Is it no longer possible to hack blueprints without EMP bombs?

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Wheem
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Is it no longer possible to hack blueprints without EMP bombs?

Post by Wheem » Mon, 18. Apr 22, 10:24

I started a new game recently and have thus far unlocked the research to acquire blueprints for production and docking modules via hacking. In previous patches, I would sometimes be bummed out by unlocking tiny/very small/small discounts and commissions instead of blueprints when scanning non-player-caused data leaks, but it was most definitely possible to acquire quite a few blueprints this way (assuming that the player had the patience to do so, especially since many leaks still like spawning in "backwards" and/or being partially inside modules). However, after about an hour of scanning numerous stations whose blueprints I do not already have, I walked away with a grand total of 0 blueprints, 20-25'ish combined discounts/commissions, more missions than I care to count, and 1 or 2 "Data Leak Decrypted" messages that didn't actually do anything.

Is it essentially a requirement to use EMP Bombs for blueprints now? I searched through the patch notes thread on the Technical Support forum for the word "blueprint," but didn't see anything about scanning non-player-caused leaks being "nerfed."

Alan Phipps
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Re: Is it no longer possible to hack blueprints without EMP bombs?

Post by Alan Phipps » Mon, 18. Apr 22, 10:57

I believe that you also have to be on fairly good terms with the faction of the station whose modules you are hacking. I say that because I don't think I ever managed to hack a module of an SCA station. I don't recall ever getting missions from data leaks; those only come from signal leaks, or so I thought.
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Wheem
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Re: Is it no longer possible to hack blueprints without EMP bombs?

Post by Wheem » Mon, 18. Apr 22, 11:22

Alan Phipps wrote:
Mon, 18. Apr 22, 10:57
I believe that you also have to be on fairly good terms with the faction of the station whose modules you are hacking. I say that because I don't think I ever managed to hack a module of an SCA station. I don't recall ever getting missions from data leaks; those only come from signal leaks, or so I thought.
I've also never been able to get any blueprints from SCA stations, even in the past, but this time I was scanning stations from PAR (0 relations), ARG (+21 relations), and ANT (+13'ish relations).

You're correct about the missions, too. I only mentioned those because I also scanned them to cut down on the clutter of visual indicators (in the form of the bars below my reticle) while searching for data leaks. If I were looking for station hacking missions, I'd have more of them than I could shake a stick at...but unfortunately no blueprints :(

Good Wizard
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Re: Is it no longer possible to hack blueprints without EMP bombs?

Post by Good Wizard » Mon, 18. Apr 22, 12:00

Back in 4.1 I received fairly fast several blueprints from ARG via scanning only, but I was on very good terms with them, better than 20. Quite fast I found L-container-storage and the M-habitat, and several more.

It is pure RNG, I had to scan around 10-20 stations (which is quite boring, btw.). But it worked, I did this just to find out how it works.

Starting with 5.0 and onward scanning yielded no blueprints, it always was some 'discount' or something like this.

So yes - while not mentioned in the patches, I think they have nerfed it nearly to 0...

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Re: Is it no longer possible to hack blueprints without EMP bombs?

Post by Admiral Sausage » Mon, 18. Apr 22, 12:16

I got blueprints for the Protectyon Shield Generator and Teladi Cross Connection Structure by scanning random leaks. That's all, even though I've done a lot of scanning, so it's defintely less common than it used to be.

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Moderato_bei_X
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Re: Is it no longer possible to hack blueprints without EMP bombs?

Post by Moderato_bei_X » Wed, 18. May 22, 01:22

I almost went mental, but a full sector scan eventually gave me a Graphene refinery blueprint, without using any EMP bombs.

So while still possible, "definitely less common" is a huge understatement. The chances of getting blueprints are like... 0.5 %?

Reloading still works for reinitializing the RNG and getting a module blueprint when doing this often enough, but load times are three to four minutes on my machine, which makes this a painful task.

