Hex [2024 Refurb]: General Discussion

[Alsty]

Once I was on Hex and somebody had let a helium balloon loose in the vault. It totally gave the game away!

 

[NuttySquirrel]

I'd say the main reason why I love Hex is because it is one of a dwindling number or rides that make you think "Wait, how was that done?"
It can take several goes through to realise that the room spins around you, that you tilt a few degrees either way to enhance the illusion, that you exit the towers after the octagon preshow and exactly where the transition from towers to warehouse is. Once you understand all that, it is fun watching other people get fooled and then work it out for themselves. "Wait, if I'm upside down then why isn't my hair sticking up?"

It's certainly a clever illusion (and one of my favourite rides at AT including the coasters), but I'd be a bit worried if anyone came out of the vault genuinely believing that they'd gone upside down. Even if you have no proprioception - which most people do - the fact that they allow you to take bags and put them on the floor at your feet is a bit of a giveaway.

 

[Squiggs]

As part of the planning permission, if Hex is (god forbid) ever removed, the warehouse must be demolished.

Do you have a source for that? I've heard that a couple of times in the past few years, but I'm pretty certain that isn't the stipulation.

I thought the condition was that, when Hex ceases operation, all elements of the ride within the Towers have to be removed. i.e. they can't do a Sub Terra and just shut up the queue line and abandon it - when the ride is removed, all the scaffolding, theming, effects and fake walls within the ruins have to be taken out.

 

[Skyscraper]

Do you have a source for that? I've heard that a couple of times in the past few years, but I'm pretty certain that isn't the stipulation.

I thought the condition was that, when Hex ceases operation, all elements of the ride within the Towers have to be removed. i.e. they can't do a Sub Terra and just shut up the queue line and abandon it - when the ride is removed, all the scaffolding, theming, effects and fake walls within the ruins have to be taken out.

I can't remember where as it was a fair while back, but I'm pretty sure that's what it said.
Both of those conditions are possible tbh.

 

[Thameslink Rail]

Unfortunately, since the application went in before 2001 it is not on the council website. If anyone particularly wants it then you will have to use the form on their website to book an appointment, if anyone nearer Staffordshire Moorlands than me wants to give up an afternoon finding it then they are welcome to.

 

[Skyscraper]

Just watched this behind-the-scenes video about Bellewaerde's Mad House, which is the same size as Hex. In the event of a power failure, there is a backup battery for the drum (which is powered by an electric motor) and a backup pump for the gondola and lap bars (which are powered by hydraulics). There are also hatches hidden in the drum in case of total failure/fire (not sure if Hex has those though?)

 

[Alastair]

Hex was perhaps also one of the last AT rides to allocate a considerable budget for live music recording. The Geoffrey Mitchell Choir recorded at the old Amphonic Studios as well as a proper, 40 piece London string ensemble recorded at the iconic Angel Studios (since acquired by Abbey Road). I appreciate that things have improved in recent years, but it does somewhat feel as though the power of good quality, live recorded music has been forgotten about since the early 00's.

 

[NuttySquirrel]

Hex was perhaps also one of the last AT rides to allocate a considerable budget for live music recording. The Geoffrey Mitchell Choir recorded at the old Amphonic Studios as well as a proper, 40 piece London string ensemble recorded at the iconic Angel Studios (since acquired by Abbey Road). I appreciate that things have improved in recent years, but it does somewhat feel as though the power of good quality, live recorded music has been forgotten about since the early 00's.

God I wish my choir would ever do something like that! I'm sooo sick of Mozart!

 

[DistortAMG]

Technically it changed quite significantly a year after opening as it wasn’t really working (I never saw that version but I think the video in the first room was more similar to the queue line video).
But yes Hex 2.0 has basically lasted 21 years without them trying to add laser blasters or anything.

Correct me If I am wrong, but I am pretty sure Hex 2.0 came a few months after the ride was opened. The ride temporaily closed mid season for the show to be adjusted and tweaked into what we see today. This included a totally new story. If I remember correctly, there was a professor person on the roof of the towers, with a storm brewing. That is all I remember, I was 11 years old at the time.

 

[DistortAMG]

The difference being that Hex hasn't been tampered with outside of regular maintenance.

I would argue they have tampered with it. The sound system in the ride today is a shadow of the former Bose system. The system was originally tuned and setup far better than the ohm system they use today. Really noticable in the Valt and Octagon.

The music in the Vault back in the early 2000's, used to be intimidatingly lould, very bassy and crystal clear. The new system has about half the dynamic range of the old system, everything has lost its dynamics and the audio no longer sounds intimidating. Just tinny and much, much flatter.

It is a shame. As the audio is such a key component.

