what if there was a login button which would appear when you start and it would prompt a sign up or login to account, of course in order to make an account you would need a email, password, and a username. once you do this you would be prompted to input a code. you get the code (which is different every time) after beating the game and creating skynet. when you make your online account it would act like the start of the game but when you copy the basic software you would unlock newer software that is multiplayer specific (chat.exe, bruteforce.exe, firewall.exe, password.exe, fwpass.exe, psswcrc.exe, messenger.exe, antivirus.exe, scanware.exe, vmaker.exe, and motd.txt, spamware.exe)
the purposes of the software are as follows:
chat.exe: allows public communication with all players.
bruteforce.exe: allows you to crack the password of player networks (if equal to or greater than target password.exe)
firewall.exe: protects you from another players scanware.exe as well as fwpass.exe (if level is greater than attackers software)
password.exe: your second line of defense for when it comes to protecting what you have. will block out players with passwcrc.exe levels lowers than this software's level.
messenger.exe: allows you to directly message 1 or more people, you click on the player's username first (i.e. glitch505). so it would be glitch505 -> profile -> add friend -> confirm. and you can message them from messenger.exe
antivirus.exe: will automatically remove virus' with a level equal to or lower than its own. also prevents exploits from being used if targets vmaker.exe's level is lower than its own level.
scanware.exe: will allow you to see the level of the targets firewall, av, password, scanware, psswcrc, fwpass, and bruteforce.
vmaker.exe: allows you to make different types of virus' and will strengthen exploits as well. allowing them to be used on stronger antivirus'
motd.txt: the text contained within will determine the message a player recieves when hacking into another network and when they are pinged.
spamware.exe: generates $20 per hour, this is multiplied by its level.
i also mentioned that you can make virus'. here are the virus' and their functions:
spyware: grants read-only access to the targets log and will also allow you to see if they are online (i.e. someone is in the account at the time)
ransomware: will lock up the targets system and will demand 25% of the targets money to unlock their system. this will kill all tasks on the target as well.
miner: will slowly take money from the host at a rate of $1 per minute,
screenwatch: will allow you to see what the host is doing in the game (if they are online)
extinguisher: will weaken the targets firewall by a value based on its own level.
EONS virus: triggers an EONS event for 1 minute, the tasks for preventing null, resisting void, solidifying timeline, and preventing timeslip wont appear. if many tasks are left unattended for this time then cores will take damage, if they succeed then nothing happens. all text on screen will be distorted and glitchy like when you try to overload EONS host, active probes wont do anything for this time, along with probes being useless, the scan progress value will change from its real number and will decrease after the event no matter what. it decreases more if it is failed. the EONS virus has a cooldown of 1 hour.
fuzzware: when installed on a player all text will be glitchy and distorted like in the eons event. logs will be scrambled too, being unable to be differentiated between what type it is. ips, passwords, and names are distorted. the target cannot learn passwords during this time.
i will edit with more ideas when i come up with them.