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Walkthrough - "Xidia Gold"

The Dead Mines

Map Author: Mr. Prophet, reusing cave segments made by Hourences
Weapons: Automag, Shock Rifle, Mining Tool, Sniper Rifle, Flak Cannon, Eightball, Chaingun, Machine Gun Turret.
Creatures: Pupae, Brood, Larvae, Spinners, Biterfish, Behemoth, Skaarj Gunners.
Bosses: Red Nemesis, Gray Dragon and The Controller.
Difficulty:

Spencer has finally got away from the Outpost Pheonix and follows pretty much what Jones did during his visit to Xidia: entering the mining tarydium caves below the human compound. But here, Spencer will find more than that, by facing an entire squadron of Skaarj, meeting face to face with this Lt. Cray and discovering the truth about the grey humanoid. A big trip you say...
...and it's going to be firstly hard, and then laughably easy. The first section of the map is all about Skaarj battles, and this time they are finally using sneaky tricks to kill you (more or less). You'll breathe just after the first boss.

You begin the map in the corridor after the door found in the bottom of the elevator area you used before. And again (if that isn't a bug of mine) there's an Eightball in front of you. Get it and pass the next door.
You'll find yourself at the start of an incredibly long and enormous tunnel which just leads to the other side. Both ledges (like the one you're on right now) are connected with some kind of fast moving platform found in front of you. Below it there's just normal ground (and nothing aside for some explosive barrels) which you may use for fun, profit and some other things. If you fall here, just use the ladder found near the ledge from which you just fell (the other side has none).

Explore your balcony. On the left side, there are two wooden boxes with two Health Packs. On the right side there's a dead body with a Sniper Rifle and two boxes of Rifle Rounds. These are extremely useful for a forthcoming battle. If you don't need them, STAY AWAY.

Save the game now and proceed near the moving platform. There's a cool situation when you activate it, and it just revolves around the first though battle of the map. When you press the panel, not only the pod will start to move, but behind you, from those two square-shaped door found on the walls (side of the entrance door), two Skaarj vehicles (the same ones found during the train level) will appear (one per hole). Both ships have two Xidia Skaarj Gunners (four in total, same - and normal - health/speed properties), all with different weapons.

Vehicle coming from the wall on your left:
1) The Skaarj near the ship's tail has a Mining Tool. The less dangerous of the four.
2) The Skaarj near the ship's head has a Flak Cannon. Can be annoying.

Vehicle coming from the wall on your right:
3) The Skaarj near the ship's tail has a Sniper Rifle. This is the most dangerous, but the most useful (later about this).
4) The Skaarj near the ship's tail has a Pulse Gun. Generally annoying, but you shouldn't care about this one to much.

Staying on the platform (which moves to the other side after you pressed the panel) is NOT recommended. Both Skaarj vehicles move at the same speed, and the four Skaarj can just easily hit you, no matter what you try to do. In other words: GAME OVER.

There are two ways to become winners in this battle...

1) First way: don't let the Skaarj spot you until the end of their vehicle trips.
Advantages:
a) No real battle.
b) No damage to you.
c) No weapon shooting.
Disadvantages:
a) No points.
b) Dead Skaarj aren't counted in your Score Board.
This is the method made for those people that are afraid of dying, or fighting, against these four guys. You have to do nothing here, just waiting into a hiding place until the threat ends. If you don't get why it ends, I'll explain it now. The two Skaarj Vehicles never stop in their tracks, and the Skaarj don't move from their position unless you shoot them or... well, if you try to get a GAME OVER like explained above (this is rare though, shooting would be better. Otherwise, look the second method).
Both ships will end up somewhere. The one on the left will crash on a pipe found near the end of the tunnel. During the crash, it will create some explosions that will kill the Skaarj. Same thing for the ship on the right side, which just crashes on the wall at the opposite side of their start point. Even these Skaarj die. Congratulations player, you won a hard battle :P.
The way to make this happen is just pressing the panel, going back in the first corridor of the map and lastly crouching behind the pile of bricks you'll see here. Skaarj won't see you and they'll end up in fiery oblivion.
Unfortunately, no points or kills for you about the Score Board.

