I don't understand why they take out all of the cool shit in free roam.
So far the Free Roam really is great and a lot of fun, but is really does have the potential to be phenomenal.
Some things that, in my mind, would push it to phenomenal:
-Full cities, bustling with npc's that offer stories, quests, etc. as they do in single player.
-All games fully playable. Poker, blackjack, liar's dice, horse shoes, etc.
-Wanted posters for criminals. From lowly local horse thieves to the insidious legends.
-Live train. A train full of patrons and valuables for heisting.
-Banks. Applies to first bullet point. Having a multiple banks to rob for gold/xp would be great. They could play out similar to the gang hideouts.
-Gambling Boat. How about a gambling boat that docks morning/night in the lower river. Would present place for gambling as well as robbery highjinks.
Those are just some of the things I would love to see in an open multiplayer game such as this. The sandbox is beautiful, and the toys are fun, but ultimately feel somewhat limited.