Changes: Tumbleweed

Revision as of 18:38, 5 December 2018

For tumbleweeds (dried up plants), see Atmosphere.

“	Tumbleweed? A lonely, godforsaken place. Some people say it's haunted. It was quite a town back in its day. Then they built the railroad to Armadillo and went clean past Tumbleweed. And that was that. Pretty soon, everybody had upped and left. Now it's just thieves, smugglers and bandits...	„
	—Marshal Johnson

Tumbleweed is a location featured in Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption 2 in the Gaptooth Ridge region of the New Austin territory.

Background

Red Dead Redemption 2

In 1907, Tumbleweed has not been abandoned yet but it is on the verge of the dying due to lack of railway passing through the town and the harassment of local bandits called Del Lobos, compounded by a plague that is afflicting the citizens of New Austin.

While in Tumbleweed, players can see and hear Sheriff Sam Freeman talking about law and order in his town.

Red Dead Redemption

Tumbleweed is a ghost town and a gang hideout. There are many different theories about how it became abandoned, but the most logical is that it was abandoned because the railway was built to Armadillo and had gone completely around Tumbleweed, according to Marshal Johnson. Not long after, everyone had moved away, causing bandits to overrun the town because of the lack of authority.

The Leigh Johnson mission "Hanging Bonnie MacFarlane" ends at this location. The Seth Briars mission "A Gentle Drive with Friends" ends here and leads directly to the mission "Let the Dead Bury Their Dead" which takes place entirely in this location.

A portion of the Stranger side-mission "Who Are You to Judge?" takes place in this location.

Outlaws to the End

A sizable battle with Walton's Gang occurs here in the Outlaws to the End Co-op mission "The Escape".

Undead Nightmare

During the Undead Nightmare, Tumbleweed has one of three New Austin cemeteries that will need to be cleaned of the Undead to complete the mission "Get Back in That Hole, Partner". Like Jorge's Gap, Tumbleweed is filled with undead making exploring the buildings dangerous.

It does not need to be saved from undead, as it is one of the few gang hideouts which is abandoned, most likely due to the graveyard.

Buildings

Tumbleweed has several buildings all in various states of disrepair.

Church

Located on the far-east side of the town, the small church in Tumbleweed has a white clapboard with a small steeple. It is all only a singular room and has only eight pews with a pulpit at the front. Despite a few holes around the building, it may be the most well-preserved structure in Tumbleweed. Also, inside there are words written on the pulpit that read, "The devil has got into that beast." If the player stand facing the pulpit at night, and turn the camera around to the left behind the pulpit, there will be a blurry vision of a demonic face near the bottom of the glass.

Outside, there is a small shed and a small cemetery. Oddly enough, some of the headstones look new, while others have long since faded. The entire property is enclosed by a stone wall and wrought iron fence. In the northwest corner of the graveyard is a slightly crumbled grave marker of a lady named "Elenora Riddick", if a fire bottle is thrown at this grave it opens, revealing what appears to be an empty coffin. This is the grave that Seth was searching on his last mission.

General Store & Assay Office

The General Store is located on the east side of Tumbleweed, and is made of wood reinforced stucco. Inside are three barrels, a counter, a small shelf, and a cash register. Remnants of curtains flap in the wind. On the other side of the nearby path, there is a small wooden hut which contains a chest containing money.

An assay office is an institution set up to assess the purity of minerals. This suggests Tumbleweed was a mining town, possibly servicing Gaptooth Breach before it went bust. A further hint that Tumbleweed was a mining town is mentioned by Marshal Johnson in the mission "Hanging Bonnie MacFarlane". The assay office in Tumbleweed was owned by the Spickin Mining Company. Inside the office is a desk, shelf, counter, cash register, and brick kiln. The office is located directly north of the General Store.

