Game Features
This guide will help you to develop a understanding of the game functions from the very start, offering accessible introductions to key features.
On This Page
On-Screen Display
The following screenshot illustrates a gameplay screen.
Reticle: Whenever you equip a weapon a white reticle appears. Hold 
/
and use 
to adjust your aim; the reticle will turn red when it hovers on a valid target. Headshots generally offer maximum efficiency.
Ammunition: The first figure represents the number of shots remaining for your active weapon; the second details your total stock. The icon correspondends to the type of ammunition currently selected.
Attribute Meters: The meters visible in the lower-left corner of the screen represent vital attributes - from left to right, health, stamina, Dead Eye, horse stamina, and horse health.
Radar: The mini-map in the lower-left of your screen shows your immediate surroundings, annotated with useful details such as cardinal directions, mission objectives, and assorted points of interactivity.
Dynamic Information: On-screen notifications will appear in accordance with your actions and events in the world.
Context-Sensitive Prompts: Whenever you can perform a context-sensitive action, a corresponding prompt will appear in the lower-right corner of the screen. These are used in many different situations, and to make decisions during missions. Press, tap or hold the displayed button to choose the specified action.
Essentiel Commands
Many potential actions and interactions are activatet via context-sensitive button presses. The relevant prompts will appear in the lower-right corner of the screen when they are available. Advice is to get familiar with the game controls and to adjust the settings as needed.
Basic Movement
| Command | Note |
|---|---|
 |
Walking: Tilt to walk in any direction. |
+ / (hold) |
Running: Faster than walking it does not drain your stamina. While riding a horse or driving a wagon, this also enables you to maintain your gait after a gallop, and to automatically follow companions during group rides. |
| +/(tap repeatedly) |
Sprinting: Enables you to run at maximum speed, at the cost of stamina. This is vital in critical situations, such as escape or chase. While riding a horse, try to tap the button in a rhythm that matches your mount's gallop. This makes it possible to travel at great speed without draining the horse stamina meter. |
+ |
Crouch-walking: An essential technique during infiltration situations, it is also recommended while hunting. It enables you to move steadily while keeping a low profile and making very little noise. You can also crouch-run by simultaneously holding /. |
Combat
| Command | Note |
|---|---|
 / |
Draw/holster weapon: Whenever possible, you should always ready your weapon before hostiles engage you.Don't neglect to holster it afterwards; carrying a weapon in hand when there is no need to do so might lead to unfortunate misunderstandings. |
/(hold) + / |
Aim and shoot: Most weapons in the game are used with these controls. Ready your weapon by holding /, line up a shot with - the reticle will turn red when directed at a valid target - then open fire with /. By default, RDO offers a medium level of aiming assistance, wich means that you will automatically lock on to enemies in your line of fire when you rise your weapon. With this system, the reticle is usually positioned on your targets chest. If you very briefly flick and fire as you look on to a foe, it's possible to secure near-instant headshots. You can then release / and repeat the maneuver immediately with another target if required. |
| / |
Shoot from the hip: If you do not hold /, you will fire in the direction that you are facing, automatically locking on to the closest target. This can prove helpful in situations where you need to strike instantly. |
 |
Dead Eye:This skill makes it possible to "tag" targets with  / ; you can then press / to fire at all of them in rapid succession. Note that triggering Dead Eye drains the corresponding meter. You can end the effect by pressing again. |
| / |
Take/exit cover: Taking cover helps you to stay unseen during infiltrations. Note that you can move along a cover surface by tilting to improve your firing angle, or to avoid incoming fire if partially exposed. To move around corners or or move to the next cover spot, tilt and press  / . While in cover, you can move out to fire by holding /; release it to immediately snap back to cover. |
 / |
Reload: Your character will reload automatically whenever his weapon runs out of ammunition. You should get into the habit of manually reload whenever you have the opportunity during shootouts, ideally from behind cover. |
| /(hold) +/ |
Combat Dive: When you need to dodge an incoming threat, diving sideways can instantly put you out of harm's way. |
| / |
