History Main / HighTechHexagons

* Like {{GURPS}}, [[TabletopGame/Champions Hero]] also uses hexagons for movement, and even uses one in its logo.

* Like {{GURPS}}, [[Champions Hero]] also uses hexagons for movement, and even uses one in its logo.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Halo}}'' many Forerunner tech have hexagon shapes and symbols.

* ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekTheAnimatedSeries'' episode "Beyond the Farthest Star". The Enterprise crew discovers a highly advanced alien ship in orbit around a dead star. The alien ship's interior structure is made up of interlocking hexagons.

* Another hexagonal carbon molecule which has potential is [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphine graphene]]. In addition to being extremely strong and flexible it's an excellent conductor of electricity. Applications include lightweight screens, semi-conductors and efficient room temperature alcohol distillation.

There's something about hexagons which make them look inherently advanced. This makes sense, since they're inherently AwesomeYetPractical. They slot together like squares, but look more complicated despite being more efficient to build with (a given hexagon has the most area inside for the length of its sides, hence the reason bees use hexagonal honeycombs for storage; beeswax doesn't grow on trees). Not to mention even the name hexagon sounds a little futuristic.

The hexagon's efficiency in nature might go some way to explaining the origin of this trope. Much like [[EverythingIsAnIpodInTheFuture smooth sleek curves]] and [[OurWeaponsWillBeBoxyInTheFuture solid, practical looking blocks]], there are plenty of reasons to [[ArtImitatesLife incorporate hexagons into real world scientific and engineering projects]]. Most notably dome structures (since they're much easier to produce a curve with than squares), solar panels (which benefit from the aforementioned area-to-edge ratio) and [[TheTriple hexagonal floor tiles]] (which look cooler than boring old rectangles). In addition, many polymers, semiconductors and other advanced materials use carbon, which is naturally inclined to form hexagonal molecules due to the way it bonds (it's this structure that gives diamond and other carbon compounds their strength [[note]]graphite being the odd one out, since it's made up of covalently bonded "sheets" of such molecules which slide over one another[[/note]]).

Compare EverythingIsAnIpodInTheFuture and OurWeaponsWillBeBoxyInTheFuture. Contrast {{Zeerust}} (which this trope may well become when ScienceMarchesOn). See also: TheAestheticsOfTechnology. The BeehiveBarrier is a very common subtrope.

[[folder: Anime and Manga ]]

[[folder: Films - Animated ]]

[[folder: Films - Live action ]]

[[folder: Toys ]]

* ''{{Bionicle}}'': In pretty much all the graphics of 2006, plus a large amount of the graphics from 2007 and 2008, there are hexagons in the background, most likely to give the images a high-tech feel.

[[folder: TV series ]]

* In ''Series/DoctorWho'', the insides of the TARDIS walls often have a hexagonal pattern on them, and the TARDIS console is hexagonal.
** In the first serial "An Unearthly Child" Susan Foreman is demonstrated to be unearthly by...[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZa272j_3TI#t=6m51s making an inkblot inside a hexagon.]]
* In ''{{Series/Viper}}'', the titular high-tech supercar had an armored body/shell comprised of hexagonal tiles. Though they were normally blended together in such a way that the seams were invisible, they manifested when the vehicle suffered damage, or transformed to or from its 'less conspicuous' street car mode.

[[folder: Tabletop Games ]]

* Regularly used in strategy wargames when it was found that they allow subtler movement then squares.
* {{TabletopGame/Infinity}} loves this trope. Try to count all the hexagons on the [[http://www.infinitythegame.com/infinity/en/ official site]].

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Video Game ]]

* ''{{Videogame/Crysis}}'' uses this trope excessively: all Crynet technology is covered with hexagons, be it the [[PoweredArmor Nanosuit]] or the CELL guns; even the Crynet logo is made of 120° angles.

* The logo of ''Franchise/MassEffect's'' Cerberus has a hexagonal shape and uses some materials with hexagonal surface patterns.
* In ''SonsOfLiberty'', hexagons are a recurring pattern throughout the story, but it gets ''really'' extreme once you enter the final "dungeon". The Big Shell's outer buildings were hexagonal, the shells themselves form a double hexagon, some of the textures on Raiden's stealth suit exude a hexagonal pattern, the skin of arsenal gear itself is covered with a hexagonal pattern. The game case design had a hexagonal pattern on the back of it, so did the original disc. Most official supplemental materials (strategy guides, concept art, making-of materials) had either subtle or blatant hexagonal themes. In fact, since Metal Gear Solid 2, hexagonal design has been a really big thing to them.

* ''{{Solatorobo}}'': The Futzu Tower, which contains a highly advanced AI, features a lot of hexagons.

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

[[folder: Real Life ]]

* Another hexagonal carbon molecule which has potential is [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphine graphene]]. In addition to being extremely strong and flexible it's an excellent conductor of electricity. Applications include lightweight screens, semi-conductors and efficient room temperature alcohol distillation.

