How the traceroute hack works
The network is a ten-by-six lattice of nodes, each with a two-character hex label, with links between some neighbouring pairs and not others. SRC is at the bottom left, DST at the bottom right. From wherever you are, the nodes you can hop to are lit — click one, or press the arrow or WASD key in its direction. Scattered through the network are seven IDS nodes, drawn as red diamonds: intrusion detection. Land on one and the trace ends.
Every hop counts against an allowance shown in the sidebar, set at roughly a third above the shortest safe route. The route you have taken is listed as you go, and the links you have used stay lit behind you. Reach DST inside the allowance and the trace is complete; the score is the time it took. Running into an IDS node, running out of hops or running out of the thirty second window all end the run with twenty-five seconds added.
This is the 5.0 traceroute as players describe it: find a connected route through a randomised network while managing a hop budget and steering around detection. It is a planning task disguised as a clicking one — the fast runs are the ones where the route was read before the first hop.
Benchmento is not affiliated with Rockstar Games, NoPixel or any roleplay server. These are original implementations built from descriptions of how the minigames work, for practice in the browser.
What counts as a fast trace
| Time | Standing |
|---|---|
| Under 8s | Exceptional |
| 8 – 11s | Fast |
| 11 – 15s | Solid |
| 15 – 26s | About average |
| 26 – 30s | Just in time |
| Over 30s | Detected, or ran out |
The safe route is usually fifteen to twenty hops. Read correctly first, that is six or seven seconds of clicking. Most of the time in an average run is spent discovering that the obvious rightward path runs into an IDS node and backing out of it — which is also where most of the hop allowance goes.
How to trace faster
- Find the IDS nodes first. They are the only things that end the run outright. Locate all seven before you look for a route, and the route becomes obvious by elimination.
- Read the whole network before the first hop. Every link is visible from the start. Two seconds of looking beats a dead end every time.
- Work backwards from DST. The bottom-right corner usually has one or two links in. Find which node feeds it, then which feeds that.
- Use the keys on desktop. Arrows or WASD hop instantly in a direction; a click needs aiming. On a read route the keyboard is a second or two faster.
- Count links, not distance. A node three columns away with a straight run of links is closer than the one next door with no link to it.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the NoPixel 5.0 traceroute hack?
It is an independent recreation built from descriptions of how the 5.0 traceroute plays: find a connected route from SRC to DST through a randomised network, avoid the IDS nodes, and stay inside a hop allowance. It is not connected to any server and is not affiliated with Rockstar Games or NoPixel.
What are the red IDS nodes?
Intrusion detection. Hop onto one and the trace ends immediately. They are placed so that a safe route always exists, but they usually sit on the routes that look most direct.
How many hops do I get?
About a third more than the shortest safe route, plus two, worked out fresh for every network and shown in the sidebar. Every hop counts, including hops back out of a dead end.
Is a route always possible?
Yes. The IDS nodes are only placed where a safe route still exists, and the allowance is based on that route. Whether you find it inside the allowance is the game.
What is the score?
Seconds from the start to reaching DST. Landing on an IDS node, running out of hops, or running out of the thirty second window ends the run and adds twenty-five seconds.