Saloon

The Tumbleweed saloon is the northernmost structure in Tumbleweed. It contains an old bar littered with empty and broken bottles, a piano; the remnants of various mounted animals, a wagon wheel chandelier, and an office upstairs. Curiously, the clock on the wall is still functioning despite age and neglect. In single-player mode, there is a chest containing money located behind the bar, and in Free Roam there is a Bolt Action Rifle located in the office.

Sheriff's Office & Jail

All that remains is one desk, and three chairs. It is on the west side of town. Next to it is a derelict brick jail divided into three rooms, with the rusted remains of one jail cell. It can be found at the northwest side of town, to the west of the saloon. Behind the jail is a small wooden shack which contains a money chest.

Residences

On the south side of the town, there are three unmarked buildings in a row that were probably apartments and/or houses. They all contain at least two beds and several moonshine bottles.

There is another residence building situated at the north of the town, which is almost completely in ruins; a money chest is located inside.

Barn

The southernmost structure in Tumbleweed, this barn was meant for keeping horses. The area is littered with junk like anvils, spittoons, and wagon wheels. Sometimes, tamed nags (old horses) will spawn in the corral. In the Game of the Year edition, there are three chests located here; two inside and one against the outside wall.

Mansion

The mansion is by far the largest structure in Tumbleweed. It is situated on a ridge at the westernmost part of Tumbleweed. The grounds around the mansion host a small stable, a gazebo (in which a money chest can be found), abandoned wagons, and various garbage. The wooden mansion was built on a brick foundation with a cellar. It is one of a few buildings in the game that has a cellar. Some players claimed that there's something in the middle window of the mansion after reading the in-game newspapers.

Cellar

The cellar is built on walled-in bricks with three unevenly sized brick support posts, and a wood wall, creating a horseshoe configuration. The floor is dirt and littered with garbage. There are various containers, boxes and chairs, as well as a casket, and a mattress inside the cellar. A bull's skull marks the location of Calhoun's Gold.

First floor

The first floor contains the front room, storeroom, and kitchen. In the front room, there is a piano, two overturned sofas, a wooden crate, a large fireplace, and a fully functional grandfather clock. The floor is littered with garbage and fallen ceiling panels. The kitchen contains a stove, long table, and several broken chairs. The storeroom has a desk with some pots on it, some barrels, and a broken shelf. There is a money chest located at the end of the hallway on the left hand side as the player enters from the main doors.

Second floor

There are two bedrooms. Each have their own bedroom space as well as an adjoining sitting room. These rooms are populated with various furniture such as beds, chairs, desks, armoires, nightstands, etc. While each room are both in disrepair, one has a surprisingly intact chair.

Amenities

Note: this concerns information relevant only to Red Dead Redemption 2.

Butcher, centrally located
General Store, east of the butcher
Gunsmith
Saloon, north of the Butcher; poker can be played here
Stable, in the southern part of town
Stagecoach, to the west near the road

Notes

Note: this concerns information relevant only to Red Dead Redemption 2.

To the west of town, the Legendary Cougar can be hunted.
On a table on the front porch of the house in the west, the Cigarette Card for the Desert Fern Palm can be found.
The Cigarette Card for Caroline Lupine can be found on the roof of the sheriff's office, behind the sign.
On the mantle inside the burned-out house to the north is the Cigarette Card for Jesse Raymond.
On the platform of the windmill to the east is the Cigarette Card for Billy Midnight.
Southeast of the windmill on the edge of the plateau overlooking Tumbleweed is the Gaptooth Ridge Tumbleweed Bone.
North of Tumbleweed is an abandoned mission. Inside is a lockbox containing express pistol cartridges and high velocity repeater cartridges.
Further north from the mission and to the border is the Silent Stead shack. Under the bed inside is a lockbox containing Potent Miracle Tonic and high velocity rifle cartridges.
To the northeast of Tumbleweed, atop the cliff overlooking the canyon, is the Gaptooth Ridge North Tumbleweed Bone. This can be pinpointed by heading due west from Ridgewood Farm in Cholla Springs and crossing the border into Gaptooth Ridge.