Silent Take Down: If you manage to stealthily approach an enemy from behind, this technique offers a quiet way to remove them from the equation. These attacks are non-leathal if you are unarmed; should you brandish a melee weapon such as a knife, the victim will be killed. |
| / |
Melee Combat: During brawls, tap this button to punch or kick your opponents. When facing skilled enemies, you will often need to block their blows first with /, then follow up with swift counters. You can also grapple them with  / . |
Exploration
| Command | Note |
|---|---|
 + |
Eagle Eye: Triggers a sense ot awareness whereby animal tracks and collectibles will be temporarily highlighted. Focus on tracks with / to keep them visible for a while after leaving Eagle Eye mode. |
| +/ |
Jumping/Vaulting/Climbing: As well as a basic jump that can suffice for everything from hopping over a ditch to leaping on to a moving train. Use it to climb to vintage points while exploring, or to occupy high ground. |
hold  |
Satchel: opening your satchel (or cargo) gives you access to the items currently in your inventory. View documents and collections. |
General Controls
| Command | Note |
|---|---|
|
Move |
|
Adjust camera angle |
|
Crouch; press simultaneously with to activate Eagle Eye |
|
While selecting a weapon in the wheel menu, repair that weapon. Press simultaneously with to activate Eagle Eye. Hold to look back. |
| / |
Hold to run; tap repeatedly to sprint. |
| / |
Tap to jump, vault or climb; hold to pick up collectibles and search furniture. While focusing on an animal, tap to draw its attention. |
| / |
Loot bodies, skin animals, close drawers and doors, hold to rest. |
| / |
Hold to display the wheel menu; tap to draw or holster your weapon. |
| / |
Take/exit cover; cycle through interactions; while focusing on an animal, studie it, then show/hide its info. |
| / |
Hold to trigger interactive conversations with nearby characters. |
| / |
Tap to draw your weapon; fire weapon. |
|
Hold to open your satchel (or cargo when near your horse). |
 |
Displays the player list. |
 |
Whistle |
 |
Tap to view current objective, expand the radar, display honor rating and information on your environment; hold to change radar type. |
 / |
Tap to toggle camera view; hold to trigger cinematic camera. |
 / |
Display the pause menu; hold to open the map. |
Horse-Specific Controls
| Command | Note |
|---|---|
|
Steer |
|
Hold while riding to pat your horse |
| / |
While riding, tap to gallop; hold to follow a companion and match their speed; double tap and tilt forward while in formation to move up |
| / |
While riding, tap to jump; while on foot, focusing on a horse, tap to calm and pat it |
| / |
Tap to mount/dismount your horse; while riding, hold to hitch your horse; while on foot, tap to lead a horse that you are focusing on |
| / |
While riding, kick a target to either side; while leading your horse, stop leading |
| / |
While riding or on foot near your horse, hold to view the weapons stored on your mount |
| / |
When moving, slow down; when stationary, back up; while riding in formation, double tap and tilt backward to move down |
| / |
While on foot, hold to focus on a nearby horse |
|
While focusing on your horse, brush it |
|
While riding or on foot near your horse, hold to check your horse cargo; while focusing on your horse, feed it |
|
Whistle/call your horse |
Combat-Specific Controls
| Command | Note |
|---|---|
|
Tilt to peek out while in cover |
|
Adjust the position of your aiming reticle |
| / |
While aiming, tap to dive; during melee combat, tap or hold to block enemy blows; while in cover, move to the next cover spot |
| / |
Reload your weapon; tap while unarmed or equipped with a weapon to strike an enemy |
| / |
During melee combat, grapple your opponent |
|
While aiming, activate Dead Eye |
| / |
Hold to display the weapon wheel, then select a weapon with and release to equip it; tap to draw/holster your weapon |
| / |
Take/exit cover |
| / |
Hold to aim your equiped weapon |
| / |
Use/fire weapon, either from the hip or more accurately while aiming by holding / |
|
While aiming, toggle shoulder view |
|
While aiming, raise your gun to the sky to make a warning shot |
Menu-Specific Controls
| Command | Note |
|---|---|
+ |
Menu and map navigation; in the weapon wheel, change ammunition type |
|
On the map, place/remove a marker |
|
In the wheel menu, select an item; on the map, zoom in or out |
| / |
Confirm selection; on the map, place/remove a waypoint |
| / |
Cancel selection/go back |
| / |
On the map, display the index |
| / |
Navigate tabs |
| / |
Navigate tabs |
| / |
In the wheel menu, navigate the items within the same category; on the map, zoom out |
| / |
In the wheel menu, navigate the items within the same category; on the map, zoom in |
Game Structure
Missions
Most story missions have hidden medal goals that are not revealed by the game during the initial playthrough. If your task is to take out enemies, for instance, a set of optional goals might require you to do so within a specific time limit.
