Sense of Exploration in RDR2 is Amazing (Minor Spoilers)

[dex3108]

So i am playing RDR2 almost since release and i recently arrived in Chapter 3 where i did 2 or 3 story missions. So i am far from finishing it but boy do i enjoy exploring this world. After long time we got map where there are just few markers on it, and those are just missions related, and they only show up after you start/find the mission. There are no question marks or any other pointers toward Points of interest on the map. You simply have no idea what and where you will find something.

Today alone i was wandering around the map and there was house, ordinary house by the road. I went to check if i enter and when i was in i went around and looked for things i can take. And after i looted everything i remembered that earlier in Chapter 2 game teaches you to check chimney (always check the chimney!) and i was right, there was hidden treasure map there. And few days before that i saw some poor guy who was looking for a treasure and i took his map. And this is just tip of the iceberg. Everywhere you go you will find something. Another example is that i was riding around and i saw lady face carved into the mountain, i managed to find path and go there where i saw poor dead body and letter but when i explored around for a bit i have found chest and receipt for improved health tonic. I also found US Mail carriage and took some letter, when i started reading them i saw that few of them have address in cities that are in game so i am now wondering if i can deliver them.

And on top of that i met some interesting NPCs too. For example i saw Mad Preacher again (poor thing) but i also saw NPC that told me about Pig Farm after i was friendly with him. Other day i have found house with grandma and her basement. Some guy that i met riding around told me how he paid his horse a lot and wanted me to race him, so i did and i won, he was pissed so much. When i went in general store shopkeeper told me about rumor about thing in the North, and i went and i have found that thing. It was stupid meaningless thing but it had small story attached to it that i would never know if that shopkeeper never told me. And this list goes on.

And best thing is when you find something interesting Arthur makes small sketch on the map. To me this game has one of the best exploration feeling (if not the best) from all open world games released recently. No levels, no restrictions, just amazing open world for you to go around and explore at your own pace. I love every single moment spent in it.

 

[Putty]

Yes, all of the above.

 

[Deleted member 16876]

The game shines in the open world I feel. Though I gotta say, some of the random events do feel very scripted because many stuff I encounter is the same exact random event for my friends. I would like them to improve on that by making them much more dynamic in nature.

 

[Ocean Bones]

The environmental story telling is top notch too. Lots of little stories you can easily miss.

 

[Saint-14]

I think exploration was poor mainly because the rewards weren't worth it, you get consumables which already should have a ton of them just by doing the main story and looting (you can also ignore the survival aspect of the game and just be fine), money which again you get a ton by just doing the story missions (there also isn't really that many things worth to spend on).

 

[dex3108]

The environmental story telling is top notch too. Lots of little stories you can easily miss.

Click to shrink...

I mean if you just rush through the game you miss a lot in camp alone not to mention in the world :D You really get to know camp members through their stories but also through things you find in the camp. And as you said that is the same throughout the whole RDR2 world. And I am just at Chapter 3 XD

 

[denpanosekai]

Exploring was great but limiting to one large pelt kinda sucked.

 

[Deleted member 46948]

I think exploration was poor mainly because the rewards weren't worth it, you get consumables which already should have a ton of them just by doing the main story and looting (you can also ignore the survival aspect of the game and just be fine), money which again you get a ton by just doing the story missions (there also isn't really that many things worth to spend on).

Click to shrink...

I mean, fuck having fun in a game, everything has to be measured by what reward you get, amirite?

 

[Certinfy]

It's reasons like this why I think it's the best open world ever created. It's a great size, very detailed, lively unique and oozes class wherever you go. I don't think any other open world even comes close.

 

[Saint-14]

I mean, fuck having fun in a game, everything has to be measured by what reward you get, amirite?

Click to shrink...

Yes? Why are they giving you items for exploring if rewards aren't an important aspect?

 

[BoxManLocke]

Yeah it's easily the best part of the game.

So much stuff to discover, and everything is placed well enough that there's a perfect flow of exploration, and that's where Rockstar's attention to detail shines. You're regularly coming across little details that are related to the story and side-content, but those are completely optional if you're motivated enough to explore. Basically if you dig the world the fun never stops in this game.

 

[eso76]

rewards weren't worth it, you get consumables which already should have a ton of them just by doing the main story and looting (you can also ignore the survival aspect of the game and just be fine), money which again you get a ton by just doing the story missions (there also isn't really that many things worth to spend on).

Click to shrink...

This is true, but the stories, the little Easter eggs and curiosities, characters, hidden locations, side stories etc. on the other hand are amazing and well worth it, moreso than rare weapons and customisations.

