How Does Hacking Work In Fallout 4?

In Fallout 4, hacking terminals present a common obstacle to progression. Knowing how to navigate terminals can simplify certain quest objectives and grant access to exclusive loot caches.

For newcomers to the series, the sight of a dense wall of bright green text and symbols can be daunting. So, how does hacking work in Fallout 4? If you're eager to unlock the game's hidden locations and restricted areas without relying on mods or cheats, here's a simple guide to help you successfully hack terminals.

Fallout 4 Hacking Explained

In Fallout 4, hacking terminals revolves around identifying the correct password from a long list of possibilities, requiring deduction and trial-and-error. Investing in the Hacker perk is essential for accessing more advanced terminals, making it one of the top Fallout 4 hacking perks to prioritize early in the game if you aim to specialize in terminal hacking rather than lockpicking.

Selecting a word from the list prompts a message displaying "Likeliness = [x]," where [x] indicates the number of letters shared between the chosen word and the password, with their correct placement. Specifically, if the Likeliness counter shows 5, it signifies that five letters in the selected word are accurate and correctly positioned in the password.

For instance, if the correct password is "STEAM," and you select the word "START," the Likeliness counter will show 2 because the letters "S" and "T" are correct and correctly positioned. Nevertheless, if you choose the word "MEATS," the Likeliness counter will display 0 because none of them are in the correct positions though all the correct letters are present.

Should your hacking attempt fail, the terminal will lock you out. To avoid this, consider logging out of the terminal when you've nearly used up your attempts. Upon reattempting to hack it, you'll be presented with a new selection of words to choose from, and your retry counter will be refreshed.

Fallout 4 Special Hacking Characters

During your hacking endeavors in Fallout 4, it's crucial to take note of characters enclosed in parentheses, brackets, angle brackets, or curly braces. Should you encounter symbols within ( ), [ ], < >, or { }, consider hovering your cursor over them. If they are highlighted as a complete word, selecting them can activate a random effect.

Choosing Fallout 4 special hacking characters can result in either resetting your number of attempts available or eliminating dud passwords from the list, ultimately making the hacking process easier for you.

Fallout 4 Hacking Companion

You can instruct companions to hack terminals on your behalf. Nick Valentine excels in hacking and is considered one of the best Fallout 4 companions, not only for his hacking prowess but also for his overall effectiveness in combat.

Remember that Nick is still capable of failing his hacking efforts. If he is locked out, he will not have another chance to try. This will not prevent players from accessing it, so there is still an opportunity to break into the terminal.

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