2) Second way: Skaarj deaths mean points and kills for you. I wonder how to do it.
Advantages:
a) Points, kills...
Disadvantages:
a) It's damn hard.
b) You may waste Sniper Rifle bullets (unless the Skaarj with the Sniper Rifle jumps from the ship).
c) You may be heavily damaged.
d) It's entirely based on the luck factor. On your luck factor.
e) Anything I forgot to write above.
This is for those crazy veterans like me who want to kill everyone. I said that in Xidia is better not be rough killers, but I made some exceptions like this one.
This method is still about killing the four Skaarj, but this time by getting points and kills for your score. It's very hard and I'll not recommend it for people that are having already big problems in Xidia. I made this, so it's not impossible.
Basically, there's a strategy: none. Unfortunately this method requires 15% of your skill. The rest is just pure luck.
The four Skaarj still have to crash, but this time when they are just in "attack" mode. In other words, you have to make yourself spotted by all of them until the end of their ride. Sounds easy, but actually not as the Skaarj will just deal you heavy damage. Plus, chances are that they'll jump from the vehicles and come like mad below the ledge you're on (later about this too).
I just do this. Open the first door, wait a second, activate the panel and then go back to the map's beginning. Door closes, wait a little (a second after you hear the electric sound). Now exit again and you should see both vehicles. If done correctly, all the Skaarj should have seen you. If not, then in the "wait a little" step let pass a half-second.
Now the four Skaarj have seen you. Anything may happen now: all the four may shoot you like mad, you being heavily damaged by one with a Sniper Rifle, etc... Now the luck factor comes in. Or you just stay before the door to protect yourself, or you dodge like mad in the middle of your balcony. If all the Skaarj (on the vehicles) are still fully angry at you, the crash should kill them and you get points for your score. Sniping them would be also a option to make them angry if they ceased to bother you. Yep, it's possible that this may happen in a last moment and you lose the kill. That's the hardest thing to do (or to pray) here.
Of course, there are other problems. The Skaarj like to jump from the ship, falling down in the long tunnel:
a) One of them isn't a problem. Go below and kill them with the Sniper Rifle.
b) One of them, and if he's the one with the Flak Cannon can be a problem. Still use a Sniper Rifle and get his weapon (which you shouldn't have it now. You'll get it later though).
c) One of them, and if he's the one with the Sniper Rifle can be also a problem. Still use a Sniper Rifle. When he dies, get his one to refill your Sniper Rifle bullets to max.
d) Two of them (Mining Tool and Pulse Gun ones). A problem. Snipe one from above and finish the second normally.
The Pulse Gun's secondary fire can be avoided by staying far from the Skaarj. Strafe to one direction to avoid the green, crazy orbs.
e) Two of them (Mining Tool and Sniper Rifle). A problem. Snipe the one with the Rifle and finish the second normally. Be sure to get the dropped Sniper Rifle.
f) Two of them (Mining Tool and Flak Cannon). See "d". The dangerous guy is the Flak Cannon one. Never underestimate the Mining Tool one though.
g) Two of them (Flak Cannon and Sniper Rifle). The most problematic one. Your priority is the one who gives you more annoyance.
h) Two of them (Flak Cannon and Pulse Gun). Same as "f".
i) Two of them (Pulse Gun and Sniper Rifle). Same as "e".
j) Three of them. Any combination is incredibly hard. Snipe two of them from above and finish the last normally.
k) Four of them. Never happened, and it's better that it doesn't happen.
Obviously, you may want to pray about the Skaarj with the Sniper Rifle, which you may want to get if you wasted any ammunition. The more Skaarj YOU kill and the less health you lose, the better.
In short: it's not recommended. It's possible, but extremely frustrating. Just do the first method if you want.

Ok, all the Skaarj are dead and you didn't get a chance to grab a Flak Cannon and you didn't waste the Sniper Rifle's bullets? Recall the moving platform by pressing the panel again. When it returns to your position, press the thing again to go on the other side. I should warn you about a geometry bug which doesn't let you use the platform (it stops at the start and then returns back like nothing happened). This has to do with your character's collision. To bypass this, crouch when the platform is passing the problem spot. This happens mostly on the other side though.
Don't worry about the long tunnel below, it just has a group of explosive Tarydium Barrels. Now check this second ledge, opposite the beginning of the map. On the left side, there are two wooden boxes with two Health Packs.

Now enter the next chamber, which is just another short corridor. A few steps and Lt. Cray will contact you...

"Incoming Call: Spencer? I'm reading your signal at the Tram Station exit to the Mines. Your getting close to my region, but be careful! The area you are entering saw some serious Skaarj activity. Keep your eyes open and don't attract unwanted attention."

The message warns you about an upcoming battle. Proceed through this place...
Here you'll spot a dead Skaarj on the right side, with a Flak Cannon and Flak Ammo near him. Get these and proceed to the end of this pathway. Enjoy the female scream, but you may want to turn down the volume as it can actually scare people around you!
Pass the door... and you'll enter a massive area, which reminds you of the Dasa Mountain Pass' storage area in Unreal. This is pretty much the same, although here you have to pass a longer and tougher battle...