The medal you receive upon mission completion depends on how many optional goals you have fulfilled: mission time, number of killed enemies, stealth kills, headshots, lives lost by players, damage received.
Advice is to play at your own pace instead of attempting goals as fast as possible. You can replay missions to try your hand at the medal goals via the "Progress » Story Missions" option in the pause menu. The best time to do this would be after you reach the end of the story line.
Free Roam
When you travel over the map, you will run into opportunities on your way. These include collectibles, encounters with enemies or law enforcement, fishing spots, ambushes and other events.
One thing that you should take into account with your traveling is that you run into other all kind of other players. Some mind their own business, some are looking for a travel companion or a posse, and some are looking for trouble. Be always prepared and have your weapons ready for use.
Playing in Defensive Mode prevents other players from employing features such as paint it black, aim assist, and the lasso against you. To enable Defensive Mode open the Player Menu and go down to Online Options. You can only activate Defensive Mode if your hostility is low. It takes around 30 seconds to be activated and lasts indefinitely as long as you are not hostile or leave a story mission.
Activities
You have access to a lot of activities in Red Dead Online. These can range from playing Poker, to items requests made by other characters, to assignments and help requests from strangers.
One thing you should take into account with these activities is not so much their difficulty, but the distances that you have to travel to complete them. Advice is to fulfill optional objectives whenever you passing through an area, particularly when you can arrange to start them or bring them to a conclusion en route to your next destination.5
Traveling
To read the map is a critical skill you should develop early in the game. Whenever a mission requires you to reach a location, the game automatically shows you a recommended path to follow as long as you are riding a horse. The path also appears when you manually place a waypoint. While this always defines a reliable route, it is not necessarily the most efficient or fastest option. Pay attention to your surroundings as you travel, take shortcuts and skip areas.
You find a signpost in the main towns and other landmarks. From here, you can fast travel to other destinations. After paying a small fee and a short cut scene, you will arrive at your destination of choice.
Maps & Markers
Your character's position is represented on the map by a small pin that points in the direction facing. You can scroll, zoom in or out, and position manual a waypoint or markers.
The radar shows a small portion of the map that correspondent with your immediate surroundings. You see cardinal directions and icons that are identical to those found on the map. Most icons disappear once out of the map's boundaries, except mission blips, your horse, waypoints and markers. These icons remain visible at all time.
Active enemies are represented as a red dot on the radar. Outside of its range, a red threat indicator on the outer edge illustrates the direction of the enemies. Zones you have to search for items, characters, or animals, are clearly marked in yellow or white on the map and your radar. You can expand your radar or turn it into a compass.
Map Legend
| Icon | Note | Icon | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Your Character |  |
Blood Money |
 |
Your Horse |  |
Elimination Series |
 |
Camp |  |
Featured Series |
 |
Waypoint |  |
Race Series |
 |
Marker |  |
Shootout Series |
 |
Enemy |  |
Takeover Series |
 |
Encounter |  |
Gus |
 |
Corpse |  |
Harriet |
 |
Mission Vendor |  |
Madam Nazar |
 |
Stranger |  |
Old Man Jones |
Locations & Landmarks
Certain services are unavailable when there icons are grayed out. A smaller icon inset offers information on its current status. If you have an active wanted level most business premises will be unavailable.
Icon Variations
| Icon | Note |
|---|---|
 |
The feature is available |
 |
The feature is available, and something awaits you there. |
 |
The feature is currently unavailable because the business is locked until you reach a specific point in a mission or you are wanted by the law. |
 |
You are playing in defensive mode. |
 |
You are playing in offensive mode, or you are on a mission like trader or moonshiner delivery. |
Camp Icons
| Icon | Note |
|---|---|
|
Camp/Tent - Craft items, cook or brew tonics and change your clothing change your clothing |
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Campfire - Rest, craft and cook |
 |
Wilderness Outfitter - Purchase items and upgrades to customize your camp |
 |
Lockbox - Receive mail and collect Catalogue orders |
 |
Fast Travel allows you to traverse long distances across the map quickly |
 |
Stew Pot provides nourishing meals |
 |
Donate animal carcasses and pelts to the Butcher Table to supply Cripps Trading Co. with materials |
Town Icons
| Icon | Note |
|---|---|
 |
Most towns offer all sort of services, it's a good idea to visit them regularly |
 |
Bait & Tackle Shop - lures and baits for fishing, provisions, and tonics are sold at cheap prices |
 |
Bounty Boards are located near law offices, post offices and train stations across the states |
 |
Barbers can cut and style your hair, let you change your appearance |
 |
Butchers buy and sell animal parts, used in recipes |
 |
Doctors sell tonic and stimulants, buy herbs |
 |
Fast Travel allows you to traverse long distances across the map quickly |
 |
Fences buy and sell merchandise |
 |
General Stores buy all kinds of products |
 |
Gunsmiths specialize in weapon and ammunition |
|
Gus MacMillan is buying all kind of animal parts and is selling garments |
 |
Photo Studios take your portrait |
 |
Poker can be played in saloons |
|
Post Offices are often located at train stations. Pay your bounty, send collected sets to Madam Nazar, or receive your deliveries made in stores or via the catalogue |
 |
Saloons sell drinks like whiskey and beer |
 |
Stables provide horse-related services, let you buy and sell (discard!) horses and customize their appearance |
 |
Tailors sell you clothing and accessoires |
 |
Wardrobes let you change your clothes and outfits |
Wilderness
As you explore the map, you will find that the mountains, plains and swamps are full of danger and opportunities. The most common encounters involve animals. All species have their own habitats. You find also all sorts of fish in rivers and lakes.
