Notoriety is a fluctuating points system with a set of six skills. You earn Notoriety in a variety of ways, but unlike skills and experience, you can lose Notoriety as well as gain it.
_NOTORIETY SKILLS
SIX SKILLS // 12,500 NOTORIETY POINTS REQUIRED
Notoriety skills are extremely important, as reaching a points threshold unlocks a new Notoriety skill and equips it automatically (you don’t “expend points” to obtain it). These skills, where applicable, apply to both single-player and multiplayer gameplay, so it’s well worth raising your Notoriety to help you in every part of your adventure.
| Notoriety Skill Name | POINTS THRESHOLD TO ACQUIRE |
|---|---|
| Anti-Vehicle Rounds |
500 |
| Nitro Boost |
2,000 |
| Jam Coms Boost |
5,000 |
| Precision Scanning |
7,500 |
| Contract Bonus |
10,000 |
| Security Footage |
12,500 |
_ANTI-VEHICLE ROUNDS
Point Cost: 500
- Boost gun damage to vehicles by 100%.
This is an exceptional first skill, as it causes every weapon you own to inflict double damage on a vehicle. In many cases (and especially in Decryption contracts), shooting an enemy vehicle as it attempts to flee is of paramount importance. This essentially allows you to disable a car, or shoot an evading Fixer, with a sniper rifle in 1 to 2 shots.
_NITRO BOOST
Point THRESHOLD: 2,000
- Increases Nitros’ duration in Online Races by 25%.
As nitros are only used in online races, this skill won’t affect single-player gameplay, but it’s a very useful skill to utilize during long straight parts of a course. The normal nitro lasts 5.65 seconds, and the boost takes this up to just over seven seconds; that extra time could be all you need to beat a rival to the finish line!
_JAMS COMS BOOST
Point THRESHOLD: 5,000
- Increases the duration of Jam Coms from 20 seconds to 30 seconds.
Jam Coms is used in hacking, decryption, ctOS Mobile, and numerous occasions during your single-player excursions, so having each blast last 50% longer than normal is an incredible help. Police scans now don’t get back online for 30 seconds, which is more than enough time to escape them. Decrypting files and hacking progress can be halted for a good half-minute. This is another stellar skill to shoot for!
_PRECISION SCANNING
Point THRESHOLD: 7,500
- Shrink the hacking search zone more at each step by 25 percent.
The chart below summarizes exactly how much the normal and improved hacking radii are for Hacking contracts only. As you’re likely to be invaded numerous times, having the ability to pinpoint a hacker more easily is always helpful, and shrinking the search area gives your foe fewer opportunities to hide from you.
| Percentage of Hack Complete | Normal Radius (Meters) | Skill Radius (Meters) |
|---|---|---|
|
0–24 |
80 |
60 |
|
25–49 |
60 |
45 |
|
50–74 |
45 |
33.75 |
|
75–100 |
30 |
22.5 |
_CONTRACT BONUS
Point THRESHOLD: 10,000
- Increases the cash earned from Online and Fixer contracts by 25%.
This applies to the following missions and contracts:
- Side Missions: Criminal Convoys
- Side Missions: Fixer Contracts
- Side Missions: Gang Hideouts
- Online Missions: Hacking
- Online Missions: Tailing
- Online Missions: Decryption
- Online Missions: Races
- Online Missions: ctOS Mobile
Consult the Economy chart in this guide’s Appendix for the specific values, and add 25% to them. If you crave extra cash or want to complete as many side missions as possible, obtain this skill first to maximize your cash rewards.
_SECURITY FOOTAGE
Point THRESHOLD: 12,500
- See a ctOS image of the fixer attacking you.
If you’re the victim of a hack or a tail, you automatically profile the invader, and see a portrait of the person in question. This allows you to ignore any citizen who doesn’t have a similar look to your target, greatly quickening the time frame for spotting a potential rival.
// AVAILABLE MISSIONS
There are six different types of online missions you can undertake.
ONLINE HACKING (1 versus 1): There’s a rival Fixer who has secured information you need. Hack his or her phone, install a backdoor, steal the data, and escape. But don’t harm the Fixer.
ONLINE TAILING (1 versus 1): Test your stealth skills; try to spy on a rival Fixer and monitor all activities. Then escape without detection. But don’t harm the Fixer.
ONLINE DECRYPTION (3–8 players) / 11 Zones: A critical file has been lost in the city, and multiple Fixers are competing to retrieve it. Download the file first by any means necessary.
ONLINE RACES (2–8 players) / 14 Courses: Compete against the fastest Fixers in Chicago. Find shortcuts, hack infrastructure, and use nitros to boost your speed.
ctOS MOBILE (1 versus 1) / 26 Missions: Challenge a ctOS Mobile player who controls Chicago PD. Race through the city while hiding from helicopters and dodging police, reaching every checkpoint before your time is up.
FREE ROAM (1–8 Players): Experience a city full of Fixers; invite friends, explore Chicago, hunt down enemy fixers.
// BOUNTY AND BLUME AGENTS
When you are hacking citizens of interest be careful to read their profile. Some members of Chicago’s population have ties to the mysterious Blume corporation.
After you hack them (as they usually have a “blue” cursor), they quickly call in the hack, recognizing an illegal Fixer activity. They’re usually running at this point too. This call is to Blume’s omnipresent bounty system! You can elect to stop the call by:
Physically striking the phone from the Blume agent.
Shooting the Blume agent before the call is completed.
Using a Jam Coms to stop the signal.
If you neglect to complete one of these countermeasures, a bounty is placed on you!
//// Bounty Hunters
When you have a bounty, you are pushed to the top of the game’s matchmaking list. This makes you very likely to be invaded (by a human player) soon after receiving the bounty. At this point, assuming you’re not starting a mission, rival players from anywhere in the world can invade your game and hack you! This starts an online hacking mission. Other types of online activities do not apply to bounties:
- “Bounty Added”: Your priority target status means you’ll be offered to other players more often.
An extra bounty reward (Notoriety Points) is applied to you, so you become a more appealing target.
The bounty lasts for 15 minutes of “free roam time” (SP time between missions), or until you’re invaded.
Commence a mission or investigation, and the timer pauses. You can view the timer and your Bounty status in the Online Session App.
- “Bounty Expired”: When the timer expires, you receive this message.
- “Bounty Defended”: If you are invaded, and defend yourself from the hack, you receive this message.