Strong Enemy Fight: Skaarj-Controlled storage area
Enemy list (the order is based on the priority of their death. Just read the strategy):

Difficulty:

For newbies, this battle seems to be pretty much impossible. But it's crap compared to method 2 of the previous fight, not to mention other stuff in Xidia. As you can see the enemy list, you should kill them in a certain order, which makes the trip easier and less frustrating.

First of all be sure to know the first part of the area you're in. The action takes mostly near the entrance doorway (the middle of the T-junction) which I call "Point T", and the corridor on your left (just at the entrance, turn left and you'll see this empty but long corridor) which I call "Path I".
Remember that I'll use the two names written above when it's needed, during the battle. Want to pass this mess now? Follow my advice.

Go into Path I and proceed until the turn. Here you have access to another corridor which leads to a ladder going over one of those red, long crates. Ascend it and stay on the left side and away from the edge in front of you. Save the game now and equip the Sniper Rifle. Now (staying always on the left side) go near the edge and look below. You should see the first Skaarj Gunner, armed with a Shock Rifle.
This guy, when he spots you, will try to run down the pathway leading to Point T (which is the one in front of the entrance, leading to the middle of the storage area). You must prevent him from doing that.
Be sure he hasn't spotted you and shoot him with the Sniper Rifle, possibly on the head (you'll find it weird to do from above. Aim over the middle of the head). Now he'll try to run to the left. Don't jump from the red crate and strafe instead to the right side to follow him. Quickly, shoot him before he escapes. You don't need headshots, just two bullets on the chest and you're done.
Remember that after the second hit the Skaarj will get angry and will decide to shoot you from the position he is in. Be sure not to miss him with the third bullet. It's recommended that he strafe to your right, as it's near a safe area. If he strafes to the left, either load or retreat back to the ladder. He may follow you below the crate and you can snipe him for the last time. You just need to be quick. It's better if you kill him near the pathway leading to Point T, though.

Once he's dead, he'll drop his Shock Rifle, a new weapon in your arsenal. Jump from the red crate for it. 100% possible that a cutscene is being shown about a red crate moving through the ceiling. Be sure to get the Shock Rifle and retreat to the middle of Point T. Save your game and be sure to have the Sniper Rifle still equipped.

Remember the red crate that you climbed right now to kill the first Skaarj Gunner? It will now open, and from it two further Skaarj Gunners come out, the ones with a Shock Rifle and a Dispersion Pistol. Stay in Point T with the Sniper Rifle's Zoom on and face the middle of the area middle, but more to the left side. After a while, the two Skaarj arrive, running towards you. Shoot one of them (be sure to hit. Never underestimate anticipated damage) and retreat in Path I, facing Point T. The two Skaarj will now arrive Point T and you have to kill them with the Sniper Rifle. They like to advance to you pretty slowly, but the main priority is the Skaarj who wields the Shock Rifle. Kill this ONE firstly. The one with the DP has just more health and his bolts can be easily avoided with strafing. Retreat near the end of Path I if they are coming too close to you and be sure to land more headshots for quick kills (highly recommended).

Now save the game again. Your next battle is against a Skaarj Gunner with a Mining Tool. Killing him is easy, what's harder is seeing him. It's possible that 25% of the time he tries to walk far from Point T's main pathway. To spot him, go to this pathway, stay near the crates on the left and look for any moving Skaarj. Fortunately, it will not make any other Skaarj spot you. Plus most of the time it just comes near Point T. Use the same method of the two previous Skaarj to kill this one. If you don't want to expend Sniper Rifle Bullets, your Mining Tool works well too (do this only in Path I!).
He'll drop his Mining Tool and additional Tarydium Ammo.

Your next target is a Skaarj Gunner with the Automag, found on the second pile of crates on the left hand side. Stay in Point T and snipe him from here. He'll not see you, luckily. One headshot and two normal hits are as always necessary.

Next Skaarj to kill: this is the hardest one. He's found in the red crate found over the pathway of Point T, but it's opened only on the side facing the centre of the area centre. To kill him, go below the entrance of the crate whilst aiming upwards, inside it. Now walk backward until your crosshair becomes red. This means that the Skaarj Gunner is just under your control... for now. He'll not see you obviously.
Now fill him with DP shots until he dies (the crosshair should turn white). Unfortunately, it's possible that he can jump from the crate and kill you easily. If that happens, try to kill him quickly with the Sniper Rifle (headshots aren't really optional). He has incredible accuracy so watch out. Killing him in this way rewards you with a Sniper Rifle (if you have about 34 bullets before fighting this Skaarj, it's pretty useless). The DP method, which works most of the time, just makes you safe from anything, but no Sniper Rifle. Once this bugger is dead, save the game and proceed in the middle of the storage, but on the left side.

