.. _gameplay_bitnodes:

.. warning:: This page contains spoilers regarding the game's story/plot-line.

BitNodes
========
A BitNode is an important part of the game's storyline. In the game, you discover
what BitNodes are by following the trail of clues left by the mysterious jump3r
(essentially a minimal questline).

What is a BitNode
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
A BitNode is the complex simulated reality in which you reside. By following the messages
from jump3r, you discover that humanity was enslaved by an advanced alien race, called
the Enders, using virtual simulations that trapped the minds of humans.

However, the Enders didn't just create a single virtual reality to enslave humans, but many
different simulations. In other words, there are many different BitNodes that exist.
These BitNode are very different from each other.

jump3r tells you that the only hope for humanity is to destroy all of these BitNodes.
Therefore, the end goal for the player is to enter and then destroy each BitNode at least once.

Destroying a BitNode resets most of the player's progress but grants the player a
powerful second-tier persistent upgrade called a :ref:`Source-File <gameplay_sourcefiles>`.
Different BitNodes grant different Source-Files.

Each BitNode has unique characteristics that are related to varying backstories. For example,
in one BitNode the world is in the middle of a financial catastrophe with a collapsing
market. In this BitNode, most forms of income such as working at a company or Hacknet
Nodes are significantly less profitable. Servers have less money on them and lowered
growth rates, but it is easier to lower their security level using the weaken() Netscript function.

Furthermore, some BitNodes introduce new content and mechanics. For example there is one
BitNode that grants access to the :ref:`Netscript Singularity Functions <netscript_singularityfunctions>`.
There is another BitNode in which you can manage a gang to earn money and reputation.

How to destroy a BitNode
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Initially, the only way to destroy a BitNode is to join the Daedalus :ref:`Daedalus <gameplay_factions>`.
From Daedalus, the player can obtain an Augmentation called 'The Red Pill', which doesn't cost any money
but does require a good amount of faction reputation.

After installing 'The Red Pill', the player must search for and then manually hack a
server called 'w0r1d_d43m0n'. This server requires a hacking level of 3000 in order
to successfully hack it. This will destroy the player's current BitNode.

There is a second method of destroying a BitNode, but it must be unlocked by first
destroying BitNode-6 or BitNode-7 (Bladeburners).

.. todo:: Link to Bladeburner documentation page here

When the player destroys a BitNode, most of his/her progress will be reset. This includes things
such as Augmentations and RAM upgrades on the home computer. The only things that will persist
through destroying BitNodes is:

* Source-Files
* Scripts on the home computer
