I decided to do a main experiment and a side experiment in XCX. One I have not heard many people try.
"Work out how much of XCX is completable without getting your first skell licence." This is the main experiment.
"Work out how much of XCX is completable before you start your first Chapter 4 story quest. This is the side experiment.
I chose the side experiment as Chapter 4 is the first chapter the game lets you step into all 5 continents on Mira.
I will get a skell eventually as they look amazing. But I want to see how much can be done without it before I do the licence quests to get it.
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Here are the results of the experiment so far.
1. The time I have spent in game so far of this game file doing this experiment. I still have not done any of the chapter 4 quests.
2. Here are the exploration stats I have so far.
Primordia
15/20 probes placed.
One of the remaining 5 FN sites I visited but was level 5 so I could not place a probe there. The other 4 FN sites require flying skells to access.
33.33% explored.
Oblivia
19/22 probes placed.
All 3 remaining FN sites require flying skells to access.
35.9% explored.
Noctilium
20/25 probes placed.
All 5 require flying skells to access (I think) I could not find a way to get on the top of the massive waterfall in north Noctilium. I think getting to the top of that massive waterfall requires a flying skell.
28.4% explored.
Sylvalum
18/20 probes placed.
One of the remaining 2 FN sites I visited but was level 5 so I could not place a probe there. The last one I never saw but I assume the area it is in requires a flying skell as I could not get in at all on foot.
32.3% explored.
Cauldros
8/16 probes placed.
The north east of the Cauldros map I simply could not get into. I tried everything. I guess I need a flying skell. But there was an area in the castle ruins, an impassable corridor without a skell. The reason being is that corridor is guarded by 2x those massive sentry guns that one shot me dead. Their activation radius is so huge so I can not sneek past them. I don't know if there is anything past there (like a teleporter) to move me to the other parts of the map. Of the other side of that corridor is a teleporter. But it does not lead to mroe FN sites.
15.7% discovered.
The only continent I cound hard to discover was Cauldros. Because of all the enemy skells and automatic death turrets around the place. Also this was the only continent that could not find a decent nymber of things at my level to kill. There was a few at the Sylvalum/Caultros border (Cauldros side) but that's about it. Also the Cauldros meteor showers kill my party pretty fast. I have to fasty warp to change the weather away from it.
My favourite continents (so far) are Oblivia and Sylvalum.
I have completed most of the collectapedia too. I guess I could farm most of the few remaining pieces if I wanted too. I didn't get the percentage completion on that. But if anyone wants that info I can get it for them.
3. My party's current stats.
My party - X, Elma, Lin, Hope
Current Level - 35
Current Blade Division Level - 8
Number of classes ranked to level 10 (the max level) - 6
The Character I use (X)'s art set up
Defensive Stance, Tornado Blade, Rising Blade, Magnum Edge, Burning Slash, Incendiary Edge, Samurai Soul, Infuriate
I will replace Infurate later on with one of the quest earnt arts (a long sword art obviously).
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Here are two random images I took in game.
I found this area in Cauldros. It has a forcefield blocking my progress. I am pretty sure later on I'll get access to it. I guess there is a story related reason as to why you can't enter there early. I found this really strange as to why it's there.
A Link must really be addicted to those cigarettes
. I admit I dislike the idea of getting a Skell just to only progress through the area.
