The Ultimate Red Dead Redemption Player's Guide
Chris Jensen
Published by Chris Jensen at Smashwords
Copyright 2010 Chris Jensen
Legal Disclaimer
The Ultimate Red Dead Redemption Player's Guide is not an official guide or connected to the game developer or publisher, Rockstar Games and Take 2 Interactive. All characters, locations, images and video game content are copyright to their respective owners and usage for this game guide falls within fair use guidelines. This guide is intended only for your continued enjoyment and exploration of the game.
©2010 Chris Jensen. All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the author.
ISBN: 9781453604724
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Getting the Most Out of Red Dead Redemption
Take Your Time
Know the Terrain
Sighting Terrain
Check Every Door, Search Every Building
Game Time
The Benefits of Being Cautious
Does it Matter if Your Die?
Learning About the Game World
Starting Off on the Right Foot
Proper Use of the Survivalist Map
The Road Less Traveled...For a Reason
The Evils of Fast Travel
The Art of Looting
Winning Horse Races
Scaling the Heights
How to Read a Map
Wearing the Right Outfit for the Job
Camera & Basic Controller Techniques
Controlling Your View
Widen Radar Range
Understanding the Interface
Horse Stamina Indicator
Dead-Eye Indicator
Ammo Indicator
Understanding Health & Dying
The Weapon Wheel
Chapter 2: Combat Tactics
Scoring Head-Shots With Ease
Which Weapon to Use?
Weapon Types
List of Weapons
Evasive Maneuvers
Melee Combat
Using the Hunting Knife
Lasso Like a Pro
Dead-Eye Management
The Cover System: Know It, Love It
Moving While in Cover
Running Into Cover
Know They Radar, Know Thy Enemy
How to Win a Gun Duel
Chapter 3: Horsing Around
Stamina
Maximizing Stamina
Fast-Mounting a Horse
The Edge of the World
Hitching a Horse
Buying Horse Deeds
They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
Breaking Horses
Chapter 4: Daily Activities
Tree-Hugger
Pick Plants Faster!
Hunting
Using Bait
Time of Day
The Map & Hunting
Value
Fast-Skinning
Shoot for the Brain
Frighten Off Predators
General Animal Locations
Dead-Eye & Hunting
Bonus Hunting Tactics
Collecting Bounties
Night Patrol
Gambling
Poker
Cheating at Poker
Blackjack
Blackjack Terminology
Liar's Dice
Five Finger Fillet
Horseshoes & Arm Wrestling
Chapter 5: How to be an Evil Bastard
Fame Level Benefits
Honor Level Benefits
Breaking the Law
List of Crimes and Bounty Value
Posse and Bounty Hunter Expectations
Evil Deeds, Done Dirt Cheap
Dragging People
The Railroad Tracks
Terrorizing People
Off the Cliff
Burn, Bitches, Burn!
Down the Stairs
Defend a Building for the Hell of it
Chapter 6: Getting the Most Out of Multiplayer
Beginning Multiplayer
WTF is Free Roam?
Deeper Into Free Roam
Getting Around in Free Roam
Multiplayer Running Difference
Forming & Joining a Posse
How to be a Posse Leader
Custom Games as Posse Leader
Playing Gang Hideout Missions
Free Roam Ambient Challenges
Public Enemy
Playing Gold Rush
Gang Shootout
Hold Your Own
Grab the Bag
Playing Multiplayer Like a Pro
Keep Your Cool
Patience is a Virtue
Know Your Weapon
Multiplayer Level Rewards
Multiplayer Titles
PVP Titles
Changing Up Your Weapons
Chapter 7: Cheat Codes, Secrets and Other Goodies
Treasure Hunt Locations
Outfit Objectives & Locations
Full Achievement Listing
Legendary Mounts
100% Game Completion Checklist
Introduction
I have been writing guides for many years now, having published well over 20 books with Prima, Sybex and Brady, as well as tons of online guides that have appeared everywhere from GameSpot to GameAlmighty and InfoAddict. My online works have been far more popular and for very good reason: official strategy guides typically suck.
Why? Having written a ton of them, I know the answer all too well: official strategy guides are written before the game in question is complete. As a writer, you seldom have access to a finished game, let alone even think about dealing with multiplayer, which is always an impossibility for an as yet unreleased title.
Basically, official strategy guides typically don't know what the fuck they are talking about.
This book is different. Firstly, it has nothing to do with Rockstar. I am not affiliated with Rockstar and they have nothing to do with this book. I wrote this book based on a completed game that I, like you, purchased in a store. From the moment of RDR's release, I have been playing non-stop and I have the blood-shot eyes to prove it. As such, this guide is accurate and helpful, written by an expert-gamer with over 40 years experience.
This guide is different in other ways, as well. You will not find a standard walk-through here. I'm not going to help you get past puzzles or explain how to beat a particular mission. Why? Because that kind of crap ruins the game. That isn't what a strategy guide should be all about. You really want someone holding your hand through the game? Then you might as well have purchased a gamer to play it for you.
No, this guide will help you get MORE out of RDR. It will explain how best to play an open-world experience like RDR, things you can do that aren't mentioned in the manual and, perhaps most importantly, it will improve your gamer skills and get you acclimated for multiplayer mayhem.
If you need specific answers on how to beat a particular mission, then Google the mission name and spoil yourself. However, if you want to play a game as it is meant to be played, then read on!
Chris Jensen
May 28, 2010
Chapter One:
Getting the Most Out of Red Dead Redemption
Read Dead Redemption falls into a gaming genre generally known as Sandbox. Some call it Open-World, but that term is interchangeable with Sandbox and both represent the same type of game. Other titles that are defined by this term include all of the GTA games, as well as Just Cause, Mafia and the forthcoming Mafia II.
Sandbox games differ from all other genres because they inherently allow the player a lot of freedom in how they play. Other genres tend to be far more linear, leading the player from mission to mission with little in the way of choice or options. Not so in a game like RDR. In RDR, you can pretty much do what you want, when you want. You are in control of your destiny. It is this freedom and non-linearity that is both thrilling and, for a large number of players, intimidating.
When an entire game world is at your beck and call it can be difficult to get your bearings. Many players tend to fall into the trap of playing a game like RDR like any other shooter, quickly jumping from one mission to the next as if there if a bonus for finishing the game in record time. This is exactly how you don't want to play a Sandbox game like RDR.
RDR is meant to be savored. Where most games are hamburgers, RDR is a seven-course meal, a rich buffet of options and virtual reality that you should be losing yourself in, not rushing to complete. It is estimated that RDR has approximately 100+ hours of gameplay, yet most players will only see about about 40, at the most. This chapter will focus on how to get the most out of the Sandbox genre and RDR specifically.
Take Your Time
There is no time limit in RDR, unless otherwise stated by a mission. You are free to do and go where you want, when you want, how you want and for whatever reason you want. Rockstar Games created a massive world to explore, so you should accept the invitation and enjoy your visit.
Do not rush from mission to mission. Instead, analyze where you are within the game world and take stock of everything within your vicinity. You may find several side-missions on offer, like patrolling a town for criminal activity or picking up a bounty. Head out on your own and explore the area. Let your curiosity lead you around. You never know what you'll find.