H E X

HEX is a magical game of shifting strategies and sudden reversals. You are
the Unicorn, competing against your peers to hone your magical skills. The
game is subtle, the strategies complex, the uses of magic - -mind-boggling!

HEX is played in 120 levels, each one more difficult than the last. You will
face twelve opponents several times each, both alone and in pairs. To win a
level, you must turn the entire HEX Arena green while your opponent tries to
turn it purple. If the Arena ends up red or blue, or if the level has not
been won in 100 turns, then you and your opponent have tied, and you must
play the same opponent again. To win the game, you must win all 120 levels.



THE HEX ARENA

Nineteen hexagonal pillars ('hexes') form the HEX Arena. The top of each
hex changes color ('flips') when you or an opponent move onto it. The colors
change in a simple sequence; green, red, purple, blue and back to green.

Whenever two adjacent hexes are the same color, they 'lock' together. You
or your opponent must 'jump' on all of the hexes in a locked 'group' before
they will all flip. As a level progresses, hexes will lock together in
larger and larger groups until the entire Arena is a single color and the
level ends. When a player junps on a locked hex, the hex 'stores' the flip;
a locked group will not change color until each hex has at least one flip
stored on it. The color of the pillar of a hex in a group indicates whether
that hex has stored flips: a hex with a dark pillar has stored flips, and
a hex with a light pillar must still be jumped on if you want to flip its
group to the next color.


MOVEMENT

You and your opponent take turn moving. On your turn, you may jump to an
adjacent hex or the the one you are on by clicking the mouse on that hex.
As you move the mouse, the surface of the hex you are about to select will
be highlighted. You cannot enter a hex occupied by an opponent, and you
cannot leave the Arena. If you attempt to do so, you will jump in place.

MAGIC

HEX offers more than 100 magical spells, which you and your opponent can use
to turn the board to your advantage. You may 'know' up to five speels at
any one time. Casting spells requires the expenditure of magical energy,
which is earned during the course of a game. The amount of energy you can
have is limited by your magical capacity. Your capacity will grow each
level, so long as you can will levels quickly and consistently.

If your capacity ever falls to 0, you lose the game.



Starting Up...


When you bring up the program HEX, you see the logo screen, a demonstration
game, and then the M�A�I�N� �M�E�N�U�. (Clicking the mouse button will take
you directly to the MAIN MENU.) The MAIN MENU includes seven command options
and ten saved games.


DEMO GAME starts a series of demonstration games. Watchnig these games can
improve your understanding of the game and of your opponents. You can leave
the demonstration at any time by clicking on the mouse button.

RULES displays a screen of simple rules and guidelines. To return to the
MAIN MENU, click on the mouse button.



NEW GAME lets you start a new game of HEX and enter your name; your name
identifies your saved game. (You might want to start each game with a
different name, since any given name cannot appear more than once on the
high score list.) If there are already ten games saved, you will have to
clear one before you can start a new game.

CLEAR GAME shows you the vital statistics for all of the saved games and
allows you to clear one of them. If you decide not to clear a game, click
on CANCEL.

CLR SCORES allows you to clear all but the top three high scores. Do this
occasionally so that new players can get onto the score list.

SOUND ON turns the game's sound on. When the sound is on, this option
changes to SOUND OFF, and vice versa. During the game, you can toggle the
sound on an doff by clicking MUTE.

EXIT lets you leave the program HEX. This is distinct from SAVE, which is
available during play and return you to the MAIN MENU after saving your game.

SAVED GAMES: If you have started a game, and you haven't won, lost or
cleared is, HEX has saved your game. To continue a saved game, you simply
click on it with the mouse.


Magic...

Magical spells are tools to help you win levels of HEX. You may have up to
five spells in the 'Spell Slots' found to the left of the Arena. On each
turn, you may select any one of these spellls to cast.

To select a spell, click on its slot with the mouse; you can still change
your mind until you move on the Arena. Each spell has a duration in turns
(dur) and a cost in the magical energy; these are displayed on the bottom
line of each spell's slot. You need spells to overcome powerful magic-using
opponents, but take care not to use all of your energy against one opponent,
or you will be vulnerable to the next.

LEARNING SPELLS

Each time you win a level of HEX, you are offered a new spell or spell
improvement. Accepting a spell or an improvement costs you some of your
magical energy. To accept a new spell, click on a slot and then on
CONTINUE. The new spell will replace any spell in the slot that you have
indicated. A spell improvement will always reduce the cost (per turn) of a
spell; some improvements will also decrease its duration. To apply an
improvement to one of your spells, click on that spell's slot and then on
'CONTINUE'. To reject a spell, click on 'CONTINUE' while No Spell is
selected.



MAGICAL ENERGY AND CAPACITY

Casting a spell uses magical energy (ENR); this is the cost of the spell.
Therefore, you must earn magical energy in order to cast spells. You receive
one point of energy for each green hex in the Arena every turn. You also
get one eighth of the energy expended by your opponents each time they cast
a spell. You receive a large bonus of magical energy when you win a level.