EMP bombing is still a guaranteed blueprint, though, so that's the good news.
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palm911
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Re: Is it no longer possible to hack blueprints without EMP bombs?

Post by palm911 » Wed, 18. May 22, 03:44

there is no longer penalties when doing emp bombs,

if you decide to not pay for it, there should be a consequence from stealing it.

the moral code in this game is one of its weakness, you can do so many wrongs, without any real consequence!.

for instance, you get a larger penalty for destroying a pulse laser turret than the penalty (none) you get stealing a full battleship, or a carrier with fighters in it.

X3 reunion was briliant, in that regard, it made you think twice before going against a factyion or stealing a warship.
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Re: Is it no longer possible to hack blueprints without EMP bombs?

Post by dtpsprt » Wed, 18. May 22, 12:46

I have always used EMP bombs to gain blueprints. What I have noticed in 5 and 5.10 is that it's not possible to get the blueprint with the first of the 4 leaks that are generated. If you are in good standing with the faction (over+15) you get it with the second, if you are not it will take the 3rd or the 4th. This "logic" means that to get the blueprint without EMP you have to find a module with two(!!!) leaks minimum, which is almost impossible...

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Re: Is it no longer possible to hack blueprints without EMP bombs?

Post by Alan Phipps » Wed, 18. May 22, 14:29

I don't think the blueprint chances with dataleaks from EMP bombs and normal ones are logically connected that way. EMP bombs don't have the alternative chance of normal discounts and commissions that normal ones have, just the lasting discount you can usually get. Anyway, I always try and get all 4 from the EMP as a matter of habit.
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oddible
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Re: Is it no longer possible to hack blueprints without EMP bombs?

Post by oddible » Wed, 18. May 22, 20:02

palm911 wrote:
Wed, 18. May 22, 03:44
the moral code in this game is one of its weakness, you can do so many wrongs, without any real consequence!.

for instance, you get a larger penalty for destroying a pulse laser turret than the penalty (none) you get stealing a full battleship, or a carrier with fighters in it.

X3 reunion was briliant, in that regard, it made you think twice before going against a factyion or stealing a warship.
Yeah, I think this is in part due to the way the rep system was designed and a desire to keep things relatively static. Exactly, you shoot a laser tower and you lose EXACTLY the same amount of rep as when you destroy an Administrative Station and take over a sector. WTH is that?

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Moderato_bei_X
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Re: Is it no longer possible to hack blueprints without EMP bombs?

Post by Moderato_bei_X » Thu, 19. May 22, 04:40

dtpsprt wrote:
Wed, 18. May 22, 12:46
I have always used EMP bombs to gain blueprints.
Just to make that clear, since there is quite some misinformation floating around (not necessarily in this thread, but in general):
  • Using EMP bombs to get a blueprint is a guaranteed blueprint, even in 5.10
  • Random, "naturally generated" data leaks (not signal leaks) have a very low chance to drop blueprints since 5.0, but it is possible that they drop them
  • It is not mandatory to scan data leaks via the spacesuit scanner. While doing so will increase the chances of getting a blueprint, decrypting the data via ship scanners will also randomly drop blueprints, albeit at a lower chance. Sadly, since the spacesuits scanner is so limited in range that you have to pretty much be positioned within the data leak source blob for it to begin decryption and data leaks sometimes spawn below the surface of modules (which frankly can only be a bug), only ships can scan some data leaks.
dtpsprt wrote:
Wed, 18. May 22, 12:46
What I have noticed in 5 and 5.10 is that it's not possible to get the blueprint with the first of the 4 leaks that are generated. If you are in good standing with the faction (over+15) you get it with the second, if you are not it will take the 3rd or the 4th. This "logic" means that to get the blueprint without EMP you have to find a module with two(!!!) leaks minimum, which is almost impossible...
That might not be totally true. Faction standing probably has an influence on the chance of getting a blueprint, but I remember having gotten the graphene production blueprint from the very first data leak I scanned on that module, even though my standing with the Free Families was only +11. The signal that contained the blueprints from EMP bombing (different modules, of course) likewise was rather random for me. Sometimes it was the first leak I scanned, sometimes the last one. Since everything about this is so highly based upon chance, my strong assumption is that the chance of getting blueprints increases (dramatically) with every additional data leak, which would essentially mean it goes up to 100 % for four leaks as part of an EMP bomp and still supporting your observations, though in a more refined manner.
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dtpsprt
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Re: Is it no longer possible to hack blueprints without EMP bombs?

