At what points in the story do you think Arthur canonically completed all the stuff in the north west?

[LucidLocomotive]

There are tons of encounters, events, animals, treasures, collectibles, side content, etc. up in the North West part of the map, including the snowy areas of Ambarino, as well as the stuff surrounding Strawberry. There aren’t too many points in the story that bring you out that way, though, and in-game it really is a long trek out of the way. It would be like driving 5 to 8 hours to cross state lines and go out that far. 
 

Since there is so much content there, I doubt Arthur completed/collected all of it in one trip. So what points in the story seem like the most reasonable points that he would travel out that way? When do you think he did and saw these things canonically?

[subvod]

Canonically? According to the journal, let's say shortly before moving camp in Chapter 2.

 

Logically? On my save, I purposefully did every sketch/entry as Arthur because of his more detailed entries. All New Austin animals and POIs first, then starting the first Chapter 1 mission and progressing according to animals localized to the areas of each chapter. Recall, they had to make the trek up from Blackwater to Colter. That includes the western part of Big Valley, assuming they took the path of least resistance.

 

Far as specifics go, the treasures and collectibles are kind of dodgy in backstory. Plus, you mention Strawberry, which in my mind isn't "northwest". More just central west. Even then, I don't recall Arthur being told of allegedly sacred gemstones held hostage by hawks/eagles. Although he can be told of treasures from the Spanish guy around Flatneck Station, so that covers the treasures. Animals, eh... there's nothing up there that's specific to the area. Moose and Grizzlies can be found elsewhere, but I just include all of both Big Valley and Grizzlies West in one animal group. Side content in the northwest? I suppose I recall the map event, stranger at Dormin Crest, and the boys at Cairn Lodge. Other than that, I guess the Cobalt Petrified Wood, but that's also one of those random finds. Bear in mind (heh) that in Chapter 2, those folks weren't well off. Pearson had a single jar of preserved offal. Assuming they weren't spending much time up there, I'd no issue collecting all the stuff right after Chapter 2 (canonically speaking). You don't really get full open world access until then, anyway.

 

The mention of time, again, I find questionable. It's a game. But since we're asking when he'd head back northwest strictly canonically, right after Chapter 2 seems the best time to do so. Up to each player, I guess. First time players need not bother with all the side stuff. Just play through the story and enjoy it, then go back and do a completionist OCD run if need be. It is an open world game, after all. Enjoy it while you can.

 

Driving 5-8 hours, lol. About a year ago, I drove 1,400 miles round trip in 10 hours just for fun. That's with a car. Talking about back then with a horse? You're looking at days if not weeks depending on preparedness and how hard you push your horse. They wear out like cars, just a lot quicker. Yeah, Chapter 2 still seems the best time to head back. Arthur's character is a bit curious, albeit consistently referred to as "simple minded" either jokingly or out of pity. He'd probably wonder what all has gone on up there.

 

Again, I'm considering northwest as Grizzlies West. Farther south there's a lot more life, therefore a lot more that can be explored. Speaking of stuff to do in such a barren place like north of Big Valley is dismal compared to Big Valley itself.

[Sean800]

9 hours ago, LucidLocomotive said:

There are tons of encounters, events, animals, treasures, collectibles, side content, etc. up in the North West part of the map, including the snowy areas of Ambarino, as well as the stuff surrounding Strawberry. There aren’t too many points in the story that bring you out that way, though, and in-game it really is a long trek out of the way. It would be like driving 5 to 8 hours to cross state lines and go out that far. 
 

Since there is so much content there, I doubt Arthur completed/collected all of it in one trip. So what points in the story seem like the most reasonable points that he would travel out that way? When do you think he did and saw these things canonically?

 

Both the Legandery Salmon and Flaco Hernandez can be found in Ambarino. And, if I'm not mistaken, a rock carving's located near there. So there you go.

[LucidLocomotive]

13 hours ago, subvod said:

Canonically? According to the journal, let's say shortly before moving camp in Chapter 2.

 

Logically? On my save, I purposefully did every sketch/entry as Arthur because of his more detailed entries. All New Austin animals and POIs first, then starting the first Chapter 1 mission and progressing according to animals localized to the areas of each chapter. Recall, they had to make the trek up from Blackwater to Colter. That includes the western part of Big Valley, assuming they took the path of least resistance.

