Security Bot



bot bots

The Security Bots are part of the security system in Rapture owned by Andrew Ryan. They can be hacked by the player character to make them friendly protectors. As the games progress, the bots will become much tougher to hack, and cost more to buy out. The effect of an Auto-Hack, however, does not change. The alarm created by the security system can be shut down by using a Bot Shutdown Panel. The Security Bots are made from boat motors and machine guns, and appear to be improvised devices like the turrets.

Red Light
Red lights on the Bots, as on basically anything in the game, indicate that they are hostile to the player. Bots enter this mood when called after the player has vandalized something, when the player has stayed in the vision of a camera too long, or when the Bots are under the control of Splicers. They will keep attacking the player until they are destroyed or hacked, or the Splicer that is controlling them is killed. The Bots can also be shut down through a Bot Shutdown Panel for a small price.

In the case of Bots being controlled by Splicers, both Bot and Splicer will have a red beacon on them indicating the connection, making it easier to tell who to kill to stop the Bots.

Note that such Splicer-controlled Bots can be hacked, thus turning the Bot against its former owner.

Yellow Light
A Bot with yellow lights is essentially neutral to the player. It has been sent by a hacked Security Camera, and it will only attack enemies that the Camera has detected. After the targets have been eliminated, these Bots will go away. These Bots can be hacked if the player so wishes, and will not require immobilization to do so since they aren't targeting the player.

Green Light
Bots with green lights are completely friendly to the player and will fight along side them until destroyed or deactivated. Bots in this mode won't attack enemies immediately, but they will attack after the enemy has done damage to the player or if the player attacks the enemy first. These Bots make excellent distractions for Big Daddies. The player must hack Bots to make them friendly.

Note that the player can have at most two friendly security bots. If they already have two, the "Hack" option will not be available on any new Bots until one of the friendly ones is destroyed or deactivated.

If the player leaves a friendly Bot behind by navigating to a different part of the level via an elevator or some other means that does not allow the Bot to to travel along, it will find an alternate way to the new location and join the player in a short while.

If one attempts to navigate to a different level with a friendly Bot tagging along (for example, through a Bulkhead), the Bot will remain on its "native" level and turn itself off. Once the player returns to that level, the Bot will be waiting for them there, disabled, right where the player left it.

General

 * It is usually recommended to hack a Bot rather than destroy it, as a hacked Bot will provide the player with a boost in firepower, as well as a distraction against enemies.


 * Deactivated bots will produce a ticking sound, which grows in pace over time. If the Bot is not reactivated withing a certain amount of time, it will automatically explode.


 * A destroyed Bot will explode, dealing high damage in the near vicinity. This can work to the player's advantage (see below).


 * It is possible to send Security Bots against an enemy without having to hack any. By initiating a hack, intentionally directing the flow towards an Alarm Tile and then painting the target with Security Bullseye, the player will be able to dispatch any enemy, Big Daddies included, over the course of the alarm, as well as receiving a continuous supply of Bots, which the player can choose to hack and/or research.


 * At the game's midpoint, Security Bots will be upgraded to shoot armor-piercing ammunition, dealing more damage to the player (as well as Big Daddies and other Security Devices if directed against them). Searching a destroyed Bot will also yield Armor-Piercing Auto Rounds from then on.


 * When an alarm is set off, Bots will always come in packs of two per Camera. Whenever one is destroyed, another will take its place.


 * A hacked bot can be instantly repaired by deactivating and reactivating it.


 * Placing a Target Dummy in a Camera's sight is a good way to draw in Bots to hack with a small cost in EVE and with little risk of injury.

Hacking

 * Always try to hack a Security Bot from a distance. Security Bots tend to move quite fast, so immobilizing them from up close is quite tricky. Second, there's always a risk the Bot will blow up in the player's face, so steering clear of them is advised.


 * If the above strategy fails, aim ahead of the Bot and quickly run towards it to initiate a hack.


 * Security Bots with a yellow light can be hacked without needing to immobilize them. The same applies to any Bot attacking a target other than the player.


 * Bots are particularly effective against melee-based enemies such as Bouncers, Thuggish Splicers and Spider Splicers. Not only will these enemies be generally unable to destroy Security Bots due to the lack of a ranged attack, but the explosion a destroyed Bot will produce is usually enough to take out a large chunk of even a Big Daddy's health.


 * It is advised to research Security Bots to level 4, as this will enable the player to instantly succeed when initiating a hack.

Combat

 * As mentioned above, it is recommended to take on Security Bots from a distance, although it is easier to shoot a Bot than to immobilize it. Be wary of the explosion a destroyed Bot will produce.