 

[MrConbon210]

I want to love the exploration however the horse controls are terrible to me and having to tap X constantly makes me want to never ride anywhere or explore anything.

 

[TheBaldwin]

Yeah the rewards (outside of rare items and cool looking weapons /helmets are nice) are pretty poor but i do it for the stories and the atmosphere, even the small ones

Just now i found a monk on a mountaintop, metor killed a family, and a viking helmet and hatchet near a burial tomb. All add little things and i didnt use a guide for any of them.

Much more rewarding then anything i found in breath of the wild

 

[JBucc]

Once the world opened up I immediately fucked off from camp and spent probably 20 hours just exploring and doing treasure maps and had a great time. I'm not sure it's the best way to play the game though because when you go back to the story you've already been everywhere.

 

[Nintendo]

I think it's the most rewarding exploration I've ever experienced. So many hidden items, little stories, and interactions.

 

[Nintendo]

I think exploration was poor mainly because the rewards weren't worth it, you get consumables which already should have a ton of them just by doing the main story and looting (you can also ignore the survival aspect of the game and just be fine), money which again you get a ton by just doing the story missions (there also isn't really that many things worth to spend on).

Click to shrink...

What about the secrets and hidden unique items and unique weapons? The weird and supernatural stuff? Hidden ceepy and funny interactions? And many more rewards for exploration. I can't think of a game that has this many hidden stuff.

 

[leng jai]

I think exploration was poor mainly because the rewards weren't worth it, you get consumables which already should have a ton of them just by doing the main story and looting (you can also ignore the survival aspect of the game and just be fine), money which again you get a ton by just doing the story missions (there also isn't really that many things worth to spend on).

Click to shrink...

Do you put any stock in environmental story telling, art/world design or interesting NPCs/quests?

 

[Adookah]

I agree with you Dex, this game is on another level. I think that everyone who plays it has an different experience. I can't get enough of this beautiful world.

 

[Deleted member 8777]

No restrictions is wrong tho.

 

[DrKelpo]

I absolutely agree. I started the game and before I even really started playing the missions I spent hours and hours exploring the entire eastern part of the map. I had visited Saint Denis and the swamps long before the story brought me there. It was actually kinda funny that I unlocked basic skills in the missions when I had already crafted the legendary satchel at that point.
I wouldn't change it one bit though...these first hours just riding through the world on my own, hunting and exploring were the most memorable for me.

 

[dex3108]

No restrictions is wrong tho.

Click to shrink...

Why? It is up to you what you will do. There is nothing worse than half naked enemy 3 levels above you that you can't beat just because numbers say so. In RDR2 you go wherever you want and whenever you want. That is freedom I like to see in game.

 

[Deleted member 46948]

Why? It is up to you what you will do. There is nothing worse than half naked enemy 3 levels above you that you can't beat just because numbers say so. In RDR2 you go wherever you want and whenever you want. That is freedom I like to see in game.

Click to shrink...

There are restrictions on the New Austin part of the map is probably what he meant.

 

[Alastor3]

I think exploration was poor mainly because the rewards weren't worth it, you get consumables which already should have a ton of them just by doing the main story and looting (you can also ignore the survival aspect of the game and just be fine), money which again you get a ton by just doing the story missions (there also isn't really that many things worth to spend on).

Click to shrink...

Dont play for the rewards, play for the stories.

 

[DigSCCP]

The sense of exploration is amazing.
The exploration itself is boring - mainly because of the clunky controls - and doesn't give any sense of reward.
It's a shame it's probably the best open world ever created locked in a terrible gameplay package.

 

[RoKKeR]

Yep, it's truly unbelievable. It's so engrossing that I "role play" going into the wilderness/mountains to hunt, explore, collect items, etc. and follow the cadence of the days, pitch tents/sleep/cook food, and then bring everything back to civilization after a few days. For no reason really other than the world subtly encourages you to do so.

 

[Psychotron]

Nearly 150 spent in single player. The game is a damn masterpiece.

 

[dex3108]

I would also add that item requests from camp members really push you to go and explore because majority of them can be only found at specific places but game never tells you where they are.

 

[Fastidioso]

Definitely. I'm playing actually Odyssey and missing to me so much the true living world feels of RDR2. This game seems so fake and empty in comparison.

 

[Blade Wolf]

I mean, fuck having fun in a game, everything has to be measured by what reward you get, amirite?

Click to shrink...