 

Far as specifics go, the treasures and collectibles are kind of dodgy in backstory. Plus, you mention Strawberry, which in my mind isn't "northwest". More just central west. Even then, I don't recall Arthur being told of allegedly sacred gemstones held hostage by hawks/eagles. Although he can be told of treasures from the Spanish guy around Flatneck Station, so that covers the treasures. Animals, eh... there's nothing up there that's specific to the area. Moose and Grizzlies can be found elsewhere, but I just include all of both Big Valley and Grizzlies West in one animal group. Side content in the northwest? I suppose I recall the map event, stranger at Dormin Crest, and the boys at Cairn Lodge. Other than that, I guess the Cobalt Petrified Wood, but that's also one of those random finds. Bear in mind (heh) that in Chapter 2, those folks weren't well off. Pearson had a single jar of preserved offal. Assuming they weren't spending much time up there, I'd no issue collecting all the stuff right after Chapter 2 (canonically speaking). You don't really get full open world access until then, anyway.

 

The mention of time, again, I find questionable. It's a game. But since we're asking when he'd head back northwest strictly canonically, right after Chapter 2 seems the best time to do so. Up to each player, I guess. First time players need not bother with all the side stuff. Just play through the story and enjoy it, then go back and do a completionist OCD run if need be. It is an open world game, after all. Enjoy it while you can.

 

Driving 5-8 hours, lol. About a year ago, I drove 1,400 miles round trip in 10 hours just for fun. That's with a car. Talking about back then with a horse? You're looking at days if not weeks depending on preparedness and how hard you push your horse. They wear out like cars, just a lot quicker. Yeah, Chapter 2 still seems the best time to head back. Arthur's character is a bit curious, albeit consistently referred to as "simple minded" either jokingly or out of pity. He'd probably wonder what all has gone on up there.

 

Again, I'm considering northwest as Grizzlies West. Farther south there's a lot more life, therefore a lot more that can be explored. Speaking of stuff to do in such a barren place like north of Big Valley is dismal compared to Big Valley itself.

 

 

Do you think Arthur discovers the pagan ritual site or the Lakay symbols first? Apparently the sites are connected. It would make sense that he discovers the Lakay stuff during chapter 4 since that's when he's out by the bayous. You think the pagan sacrifice site he finds in Chapter 2?

[Deadman2112]

Well I think some of the things are rather self-explanatory when the player would find them.

 

But I don't believe that Arthur would have completed everything.

As a matter of fact I'm fairly certain that he was never intended to.

 

Take for example the Carolina Parakeet.

 

The game gives you the ability to go find them at any point after you reach chapter 2.

However, if you follow the timeline regarding the history of this species, you'll find that they weren't "officially" declared extinct until the 1939.

 

It is important to note that, they were originally suspected to have been extinguished right at the end of the 1800s.

With the exception of the ones that existed in captivity.

 

However several years after that original claim of Extinction was made... a conservationist came forward and claimed that he knew of a lone, isolated, group of Carolina parakeets that still existed in the wild.

 

The twist to that claim was he refused to tell anyone where this sighting took place for fear that someone would go looking for them.

 

When he made this claim, many people of that era speculated that "If" the birds did exist, then they were probably somewhere in the swamps of the Southern United States.

More accurately, Louisiana.

 

So if the conservationist made this claim in the early 1900s.

 

...and "If' someone were to have found and eliminated them after this sighting took place.

 

Then it would have happened within the timeline that coincides with the epilogues.

 

Edited March 28 by Deadman2112

[Edward RDRIII]

I thought I had ocd, but you guys give me hope.

[LucidLocomotive]

3 hours ago, Edward RDRIII said:

I thought I had ocd, but you guys give me hope.

Yeah bro, you have no idea. 

[Edward RDRIII]

39 minutes ago, LucidLocomotive said:

Yeah bro, you have no idea. 

Indeed lol.

[subvod]

On 3/25/2022 at 5:07 PM, LucidLocomotive said:

Do you think Arthur discovers the pagan ritual site or the Lakay symbols first? Apparently the sites are connected. It would make sense that he discovers the Lakay stuff during chapter 4 since that's when he's out by the bayous. You think the pagan sacrifice site he finds in Chapter 2?

 

Even before Chapter 1, to be honest. Again, the gang made the trek from Blackwater to Colter. Assuming westernmost northbound path, they'd pass right through Big Valley, so the ritual site would be first. The story areas go: Great Plains, north to Grizzlies West, southeast to Heartlands, east to Scarlett Meadows, southeast to Guarma, back northwest to Lakay, and finally north to Beaver Hollow.