Hacking and Overclocking

[sydney511]

I have finally decided to start letting my computer whiz sim hack, but I have 2 questions.

1. If your sim hacks, does it do anything beside get money? Like can you break the computer or get caught???

2. What does it mean if your sim overclocks the computer?

Thank you!

[Swede1992]

1. Never have had my sims caught, but wouldn't be surprised if anyone said there is a slight chance they could be.
2. According to Sims wikia it can give the computer either unbreakable or improved graphics upgrades, with a risk of breaking it. One try per computer.

[Esther1981]

I can say for 1. If they get caught, the police (or something to that effect) will send a virus to your computer and it will break. When I get caught, I repair and go back to hacking lol

[aws_137]

Ah Com Whiz.

1. You won't get sent to jail. All that happens is that you risk damaging your computer.
2. Overclocking, if successful (if not, damage), will give your computer an upgrade. Very similar to Tinker.

[Pam]

Has anyone made any real money from hacking?  I've heard claims that it can be a great income, but I haven't seen it.  I currently have a Computer Whiz Sim who hacks every night for 6 to 8 hours and she only makes a few hundred dollars per night.  Her most recent was $438.  It doesn't seem like very much to me and I don't think it's increasing much, if any.  I thought surely if she continued doing it long enough that she would have some increase.  She's been doing it steadily for over 2 Sim weeks.

[TommyT]

I'm wondering if there's a skill tied to hacking.  I'm still looking for a source but I'm pretty sure high logic helps genius Sims 'solve the unsolvable' (similar to hacking).

[TollingBells]

I know that P.I. Sims can hack information bases, but I'm not sure what that does, or if it earns you money. I've never tried it, and sadly, my P.I. Sim's game got deleted somehow. I heard from the IGN guide on Sims 3 that if you keep doing it, you can get better and better at it. I wonder if Handy could help hackers somehow?

[Pam]

She's got pretty good handiness skill.  Level 6, I think.  She's got the Computer Whiz trait which is what makes hacking available in the first place.  I'm hoping someone has had success in maybe hacking $5,000 per night or something who can tell me how to do that.

[TollingBells]

Well, 'least when the police break her computer, she can fix it. I'll test it out with a new character soon, since I'm curious myself.

[Saltypaws]

I think the highest I made was around $600, the more logic skill you have, the more money you get hacking also.

[Metropolis Man]

@Pam, I've had a hacker make close to $5000 in a night. You need to max Logic. That makes all the difference in the world. But, it still pales in comparison to other self-employment routes. And at least for me the shift is so long for that amount of money that it's just not attractive.

[Pam]

Great, thanks!  Logic is what I'm missing.

[Schipperke]

That sounds logical.   

[Darkstone]

Also the quality of the computer you use affects income.  Plus mood seems to as well, so get greened up first, hack in a well-decorated room, etc.

BTW, the virus can break even unbreakable computers.

[Leto85]

Also the quality of the computer you use affects income.  Plus mood seems to as well, so get greened up first, hack in a well-decorated room, etc.

BTW, the virus can break even unbreakable computers.

The virus? You can get a virus ingame?