Anyone able to tell me how the hacking works in the game?
I asked in dev stream but CM’s “missed the question”
I just unlocked the perk, does it even work?
You basically use your binoculars (in Tech View) to look at a machine, and when it is highlighted you will see which button to push to hack it. It also gives a percentage of the chance you have at hacking it, as it will not work every single time.
Ah ok, I was wondering why I just said 40% thought maybe I had to do it again, couldn’t figure out why it wouldn’t work
Thanks!!
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Indication that hack has worked is electric spark / lightning effect from the robot. And/or blueish glow. Not observable from some distance, depending graphics settings.
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Do you guys think it`s useful as a perk?
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This is my questions as well. Is there any chance to hack a FNIX tank? Hacking a runner, who cares. Really the only robot worth hacking would be a tank, or maybe a hunter with the rail gun.
I use it all the time. When it works it’s very helpful.
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Yes, you can them, but it’s a very low percentage of the hack working.
I have only just unlocked the first level of hacking, so I have no idea, tried hacking a fnix hunter but it didn’t work, will try something smaller next time 
Not so much in its current function, flat line 10% - 20% chance to hack Tanks is really poor. I have got lucky couple of times, and then you just watch the tank walk around 40 seconds how long the maximum hack lasts. (compare to marksman or vanguard, those skills are on all times)
If it would trigger instant attack and missile & machine gun fire to other robots, then it would be some what good. But even sometimes hacking Runner in middle of robot pack. It might take 0-20 seconds before something happens, if happens.
I would change the hacking time based how long you keep target in sight and keep hacking it, % chance would go up. Different robots require different times, so to say hack % would crow slower. And robots have same % to detect your hack and attack.
So there would be some risk vs. reward element, not just OP instant easy win button hack.
Most of the specialisations are not chance based, they just give you straight out bonus.
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So vanguard and marksman are better ?
I have Hacking maxed on one character, and find it a waste of skill points. Unless something changed while I wasn’t looking
- Success is not guaranteed (fair enough).
- If you succeed, chances are still that nothing worthwhile happens (“tank is hacked, but just stands around looking confused, rather than shooting other bots”). Someone suggested that this is tied to the bots’ activity cycles, so you might see one of those hyperactive dogs start shooting others, but by the time one of those sluggish tanks does its next action (and that action could be shooting other bots as instructed), the hack effect may have expired. That mental model certainly seemed to have merit at the time I used Hack. I’m not sure whether now that we have sprinty tanks, some of them might be more mentally agile as well.
- Once the effect expires, every bot has your location so it’s not like you could just try, try again. If you’re interested in the skill because you’re a stealthbunny, rifle + suppressor may be a better option (that takes no skill points), idk
- Also, suppose there’s a pack of dogs and two tanks. You hack the one. Will it shoot the other, or the dogs? For many use cases, the sticky flare might be the better option (costs 0 skills points unless you buy “throw further”, and lets you rather than the bot select the target; harder to apply though)
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Stealth bunny? Thats a new one!
I just wanted to watch bots attack each other without successfully landing a sticky flare, I have not actually picked a specialisation yet, need to level up again before I do, although I don’t know if what max level is for a player, I’ve just been unlocking what I thought would be more useful to my gameplay, but I guess Stealth bunny would be a fair comment, I do like sniping weak points and I do use silencer’s where possible 
I do take great pleasure in disarming mechs with the sniper, or using semi automatic on the assault rifle to blow the tanks on dogs 
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Aye, I really wish they’d make it more clear there’s a level cap, and where. Currently, it’s all over at 31.
Look here, we had the same discussion already:
I have to say it is a bit usefull if you hack runners and use the confusion to get yourself into a better position. But hacking tanks or harvesters is just a waste of time. I described it in my post. It was very disappointing.
I find the first hacking skill level, where the machines just freeze, a little more useful than the highest one. Especially since they seldom attack their mates before the hack times out.
I would say any other specialisation is better than those 2 in Tech skill tree.
But everyone likes different play styles, so what is the “best” is matter of opinion.
I did go first into that hacking thing, and have full skill in it. Useful sometimes, mostly not using it.
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