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About Hex Lex | Version comparison | FAQ | System requirements | Authorable | Language |

Hex-Lex

Our first game, Hex-Lex, is a two-game vehicle for language-teaching material at three levels. The bank of linguistic input is extensive, and no two games you play will ever be the same because of built-in randomisation of items. But, furthermore, the input is infinitely open-ended, both because teachers can use the authoring tool to edit in new material, and because a range of further sets of data will be available from Viva Lexico’s website. After a few years of playing Hex-Lex and Trix your input data could look entirely different!

HEX LEX is a product in three versions, perfect for elementary and advanced students alike. Two players compete to take control of the game board, or a single player can use the program to improve their language and revise. It's competitive, addictive and enjoyable! It will help you learn the vocabulary you need for your level of English, and is simple to use for learners of any age. It includes two types of game Hex and Trix, and a large library of words/lexical items. Further, a different game is automatically generated every time, meaning virtually endless gameplay. With its fully authorable database which teachers can edit, and share with other students and teachers, this makes a great revision idea. It's guaranteed to be a product you will use again and again!

Here are some screenshots to show the software in action:

First, you can enter your names next to the colour of your choice. This lets Hex Lex give personal encouragement during the game which is very important in the learning process.

You then choose one of three levels of language difficulty - Elementary, Intermediate or Advanced. Hex Lex will select language items suitable for that level of English.

Two game types are available - "Hex", where the aim is to get a line of hexagons across or down the game board, or "Trix" where you must make as many clusters of three hexagons as possible before running out of space.

At all times throughout the product, simple and clear on-screen help is available.

Next, you can select the language items to be used in the game - perhaps you would like to work on opposite verbs, or adjectives, parts of the body, transport, collocations, past tenses or modals. The choice is yours. With the 'Full version' you can edit the data sets or add your own new games - perhaps based on vocabulary taught in class. Click here for more details on the authorable version.

The game is played by selecting the hex you would like to claim, and its corresponding word or phrase from the list of cues to the right. If they match, the hex turns from yellow to your colour. If you are wrong, the next player has a chance to play.
Hex Lex makes it very clear to you whose turn it is and what to do, by the use of two entertaining characters who appear from time to time with words of encouragement or instruction.

Use your language skills to block your opponent, while forging your way across the board to make a winning line or claiming as many groups of three as you can. The game is over when a play has a line of hexes from top to bottom or left to right ("Hex" game) or there is no possibility for gaining more "Trix" of three hexes ("Trix" game).

After the game, an all-important feedback screen will remind you of your scores, and show the complete list of words used in the game together with their correct answers or cues. This stage will help students revise the language used ready for the next game, and giving a helpful indicator of progress.

The language used in the game can also be printed off for use away from the computer, and as a permanent record of vocabulary taught.

Throughout, Hex Lex is excitingly coloured with graphics and clearly labelled buttons. The screens are uncluttered and the instructions easy to follow.

Additional data sets (set of words or language items) for this program will also be available shortly.

The software is available as a 'lite' version for single computers, or 'full' network versions for schools, which includes a data editor making the software fully authorable. There is also the demonstartion version. Click here for details of the differences between them. If you have any questions about HexLex, please view our FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) or e-mail us.

System requirements

The software has been designed for Windows VIsta or XP, with soundcard, 800x600 screen size or larger, with 10Mb free disk space, but it may also function properly on older versions of windows (2000, Me, NT4, 98se). The 'full' version of the software is network ready, meaning that installation is done ONCE on a network fileserver to provide centralised access to the data for all users. Network station computer then have only a shortcut/link to the software on the server. A licence for the product is provided based on the number of simultaneous network users required, which can be upgraded at any time.

Fully authorable

The full version of HexLex is fully authorable. An additional piece of software is given which allows any data set to be edited or deleted, or indeed new data sets to be added. A data set is a collection of words or phrases which could be used in a HexLex game. Remember that every time a game is played a random selection of words from the data set is chosen making virtually unlimited permutations.

The authoring facility gives this product extra value. It is not a static piece of software but can change and adapt as required. As a teacher, perhaps you would like to add a new set of games based on recent vocabulary or grammer taught in class. No problem! Just run the editor program, add your list of words or phrases and save. It is as simple as that. Your new game will automatically appear the next time you play HexLex. You can also add data sets created by other teachers, and should you need more inspiration you can also download new data sets from our website (for a small charge). If students also have the software, perhaps at home, teachers can also give their students a new data set to load at home, making an enjoyable addition to other homework.
Remember too, that with the schools network version, new data sets added by one teacher on the network are automatically and instantly available to all HexLex users on the network!

Language Input

Here is a list of just some of the language areas covered in the present Hex Lex game. There are three versions of Hex-Lex. A 'lite' version, 'full version' and the 'demo' version. Click here for a comparison. For brevity’s sake, only five in each category are given. All of these language sets can be played either as Hex-Lex or Trix games.

If you think that important areas are missing ( Linkers? Phrasal Verbs? Pronunciation?) don’t worry! These will be among the specialised sets of data that will be available from the website.