#!/usr/bin/python
#
# Copyright Bill Sharer 2008
# Distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License v2 or later
#
#
# crackerhacker.py is a script I wrote as a Python learning exercise to help
# solve Fallout 3's "terminal hacking" minigame. Many of you may already be
# aware of this annoying mind challenge after playing the popular waste of
# time from Bethesda Softworks on your favorite pc or console.
#
# The minigame presents a "green screen" like terminal with what apparently
# is a dump of some mainframe's password program file. In amongst the noise
# are a set of words that are all the same length. As you hover your mouse
# over each of these words, that word becomes a guess that you may take on
# the command line. The following ascii excerpt of an example screen is
# taken from DrAgRoS' terminal hacking guide from gamespot.com (I was too
# lazy to type one on my own)
#
# ---------------------------------------------------------
# ROBCO INDUSTRIES (TM) TERMLINK PROTOCOL |
# ENTER PASSWORD NOW |
# |
# 4 ATTEMPT(S) LEFT : [] [] [] [] |
# |
# 0xF92C %*-}'!.-[)#! 0xF9F8 :($-?!!}'%_( |
# 0xF938 (>!];-/\[=(, 0xFA04 /?;_;#"]!!:, |
# 0xF944 @PARTNERSHIP 0xFA10 %'%{.@@}#?|+ |
# 0xF950 S=\]%,*?++:] 0xFA1C ="||^<@-|PUR |
# 0xF96C #\--(??%=^\? 0xFA28 IFICATION(^S |
# 0xF978 ]$/!]'|]=}"| 0xFA34 ECLUSIONIST> |
# 0xF984 REPRIMANDING 0xFA40 .,"CONSTRUCT |
# 0xF980 :(%CIVILIZAT 0xFA4C ION@'_'=':'> |
# 0xF99C ION:(]=%?|{A 0xFA58 =!.;/'+.@'/D |
# 0xF908 PPRECIATION' 0xFA64 ISAPPEARING% |
# 0xF9A4 :*CONVERSATI 0xFA70 ,]%?<TRANSMI |
# 0xF9B0 ON=.:="+$@#< 0xFA7C SSION,}"/'}, |
# 0xF9BC ['<'%':}!%;+ 0xFA88 \"%\^?<(|APP |
# 0xF9C8 '('#'?,.%*!+ 0xFA94 REHENSIVE}<+ |
# 0xF9D4 =\.\?/(!|#?< 0xFAA0 "<\^+].^^'._ |
# 0xF9E0 |[)???@?%{CI 0xFAAC ;++}{=/'\ENC |
# 0xF9EC RCUMSTANCE_= 0xFAB8 OUNTERING*}; >[] |
# ---------------------------------------------------------
#
# ------
# | |
# POWER ------
#
#
# You only have four guesses (although as the guide mentions, there may be ways
# to reset the challenge). When you make an incorrect guess, the terminal
# shows the number of characters that matched the correct guess. This match
# count is a character by character comparison of the guess against the correct
# password.
#
# You will be permanently locked out of the terminal after four incorrect
# guesses, but using the script, I have yet to not have the list narrowed down
# to a single choice by the fourth attempt.
#
words = []
while True :
line = raw_input("word> ")
if line != "" :
words.append(line)
else :
break
word_matrix = {}
for word in words :
word_matrix[word] = {}
for key in word_matrix.keys() :
match = 0
i = 0
while i < len(key) :
if key[i] == word[i] :
match += 1
i += 1
word_matches = word_matrix[key]
word_matches[word] = match
word_matches = word_matrix[word]
word_matches[key] = match
for key in word_matrix.keys() :
word_matches = word_matrix[key]
nonzero = 0
sum = 0
for word in word_matches.keys() :
if word != key :
if word_matches[word] > 0 :
nonzero += 1
sum += word_matches[word]
if nonzero > 0 :
print key, "matches", nonzero, " avg", sum/nonzero
narrowed = set(words)
while True :
guesses = []
guess = raw_input("guess> ")
if guess == "" :
break
matches = input("matches> ")
word_matches = word_matrix[guess]
for word in word_matches.keys() :
if word_matches[word] == matches :
guesses.append(word)
narrowed = narrowed & set(guesses)
for word in narrowed :
print word
