The Virginia Complex (The AI Companion)

[CTG]

I am writing my pointers on how I obtained Virginia in 5-7 days, on my second play-through as I completed the first in 17.5 hours, and failed to make companion with Virginia.

As-of current, in my newest game, she is a companion AI of mine. Clothed in her newly obtained leather outfit, dual wielding a shotgun and pistol.

[Intro to Virginia]
I saw the mutant-female hiding behind a tree observing me as I ran by collecting water from a local pond. I put no real thought into it, because I watched the previews I was aware of who she was, I just had no concern of how to obtain her at the moment. Virginia, doesn't have to be sought after, she will find you. So let her chase you, literally do your thing, give it 1-3 days, she'll find you (so long as you're not in snow).

[First Play-Through]
Virginia and I had a rocky relationship the first play-through. This is either because of two circumstances, or one of two. The first was that I accidentally shot her in the middle of an invasion, with a shotgun. I did not kill her, but she was taken off her feet. The second could be that maybe she does not want to be attached to you after the campaign has been completed. I did not actually try to obtain her until after I beat the game's story, however, I shot her before I completed the game (as stated above). So it could be just the gun shot, but, game completion could also play a role.

[New/Current Play-Through]
I decided on a second play-through because I completed the game in less than 18 hours, just grinding the story in fast-mode. I wanted a second play-through mainly to befriend Virginia, but also to explore, relax, and take my time, read the little details in the game that I likely missed on my speed-run.

So what I did here, was write down a list of what I noticed about Virginia, that might contradict or agree to a guide you have read:

• Virginia does not care if you have a weapon in your hand, she will back away from you at first one way or another
  
• You do not reduce your chances with Virginia if you kill, shoot, or beat someone to death in front of her, she only dislikes if you hit her
  
• Virginia will run away, if you approach her, it's not you, it is just her default action
  
• Virginia takes a little time to warm up to the player, however in real-time we're talking 5-7 in-game days to obtain her from start
  
• No matter where you are, Virginia will leave you a gift; read below
  
• Virginia does not instantly trust you, the player must still pursue her
  
• If you shoot Virginia or think you shot her, just reload your save, no reason to chance it if that mechanic is true
  
• Virginia is deadly with her dual wield weapon options, and Kelvin is, well, useless

Two independent times in the first 5-7 days of obtaining Virginia in the new story, I was firing on enemies with Virginia right near me, both suppressed weapon and not; sound, weapons and murder around her does not seem to affect her, only if you directly attack her.

Virginia takes a little time to warm up, don't get impatient. There is no proof that if you pursue her she continues to run further; no one has tried this, I have run toward her and had her run off, it changed nothing.

I received my gift when Virginia came to me in the midst of the evening, middle of a raid on my camp. I am shooting cannibals left and right, while Virginia is standing there not-moving holding berries telling me she has a gift. Despite all the action, I missed the calling and she ran off into the woods before I could collect my gift -- she comes back!

She came back the next day, I heard her say 'gift,' as I was on my lookout post, she left the berries at the foot of my door. I ran down to eat them, and then the next day when I saw her off in the distance, I ran to her, I kept distance, but she sat down, grabbed her knees and sat still. I ran up, she didn't move, then i saw the E button appear; I knew she was mine! Equipped her with the leather outfit and dual weapons, and a tag.

[Virginia is Flaky]
Virginia is not a domesticated cat, and she's not Kelvin. Kevlin is like having a pet rock, it is where you are, it's in the way, it's pointless, and yeah. Virginia is like a dog that wanders the forest aimlessly for days, but when she shows up and defends the base, she was greatly missed. Virginia gives a whole new meaning to 'one shot drop,' ammunition.

[Virginia Talks]
Virginia will tell you that she is giving a gift, if you listen, she will say 'gift,' if she is around at night or sometimes day, but you don't see her, she will hum.

[Conclusion]
I am sure someone wrote something like this, already, or variations of it. I read guides for it, and still had questions, so I wrote my experiences with it in hopes for those who had questions like me, could find what they were looking for.

[Buckshot]

Great write-up and observations about Virginia. I would just like to add some thoughts and observations of mine as well.

In my current savegame, I noticed her about 5 minutes (real time) after I helped Kelvin up on his feet. I could tell she was shy because I tried to approach her and she ran off...only to show up again about 10 real life minutes later. She was scared and curious at the same time. You are right in your post about letting her approach you. She has to learn to trust to trust humans again. According to her back story, her and her parents arrived on the island 8 months before we did. The mutants must have performed some kind of surgery on her because she clearly didnt have 3 arms and 3 legs before they arrived on the island. She is very observant. Many times when I was hungry and she was around, she would often show up with a gift in the form of a squirrel or rabbit. Just today I learned she also fishes because she gave me a fish as a gift. There is something she does and I am not sure if I interpret it correctly but...sometimes when you get close to Virginia, she seems to plug her nose...as if to say "you stink. go take a bath". Sure enough, I jump into a river or lake and get right next to her and she doesnt do that action. I just adore her thumbs up motions as if to say "good job". The last couple days I noticed another behavior of hers and caught my attention. A lot of times now when she sees me, she will come running to me. Now she follows me everywhere if I am around my base. I am currently renovating my base and she is constantly in my way. LOL. I could never get mad or upset with her though. I really have to watch for her when Im cutting down trees though because she may run in the way of a falling tree. A couple times the tree I cut barely missed her by maybe a foot or 2. She is also gifting me berries all the time. Her and Kelvin love berries. If you have planters around your base, they will spend a lot of time there, eating the berries.

