In Planet HEXBUG, each action the VR HEXBUG nano completes earns Experience Points (XP). These accumulate through game play to enable the VR nano to level up. Leveling up enables your VR nano to gain strength and defeat more difficult enemies throughout the map.
Leveling up your VR nano
Leveling up will enable the VR nano to grow stronger, defeat stronger enemies, and carry more food back to its home as it explores Planet HEXBUG. Each action that the VR nano completes will earn it Experience Points (XP). These XP add up as the VR nano progresses toward the next level.
Each VR nano action earns a specific number of XP, as follows:
| VR nano Action | Earned XP |
| Eating food | 2 XP |
| Taking food home | 5 XP per battery |
| Defeating a VR nano Zombie | 5 XP |
| Defeating a red or orange VR Scorpion | 10 XP |
| Defeating a purple VR Scorpion | 15 XP |
A VR nano begins the game as Level 1, and can progress up to Level 5. Leveling up is determined by the cumulative number of XP earned throughout the game. Each level corresponds to a benchmark number of earned XP as follows:
| Level | Total XP Required | VR nano Color |
| Level 1 | 0 XP – start of game | Blue |
| Level 2 | 10 XP | Black |
| Level 3 | 30 XP | Orange |
| Level 4 | 70 XP | Red |
| Level 5 | 125 XP | Purple |
When the VR nano levels up, it will change color as a visual indicator. It begins as a blue VR nano on Level 1 when the game begins.
Viewing level data
You can view your earned XP, as well as your progress towards the next level in the Playground window at all times.
Your progress towards the next level will be visible through the colored progress bar, as well as the XP counter, showing your current XP compared to the total needed to reach the next level.
The current level is displayed above the number of days the VR nano has survived.
The XP counter displays the ratio of current XP to the total needed to progress to the next level.
As XP are earned, the counter will update, and the progress bar will display progress toward the next level.
As the VR nano levels up, it grows stronger in its ability to carry food and attack enemies.
The Attack number indicates the amount of damage each attack does to an enemy.
The Capacity number indicates how many batteries the VR nano can carry back to its home at one time.
These numbers will get larger with each level achieved.
Enemy Levels in Planet HEXBUG
VR HEXBUG nano Zombies and VR Scorpions are also leveled in Planet HEXBUG. The level of an enemy correlates to their location within Planet HEXBUG.
The level of an enemy can be sensed by the VR nano’s built-in AI technology, and will display as part of the sensor data on the Playground.
The VR nano can also detect the Health Points (HP) of an enemy. Higher leveled enemies have more HP.
To learn more about attacking enemies in Planet HEXBUG, see this article.
Leveling Up Example Project
Example projects can be a useful starting point for students’ code. Students can try them, then iterate on an example project in order to achieve their game goals, by changing parameters or adding or removing commands. See this article for more information on accessing and using example projects in Planet HEXBUG.
Leveling Up Example Project
The Leveling Up Example Project will have the VR nano use AI information to pick up two pieces of food and deliver them to it's Home to earn the 10 XP needed to progress from Level 1 to Level 2.
Students will notice the VR nano changes color at the end of the project, to indicate that it has achieved Level 2 status.