As a Naturalist, owning the Wilderness Camp, you can set your camp anywhere. Selecting the camp option in the item wheel will create a campfire. Camp regularly, when you notice that your attribute cores are running low.
Without the Wilderness Camp, you will find fireplaces around the map. Look for them near towns (Blackwater, Valentine, Van Horn, Rhodes, Saint Denis), places (Benedikt Point, Flatneck Station, Cairn Lake, The Loft, Braithwaite Manor, Lakay) and ranches (Hanging Dog Ranch, Carmody Dell, Hill Haven Ranch, Robard Farm).
Attributes & Meters
In the game are five main attributes; three to your character, and two to your horse.
Attributes
| Icon | Note |
|---|---|
 |
Health - The ammount of damage your character can sustain |
 |
Stamina - The level of physical exertion your character can endure, such as sprinting and jumping |
 |
Dead Eye - The amount of time you can spend in Dead Eye mode |
 |
Horse Stamina - The degree of physical exertion your horse can endure, such as galloping and jumping |
 |
Horse Health - The amount of damage that your horse can sustain before it falls |
These attributes are represented by dynamic meters that appear in the lower-left corner of the screen. Each meter consists of a main attribute meter and an attribute core.
Main Attribute Meters
Main attribute meters are represented by a circular gauge. The meter will be reduced by damage and can be replenished by using tonics, sleeping or through the effect of attribute cores. This effect occurs automatically over time for health, stamina, and with every kill for Dead Eye.
Your meters start at low level and can be improved. As you performing specific actions, you will aquire attribute experience points. The attribute will level up and gain an additional meter segment.
Attribute Cores
Cores appear inside each meter, and serve as last-resort extension of the attribute. If a attribute is fully depleted, additional usage or damage will begin to deplete the core. With the health attribute, exhausting the main meter and its core leads to death.
The cores determin the recovery rate of the related meter. When full, you enjoy the maximum possible replenishment speed; if depleted, you will need to wait longer.
If you sustain damage during battle, having a full health core will enable you to heal quickly; just stay in cover for a moment. The same situation with an almost empty core will prove more challenging, and will require the use of a health tonic.
Cores drain slowly through hunger and fatique. In normal conditions, it takes 90 minutesa for a core to drain completely. Weather conditions can increase the speed.
Core Maintenance
Provisions can be eaten to restore some of your Health Core. Different Provisions have different effects. Eating food will refill your Health Core. Better Quality food will refill more of the Core. Note that the game offers a preview of the impact of each item on the affected meters before you consume it.
Health
Health is the most straightforwarded attribute, representing physical integrity. Try to have always have tonics at hand for situations where you may need to top up this gauge in order to survive. To level up health perform melee knockouts or thrown weapon kills. Rowing a canoe, fishing, using bows, fist fighting, and throwing the lasso (at enemies or animals) is also extending your meter..
Stamina
Stamina determines your ability to maintain physical exertion, and requires diligent management. Most common cause of stamina depletion is sprinting. To minimize the overall drain, switch between maximum speed (repeatedly tapping /) and running speed (holding /) at regular intervals to enable the meter to refill.
While riding your horse, the same principles apply to its stamina gauge. When you gallop at full speed by repeatedly tapping /, you can prevent the meter-draining process by pressing the button in sync with your mounts gallop. Level up your stamina level quickly is to sprint often and for extended periods and to swim.
