Fastest way to get everywhere

[mightyhokie]

I know that I can just set a marker and set my horse off and do cinematic view from one side of the map to another. But is there a better way? I have most of the eastern map open (I'm in chapter 2) by just riding around trying to find legendary animals. I also have fast travel in the camp. But I want to open up the western part of the map and would reeeeeeeeally love a way to do so without spending 4 hours riding all around. I thought you could go to the train station/stagecoaches and select a city to go to. However, unless you've been there you don't see those locations. For example the train station in Valentine currently doesn't show Strawberry. I want to get over to that side so I can find the legendary deer so I can get the trinket that will allow me to more easily get perfect pelts.

I tell you, this damn game is beyond frustrating sometimes. It's like Rockstar wanted to go for more realism than fun. Lots of quirks that are doing their best to separate me from enjoying it. I want it to be a great game, but it's a shadow of RDR1. The graphics are obviously better (I have the Xbox X and 4k HDR), voice acting, etc. All that is great. But there are many, many things that make me shake my head as to why they included this in the game. Like only being able to fast travel from the camp, and not from your own tent when out in the field. Stupid.

[lumper]

The best advice I can give you is slow down, just cover 100% of the areas that you are in, rather than find a fast way to travel, just try to get to your destination without too many distractions, lol.

Often you will find a stranger missions you didnt expect, or an animal that doesnt spawn a lot like a moose, etc..

So many things to miss by trying to cover the map too early or too quickly.

If you set a few goals those goals will inevitably uncover the map for you.

Like getting the satchel upgraded to the fullest one early on makes a huge difference in the game, being able to hold 99 items over 3 kind of helps, ALOT.

So for that you have to do some specific hunting, and to get the animals you need you will get around, also, you need the buck trinket early on to get better quality pelts, especially in chapter 2 when the weapon selection is light, another good tip, go to the gunsmith and get a scope on your repeater or whatever rifle you do have to help with head shots and perfect pelts early on.

anyway if you say decide to get the trinket, get the satchel upgraded, and stock up on big game and thyme, mint, and oregano so you can stock up in a big way, you will get the flow going of exploring, while accomplishing a goal, while also running into strangers, chance encounters, and other cool things, before you know it you will have the map uncovered and you will also be having a very full experience by doing multiple things at the same time.

Edited March 4, 2019 by lumper

[lumper]

4 hours ago, Dewy1314 said:

I encountered this exact same frustration some aspects of the game are so real and then some aspects are completely freaking ridiculous and the fast travels one of the slowest things I've ever done

I made a post about this call Big World not open world for the exact reason you're mentioning of the one thing has to lead to another!

I just wanted to go around and Hunt everything, the best way I found to do this especially alligators is two used improved arrows which you can craft, before you get the bigger Satchel I recommend you collect flight feathers and focus on making improved arrows because that is the best way I found to get three stars on any animal if you get them with one hit

I dunno I found once you got the trinket and a scope, you could hunt anywhere you wanted, I used the swamp as a meat locker, gators are easy to find and hunt, and once  you get a rifle they are one shot kills and perfect pelts plus big game meat, anyway you can go off and do anything you want, but for best results, you can do a few things prior and plan things out much like you would do on a hunting trip.

Hunting can be a huge part of this game or it can be minimal, its up to you, I loved it and spent a lot of time in my third play through  crafting and picking and hunting and fishing, I played it like Arthur was on hunting trips and other things would just happen along the way, I avoided story missions as much as possible and did everything I could but always based on a hunting trip, so I was always doing three or four things at once and it felt natural this way like Arthur was just having fun and making money. 

I would go out and stck up the camp, come back and hang out at camp for three days, talk to everyone at all times of day to see what came of it usually requests and stuff, some backstory, etc.. then I would leave for 5 or 6 nights on a hunting trip, and while out on the trip, I might run into a stranger and get diverted for a while, or stumble upon a dino bone or rock carving,, find a blody corpse and a note or a treasure map, etc.. then go hunting, check my needs for the satchel, and keep going back to camp to upgrade and stock up Pearson make everyone happy, do chores, then head back out.

By chapter 2 I had that satchel upgraded and wow what a difference it made everything else, all the herbalist challenges, etc.. so much easier with a huge satchel.

In my previous play through's I did not do this, first time I rushed it and second time I just wasnt looking for everything I missed he first time, so I wanted to do one where I did it all as I went along and paid attention to everything all the time, and that was great fun.

[Foxtrot]

I’ve put in almost 500 hours into this game so far, and I’ve not used the fast travel feature once. 

