Topic: [Brutal spoilers] Exploited hackware snowball effect (Read 1989 times)

Widmo · « **on:** January 08, 2017, 04:28:13 AM »

Reading the thread about hackware snowball effect I wondered if it is really that bad. All my previous experiments with datajack turned out to be thorough waste of time. Not only the datajack seldom works but then you also have to do it successfully several times in order to do anything useful. In meantime maintenance bots flee from you and combat bots shoot at you. Bleh!

From this point on spoilerific part starts. If you can follow this recipe Cogmind can be beaten with 100% certainty.

To check it out I turned my current game into datajack wielding nightmare. It really does snowball. First you get a single hackware which allows you to fabricate additional ones more easily. When you pile up on those you can use them to obtain advanced schematics to get even more mileage of your utility slots.

Then the datajack starts to be useful when it happens to work meaning you can minimize matter losses on remote attacks. When you get some meatshield grunts on your side they can take the heat while you convert the opposition to your cause. With ever-growing entourage you actually have surplus matter from the bots you did not convert in time and your destroyed followers.

Next cheesy tactics like garrison camping start to be viable. Challenges get turned upside down: you want yourself to be scanned by researchers so that you can have stronger followers. Soon you have army of prototypes on your side: Striker, Lightning, Executioner, Alpha 7 ... nothing can stand your might except artificially immune Behemoths. If (when?) you get the guided datajack you can one~~shot~~convert any enemies to your cause. Operators reveal all hazards which usually is a prize for worthy achievement of outsmartnig one but now this is trivial. Oh, an operator on radar? Zapp! Welcome to our army. No, there is no need to worry about that terminal.

With influence staying mostly low because you are not destroying robots the game becomes a walk in the park. I lost my guided datajack in an explosion of a machine which did slow things down but nothing too bad. I once let a behemoth destroy half my utilities because of boredom. I rebuilt pretty quickly. You can see some advanced hackware because there was little incentive to upgrade them.

The final verdict? 100% chances on very difficult hacks like recall assault are nowhere as breaking as 95% chance on robot assimilation. There is database lockout plus fabricator lockout to limit ordinary exploits. At access I had option of venturing to command but I was so thoroughly tired by the unexciting game I went straight for the exit. My run is currently at the top ot high scores anyway.

Soon I am going to make my way over to the snowball thread. There are a few thoughts I wish to share but not before I put here my other win though because this one is unworthy. It did not require much effort or skill. As the warrior said "I am disgraced by letting this score sheet be automatically submitted".

