Hack

From WITpedia

Hack is a minigame that is played to enable players to hack terminals in order to proceed through interventions.

Contents 1 Controls 2 Gameplay 2.1 Subroutines 2.2 Bonuses 2.3 Locks 2.4 Mouseover help 3 Gadget Components 4 Hacking Tutorials 4.1 The Basics of Hacking Terminals 4.2 Turn Subroutine Defences to Your Advantage 4.3 System Core may be Locked 4.4 Bonuses and Alerting the System 4.5 System Core can be Locked in Various Ways 4.6 Know your Enemies

Controls

• Left Mouse Click - clear firewalls
• Mouse Wheel - rotate board

OR

• Left Arrow - rotate board left
• Right Arrow - rotate board right

Gameplay

To hack a terminal, clear the firewalls and rotate the board to allow your avatar to enter the SYSTEM-CORE. Watch out for defence programs called subroutines that will attack your avatar.

Subroutines

There are a variety of subroutines that will attempt to prevent you from reaching the SYSTEM-CORE. They will attack your avatar, other subroutines, bombs, and SYSTEM-CORES with attack-locks.

Blocks which turn into new subroutines will appear on the board after each turn in which you clear a firewall of less than 4 blocks, and each turn while the Alarm is active.

List of known subroutines

Icon Name Effect Block Has no effect itself; turns into a subroutine after one turn. Star The most basic subroutine, it will attack anything on either side of it. Weight The weight will attack anything directly below it. Cannon The cannon attacks up to 3 spaces away to its side. However, the cannon can only aim to one side at a time, and takes a turn to rotate towards a target on the other side before it can fire. Alarm The alarm only activates if your avatar is on either side of it. If it is allowed to stay active for several turns without being destroyed or your avatar moving away, it will start creating black blocks throughout the board. Buzz saw Attacks anything in the same row. This is the only subroutine(?) that can charge a charged key. Death Attacks anything immediately above, below, or to either side of it. Cannot be damaged by the attacks of other subroutines.

Bonuses

Large clears can spawn bonuses, Which provide advantages when your avatar drops down on them from above.

List of known bonuses

Icon Name Effect Health Restores one point of health to your avatar. Has no effect if your avatar is undamaged. Shield Renders your avatar immune to subroutines' attacks for several(?) turns. Also allows your avatar to attack anything directly below it. Seeker Unknown bonus. Also provides charge when using the Seeker Charge gadget component.  ? Unknown bonus.

Locks

In higher levels, the SYSTEM-CORE is protected by one or more locks, which must be unlocked in order.

List of known locks

Lock icon Key icon Name Description Lock The lock opens when the key is next to it (in any direction). Bomb The lock opens when a bomb explodes near it. The bomb's fuse must be lit by getting a subroutine to attack it. You then have three(?) moves to make sure the bomb is near the lock (and that you are not near the bomb!). Attack The lock opens when it is attacked by a subroutine. Charged Key The lock opens when the charged key is next to it and charged. The key must be hit by an attack from a buzz saw to charge it. Once charged, the key will destroy subroutines and damage the avatar if they are directly adjacent to it.

Mouseover help

Moving the cursor over a tile will give you useful information about it, depending on what it is:

• Hovering over a firewall (coloured block) will light up the group of blocks that will be cleared if you click on it. The cursor will also change shape to indicate whether clearing this group will cause new subroutines or bonuses to appear.
• Hovering over a subroutine or bomb will light up its attack range.

Gadget Components

The following gadget modifications are related to Hack or directly provide bonuses during Hack.

List of Hack gadget components

Icon Name Description Hack Power Zap points to a Hack goal Blast Charge Hack: Bombing subroutines charges your gadget Seeker Charge Hack: Collect Seeker pieces to charge your gadget Terrabyter Charge Hack: Clears over 8 pieces charge your gadget more Coin Bonus Hack Power Earn bonus coins when you use your Gadget on Hack! Loot Bonus Hack Power Earn bonus materials when you use your Gadget on Hack!

Hacking Tutorials

The following is text from tutorials that appear in the game.

The Basics of Hacking Terminals

"To hack a terminal, clear firewalls and rotate the board to allow your avatar to enter the SYSTEM-CORE. Watch out for defence programs called SUBROUTINES that will attack your avatar."

Turn Subroutine Defences to Your Advantage

"SUBROUTINES follow set rules of engagement -- learn their rules and you can turn them to your advantage. New Subroutines are spawned whenever you make clears of less than four firewall blocks."

System Core may be Locked

"Some terminals will have stronger anti-hack measures such as a LOCKED System-Core. To unlock the core you must touch the KEY to the locked System-Core."

Bonuses and Alerting the System

"Larger clears might spawn a BONUS which you can pick up with your avatar to gain their effects. CURSOR ICONS warn you when a small clear will alert the system and spawn Subroutines."

System Core can be Locked in Various Ways

"On harder Terminals the System-Core is LOCKED in multiple ways. You must unlock them all before your avatar can enter the core."

Know your Enemies

"Knowing each of the SUBROUTINES’ rules of engagement is the key to planning your strategy while hacking. Remember, Subroutines will attack ANYTHING that comes into their range."