Not exactly but without proper reward it's gonna make exploring kind of boring.

''Reward'' means more than just loot or weapons, in Bethesda & Obsidian games the reward for exploration comes in the form of new quest, new characters, new faction, new events, new story, new location etc. It makes you feel like there's a while different world out there.

 

[Araujo]

Yes? Why are they giving you items for exploring if rewards aren't an important aspect?

Click to shrink...

This is the Zelda problem and it is totally fair criticism.

Most rewards are not worth the hassle, at best you get lots of small stories which most of them are good. But as you progress through the game you gonna see some sore spots and some repeating stories.

I must say, halfway to chapter 6 i was pretty done in stopping my travels just to carry someone home on the exact opposite direction i was going in exchange for 5 bucks when i was sitting on 2k with nothing left to buy of interest in the stores.

Just yesterday i was walking into Saint Denni, a fella started calling me to a corner. As usual i stopped to hear what he had to say... and e was inviting me to a dark alley to show me how to make some quick cash. Looking super shady... i didn't want trouble in town and it was painfully obvious that this was nothing but a quick robbery so i simply turned away. Walked back to my horse.

Oh, what is this? I can't mount my horse? Oh i can't walk away now...? I HAVE to walk into the alley and get robbed and lose 400 bucks?

Gee thanks videogame.

Same day earlier on, i was traversing the map in a nearly 5 minute horse ride to a mission when midway a girl by the side of the street calls on me for help. "Sure... why not..." . No surprise she lives 3 minutes in the exact opposite direction i was going to.... as i take her home she mentions the farm house she works and lives at and how the Owner is a bad person and the house is weird and sometimes you hear noises and there is a lady in the window and the house is next to a Saloon that is abandonned and full of blood stains and gun shots.

So i think to myself "Hey, might be worth taking a hint"

I take her there and start exploring around. I see the house she mentions and walk up to ti. The own sitting right at the porch... i say hi, dude automatically threatens me. So i think "Maybe i should just sneak around" and press the square button to try and diffuse the situation while i walk away... aaaaand now the dude runs at my back and start to choke me o i need to punch him out. nice.

But hey... maybe that's another sign that i should snoop around. I mean, i do hear some weird noises from the house anyways...

So i poke all around the whole damn farm, every door, 2 full days on this thing. Climbing on the roof, trying all the windows, trying to track for clues... nothing. A whole lot wasted time.

Or this other time when i saw a woman by the road claiming her leg was busted. As soon as i dismount she stands up so i go "Welp.. ambush" and i was right, she tries to rob me alongside her 2 friends. I take them all out and oh... woulnd't dare imagine... a random NPC just shows up to "investigate" the crime. I walk away. not a speck of blood on me, dude asks me if i do it... i say no... might as well say nothing since now he is barreling down the road to call the cops on me. I really don't have time for this and he is going to the city i was going, so i just say fuck it and gun him down.... his telepathic crime solving days are over.

Except... woulnd't you fucking know it, the game simply spawns ANOTHER random NPC down the road that just comes by to investigate too!

At this point... im experimenting. So i drive down the road, fully out of sight. And i wait. Dude reaches for the crime scene, im nowhere near it. And bingo! He also runs down to the city to testify against me, the dude that was actually being robbed and wasn't even around when he showed up.

...of course i gun him down too. And waited a little, and by the 4th time i repeated the exact same fucking cycle i was pretty done.

Not to say that the game does not have a lot of mini quests and adventures and side stories here and there that are actually worth it, there are! And some of those more human and lighthearted moments are totally great. But quite a few of these mini adventures just plain suck too... and the requests are barely worth the hassle. Money becomes nearly pointless halfway through the game... Camp funds end up meaningless... you will get all the guns you need to beat the whole game for free and enough money to mod them by just playing. As well as all the costumes you possibly want.

The only rewards of real worth are the ones that give you unique items or talismans, but their bonuses are so small and the work required to get them so big i barely saw them as worth the hassle. I really don't want to hunt perfect legendary animals plus a bunch of extra materials just to get 10% dead eye bonus, sorry...

 

[halcali]

I ran into a lot of repetitive content, but was mostly satisfied with exploration because of how wondrous the various landscapes were.
Attempting to find all 200+ wildlife was definitely part of it. <3

My Compendium ended up being only half full by the time I finished Epilogue.

 

[Ronnie Poncho]

OP you're absolutely right, while I share some stories with you there are others that you've seen that I have completely missed. Fabulous exploration in that game.

Other day i have found house with grandma and her basement.

Click to shrink...

