Mechanics behind hacking

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Phrozehn
Posts: 41
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2017 3:35 pm

Mechanics behind hacking

Post by Phrozehn »

Hi all,

I was wondering what factors effect hacking chances. For example: two cells in a jailbreak. They both have slightly different chances. Or the same one will have different chances when Imove my Specialist. I've sort of deduced that hacking a Mec form stealth seems to have higher chances. I just assume that's intended to be like... systems aren't on alert.

Can anyone go into detail about the various factors that might influence hacking objectives AND advent machines please?
Stroggus
Posts: 46
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 8:29 am

Re: Mechanics behind hacking

Post by Stroggus »

Yeah, was wondering about this too for a while. Targets with identical hack defense always has very different hack chances.
trihero
Posts: 1099
Joined: Sun Jan 01, 2017 7:01 am

Re: Mechanics behind hacking

Post by trihero »

The factors are:

-Your total hacking score
-Their total hacking defense
- A random variance factor of 15 points (at least this is the number in vanilla, not sure if LW2 changed it), this is why you see different hack chances even at the same hacking score/defense.

I.e. there's a double layer of RNG: a variance roll that affects your hacking score, and then the actual roll for the hack itself.
Phrozehn
Posts: 41
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2017 3:35 pm

Re: Mechanics behind hacking

Post by Phrozehn »

Good to know. Now that variance: is it +/-15, or is it mor elike +/- 7? And is that number generated at the beginning of the mission, or once you actually send out the gremlin? Because soemtimes what is previews while selecting the option to hack BEFORE sendng the GREMLIN is sometimes way different when in the actual hacking interface.

Also: Totally unrelated, but a dash move is only when you use both movements simultaneously, not just any yellow move, right?
trihero
Posts: 1099
Joined: Sun Jan 01, 2017 7:01 am

Re: Mechanics behind hacking

Post by trihero »

Phrozehn wrote:Good to know. Now that variance: is it +/-15, or is it mor elike +/- 7? And is that number generated at the beginning of the mission, or once you actually send out the gremlin? Because soemtimes what is previews while selecting the option to hack BEFORE sendng the GREMLIN is sometimes way different when in the actual hacking interface.

Also: Totally unrelated, but a dash move is only when you use both movements simultaneously, not just any yellow move, right?
I think it's +/-15. Does it really matter in practice? You just make your decisions on the listed % anyways without needing to know the exact formula.

I don't know when the number is generated, other than that it "feels" like the hacking number is generated separately from the usual combat rolls. I remember in vanilla I spent a lot of time trying to save-scum hacking rolls and even though I tried to "fool" the system by like taking a shot, then hacking, or taking 2 shots then hacking, or taking 3 shots then hacking, etc, I couldn't affect the success of the roll.

I'm not sure how that preview thing works either, I think it's a result of perfect information or something it's a mod so maybe the mod is wrong. I think maybe the mod doesn't show the variance roll, so you should always check manually by sending rover over.

Your unrelated question, it depends on who you talk to, but I think generally it understood that dash means in one click (or control waypoint click) you go into the yellow zone, versus double moving which is you take a blue move, stop, then a yellow move.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Xcom/comments/ ... uble_move/
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