Renascent

It's what a lot of PC MMOs do. They keep the low levels on a separate map, or in this case session, so the big kids don't try to bully them and scare them away from the game. I'd advocate for ranks 1-20 at the least.

The silver turkoman was too tempting to pass up when I reached the rank. I was 15 short so I got the $20 deal after that offer and bought a new outfit with the extra. I haven't bought any since. But like someone else said, to be fair the game has given me tons of playtime and I've made a lot of friends so I don't mind giving some dollars here and there.

To be fair I feel that players 1-10 should be matched into sessions with each other. Like kind of a training mode so they aren't completely blown away by someone rank 50+. But it could work all around. Like ranks 20-30 and so on could be matched together in a session. Kind of like a loose initial grouping.

I'd change the time it takes to switch modes to like 5 mins. It's very easy to run away and wait out that 30s. But you got a point there though. I guess it would work for those that like to shoot people just to shoot them. But I'm a noble pvper, I will never shoot someone in the back or if they've given me no reason to. And even then if I want to fight I am 50% of the time killing my own friends for fun (not maliciously). Not every pvper is the trigger happy kind. You got the ones like me who want a fair fight. Yeah I could go to one of the pvp modes, but often I like creating my own. Like I and some friends made a capture the flag pvp thing by which group can keep the train the longest. That was hella fun for me. On the other hand I'd suggest making the towns themselves like safe zones unless a mission is going (much like your camp doesn't protect you while you're on a mission). That would give people a little more peace of mind. I am dying to see how this bounty system will play out. Maybe some want to roleplay as an outlaw and try to evade capture/death. Others might want to take up a bounty as a mission and take out that person if they can.

Pve elements are there to make money not just draw in the pvers. How do you think the pvpers get their guns? By magic?

Wouldn't FFA technically include pve and not just pvp? It's everything, not just one thing.

I'm not saying that it's okay. But I'm my time of playing pvp heavy games, there is never true balance. One side or the other is always going to be unhappy. Then when the developer tries to please it sometimes ends up ruining the essence of the game. Yeah some players are assholes, just like in real life. Take a breath and move on and forget about it. You seem to be holding on to every toxic experience.

If someone is killing you multiple times then hop sessions. You have nothing to lose from that. Or try making them work for their kill by being good at running (personally love a good chase. can't grief me if you can't catch me). And honestly a whole posse rolling up on a loner and them not killing that person has happened more times than you think, at least in my experience. I know it's hella scary having like 4-7 people surrounding you though. Or idk if you've seen that YouTube video where like 10 swam up on a guy fishing and just casually walked out of the water. Only thing I can really say is just take it with a grain of salt. I usually don't get upset when someone kills me and I definitely don't let them do it multiple times. I have no problem with moving.

You know damn well that there's never gonna be true balance. One side or the other will get upset. You are making the assumption that everyone that pvps want kill people who are minding their business. And yet that is how you view things. I have seen differently. I've even become friends with those that have killed me or that my posse and I have been at war with.

I'm not sure if you've just had a really terrible experience playing rdr. But no not everyone assumes everyone else is bad. I've had many instances where I've run alongside someone or by or chilled with people without immediately getting shot. I ran beside someone once, think I startled them but I didn't have my gun out and we just kept going. A bit later he found me and gave me several fish. I guess for not being a trigger happy idiot like so many are. The "surprise" element is what will this person do? What are their intentions. I have a video of me and posse being in the middle of a mission/gun fight and some random guy comes and puts a fish on my horse. He almost got shot, but I told my people to stand down. You and a lot of people like to jump to conclusions. Oh someone is nearby, they must be bad, someone is shooting at me, they must be a griefer. I look at it and ask myself why or I've gone into game chat and asked why lol. Some have apologized and left me alone. Others weren't so nice and I either messed them up or I just moved on. I pick my battles wisely.

First off I'm not naturally into pvp. I used to be one of the pvers back in the day. I was so bad at pvp people that would get matched with me in pvp group modes would leave or kill themselves to get away from me lol. But at some point I decided to get better, and that's where my love of pvp began. It's an acquired taste for me. I expect rdr to be a wild west, keyword wild. There's no surprise element in toggle pvp when you know exactly who is gonna attack you. Then you'll have those people who will use the passive mode to get close to you then go into pvp mode and kill you. No I am not a griefer or bully. Hell, I yell at my friends and posse members all the time about killing people who aren't doing anything to us. I like having to determine who's friendly and who's hostile. I like looking over my shoulder. I like that challenge. I do however advocate for private lobbies. It's worked in other games I've played. I'm rank 99 now and I've gone through hell and back to get here. It feels good because I busted my ass to get this far. Also there is a way to hunt and do pve stuff with friends without being attacked. Not sure if they will ever patch it over, but for the time being it's a bandaid for everyone having trouble doing pve. (I'm at work so I may not have touched on everything you asked for)

Well I'm also looking at games across PS4 and PC. I've played a lot of them and the games that are marketed for everyone but are very pvp heavy tend to hold up pretty well despite the pvers crying to water things down.