Did you steal the Semi-Auto shotgun in her basement? Go back later and there'll be something else going on. I went back the next day but I assume you can go back any time to trigger the next scene.

 

[ket]

The exploration is the best of this gen. RDR2's open world is fantastic!

 

[dex3108]

OP you're absolutely right, while I share some stories with you there are others that you've seen that I have completely missed. Fabulous exploration in that game.



Did you steal the Semi-Auto shotgun in her basement? Go back later and there'll be something else going on. I went back the next day but I assume you can go back any time to trigger the next scene.

Click to shrink...

I didn't go back because

Spoiler: Spoiler

she run away to call her sons and I didn't managed to lasso her on time so I run away too XD

 

[ActWan]

The world is just phenomenal to explore. I can be sucked in for hours just walking around...

 

[Ausroachman]

The game is a master class in exploration. I don't care about rewards , I care about a world feeling lived in and with so many random events and things to discover.

There are so many collectables and places to find that I've barelg wcrateched the surface 150 hrs in.

Spoiler: Random exploration spoilers

Some of the things I've only recently stumbled across so far in

- a house where a meteorite crashed through the roof and killed everyone inside
- a frozen couple cuddling right near there dead half eaten horse
- a werewolf man living in some random cave

So many stories and the best part is my friend who is almost finished hasn't seen any of the above but has seen things I've yet to discover.

 

[#1 defender]

Though I gotta say, some of the random events do feel very scripted because many stuff I encounter is the same exact random event for my friends. I would like them to improve on that by making them much more dynamic in nature.

Click to shrink...

While that sounds cool, is that really something that could be done smoothly with current tech? Of course it feels scripted, someone had to write, record, animate, code, etc. those encounters, they can't just be procedurally generated by the game. I suppose the next step is developing systems where different building blocks can be mixed together to give players variations of similar encounters with different parameters, but that would probably be easier in games that rely more on written text than voice acting. In big, cinematic games that's probably still a way off.

Personally, it didn't bother me at all that other people would experience the same encounters i did, i was just a bit disappointed when certain, seemingly unique, events would repeat, like saving a guy from a snake bite and him picking up the tab for you when you meet him again in town. With that said, i was still amazed at the sheer amount of different scenarios you would encounter roaming the world and how relative lack of repetition in that regard. Having spent what must be over a 100 hours in the game by now, i'm still discovering new things every so often, which feels great.

 

[Lukemia SL]

I really liked how the game world looked but per my second play-through it's been horrible. Locking down most of the map because you're wanted dead or alive in one area is awful, both Arthur and the Horse not being able to climb a up a barely steep hill is bad, Arthur not being able to swim far without losing all stamina and dying is disappointing, Arthur going too far from the horse after you went down a cliff by yourself that the horse couldn't get down from and you know you cannot climb back up...ugh forget a second play through I'm not having fun.

 

[Saint-14]

.

Click to shrink...

I actually think BOTW has the best exploration in an open world game, with the way the game is built everywhere you go you'll find some satisfying rewards, shrines to find which increase your health and stamina, seeds to increase your inventory, secret bosses and locations, even just fighting some enemies can be rewarding with how the weapon degradation works.

 

[Voxels]

Nah, the game is pretty repetitive and a bitch to navigate.

 

[Araujo]

I actually think BOTW has the best exploration in an open world game, with the way the game is built everywhere you go you'll find some satisfying rewards, shrines to find which increase your health and stamina, seeds to increase your inventory, secret bosses and locations, even just fighting some enemies can be rewarding with how the weapon degradation works.

Click to shrink...

Yes. Breath of the Wild nearly fixed the problem that had been plaguing the series since Ocarina of Time. Actually rewarding exploration and curiosity in a meaningful way.

 

[Ronnie Poncho]

I didn't go back because

Spoiler: Spoiler

she run away to call her sons and I didn't managed to lasso her on time so I run away too XD

Click to shrink...

Spoiler

You should head back and see if she's called her sons... :)

 

[Hurting Bomb]

The open world and atmosphere is incredible, i just wish Rockstar could produce decent shooting mechanics!

 

[Tovarisc]

This is the Zelda problem and it is totally fair criticism.

Most rewards are not worth the hassle, at best you get lots of small stories which most of them are good. But as you progress through the game you gonna see some sore spots and some repeating stories.

I must say, halfway to chapter 6 i was pretty done in stopping my travels just to carry someone home on the exact opposite direction i was going in exchange for 5 bucks when i was sitting on 2k with nothing left to buy of interest in the stores.