Dead Eye
Dead Eye is marking targets for precise shots (uses a meter), while Eagle Eye is a passive, unlimited exploration mode that highlights animal trails, plants, herbs, treasure chests and other lootable items. Dead eye will deplete the bar surrounding the core but Eagle eye doesn't. To level up this attribute, hone your combat skill by perform long-distance headshots and free-aim kills. Other activities to refill your meter are skinning, cooking, tracking, picking herbs, killing enemies or animals while using the dead eye ability, using QuickDraw with revolvers, stealth kills.
To trigger Dead Eye, press while aiming. With Dead Eye active, move the aiming reticle over intended victims and press / to tag them; when ready, press / to fire at all specified targets in rapid succession.
Crime
The honor system measures how your actions are perceived in terms of morality by in-game characters. Actions that are considered honorable (such as rescuing people from danger) will add to your honor score. Activities that considered dishonorable (such as murder people and slaughter domestic animals) will impact your honor negatively.
Witnesses
Whenever a civilian spots you commiting a crime, they may try to report your action to a lawman.If they succeed you will become wanted, causing agents of the law to seek you out.
Dead bodies that you leave in your wake can also prove problematic. If they are sighted and reported, lawmen will come to investigate. Should they spot you during this process, they are unlikely to leap to a conclusion that will work in your favor. It makes sometimes sense to hide cadavers when there's a danger of them being discovered.
Wanted System
When you commit crimes that are reported by witnesses, you become wanted by the authorities and a bounty is placed on your head. Paying your bounty effectively at a 50% discount at a Post Office or at your Lock Box resets the wanted system. When you have an active wanted level, the area where the law is currently searching for you is represented by a red circle on your map. Lose your pursuers by escaping, by hiding, or by killing all nearby lawmen. The maximum bounty on you is $100.
Escaping is by far the most sensible option. Whistle your horse and gallop out of the red circle. Once you are out of the red perimeter, lawmen will continue their search for a short while. It's usually enough to continue galloping away.
Any bounty placed on your head depends on the gravity of your crime. Murder and slaughter count among the most serious offenses, and therefore lead to the highest bounties. If you commit further crimes while the law is chasing you, reinforcements will be sent, and stronger opponents will gradually join the fray.
After you commit serious crimes and escape, you can expect marshals, posses and bounty hunters and other players to attempt to waylay you on your journey. NPC Bounty Hunters will come for a $10 or more bounty and kill you for the full bounty from your own savings. The event sends them in waves and, once they all die, forces you to change locations. Other players get a notification about your bounty starting at $5.
If the Bounty Hunters kill you, and you don’t have enough money for the full Bounty, they will take what you have and leave you with a new Bounty of the remaining debt. When other players Press Charges against you it will add $0.50 to your Bounty.
Items and Crafting
Red Dead Online features a massive range of items that you can use for all sorts of purposes.
Items
- Provisions are consumables that you can eat, drink or smoke to replenish one or more of your attribute cores, sometimes at the cost of others.
- Tonics are remedies that restore one of your main attribute meters. They also usually grant you the fortified status effect, wich artificially extends the meter in question for a set duration.
- Ingredients are plants and meat products that can be used for cooking.
- Materials are animal spoils required for crafting.
- Valuables are precious goods that can be sold or crafted into other items.
- Documents include the letters, pamphlets, maps and other items that you will accumulate throughout your gameplay.
- Horse Cargo correspondends to bodies and pelts stowed on your mount.
Satchel
All the items that you find, such as provisions and materials, are stored in your satchel. You can access it by holding to study or use any of the items it contains.
Your satchel capacities increase through role progression unlocking upgrades.
Crafting
You can craft certain items in your camp or a campfire in the wilderness by using ingredients. These range from herbs and animal parts to items that you have purchased. Among the items that you can craft are meals, health cures and tonics for both yourself and your horse, improved ammunition, and equipment.
Wheel Menu
You can display the wheel menu at any time by holding /, and then move through tabs with /.
- The weapon wheel enables you to switch weapons and ammunition as you see fit.
- The item wheel gives you access to your consumables and special items that will be of use to your character.
- The horse wheel, wich is only available when in close proximity to your mount, features the items required to take care of your horse - as well as your alternative clothes and headwear.
Upgrades
As you progress in the game you will be able to aquire reinforced pieces of equipment.