I took a train journey once, and that’s it. 

I just enjoy the exploration so much, I tend to wander all over the map and let myself get side tracked by doing the challenge tasks, legendary animals/fish and lots of other stuff. 

[mightyhokie]

I get it. It is gorgeous for sure. But some of the game mechanics are really tainting my experience. It's always "one thing leads to another".

 

For example, the master hunter challenges:
I've been having a hell of a time getting 3-star pelts. When I do find them and shoot them in the head it nearly always knocks it down to 2 star. It's maddening. I am currently on the second challenge, getting 3 3-star rabbit pelts. Well, of course at first I tried the bow, but clearly that is too strong, even with small prey arrows. So I looked it up and got the varmint rifle. Whenever I see one dart across my path I shoot it. Well, that's not totally easy to make happen either because of the way they have the weapons set up! Many times Arthur has put his gun away or another type is selected. So I have to quickly go into the menu wheel and switch. By then the rabbit has darted 30 feet away. So I get the gun out and do red-eye (which early in the game takes most of my deadeye core and ring), find the rabbit, and shoot it's head. Still...as of yet I've killed 20 rabbits and have yet to get that 3-star pelt. They, much like my opinion of this game, keep getting downgraded.

So, the cure? I read where I can kill the legendary buck and use his horn as a trinket that will allow me to keep 3-star pelts more easily, so I've been told. Well, in order to do that, I need to ride my horse all the way to the farthest west of the map. Why? Because that is the only way to get there. 

Want to upgrade equipment? Need deer antler that's needlessly all the way across the map. Rockstar had to know that people would need that trinket but made is so difficult to get to early in the game. Barrier to fun.
Want to upgrade satchel? Can't get the 3 star pelts until you get the deer horn. Barrier to fun.
Want to go get the deer? Set your destination and put it on cinematic mode...it's going to be a slog. Also, hope that you don't get killed or have to start from a previous save for some reason or you might lose the pelts you do actually have. Barrier to fun.

Also there have bene many times where I've been killed or just restarted playing the next day and lost the handful of perfect pelts that I DID manage to get. They just disappeared off my horse. So I have to load a previous game, many times it won't fix it with the previous save so I have to go back several saves, sometimes losing 30 minutes or more of progress.

The whole core/ring mechanic is a mess. Unlike nearly all other games I've played I'm constantly having to recharge them.

I don't know. For every time I do something where I think "okay, that was cool" I find 2 things that I have to ask "did they even play their own game?"

Yes, it is jaw droppingly gorgeous. Yes, the voice acting is incredible. Yes, there are fun moments here and there. The writing is great. I love all these things about this game. But compared to Assassins Creed Odyssey it is really slow. Lots of barriers to fun that are just unnecessary. And as much as I would love to just tool around looking at the scenery, when you finally get several 3-star pelts, which are really, really ridiculously hard to get this early in the game, and there is a chance that if you stop and save that they will disappear, and all you want to do is get to a trapper which is all the way south, a 10 minute-plus ride, all that scenery just goes by. I keep seeing stuff around Arthur and thinking "I want to come back here after I drop these things off". Its just a lot of stupid little stuff that is killing it for me. Shame.

[Foxtrot]

I’m guessing that you haven’t got as far as the gambling challenges yet, or Herbalist 9...

I do get what you’re saying here, but there’s plenty to be completely immersed in. Sometimes it does take a first play through and some research to really enjoy it to the fullest. 

Mir really is a mark of a good game that I’ve sunk 500 hours in it and not even half way through. 

I just love it. 

[mightyhokie]

I hope I get past this rut. I do want to love it like I did the first one. And I see a great game in there. Its just lots of little things making it harder than it should be. My mistake was playing the awesome Assassin's Creed Odyssey before RDR2. Much more fast paced. 

I put like 640 hours into Witcher 3. I loved everything about that game. So I get it. I'm sure this game is great. I just need to keep pushing through this stuff. At least I hope. Thanks for the help.

[ArchAngelSix5]

I recommend getting the Legendary Buck antler trinket, It helped my small game harvesting a lot, now when I kill a rabbit and it's two star, I first pick it up turn around then skin it. And Poof it goes into the satchel as a three star pelt. I used to hit skin first and was distraught that the trinket was of no value. The once I decided to pick up the skunk, rabbit or snake and then skin it . BAM !!!!  Three star harvest. Really helpful with snakes, I had lost all hope of ever having a Rattle snake saddle. Varmint Rifle , and the Legendary Buck Trinket might be the way to go?