Your magical energy is limited by your magical capacity (C�A�P�), which
changes during the course of a game. Your capacity starts out at 500, and
increases by 250 each timeyou win a level. YOur capacity drops by 400 each
time you lose a level, and you lose a little capacity, each turn of each
level. To develop and maintain a high capacity, you must win levels quickly
and consistently. If your capacity drops to zero, you have lost the game
and you must start over from scratch.

THE SPELLS

There are more than 100 spells that you and your opponents can use to
transcend the basic rules of each game. These spells are composed of 'spell
parts'. Each spell also has a cost and a duration (both of which may be
improved). Multi-turn spells can be cancelled in the middle by selecting
another spell or No Spell. However, you will not often want to do this,
since you pay half of the cost of a multi-turn spell on the first turn.


The spells are divided into categories as follows:

Help - You start the game with the single spell Help. This spell plays five
turns FOR YOU. Use it if you are confused about your goals or if you want
to learn good tactics.

Jump or Jmp) - allows you to move to a distant hex. 'Jump 3', for example,
allows you to move three times, flipping only the last hex you land on.
When it is in a multi-part spell, Jump allows you to move to distant hex
before applying the remainder of the spell.

Flip (or Flp) - controls the numbre of times you flip a hex when you land on
it. Without magic you only flip a hex once when you land on it; with spells,
however, you can flip a hex two or three times, or not at all. Flip spells
will not always changes the color of a hex becuase they do not negate the
effects of locking.

There are three specialized aspects of flipping:

* Clear Flips removes stored flips from a hex and turns its pillar light.
* Random Flip can flip a hex a random number of times (from 0 to 3), or
clear it.
* Own Flip puts the correct number of flips (0-3) on a hex to make it your
color, Own Flip acts like Clear Flips on hexes that are already your color.
Speed (or Spd) - allows you to make several moves in one turn. When
combined with other components, Speed allows you to perform them all
repeatedly during a turn. For example 'Spd3Jmp2Flp2' allows you to move
two hexes and double-flip the hex you land on, three times in a single turn.

Break Lock - is like Flip except that it breaks the hex you are flipping out
of any locked groups. Own Color is like Own Flip except that it always
turns the hex to your color independent of locking. Random Color (or Rdm
Color) is equivalent to Random Flip.

Regions specify an area for a spell to affect. They can be used to affect
the hex under your opponent. There are five types of regions:

* Ray affects a straight line of hexes from where you are to the edge of the
Arena. Spells including Ray are the only spells that do not allow you to
move to a new hex without a jump component. The direction you indicate
after selecting the spell specifies the direction of the ray rather than
your intended move.

* Big Hex (or Bhx) - includes the hex you move onto and all adjacent hexes.
Thus, Big Hexes have more effect when you are near the center of the Arena
than when you are on the edge.

* Scatter - affects a random number of hexes (one in four, on the average)
scattered randomly across the Arena. Scatter does not necessarily affect
the hex you jump on.

* Group - refers to the hex you jump on and all the hexes that are locked to
it.

* Arena - covers the entire playing field and has the same effect on every
hex no matter where you jump.

Toggle - allows you to destroy a hex, totally removing it from the Arena for
the remainder of the level. Spells have no effect on toggled hexes, except
Fakes (see below) or another Toggle, which restores and hex and turns it to
your own color.

Fake - allows you to change the appearance of the hex you jump on without
actually affecting it at all. The illusion lasts until the hex is jumped
on again or until a D�i�s�p�e�l� �F�a�k�e� is cast. There are four types
of Flakes:

* Invisible - causes a hex or hexes to disappear.
* Fake Flip - causes the affected hexes to appear to have dark pillars
independent of any actual stored flips.
* Fake Color - makes hexes appear to be offset by two colors from their
actual color.
* Randome Flake - causes hexes to appear to be a random color and pillar
color.

Shield - keeps you and your opponent from affecting a hex for the duration
of the spell. There are three types of Shield spells parts:

* Shield Movement - keeps you and your opponents from moving onto a hex.
* Shield Flip prevents the number of stored flips from changing.
* Shield Color prevents the hex from changing color.
Trade Places - allows you to switch positions with your opponent before your
regular movement.

Influence spell parts come in three types. Each type can affect your
opponent's Spells and/or Movement. If a spell doesn't say which of these it
is affecting, then it infulences BOTH. Influence affects all of your
opponents, but not Phantom Partners:

* Freeze Spells - prevents your opponents from casting a spell, and
immediately cancels any spell they have in effect.
* Freeze Movement - prevents your opponents from moving for the duration of
the spell.
* Confuse - randomizes your opponents' movement and/or spell selection.
* Control - lets you control your opponents' movement or spells, or both.
If you are selecting a spell, but are not in control of movement, you must
still click on the Arena to make the spell take effect.

Phantom Partner - creates an 'ethereal' partner who will hop around the
Arena trying to help you turn it green. Phantom Partners can not use magic,
and, for the most part, are not affected by it. This is particularly good
spell to cast at the beginning of a level or when you are confused.

