Support

If you run into any problems with our software please let us know! We do our best to test everything thoroughly before release, but sometimes bugs pop up only on certain computers. Email us at support [at] hexraystudios [dot] com or send us a tweet at @hexraystudios to let us know.
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Hexels FAQ

What platforms is Hexels available on?
Hexels is available for Mac and Windows. There is no official Linux version, but we have heard reports of Hexels running under the Wine emulator (try it with the free version of Hexels and read the additional comments here). There are no immediate plans for Android or iOS versions, but we’re considering it (: If you’d like to see Hexels on a particular platform, let us know by emailing support (at) hexraystudios (dot) com.

What are Hexels’ System Requirements?
Hexels will run on a wide range of computers. (on the platforms mentioned above). On Mac, you need at least OSX 10.6 (Snow Leopard) Hexels has been tested on a variety of Macs with OS X 10.6.8 to 10.8.2. It runs even on very low-end Macs (tested on a 2007 Mac mini)–albeit a little slowly if Glow is turned on).

On Windows, Hexels has been tested on Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8, on desktops, laptops, and at least one netbook.

If in doubt, give it a try by downloading the free version! Once in a while this issue with Intel graphics chips pops up, but a temporary workaround is already in place.


How many computers am I allowed to install Hexels Pro onto with one license key?
One Hexels Pro license key works for both Mac and Windows. You can use Hexels Pro on up to 5 computers you own (individual use). Or, for a business or multiple users, use one license key to activate Hexels Pro for all users on one computer. Download the End User License Agreement here.

What can Hexels Pro do that the free version can’t?
The free version of Hexels has everything you need to make awesome Hexagon-based artwork that you can share over the internets. But it’s only half of the picture. Hexels Pro has a lot of cool things, like custom “hexel” shapes, glow map importing, the outline tool, and the extremely popular Trixel tool. You can export much larger image files for printing. It can also export SVG, XML, and CSV files, so you can import your work into Illustrator or even in-house custom applications.

Can I sell Hexels art or use it for a game I’m making?
Yup. Even if you’re using the free version, anything you make with Hexels is yours to use for any purpose you see fit. However, if you’re planning on printing it, you’ll most likely want to get Hexels Pro for its high-resolution image exporting.

Does Hexels support drawing tablets?
Yes! Both the free and Pro versions support tablets, and you can choose between several different pressure modes.

I made something amazing in Hexels. How can I get it on your MadeInHexels Tumblr?
The Tumblr has a submission feature built-in. Alternatively, you can share it with us on Facebook or Twitter.

My Antivirus/Security software tells me that Hexels is attempting to user the intenet. Why is it doing that?
Hexels connects to hexels.com at startup in order to check for updates. It does not send any sort of personal data. You can disable this in Preferences and check for updates manually if you want.

Hexels crashes immediately when I run it.
We have had a few rare reports of startup crashes with Hexels. Try running it again! Some errors at startup can be detected and can be fixed on the second launch. If Hexels can’t fix it, it will show you a dialog to help you find your crash log file, which you can email to support (at) hexraystudios (dot) com. This will help us solve problems and include the fixes in future updates to Hexels. Even if you encounter no problems after the first run, sending us the crash log file will help us improve Hexels in the future. You can always locate it by selecting “Reveal Log File” under the Help menu.


Hexels crashed when I ran it. I ran it again and it gave me a message about shaders being disabled. Everything seems okay though. What’s up with that?
Certain Intel graphics drivers crash when Hexels tries to initialize its shaders. The message you saw was to inform you that this had happened. If you would like to help us avoid this problem in the future, select “Reveal Log File” under the Help menu, and send your hexels-crash-log.txt file to support (at) hexraystudios (dot) com.

I see black boxes around my art when using a transparent canvas.
On computers that are unable to use the shaders used in Hexels, a fallback method draws your image without shaders. This method currently results in these boxes. This will be fixed in a future version, but for now, if you turn off Glow or uncheck “Transparent Canvas” in the document settings window, the boxes will disappear.
Dark rectangles present over transparent canvas when shaders are disabled.

Pixel Fireplace FAQ

I have an idea for a command! How can I tell you guys?
Nearly everyone who tries Pixel Fireplace has ideas for commands that aren’t currently in it, and we love hearing them. Send us an email at support [at] hexraystudios [dot] com or a tweet @hexraystudios!

What’s the difference between buying Pixel Fireplace from the Mac App Store and buying it from your website?

Activation codes purchased from our site work for the direct Mac and PC versions. The Pixel Fireplace title screen will tell you when there’s an update available for you to download from our site. The Mac App Store version is Mac only (obv) and their store will notify you when an update is available.

Pixel Fireplace crashes when I launch it, or the graphics appear scrambled or distorted.
Check to see what version of Pixel Fireplace you are using. You can do this by clicking Pixel Fireplace in your Applications folder and selecting “Get Info” in the File menu. Version 1.1 and prior are affected by changes Apple made to Mac OS X after Pixel Fireplace was released that result in scrambled images. There is also a bug in Pixel Fireplace 1.1 that can cause it to crash on certain graphics cards. These problems are fixed as of Pixel Fireplace 1.2. If you have version 1.2 or newer of Pixel Fireplace and are experiencing problems, please contact us so we can help you resolve it.