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[mattie2009]

Greetngs, folks!
After my sad, sad run-in with a previous LP, I'm going to try my hand at hacking into some bullshit nobody cares about and DESTROYING THE INTERNET.

In a vidyagame, of course.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

PART 1: The Least Dangerous Game


Beep beep beep boop beep bloop.
It sounds like an old phone trying to prank call a modem.
I suppose I should be lucky the game isn't screaming at me.


Indeed we do!
Tip: This game hates your everything and will try its' best to fuck you over in the most hilarious of ways.


Clicking About Us takes us back to the previous screen, so let's go ahead and register.


The game proceeds to tell us the benefits of joining.
That 3k loan may not seem like much. (It isn't)
It's barely enough to buy us the vital hacker tools we need.

ONWARD TO THE SIGN UP PAGE

Naturally.
Because this is a game, and only dumbfucks would use their real password for a screenshot LP, let's just use a letter from the greek alphabet.
Omega is a nice one. Let's use that.


Then it asks us where we want our Gateway computer.
This has almost no impact on the game as far as I can tell.
Your gateway will be placed somewhere near the loacation you choose.
Everything else is random.


The game explains the way the Gateway computer works.
We lose 300 money units per month for the ability to anonymously fuck up major corporations and be an complete asshole.
I've never seen what happens if you have no money when payday comes.
Let's assume Game Over, because I've never been so severely strapped for cash that it's actually occured.

Anyway.
More beeping and booping as we connect to our gateway, then...

Say hello to what we'll be staring at for 90% of the game.
The buttons on the left, from left to right, are as follows.
Open Program, Gateway Info, Data Banks, Personal Status, Finances, Write Mail.

The buttons on the right are mail and missions.
The page is a mission in progress, the envelope is an email. Emails can be either a finance change (Completed Mission, Uplink charging us 300 money, etc.)
Up at the top is the time, current IP address, speed changer and CPU usage. I'll explain the latter in a minute.


I took the liberty of marking the important parts of this map.
Colors: Green squares are mission-important systems, Orange squares are player-marked systems.
The dotted square on the Uplink Internal Services System represents that we have our own logon details on that system. A solid square means we have someone else's details available. If a square vanishes, it means the details were revoked. The stealthier we are, the less likely we are to have those details revoked.


We log onto the Uplink ISS to grab some software.



These are our software options.
We grab ourselves some software, specifically:
-Password Breaker: Breaks passwords. If the system has an active Monitor, then it starts tracing our IP.
-Log Deleter V1: Deletes access logs. Higher versions make it harder to spot the deleted logs.
-Trace Tracker V2: Tracks Active Traces. Higher versions give a more accurate readout (V1 only tells you if you're being traced, V2 shows the % progress of the trace.)

This costs us 2600 monies. (The actual term for the money in this game is Credits. Derp derp.)


Thus armed, we can begin the test.
Also here: the Memory Banks display.


I delete Tutorial V1 to free up a LOT of space. (there is no V2 to my knowledge. It's there even if you say no to the Tutorial option.)
I also boot up the tricks of the trade. The Trace Tracker (bottom right) and the file copier/deleter (bottom middle).


Connection Bouncing. VITAL TOOL. If you directly connect to your target, you will be traced INSTANTLY.
DON'T DO IT UNLESS IT'S TO INTERNIC OR THE UPLINK ISS. If you get traced, you'll be booted from the system and fined. The repercussions probably get harsher as the system gets stronger, but since I've only been caught once, it doesn't matter to me.
Also. InterNIC should be your first bounce at all times. It's the easiest to delete logs from, it doesn't trace you and the password never changes.


I know the login details by heart (The password is always rosebud), but I do it the old fashioned way.
The more CPU use you give to a program, the faster it runs.


Activating the Password Breaker instantly starts an active trace unless the system has no active Monitor, so work fast and effectively.
Here, our task is to get in, copy the Uplink Test Data file, cover our tracks and GTFO.


Data copied, let's get rid of the evidence and go home.


Not shown: Me copying the data.
How to do it: Select Data Copier, place on data to be copied, wait, place on topmost memory bank to save to, wait, done.


Shown here: Me replying to the wrong email.
Whoops. Good job there's no penalty for doing this right now.


There. Mission Complete.
With this, we get a rank boost to Beginner and free reign to do whatever.
We can now get missions from the Uplink ISS board (If we went there before now, they would have all been Encrypted.)


Meet the mission board. The only things we can do right now are hack and steal or hack and destroy.
Hack and steal is more risky, as it involves waiting for your copier to do its' job.

I take a Hack+Destroy mission. Since I'm a Beginner, I can't auto-accept.
I have to contact the offerer. If you get caught, you get a criminal record and most job offerers will tell you to fuck off.
I don't know why they give a damn about your criminal record.


