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Red Dead Redemption |OT| Whistling Morricone in the desert

GDJustin

stuck my tongue deep inside Atlus' cookies
You know, a few pages back I posted some very high praise for RDR, and that praise still stands, but I have to admit, I do agree with those detractors commenting that the game world feels very empty. There has been a persistent rumor that massive amounts of content got cut, and/or big features were cut after months of work, because they weren't working, because of budget, etc. Makes me wonder what the team had planned, early on in development.

Bottom line is, half the fun of an open world game is just seeing little dots all over the map, discovering more and more activities and minigames that aren't central to the main plot. So I've put together a list of what RDR could have included, to make the game world feel more "full."

Note: I fully understand that this list is a bit of "Damned if you do, Damned if you don't," because everyone always complains about racing minigames in open world games, yet here I am complaining about their absence in RDR. Still..

- Racing! Imagine if there was a horse-racing league ~10 races total... escalating difficulty.
- Tournaments! Incredible there's no poker tourneys! They would be elimination-style, and would culminate in a big Blackwater tourney.
- Shooting arcade/minigame. Surely by 1911 they would have had some sort of primitive shooting gallery?
- Delivery missions. Start off easy. Just deliver this here within a time limit. But as you progress you begin being harassed by bandits/the law.
- Escort missions. Same as above.
- Robberies / Heists.
- Turret defense missions.

These are all off the top of my head, and with the possible exception of the shooting gallery, they are all made up of components from the main game as it exists today.

I know some of you might be thinking "races? deliveries? Escorts? These are terrible ideas!" but the point is A) They're side missions. B) They solve the problem of the game world being so empty and C) They are meant to be consumed 1-2 at a time to break up missions. As it is now, there's often very little to do between story missions.

Imagine if Mexico opened up another 3 poker tourneys, another 5 races, another set of 5 "defend this town" turret missions... etc. It would make the game feel much more full.
 

Gribbix

Member
Outlaws to the End DLC available on June 22
The recently announced and free-to-download Outlaws To The End Co-Op Mission Pack for Red Dead Redemption will be available June 22nd for both Xbox LIVE® (requires Xbox LIVE Gold Membership for online play) and PlayStation®Network. The pack includes six all-new co-op multiplayer missions to play with 2-4 players.

Here's a few new exclusive screenshots from some of the co-op missions in the Outlaws To The End Pack we touched on in our earlier announcement. Look for more info and screens on additional co-op missions in the coming weeks, along with information on more downloadable content that will further expand the exciting possibilities that Red Dead Redemption multiplayer offers.
reddead_coop_wg001_060r3sz.jpg

reddead_coop_tr001_060o463.jpg

reddead_coop_wg002_060x1ol.jpg

reddead_coop_ammo001_030oj.jpg


I'm hoping for some single player DLC, but it sounds like all the planned DLC is for multiplayer.
 

Lonestar

I joined for Erin Brockovich discussion
So, anyone else see a bird up in the sky, and feel this urge to pull out a revolver and shoot it out of the sky???

Might just be me.
 
Lonestar said:
So, anyone else see a bird up in the sky, and feel this urge to pull out a revolver and shoot it out of the sky???

Might just be me.

In the early hours, you'll feel that way.

Soon, shooting birds will become boring.

Except when a dozen of birds will rise when you'll shoot in the desert, you'll want to Dead Eye them all at once !
 

Klocker

Member
Lonestar said:
So, anyone else see a bird up in the sky, and feel this urge to pull out a revolver and shoot it out of the sky???

Might just be me.


nope

but I get the urge to pull a repeater. :lol


was thrilled with GTAIV fro a bit and later it got stale (pretty quickly, never finished the story) and bored and appreciate it now only for its technical prowess... then I played Fallout 3 and declared it my GOAT...


RDR is by far the best game I have ever played and I still have 15 missions to go with countless hours of sandboxing to the random events.


FTR, my first declared GOAT was Pitfall. :D
 
GDJustin said:
- Racing! Imagine if there was a horse-racing league ~10 races total... escalating difficulty.
- Tournaments! Incredible there's no poker tourneys! They would be elimination-style, and would culminate in a big Blackwater tourney.
- Shooting arcade/minigame. Surely by 1911 they would have had some sort of primitive shooting gallery?
- Delivery missions. Start off easy. Just deliver this here within a time limit. But as you progress you begin being harassed by bandits/the law.
- Escort missions. Same as above.

