Hotwire & Lockpick System

Interactive minigames for breaking into vehicles and doors.

Overview

tc_keys includes two criminal mechanics:

• Hotwire - Start a vehicle without keys
• Lockpick - Open locked doors and vehicles

Both feature interactive minigames with configurable difficulty and police dispatch integration.

Hotwiring Vehicles

How to Hotwire

Requirements:

• hotwire_kit item (configurable)
• Must be in driver seat
• Must not have vehicle access already

Steps:

1. Sit in the driver seat of a locked vehicle
2. Use the hotwire kit item
3. Complete the hotwire minigame
4. On success: Engine starts, vehicle unlocked
5. On failure: Remain locked, possible police alert

Hotwire Minigame

The hotwire minigame requires players to connect wires while avoiding sparks:

Gameplay:

• Multiple wires appear on screen
• Click and hold each wire to connect it
• Sparks randomly travel along wires
• Release before a spark reaches you
• Connect all wires to succeed

Difficulty Levels:

• Easy (C Class) - Fewer wires, slower sparks
• Medium (B Class) - Moderate wires and sparks
• Hard (A Class) - More wires, faster sparks
• Very Hard (S Class) - Many wires, very fast sparks

Difficulty Configuration

Configure how difficulty is determined:

Config.HotWireDifficulty = "auto" -- "auto", "easy", "medium", "hard"

Auto Mode (Recommended):

Config.GetVehicleClass = function(speed, vehicleName)
    if speed >= 160.0 then
        return "S"  -- Supercars
    elseif speed >= 140.0 then
        return "A"  -- Sports cars
    elseif speed >= 120.0 then
        return "B"  -- Performance cars
    else
        return "C"  -- Regular cars
    end
end

Custom Logic Examples:

-- By vehicle class
Config.GetVehicleClass = function(speed, vehicleName)
    if vehicleName:find("supercar") then
        return "S"
    end
    -- etc.
end
 
-- By vehicle model hash
Config.GetVehicleClass = function(speed, vehicleName)
    local difficultVehicles = {
        ["adder"] = "S",
        ["zentorno"] = "S",
        -- etc.
    }
    return difficultVehicles[vehicleName] or "C"
end

Lockpicking

Lockpicking Vehicles

Requirements:

• lockpick item (configurable)
• Must be outside the vehicle
• Vehicle must be locked
• Must be within 2.5 meters

Steps:

1. Stand near a locked vehicle
2. Use the lockpick item
3. Complete the lockpick minigame
4. On success: Vehicle unlocked (temporarily)
5. On failure: Remain locked, possible police alert

Lockpicking Doors

Requirements:

• lockpick item (configurable)
• Door must be locked
• Door must be lockpickable
• Must be within 5 meters

Steps:

1. Stand near a locked door
2. Use the lockpick item
3. Complete the lockpick minigame (difficulty based on door config)
4. On success: Door unlocked (temporarily)
5. On failure: Remain locked, possible police alert

Lockpick Minigame

The lockpick minigame requires precise timing:

Gameplay:

• A slider moves up and down
• A target zone is shown
• Click when the slider is in the target zone
• Complete multiple rounds to succeed

Difficulty Levels:

• Easy - Large target zone, slow speed
• Medium - Medium target zone, medium speed
• Hard - Small target zone, fast speed

Smart Detection: When you use a lockpick item, the system automatically:

1. First checks for a nearby locked vehicle (within 2.5m)
   • If found: Starts vehicle lockpick minigame
2. If no vehicle found: Checks for a nearby locked door (within 5m)
   • If found: Starts door lockpick minigame
3. If neither found: Shows an error message

Temporary Access

Both hotwire and lockpick grant temporary access:

Vehicle Access

• Hotwire Success - Engine starts, can drive away
• Lockpick Success - Doors unlock, can enter

Door Access

• Lockpick Success - Door unlocks temporarily
• Auto-Lock - Door re-locks after configured delay

Configure auto-lock delay:

Config.DoorAutoLockDelayMs = 5000 -- 5 seconds

Police Dispatch Integration

Both mechanics can trigger police alerts:

Configuration

Config.AlertPolice = true
Config.PoliceAlertsChances = {
    hotwireFail = 0.5,       -- 50% chance on failed hotwire
    lockpickFail = 0.5,      -- 50% chance on failed lockpick
    lockpickSuccess = 0.2,   -- 20% chance on successful lockpick
    hotwireSuccess = 0.2     -- 20% chance on successful hotwire
}

Dispatch Messages

Dispatch alerts include:

• Location - Coordinates where the crime occurred
• Type - “Vehicle Hotwiring”, “Door Break-in”, “Vehicle Break-in”
• Job - Sent to configured police jobs

Realistic Balancing

Success vs Failure Alerts:

• Failed attempts have higher alert chance (caught in the act)
• Successful attempts have lower alert chance (quiet professional)
• Balances realism with gameplay

Recommended Settings:

• High-security servers: Increase all chances
• Roleplay servers: Keep defaults
• Casual servers: Decrease or disable alerts

Item Consumption

Configure if items are consumed:

In Your Inventory Config

-- For ox_inventory
['lockpick'] = {
    label = 'Lockpick',
    weight = 160,
    server = {export = 'tc_lib.useItem'},
    -- Consume on use (handled by inventory)
}
 
['hotwire_kit'] = {
    label = 'Hotwire Kit',
    weight = 1,
    stack = false,
    server = {export = "tc_lib.useItem"},
    -- Consume on use (handled by inventory)
}

Special Features

Job-Based Access

Some servers may allow mechanics or other jobs to hotwire vehicles without needing items, or with different difficulty settings.

Skill Systems

Your server may integrate skill progression:

• Higher lockpicking skill = easier minigame
• More experience = better success rate
• Skill levels affect difficulty automatically

Custom Scenarios

Servers can create special scenarios:

• Heist missions with specific lockpick requirements
• Repo jobs requiring hotwiring
• Training courses for learning the mechanics

Tips & Best Practices

For Server Owners

1. Balance difficulty - Too easy removes risk, too hard frustrates players
2. Set appropriate alert chances - Higher for high-security areas
3. Make items valuable - Rare hotwire kits create interesting choices
4. Consider your police population - More cops = higher alert chances work
5. Test the minigames - Make sure they’re achievable

For Players

1. Practice makes perfect - Try the minigames on test vehicles/doors
2. Watch for police - High alert areas are risky
3. Be quick - Don’t linger after successful lockpick
4. Have backup items - Bring extra lockpicks
5. Know when to run - Failed attempts might alert police

For Developers

1. Use exports for custom items - Don’t duplicate the minigame code
2. Respect item consumption - Don’t bypass item requirements
3. Add skill progression - Integrate with your skill systems
4. Create interesting scenarios - Heists, repo missions, etc.
5. Balance rewards - Make risk worth the reward