[Foxtrot]

Yeah, he knows about the buck trinket, it’s all of the long crisscrossing of the map to get to these things that’s wearing him out....

To me, it’s an integral part of the narrative. Arthur is forced to slow down to get all of these items. The irony is of course is that he’s running out of time...

 

[mightyhokie]

Thanks for the advice. 

I crossed all the way west and got the deer trinket last night. I tested it and got a few 2 stars that turned into 3 stars and that made me happy. Since I went all the way to St. Denis to see the fence and I had to ride my horse back to camp I decided to see if I could get an alligator pelt or two. I killed literally 25 gators and never got a perfect pelt. Even when they were 3 star to start with. I shot them in the head and shot them in the heart but it kept knocking it to 1 star or whatever. I looked that up and it says the sniper rifle is the best to use for alligators. So either my gun was not powerful enough (the Winchester you get from the basement of the general store in Rhodes) to kill gators with one shot to the heart, and I guess if you shoot them in the head and kill with one shot that it destroys the pelt. Oh well. I'll try and find a sniper rifle somewhere that I don't have to pay for it. I barely have any money.

Anyway, thanks for your help guys. I appreciate it. 

[Foxtrot]

You get the Rolling Block Rifle during the “Sheep and the Goats” mission in Chapter 2. It’s scripted in, so you can’t avoid it. 

Some weapons are only available after story missions or during certain events. 

[Kormath]

2 hours ago, mightyhokie said:

Thanks for the advice. 

I crossed all the way west and got the deer trinket last night. I tested it and got a few 2 stars that turned into 3 stars and that made me happy. Since I went all the way to St. Denis to see the fence and I had to ride my horse back to camp I decided to see if I could get an alligator pelt or two. I killed literally 25 gators and never got a perfect pelt. Even when they were 3 star to start with. I shot them in the head and shot them in the heart but it kept knocking it to 1 star or whatever. I looked that up and it says the sniper rifle is the best to use for alligators. So either my gun was not powerful enough (the Winchester you get from the basement of the general store in Rhodes) to kill gators with one shot to the heart, and I guess if you shoot them in the head and kill with one shot that it destroys the pelt. Oh well. I'll try and find a sniper rifle somewhere that I don't have to pay for it. I barely have any money.

Anyway, thanks for your help guys. I appreciate it. 

headshot, right in the eyeball, is the best way to get a perfect pelt.  and any rifle (not repeater or varmint rifle) will work on an alligator, i usually use the springfield, sometimes the bolt action,  i've never bothered with the sniper rifle.

Study the animal then hit RB/R1 to see the info on it, it will tell you which weapon to use for perfect pelts.

Edited February 13, 2019 by Kormath

[Reyes]

I am like some of the others where I chose to just ride my horse most of the time. I can't be arsed with the train and I don't mind riding around since I enjoy hunting so even if I have to travel a ways out, I can get some nice pelts and such along the way.

[Kormath]

On 2/16/2019 at 5:56 PM, Reyes said:

I am like some of the others where I chose to just ride my horse most of the time. I can't be arsed with the train and I don't mind riding around since I enjoy hunting so even if I have to travel a ways out, I can get some nice pelts and such along the way.

when i get sick of riding around i ride a stage coach, you can get to any town with a coach and a short ride from there to anywhere on the map.

[Dewy1314]

I encountered this exact same frustration some aspects of the game are so real and then some aspects are completely freaking ridiculous and the fast travels one of the slowest things I've ever done

I made a post about this call Big World not open world for the exact reason you're mentioning of the one thing has to lead to another!

I just wanted to go around and Hunt everything, the best way I found to do this especially alligators is two used improved arrows which you can craft, before you get the bigger Satchel I recommend you collect flight feathers and focus on making improved arrows because that is the best way I found to get three stars on any animal if you get them with one hit

[Foxtrot]

The amount of times Charles tracked me down and asked if I was returning to camp any time soon...

Not right now Charles, I'm picking orchids and shooting Murfrees in the head...

[Dewy1314]

By the way I don't know if anybody actually answered your question, I found the fastest way to open the map was to steal a train and driving around the tracks... This will open up about as wide of view as possible without doing the open exploring you're talkin about, the train is slower than I like it to be but it's still faster than doing it by horse. 

Edited March 14, 2019 by Dewy1314

[Kormath]

2 hours ago, Dewy1314 said:

By the way I don't know if anybody actually answered your question, I found the fastest way to open the map was to steal a train and driving around the tracks... This will open up about as wide of view as possible without doing the open exploring you're talkin about, the train is slower than I like it to be but it's still faster than doing it by horse. 

stage coach is faster,  can get to any town in the game with it, and a short ride from there to anywhere on the map.