This is the Comms screen. Here, you can get details about the mission you'll be taking on.
You can ask for more money, ask for the money now, or get details on what you'll have to get through.

Difficulty 2 Hack+Destroy/Steal missions will only involve a Monitor and a Password. Difficulty 3 Hack+Steals involve software we don't have yet that decrypts the stolen files.
There are no Difficulty 1 missions.


Same deal. Boot up Breaker, give it maximum CPU, wait for a few seconds.


After getting in and deleting the file (less exciting than it sounds), I stop by the Links area to get some bounce mules before deleting the logs and leaving.
Because my log-delete-fu is weak, this happens:


Not much I can do. Let's go prevent these clowns from passively tracing us via our access logs by cutting the chain somewhere.
InterNIC. Perfect.

InterNIC doesn't trace you, doesn't revoke your access and never changes the password, so it should always be your first bounce.


Before that, let's get our money.


InterNIC is basically an IP repository. We'll get some as we complete missions. The ones we don't get from Hack+Delete/Steal are WAY out of our league, often involving Proxies (Prevents log altering) and Firewalls (Prevents file altering). We have no way of getting past these things yet.


Beep beep boop, let's deal with those pesky access logs.


This is an example of a basic bounce setup. It's no match for the higher-up systems, but it will keep the low-level traces off our back for a while.


I take another mission and dive right in.


In ur server, deletin ur files!


One mission complete later, we gain a rank and can now take more risky missions!
Specifically, hacking a government academic database and fucking with the records!
Fun times ahead!

In the next episode of Ultra Hacker Flarehawk:
-More hacking!
-Running rings around the government!
-A choice of upgrades!
-A man named Paul Cocks!

Stay tuned!

[zestorum]

Good read!

I dunno if this is just me, or if it's because I'm tired, but halfway during it I couldn't pick out what text went to what image. Maybe if you put it like: image - text, double enter, image - text and so on if you get what I mean.

[NRDL]

I like this.  The game's...interesting, are you going to do the main quest or just mess around and become the world's greatest cyber-terrorist? 

[mattie2009]

I like this.  The game's...interesting, are you going to do the main quest or just mess around and become the world's greatest cyber-terrorist? 

If I get my shit together in time for the main quest to start, then I'll do my best to see it through to the end.
If not (or if I complete the Plot run) then cyber-terrorism until I get caught for bank fraud.

[NRDL]

Cyber-terrorism for the win!   

[mattie2009]

Decisive action must be taken against the man named...

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

PART 2: A Man Named Paul Cocks


Here's your basic Academic Database hacking mission.
As you'll see in a second, it's pitifully easy if you've done a few hack+steal/destroy missions and link gathered.
Why?



Because the government-run sites are so shit at tracing that anyone with more than 15 bounces would need to have a stroke while hacking to have a serious risk of being caught.



Hacky hacky changy. University degrees are the easiest to give.
Just put it like this: "[Subject], Class [Number]".
In this case, "Mechanical Engineering, Class 1". Not difficult.



Voila, instant academic success!
If only real life was this easy.



I get out and take a second uni degree job. This one is easier due to the lack of needing the breaker.
They haven't revoked the password yet. Dumbasses.



This job is to give Software Engineering to...
A man named...
Paul... Cocks.

He sounds like a real dick.



While we're here, let's check our own file.
It's OK, I am that awesome. But still, it seems very...
Lacking in my proper credentials.



Much better.
I leave and head off to fill up my coffers with some hack+destroy missions.



Before that, however, here's a new mission type.
Hack into another government database, change personal data. Either from Living to Deceased, or from Deceased to Employed.
Any humiliation you pile on top of making that person legally dead is just an added cherry on the sundae.



Notice here: Four active missions, but only two green mission targets.
We actually hit the motherlode: THREE MISSIONS FOR THE SAME TARGET.



Before that, I stop by InterNIC to get rid of any evidence of my previous rampages agross government websites.
Your Neuromancer rating is what other hackers think of you.
Hacking into government websites and messing with records drops it (Fucking with other hackers drops it a LOT), while destroying companies from the inside shoves you towards the positive side. It changes nothing but how employers word their emails and messages.


I actually forgot to get screenshots of the three delete missions for the same company. Basically, instead of searching, I pulled something similar to what happens next to save time.


After ruining public opinion of Immutex Corp, I popped on over to say hi to Center Networks.

Their security was pitiful. Same as always. To make sure they learned a lesson about unrestricted access, I took my dickery to the next level.
See if you can follow what I did to them.


SYS is where the boot files are stored.

Shutdown shuts the system down and reboots it.

Whoops.

