Codex Bash
Winner
Media Choice Award, IndieCade 2015
Nominee:
A MAZE Awards 2016
A feature of the National Videogame Arcade's permanent exhibition in 2018
A portable installation designed to mix physical movement with teamwork, communication and problem-solving.
One physical space, four big buttons and codes to be cracked! The game uses four custom-made buttons, designed so that the game can fit into any environment.
Players must use clues scattered around the room to uncover a sequence of button presses, and run around to bash the buttons in the right order.
You may have to flip through maps, pick apart circuit diagrams or rifle through a book of spy photos, but one thing’s for certain: the best codebreakers work as a team!
- Tokyo Games Show 2017 Indie Arena
- Out of Index 2017, Seoul
- GameCity 2016: National Videogame Arcade, Nottingham
- Now Play This: Somerset House, London
- IndieCade East 2016: Museum of the Moving Image, New York
- A MAZE Abu Dhabi Pop Up: The District, Abu Dhabi
- A MAZE Berlin 2016: Berlin
- Burn the Keyboard: V&A Museum, London
- Wellcome Collection Friday Spectacular: London
- Indievelopment 2015: Utrecht
Hiring Codex Bash
Both Codex Bash and Tap Happy Sabotage are available to licence. priced based on the duration of the licence and the number of devices that can be used concurrently on the same licence.
The pricing structure below shows rental costs for the software. Renters can opt to construct their own hardware (instructions are provided with the software) or to hire equipment from Alistair directly based on availability, which will be priced separately.
| 1 device | 3 devices | 10 devices | |
| 7 days | 95 GBP | 195 GBP | 395 GBP |
| 30 days | 145 GBP | 295 GBP | 445 GBP |
| 90 days | 345 GBP | 695 GBP | 1045 GBP |
| 1 year | 995 GBP | 1995 GBP | 3995 GBP |
Testimonials
"Codex Bash was one of the most popular parts of our event. Simple to learn, difficult to master, and a brilliant experience for players and spectators alike.
Watching strangers bond through frantic dashing and button bashing was an amazing way of showing how great gaming is at bringing people together."
Nathan Buckley - National Science and Media Museum
Tech Stack
Unity C#
The game is developed in Unity and programmed using C#.
Arduino C
Codex Bash uses a specially-made kit of four coloured buttons at the end of long cables, attached to a central unit. The buttons light up and flash based on Serial inputs from the game. The unit is built from an Arduino and programmed in C.
A more portable model of the buttons has them connected to the Arduino using audio cables. Earlier versions had the buttons communicate with the computer via bluetooth, but this was changed to wired connections for reliability.
ESP-32
I have also made prototype versions using ESP-32 and WiFi connection, which are more reliable, but I have decided to stick with the wired versions for easier setup.
PHP MySQL Encryption
For licensing out the software, I ensure that builds of the game are licensed to the client at the time period at which it is opened. Encrypted messages are sent to my server over HTTP to check a licence key against my SQL database. Unrecognised keys, identical keys used on multiple devices, and messages outside the key's time frame are rejected. The response is decrypted on receipt by the game, and if it corresponds to as success, the game will be allowed to begin.