Do you still program viruses?

There are so many aspects of this game that involve viruses...but do any of you still program them? I created a poll to find out.

For those of you who do not know, or for those who may not remember, you can use your Personal Computer or Laptop from your items page to program viruses.

[image: i.snipboard.io]
To access your PC or Laptop > go to the electronics tab in your items list > click on the "Turn On" button on your PC or Laptop.

Once inside, you will find the "Virus Programming" screen set as your homepage (unless if you're flying, then you'd have to navigate to it)
[image: i.snipboard.io]
In this screen, you can create anywhere from a Simply Virus to a Firewalk Virus.

---------

I must ask, what exactly is the point of creating viruses anymore? With so many viruses in circulation, and with these items never being "used up", why would you create any more viruses other than just to sell them to the system?

What are all the instances in Torn that involve the use of viruses? Let's look into this:

• There are 2 education classes that pertain to programming viruses...CMT2580 and CMT2600. Combined, these two courses reduce your virus programming time by up to 30%. There are also 3 more courses that allow you to create the different kinds of viruses.
• The companies, Cyber Cafe, Game Shop, and a Software Corp all offer 50% reduced virus coding time. Also, the Cyber Cafe has another special that will give you a random virus for 25 Job Points. The Cafe and the Corp also gives you the ability to cancel someone's virus they are currently programming.
• Planting a Computer Virus (-9 Nerve), allows you to use the viruses you've created/obtained to conduct a hack. Your virus item is not used up when performing any of these crimes, though. There is even an Enhancer item called Ergonomic Keyboard that improves the success rate of this crime.
• There are stocks such as IIL that reduce programming time by 50% (although, you cannot stack this with any of the job specials that give you this passive bonus). You can also thwart those trying to cancel your virus programming with the SYS stock benefit.
• The most profitable Virus to Code is the Stealth Virus at a whopping 200k each. Granted....it takes anywhere from 17.5 days to 100 days to code this virus (depending on your case), which is a measly $2,000 - $11,500 daily profit.
• I can only assume that Crimes 2.0 will involve viruses, but to what extent, is unclear.

Me personally? I do not create viruses anymore. I am curious if others do though. I would also like to see some more suggestions posted in the suggestion forums on how we can make this part of torn come back to life (if it's dead that is). One of the ideas I had that maybe some of you can run with, was to apply a success rate to the viruses you create. Over time, the success rate of that virus goes down since people who we would have used this virus on, simply update their virus protection software. Since cyber security is a thing in this day and age, and it is forever improving, it would make sense to add this kind of element to the game. Adding a proficiency bonus to those players who have a large number of viruses created under their belt could make a stronger, more potent, longer-lasting virus. Similar to how we have weapon experience now. That would surely be an exciting twist to spice things up a bit. It would surely give me a reason to program more viruses at least.

But I digress...the point of this thread is not to pitch my idea...I want to genuinely have a discussion on whether or not you still program viruses anymore? Or is this part of the game just simply dead to you cause it's too antiquated to matter anymore?

Yeah.

Cos there's bugger all else to do...

Started my first virus coding now in probably over 10 years now thanks to you, but yeah... it is worthless honestly. This is all part of this game being made by a teenager though, we get hiccups like these that make little sense if you focus on them.

It would be cool of those educations were useful beyond completing the education series for the merits, I'm just glad we finally got the dark theme that "wasn't really that important".

yeah i keep doing armored and selling them

because why not i guess

it's almost as exciting as racing and all the other shit

stopped a long while ago

this is one more number i can make go up, so simple viruses keep on going

Virii are the long lost and dark corner of Torn. Serving very little use and with an interface quite unlike the polishedness that is the rest of Torn.

But yes, I still code them as I am chasing my Silicon Valley merit.

yes.

[image: i.ibb.co]

I don't wanna spend all that education time on computers...
I mean I'm just choosing whatever sounds like it'll help but programming sounds boring

i heard if you spend 15 years coding viruses you'll end up very strong if you were also training in the gym during this time

Wasn't the minutiae of pointless activities updated to count towards elo score or something?

Yes. Might be a stat a future crimes 2.0 crime is influenced by.

Making them consumed when used could..do..something for them I guess.

People do those? Maybe in 30 days when 2.0 comes

I do; there's no opportunity cost for it. Maybe they'll be updated in a thousand years, when Crimes 2.0 comes out.

Numbers go up, so yes.

I completely forget about it until i get a notification reminding me that I’ve finished making a virus lol