Vehicle Security Bypass
Number of Nodes: 6
Key Data Needed: 4
Research Points Needed: 30
This branch of abilities allows you to manipulate vehicles in a variety of helpful ways. Some are used very frequently, while others may not be employed as often as you think.
Vehicle Directional Hack
Purchase Price: 2 Research Points
Hack vehicles to move in specific directions. Costs 2 BotNet Resources.
Thoroughly recommended! It is a great first ability in this branch, as it enables you to remotely maneuver vehicles in all directions. When a vehicle accelerates or goes in reverse, it usually continues at speed until it crashes into something, so hit another direction (or the same direction again) to slow it down if you don’t want to damage the vehicle.
This is useful for creating a disturbance elsewhere in a restricted area (i.e., foes go off to see why a car suddenly drove itself around a yard). Time this acceleration correctly, and you can drive and crush a foe into a wall or other scenery. It’s helpful if the vehicle needs to be disposed of, such as driving it into the water. The directional hack is also helpful if you have the skill to remotely drive a vehicle you need to “appropriate” from an enemy hideout, into the open, though the controls are rudimentary and it takes practice not to hit scenery.
It’s also handy when trying to escape during a Heat level chase, or you need to clear a path when heading to a new destination; hack civilian vehicles ahead of you so they move out of the way, or cause a crash that your opponent gets caught up in. It’s also great for taking control of a vehicle that’s being aggressive to you; if a cop car is heading your way, hack and drive it backward or away from you to aid in your escape.
Finally, this ability is extremely useful when employed by either remote drone, especially the Quadcopter. Vehicles are easier to maneuver if you’re looking down on them using the flying drone.
Hijacker
Purchase Price: 4 Research Points, Vehicle Directional Hack unlocked
Hack cars’ electronic locks instead of lockpicking. Stealing cars is no longer noticed by passersby.
Thoroughly recommended! Usually you need to fiddle with the lock of most vehicles (except bikes or convertibles), which takes time and may cause a citizen to call the police. But with Hijacker, you can smoothly and electronically hack the vehicle, enabling a quick getaway. As this saves time, is extremely convenient, and allows you to, for example, more quickly reach a fleeing enemy vehicle (since you’re not spending time trying to unlock a door), take this ability as early as possible into your adventure.
Chopper Retreat Exploit
Purchase Price: Key Data in SFMOMA, 6 Research Points, Hijacker unlocked
Use your Hack button to force choppers to retreat. Costs 4 BotNet Resources.
As the cost in BotNet Resources is quite high and the chances of encountering a helicopter is minimal (aside from during Side Operation: $911), you may wish to delay purchasing this ability. As you’re likely to have attempted Aggressive behavior to the police, you might as well remove the chopper by shooting the marksman on it instead, which also causes it to retreat.
If you’re being chased by a chopper, lose the line of sight by varying the direction you’re traveling, heading up or down levels, going into cover, heading off-road and under freeway bridges, or entering your Hackerspace. All can cause the chopper to break off its pursuit without the need for this ability.
However, if you choose this ability and hack the chopper into spinning around and backing off, this eases your escape chances, which is always a bonus.
Engine Override
Purchase Price: Key Data in Embarcadero Center, 4 Research Points, Vehicle Directional Hack unlocked
Trigger a burst of speed in a vehicle when you hold the appropriate button. Drains BotNet Resources over time.
Thoroughly recommended! It enables you to maneuver at your vehicle’s top speed, allowing you to quickly reach objectives you can’t Fast-Travel to or enemies that are attempting to flee you. This is a great ability to have during Bounty Hunts, as you’ll always need to make up ground against a fleeing human foe.
Note the glowing exhaust on your vehicle or smoke from the exhaust of some older vans; this indicates the hack is working. Also note the BotNet Resources it uses. To increase the potency of this ability, make sure you increase your BotNet (purchasing abilities from the BotNets branch); you want to be able to boost as often as possible.
Boosting allows you to travel farther over ramps (helping your rating during the “Daredevil Liv” Driver SF mission) and enables a quicker time during motocross races. Just don’t use it too often, or in conjunction with the Vehicle Directional Hack, or you may find you’re out of BotNet juice quicker than you think!
Massive Vehicle Hack
Purchase Price: Key Data in Chinatown, 6 Research Points, Engine Override unlocked
When on foot, create mayhem by hacking all cars in the area at once. While driving, hack vehicles to distract drivers and clear a path. Lasts for 10 seconds. Select by pushing up on the D-pad, then use with your Hack button.
This is one of the three available mass hacks and is accessible on your Equipment Wheel once purchased. There are two different ways this ability works, depending on whether you’re on foot or not. While walking or using either remote drone, this works like a mass hack version of the Vehicle Directional Hack. This is great for moving reinforcements that haven’t exited their vehicles. It also maneuvers enemy vehicles away from you, allowing an easier escape. Naturally, you must have made an error in any stealth infiltration beforehand to warrant the need for this! In addition, if there are few foes in vehicles, this is less potent. But it’s great for stopping a group of faction or cop vehicles as they arrive to arrest or shoot you.
If you’re in a vehicle, this also acts as a Vehicle Directional Hack; it clears a path, stopping pursuing vehicles by remotely moving them off the road in front of you. It also stops them chasing you, which gives you a greater chance of escaping. However, a similar plan can occur if you employ City Disruption hacks, making this ability useful but not critical to have.
Botnet Savings: Vehicle Hacks
Purchase Price: Key Data in Yerba Buena Island, 8 Research Points, Massive Vehicle Hack unlocked
Reduce BotNet Resource coat for any vehicle hack.
Thoroughly recommended! This halves the BotNet Resource for every hack from this branch. It is particularly helpful for abilities like Engine Override, as this effectively doubles the distance you can travel at speed. Make sure you combine it with enhancements to your BotNet; having 20 segments of BotNet and this ability means you can boost for minutes, not seconds, and remotely control a vehicle dozens of times before needing to recharge your BotNet.