Herbalist Help

[Saltyballs]

Hi there, I'm having a few issues remembering where to find one of the plant species needed for making Special miracle tonics (Herbalist #7). The plant in question is the Currant. I know I've found them before but for some reason they are not listed in my compendium. Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

[Moosh89]

I wish the map told you what drawn icons were what when hovering over them. Most of the animals are easy to distinguish but I have a hard time distinguishing the herbs/flowers. I remember in the first RDR you could purchase a herbalist map that highlighted herbs on the map and minimap, which was great. I wonder if I'll eventually be able to purchase one in this game? I'm currently midway through Chapter 2.

[Melting Snowflakes]

Spoiler

Northeast

 

[Saltyballs]

1 hour ago, Moosh89 said:

I wish the map told you what drawn icons were what when hovering over them. Most of the animals are easy to distinguish but I have a hard time distinguishing the herbs/flowers. I remember in the first RDR you could purchase a herbalist map that highlighted herbs on the map and minimap, which was great. I wonder if I'll eventually be able to purchase one in this game? I'm currently midway through Chapter 2.

I agree completely, simply having the ability to filter or highlight plants on the mini-map would resolve half my issues. The developers likely want the users to explore more due to the amount of detail found in the map but at times it can be incredibly frustrating.  

8 minutes ago, Melting Snowflakes said:

  Reveal hidden contents

Northeast

 

Thank you hopefully that should be enough to get me started. 

[Melting Snowflakes]

20 minutes ago, Saltyballs said:

I agree completely, simply having the ability to filter or highlight plants on the mini-map would resolve half my issues. The developers likely want the users to explore more due to the amount of detail found in the map but at times it can be incredibly frustrating.  

Thank you hopefully that should be enough to get me started. 

I actually agree with the developers on this after playing for a week, it's very much like when I explore iRL in the sense that you have to stop being project oriented like you're developing a software program or building a house, and start being opportunistic, taking advantage of things as they become available to you.

Project oriented, you set your sights on "that thing you want", and then go searching the map for resources to craft it, or to finish and get the new skill, or whatever ... this takes a long time, requires a lot of riding around, requires you to have access to some kind of "google" to do searches, etc ...

Opportunistic, you keep track in your mind (or on paper) of all of the various things you need to advance, and then wander around, exploring, and as you find them, take advantage of them, take advantage of whatever is there.  You might have a general goal, like searching for currants in part of the map, but in the back of your mind you know you need a pristine elk hide for something, more money, to demonstrate that you can do certain tasks to level up some skills, that you're going to be near where some of the objectives are, etc ... and you just take it as it comes.  Always be on the lookout for things you need, and get them while you can.

I've actually had to do this iRL before because I am a long distance sailor, and when you do that, you take advantage of whatever is there.  Someone has chickens for sale ?  Pressure canning time.  You find a good deal on fuel ?  Fill er up.  You find a warm shower ?  Get it while it's hot.  Sure, you're moving towards a destination, but you don't sail across a freaking bay to get food every day, you have to constantly be planning ahead and watching for resources as they cross your path.  You don't focus on a project until its completed, you have 50 projects going on at the same time, and you make progress as you are able.

Edit - in game example, for me I use a lot of small game arrows, so I am always on the lookout for an easy shot at a bird that has flight feathers.  I don't go looking for them, but when I see one perched somewhere I'll pop it and take the feathers and that way I'm constantly picking up a few here and there and always have a supply of small game arrows.

Edited November 2, 2018 by Melting Snowflakes

[Saltyballs]

I hope you didn't interpret my previous comment as criticism, I whole-heatedly agree that the major strength to the game mechanics are the free form exploration and attention to detail.  In fact I stayed awake playing for over thirty hours straight due to how immersive and interesting the world is when I first got the game. There are some minor tweaks however that could help streamline certain tasks without ruining the immersion (easier fast travel, map filters etc). 

I often do the same as you, I'm on the start of chapter three yet I've gotten all of the camp and satchel upgrades, as well as most of the legendary beasts and challenges completed. I'm constantly getting distracted (especially by the hunting mechanics) and so far the game is exceeding my expectations. 

[KRooKeD KRoW]

After a couple weeks, you might have this done already, but others may not soo...

 

I found Blackcurrant mostly north of Annesburg (far northeast corner of the map).  It tends to actually grow a bit away from the streams, on the other side of the trees that line the banks.  Not too easy to pick out from other herbs so I recommend going after the Golden Currant if you don't need a specific currant. (turns out this was all golden currant)

 

Golden Currant is in other areas as stated by the guide, but the best place I found it is in the Great Plains/Tall Trees area west of Blackwater.  It grows about 20 feet away from small groups of trees, mostly out in the open.  It's really easy to spot without Eagle Eye.  It's a tall plant (maybe about 3 feet tall) that splits into a Y shape about 2 feet off the ground, and the leaves begin to grow at said split.  The leaves are pretty green and since everything around is yellowish, it really stands out.  Once you know exactly what it looks like, you can spot it from a long way away without even using Eagle Eye to highlight it.  Because I didn't need Eagle Eye (which greatly reduces the distance you can cover in a set amount of time since it slows you down a lot while you're in it and looking around), I was able to get about 40 currant in about 10 minutes.

