -- hold on -- I just went to double-check that and it turns out the spirals are actually a bit harder here than in Super Hexagon. They still spiral at the perfect speed for you to just hold down the button the whole way, but since in regular Hexagon you're penalized for butting up against a wall from the side, here you sometimes need to actually pay attention and stop rotating at the correct time, depending on precisely where you were in the starting gate when it began. (In Super Hexagon you can just hold it down until you're completely through.))
I will stake 86:26 as my best so far, and I'll probably stop until someone posts a higher score.
Not to egg you on (you should wait for Super Hexagon!), but it looks like my high score was around 106:00 until trying again just now, after which it's now 240:25.
posted by nobody at 8:45 AM on October 14, 2012
I've been playing this game about 200 times/day for the past two weeks. I *just* finally beat Hexagon level. Then I saw God.
Someone probably mentioned this upthread already, but after completing the sixth and most difficult mode in Super Hexagon you really do get to see god.
(If you have an iDevice I can't recommend purchasing it enough. If you have an Android device, it should have been out by now, but is being held up by some difficulties with implementing a universal scoreboard. And if you have neither, the PC/Mac version should still be coming fairly soonish?)
posted by nobody at 8:48 AM on October 14, 2012
Someone probably mentioned this upthread already, but after completing the sixth and most difficult mode in Super Hexagon you really do get to see god.
(If you have an iDevice I can't recommend purchasing it enough. If you have an Android device, it should have been out by now, but is being held up by some difficulties with implementing a universal scoreboard. And if you have neither, the PC/Mac version should still be coming fairly soonish?)
posted by nobody at 8:48 AM on October 14, 2012
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