Can someone please explain how, "Revealing position" hack, is suppose to work? [Explained] [Spoilers]

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Can anyone, preferably on vanilla, explain how, "Revealing position" hack, is suppose to work? Just don't understand it. Am at, 90% it being buggy, 10% it working as intended.

It occurs whether or not a netrunner is present, at the moment when you drop members of an enemy group, be it by non-lethal shooting with silencer, be it with non-lethal quickhacks like System Reset, or Short Circuit, be it by grabbing them and incapacitate.

Even had it a couple of times when I was passing by a completed gig in my car, where all of them were laying flat, dead and or alive, when it all of a sudden popped up. In those cases, it proceeded very slowly. If I go into the inventory at that point, and stay there for say, 5 minutes, when I come out, it stands still, and remains on screen for the rest of the playthrough. The only way to get rid of it, is reloading a save.

Because there are mods in the game, thought that they could be the ones messing around with this new feature that, if I remember correctly, was introduced with 1.31. But as this hack continues to ruin gigs that require V to be stealthy, decided to search for the mod that could be the culprit.

Searching around, quickly discovered that, while never being mentioned on these forums, it seems that a lot more players are experiencing this behavior of this feature. And since it is going on way too long for any modder to leave his/her mod that would cause it as is, have now ruled out this behavior being mod-related.

Below are a couple of reports of other players I found related to this... feature.


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"Can someone help me understand how "Revealing Position..." works?"

"I feel like enemies revealing your position has gotten way finickier since 1.3 dropped.

I used to think it was if you did multiple hacks against someone and left them alive. However now it seems to happen somewhat randomly, which is pretty frustrating. I have had instances where all I've done is silently execute a knocked out enemy (with a silenced pistol, for example), and all of a sudden my position is being revealed despite the fact that I haven't alerted anyone.
Does anyone know what the exact parameters behind "Revealing Position" are? I understand wanting to nerf stealth-hacking because it was way too OP, but the entire "revealing position" mechanic feels super cheap and arbitrary and is sucking the fun out of playing stealthily for me. It doesn't make sense that enemies should randomly be made aware of my position when I quickhack with reboot optics, then quickly kill two enemies with a silenced pistol—I haven't alerted anyone, yet all of a sudden an enemy is somehow magically hacking me to reveal my position when they aren't even a Netrunner. (This just happened to me).

I think I would be fine with this mechanic if I just understood when and why it happens, but it seems completely random and/or buggy so far. Does anyone know the rules around this?"

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"revealing your position"
"That's all I got from the message I received, I was hacking some criminals and someone started tracking my position. I don't know if I missed a message on how to deal with that. Anyone know?"


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"It's probably a Netrunner enemy or something, since all enemy groups are connected in the same network and hurting one of them with a quickhack might allow a Netrunner enemy type to track you or something, but really I don't know what causes it either.

It happens to me most of all when I inflict Cyberpsychosis or Suicide on someone, I've noticed.

Maybe it's just a side effect of using quickhacks or something, a little bit of excitement to nerf being able to use Legendary Ping and just infinitely hack high level enemies through walls until they're dead or something."

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"yeah... i believe the idea was (if i remember correctly the tooltip) is that when you get hacked - hacker gets highlited on the map, even through walls. but sometimes it doesn't work. and when it worked, hacker is usually so far away there is no way to get at him"

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"What decides if a QUICKHACK reveals your position?"

"Question
I never see many questions on this sub. Maybe this will help somebody else out eventually as well myself now.
I noticed sometimes I can use my quickhacks on enemies and remain hidden. Other times, after a hack, I start filling a "Location will be revealed..." bar. Sometimes the bar fills real quick, sometimes slowly.
Is this mechanic based on the enemies level compared to mine? Is it just specific hack types/levels? Is it because of a specific enemy troop configuration; like a netrunner on their side?
Any ideas?
EDIT: * -exceprt from the official guide-*
In stealth scenarios, repeated usage of quickhacks on enemies eventually cause you to be detected. One quickhack applied to a target will usually make them suspicious; cast a second one on the same for and your position will be revealed after a short delay.
So I guess if you quickhack a suspicious enemy, they will start to "Reveal" you. Even if they grew suspicious from a different reason."

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Update: Explained. Click here for explanation.
In addition, there's a mod out that disables it altogether. "Disable Reveal Position Hack". It's available on Nexus.
 
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Some drones have it too. What it does, from my experience, is alert the others in the area you're there, blowing your attempt at stealth. The only way to stop a quick hack for certain is to find who or what is "casting" it, and take them out.
 
Some drones have it too. What it does, from my experience, is alert the others in the area you're there, blowing your attempt at stealth. The only way to stop a quick hack for certain is to find who or what is "casting" it, and take them out.
Well, that's just it. Lots a times there IS no one around that could be casting it. Sometimes it pops up when driving by an completed gig. My minimap is zoomed out 3x. Can see the entire area, and there's no one, nothing.
 
That i would say is a bug. Sometimes my H.U.D. lights up that i'm in combat, but whoever it was has been left behind by a couple miles. Usually happens while i'm driving.
 