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Cogmind - Alpha 12 Name: Widmo ---[ ESCAPED! ]--- Performance ------------- Evolutions (9) 4500 Robots Destroyed (637) 3185 Value Destroyed (22366) 22366 Prototype IDs (140) 2800 Alien Tech Recovered (14) 2800 Bonus (22995) 22995 TOTAL SCORE: 58646 Cogmind --------- Core Integrity 1561/1600 Matter 300/300 Energy 850/850 System Corruption 0% Temperature Cool (0) Location Surface Parts ------- Power (2) Quantum Reactor Reinforced Quantum Reactor Propulsion (7) Electron Diverter Improved Diametric Drive Improved Diametric Drive Improved Diametric Drive Improved Diametric Drive Improved Q-thruster Improved Q-thruster Utility (14) Coolant Network Large Storage Unit Experimental Targeting Computer Advanced Hacking Suite Experimental Hacking Suite Experimental Hacking Suite Experimental Hacking Suite Experimental Hacking Suite Experimental Hacking Suite Experimental Hacking Suite Advanced System Shield Advanced System Shield Quantum Router Weapon (3) Advanced Remote Datajack Centrium Greatsword Inventory (10) Transdimensional Reconstructor Transdimensional Reconstructor High-powered Transdimensional Reconstructor Core Reset Matrix Core Reset Matrix Subatomic Replicator SGEMP Prototype Peak State ------------ Power Quantum Reactor Reinforced Quantum Reactor Propulsion Electron Diverter Improved Diametric Drive Improved Diametric Drive Improved Diametric Drive Improved Diametric Drive Improved Q-thruster Improved Q-thruster Utility Coolant Network Large Storage Unit Experimental Targeting Computer Advanced Hacking Suite Experimental Hacking Suite Experimental Hacking Suite Experimental Hacking Suite Experimental Hacking Suite Experimental Hacking Suite Experimental Hacking Suite Advanced System Shield Advanced System Shield Quantum Router Weapon Advanced Remote Datajack Centrium Greatsword Inventory Quantum Reactor Transdimensional Reconstructor Transdimensional Reconstructor High-powered Transdimensional Reconstructor Core Reset Matrix Core Reset Matrix Subatomic Replicator SGEMP Prototype [Rating: 209] Favorites ----------- Power Reinforced Ion Engine Engine Reinforced Ion Engine Power Core Micro Fission Core Reactor Fusion Reactor Propulsion Wheel Treads Medium Treads Wheel Wheel Leg Improved Aluminum Leg Hover Unit Cooled Aerolev Unit Flight Unit Improved Diametric Drive Utility Large Storage Unit Device Long-range Sensor Array Storage Large Storage Unit Processor Improved Targeting Computer Hackware Advanced Hacking Suite Protection Improved Light Armor Plating Artifact Stasis Generator Weapon Improved Remote Datajack Energy Gun Improved EM Shotgun Energy Cannon Beam Cannon Ballistic Gun Coil Gun Ballistic Cannon Mini Assault Cannon Launcher Grenade Launcher Special Weapon Improved Remote Datajack Impact Weapon Great Maul Slashing Weapon Plasma Sword Piercing Weapon Lance Special Melee Weapon Advanced Datajack Stats ------- Bonus Breakdown 22995 Met Data Miner 300 Found Hidden Lab 3000 Used Core Reset Matrix 3000 Hacked Protovariant 500 Acquired SGEMP 2000 Met Sigix 2000 Activated Exoskeleton 3000 Escaped with Sigix 5000 Win 3000 Win Speed 1195 Classes Destroyed 21 Worker 101 Builder 56 Tunneler 16 Hauler 26 Recycler 51 Minesweeper 1 Mechanic 2 Operator 24 Watcher 26 Swarmer 78 Saboteur 1 Grunt 161 Brawler 8 Duelist 5 Protector 2 Sentry 37 Hunter 15 Programmer 16 Behemoth 1 Compactor 3 Assembled 7 NPCs Destroyed 0 Best Kill Streak 15 Combat Bots Only 8 Matter Collected 29578 Salvage Created 20937 Parts Attached 755 Power 80 Propulsion 189 Utility 217 Weapon 269 Parts Lost 177 Power 22 Propulsion 53 Utility 