 

Edit:

After posting this, started finding Golden Currant all over the place (still fastest to farm it on the Great Plains, I think), and for the life of me cannot find where I saw the Blackcurrant.

 

Lol, second Edit:

Turns out I never found blackcurrant before, it was all golden currant.  The blackcurrant I found for the first time later on... growing in Gaptooth Ridge and Cholla Springs areas of west/northwest New Austin. The blackcurrant looks a lot like the golden currant, similar growing patterns as well, a little bit away from the cacti.

Edited November 13, 2018 by KRooKeD KRoW

[BropolloCreed79]

On 11/2/2018 at 12:24 PM, Melting Snowflakes said:

Always be on the lookout for things you need, and get them while you can.

I keep a running list of the perfect hides that I need for crafting in the back of my head, and you'd better believe I ride with my varmit rifle at the ready when I'm going cross-country.  Keeping binoculars in-hand works wonders, too.

 

[Kormath]

23 hours ago, BropolloCreed79 said:

I keep a running list of the perfect hides that I need for crafting in the back of my head, and you'd better believe I ride with my varmit rifle at the ready when I'm going cross-country.  Keeping binoculars in-hand works wonders, too.

 

you can't get the small birds without the glasses, at least i never can anyway.  

[Truth]

5 minutes ago, Kormath said:

you can't get the small birds without the glasses, at least i never can anyway.  

I've shot down at least 3, but that was pure lucky response.

If you don't spot them the second they take off as you ride past, you're not going to shoot them.

Do you just scan around with the binoculars? I haven't bothered bird watching yet, but I do want to see them all eventually. Is there a strategy to it?

[Kormath]

Just now, Truth said:

I've shot down at least 3, but that was pure lucky response.

If you don't spot them the second they take off as you ride past, you're not going to shoot them.

Do you just scan around with the binoculars? I haven't bothered bird watching yet, but I do want to see them all eventually. Is there a strategy to it?

while i was doing the challenge to shoot the birds from the moving train i would sit across the tracks from Emerald Station and wait for the train to come in.  While doing so one time i was scanning with the binocs to the northwest, where you can see the train come between the 2 hills, and i just happened to have the street sign in my field of view and noticed the Study option in the corner.  Found 2 song birds on the street sign.  so now whenever i get near a sign or town or settlement i scan the area with the binocs to see if any birds i haven't found yet are there.

I was thinking they'd be along the power lines and on the power poles like you find every where IRL, but so far i haven't seen a bird there yet.  Could just be my luck or they didn't want us shooting the powerlines down

I've tried killing some of the song birds with the small game arrow, but evidently i'm a horrible shot if i'm shooting at something smaller than a red or black squirrel.  I have yet to hit a song bird, and even the crabs dodge my arrows very well.  Only crab i've gotten so far (not counting the ones from the saloon girls) was one my horse stepped on when it swam across the water to me after i accidentally whistled for it.

[Truth]

5 minutes ago, Kormath said:

or they didn't want us shooting the powerlines down

I'll be attempting that later, thanks for the idea!

6 minutes ago, Kormath said:

I've tried killing some of the song birds with the small game arrow

I used the varmint rifle (always keep it handy). I could see how the bow would be more difficult. I also haven't adjusted the auto aim, so that really helps my accuracy.

7 minutes ago, Kormath said:

not counting the ones from the saloon girls

lol

I haven't seen any crabs yet, but my horse is great at running over sh*t.

[Kormath]

1 minute ago, Truth said:

I haven't seen any crabs yet, but my horse is great at running over sh*t.

If you want to know -

Spoiler

They're on the island due west of the 2nd camp

 

[Truth]

2 minutes ago, Kormath said:

If you want to know -

I only saw

Spoiler

iguanas

there... Meh, I'll find them when I find them. I also have the guide, so I can just look through that. I've hunted the important things already, so I can hold off on that until I finish the story (or at least chapter 2). I might hunt the legendary animals  first though...

[Saltyballs]

I went through the entire game missing most of the small birds, turns out there is an easy way to hunt most of them. Near most wooded areas you'll often hear bird song, there's also usually large boulders/rocks in the surrounding area too. Dismount your horse and creep so you don't disturb them and use a scope or binoculars to scan the tops of the boulders, most small bird species tend to perch on them.  Rails of bridges or fences are pretty good places to look too. 

I'd recommend using the small game arrows to try and get perfect carcasses as the hunter requests require a lot of small bird species. 

 

Edited November 14, 2018 by Saltyballs