Let's Play Uplink
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Chapter 2: I Need Mo' Allowance
So! Let's talk goals a bit.
Right now, I have no goal. The plot hasn't started yet. Until then, I must become the most badical hacker the world has ever known.
Let's poke around internal services!
The news feed! It's all hacker news.
There are two notable things that can appear in here: News related to jobs I did, and plot events. Right now, it's just random attacks.
Software store!
this is my current purchase target - Log_Deleter v4.0. It's essential for all higher-level missions.
However, it costs 4000c, and I only have 900c in the bank.
Hardware upgrades!
I won't be doing anything here for a while yet. Hardware is pricey, and my gateway doesn't have much room for upgrading anyway.
Gateway upgrades!
This is where I get actual new computers. Again, can't afford shit and won't for a long time.
Agent rankings!
I am Uplink's 60th-best agent. That probably means there are about 60 Uplink agents.
And finally, the mission list!
As a Beginner, I only have access to the most basic of mission types: Steal a file, and destroy a file.
I need cash, so I'm going to be SYSTEMATIC.
When taking on a mission, you can contact the dealer and ask questions or make demands!
At my uplink rating, though, I don't have much influence, so my demands for extra cash are almost always turned down.
My first step is to accept EVERY available mission involving stealing files. That means I'm now involved in six missions simultaneously.
Looking over my new list, I have missions targetting:
-Liberty Systems
-Smart Solutions
-Virtulink Microsystems
-Expert Developments
-CityLink Solutions (Twice!)
LET'S GET CRACKING
There are more systems on my world map now, all of them green!
Notice that my first connection is to InterNIC - this is very important.
Cracking in with Password Breaker!
leaving the email for this mission open so that I know which file to copy.
Find the right file, copy it, and disconnect before the trace finishes!
Time to spare, in most cases.
And thusly do I become 1700c richer.
It's nice to save a good and long connection path so that I don't have to manually chart it out every time I want to connect to a machine for hacking purposes.
And again! These missions are all rather samey.
Uplink Echeladder
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Novice
Beginner
Registered
It's nice getting two missions at once targetting the same company - I can do both on one hack!
First wave of missions complete! I almost have ten grand.
My only purchase for now is Log_Deleter v4.0! The next few things I need are damn pricey.
Then it's back to the mission BBS!
Sometimes I can weasel more money out of people now that my Uplink Rating has increased.
Next step: Accept every Delete File job on the BBS!
That's another five missions.
Here's the great thing: Some of these jobs are for the same targets as the last wave... and the trace never got far enough that they'd revoke the passwords on the machines I was hacking earlier. I can use the same passwords again!
These missions are even simpler than the file stealing missions! I don't have to save and return the file, just annihilate it.
It's important to take all the steal missions first, in case there were a pair of missions to steal and destroy the same file - taking the delete mission first would make the steal mission impossible.
Uplink Echeladder
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Confident
Novice
Beginner
Registered
As with the last set, I can kill two birds with one stone, as I have two missions both targetting e-trade Associates.
And with this, I have wiped out the low-level missions!
Next: Kicking the game up a notch.
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