Yes it is like doing taxes on a Komidor 64, it does make me want to kill whatever is on the other side of the security locked door when I hack it open.

So let's maybe try and not call the OP lazy? If you're all too lazy to read the forum rules about not insulting other members, then it's kind of the pot calling the kettle black...

On topic - I just go through each word one by one. Even if the first word has zero likenesses just that will cut down on the potential matches (ie, if the first word I pick ends in "ing" then that narrows it down quite a bit actually.) And then I'll just go on to the next one down and check it against that first attempt, and so on. Especially from all the hacking I've done in the previous games it's pretty straight-forward to me now. I'll look for special characters as I go through but it's not until I'm on my last guess that I start tracking down all the matching parenthesis.

As far the as OP's suggestion about highlighting letters that matched, that's kind of circumventing the point. You're not really supposed to know which letter you're looking for, though after a guess or two you can usually narrow that down quite a bit through some simple deductive reasoning.

I must say it's not my favorite mini-game and even conceptually there's likely some room for improvement. I wouldn't have minded seeing a different minigame take the place of the hacking this time out. And just with the minigames in general I kind of like the concept of being more involved with the action and the difficulty is kind of tied to your stats, but I'd still like to see a different way to do it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCYV8Y9Ywh8&feature=youtu.be&t=6m25s

Yeah, hacking svcks. svcked in FO3 and still svcks.

They should have changed it to something else.

I think that's the gist of what most people (including myself) are saying. It's not about laziness or the mini game being too difficult. It's just not fun. And as OP (and others) have said, it's very tedious. Especially when you get expert and master terminals.

I find it tedious but the op's suggestions to fix it would just make it so easy it would necessary. Why even have the mini game at that point; just say if it is a master rank hack and I am master rank then I can unlock the terminal. My real problem with it in F4 are the lines that scroll down to simulate the vacuum tube tech. They make my eyes bleed.

It's hacking for peet sakes, boring tedious work, methinks you saw The Matrix too many times. or my favorite all time, well that ain't real but it is fun to wat: Hackers

It still beats hacking in BioShock, hacking with a time limit is a no no for me.

Glad to see I'm not the only person with that issue. (Not that I'm glad you have the problem, cause it is a pain in the butt). I did find that changing the color to a lighter one (I use light blue) helps some, but it was literally giving me a headache looking at that screen.

I can see how the OP hates the mini-game if played by his description. If played as an actual puzzle, it can be satisfying to succeed.

My method to hacking:

• Glance at the words and find the commonality with the most letters (starts or ends with a letter, ends in ED or ING, etc.).


• Pick a word with the above noted commonality. (FIRST GUESS)


• Pick another word that has NO letters identical to the FIRST GUESS word (or the least common letters as possible). (SECOND GUESS). Note that if unable to pick a word with no common letters, the success of this method is decreased drastically. The success of this method is based on efficiently eliminating words as possible answers. The FIRST guess will either eliminate or potentially verify all the common element words as possible answers. The second guess (with no letters common to the first guess), maximizes the potential to eliminate remaining words with only using 2 guesses.


• Now start looking for matching brackets, braces, equivalent signs (BBE) to remove duds with the ultimate goal of resetting the GUESS count.


• As you move thru the matrix looking for BBEs, check remaining words against the first 2 guess info to eliminate them or note them as possible answers.


• If you run out of BBEs before resetting tries, consider exiting and restarting the puzzle. Only do so if you still have 3 or more words that are potential answers (as you still have 2 guesses left).


• IF you reset the GUESS count, stop looking for BBEs and immediately start reviewing all remaining words against the first 2 guesses for possible answers.


• If a word is possible from the first 2 guess info, select it (THIRD + guess).


• Use the additional info from missed guesses to further eliminate possible words (FOURTH + guess).

Using the above method I have never been locked out and have only restarted a handful of hack attempts in all FO3, FNV & FO4 (over 1500 hours in all of them).

TLDNR: Make 2 guesses that have no common letters. Use that info to eliminate words while looking for matching bracket types to reset the try count. With a reset you can easily use the first 2 guess info and any subsequent guess info to eliminate remaining words. If you fail to reset tries, seriously consider exiting and starting over.

My main issue (despite the painful display issues themselves) is that the guesses and info scroll off the screen and that info is lost (if not remembered or written down).

I did the same thing with the light; great minds must think alike. And I too am glad that it is not just me for awhile there I couldn't figure out what was causing me issues since it was basically the same thing as the other games and I thought I was going crazy.

Also the other problem with the hacking is that the terminals screens change zoom. Some screens make me feel like I am fifty feet away and others are like I am pressing my nose to the screen.

Yeah, have noticed that.

Just double tap the screen and it fills it in one go. No scrolling needed.

As to the hacking it's a nice little puzzle game that's not that difficult.

These mini-games in BGS series always seem pointless because after 15 min of learning the proper approach you succeed 100% of the time, and personally I would rather just pass a simple skill check.

Personally, when I get to a part of the game I do not like, I stop playing and go do something else.

This technique has worked reliably for me, countless times.

In fact, so far, it has never failed. (But I guess there will always be a first time???)

Good point.


The other thing about hacking I don't like that several people mentioned is that ther is absolutely no risk associated with it. The lockout is short and you can just exit the screen on your last guess and try again.


Atleast with Bioshock hacking there was a time limit and you got shocked if you failed.


Hacking in fallout is tedious and the mini game itself is little more than a time tax(whichever way you choose to do it)


I've played F3 and FNV so there is absolutely no novelty left with this mini game for me either.!

Yeah. And don't get me started on those circular screens. WTH!

The same two cruddy mini-games are back from forever ago. I don't know if OP is lazy, but Bethesda sure is. It's my business if I wanna pick a Master Lock or not at an early level. "There's no way I can pick that". Or let me try and we'll see who's wrong. What a waste of Perks. If it was to do with Hacking, a first rank could be 1 dud always removed at start, a next rank could be highlighting choices, so on an so forth. Bethesda seems to think having all the Perks be a percentage of any skill be easier makes it more fun. It's not. Perks are meant to be clever. Traits are gone, so compensate by being unique.

I hope they come up with a different hacking system next Fallout

Agreed.

And to the OP. Not only does hacking svck, but it's completely unnecessary. Did a char with hack/lockpicking and the next with just lockpicking. Yeah, there were maybe 5 terminals in the entire game that were worth coming back with Nick for. Lockpicking at least opens doors, trunks, ammo boxes, etc. Hacking gets you through some gate you'll find the password for 2 minutes later.

Never understood the removing dud thing. Besides the words, it is just all muddied signs to me (perhaps my brain just isn't wired for it, I dunno)

That said, I usually get it done anyways, just be using the words alone, and seldom have to back out (in FO4 I don't care about backing out, as there is no permanent lockout anyways)

i doubt anyone breaks enough lockpicks vs the amount looted.

did u srsly waste a perk on it?