40 Weapon 62 Average Slot Usage (%) 94 Naked Turns 1 Spaces Moved 37508 Fastest Speed (%) 714 Average Speed (%) 265 Slowest Speed (%) 13 Overloaded Moves 19 Propulsion Burnouts 0 Targets Rammed 3 Cave-ins Triggered 3 Teleports 1 Heaviest Build 96 Greatest Support 150 Greatest Overweight (x) 20 Average Overweight (x) 0 Largest Inventory 16 Average Capacity 11 Most Carried 16 Average Carried 10 Final Capacity 10 Final Carried 8 Core Damage Taken 4133 Average Core Remaining (%) 48 Depth 11 Exit 100 Depth 10 Exit 24 Depth 9 Exit 19 Depth 8 Exit 54 Depth 7 Exit 2 Depth 6 Exit 13 Depth 5 Exit 35 Depth 4 Exit 61 Depth 3 Exit 56 Depth 2 Exit 72 Depth 1 Exit 97 Volleys Fired 2858 Largest 3 Hottest 199 Shots Fired 3543 Gun 1559 Cannon 781 Launcher 677 Special 526 Kinetic 916 Thermal 811 Explosive 439 Electromagnetic 864 Shots Hit Robots 1680 Core Hits 1025 Critical Hits 253 Kills 82 Parts Destroyed 103 Overload Shots 21 Energy Bleed 0 Heat Surge 0 Short Circuit 0 Meltdown 1 Melee Attacks 1229 Impact 398 Slashing 495 Piercing 288 Damage Inflicted 58561 Projectiles 22598 Explosions 25234 Melee 10706 Ramming 23 Kinetic 11451 Thermal 10964 Explosive 17561 Electromagnetic 7856 Impact 1908 Slashing 7576 Piercing 1222 Overflow Damage 559 Projectiles 156 Explosions 378 Melee 25 Self-Inflicted Damage 1429 Shots 56 Rammed 3 Highest Temperature 529 Average Temperature 64 Received Heat Transfer 5574 Shutdowns 1 Energy Bleed 2 Interference 5 Matter Decay 0 Short Circuit 0 Damage (minor) 0 Damage (major) 4 Damage (core) 1 Highest Corruption 19 Average Corruption 4 Message Errors 106 Matter Fused 86 Heat Flow Error 40 Energy Discharge 42 Parts Rejected 30 Data loss (map) 0 Data loss (database) 69 Misfires 14 Misdirections 101 Targeting Errors 79 Weapon Failures 10 Depth 10 End 11 Depth 8 End 3 Depth 7 End 14 Depth 5 End 1 Depth 4 End 15 Depth 3 End 19 Depth 2 End 1 Haulers Intercepted 26 Robots Corrupted 13 Parts Fried 61 Robots Melted 0 Parts Melted 19 Heat Transferred 16274 Parts Self-Destructed 55 Prevented 3 Power Chain Reactions 36 Tactical Retreats 58 Communications Jammed 0 Parts Field Recycled 0 Retrieved Matter 0 Parts Merge Repaired 0 Drone Launches 4 Drone Recoveries 0 Derelicts Assembled 0 Traps Triggered 27 Indirectly 7 Trap Hack Attempts 0 Triggered 0 Disarmed 0 Reprogrammed 0 Reused 7 Traps Extracted 64 Installed 10 Triggered 10 Machines Disabled 507 Data Cores Recovered 3 Used 1 Machines Hacked 276 Terminals 146 Fabricators 25 Repair Stations 30 Recycling Units 23 Scanalyzers 18 Garrison Access 21 Total Hacks 1517 Successful 1297 Failed 204 Catastrophic 26 Database Lockouts 10 Manual 508 Unauthorized 173 Terminals 996 Fabricators 79 Repair Stations 123 Recycling Units 93 Scanalyzers 77 Garrison Access 82 Terminal Hacks 871 Record 92 Part Schematic 111 Robot Schematic 19 Robot Analysis 51 Prototype ID Bank 56 Open Door 11 Level Access Points 11 Branch Access Points 9 Emergency Access Points 23 Machine Index 11 Terminal Index 3 Fabricator Index 1 Scanalyzer Index 1 Garrison Index 1 Alert Level 45 Unreport Threat 80 Locate Traps 32 Disarm Traps 22 Reprogram Traps 8 Dispatch Records 38 Maintenance Status 5 Security Status 2 Surveillance Status 3 Patrol Status 5 Transport Status 3 Extermination Status 1 Reinforcement Status 2 Intercept Status 1 Recall Investigation 20 Recall Extermination 9 Recall Reinforcements 18 Recall Assault 7 Hauler Manifests 10 Registered Components 6 Registered Prototypes 9 Zone Layout 43 Machine Controls 81 Protovariant Controls 2 Activate Exoskeleton 1 Hacking Detections 183 Full Trace Events 24 Feedback Events 1 Feedback Corruption 1 