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Certain heists such as Watchdogs and Rats Day 3 have two different vehicles that are generally available at the same time. One is indicated to the player as a loot securing vehicle, and the other is indicated to the player as an escape vehicle.

Can loot be secured by taking it with you to the escape vehicle, even though the game doesn't offer a "loot secured" text alert?

I see three scenarios that can be tested:

  1. Loot is secured in the dedicated loot vehicle

  2. Loot is on the ground in the escape area

  3. Loot is on a player's back who is in the escape area

tripleee
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michaelwritescode
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  • I believe any bags you are carrying whilst you escape are counted, but I'm not 100% certain. Good question. – Neon1024 Aug 30 '13 at 15:47
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    I'm going to try this soon unless someone answers it before I do. – 3ventic Aug 30 '13 at 15:50
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    In watchdogs taking the 9th bag onto the helicopter rather than waiting for the boat to come a 3rd time has odd effects. In the score screen Bain will say something about you not getting all the coke (which he won't say if you put the 9th bag in the boat) but the summary tab will reward you for 9 bags as if you had successfully secured the last one. It may be that it does count bags you escape with but that's not intended behavior, in which case I imagine it will be patched eventually. – Oblivious Sage Aug 30 '13 at 18:57
  • Question along the same lines. What if you get to the escape van with a loot bag but don't toss it in the van. Do you still get the credit? – Son of a Sailor Aug 30 '13 at 20:46

3 Answers3

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Further testing indicates that only Rats Day 3 allows you to skip the loot vehicle by carrying the bags. Dropping the bags on the escape area does not count.

We tested this on Rats Day 3 by taking the cash bags to the escape chopper rather than loot chopper and they did count towards our reward for the mission (listed as bag loot items). Only the bags carried by players were counted. I haven't tested on other missions.

3ventic
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Yes, a loot bag that is carried by a player in the escape area counts toward the total cash reward in all heists. But it does not count toward XP rewards nor achievements. Unsecured loot that is on the ground in the escape area does not count.

If you carry a bag while escaping, you will get the full amount of money for it. Bain's commentary afterwards will not reflect this. However, merely throwing bags into the escape zone on the other hand (without any "loot secured" message) does not count.

XP rewards and achievements that require players to secure a certain amount of loot do not count bags carried into the escape. Essentially, if you worry about gaining experience or achievements, carrying bags into the escape has some severe disadvantages. If you care about money only, carrying bags directly may often save a second or two depending on the circumstances.

- Carrying Bags, Payday 2 - The Long Guide

Another answer here states that carried loot bags don't count in Watchdogs - Day 2, but multiple players have tested and confirmed that bags carried by the players do count towards the total in Watchdogs - Day 2 (even if Bain's dialogue says otherwise):

galacticninja
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The behaviour of this mechanic is very inconsistent. As rightfully pointed out by 3ventic, bags you're carrying on day 3 of Rats will count towards your payday. However, this is not the case with the cocaine on day 2 of Watchdogs.

After a significant amount of testing though I've come to the conclusion that basically, the behaviour seems to be as follows:

  • if it's yours and you escape with it, you keep it,
  • if it's not and you escape with it, it counts as a failure and that bag isn't counted.

This means that in the instance of Rats, the money you escape with counts because it's now your money. In the instance of Watchdogs, escaping by carrying coke will not count as it's Hector's coke - not yours. By exiting the level with the coke, Hector never receives it and you're not credited with escaping with it.

kalina
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    This makes sense, since I know for a fact that the Mallcrashers bags also count when escaped via the helicopter. – Unionhawk Oct 21 '13 at 05:07
  • I had completely forgot about mallcrashers - but yeah, the bags from mallcrashers are yours and thus count when you escape with them – kalina Oct 21 '13 at 08:37
  • @Unionhawk I don't think there is a loot vehicle in mallcrashers to begin with, so it makes sense to escape with them. – 3ventic Oct 21 '13 at 15:42
  • @3ventic You can take them to the van and secure them that way as well. – Unionhawk Oct 21 '13 at 15:43
  • @Unionhawk doesn't the van leave when alarm goes off? – 3ventic Oct 21 '13 at 15:54
  • @3ventic It leaves about 30 seconds or so after the police arrive. It is possible to put the bags in the van (I have done it). You just have to go fast. – Unionhawk Oct 21 '13 at 15:56