Fallout 3 hacking... wtf

[Kev]

So I'm trying to do a hack and I obviously do not understand the logic behind this. Can someone please explain what I am missing here?

First attempt:
Absorbing
denied: 1/9 correct

... now this tells me that only 1 letter in the word "absorbing" is going to be in the answer. Nearly every word on the list has "ing" at the end so I eliminate them all. Which leaves my next choice as the only viable option:

Repellent
denied: 1/9 correct.

... at this point I'm just like, what the hell. This makes absolutely no sense. After going over the list for about 5 minutes I just decide to randomly guess at the word least like the other words:

Mechanism
accepted!


mechanism has 2 of the same letters as the 1st to choices I made. However it said 1/9 correct for each.

If the game is going to lie to you HOW ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO SOLVE THESE FUCKING PUZZLES?!?!?!?

 

[RedRooster]

Not only is it the letter contained in the word, but also in the exact spot. So only the "i" worked. In the Repellant, only the "n" worked. Its sneaky, but once you figure that out, hackings pretty easy.

 

[DaveSimmons]

It's the number of correct letters in the correct position

A b s o r b i n g
M e c h a n i s m <-- only i is same/same

 

[Kromis]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
It's the number of correct letters in the correct position

A b s o r b i n g
M e c h a n i s m <-- only i is same/same

This.

Use process of elimination. And also, look for closed brackets ( [],{} ).

They help...a LOT.

 

[RedRooster]

Originally posted by: Kromis

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
It's the number of correct letters in the correct position

A b s o r b i n g
M e c h a n i s m <-- only i is same/same

This.

Use process of elimination. And also, look for closed brackets ( [],{} ).

They help...a LOT.

How do the brackets help? I'm clueless, but this sounds promising.

 

[imported_hopeless]

Originally posted by: RedRooster

Originally posted by: Kromis

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
It's the number of correct letters in the correct position

A b s o r b i n g
M e c h a n i s m <-- only i is same/same

This.

Use process of elimination. And also, look for closed brackets ( [],{} ).

They help...a LOT.

How do the brackets help? I'm clueless, but this sounds promising.

They will either remove a dud entry from the list or reset the number of attempts you have left to make a guess.

 

[gorcorps]

Also, in case you don't already know, quit out of the hack and try again after 3 attempts. The terminal locks permanently after 4 wrong guesses, but resets with a new word if you quit and try again.

 

[Kev]

Originally posted by: RedRooster
Not only is it the letter contained in the word, but also in the exact spot. So only the "i" worked. In the Repellant, only the "n" worked. Its sneaky, but once you figure that out, hackings pretty easy.

ooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

[Kabob]

Yeah, it is confusing at first glance but not too bad once you understand how it works.

Also, the brackets might have alot of text between the two sides, all that has to happen is to have either [], {}, <>, etc facing each other somewhere on the same line, doesn't matter what's in between (you can even have a bracket within another bracket).

The higher your science skill the fewer choices you have to guess from. @lvl 100 science I wanna say even the very hard hacks only have 5 or 6 options.

 

[Drako]

A note on the brackets.

Don't use the bracket options until you are down to one guess remaining. You do not want to reset your guess count until you have made your maximum guesses. It took me awhile to figure this out .

 

[SneakyStuff]

Originally posted by: Drako
A note on the brackets.

Don't use the bracket options until you are down to one guess remaining. You do not want to reset your guess count until you have made your maximum guesses. It took me awhile to figure this out .

Never use the last guess! just power down the terminal after the 3rd attempt and start over again with 4 new guesses .

 

[RedRooster]

Frick, had I known that sooner I wouldn't have half a dozen computers locked out all over the place. Other than security bots for that building, there's never anything important in them anyways, is there? Not like a wall safe or something.

 

[SneakyStuff]

Originally posted by: RedRooster
Frick, had I known that sooner I wouldn't have half a dozen computers locked out all over the place. Other than security bots for that building, there's never anything important in them anyways, is there? Not like a wall safe or something.

Nothing game changing, the only reason to hack terminals is for the achievement on PC and 360. They also open doors sometimes and let you read personal notes which are largely useless.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: RedRooster
Frick, had I known that sooner I wouldn't have half a dozen computers locked out all over the place. Other than security bots for that building, there's never anything important in them anyways, is there? Not like a wall safe or something.

An example of a useful one is the computer in the vault that contains the Strativarius violen. It is nice because it will kill all of the mirelurks for you.

 

[Kev]

There was one in the jefferson memorial that you could turn on and kill the giant supermutant with turrets, which is why I was flipping out.

 

[Kabob]

More fun to kill the super mutant by hand. You can stand in the doorway and shoot him and he can't reach you.

 

[gorcorps]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: RedRooster
Frick, had I known that sooner I wouldn't have half a dozen computers locked out all over the place. Other than security bots for that building, there's never anything important in them anyways, is there? Not like a wall safe or something.

An example of a useful one is the computer in the vault that contains the Strativarius violen. It is nice because it will kill all of the mirelurks for you.

Wow, where's that at? And how high is the security on it? Those mirelurcks are a pain with their tiny weak spot in the middle of their face. At least they are right now (lvl7).

 

[Kabob]

Any of the terminals in the living quarters you can do it (at least any of the security terminals).

 

[gorcorps]

Originally posted by: kabob983
Any of the terminals in the living quarters you can do it (at least any of the security terminals).

Do what?

 

[Rage187]

if you find all the bracket matches it removes all the duds leaving one choice. With a 100 in science I would have brackets left over.

 

[imported_hopeless]

Originally posted by: gorcorps

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: RedRooster
Frick, had I known that sooner I wouldn't have half a dozen computers locked out all over the place. Other than security bots for that building, there's never anything important in them anyways, is there? Not like a wall safe or something.

An example of a useful one is the computer in the vault that contains the Strativarius violen. It is nice because it will kill all of the mirelurks for you.

Wow, where's that at? And how high is the security on it? Those mirelurcks are a pain with their tiny weak spot in the middle of their face. At least they are right now (lvl7).

I can't remember which vault it's in, but it's part of Agatha's side quest.

 

[imported_hopeless]

Originally posted by: Rage187
if you find all the bracket matches it removes all the duds leaving one choice. With a 100 in science I would have brackets left over.

Not all the time at least not for me. Sometimes it would remove a dud and others it would put me back up to 4 tries.

I just tried it 3 times and if I didn't get it right then look for the brackets until I either got all the brackets or it put me back to 4 tries left.

 

[Maximilian]

The process of elimination is time consuming and boring.... My solution was to guess 3 times (not 4 or you lock out the terminal) then if none were correct cancel and try another 3, rinse and repeat. You will crack it pretty quickly, 7 tries max usually.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: hopeless

Originally posted by: gorcorps

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: RedRooster
Frick, had I known that sooner I wouldn't have half a dozen computers locked out all over the place. Other than security bots for that building, there's never anything important in them anyways, is there? Not like a wall safe or something.

An example of a useful one is the computer in the vault that contains the Strativarius violen. It is nice because it will kill all of the mirelurks for you.

Wow, where's that at? And how high is the security on it? Those mirelurcks are a pain with their tiny weak spot in the middle of their face. At least they are right now (lvl7).

I can't remember which vault it's in, but it's part of Agatha's side quest.

Correct. It's a cool story, the entire vault experiment. I like hacking the computers just to read some of the back story.

 

[FeathersMcGraw]

Don't forget hacking is also easy XP.