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Favourite hacking/unlocking puzzles

I was playing through both Alpha Protocol and Deus Ex Human Revolution on PC some time ago and I noticed a huge disparity in the quality of the hacking minigame in both games. Now, in the former, the mouse sensitivity is ridiculously high when carrying out any of the hacking minigames and most of the time I'd dread doing the actual hacking - I'd just use up an EMP to get the door open.

Deus Ex on the other hand, and going into the topic proper, does this exceptionally well. Hacking in Deus Ex is surprisingly fun. You get power ups solely for this minigame throughout the game world and the best thing is, if your Hacking level is high enough, you don't even have to use the items.

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Brief explanation on how the system works: Your goal is to get from the Blue Orb to the Green Orb. Each node has a defense number attached to it which determine the probability of alerting the security terminal when capturing it. And the security terminal also follows a similar set of rules when reaching you. There are also some nodes that grant rewards or exp.

It's a wonderfully fun minigame and even if you don't like hacking, you can always just bypass it with a AUD.

What other examples do you think of, GAF?
 
I am the weirdo that actually really liked the BioShock pipe puzzles.

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edit: lol, we even googled the same picture :D
 
Lockpicking in Fallout/Elder Scrolls. Simple (far too many games have an obnoxious minigame that takes way too long and appears way too often), and the input required of you corresponds to what you're actually trying to do.
 
I liked the trespasser locks in the original Ratchet and Clank because they were actual puzzles instead of a dumb repetitive minigame like most games seem to think hacking should be represented by.

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I liked the trespasser locks in the original Ratchet and Clank because they were actual puzzles instead of a dumb repetitive minigame like most games seem to think hacking should be represented by.

ratchet_071702_5med.jpg

Almost every game in the main series introduced a new type of puzzle, and they were all really good with high skill ceilings. The Clank time puzzles were just really novel, and the secret puzzle was legitimately challenging.
 
I liked the trespasser locks in the original Ratchet and Clank because they were actual puzzles instead of a dumb repetitive minigame like most games seem to think hacking should be represented by.

ratchet_071702_5med.jpg

I remember the satisfaction of beating the hardest example of this in the game.
 
I liked the trespasser locks in the original Ratchet and Clank because they were actual puzzles instead of a dumb repetitive minigame like most games seem to think hacking should be represented by.

ratchet_071702_5med.jpg

How did I forget about this? Preferred this over the series's other puzzles because you can take your time solving them and it isn't about reflexes or skill. I think the remake made them harder? I don't remember taking that long for the last few sets of puzzles in the original game.

I also like how the remake added an Autohack option which makes replaying the game a lot smoother.
 
You have to be a weirdo?

We're already three...

I still play SNES Pipedream game now... and it's just a Pipedream minigame.

Three's a crowd! :D

Maybe I've been poisoned by games media people always just ragging on the pipe hacking.
 
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I liked the one in the PC version of Mass Effect it was basically Frogger around a circle, it's a shame they replaced it with those really crappy hacking minigames in ME2.
 
I liked the ones in Mass Effect. They were simple enough to complete. I hate the ones that take too much time.

EDIT: : )

latest
 
lol you guys

there was hacking in ME?? I only played the 360 version but can't remember any hacking, even a different version of it.
 
Mass Effect 2 hacking was the fucking worst.

Either pick the right scrolling text box or connect the two symbols.


I always dug the unlocking minigame from Skyrim, with the tumblers and the key.
 
Deus Ex on the other hand, and going into the topic proper, does this exceptionally well. Hacking in Deus Ex is surprisingly fun. You get power ups solely for this minigame throughout the game world and the best thing is, if your Hacking level is high enough, you don't even have to use the items.

maxresdefault.jpg

They clearly spent time on perfecting the hacking mini-game in Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Hacking and reloading after failed attempts is 70% of the playtime after all.
 
I really liked Watch Dogs because it was more of a puzzle than a mini-game. It involved rotating connector circuits which let you rotate more, etc.

One of the best parts of the game.
 
I'd love the Bioshock Pipe Dream clone minigame except for the fact it can completely screw you over with an un-solvable puzzle.
 
I liked the trespasser locks in the original Ratchet and Clank because they were actual puzzles instead of a dumb repetitive minigame like most games seem to think hacking should be represented by.

ratchet_071702_5med.jpg

I never liked any of the hacking mini game in the Ratchet and Clank series as it slowed the game play down.
 
Lockpicking in Fallout/Elder Scrolls. Simple (far too many games have an obnoxious minigame that takes way too long and appears way too often), and the input required of you corresponds to what you're actually trying to do.
My biggest problem with the lockpicking (post-Oblivion) is the complete lack of feedback on the PC versions. It's clearly meant for the consoles, where you're using analog controls to gently turn the lock core, and it rumbles to let you know you've hit the limit, and to back off and try again. On PC kb/m, it's all-or-nothing, if it ain't right, there goes another lockpick. I've ended up using a mod for lockpicking on both Skyrim and Fallout 4.
 
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