- Turret defense missions.
Those sound like the kind of crappy side missions you find in every other open world game... No thanks, especially to the racing and escort missions.

Robberies and heists would be all right though.
 

SamuraiX-

Member
UnluckyKate said:
I'm at 92% after 26 hours of playing and god, I took my time :lol What is taking so long with you guys ?

I think your definition and our definition of "taking my time" is substantially different. :lol

I spent countless hours playing poker and hunting, put some time into blackjack too. I took my sweet time whenever doing any mission usually. Walked instead of ran to my horse, didn't "skip to destination" ever during the missions. Wanted to hear all the commentary. Treated every mission like it was a key plot setting to a movie and played it out.

I'm guessing the reason you were able to get such a high completion percentage in such little time is because you fast traveled a lot? Just my guess. Would be interested to hear how you actually played the game. ;)

I'm at 99% completion right now with ~60 hours of play.:D
 

Lonestar

I joined for Erin Brockovich discussion
Should have put the wording "in real life"

On the way to work, seeing a large vulture circling over a forest besides the highway, a mental flashback to RDR and the Crow's on the Silo mission.
 

GDJustin

stuck my tongue deep inside Atlus' cookies
Zeliard said:
The sparseness is part of the point, though. They're trying to evoke the feeling of loneliness in the Old West.

I don't think this is true at all. All the ambient events that players encounter are literally designed to help ELIMINATE the loneliness of the Old West.
 
Is anyone else still having trouble with the Gamestop Special Edition Soundtrack? I redeemed my code and downloaded the file, but multiple unzip programs say it was corrupted. I have a feeling that I downloaded the file during an extremely busy time and the server probably crashed in the middle of the download. I've sent 3 emails to Rockstar Support over the past 2 1/2 weeks and I've yet to get a response. All they say on their website is to contact support if you have a problem and they'll get back to you within 72 hours.
 
UnluckyKate said:
I'm at 92% after 26 hours of playing and god, I took my time :lol What is taking so long with you guys ?

I don't fast travel at all, no matter how far the location might be. Add that to hours of Poker, and Blackjack, along with just admiring the scenery, and that makes for a lot of hours essentially doing nothing of any substance in the game, but I love the experience so it's not really doing "nothing." At 26 hours, I had just left New Austin.

GDJustin said:
I don't think this is true at all. All the ambient events that players encounter are literally designed to help ELIMINATE the loneliness of the Old West.

To a degree, but a lot of pre-release interviews talked about how they were trying to BALANCE isolation, but having the world feel alive. The random events don't happen often enough to make it seem like the world is filled to the brim with people, and that's intentional.
 
33% in.

These glitches are terrible. I had one where none of the carts worked and they all just rumbled on the spot constantly.

And the falling through the ground..

and missions breaking
 

ckohler

Member
Subliminal said:
These glitches are terrible. I had one where none of the carts worked and they all just rumbled on the spot constantly.

The race one? That happened to me also. I just reset the game and it stopped. Then it never happened again the rest of the time I played all the way to the end. Yes, the game is glitched pretty bad, but on the bright side some are so damn hilarious. Like this one:

Spoiler alert: This is from a cut scene in a mission in Mexico.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erap0TwSyQs

I can think of no higher praise than to state that even though RDR is one of the most glitch riddled games I've ever played, it's *still* one of my favorite games ever. For every silly glitch, there's five other totally awesome aspects to this game.
 
As I posted earlier in the thread, I'm down with some horse racing in multi if they let you "cheat." Say, everyone gets a choice between a pistol or throwing knives (6 bullets/knives), and two sticks of dynamite or two fireballs.

Poker/Blackjack/Liar's Dice would be nice for those that want it (I probably wouldn't mess with them).

I'd like to see some of the "ambient" mini-events from single player occur in multi, as well, spice it up with some random bandit attacks as you're riding across the plains, etc.

This isn't a fully fleshed out idea, but I was thinking about a game mode where, at the start of each "round," one person in your posse is made a target and teleported somewhere across the map. They're given unlimited Deadeye, all weapons are available to them (with their power boosted by quite a bit), and they only appear on the map in one-minute intervals. Your posse's job is to track him/her down (can't use the transport) and get that reward. Call it "Superposse" or "Ends of the Earth" or something, maybe make it a play mode only available to private matches to keep other folks from horning in.

And, although I don't know how they could implement this, it'd be kind of cool if you could challenge your posse leader to a duel for leadership of the posse (maybe with a five-minute "cooldown" between challenges).

