“We have all waited 14 years for this sport,” modder Badass Baboon says of the unique Crimson Useless Redemption, when it lastly arrived on PC on the finish of final month.
“My pleasure was by way of the roof, although with the datamined data from the Change/PS4 model, we just about had affirmation {that a} PC model existed someplace. Nothing might spoil my pleasure after I lastly acquired to play and mod the sport on PC.”
For this modder, who tells me that “the compelling story and character growth” of the fashionable Crimson Useless sequence, in addition to “the ‘remaining frontier’ vibes” each John Marston and Arthur Morgan’s adventures share are what draw them most to Rockstar’s westerns, RDR1 lastly arriving was an opportunity to carry ‘Actuality Redemption’ to a recent platform. Badass Baboon had began work on this overhaul mod again in 2023 for the Xbox 360 model of RDR, and has since created variations for each the Nintendo Change and now PC variations as they’ve been launched.
Their objective with the venture is to remaster the sport in their very own method, bringing it nearer to fashionable requirements. They’ve been busy revamping the visuals by tweaking issues like “textures, fashions, and climate cycles”, in addition to “fixing continuity errors”, and looking for to offer “a extra fluid and life like expertise” gameplay-wise. It’s nonetheless a piece in progress at present, however the modder’s already applied sufficient substantial tweaks that the model of Actuality Redemption on Nexus Mods is at the moment essentially the most endorsed RDR PC mod on the platform. Its simply over 10,000 complete downloads as of writing aren’t far off prime spot both, solely trailing a few different standard works.
“I’ve beforehand modded Want for Velocity and GTA video games and was in search of a recent problem,” Badass Baboon tells me after I ask what impressed them to begin the venture. “I discovered the Crimson Useless Redemption 1 modding group fairly area of interest and pleasant. Modding this sport was considerably acquainted since it is also on the Rage engine, which I’ve expertise with, having beforehand modded [GTA 4 and 5], however on the similar time very totally different since it is the San Diego department of the engine, and never the Rockstar North one. It was actually a enjoyable problem studying and understanding how in another way San Diego tailor-made the engine for his or her video games.”
One other problem they’ve confronted is hopping from platform to platform, with the 360 proving the hardest buyer. “The file codecs had been arduous to analysis and perceive, not to mention mod, loads of workarounds and methods had for use to make a functioning mod on the size of Actuality Redemption on Xbox 360,” they inform me. “[The] majority of texture replacements would both break or crash the sport, however modifying configuration recordsdata labored effective.
“With the discharge of the Change model, the file codecs had been nearly similar to GTA IV, and with much more analysis and understanding behind that, modding that model turned far simpler and streamlined, a single software might handle nearly every little thing, each texture from character fashions to buildings turned potential to edit. And the PC model turned out to be a 1:1 copy of the Change model, as recordsdata that I’ve beforehand modded for the Change model could possibly be interchangeably used between PC and Change.”
Like loads of high-profile builders, Rockstar has an fascinating and sophisticated historical past with regards to the way it’s chosen to work together with these modding its video games. There’s been some takedowns, some full-blown lawsuits, after which final 12 months, the corporate electing to carry on board the crew behind the favored FiveM and RedM roleplaying mods. Given Badass Baboon can also be creating for the Change, which has had a number of emulators stop operation following motion from Nintendo this 12 months, I requested the modder whether or not both of these had influenced how they’ve approached or felt about their work on Actuality Redemption.
“I would at all times deliberate to maintain the mod beneath the radar till a PC model [of Red Dead Redemption] got here out,” they responded. “I might solely speculate what Rockstar and Take-Two would do, and understanding their litigious background to the purpose of DMCAing a save file, I assumed the worst. All the time felt a shadowy presence, I did not know if what I am doing is taboo or not, however I by no means stopped engaged on the venture. I averted together with any unique sport recordsdata and refused to backport property from different Rockstar titles to keep away from any potential points. Fortunately, the mod continues to be up.”
Since that’s the case, the modder’s busy engaged on their plans for the mod, which embody making additions and alterations designed to assist fill the gaps that exist lore-wise between the unique Crimson Useless, which famously doesn’t even point out Arthur Morgan’s identify, and its prequel Crimson Useless Redemption 2.
“I plan to change the sport world and the audio to incorporate extra references to the world and occasions of RDR2, with out taking something out of the unique sport’s really feel/environment,” Badass Baboon says. “It will likely be something from small references comparable to work of RDR2’s West Elizabeth, Grizzlies, and Lemoyne within the MacFarlanes’ home – which is within the newest model of the mod by the best way – to one thing main with AI voice performing the place characters will immediately reference occasions and characters [from] RDR2.”
For the reason that latter would doubtless contain utilizing the controversial tech to generate traces that mimic the voices of the sport’s established voice actors, one thing plenty of skilled VAs have voiced robust opposition to or issues about, I requested the modder for his or her tackle the problem, in addition to whether or not they plan to contemplate any options. For instance, remixing present traces from the sport to kind new ones, a technique loads of additional dialogue mods for video games like Skyrim – usually from AI-averse or sceptical modders – have used.
“For those who’ve seen, many content material creators have used AI instruments to make their favorite characters sing a well-liked track or say sure issues on YouTube, Tiktok, and different locations, with very correct outcomes,” they responded, “Contemplating they’ve by no means gotten into sizzling water for any of that, I do not suppose folks would complain for a couple of voice line edits. After all, there’s additionally the chance to make use of voice property from RDR2 and blend new traces, or simply the traces from the unique sport, however to various ranges of success. Whereas there are different strategies like I discussed, I nonetheless have to check and see if AI may even ship the genuine tone that I am in search of. If not, then I am going to look into remixing present recordings.”
We’ll must see what the long run finally ends up holding for Actuality Redemption and the Crimson Useless Redemption’s PC modding scene as an entire. In any case, the port hasn’t been right here lengthy in any respect, and little doubt loads of cowboys are nonetheless both nostalgically making their method up its trails whereas deciding what they may need to strive including, or are downing their final rounds in one other sport’s saloon earlier than hopping on the practice to Armadillo.