Feedback Part Disabled 0 Feedback Blocked 0 Trojans Installed 127 Terminals 49 Fabricators 9 Repair Stations 0 Recycling Units 6 Scanalyzers 0 Garrison Access 63 Fabricators Overloaded 1 Garrisons Disabled 18 Garrisons Compromised 0 Fab Network Shutdowns 6 Robot Schematics Acquired 19 Robots Built 0 Total Robot Build Rating 0 Robot Fabrication Matter 0 Robot Fabrication Time 0 Part Schematics Acquired 157 Parts Built 31 Total Part Build Rating 170 Part Fabrication Matter 7620 Part Fabrication Time 2104 Parts Repaired 51 Part Repair Time 1884 Parts Recycled 4 Recycled Matter 6896 Retrieved Matter 6154 Retrieved Components 33 Parts Scanalyzed 26 Part Schematics Acquired 25 Parts Damaged 2 Robot Analysis Total 51 Robots Rewired 13 Robots Hacked 261 Non-combat 53 Combat 208 Parse 1 Link 5 Overloaded 5 Assimilated 246 Secondary 4 Robot Hack Failures 45 Allies Hacked 25 Hacks Repelled 6 Total Allies 288 Largest Group 36 Highest-Rated Group 1635 Highest-Rated Ally 97 Total Orders 26 GOTO 1 FOLLOW 10 TUNNEL 11 COLLECT 4 Terraforming Orders 0 Walls Built 0 Walls Tunneled 0 Ally Attacks 1480 Total Damage 53037 Kills 295 Allies Corrupted 27 Allies Melted 1 Peak Influence 1076 Average Influence 253 Final Influence 425 Maximum Alert Level 3 Low Security (%) 42 Level 1 37 Level 2 17 Level 3 2 Level 4 0 Level 5 0 Squads Dispatched 194 Investigation 57 Extermination 33 Reinforcement 72 Assault 11 Garrison 13 Intercept 8 Derelict Logs Recovered 12 Exploration Rate (%) 50 Regions Visited 30 Pre-discovered Areas 27 Garrisons Visited 0 Relays Disabled 0 Generators Disabled 0 Network Hubs Disabled 0 Actions Taken 46572 Turns Passed 41809 Depth 11 90 Depth 10 3877 Depth 9 3957 Depth 8 6367 Depth 7 10267 Depth 6 2640 Depth 5 5143 Depth 4 5246 Depth 3 1630 Depth 2 2030 Depth 1 562 Scrapyard 90 Materials 13936 Factory 16272 Research 1748 Access 562 Mines 265 Storage 1508 Waste 443 Lower Caves 421 Upper Caves 1179 Proximity Caves 723 Data Miner 54 Zhirov 729 Armory 1750 Lab 217 Quarantine 472 Testing 615 Section 7 825 Prototype IDs --------------- Mini Fusion Reactor Compact Particle Reactor Cooled Antimatter Reactor Improved Quantum Reactor Singularity Reactor Centrium Heavy Treads Experimental Myomer Leg High-density Centrium Leg Experimental Biometal Leg High-density Centrium Wheel Cooled Gravmag System Cooled Antigrav System Electron Diverter Improved Diametric Drive Improved Q-thruster Cooled Q-thruster Advanced Power Amplifier Experimental Power Amplifier Experimental Thermal Converter Coolant Network Improved Energy Well Experimental Energy Well Advanced Matter Compressor Inertial Stasis Machine Quantum Shading Machine Dimensional Manipulator Advanced Salvage Targeting Computer Experimental Targeting Computer Experimental Melee Analysis Suite Experimental Core Analyzer Precision Matter Filter Femtoactuators Advanced Overload Amplifier Advanced Overload Regulator Experimental Cloaking Device Experimental Focal Shield Beam Splitter EM Dispersion Field Advanced Remote Shield Generator Experimental Hacking Suite Experimental System Shield Quantum Router Advanced Dynamic Insulation System Experimental Reclamation Unit Precision Phase Gun Heavy Dispersion Rifle Heavy Tesla Rifle Hypervelocity EM Gauss Rifle Light Antimatter Cannon Compact Mass Driver Compact Linear Accelerator Graviton Cannon Tiamat Missile Launcher Advanced Micro-nuke Launcher Tactical Quantum Warhead Ragnarok Missile Launcher Guided Micro-nuke Launcher Enhanced Gamma Bomb Array Shock Maul Plasma Sword Centrium Greatsword Nanosword Kinetic Spear Fabricated ------------ 1x Hacking Suite (-6/Factory) 1x Hacking