Undiscovered world within the game: The title of this blog might baffle and confuse gamers who have recently purchased or have began playing the latest open world, old west gun slinging game by Rockstar San Diego. For gamers that have already finished the game or attempting unsuccessfully to finish it due to certain glitches the title would hold meaning and hit a home run.
Hilarity ensues - Bugs and glitches galore.
Despite its critical acclaim (and the acclaim enjoyed by Rockstar games the publishers) the game is not without its fair share of glitches and bugs which sometimes take on hilarious forms such as bizarre creatures, textures that take too long to load or simply vanish or animals that defy the laws of physics and mother nature and phase through solid objects.
The problems are the same whether you are playing the game on Microsoft’s Xbox 360 or Sony’s PlayStation 3. There is a glitch which makes horses; guns and even the title character disappear without a trace. Now Rockstar is a reputable game developing company which has given gamers memorable and unmatched titles like Grand Theft Auto Series so these glitches are something that makes this scribe think that the game was not quality tested properly due to whatever reason before its release. The said glitches can be found on youtube.com, which is virtually littered by videos documenting them and the count is still rising as more and more of these hiccups are discovered.
Some of the most memorable ones (personally encountered a few of these) are as below:
The Ghost Towns:
One of the most notorious glitches in the early edition of "Red Dead Redemption" was the appearance of ghost towns. Players would stumble upon entire settlements devoid of any signs of life – no NPCs, no animals, just eerie silence and abandoned buildings. These ghost towns, while initially unsettling, became a fascination for players who explored them, searching for clues or hidden secrets in these desolate landscapes but of course there was none to be had as it was merely a glitch in the coding. Till the writing of this article at least no player has reported to have uncovered any hidden clues or astonishing secrets.
The Flying Horsemen:
This glitch had me rolling around in fits of laughter! This glitch frequently perplexed players as they encountered seemingly flying horsemen. Imagine riding through the plains of New Austin, only to witness a group of NPCs on horseback soaring through the sky defying gravity. No, these were not an intended crossover of superbeings from another video game verse either. These surreal encounters added a touch of absurdity to the game's otherwise gritty realism, prompting players to capture and share their bizarre sightings with fellow gamers.
The Vanishing Act:
Some players reported experiencing a particularly frustrating bug that caused certain NPCs or objects to vanish into thin air. Whether it was a vital quest item or a character crucial to the storyline, these disappearances could derail players' progress and lead to moments of confusion and annoyance. The unpredictability of these vanishing acts only added to the sense of unpredictability that permeated the frontier. On a totally different and unrelated note, the fix to this highly annoying bug has not been discovered yet and continues to wreak havoc on game progression of those unlucky enough to have encountered it.
The Infinite Bounty:
In the lawless world of "Red Dead Redemption," players could earn money by capturing wanted criminals and turning them in for bounties. However, a glitch in the early edition of the game allowed players to exploit the bounty system, resulting in infinite payouts for capturing the same criminal repeatedly (the poor NPC would be traumatized :P). While this bug provided a tempting shortcut to wealth and prosperity, it also undermined the game's intended balance and challenge.
The Physics Defying Wildlife:
The wildlife of "Red Dead Redemption" was meant to behave according to the laws of nature, but sometimes, glitches would cause them to defy physics in absurd ways. Players reported seeing animals contorting into unnatural positions, floating above the ground, or engaging in bizarre animations that defied all logic. These surreal encounters added an element of surrealism to the game's depiction of the natural world.
The Infinite Loading Screen:
Second most frustrating bug in the early edition of "Red Dead Redemption" was the infamous infinite loading screen. Players would find themselves stuck in limbo, staring at a loading screen that never seemed to end, forcing them to restart the game and potentially lose progress. This glitch tested the patience of even the most dedicated players and became a source of frustration within the community.
The Hilarious Ragdoll Physics:
While not necessarily a bug, the ragdoll physics in "Red Dead Redemption" often produced hilariously exaggerated animations that left players in stitches. Whether it was a character falling off a horse in a comically dramatic fashion or being launched into the air by an explosive, these moments provided unexpected comedic relief amidst the game's more serious tone. Nothing like an NPC getting blown up to trigger laughter!
When approached by public, Rockstar through gaming site Kotaku.com issued a statement that they are aware of the issues and are working to resolve them. A top executive of Rockstar Games had this to say "[We're] really happy with how well Red Dead Redemption has been received by the community on both platforms so far. We're aware of the issues some people are experiencing on multiplayer and we're working hard to fix them".
"If you're having issues please email RDRSupportteam@rockstargames.com. We are also actively on the forums helping people with any questions they may have about the game. Thank you all for your support and we look forward to getting a fix out as soon as we can."
Ok, fair enough! I mean at least they are making an effort to resolve the issues right? But for people who just purchased the game for a hefty price it is a cheap consolation till Rockstar releases patches that would make these inconsistencies disappear.