 * If the player has set off an alarm, it is best to use economical means to destroy the constant flow of hostile Bots. Telekinesis and target-changing Plasmids are best adapted to this.


 * It is also generally recommended to use hit-and-run tactics when having set off an alarm, so as to have to destroy as few Bots as possible.


 * Bots always try to approach the player at point-blank range and will perform a suicide dive if severely damaged. As such, it is recommended to stay in motion whenever possible.


 * Shooting Bots when they are close to a group of Enemies will cause said enemies to be damaged by the explosion provoked by the damaged Bot. If there are also explosives in the area, it is a highly recommended strategy.

General

 * Target Dummy is the ideal escape tool, as it will temporarily distract hostile Bots.


 * Security Bullseye is, of course, a useful tool when faced with these machines. Setting the Bots on another enemy will not only provide the player with an escape opportunity, but will also kill or severely injure the targeted enemy without them attacking the player.

Hacking

 * Electro Bolt is the first choice presented to the player for hacking. However, it presents several disadvantages: it is tricky to aim, deals damage to the Bot, and won't stun for long enough unless the player upgrades.


 * Winter Blast is a good choice when hacking: it is relatively easy to aim, it slows down the water flow when hacking (useless after researching this enemy type at level 4 or above), and deals no damage to the Bot. However, there is a chance the Bot may accidentally shatter when falling.


 * Target Dummy will temporarily distract hostile Bots, enabling the player to hack them without having to immobilize them. It also has the advantage of being cheap, easy to use, and can distract multiple Bots at a time.


 * Security Bullseye, as with Target Dummy, will distract hostile Bots. However, it will also ensure the targeted enemy will either die or be severely weakened. On the other hand, the Bots may end up severely damaged or destroyed by the end of the battle.

Combat

 * Winter Blast is useful when destroying enemy Bots for two reasons: first, it enables the player to destroy Bots far more easily. Second, frozen Bots will not explode when shattered.


 * Telekinesis is a very good means of destroying Bots. Most objects will destroy Bots in one hit, and firing them costs next to no EVE. There is also practically no reload time between shots.


 * Target Dummy, by distracting hostile Bots, will enable the latter to pick them off at their leisure. It is both very economical and very effective, as it is capable of distracting multiple Bots at a time. There is also a chance that multiple Bots will end up shooting themselves in the process.


 * Security Bullseye will not only harm other enemies, but also weaken and/or destroy the Bots the player wishes to eliminate, making it easier to finish them off.

Hacking

 * Liquid Nitrogen is the only viable weapon when hacking, as it is the only ammo type which does not damage enemies. Its high rate of fire also enables it to hit multiple Bots.


 * Attaching Proximity Mines to a hacked Bot will turn it into a mobile kamikaze. This strategy will cost the player a Security Bot, but will severely damage even a Big Daddy.
 * Telekinesis 3 can be use to bring Bots under control from Splicer to you without alerting that splicer. Note the splicer must notice you for the bot to be hostile.

Combat

 * Armor-piercing rounds will kill any machine in a couple of shots on any difficulty.


 * Electricity-based weaponry, such as Electric Buck and Electric Gel is extremely effective against machines, usually killing them in a fraction of a second with a minimal ammo cost. However, this ammunition is also the best against Big Daddies, so the player will have to choose which to give priority.


 * Liquid Nitrogen works well as an offensive weapon, as spraying multiple Bots before destroying them is easy, safe and cost-efficient.


 * Traps are generally useless, as Security Bots are normally agile enough to dodge them. The ammo cost is also not worth wasting it on Bots either.


 * Normal ammunition works rather well against Bots on any difficulty, as they are weak enough to go down in a couple of seconds with even the most inefficient ammo type.

General

 * Natural Camouflage will greatly help the player evade Security Bots. Simply standing still during an alarm will guarantee the player won't be targeted, provided he or she does not shoot.


 * The Armored Shell line of tonics will greatly reduce the amount of damage received by this enemy.


 * The Shorten Alarms line of tonics will significantly reduce the duration of alarms set off by the player.

Hacking
Note: The following Gene Tonics will become useless once the player has researched this enemy type to level 4 or over.


 * The Alarm Expert, Hacking Expert and Security Expert tonic lines will reduce the number of Alarm Tiles when hacking.


 * The Focused Hacker, Hacking Expert and Security Expert tonic lines will reduce the number of Overload Tiles when hacking.


 * The Security Expert line of tonics will increase the number of Deceleration Tiles and decrease the number of Acceleration Tiles.


 * The Speedy Hacker and Security Expert line of tonics will slow down the flow of the liquid when hacking.


 * The Hacker's Delight line of tonics will restore a part or even the totality of the player's Health and EVE after completing a successful hack.