Suite (-6/Factory) 1x Hacking Suite (-6/Factory) 1x Imp. Hacking Suite (-6/Factory) 1x Imp. Hacking Suite (-5/Factory) 1x Adv. Hacking Suite (-5/Factory) 1x Adv. Hacking Suite (-5/Factory) 1x Adv. Hacking Suite (-5/Factory) 1x Adv. System Shield (-4/Factory) 1x Adv. System Shield (-4/Factory) 1x Adv. System Shield (-4/Factory) 1x Adv. Hacking Suite (-4/Factory) 1x Adv. Hacking Suite (-4/Factory) 1x Adv. Hacking Suite (-4/Factory) 1x Adv. Hacking Suite (-4/Factory) 2x Diametric Drive (-4/Armory) 2x Diametric Drive (-4/Armory) 1x Exp. Hacking Suite (-4/Armory) 1x Exp. System Shield (-4/Armory) 1x Exp. System Shield (-4/Armory) 1x Exp. Hacking Suite (-4/Armory) 1x Exp. Hacking Suite (-3/Testing) 1x Exp. Hacking Suite (-3/Testing) 1x Exp. Hacking Suite (-2/Research) 1x Exp. Hacking Suite (-2/Research) 1x Exp. Hacking Suite (-2/Research) 1x Exp. Hacking Suite (-1/Access) 1x Exp. Hacking Suite (-1/Access) 1x Imp. Q-thruster (-1/Access) Alien Tech Recovered ---------------------- Dimensional Node Initializer Transdimensional Reconstructor Core Reset Matrix Core Expander Integrated Dissipator Integrated Reactor Stasis Generator Core Stripper Sigix Broadsword Terrabomb Integrity Redistributor Integrated Singularity Reactor Matter Drive LRC Energy Well Route ------- -11/Scrapyard -10/Materials (discovered 4 exits: *Mat x3 / *Min) -10/Mines -9/Materials (discovered 4 exits: *Mat x2 / *Min x2) -8/Materials (discovered 3 exits: *Fac x3) -7/Factory -7/Waste -7/Factory (discovered 6 exits: *Fac x3 / *Sto / *Low x2) -7/Storage (discovered 2 exits: *Fac / [*Rec]) -6/Factory (discovered 6 exits: *Fac x4 / *Low x2) -6/Lower Caves -6/Lower Caves -6/Data Miner -5/Proximity Caves -5/Factory (discovered 3 exits: Fac x3) -5/Waste -5/Factory (discovered 6 exits: Fac x4 / *Upp x2) -5/Upper Caves -5/Upper Caves (discovered 2 exits: *Fac / *Zhi) -5/Zhirov -4/Proximity Caves -4/Factory (discovered 9 exits: *Res x4 / *Upp x2 / *Ext x2 / *Arm) -4/Armory (discovered 3 exits: *Res x2 / *Lab) -4/Lab -3/Research (discovered 5 exits: *Res x3 / *Tes x2) -3/Testing -2/Research (discovered 5 exits: *Acc x3 / *Qua x2) -2/Quarantine (discovered 2 exits: *Acc / *Sec) -2/Section 7 -1/Access Surface Game ------ Seed: 1483627336 ^Manual?: 0 Play Time: 888 min Sessions: 9 Mod: N/A Game No.: 83 Lore%: 66 Gallery%: 80 ASCII: 1 Keyboard: 1 Movement: Numpad Fullscreen: 1 Font: 16/Terminus Map View: 50x54 FOV Handling: Fade In

Kyzrati · « **Reply #1 on:** January 08, 2017, 05:10:49 AM »

Quote from: Widmo on January 08, 2017, 04:28:13 AM

As the warrior said "I am disgraced by letting this score sheet be automatically submitted".

Ah, a third contender (was surprised to see you suddenly top the board today, and was wondering when you might some details

).

Two of the other long-time top scorers (zxc, Sherlockkat) uncovered this strategy in Alpha 11-12 as well, and have been using it to basically own the game. Like you, they eventually have armies of whatever they want, hence the snowball thread.

As you'll see in that thread, the main goal of changes will be to tackle the now-OP combat hacker strategy, especially the ability to overload and assimilate, which before now was never really balanced with the rest of the game because no one was using it anyway. But yeah, let's talk about that specifically over there. Your input will be appreciated!

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Author Topic: [Brutal spoilers] Exploited hackware snowball effect (Read 1989 times)

Widmo

[Brutal spoilers] Exploited hackware snowball effect

Kyzrati

Re: [Brutal spoilers] Exploited hackware snowball effect