Just yesterday i was walking into Saint Denni, a fella started calling me to a corner. As usual i stopped to hear what he had to say... and e was inviting me to a dark alley to show me how to make some quick cash. Looking super shady... i didn't want trouble in town and it was painfully obvious that this was nothing but a quick robbery so i simply turned away. Walked back to my horse.

Oh, what is this? I can't mount my horse? Oh i can't walk away now...? I HAVE to walk into the alley and get robbed and lose 400 bucks?

Gee thanks videogame.

Same day earlier on, i was traversing the map in a nearly 5 minute horse ride to a mission when midway a girl by the side of the street calls on me for help. "Sure... why not..." . No surprise she lives 3 minutes in the exact opposite direction i was going to.... as i take her home she mentions the farm house she works and lives at and how the Owner is a bad person and the house is weird and sometimes you hear noises and there is a lady in the window and the house is next to a Saloon that is abandonned and full of blood stains and gun shots.

So i think to myself "Hey, might be worth taking a hint"

I take her there and start exploring around. I see the house she mentions and walk up to ti. The own sitting right at the porch... i say hi, dude automatically threatens me. So i think "Maybe i should just sneak around" and press the square button to try and diffuse the situation while i walk away... aaaaand now the dude runs at my back and start to choke me o i need to punch him out. nice.

But hey... maybe that's another sign that i should snoop around. I mean, i do hear some weird noises from the house anyways...

So i poke all around the whole damn farm, every door, 2 full days on this thing. Climbing on the roof, trying all the windows, trying to track for clues... nothing. A whole lot wasted time.

Or this other time when i saw a woman by the road claiming her leg was busted. As soon as i dismount she stands up so i go "Welp.. ambush" and i was right, she tries to rob me alongside her 2 friends. I take them all out and oh... woulnd't dare imagine... a random NPC just shows up to "investigate" the crime. I walk away. not a speck of blood on me, dude asks me if i do it... i say no... might as well say nothing since now he is barreling down the road to call the cops on me. I really don't have time for this and he is going to the city i was going, so i just say fuck it and gun him down.... his telepathic crime solving days are over.

Except... woulnd't you fucking know it, the game simply spawns ANOTHER random NPC down the road that just comes by to investigate too!

At this point... im experimenting. So i drive down the road, fully out of sight. And i wait. Dude reaches for the crime scene, im nowhere near it. And bingo! He also runs down to the city to testify against me, the dude that was actually being robbed and wasn't even around when he showed up.

...of course i gun him down too. And waited a little, and by the 4th time i repeated the exact same fucking cycle i was pretty done.

Not to say that the game does not have a lot of mini quests and adventures and side stories here and there that are actually worth it, there are! And some of those more human and lighthearted moments are totally great. But quite a few of these mini adventures just plain suck too... and the requests are barely worth the hassle. Money becomes nearly pointless halfway through the game... Camp funds end up meaningless... you will get all the guns you need to beat the whole game for free and enough money to mod them by just playing. As well as all the costumes you possibly want.

The only rewards of real worth are the ones that give you unique items or talismans, but their bonuses are so small and the work required to get them so big i barely saw them as worth the hassle. I really don't want to hunt perfect legendary animals plus a bunch of extra materials just to get 10% dead eye bonus, sorry...

Click to shrink...

It's very wide, but shallow puddle that starts to repeat itself quite fast if you go ham on exploration and really put hours in.

Also these "random encounters" always spawn to same spots on map and usually are just one and same. You learn when and where ambushes are as they always are same.

 

[dex3108]

Spoiler

You should head back and see if she's called her sons... :)

Click to shrink...

I will go back when I go to that area again :D

 

[dbcyber]

It's the reason why I haven't moved past chapter 3.

 

[ohitsluca]

Yes? Why are they giving you items for exploring if rewards aren't an important aspect?

Click to shrink...

In rdr2 the loot isnt the reward for exploration, the stories/characters/discoveries you will make while doing so are. The loot is just there so you don't run out of shit along the way lol

At least that's how I felt about it

 

[EJS]

The best part about RDR2 to me is how the open world actually feels realized, like there's a world happening, even without my existence in it. Traversing the map affirms that for me. It's fantastic in its execution.

 

[dex3108]

For me it finding good environmental story or interesting location is worth more than loot. I finished AC Origins 100% an looted everything i could and i never cared about weapons, i only cared about stats of those weapons. And i remember almost nothing from Origins. Finding that map in chimney meant more to me than anything i discovered in Origins for example.