I played an mmo built around pvp. It ran strong for a long time, the only reason why it's in decline is due to the company being greedy and them focusing on their other games. There will always no matter what developers do, be a huge clash between pvpers and pvers. People always think that "oh once the pvers are gone what will the griefers/pvpers have left?" There's always gonna be someone to kill.

Rockstar has a plan, but is it a good one.....? ;).............

Sure does help me, because I can't see very well (shittastic eyesight when people are moving faster than a walk/trot), so more often than not I can miss while someone is right in front of my face if they are dancing from side to side fast enough. And there definitely is getting better. Faster response time, using the terrain, not just relying on a gun (for them hidey people), being able to work well with others, or being able to hold your own while outnumbered. It isn't about JUST point and shoot.

It kinda just spread from one joining one posse. Their friends would join and I would get to know them and then their friends would join up and so on. Then the randoms I sometimes meet that are cool and it just keeps growing from there. Met a dude last night that was a friend of a friend, now we're friends. I mean I get the irl thing. I work long hours and often on call for my job. so I only have like 8-10 hours out of a weekday that I can play (assuming I don't have anything else to do for the day). So that right there limits who I can play with. But as of right now (it's 11am), there's about 3-4 people online. At peak hours, there's as many as 20-22. Sucks you aren't on PS4, come join the ever growing family of weirdos I've found.

That's what I'm saying. People just wanna sit here and complain and not try to do anything about but want the game to completely change because they too weak or bad. I got my ass handed to me when I first started out. But I learned, adapted, got better, ranked up hard. Now I dare a mofo to roll up on me and try something. Like if you aren't that great in pvp then posse up, network. Or get better at running out avoiding stuff.

I usually lone wolf when not enough of my friends are on or they doing that story mission farming thing. I've always been capable of going alone and I do like it cuz I don't have to watch anyone but myself and I die less or get dragged into unnecessary situations when alone. Plus I like to hunt with just a bow and lasso, makes it more fun but sometimes takes more time and most people are impatient. Just network well and I have a good 30+ people to run with when I choose to log at all hours. I've had some good belly hurtin laughs with the people I play with.

I'm mainly a PC mmo person so I never really had this happen to me much. There's been a few instances that as soon as a dude realizes I'm a woman he either starts following me around harassing me by hog-tying or trying to get on my horse (I've set it to friends only now) or just straight up killing me. Or when I've killed someone and realize it then they instantly start talking smack about my lady bits or something like they even know anything. And maybe a coincidence, but almost every time a war breaks out with my posse it's cuz some person shot me while I'm standing in the middle of the group. Like, why me???

Honestly if it weren't for the fact I run with several posses (about some 25-30 people altogether), it would be starting to become boring by now. But even solo, I don't get bored very easily. I mean I played The Forest on the PC for 3 months straight alone, everyday. And there isn't much to do in that game other than build aside from the lightly put together storyline. Hell, yesterday myself and some friends were chasing each other around St Denis. Then banded together when some randoms rolled up on us. Dealt with them then back at each other. Then I decided to follow this random guy around doing the crab walk (go first person and crouch, looks creepy af). But then I guess he got nervous and was about to shoot me and I ran away. Then kept meleeing him when he was trying to shoot me still until he left.

Myself and another friend almost got shot down by some guy until he heard our voices (both of us women). Then he came over and started showing off and talking about how much money he has in game and irl lol. But for real I don't even bother with in game chat unless someone looks like they trying to get my attention. I'm usually in party chat anyway so I can't hear anyone.

The birds glitching has been going on for awhile. Used to only see it near tumbleweed but now it's spread around a bit. I personally haven't seen animals spawning in large groups and/or not moving. I have seen a lot of boats randomly spawn near thieves landing. Like the boats sitting on the bridge, can't get past them. The fire rate I haven't noticed. I sure got shot 6 times by a Schofield in 1s, so yeah... Lol.

I have just learned to avoid people and quickly determine friendly from hostile. If I just want to hunt and fish I go to areas where no one is around. If one area that I want isn't clear then I go to the next. I have many hunting and fishing spots. I usually don't have any problems anymore now that I do that. I do check the map every so often. And if someone does come near enough that it picks up in the minimap I check to see what they are doing and get ready to run/fight. I had a pretty clear day last Friday doing the moving around thing solo. Got a lot of missions done, hunting in between, very productive with minimal pvp. Otherwise, I don't think I could play this game without the threat of pvp. It wouldn't be challenging enough, in my opinion. I love having to be alert. I get that some people don't want to be that vigilant though. I am in favor of private lobbies, just don't change how the pvp is now. I do think there needs to be a few more 'safe" spots to relax (ie. the damn butcher, y'all know the pain).

Could be a snake like one said or a black bear. Possibly a panther (panthers don't show up unless it noticed you and their dot disappears when they go back into hiding).

I'm pretty sure that it does tell you that, but it was a quick tip that most would probably miss. But it's been a life saver knowing it. That's why I can run through the swamps right next to gators without getting bucked. Plus I use the fact my horse wants to gtfo to my advantage. Only time I couldn't control my horse was when a grizzly was charging me and my horse was like AH HELL TO THE NAH and sprinted away with me in some random direction and I couldn't get her to go elsewhere. I was still holding L3 tho, which calmed her down before she probably would have run us into a tree.