I get the feeling we're gonna be seeing a lot more gang hideouts before it's over. There aren't any up in the far north.
Bear Claw Camp and Dutch's hideout
sit there empty right now.
 

ckohler

Member
I totally agree, Eel. Anther obvious oversight was that posse members can't hold the A button on their horse and follow their leader like you can in single player. It's such an obvious thing that posse members would want to ride as a group yet you can't lock-on like you can in single player.
 

Aesius

Member
As with all R* games, now that I've finished RDR 100%, all I ever do is kill people. I can't help it. If I start playing and have a goal in mind, like doing some bounty missions or playing poker, I inevitably end up shooting someone within 5 minutes, and then annihilating an entire town.

I think R* is aware of people doing this - hence the Bureau outfit. Makes it a little too easy, but there's just something that is ridiculously satisfying about the shooting in this game. I've even started killing horses and dogs. I think I have a problem.
 

SamuraiX-

Member
Aesius said:
As with all R* games, now that I've finished RDR 100%, all I ever do is kill people. I can't help it. If I start playing and have a goal in mind, like doing some bounty missions or playing poker, I inevitably end up shooting someone within 5 minutes, and then annihilating an entire town.

I think R* is aware of people doing this - hence the Bureau outfit. Makes it a little too easy, but there's just something that is ridiculously satisfying about the shooting in this game. I've even started killing horses and dogs. I think I have a problem.

desmond.jpg


I love the shooting too, but damn, are you ever letting out your dastardly side. :lol

MrTroubleMaker said:
:lol wow is the play time wrong, I've played it a lot, but not that much :lol :lol

still haven't finished it :)

Yeah, there's been problems mentioned with the clock glitching in this game. Someone brought up something about the more times you die, the more time it will add to your clock or something. Sucks for some people because then they can never really see how much time they invested into the game.
 
SamuraiX- said:
Yeah, there's been problems mentioned with the clock glitching in this game. Someone brought up something about the more times you die, the more time it will add to your clock or something. Sucks for some people because then they can never really see how much time they invested into the game.
weird, I've only died a few times, but I do save a lot, I wonder if that's the cause.
 

Danielsan

Member
Goddamn this game is glitchy as hell. :lol
I just opened some gates in Thieves Landing and when doing the animation the giant gate would spawn on top of Marston's head while he was doing his animation against thin air.
The gates ended up stuck in the air as well.

I also had a mission breaking on me...
 
@ Aesius

Interestingly I am the complete opposite, only killing when the need arises. If I shoot someone/something by mistake I am genuinely sympathetic.
 
Danielsan said:
Goddamn this game is glitchy as hell. :lol
I just opened some gates in Thieves Landing and when doing the animation the giant gate would spawn on top of Marston's head while he was doing his animation against thin air.
The gates ended up stuck in the air as well.

I also had a mission breaking on me...

Do you have the ps3 version, Im wondering if the ps3 version is more glitchy, Im not sure though, I finished the 360 version and ran into only a couple of glitches that would just pop up for a sec.
 

Danielsan

Member
dreamer3kx said:
Do you have the ps3 version, Im wondering if the ps3 version is more glitchy, Im not sure though, I finished the 360 version and ran into only a couple of glitches that would just pop up for a sec.
360 version.
 

Stantron

Member
I beat the game last night with credits and all. Wow, such a great story experience from beginning to end. Definitely GOTY contender. The western theme was very refreshing. I often caught myself stopping to enjoy the environments. In a game this vast, it amazes me, the level of detail that was hand crafted. If things are this good now, I wonder what detailed worlds will be possible in a few years when next gen systems become available. o_O

I really like the hunting in this game. It would be nice if R* added more wildlife in DLC. Here are some ideas:
Badger, wolverine, prairie dog, squirrel, wild turkey, rooster, goose, woodpecker, cardinal, blue jay, quail, pheasant, bee/hornet nest, desert lizard.
A fishing mini-game seems like it would have fit in quite well too.
 

Klocker

Member
MrTroubleMaker said:
weird, I've only died a few times, but I do save a lot, I wonder if that's the cause.



yea, I tested several things and dieing instantly added 52- 65 minutes to play time for each death... also suspect it may be getting messed up by saves as well. Or free roam deaths?

my step son plays another disc on another Xbox and has no issue and he is farther into the game as I was when it started to glitch (pretty early on my time was hosed)
 

SamuraiX-

Member
Quick question to everyone who enjoyed the "Far Away" entrance music that plays with your arrival in Mexico.

