Software:Hexplore

From HandWiki
Hexplore
Developer(s)Heliovisions Productions
Publisher(s)
Director(s)Marc Albinet
Producer(s)Pascal Stradella
Designer(s)Marc Albinet
Programmer(s)Denis Dufour
Artist(s)François Delnord
Frederic Bascou
Composer(s)Olivier Gaudino
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
Release
Genre(s)Role-playing video game, action, adventure, puzzle
Mode(s)Single player, multiplayer (4 players, cooperative play)

Hexplore is a 1998 role-playing video game developed by Heliovisions Productions and published by Infogrames Multimedia. It was released digitally on December 20, 2019 by Piko Interactive on GOG.com.[2]

Premise

Screenshot from Hexplore.

Set in 1000 AD, the player explores the world as MacBride, the adventurer. Early in the game you are joined by three party members, an archer (Drulak), a warrior (Vigrad) and a sorcerer (Uraeus). The player must track down Garkham, the black magician, to free the main characters' companions that were taken prisoner.

The game continues the story from there, and characters may leave or join the party (of a maximum of four members) in subsequent missions. Most of the characters are optional, which means the user may or may not recruit them for future quests.

The game features over 200 levels with puzzle-solving and combat, and allows up to 4 players in cooperative multiplayer mode.

Technical details

The game's engine utilises voxels for creating 3-D shapes and the level, being then relatively fast at the time it was released. The game world is seen from a top-down, isometric perspective, and the player is allowed to rotate the camera round the centre of view.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
GameRankings66%[3]
Review scores
PublicationScore
AllGameStarStarStar[4]
CGSPStarStarHalf star[6]
CGWStarStarHalf star[7]
Game Informer6.5/10[8]
GameProStarStarStarStar[9]
GameSpot6.9/10[10]
Next GenerationStarStarStar[11]
PC Gamer (US)47%[12]
PC Zone74%[13]

The game received average reviews according to the Review aggregation website GameRankings.[3] Next Generation said, "Hexplore is no Diablo, but it offers an excellent introduction to the genre. Newcomers can move up to the heavy-hitters later, once they learn the ropes."[11]

References

  1. ↑ Mayer, Robert (September 17, 1998). "Hexplore (Quick Take)". Strategy Plus, Inc.. Archived from the original on September 8, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20030908161003/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/014/092/hexplore.html. Retrieved October 2, 2020. 
  2. ↑ "6 newly-released classic games that deserve your attention". CD Projekt. December 20, 2019. Archived from the original on December 20, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191220192421/https://www.gog.com/news/6_newlyreleased_classic_games_that_deserve_your_attention. Retrieved December 20, 2019. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Hexplore for PC". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 26, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190526080340/https://www.gamerankings.com/pc/69334-hexplore/index.html. Retrieved October 2, 2020. 
  4. ↑ Sutyak, Jonathan. "Hexplore - Review". All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 17, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141117045230/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=14080&tab=review. Retrieved October 2, 2020. 
  5. ↑ Dembo, Arinn (September 29, 1998). "Hexplore". CNET. Archived from the original on August 16, 2000. https://web.archive.org/web/20000816095400/http://www.gamecenter.com/Reviews/Item/0,6,0-2129,00.html. Retrieved August 28, 2023. 
  6. ↑ Backer, Andy (October 2, 1998). "Hexplore". Strategy Plus, Inc.. Archived from the original on July 9, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20030709102235/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/014/138/hexplore_review.html. Retrieved October 2, 2020. 
  7. ↑ Shamma, Tahsin (January 1999). "Marking Time (Hexplore Review)". Computer Gaming World (Ziff Davis) (174): 336. Archived from the original on May 21, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230521112207/https://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_174.pdf. Retrieved August 28, 2023. 
  8. ↑ Bergren, Paul (November 1998). "Hexplore". Game Informer (FuncoLand) (67): 74. 
  9. ↑ Holmes, Matt (1998). "Hexplore Review for PC on GamePro.com". GamePro (IDG Entertainment). Archived from the original on February 15, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20050215233333/http://gamepro.com/computer/pc/games/reviews/815.shtml. Retrieved October 3, 2020. 
  10. ↑ Shamma, Tahsin (October 4, 1998). "Hexplore Review [date mislabeled as "May 1, 2000""]. Fandom. Archived from the original on December 12, 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20041212204117/http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/hexplore/review.html. Retrieved August 28, 2023. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Hexplore". Imagine Media. January 1999. p. 108. https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_49/page/n109/mode/2up. Retrieved October 2, 2020. 
  12. ↑ "Hexplore". PC Gamer (Imagine Media) 5 (11). November 1998. Archived from the original on December 12, 1999. https://web.archive.org/web/19991212101309/http://www.pcgamer.com/reviews/532.html. Retrieved October 3, 2020. 
  13. ↑ Necrochristi, Kat (August 1998). "Hexplore". PC Zone (Dennis Publishing) (66): 122. https://archive.org/details/PC_Zone_66_August_1998/page/n121/mode/2up. Retrieved October 3, 2020. 
  1. ↑ Released under the Ocean brand name.
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
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