Can anyone, preferably on vanilla, explain how, "Revealing position" hack, is suppose to work? Just don't understand it. Am at, 90% it being buggy, 10% it working as intended.
It's not a hack :)
When you use a QHs (combat/offensive ones), this progress bar have great chances to be launched (chances greatly increased in 1.3+).
It's related to one random enemy (no need to be a netrunner) in the group. (group who appear if you do a Ping).
If you kill/knock out the "related dude" (by chance because you can't know which one is related) or everybody before the bar is complete, nothing happen.
If you don't, your position is revelated and you enter in combat (and every enemies know where you are).

Edit : it also happen with passive abilities of legendary offensive QHs (like Short Circuit who add its effect when you do a critique, whatever the weapon).
 
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It's not a hack :)
When you use a QHs (combat/offensive ones), this progress bar have great chances to be launched (chances greatly increased in 1.3+).
It's related to one random enemy (no need to be a netrunner) in the group. (group who appear if you do a Ping).
If you kill/knock out the "related dude" (by chance because you can't know which one is related) or everybody before the bar is complete, nothing happen.
If you don't, your position is revelated and you enter in combat (and every enemies know where you are).

Edit : it also happen with passive abilities of legendary offensive QHs (like Short Circuit who add its effect when you do a critique, whatever the weapon).
Seems accurate but, how is it that when sometimes, not saying it happens every time, but sometimes, I drive by a completed gig in my car, where all combatants are dispatched, spontaneously this progress bar pops up? When it ends, sometimes, my minimap turns red for a fraction of a second, then turns normal again.
 
Seems accurate but, how is it that when sometimes, no saying it happens every time, but sometimes, I drive by a completed gig in my car, where all combatants are dispatched, spontaneously this progress bar pops up? When it ends, sometimes, my minimap turns red for a fraction of a second, then turns normal again.
It's not really related this "feature", this bug is most certainely related to the "random" enemies (or even with cops) who attack you from far and with no reason in 1.3+ :(
But anyway, what do you describe is a bug, that shouldn't happen ;)
 
It's not really related this "feature", this bug is most certainely related to the "random" enemies (or even with cops) who attack you from far and with no reason in 1.3+ :(
Yeah, seems that way. There is a mod that cures it, but the last time I used that, it continuously exited my game to desktop. So stopped using it. Am suspicious it has something to do with the elevated mesh hitbox. But yeah, no other choice but to wait for CDPR to fix it.
 
My guess (because I don't really know), if I can explain it correctly (if it's clear^^) :

The game save many (a lot) things about the world, like if you kill enemies, complete a GIG or if you loot somethings (items don't respawn so I suppose that the game save it somewhere).

In my case, I have enemies near the Megabuilding H8 who attack me from far with no reason in a blue star event, so they respawn after a while. I suppose the game saved that I entered in combat with them at one moment during the game. And when they respawn and that I'm nearby (so they are "loaded"), they are in combat directly (and me too).

So for you, maybe the game saved that you used a offensive QH on these enemies, so when you approach the area, they are loaded and you have a chance to launch the progress bar.
 
My guess (because I don't really know), if I can explain it correctly (if it's clear^^) :

The game save many (a lot) things about the world, like if you kill enemies, complete a GIG or if you loot somethings (items don't respawn so I suppose that the game save it somewhere).

In my case, I have enemies near the Megabuilding H8 who attack me from far with no reason in a blue star event, so they respawn after a while. I suppose the game saved that I entered in combat with them at one moment during the game. And when they respawn and that I'm nearby (so they are "loaded"), they are in combat directly (and me too).

So for you, maybe the game saved that you used a offensive QH on these enemies, so when you approach the area, they are loaded and you have a chance to launch the progress bar.
When I went to clouds in the previous playthrough, used System Reset on the 2 Tygers out front. They both fell, then that bar popped out and started to progress. By the time it ended, I was already around the corner, trying to hide away. Yet, it entered combat state, and a third Tyger came. He knew exactly where I was, and even landed a couple of shots.

If this is how it's suppose to work, they might as well do away with the entire netrunner thing.
 
When I went to clouds in the previous playthrough, used System Reset on the 2 Tygers out front. They both fell, then that bar popped out and started to progress. By the time it ended, I was already around the corner, trying to hide away. Yet, it entered combat state, and a third Tyger came. He knew exactly where I was, and even landed a couple of shots.

If this is how it's suppose to work, they might as well do away with the entire netrunner thing.
Normally, System Reset is not an offensive QH and never launch this progress bar (it never happen for me).

But did you have any legendary QHs equipped who have passive abilities which are applied when a target is affected by a QH (whatever the QH, even Ping) ?
(like Cripple Movement - Passive While Equipped: Enemies under the effect of any quickhack cannot Sprint)

It for that, I never equip legendary offensive QH when I have to be stealth (as you can see here, only my "stealth QHs" are installed on my Cyberdeck)
 
I always roleplayed it like so:

You're wirelessly connecting to a Wi-Fi network belonging to a group of people and start using it for destructive purposes.
The admin / netrunner of the group figures out something is wrong with the users because someone's cyberware just shorted out or 3 people started acting like they have spontaneous high fevers.

