Mysterious stranger (with a new puzzle) spotted in the factory!
Kickstarter Beta Update 12
A mysterious stranger in the factory, global records tracking, and Steam Workshop integration.
Bugs fixed: 37 (of which 1 was reported by a player, thank you!)
New Features
A mysterious stranger has appeared in Dantar's factory, even in the Demo. His paperwork appears legitimate, but there's something very odd about him. Check out the new level to get a first look at what he's up to. There are some additional new levels in the Kickstarter Beta as well.
A new screen has been added to tell you if you've set a new record for a level! You'll be able to see which categories you've set the record for - eventually this will tie into Steam achievements, but not yet. Note that you won't see the new screen for tutorial levels (which are now marked with an icon).
The Steam Workshop integration is complete! It's disabled for now, and will only work in the full version of the game, but behind the scenes it's ready to go. You'll be able to upload a custom puzzle that you've exported and solved (you need to prove a level is solvable before uploading it). If you subscribe to a puzzle on Steam, it'll be automatically downloaded and appear in-game. You won't even need to restart Hexahedra!
Workshop levels are fully integrated into the stats system, with their own histograms and friends leaderboards. They're not eligible for the New Record screen or achievements, however.
Other Changes
The tutorial for Level 3 (A Lick Of Paint) now points users to the colourblindness support available in the Options menu. The Options menu text has been tweaked in a few places to be clearer.
The foundations of the achievements system have been laid, but there's more work to be done there.
The Repeat Story icon now has its own custom animated icon, and a few other icons have been updated.
Bugfixes
Merging a cube with a payload into another cube no longer causes the payload to disappear.
Burial payload names are now correct on the cube visualizations.
Rewinding now works properly in the case where a Decorator stamps a new decoration on top of an old one.
If you set a new record for a level, the histogram tooltip no longer shows the old record.
Finding Octavius now makes the corresponding level available immediately.
Completing an Octavius level no longer shows the "Demo Complete" dialogue when returning to the main menu.
When running the factory when editing a custom puzzle the handles used to resize the factory are now hidden.
When you first load a custom puzzle the device UI no longer shows Sourcers and Shippers available for sources/targets that don't exist.
Fixed an error where pressing Puzzle Editor keyboard shortcuts would cause errors when playing normal levels.
Completing a custom puzzle no longer shows a "Next Level" button on the stats screen.
Fixed an error when updating the probabilities of cubes in a Random source and then attempting to run the factory in a custom puzzle.
Fixed a case where attempting to edit the name of a custom puzzle could cause an error.
Solutions to exported puzzles can now be deleted, and stats for exported puzzles now work correctly.
Colourblindness support symbols no longer appear in a couple of places they shouldn't.
Modal popups no longer trigger "button press" sound effects in response to keyboard input if the buttons are disabled.
Steam Cloud saves released
Steam Cloud saves are now live! You'll now be able to take your progress with you between computers.
Bugs fixed: 5
New Features
Steam Cloud saves are now working. They're still compatible between the demo and the Kickstarter beta, and will continue to work with the full version of the game.
The first time you start up the game after updating, your existing profiles will be associated with the Steam account you're logged in as.
Once the Cloud saves are set up, running the game with a different Steam account (or without being logged into Steam) will require you to create a separate profile.
Other Changes
The Time Wheel now only drops down when the factory is running once you've moved the mouse away from it. This means if you try to change speed just after starting the factory you're not trying to hit a moving target.
Fragile payloads are now visibly damaged at the right moment, and playback stops immediately rather than running to the end of the step.
Bugfixes
Fixed some transparency rendering issues with payloads teleporting in and falling through burning wooden panels.
Burial payload names can now be seen through glass panels, and also don't sometimes disappear depending on camera angle.
In-Game Puzzle Editor released!
The first version of the in-game Puzzle Editor is here, available in the Kickstarter Beta!
The Puzzle Editor allows you to create a puzzle from scratch - you specify the size of the factory, what source cubes the player has access to and what target cubes they need to make, which devices they're allowed to use, and any locked, initial setup that they have to work with.
This is very much an early-stage release. There's no tutorial yet, and it's not currently integrated with the Steam Workshop, but I'd love to see what you come up with and get your feedback on your experience with creating puzzles. What the editor does have is Undo system support, which makes playing around with puzzle design much easier.
The rest of the usual patch notes are below. The Demo version has also been updated with the bugfixes.
Bugs fixed: 12 (of which 1 was reported by a player, thank you!)
New Features
In-Game Puzzle Editor!
Other Changes
Using the Puzzle Editor will let you play around with the Payload Adder, which isn't quite 100% finished but mechanically is working fine.