Clone - creates a whole new YOU. You control both of you, and you are
equivalent in all ways. Both of you cast spells and you are both affected
by influence. You also share the same Energy. This means that your energy
and capacity go up or down twice as fast. You and your opponents can create
as many as four Clones, so long as there are never more than a total of six
creatures on the Arena at one time. Phantom Partners and Clones last until
the end of a level.



The Other Players...


Your opponents in the game of HEX are a strange collection of wandering
sorcerers and powerful dilettantes. They each have a unique style and a
unique set of spells. To play HEX well, you must treat each of the other
players as an individual, and tailor your strategy to your opponent. When
you are faced with two opponents at once, this becomes particularly
challenging.

Egbert - is the last of the Dodoes of Mauritius. When his fellows were
going extinct, Egbert suddenly and mysteriously acquired magical power and
vanished from the face of the Earth. Since then he has been playing HEX and
grazing on the strange flora around the Arena. He still hasn't learned to
read or write, but he does wield great power.

Manowa - is a jellyfish of considerable size and intelligence. At first she
had trouble getting around on dry land, but this kind of problem can be
overcome with persistence. . . and power! She uses this power with stunning
effect as she floats over the HEX Arena.

Fitzroy - is a Triceratops from the time of the Great Mesozoic "Extinction."
In reality, the majority of the dinosaurs did not die out; they departed for
other dimensions. Because of the time distortion involved in dimension
travel, Fitzroy is still a baby after 65 million years, but he has quite a
stomp!

Amy - is not your average sentient mushroom. She grew up as an orphan in
the city of Mascara, surviving by her wits and magic. She relies primarily
on illusions and defensive spells. Without even trying to see through her
own illusions she can outmaneuver most challengers.

Brazz - is the crown Prince of Mayfair. Like manu of the proper nobility,
he spends most of his time involved in sports. Due to his easy life he has
had a lot of time to practice HEX. Like the simpler bees of Earth he likes
to flit heither and yon, and play among bright colors.

Sir Jake - is proper an dupstanding, but not exactly British. In fact, he's
not exactly anything. He's a lot more like nothing at all. Where Jake came
from, nothing is much of anything. He feels very comfortable around nothing,
and tries to keep the Arena looking that way.

Phoebe - is one of the seven Shield Maidens of Artemis. When she is not on
duty, she seeks out challenges to hone her skills of mind and body. HEX is
just such a challenge. Phoebe is strong, fast and smart, and her spells
were chosen form her by Artemis herself. Beware of Phoebe's renowned bursts
of power. (Half horse, half woman.)

Kirion - hails from Iceland, where there are still quite a few of the little
folk. He prefers not to get involved with outsiders, but Stephen talked him
into trying a game of HEX and he has been hooked ever since. His specialty
is illusion and he can put up a dazzling display of chicanery. (Caveman
type.)

Kengar - is a wanderer of the dimensions. No one knows where she came from.
AT times she can be found stalking wumpi on Rigel, or chasing clouds of
water through the Enchanged Grove. Sometimes she cannot be found at all.
Kengar is fast, very fast. She can outrun a hawk in the mountians! She is
also powerful enough to wander freely through the 500 worlds. (Leopard.)

Stephen - is ordinary human being who was granted mystical powers as a
result of his friendship with Kirion. Stephen believes that great power
brings great responsibility. His life is difficult and dangerous. To relax
and calm his nerves he plays HEX. His magical style was developed for more
important purposes, but it can be devastating in the Arena as well.

Rubicon - is a strapping young dragon. Her clan considers her to be very
promising and already very powerful. She is quite formidable, and when she
has learned cunning and subtlety she will be practically invincible. Don't
underestimate her power and versatility.

KRAKAWANN - is an elemental force of nature and very nearly a god. Its
power and wisdom are incomprehensible in ordinary terms. KRAKAWANN created
the HEX Arena and is familiar with all of its intracacies. The only reason
that the other players are willing to enter the Arena with KRAKAWANN is that
it puts very little of its attention and will into the game.



Finishing...


HEX saves your game when you click on S�A�V�E�. However, saving in the
middle of a level causes you to lose the ground; you would have to start
the level from the beginning with the energy and capacity you had when you
quit. Saving at the beginning of a level, however, has no penalty.

There are only three ways to eliminate a saved game:

* Win all 120 levels, and thus win the game;
* Lose all your capacity, and thuse lose the game;
* Clear the saved game with the CLEAR GAME option from the MAIN MENU.

HIGH SCORES

The high score list records the highest level that you or any other player
has won, and your energy at the end of that level. To top the high score
list you must not only win more levels than any previous player, but you
must do it with more energy left.

WINNING

To win a game of HEX, you must win all 120 different levels. On the first
level, you will play alone to familiarize yourself with the Arena. After
that, you will face opponents in sets of seven levels. The stakes of the
game increase with each set. Your bonus for winning a level goes up every
set, and your loss capacity per turn becomes larger.



Good Luck, and may the best magician win!