Be sure to check the right side for a nook which leads to a red crate with a hole. Over it there's your last Skaarj, armed with a Flak Cannon. Staying distant (further to the left in other words) allows you to shoot his head before he spots you. Take advantage of this opportunity. He'll then jump from its original position to chase you. Simply snipe him to death. He'll drop a Health Pack and a Flak Cannon (if you're lucky, this will have 10 ammo. If you want, you could retry until that happens). Be sure to be fast when getting them. The position where he died (probably...) is visible under the eyes of your last target, a normal Behemoth with 30% resistance to Exploded damage (DP bolts, Rockets, Flak Shells). Get firstly the dropped items (especially the Flak Cannon) and retreat away to Point T; his rockets are easy to avoid.

Killing this guy is easy. Just fill him sith DP bolts and a Sniper Rifle bullet in the head. The Mining Tool or Eightball also work well. The Behemoth drops Flak Ammo for you, so get it.

Mission finished finally!

You probably got hurt during this long fight. Now you have to explore this area. Be sure to have fun by shooting the Tarydium Barrels found near the centre and then save the game. See the hangar door found directly at the opposite side of the entrance? Do NOT go near that door. Go on the right hand side instead.
Follow the corridor and you should enter the broken red crate. It has a Machine Gun Turret which you are going to use shortly. Pass this red crate and continue. You'll spot on the right hand side an opened grey box with two Tarydium Ammo, two cans of Eightballs and one Flak Ammo (by now your Flak Cannon has maximum ammo, if the dropped one by the last Skaarj Gunner gave you ten shells) and two Health Packs
. Save the game and go near that big door I told you to avoid...

Incredible Boss Battle: Red Nemesis
Health: 1603
Difficulty:
Attacks:
1) Skaarj Projectiles (16 health per hit): normal Skaarj Warrior's ranged attack. Is the same as any other normal Skaarj Warrior-based enemies found in Xidia. Don't worry about these ones.
2) Claw Attack (?/20 health per hit): Slow and double melee attack. You'll never see it in this battle.
3) Lunge (55 health): Skaarj's well-known lunge. Even this is nonexistent from the battle.
4) Spin Attack (?/20 health per hit): Skaarj Spin. Forget it here.
Description:
Red Nemesis are the highest echelon of the "warrior" class Skaarj and are recognized as the most ferocious breed. Their limited numbers are usually sent to protect areas or items of great interest to the Skaarj. This one is known for his impressive intelligence. Trust me.

This guy is an idiot.
You may find the DarkLord easy, and the normal Skaarj Praetorians were true threats. But this one just beat them all, even the Red Nemesis fought by Jones in Outpost Pheonix.
Well, let's just see how to beat this feared boss without using one of your weapons and without being damaged.
See the cutscene where the Red Nemesis is shown, coming from a lift from the middle of the storage area. Unfortunately he doesn't use the tank below him. As you regain your control, quickly run to the Machine Gun Turret by using your running speed and side-dodges. Take control of the Machine Gun Turret and wait.
If you were fast enough to run to this big weapon, you already have already won the battle. You should see the Red Nemesis coming from the right hand side. Shoot him like a mad with the Turret until he hides to the left. Now exit from the red crate you're in (right side) and wait 4 or 5 seconds.
Return to the Turret. Same thing happens, shoot the moving Red Nemesis again. None of his projectiles will hit you while you use the Turret, plus he'll never try to melee you. He'll go again to the left side.
You know what to do now. Repeat the same process until he dies. Congrats! Red Nemesis defeated!

Now that the Red Nemesis is dead you can finally breathe. No more Skaarj Gunners / Warriors for the rest of the level.

Before doing anything, NEVER, and I say it again, NEVER open the big door which should lead to the next area (now unlocked after the death of the Red Nemesis. More details below) before you have finished with this first part of the map. You may want to go in the junction with this door and go to the left side. Here you'll find a Body Armor and three Bandages.
Now be sure to have picked up anything you left (especially the Sniper Rifle stuff near the beginning of the level) and return in the storage area...

Map Bug - READ HERE - Possibilities of a new Xidia Patch

I discovered it the last time I played the map. Actually, you read above that you should never open the door if you have to get something you left behind. Yeah, if you go into the next corridor the door closes, but forever.
Not a problem you say. There's another one. You can open the door ONLY ONE TIME. This mean that after you opened it, you must enter the next corridor.
Don't do it and you'll remain stuck in the storage area forever, forcing you to ghost, and so losing points, to go to the other side.