They check the admin screen and figure out some unknown user has joined the network and tries to find out more who and where that unknown user is.

On V's cyberware this tracing is shown as "reveal position" and the software tries to delay or stop sending the device location to the admin.


What I do is just walk far far away and so long no one can spot me, it looks like unknown attacker is on the network. So it's a very harmless hack if you are stealth and don't get distracted into breaking cover and attacking immediately (Not necessary most of the time).
 
Normally, System Reset is not an offensive QH and never launch this progress bar (it never happen for me).

But did you have any legendary QHs equipped who have passive abilities which are applied when a target is affected by a QH (whatever the QH, even Ping) ?
(like Cripple Movement - Passive While Equipped: Enemies under the effect of any quickhack cannot Sprint)

It for that, I never equip legendary offensive QH when I have to be stealth (as you can see here, only my "stealth QHs" are installed on my Cyberdeck)
Yes, do have Legendary offensive QHs equipped, Reboot Optics, Contagion, Short Circuit, Ping, System Reset, and Cyberware Malfunction. But these are all QHs. I also get the revealing position when shooting them with a silenced pistol. And even when the entire group is dropped.
 
For guns or in general, with every weapons :
It's due to the legendary Short Circuit (who is an offensice QH) who add its level 1 effect when you deal a critique. When you do a critique (whatever the weapon, guns, rifles, blades, gorilla arms, baseball bat...), it's like if you upload Short Circuit QH (who is an offensive QH), so you have great chances to launch the progress bar.

And chances to launch the bar are also increased by the legendary Cyberware Malfunction. In legendary version (passive ability), its effect is applied on any target who is under a QH effect.

So in short :
- You do a crit damage (whatever the weapon).
- You apply Short Circuit effect (legendary passive ability) who have chance to launch the bar.
- But as your target is under Short Circuit effect (QH), you also apply Cyberware Malfunction effect who also increase the chances to launch the bar.

And if you add weapon glitch and cripple movements, you will increase even more the chances to launch the bar by adding two other QH effects :)

Those passive effects on legendary versions are more annoying for stealth than the Short Circuit one. Because you apply their effects even with a simple Ping. At best (and always), enemies are alerted, at worst you launch the bar...

Let's imagine the worst case ever and take 20%, for chances to launch the bar when an offensive QH is uploaded (I don't know the real percentage).
You have 100% chance to do a critic (with clothe mods, cyberwares,...). You have Short Circuit, Cripple Movement, Weapon Glitch, Cyberware Malfunction and Sonic Shock in legendary version and equipped.
  • You do a critic with your gun with silencer.
  • Short Circuit level 1 is directly applied so your target is under a QH effect > +20% chances.
  • Cripple Movement is also applied due to Short Circuit > +20% chances
  • Weapon Glitch is also applied due to Short Circuit effect > +20% chances
  • Cyberware Malfunction is also applied due to Short Circuit effect > +20% chances
  • Sonic Shock is also applied due to Short Circuit effect > +20% chances
You end with almost 100% to launch the bar when you deal a single critic with a weapon, due to all the passive abilities of the equipped QHs :)
 
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For guns or in general, with every weapons :
It's due to the legendary Short Circuit (who is an offensice QH) who add its level 1 effect when you deal a critique. When you do a critique (whatever the weapon, guns, rifles, blades, gorilla arms, baseball bat...), it's like if you upload Short Circuit QH (who is an offensive QH), so you have great chances to launch the progress bar.

And chances to launch the bar are also increased by the legendary Cyberware Malfunction. In legendary version (passive ability), its effect is applied on any target who is under a QH effect.

So in short :
- You do a crit damage (whatever the weapon).
- You apply Short Circuit effect (legendary passive ability) who have chance to launch the bar.
- But as your target is under Short Circuit effect (QH), you also apply Cyberware Malfunction effect who also increase the chances to launch the bar.

And if you add weapon glitch and cripple movements, you will increase even more the chances to launch the bar by adding two other QH effects :)

Those passive effects on legendary versions are more annoying for stealth than the Short Circuit one. Because you apply their effects even with a simple Ping. At best (and always), enemies are alerted, at worst you launch the bar...

Let's imagine the worst case ever and take 20%, for chances to launch the bar when an offensive QH is uploaded (I don't know the real percentage).
You have 100% chance to do a critic (with clothe mods, cyberwares,...). You have Short Circuit, Cripple Movement, Weapon Glitch, Cyberware Malfunction and Sonic Shock in legendary version and equipped.
  • You do a critic with your gun with silencer.
  • Short Circuit level 1 is directly applied so your target is under a QH effect > +20% chances.
  • Cripple Movement is also applied due to Short Circuit > +20% chances
  • Weapon Glitch is also applied due to Short Circuit effect > +20% chances
  • Cyberware Malfunction is also applied due to Short Circuit effect > +20% chances
  • Sonic Shock is also applied due to Short Circuit effect > +20% chances
You end with almost 100% to launch the bar when you deal a single critic with a weapon, due to all the passive abilities of the equipped QHs :)
Wow, didn't know. Thank you very much for this info. Will adjust my playstyle to this, and see how it goes. cheers.
 
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