[Dewy1314]

23 minutes ago, Kormath said:

stage coach is faster,  can get to any town in the game with it, and a short ride from there to anywhere on the map.

No you misunderstand his question man he's not trying to teleport he's trying to get rid of the fog of War... you can physically Drive the train not right on it which will get rid of the fog taking a stagecoach will just teleport you... And you can't take a stagecoach to place you haven't been but you can drive the train into a station you haven't been to...

Edited March 14, 2019 by Dewy1314

[Kormath]

Just now, Dewy1314 said:

No you misunderstand his question man he's not trying to teleport he's trying to get rid of the fog of War...

yeah i got it, didn't miss that part, and stagecoach is the fastest way to do it if that's all your after.  but you have to ride and discover the different locations to use the stage anyway.  Do a sprint run to all locations (excluding Blackwater and New Austin since OP is in chapter 2)  Once they're 'found' the stage is the fastest way.  Still going to have to explore around the towns to uncover all of the map though, no way around that.

[Dewy1314]

2 hours ago, Kormath said:

yeah i got it, didn't miss that part, and stagecoach is the fastest way to do it if that's all your after.  but you have to ride and discover the different locations to use the stage anyway.  Do a sprint run to all locations (excluding Blackwater and New Austin since OP is in chapter 2)  Once they're 'found' the stage is the fastest way.  Still going to have to explore around the towns to uncover all of the map though, no way around that.

That's my point driving a train is faster than riding a horse to discover the different locations yes the Stagecoach is fastest to get there and in my opinion much faster than fast traveling...

[Kormath]

2 hours ago, Dewy1314 said:

That's my point driving a train is faster than riding a horse to discover the different locations yes the Stagecoach is fastest to get there and in my opinion much faster than fast traveling...

you're right, i didn't think about the large gap along flat iron lake and up between Bacchus station and Valentine.

[Rango]

On 2/13/2019 at 6:59 AM, mightyhokie said:

Thanks for the advice. 

I crossed all the way west and got the deer trinket last night. I tested it and got a few 2 stars that turned into 3 stars and that made me happy. Since I went all the way to St. Denis to see the fence and I had to ride my horse back to camp I decided to see if I could get an alligator pelt or two. I killed literally 25 gators and never got a perfect pelt. Even when they were 3 star to start with. I shot them in the head and shot them in the heart but it kept knocking it to 1 star or whatever. I looked that up and it says the sniper rifle is the best to use for alligators. So either my gun was not powerful enough (the Winchester you get from the basement of the general store in Rhodes) to kill gators with one shot to the heart, and I guess if you shoot them in the head and kill with one shot that it destroys the pelt. Oh well. I'll try and find a sniper rifle somewhere that I don't have to pay for it. I barely have any money.

Anyway, thanks for your help guys. I appreciate it. 

For gators I use the bow with improved arrows or shotgun with slugs.  One shot kills to the head.  If you shoot them more than once, it downgrades them.  I have also found that using express or HV ammo will downgrade a kill on some animals.  There is a guide on the best weapon and ammo combo to use for the type of animal

[Kormath]

8 hours ago, Rango said:

For gators I use the bow with improved arrows or shotgun with slugs.  One shot kills to the head.  If you shoot them more than once, it downgrades them.  I have also found that using express or HV ammo will downgrade a kill on some animals.  There is a guide on the best weapon and ammo combo to use for the type of animal

If the tip says rifle any rifle will do, sniper or 'regular'  I used the Springfield for all the rifle hunting.   

Ammo doesn't downgrade unless you use explosive. never once in my 24 days of play time (counting first and 2nd play through so far) did HV or Express ammo downgrade a hide unless i missed the head shot, and i'd guess probably 22 days of that playtime have been spent hunting.  It's how i'm making all my money in the 2nd play through, i'm leaving all the treasures for John to find.

I've used pretty much only the Express or HV unless i ran out and didn't feel like running back to a gun shop to get more while i was hunting.  cutting the cross in the top at camp also adds a damage bonus if you'd rather not buy the better ammo.

[Rango]

All I know is that I have used Express ammo, made the head shot with dead eye and an animal that was 3 stars ended up being a good, not perfect,  hide. Yes, I he seen the guide.  Does not occur all of the time, but happened enough times to make me only use regular ammo on smaller animals at the bottom of the repeater list.