Post by dtpsprt » Fri, 20. May 22, 15:58

Moderato_bei_X wrote:
Thu, 19. May 22, 04:40
......
  • Using EMP bombs to get a blueprint is a guaranteed blueprint, even in 5.10
  • Random, "naturally generated" data leaks (not signal leaks) have a very low chance to drop blueprints since 5.0, but it is possible that they drop them
  • It is not mandatory to scan data leaks via the spacesuit scanner. While doing so will increase the chances of getting a blueprint, decrypting the data via ship scanners will also randomly drop blueprints, albeit at a lower chance. Sadly, since the spacesuits scanner is so limited in range that you have to pretty much be positioned within the data leak source blob for it to begin decryption and data leaks sometimes spawn below the surface of modules (which frankly can only be a bug), only ships can scan some data leaks.
.......
The ship's scanner can scam "naturally occuring" data leaks but if you try to scan one generated with an EMP Bomb it is not possible and you get the message to scan it using your spacesuit...

Galinet
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Re: Is it no longer possible to hack blueprints without EMP bombs?

Post by Galinet » Wed, 16. Nov 22, 07:43

I've been away for a few months and definitely notice a difference. Blueprints used to be much easier to obtain simply by scanning. Now the % chance of obtaining a blueprint seems too low. I obtained 0 blueprints from about 20 attempts on Teladi stations with +18 faction.

As it stands I will no longer try to obtain blueprints that way. This is not a fun game mechanic, flying from station to station to maybe find one leak in about 1 in 5-7 station, only to have a very low chance of success.

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Re: Is it no longer possible to hack blueprints without EMP bombs?

Post by blackphoenixx » Wed, 16. Nov 22, 12:02

If you want blueprints why even try without EMP bombs?
It seems like a waste of time to me, it's not like the ingredients are hard to get.

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Re: Is it no longer possible to hack blueprints without EMP bombs?

Post by LameFox » Wed, 16. Nov 22, 16:53

I have a suspicion that the ones which do nothing should be granting blueprints, as I recall them starting to appear around the same time blueprints became much less common. This was a very long time ago now, though. It's been an exercise in boundless tedium to acquire them without EMP for ages.
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Alan Phipps
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Re: Is it no longer possible to hack blueprints without EMP bombs?

Post by Alan Phipps » Wed, 16. Nov 22, 17:58

I think that for data leak module blueprint hacking there are 3 conditions at play besides the RNG element - although most posters here will probably be meeting them:
  • 1. You have the necessary PHQ research completed.
    2. You have the necessary faction rep with the station owner.
    3. You don't already own that blueprint.
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LameFox
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Re: Is it no longer possible to hack blueprints without EMP bombs?

Post by LameFox » Thu, 17. Nov 22, 05:33

Alan Phipps wrote:
Wed, 16. Nov 22, 17:58
I think that for data leak module blueprint hacking there are 3 conditions at play besides the RNG element - although most posters here will probably be meeting them:
  • 1. You have the necessary PHQ research completed.
    2. You have the necessary faction rep with the station owner.
    3. You don't already own that blueprint.
I am not sure one needs the rep for it (and if they did, that would be very strange and maybe unintended?). It has been a while since I bothered, but I'm pretty sure I got some TER blueprints that way once, when they still had the default very low but not quite hostile rep that you get starting in the commonwealth. If it does not work for factions like SCA that may rather be specific to their faction which just happens to have bad rep (mostly).
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