Anyway, that is my contribution to your analysis of Virginia.

- Buckshot

[Captain Pansy]

how do you get her to go with you in the end? i find her creepy AF, but i want the achievement.

[Captain Eierstock]

Originally posted by Captain Pansy:

how do you get her to go with you in the end? i find her creepy AF, but i want the achievement.

yeah the first time she scared the ♥♥♥♥ out of me

[Unrealtairo]

I wonder if theres a new bug with her in MP?

We're on day 12 now and have done everything you're supposed to, no gifts, acts same way now as she did day 3-ish. Never hit her. A cannibal layed her out day 7-ish but we got her back up and she hauled a**.

Only thing different was on day 4 she was sleeping in our half built cabin. She woke up 2 min later & ran. Nothing has changed since le sigh.

We've stood completely still while shes around, we chased her (only like 2 times tops to test & see), she'll come into the camp once a day and stare at us, if we stare at her directly she runs, if we point the cam away but keep her in view she dont care and chills. She'll walk up to me then back away slowly & run and that's been the pattern for almost 2 game weeks now.

Funny is we can go chopping trees, running back & forth for a long time, and she'll walk up & sit and watch the entire time, but second we look at her, she runs again.

[Humpenstilzchen]

She also sometimes give you gestures that invite you to follow her. She then runs off fast so you have to follow her quickly and usually she leads you to secret places or loot nearby.

[indigo]

She nice to look at, and brings gifts - I've gotten aloe, berries, sticks, a dead squirrel... I think I went "aww, she's like a feral cat..." and the squirrel came in handy as I needed some calories. I did give her firearms, and she seems to like the shotgun better than the pistol, but looks sinister holding both at the same time.

She's also taken to making herself some nice knee-high mud stockings. Mutant lingerie?

[Csillámpóni Faszláma]

cringe.

[Csillámpóni Faszláma]

Originally posted by Captain Pansy:

how do you get her to go with you in the end? i find her creepy AF, but i want the achievement.

Just keep her and Kelvin alive, and at the end, she will join to you in the golden cube.

[Suspector]

I noticed, cutting trees and base building will attract her.
She get curious and seems to like cutting the trees.
Build 2 bases on different locations, Each close to a river where also some berries grow. This is best chance she show up and stay close to you.
At least when she see that you beat a cannibal attack, she should start trust you.

[CTG]

Originally posted by Killgore:

Originally posted by Captain Pansy:

how do you get her to go with you in the end? i find her creepy AF, but i want the achievement.

Just keep her and Kelvin alive, and at the end, she will join to you in the golden cube.

She's in the golden cube even if you don't obtain her. I didn't obtain her the first play through and she was there. She was also in the cut scene after with the helicopter, I chose to stay on the island but she was there. They didn't differentiate the two yet.

[CTG]

Originally posted by Suspector:

I noticed, cutting trees and base building will attract her.
She get curious and seems to like cutting the trees.
Build 2 bases on different locations, Each close to a river where also some berries grow. This is best chance she show up and stay close to you.
At least when she see that you beat a cannibal attack, she should start trust you.

Building and deforesting attracts everyone; lol. Cannibals and Mutants love to be attracted to these actions as well. I used to get maybe 1-3 cannibals an evening spying on my tent, since I've built and cut down well over 200 trees; I get a group of 6-12 every night, and mutants too.

[idkzero]

Originally posted by CTG:

Originally posted by Suspector:

I noticed, cutting trees and base building will attract her.
She get curious and seems to like cutting the trees.
Build 2 bases on different locations, Each close to a river where also some berries grow. This is best chance she show up and stay close to you.
At least when she see that you beat a cannibal attack, she should start trust you.

Building and deforesting attracts everyone; lol. Cannibals and Mutants love to be attracted to these actions as well. I used to get maybe 1-3 cannibals an evening spying on my tent, since I've built and cut down well over 200 trees; I get a group of 6-12 every night, and mutants too.

Yeah there NEEDS to be balancing on the cannibals and the patrol parties as I was on day 7 or 8 and there was 6 cannibals and 2 brutes patrol. I barely had my house built and finally decided to put up some defense spikes. If they aren't going to tone the enemies down the least they could do is add defenses for the brutes. Cant imagine what it'd be like when the mutants show up.