Contains spoilers, so better off not reading unless you finished the story.

Am I the only one who enjoyed the "Compass" song playing to John riding back home to see this family after the death of Dutch better than intro to Mexico? It really invoked this feeling in me that after everything I've been through, it's finally over and I can go back home and see my family again. That sense of "you're done" that the game gives you at that point, which we later find out was misleading, but still the same.

For reference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWuqwy8bAs0
Starts @5:15.

I remember riding back home in a slow gallop to the song playing, reaching the ranch entrance just as the song faded away. Such an amazing moment in the game.
 
I have the ps3 version and after ~50 hours I've had 3-4 freezes and that was about it for bugs.

I really hope of of the co-op missions is a train robbery or defense. I think it would be a big missed opportunity if there isn't one.

I also just had one of my better random encounters. I've been hunting bears in Tall Trees when suddenly I start getting shot by some coot who is complaining because I'm killing too much game ("you can't just shoot it all") I turn around to find him and by the time I do, he is being chased away by a bear. I decided to let him have that one :lol
 

Stantron

Member
In response to SamuraiX-
I agree. The context of the first song was arriving into a new foreign place as an outsider, which was emotional. But the context of the second song was the climax of John's journey to be reunited with his family, which was what he had been fighting for all along. I too thought this was the beginning of the end, so I made sure to ride back in a modest trot (only hold A, not sprint). This is the type of response I think Peter Molyneux was aiming for with Fable II, but didn't reach anywhere near the impact of RDR.

BTW, now that I beat the game, anyone know where I can check out that RDR short film that aired on FOX? I didn't want to risk being spoiled. I saved the youtube channel of a guy that had them posted the day after they aired, but have since been taken down.
 
Stantron said:
BTW, now that I beat the game, anyone know where I can check out that RDR short film that aired on FOX? I didn't want to risk being spoiled. I saved the youtube channel of a guy that had them posted the day after they aired, but have since been taken down.

Not sure where you can find that but if it makes you feel any better about missing it, you saw everything that was in the movie, it was basically a condensed version of most of the cutscenes before Mexico.
 

Stantron

Member
wayward archer said:
Not sure where you can find that but if it makes you feel any better about missing it, you saw everything that was in the movie, it was basically a condensed version of most of the cutscenes before Mexico.
Ah, really glad I didn't watch this before then. :lol At least they had the courtesy to stop before Mexico for those who had.
I was under the impression that the short film was taking the game assets to create original story content.
 
Opus Angelorum said:
@ Aesius

Interestingly I am the complete opposite, only killing when the need arises. If I shoot someone/something by mistake I am genuinely sympathetic.

Same with me. The only time I had an active bounty was story related. If I accidentally shot someone or got a bounty, I'd reload an old save. Some bounty hunting missions were slightly annoying, though, because a couple of times I shot an innocent horse rider instead of on the gang's posse chasing me.
 
While out hunting bears over by Bearclaw Camp, I come across two men camped out. They are moving some TNT off of a cart and stacking them. One of the guys says, "Whew, those things are heavy! Time for a cigar break. Hey, you got a light?" Suddenly, KABOOM!!! They blow themselves sky high! I spit coffee out of my mouth laughing; it was so random and shocking!

Also, hunting bears at night in a thunderstorm at Tall Trees is pretty nerve wracking. They are like ninjas, and the lightning flashes play on the shadows so well, making you see things, it's just great stuff.
 
ckohler said:
I totally agree, Eel. Anther obvious oversight was that posse members can't hold the A button on their horse and follow their leader like you can in single player. It's such an obvious thing that posse members would want to ride as a group yet you can't lock-on like you can in single player.


That would be nice, right now everyone scatters into the wind and you're always waiting around outside a gang hideout for the stragglers.
 

Dabanton

Member
Thieves Landing seems to be the most glitched area most of the trouble i was having was in that specific place. Like it was not allowing me to hitch my horse without it going haywire and the fast travel horse and cart was bouncing up and down.

Everywhere else has been perfect.
 

levious

That throwing stick stunt of yours has boomeranged on us.
Eel O'Brian said:
That would be nice, right now everyone scatters into the wind and you're always waiting around outside a gang hideout for the stragglers.


I'm not sure how that'd work anyway with everyone possibly having different mounts.
 
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