Red Dead Redemption 2 Online: 7 things to know about the beta

Article originally appears via Polygon.com

Rockstar Games had previously announced that the beta for Red Dead Online, Red Dead Redemption 2’s multiplayer component, would go live starting Tuesday, Nov. 27. Now that the beta is live, and will continue to roll out through the week, we have a good sense of what to expect in Red Dead Online.

Here are the top seven things you should know about our first taste of Red Dead Online.

WHEN CAN I PLAY THE BETA?

Release dates used to be simple, but those days are long gone. Here’s the full guide to when you’ll be able to access Red Dead Online:

• Tuesday, Nov. 27: Red Dead Redemption 2 Ultimate Edition owners. The code can be found in your game’s packaging.
• Wednesday, Nov. 28: anyone who played Red Dead Redemption 2 on Oct. 26
• Thursday, Nov. 29: anyone who played Red Dead Redemption 2 between Oct. 26 and Oct. 29
• Friday, Nov. 30: all owners of Red Dead Redemption 2.

If you’re unclear about when you’ll be given access, you can check the companion app to see if you can start playing.

WHAT CAN I DO IN THE BETA?

The first thing you’ll do is create your character and start your journey from the Sisika Penitentiary, which is located in the easternmost reaches of the game world. (The story of Red Dead Online is separate from Red Dead Redemption 2’s story, so you can jump right into multiplayer.)

There’s also a robust progression system in Red Dead Online. You’ll earn experience points that both raise your rank and offer bonuses, while unlocking items and increasing your character’s attributes. The posse system will let you join other players, and then take part in games with each other, against each other or against other posses. Or you can just go exploring and take missions from strangers. These include story-like missions in which you have to raid an outlaw camp or perform a contract killing.

Free roam events, player-versus-player challenges, will appear throughout the world, which you can tackle solo or as a group. You’ll get notifications that certain competitive challenges are beginning, and you may warp to another area of the map if you decide you want to take part in these quick gameplay modes.

The beta also has a playlist of three series events. Showdown Series is a series of varied gameplay modes for up to 16 players — you can compete in death match-style modes, like Make It Count, which is knives and bows and arrows only; Showdown Series Large, which doubles the number of players; and Race Series, which features horseback races that “require speed, agility and determination to avoid damage and reach the finish first.”

Here’s the official description of those Series modes:

Shootout & Team Shootout

Classic gunfight modes with unlimited lives. Compete to rack up the most kills before the timer runs out. Sudden death will trigger in the event of a tie: whoever gets the first kill wins.

Make it Count

A true test of resourcefulness in two game modes: use nothing but a bow and a handful of arrows or throwing knives to be the last one standing. With a gradually shrinking player area, there’s nowhere to run.

Most Wanted

A tactical race to the top. Every kill pushes you up the scoreboard, but watch out: the closer to the top you are, the more points everyone else gets for killing you.

Hostile Territory

Work in teams to control the land. Capture a territory to start racking up points: the team with most points wins – or you can win outright by capturing every territory.

Name your Weapon

Demonstrate your personal specialty in this free-for-all or team based match: the trickier the weapon you use to land the killing blow, the more points you get.

Red Dead Online is sure to grow bigger as the beta goes on, but there is already a large number of things to do.

HOW DOES RED DEAD ONLINE’S POSSE SYSTEM WORK?

You’ll want to join a posse and play with others to get the most out of the beta, but be aware that you may have to pay for the privilege depending on what you’d like to do.

You can set up a temporary posse with up to four players, but this will disband when the session is over.

The other option is the “persistent posse.”

“A persistent posse can have up to seven players but will cost a fee to set up,” the game’s help menus state. “It is saved, and reforms whenever the posse leader is online. Players stats and awards are tracked, and you will have more freedom to customize your posse’s style.”

The posse system can be used to give you and your friends a sense of identity, as each posse has to be named and given an emblem. You have to select the location for your camp, and pick out your camp’s style of decorations. There is also a set of options for what kind of clothes your posse members will wear.

When you create your posse, you have the option of turning friendly fire on or off. I’d suggest keeping it off until you know exactly what you’re doing. It’s dangerous enough out there without one of your buddies accidentally shooting you off your horse.

YOU NO LONGER HAVE TO FIND STORES TO PURCHASE GOODS

You’ll get a handheld catalog in your inventory, and anything you order from this catalog will be sent to any of the game’s post offices. You can also order items straight to your camp if you have a camp to yourself or are part of a posse. You’ll be able to find your stuff in the delivery box.

You’ll be charged a delivery fee, however, and you’re vulnerable when looking at the catalog if you’re not in a safe location. Be careful while shopping.

CAN I KILL THE OTHER PLAYERS?

You sure can! If you find a “showdown series” signpost, you can join one of five competitive modes that include things like classic gunfights with unlimited lives that take place over a set time, or matches with bows and arrows or throwing knives. There’s also a game mode called Name Your Weapon that gives you points depending on which weapon you use to kill the other players.

There are also horse races to join, but those aren’t likely to be as lethal as the shootouts.

THE ABILITY SYSTEM HAS BEEN OVERHAULED

Abilities will now be added with ability cards that either add active abilities you can engage while in Dead Eye mode, or passive abilities that change how you do certain things throughout the game.

You unlock new cards by buying them with cash, or gaining rank by finishing activities around the game’s world. You can also upgrade these cards with gold or by earning more XP. You can have one active card and up to three passive cards in your loadout at any given time, so you’ll want to spend some time thinking about what kind of character you want to build as you unlock and equip cards.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE GOLD NOW

“Alongside cash you can now earn gold,” the game explains. “This gold can be spent on a number of luxury items, access locked items early and to purchase unlocked items.”

You earn gold nuggets as you play, and 100 gold nuggets will make one gold bar. You can also finish different challenges to win awards, and if you do well enough you’ll be given the option of resetting your progress in exchange for gold nuggets.

Details about Red Dead Online’s premium economy are still scarce, but it’s very likely that an option to purchase gold directly will be added at some point in the future.