Solution: Open the door only when you have to pass through it.

Enter the corridor now and let the door close behind you for good. Now the map is a funny piece of cake until the end, so don't worry about any big dangers.
Proceed to the end of this tunnel where another locked door can be found. On the right side, a red panel:

"Door Panel: System lcoked down. Passcard required in slot 1 in order to bypass."

Go back and search for a door which leads to the Crew Berth. Open it and see what's beyond it. You'll see the grey humanoid again (is just a grey Nali if you haven't got it) escaping away. Follow him and enjoy his scream coming from afar.

This place is pretty much in chaos. The cabins in front of you are all empty, except one which contains a Clip. Proceed to the broken door and when you pass it, run backward. A Pupae drops from the ceiling directly after the doorway, trying to kill you. Use DP and kill him. Proceed in the next room and go near the pathway on the left side. You'll see a weird metal brick on the floor moving. A hidden elevator comes from it with something...

Strong Enemy Fight: Brood
Health: 125
Difficulty:

In reality an oversized Pupae (not a real Brood enemy). It's very easy. Just run backward to the beginning of the crew berths while you shoot him with the DP. You need to be careful when you are trying to pass the broken doorway. A wrong direction and you're stuck in a corner... and dead.

Check now the part of the cabins after the squashed body. You should find a box of Bullets near the small wardrobe containing a... porn picture.
Go in the pathway where you found the oversized Pupae. There's a body here (probably of the woman who screamed before you entered the storage area). She has the Pass Card which you should get and a message:

"Kathryn, diary: It's quiet now, the screaming has stopped. I hope Doug comes back for me soon, I know he will but I just wish it would be sooner rather than later. I just want to go home, I don't want to be here anymore. I served my rotation, I did all the things they told me to do after college....but look where it's gotten me. For all my computer and math skills....what good is it doing me now? God, I just want Doug to come and together we'll get away from this place..."

Now that you got the Card, return to that locked door seen previously and use it on the panel...

"Door Panel: Card accepted, welcome to the compound Kathryn Biggs."

You'll find yourself in a pretty familiar area passed by Jones: the mining compound. If you played as Jones, this is the room where you fought the Skaarj Harvester with the Flak Cannon and also the last chamber before the cave where you saw the Warlord.
Use the barrels to climb over the window on the left side. Here you'll find a Shock Rifle and two Shock Cores. You may want to save the latter two thing for some fun that you're going to get later...
The board has the message again. It's weirdly changed from the last time you seen it with Jones though:

"NOTICE: Team 46 report- Recent quakes uncovered a nest of Arachnids, we don't know where their source is but Bravo team is working hard to eliminate it. If you contact any of the larger arachnids, do not attempt to engage the creature by your own personal means. Instead, abandon your post and retreat to the nearest sector leader. The Arachnids can be very dangerous and may contain certain poisons we aren't aware of. Safety is our primary concern."

Go back and clearly in the doorway at the opposite side of the entrance. Unfortunately the exit here is blocked by boulders fallen for an earthquake. There's a wooden box with a pair of Thigh Pads though. Return back, go over the metal ledge and pass the hole here to enter the caves... Save your game too.

Go to the right side and see what's here now. At the dead-end you'll find two Spinners. They are easy to kill, so use the DP and strafe (correctly) to avoid their acid orbs. Have fun even with the Shock Rifle if you left the ammo in the previous room. Aside them, you'll find three Seeds and a new weapon, the Chaingun. It's the replacement of the Combat Assault Rifle in Spencer's chapter. It has 100 bullets and it's incredibly strong (best weapon of Xidia). But you can hardly move with it equipped. Have fun using it here if you want, as you lose it in the next map.

Return back and go to the other side. Proceed and watch out for a Spinner hidden behind one of those metal archways. Proceed in the next cave area. There are four Spinners here: one near the path in front of you, another one more on the right side and two on the third pathway (right side again). Enter the path where the first Spinner was. The dead-end here contain another Spinner, Chaingun Ammo (25 bullets here, no 50) and a message from the body here:

"Deigo, log page 43: Me and Wallace got seperated from Azriel, he wandered off somewhere deep into the mine and we never saw him again. The spider-scorpions have grown restless, and when we aren't dealing with them, we have the Derelict creatures hunting us. Carlo's team was supposed to meet us yesterday with a new batch of supplies and ammo, but they never showed. Wallace thinks they are taking the long route, but I think they got sidetracked and headed through the southern mines... (Dated 5/12)"