String of bad code
string of bad code
Plural: strings of bad code
This command is so poorly formatted your computer not only rejected it, but hurled it out into physical space. That's sort of par for the course, like invariably malfunctioning whenever you run a simulation and sucking everyone involved into a life-or-death struggle.
What's strange is that it's actually good code; even in physical form it has particularly high tensile strength. It's just not written for your computer.
Miscellaneous Item
Autosell value: 10
{{#vardefine:consumable|no}}{{#vardefine:consumable|{{#var:consumable}}}}Usable
Combat Usable
How Obtained
Patrolling with software running during the LI Inc. Event had a chance of dropping one with the following message:
Your computer kicks back a bunch of gibberish code with all sorts of semicolons and those crazy '$' things that you get on antique keyboards. And by "kicks out," I mean "ejects into physical space." Your computer is not messing around.
You got an item: string of bad code
- or
Consuming candy necklace 
- or
- or
Using datamite against a data mite in Ancient Computer.
When Used
Yup. That's some bad code you've got right there. Yessiree. Bad to the bone. (not consumed)
Using multiple:
Using 2:
Hey, if you loop this one around and then hang the other one... instant necklace!
You got an item: string necklace 
Using 4:
Four strings, eh? Sounds like a great time to make a double bass.
What were you expecting, a ukelele?
Actually, now that I mention it, a ukelele sounds like a pretty good idea.
You got an item: string bass 
Using 8:
You twist the strings around each other. They still won't compile, but they might actually make a pretty good bow string.
You got an item: string bowstring
Using 16:
You break out the old knitting needles and whip yourself up a quick sweater. What can I say? Superknitting is one of your many underappreciated talents.
You got an item: string sweater 
Using 32:
You sort of... yeah, they just sort of glom together and... well at least your cat might like it... or, failing that, your sidekick.
You got an item: ball of strings 
Using any other number:
Sadly, it doesn't seem that you can just pile on more bad code and make it good code.
When Used in Combat
If the foe can be replicated (see notes):
You hook <foe> with a string of bad data.
- On the next adventure you fight the same foe again, preceded by the message:
Whether you reprogrammed your enemy with that bad code or just have them dangling like a fish on a hook, they're coming back for more.
If the foe cannot be replicated:
You try to hook with the string of bad data, but nothing seems to happen. (not consumed)
Notes
- The message associated with the software is also changed:
|
On the bright side, it seems like everyone else's computer is doing even worse. Since last you checked, you earned X "chips" on the Astral Stock Exchange. |
 It also just deleted all your shopping lists for the week. You seem to miss something putting them back together, because you save X chips.
|
|
The corrupted video from the fight gives you some really good ideas, though, earning you an additional 15 XP. |
 |
It also just deleted a bunch of appointments, which isn't awesome, but does save you X seconds. |
|
|
After the fight you catch an especially funny video clip. It's even funnier glitched like this, with a fuzzy backwards L replacing the cat. You have a good laugh, earning you an additional X XP. |
|
Maybe that gibberish was from extraterrestrials, because it seems to have earned you X points with the S.U.I.T. data farmers. |
- Cleaning Registry, Got S.M.A.R.T., Seeking Solitude, Targeting Trouble, Cool Coding, and decrypting don't have end of combat messages, so this does not drop from their use.
References
- Refers to the fact that the dollar sign is often used in connection with computer strings.
- The single use message refers to the song "Bad to the Bone".