[[/folder]]

There's something about hexagons which make them look inherently advanced. This makes sense, since they're inherently AwesomeYetPractical. They slot together like squares, but look more complicated despite being more efficent to build with (a given hexagon has the most area inside for the length of its sides, hence the reason bees use hexagonal honeycombs for storage; beeswax doesn't grow on trees). Not to mention even the name hexagon sounds a little futuristic.

There's something about hexagons which make them look inherently advanced. This makes sense, since they're inherently AwesomeYetPractical. They slot together like squares, but look more complicated despite being more efficent to build with (a given hexagon has the most area inside for the length of it's sides, hence the reason bees use hexagonal honeycombs for storage; beeswax doesn't grow on trees). Not to mention even the name hexagon sounds a little futuristic.

Hexagons used in designs to make things look more high tech.

Hexagons used in designs to make things look more high tech.

[[AC:Anime and Manga]]

[[AC:Films - Animated]]

[[AC: Films - Live action]]

[[AC: Toys]]

[[AC: TV series]]

* In ''{{Series/Viper}}'', the titular high-tech supercar had an armored body/shell comprised of hexagonal tiles. Though they were normally blended together in such a way that the seams were invisible, they manifested when the vehicle suffered damage, or transformed to or from its 'less conspicuous' street car mode.

[[AC: TabletopGames]]
* Regularly used in strategy wargames when it was found that they allow subtler movement then squares.

[[AC: VideoGame]]

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

[[AC:Real Life]]

* Another hexagonal carbon molecule which has potential is [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphine graphene]]. In addition to being extremely strong and flexible it's an excellent conductor of electricity. Applications include lightweight screens, semi-conductors and efficient room temperature alcohol distillation.

* In ''FantasticVoyage'', the shrink ray room had hexagons all over the floor. The ship rose up on one of them once it got small enough, so that it could be shrunk one more time, and then readied for insertion into the guy's body.

* ''{{Videogame/Crysis}}'' uses this trope excessively: all Crynet technology is covered with hexagons, be it the [[PoweredArmor Nanosuit]] or the CELL guns; even the Crynet logo is made of 120° angles

* ''{{Solatorobo}}'': the Futzu Tower, which contains a highly advanced AI, features a lot of hexagons.

* In ''Series/Viper'', the titular high-tech supercar had an armored body/shell comprised of hexagonal tiles. Though they were normally blended together in such a way that the seams were invisible, they manifested when the vehicle suffered damage, or transformed to or from its 'less conspicuous' street car mode.

* The tactical displays on the Klingon cruiser's bridge in ''[[StarTrekTheMotionPicture Star Trek: The Motion Picture]]'' were hexagon-heavy.

Compare EverythingIsAnIpodInTheFuture and OurWeaponsWillBeBoxyInTheFuture. Contrast Zeerust (which this trope may well become when ScienceMarchesOn). See also: TheAestheticsOfTechnology. The BeehiveBarrier is a very common subtrope.

This trope covers hexagons being used in designs to make things look more high tech.

* {{Psyren}}: Shiner's Hexagonal Transfer System PSI, which carves out hexagonal pieces of pretty much anything and teleports them wherever he wants.

* {{Bionicle}}: In pretty much all the graphics of 2006, plus a large amount of the graphics from 2007 and 2008, there are hexagons in the background, most likely to give the images a high-tech feel.

* In Series/DoctorWho, the insides of the TARDIS walls often have a hexagonal pattern on them, and the TARDIS console is hexagonal.

* {{Videogame/Crysis}} uses this trope excessively: all Crynet technology is covered with hexagons, be it the [[PoweredArmor Nanosuit]] or the CELL guns; even the Crynet logo is made of 120° angles
* In VideoGame/DeusExHumanRevolution Adam Jensen has a hexagon imbedded in his forehead with a little logo in it.

* The logo of Franchise/MassEffect's Cerberus has a hexagonal shape and uses some materials with hexagonal surface patterns.
* In SonsOfLiberty, hexagons are a recurring pattern throughout the story, but it gets ''really'' extreme once you enter the final "dungeon".The Big Shell's outer buildings were hexagonal, the shells themselves form a double hexagon, some of the textures on Raiden's stealth suit exude a hexagonal pattern, the skin of arsenal gear itself is covered with a hexagonal pattern. The game case design had a hexagonal pattern on the back of it, so did the original disc. Most official supplemental materials (strategy guides, concept art, making-of materials) had either subtle or blatant hexagonal themes. In fact, since Metal Gear Solid 2, hexagonal design has been a really big thing to them.

* {{Solatorobo}}: the Futzu Tower, which contains a highly advanced AI, features a lot of hexagons.
* Two of the three SonicAdvance games featured high-tech, futuristic levels, both of which featured hexagons ad nauseum.

* In VideoGame/DeusExHumanRevolution Alex has a hexagon imbedded in his forehead with a little logo in it.

* In ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquer: VideoGame/RedAlert 3'', the Empire of the Rising Sun's tech.