Hacking: Difference between revisions

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== Tips and Tricks ==

* ~~As a general rule,~~ '''~~you’ll want to explore~~ as ~~many nodes~~ as ~~you can~~ before attacking ~~any static~~ Defensive ~~Subsystems~~.''' ~~In general, it’s better to explore the entire board before engaging with any subsystems: you~~ may just stumble onto the System Core early! Restoration Nodes and Virus Suppressors are the exception to this though, as they should be removed from the board as soon as possible.

* '''Explore the board as much as possible before attacking a Defensive Subsystem.''' You may just stumble onto the System Core early! Restoration Nodes and Virus Suppressors are the exception to this though, as they should be removed from the board as soon as possible.

* '''Always pick up Utility Subsystems as soon as they are exposed.''' If you keep exploring without snagging these, a Defensive Subsystem might pop up and cut off your access to them!

* '''Always use a Self Repair as soon as you find it.''' It ~~simply~~ increases your Coherence, so there is no gain in waiting.

* '''Always use a Self Repair as soon as you find it.''' It increases your Virus Coherence, so there is no gain in waiting.

* '''Don’t open Data Caches until you’ve fully explored all their adjacent nodes.''' You don’t want your exploration to be cut off by an unexpected Defensive Subsystem!

** ~~Additionally, more difficult hacks contain~~ Data Caches ~~that~~ might expose ~~particularly nasty Defensive Subsystems (~~Restoration Nodes~~), so sometimes,~~ '''~~you may just want to leave~~ opening Data Caches as a last resort.'''

** Difficult hack's Data Caches might expose Restoration Nodes and Suppressors. '''Leave opening Data Caches as a last resort.'''

* Because exposed Defensive Subsystems cut off access to adjacent nodes, '''you may want to explore nodes along the edges first before exploring inward'''. This is because if you happen to expose a Firewall or Anti-Virus along a “wall,” you will be a bit less likely to cut off all of your movement options in that direction.

* '''Use the 1-5 numbers to guide your movement''' around the board. For example, if you're approaching an edge or corner of the grid, and the number 5 shows up, then trying to explore anything towards that corner/edge is not useful, because you know that there cannot be anything good within 5 nodes. In general, you want to click in directions that make the numbers smaller. Because the numbers disappear as you move along, you need to remember where there were 5's, so you know which areas not to bother going back to later.

* '''Use the 1-5 ~~"minesweeper"~~ numbers to guide your movement''' around the ~~grid~~. For example, if you're approaching an edge or corner of the grid, and the number ~~is a~~ 5, then trying to explore anything towards that corner/edge is not useful, because you know that there cannot be anything good within 5 nodes. In general, you want to click in directions that make the numbers smaller. Because the numbers disappear as you move along, you need to remember where there were 5's, so you know which areas not to bother going back to later.

* '''Use the Rule of Six'''. This rule is slightly complicated, but can make your life when hacking much easier. The rule is that if you have a node that has six edges leading away from it ( a "complete" node with no missing nodes in the hexagon around it), then that node is guaranteed to 1) Have no Defensive Subsystems in it OR 2) be adjacent to the System Core. What that means in practice is that you can use these squares to move safely through the board, and any Defensive Subsystems you find tell you where the System Core is. It is usually worthwhile to try to reach and use areas of the map with many of these "complete" nodes when hacking. You can find a video tutorial [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5uQC74VvVQ here].

[[Category:Exploration]]

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 == Tips and Tricks ==
-* As a general rule, '''you’ll want to explore as many nodes as you can before attacking any static Defensive Subsystems.'''  In general, it’s better to explore the entire board before engaging with any subsystems: you may just stumble onto the System Core early!  Restoration Nodes and Virus Suppressors are the exception to this though, as they should be removed from the board as soon as possible.
+* '''Explore the board as much as possible before attacking a Defensive Subsystem.''' You may just stumble onto the System Core early! Restoration Nodes and Virus Suppressors are the exception to this though, as they should be removed from the board as soon as possible.
 * '''Always pick up Utility Subsystems as soon as they are exposed.''' If you keep exploring without snagging these, a Defensive Subsystem might pop up and cut off your access to them!
-* '''Always use a Self Repair as soon as you find it.'''  It simply increases your Coherence, so there is no gain in waiting.
+* '''Always use a Self Repair as soon as you find it.''' It increases your Virus Coherence, so there is no gain in waiting.
 * '''Don’t open Data Caches until you’ve fully explored all their adjacent nodes.''' You don’t want your exploration to be cut off by an unexpected Defensive Subsystem!
-** Additionally, more difficult hacks contain Data Caches that might expose particularly nasty Defensive Subsystems (Restoration Nodes), so sometimes, '''you may just want to leave opening Data Caches as a last resort.'''
+** Difficult hack's Data Caches might expose Restoration Nodes and Suppressors. '''Leave opening Data Caches as a last resort.'''
-* Because exposed Defensive Subsystems cut off access to adjacent nodes, '''you may want to explore nodes along the edges first before exploring inward'''. This is because if you happen to expose a Firewall or Anti-Virus along a “wall,” you will be a bit less likely to cut off all of your movement options in that direction.
+* '''Use the 1-5 numbers to guide your movement''' around the board.  For example, if you're approaching an edge or corner of the grid, and the number 5 shows up, then trying to explore anything towards that corner/edge is not useful, because you know that there cannot be anything good within 5 nodes.  In general, you want to click in directions that make the numbers smaller. Because the numbers disappear as you move along, you need to remember where there were 5's, so you know which areas not to bother going back to later.
-* '''Use the 1-5 "minesweeper" numbers to guide your movement''' around the grid.  For example, if you're approaching an edge or corner of the grid, and the number is a 5, then trying to explore anything towards that corner/edge is not useful, because you know that there cannot be anything good within 5 nodes.  In general, you want to click in directions that make the numbers smaller. Because the numbers disappear as you move along, you need to remember where there were 5's, so you know which areas not to bother going back to later.
 * '''Use the Rule of Six'''. This rule is slightly complicated, but can make your life when hacking much easier. The rule is that if you have a node that has six edges leading away from it ( a "complete" node with no missing nodes in the hexagon around it), then that node is guaranteed to 1) Have no Defensive Subsystems in it OR 2) be adjacent to the System Core. What that means in practice is that you can use these squares to move safely through the board, and any Defensive Subsystems you find tell you where the System Core is.  It is usually worthwhile to try to reach and use areas of the map with many of these "complete" nodes when hacking. You can find a video tutorial [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5uQC74VvVQ here].
 [[Category:Exploration]]