 

[s_g_k]

It’s been a few years since I’ve ridden Hex due to it being closed on my most recent visits. I always remember the bass in the Octagon Room being so intense that I was surprised those bose subwoofers didn’t need planning permission themselves in case it shook the Towers apart! For those that have ridden recently up until the ride’s most recent closure, is it still the same? I’ve had a look at some more recent POVs and the lighting show in the vault seems to have been cut back too. I seem to remember loads of different lighting effects throughout the sequence?

 

[jon81uk]

Correct me If I am wrong, but I am pretty sure Hex 2.0 came a few months after the ride was opened. The ride temporaily closed mid season for the show to be adjusted and tweaked into what we see today. This included a totally new story. If I remember correctly, there was a professor person on the roof of the towers, with a storm brewing. That is all I remember, I was 11 years old at the time.

I’m not sure either too be honest whether it was mid-season or end of season.
Guessing @Squiggs might have more knowledge?

 

[Squiggs]

I’m not sure either too be honest whether it was mid-season or end of season.
Guessing @Squiggs might have more knowledge?

It's funny say that, because I was about to post to say I would be really interested to know the answer to this question.

Hex's development is rather shrouded in mystery because it was built in that period just before the internet took off, so it doesn't really have a digital footprint for the ride as it was updated.

That said, my guess would be that it was updated mid-season - they seemed really keen to get the ride experience right as soon as possible. In fact, I think it would be safe to say that no one on here (other than maybe John Wardley) experienced Hex 1.0. The original version of Hex had already been modified by the time it opened on 1st April 2000 with some core parts of the current ride added in an interim update. Essentially, if the version of the ride you first experienced included the Beggar Woman figure in the Octagon, you were riding Hex 1.5 - she was added as a last minute addition to improve the overall experience ahead of Hex 2.0.

 

[rob666]

It’s been a few years since I’ve ridden Hex due to it being closed on my most recent visits. I always remember the bass in the Octagon Room being so intense that I was surprised those bose subwoofers didn’t need planning permission themselves in case it shook the Towers apart! For those that have ridden recently up until the ride’s most recent closure, is it still the same? I’ve had a look at some more recent POVs and the lighting show in the vault seems to have been cut back too. I seem to remember loads of different lighting effects throughout the sequence?

Volume on all speakers was turned down under the covid guidance...reduces the risk of spread through less shouting over the noise.

 

[Alsty]

Correct me If I am wrong, but I am pretty sure Hex 2.0 came a few months after the ride was opened. The ride temporaily closed mid season for the show to be adjusted and tweaked into what we see today. This included a totally new story. If I remember correctly, there was a professor person on the roof of the towers, with a storm brewing.

You're right. That was Professor Graham Nicholson.

I don't remember the details but it was a bit corny, as I recall. Was talking about the legend and then, "oh it looks like there's a storm coming, we'd better get a move on... ". Something like that.

 

[Skyscraper]

You're right. That was Professor Graham Nicholson.

I don't remember the details but it was a bit corny, as I recall. Was talking about the legend and then, "oh it looks like there's a storm coming, we'd better get a move on... ". Something like that.

I think it was deemed too educational in guest feedback, hence the change.

 

[Dave]

I think it was deemed too educational in guest feedback, hence the change.

It wasn’t that, it was clunky.

I did ride the original version once, it just didn’t gel very well. The premise was you where linking live to a professor who told you the legend then you lost the connection before finding out the professor had entered the vault and something weird was happening so you followed.

I’m not certain but I believe the footage that is now used was intended for the fireworks display that year (or it was re-filmed and they just used it in the fireworks anyway). Either way @John Wardley and the team decided it was worth changing the pre shows: the vault sequence wasn’t really changed though from memory.

 

[Squiggs]

I’m not certain but I believe the footage that is now used was intended for the fireworks display that year (or it was re-filmed and they just used it in the fireworks anyway).

In which case, I'm pretty certain it was option B. The new plot was supposed to have been storyboarded by Easter 2000, so it would seem very odd if they would then have sat on it for 6 months to debut in the Fireworks, when they recognised the attraction needed updating ASAP.

 

[Dave]

In which case, I'm pretty certain it was option B. The new plot was supposed to have been storyboarded by Easter 2000, so it would seem very odd if they would then have sat on it for 6 months to debut in the Fireworks, when they recognised the attraction needed updating ASAP.

It is fairly impressive how quickly they filmed and produced the changes to the ride. Also that Tussauds gave them a budget to do so.

 

[s_g_k]

Although obvious now I come to think of it, I only very recently realised that the “voice” of Hex is Jim Carter, who is most famous for his role as Carson the butler in Downton Abbey!