Combat

 * The Machine Buster line of tonics will significantly increase damage against all machines.


 * The Damage Research line of tonics will increase damage against enemies researched using the Research Camera. The effectiveness of this Gene tonic is entirely dependent on the amount of research the player has done.

Help Caption
''Security Bots are the muscle of the security system. When an alarm sounds they will go to the location where the camera last saw you. You can hide from them, but cameras will tell them where you are if you are seen again during an active alarm.''

If you cancel an alarm early with a Security Shutdown Panel, the bot is instantly shut down and goes into a dormant state.

''When dormant, bots can be hacked. If you successfully hack a dormant Security Bot, it will reactivate and follow you around, helping fight your enemies.''

Hacked Security Bots will not attack your enemies unprovoked, but will join in attacking any target you yourself have attacked.

BioShock 2
Security Bots return to the sequel, with a few changes. Their AI has been improved, to the point where hacked Bots will actively try to absorb enemy fire by placing themselves in front of the player. It is also possible to acquire upgraded friendly bots. A red striped Elite version also is present.

Strategy Changes

 * Landing the needle on a blue area during a hack will grant the Bot increased damage versus enemies. Landing the needle on a red area, however, will cause the Bot to explode.


 * Following this knowledge, it is possible to use a deactivated Bot as a strategically placed bomb. To detonate it, simply initiate a manual hack (preferably by use of a Remote Hack Dart) and land the needle on a red spot. This is best done when the Bot is at a distance from the player, for obvious reasons.


 * The Handyman tonic allows the player to repair any hacked security by pressing the assigned hack button. Doing so upon a Security Bot will also have the effect of giving the bot a random name.


 * Security Command 2 summons a named security bot when it is charged and Security Command 3 summons an Elite Security Bot. This plasmid can also be used to turn the bots against each other, drawing fire away from the player.


 * Telekinesis 3 can be used to destroy Bots fairly easily with a low cost of EVE.


 * By beginning a hack on a machine, then moving to a Bot Shutdown Panel and letting the hack land on a red area (nearly immediately hitting the Shutdown Panel), the player allows him/herself to obtain bots for companionship, or to retrieve ammo from.

Help Caption
''Security Bots are the muscle of the security system. When an alarm sounds they will go to the location where the camera last saw you. You can hide from them, but cameras will tell them where you are if you are seen again during an active alarm.''

If you cancel an alarm early with a Security Shutdown Panel, the bot is instantly shut down and goes into a dormant state.

''When dormant, bots can be proximity hacked by pressing _. You can also hack them at any time from a distance by using the Hack Tool.''

''If you successfully hack a dormant Security Bot, it will reactivate and follow you around, helping fight your enemies. Hacked Security Bots will not attack your enemies unprovoked, but will join in attacking any target you yourself have attacked.''

Getting a BLUE BONUS section while hacking a Security Bot will cause it to do more damage to your enemies!

General

 * The Short Circuit line of tonics will make electricity shut down machines for a much longer duration.
 * Security Evasion causes turrets and cameras to take longer to see the player.
 * The Armored Shell line of tonics will significantly reduce damage taken from both bullets and explosions.
 * The EVE Saver line of tonics will significantly reduce the amount of EVE used when using plasmids.
 * The Shorten Alarms tonic is good because it will make the bots hostile for a shorter time.

Hacking

 * The Careful Hacker line of tonics will make the needle move slower.
 * EZ Hack will make the green and blue zones slightly larger.
 * The Hacker's Delight line of tonics will give the player a boost of Health and EVE once the hack is completed.
 * Hardy Machines will give hacked turrets and bots more health.
 * Handyman will make it possible to repair hacked turrets and bots for a small cost of EVE, as well as giving them random names.
 * Deadly Machines will make hacked turrets and bots cause more damage.

Combat

 * Machine Buster significantly increases damage against machines.
 * Damage Research increases damage bonuses earned through research.

Notable Security Bots
When Subject Delta in the office section of Fontaine Futuristics, Alex the Great uses a modified, indestructible security bot as his primary way of communicating with the player. It is capable of killing Splicers using electric jolts.

Trivia

 * In the first BioShock, once an alarm ends the bots actually don't go anywhere. The game simply waits until the player can no longer see them; upon this they simply disappear.
 * Research of this type of enemy can be accelerated either by setting an alarm off by letting a security camera lock onto the player or by luring an enemy near a hacked security camera, where as long as the alarm lasts, Security bots will appear, giving the player more chances to increase their research on them.
 * Gilbert's Security Bot, in navigation mode, has 2.5x the thrust of normal Security Bots, at the cost of half its lateral torque and all its momentum torque.