That'll learn you, ya dumbasses! Next time don't leave your damn files unprotected!



Word gets out over our tapering with the academic database. This doesn't lead anywhere, and eventually the news ticker gets extremely bored reporting on it every three days or so.

In the next episode of Ultra Hacker Flarehawk:
-The resolution to an important dilemma about Gateways!
-Plot?
-More hacking!
-The government sucks in this game!

DECISION TIME!

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I have enough cash to buy a new gateway.
I have two choices.

OPTION 1: Dual CPU

This gateway has 2 CPU slots, which will allow me to do my hacking faster.
More CPU = Faster Everything.


OPTION 2: Double Memory Capacity

This gateway has twice the memory slots of our old gateway, which will let us hold more files at once.
Files are both stolen company files and purchased programs. That shit has to go SOMEWHERE, right?


Make your choice!

[NRDL]

Dual CPU. 

I'm kinda hoping you'll destroy the world by deleting and altering every bit of information. 

[Pwnzerfaust]

Oh damn, I love this game. I'm so bad at it though. I must be terrible at covering my tracks, because I always get passive tracked after a few days.

[Roboboy33]

Dual cpu.

[LordSlowpoke]

Let's go with dual CPU, not like you're going to use that much gigaquads anyway.

[mattie2009]

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

PART 3: Dead Agents


After tying up some loose ends, I decided to take some more lucrative opportunities.
Specifically, hacking another government website. The Social Security Database seems like a good target.



I'd been here before, on some unofficial business. Thus the password that no longer works.
NOTE: At this point, our bounce path has become so convoluted that it would take the Academic Database 20 MINUTES to trace me.
That's not a testament to how good I am, it's a testament to how utterly shit the GAD is. Although I AM good.



SSD missions come in two flavors:
1. Change Personal Status from Deceased to Employed
2. Change Personal Status to Deceased.

As with any other life-ruining mission, completing either of these mission types decreases our Neuromancer rank towards Morally Bankrupt.
Here's a rundown of the rankings, for the record:
GOOD Revolutionary<Anarchic<Activist<Single Minded<Agressive<NEUTRAL>Untrustworthy>Notorious>Indiscriminate>Sociopathic>Morally Bankrupt BAD



Here's what we need to get. Not just because it tells us what we need to get through, but because it lets us be STEALTHY.
It shows us what defences are in effect.

MONITORS are the first line of defence (and the only line, for weaker systems). They will start a trace if you do anything suspicious. Even if they're disabled with a Monitor Bypass, you'll still get a trace started on your ass once you get into the system. It can save you a LOT of worry to disable a monitor. Monitors also track the status of other defences. If they detect that you're disabling a defence system, they'll start tracing you.
FIREWALLS stop you from altering logs. They can be really annoying if you're trying to cover your tracks, so try to get them out of the way.
PROXIES stop you from altering files. Annoying as shit, always take these things out with a bypass or a disable.



The Global Criminal Database. This is getting serious. The GCD uses both a PROXY and a Cypher.
Cyphers need special software to take out. You may notice I have a Proxy Disabler up. This is to deal with the proxy, as you may well guess.

Here's the rundown on how it works:
Start the Proxy Disable
Wait until you start getting traced
Begin hacking whatever other security systems may be active

This is to save time on the disable. If it's not down by the time you're in, you'll be up shit creek without a paddle waiting for the damn thing to finish.



I promptly forget this time-saving plan and start the decyphering.
Fucking idiot.



My thought process: OH FUCK
The proxy is down, I get to work, and escape with barely any time left.
The GCD is NOT to be fucked with lightly.



As I idly browse the missions board, I get an email from an unknown sender.
Wait... Oh no.





Oh. Fuck.
This is some really heavy shit now.
I was so busy running rings around the government I never stopped to check the news.


The top uplink agent is dead, ladies and gentlemen.
A second agent was put behind bars not moments later.

We are in some deep shit right now.
Bully is going to need someone to step up and take his place.
I'd be happy to oblige.


AGENT RANKING BOARD



Next time on Ultra Hacker Flarehawk:
-Plot
-Jail Time For Uplink Agents
-Mass Hysteria
-A strange terminal...?

PLOT BEGINS HERE, FOLKS

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I will divide the save file into two here.
One file will follow the "Shut down everything" route, the other will follow the "Save the internet" route.

Vote on which one will be followed first, folks!

[Iituem]

I think the answer to that is simple.

Take the dwarven route.  The !!Fun!! route.

[NRDL]

I think the answer to that is simple.

Take the dwarven route.  The !!Fun!! route.

[Fniff]

If you destroy the internet, how will DF ever be completed? Save Toady by saving the internet!

[Xanatos Jr.]

Save the internet from SOPA?