itch.io

Thanks for the detailed report! I think I see what's happening there — the mission-protected SQL Server is likely causing the Router to snap into its position and inherit some of that protection logic. I'll dig into it and get a fix into the next patch. Really appreciate you continuing to test things and report issues like this. 🙂

You're not doing anything wrong — that's on the interface, not you. Right now these challenges check your answer by scanning the whole code, which makes it genuinely unclear where things should go. I'm reworking them to use clear, labeled input boxes (one per answer) so it's obvious — coming in an update.

For now, "Hex & Memory" just needs these three values to appear anywhere in the code: 0xFF, 255, 65 (binary 11111111 → 0xFF, 0xFF → 255, 0x41 → 65). Thanks for the patience.

Ha — you're right that the save's just sitting in localStorage to poke at. For a hacking game I'll take that as on-brand. 🙃

The localStorage.clear() returning "undefined" is actually normal — clear() just returns nothing, so that means it ran. The reason your progress survived: on itch the game runs in an iframe, so the console executed against itch's page, not the game's frame (different storage bucket). Switch the console's context to the game iframe (frame dropdown at the top of the Console tab), or run it on a downloaded copy, and it'll wipe.

Totally fair — and for the "go back and verify" part, good news: there's already a 🔄 Reset / New Game button in the Save Manager (💾 icon, top-right), so you can wipe and re-check the builder anytime.

I'm sold on the starter-PC idea, too. I'll add a couple of suggested budget builds with quick notes on why a part is right or wrong — and, love this, a one-click "just give me a computer" Quick Build for anyone who doesn't want to think about parts yet and would rather get straight to the hacking. Best of both: total novices skip ahead, and the folks who want to learn the hardware still can. Thanks for keeping the newcomer in mind! 🖥️

Thanks — this one pushed me to make a real improvement, so I appreciate it. Two parts:

On choice: there's actually a full catalog already — 8 CPUs, 8 GPUs, plus several motherboards, RAM kits, PSUs and cases across Budget → Mid → Pro tiers, each with genuine tradeoffs (matching socket, RAM type, PSU wattage, case airflow, durability). What makes it feel like one option at the very start is your budget — early on you can only afford the budget tier, and the tutorial points you at a cheap first build. As you earn money the mid/pro tiers open up and the choices get interesting. So there are plenty of viable builds; they're gated by cash, not locked away.

On clarity — you were 100% right, and it's now fixed. Instead of a vague "RAM type mismatch," the builder now spells out exactly why, e.g. "RAM mismatch: this board takes DDR5, but you picked DDR4 RAM," or "PSU too weak: this build draws ~480W but the PSU only supplies 350W." Live in the next update. Thanks for the sharp feedback! 🖥️

Ah — progress is saved in localStorage, not cookies, so clearing cookies won't wipe it. A proper "Reset Game" button is coming in the next patch. For now (you'll like this one 😄): open the console with F12 and run localStorage.clear(), then reload — fresh start.

Good catch, that's a real bug — the Browser was gated too high (level 3) while a contract sends you there earlier. Fixing it so the Browser unlocks right away; patch incoming shortly. In the meantime you can work around it in the Terminal: curl http://192.168.1.10/ reads the same page without the browser. Thanks for reporting! 🛡️

100% agree — typing the same chain by hand gets old fast, and real work is automated. A scripting system is high on my list: save a sequence of commands (with a variable like the target IP) as your own reusable tool and run it in one go. It's exactly the direction I want to take the terminal. Thanks for the thoughtful write-up — this is the kind of feedback that shapes the game. 🙏

Hey, and welcome to SysOps! 👋

This is a free, offline cybersecurity sandbox — build a PC, boot it, open the terminal, and take your first contract. From there you scan a target with nmap, find the way in, escalate to root, and capture the flag — picking up the real tools as you go.

New to this? Story Mode (on by default) walks you through every step, so you don't need any background to jump in. Type help for commands, man <tool> for manuals, explain <topic> to learn a concept, and hint if you ever get stuck.

💻 Best played on desktop with a keyboard.

It's a solo passion project and still growing, so if you hit a bug or have an idea, drop a comment here — I read everything and patch often. Have fun, and happy hacking. 🛡️

…and yes, the source is right there if you go looking. 😉