Devices now have a minimum volume set, so that they can always be heard quietly, no matter how zoomed out you are.
Bugfixes
Big improvements to the way Laser lights are rendered, which fixes the problem of them not showing up in some cases, while also improving performance.
Tooltips in the main menu are now working again.
Fixed a couple of graphical issues with the Panel Storer and Payload Adder.
Fixed some minor issues with UI sound not playing, or playing when it shouldn't.
It's no longer possible to include characters in profile names that the game can't display.
Fixed some buttons on the main menu having slightly odd clickable areas.
Colourblind symbols no longer appear on the top of the device UI for non-colour-based devices if you turn the mode on from the Esc menu.
Fixed an issue with the Source tab cubes being visible when the tab is closed in some cases.
Pressing Enter at any point in a level no longer returns to the main menu.
Live Game Dev - Hexahedra dev stream Saturday 7th, 2pm EDT / 7pm BST
To celebrate the Programmer's Sale I'm going to be doing some live game development on stream! I'll be working on the new Payload Adder device to support one of the Kickstarter backer rewards, getting their names into the game by adding their mortal remains to urns to be shipped off in cubes.
Come along, chat, and watch uneasily as we throw people's ashes around with teleporters.
I'll be live from 6pm UTC, which is 2pm EDT and 7pm BST, Saturday 7th October (today!)
Sound Effects have arrived!
Demo Update 19 / Kickstarter Beta Update 9
Sound effects have arrived! Let the devices whirr, clank, rumble, and hiss as they assemble your multitudinous cubes!
Bugs fixed: 12
New Features
Sound! The factory devices create a wonderful variety of sounds as they go about their business. The user interface also has lots of lovely chunky, mechanical sounds. There are two new sliders in the Options menu allowing you to adjust the factory and interface sounds separately.
The Kickstarter closed beta now contains three new levels. One is a new laser signalling level (it's a bit easier than the first one, it'll probably become a tutorial level) and two that introduce the Drop Painter, which fires blobs of paint and can paint the inside of cubes.
Other Changes
The cube panels are now thicker, which makes them easier to see side-on.
A few performance improvements to VFX and point lights, as well as saving profiles.
You might notice that Octavius has been promoted to Game Mascot. The old "H" icon for the game has been replaced by Octavius in his wizard hat!
There's been a lot of behind-the-scenes work to get the Payload Adder working - expect news soon!
Bugfixes
Fixed errors when dragging or dropping command tracks over a workstation with hidden tracks.
Cube collisions will now trigger more consistently, halting the factory at the correct time.
Fixed some broken normal maps (this was a fun bug, it doesn't happen in the Unity editor!)
Multiple panels on the same cube can now transition their colour at once (e.g. when burning multiple wooden panels).
The top level menu no longer looks a bit odd at 16:10 aspect ratio.
Help text boxes in menus are now better behaved and won't sometimes stick around.
Dantar is no longer peeking around the corner in one of the story sections.
Hexahedra is coming to the Programmer's Sale 2023!
The Programmer's Sale is running from the 3rd-10th October, and Hexahedra is part of it! It's a celebration of programming and engineering games, so Hexahedra will slot right in.
Hexahedra's demo is already out, and I'm planning to launch an update to add sound effects during the sale, so you'll be able to hear devices clanking, rumbling, and hissing their way to creating your cubes.
Optimization is an important part of programming, so I hope to see people breaking records for Hexahedra's demo puzzles!
Creating Puzzles Live - Hexahedra dev stream 2pm BST
It's the final day of the Cerebral Puzzle Showcase, and I'm going to be doing some live puzzle development on stream! I'll be creating puzzles for advanced mechanics like laser signalling.
Come along, help me build puzzles, and then help me solve them!
I'll be live from 2pm BST (GMT+1), Monday 7th August (today!)
The Cerebral Puzzle Showcase is now live! 3rd-7th August
The Cerebral Puzzle Showcase is here! It's running from 3rd-7th August, and is full of thinky games, of which Hexahedra is one! Get yourself over there, buy some things, and grab the Hexahedra demo and add it to your wishlist if you haven't already!
Tiny Teams 2023 is here! It's running from 3rd-10th August, it features lots of streams of excellent games made by small groups of indies, and Hexahedra is part of it! Get yourself over there, buy some things, and grab the Hexahedra demo and add it to your wishlist if you haven't already!
Tiny Teams 2023 starts on Thursday, and Hexahedra will be taking part. There'll be lots of streams of games made by small indie teams, like me and the excellent group of freelancers helping me bring Hexahedra to life.
Octavius, who is himself very tiny, is already hyped for the event. Join him in checking it out from 3rd-10th August!
