Take your hacking and infiltrations online, with a variety of missions (ranging from the clandestine to the overt) involving other human players. It seems you’re not the only Fixer out there....
INTRODUCTION // PEERING OUT BEHIND THE FIREWALL
You have a variety of methods of reaching out to others or allowing rival hackers to infiltrate your game and attempt to hack you. Initially, look for the following:
/// Online Contracts and Online Sessions Apps
Select these tile apps from your smartphone. The Online Contracts App brings up a world map showing the six different online contracts that are available. Assuming you’ve completed enough of the main missions to access them, you’re able to find online missions quickly and easily from this screen. You can also access this screen by bringing up your world map and entering the Online Missions view; use this to reach the Online Contracts App more quickly than via your smartphone menu.
The Online Sessions App shows your online statistics and how they appear to others:
- A portrait (Your console gamer picture).
- Your online handle.
- Online Hacking Defense:How well you defend against hackers. This is useful to view in your rivals’ stats, as it shows how easily an online hacking mission can be against them; the trickier the hack, the more Notoriety points you can gain.
- Notoriety Points:How many points you’ve accrued after finishing online contracts (missions). Any skills you’ve unlocked along the way are shown here too.
- Notoriety Skills:The skills you’ve unlocked and more information on them.
- UPlay Profile:UPlay information, stats on your performance, and your console gamer card.
- Other Information: Whether you currently have an active Bounty, and a list of players connected to your session (when you’re in an online contract).
/// Act I / 3: Backstage Pass Completion
Complete this mission and unlock the ctOS control center in the Loop. The grid map is revealed, showing multiplayer contracts.
/// Act I / 4: Interlude: Hacking Contract Completion
Complete this interlude, which is an introduction to online hacking, and learn how to react when you’re a victim of online hacking by the Fixer 2xTheTap. Instructions are then given on accessing the Online Contacts App and how to invade someone.
/// Online Mission Opportunities
When you’re between missions after Act I / 4, you are able to do the following:
Profiling and Hacking Civilians: Profile a civilian and note the information they have regarding other Fixer activity. Hack them to see a text conversation, after which you’re asked whether you wish to join an online contract like a Hacking, a Tailing, or a Race.
/// Online Mission Prompt: When there are people playing online, and empty slots are available in their contracts, the game’s matchmaking system searches for available players, such as yourself (you need to be between missions), and sends you a prompt asking whether you wish to play. The prompts can be any of the following:
Joining an ongoing online mission with empty slots that are available (Races and Decryption).
An online Tailing or online Hacking opportunity that is the result of a civilian’s hack.
A direct invitation from a companion player to play a ctOS Mobile mission.
/// Rewards
As with the rest of the game, in all online missions, when you perform what’s known as “Meaningful Actions” (see Appendices), you gain XP. You also receive XP in Hacking, Tailing, and ctOS Mobile missions based on your result. Playing online is a great way to earn XP, level up, and unlock new skills.
In addition, certain online missions (Hacking, Tailing, Decryption, and Races) grant you Progression Rewards (weapons, vehicles, loadouts, and achievements) when you successfully complete a certain number of these missions. Consult the end of each of the appropriate chapters to find out exactly what the rewards are.