Gang Hideout

Tumbleweed has a history of being used as a gang hideout. It hosts to several bands of gangs and unaffiliated criminals. In single-player, the protagonist can help a sheriff named Claude Banfield, to clear the town of criminals.

Rumors/Myths

Main article: Tumbleweed/Rumors

Several characters and events throughout the game vaguely hint to Tumbleweed being haunted by ghosts. This could be simply for atmosphere or some other effect; however, due to the large quantity of similar rumors concerning other Rockstar games, it is not implausible to consider that Rockstar has inserted Easter Eggs into the game.

In the News

This text appears in one of the newspapers about Tumbleweed, revealing what the citizens think about the ghost town:

TUMBLEWEED HAUNTED?
Following recent reports of ghost sightings in the abandoned town of Tumbleweed, visitors are continuing to tell of unnatural happenings and strange feelings. Some visitors claim to have seen spirits of the dead. Others ghosts, still others, ghouls and fairies. Our reporter on the scene found no evidence but we urge readers to send us reports of any unnatural happenings in the area.

MORE GHOSTS TAKE UP RESIDENCE AT TUMBLEWEED
The town of Tumbleweed, long believed by local residents to be possessed by evil spirits has claimed the lives of dozens more men. The area was found strewn with dead bodies and weapons leading the more educated and rationally minded amongst us to conclude that this is the work of mortal rather than unearthly beings. Rumors of riches hidden in Tumbleweeds abandoned mansion may have been the catalyst for the altercation, but for the moment it remains a mystery.

Multiplayer

In multiplayer Free Roam, the Bolt Action Rifle is located here. Americus Roe, who can be found in the mansion, sometimes spawns with a Carcano Rifle as well.
In multiplayer gang matches, this map is home to the Double-action Revolver, Double-barreled Shotgun, Henry Repeater, Sawed-off Shotgun, Carcano Rifle, and the Schofield Revolver.
In Capture the Bag, this map has two Gatling Guns, and one mounted Smoothbore Cannon.
Sometimes when playing competitive multiplayer matches in this location, rabbits and skunks can spawn to the area, but they will not do any harm to players.
Tumbleweed is the location of the "Undeadwood" map in Undead Overrun.
With the addition of the Myths and Mavericks DLC, a Stronghold match can be played in this location.

Bugs

Occasionally, enemies in multiplayer will be stuck inside the large rock near the church, resulting in seeing only their arms and the barrel of their gun. You will be unable to shoot them if this happens, though on rare occasions a close-up shotgun blast will do the trick. Dynamite works for this problem; throwing it in the direct vicinity of the trapped enemy will often work. Leaving the area and returning is the only way to correct this issue if unable to kill the entrapped enemy.
If you shoot the hung victim's noose rope it will extend to the ground and the victim will still be attached to the rope, this is only confirmed with the Evans Repeater.
If you shoot the rope suspending the chandelier in the saloon, it will slowly disappear and the chandelier will remain suspended as if the rope was still there. If you continue to shoot the rope, the rope will extend toward the moose antlers and the chandelier will stay in the same position.
Sometimes when calling your horse, it will get stuck in the wall facing the front of the mansion in the cellar. When you arrive down after the horse's icon on the map disappears, you will notice it is running and only its tail and hind legs stick through the brick walls.

Trivia

In the church the words; "The devil has got into that beast," are scrawled on the top of the pulpit. This is possibly referring to the Dark Horse, or the extremely eerie dog barking. There is also a strange design in the back of the bottom shelf of the pulpit.
The reports of strange noises being heard in Tumbleweed by players as well as the reception the claim has received is reminiscent to the Sprunk Factory in Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto IV as well as the many urban legends surrounding the countryside in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
A glitch can occur when attempting to complete the Tumbleweed gang hideout during Multiplayer. When killing the outlaws near the church, a criminal can spawn inside of a large rock. He retains the ability to shoot out of the rock, but the player cannot kill him with guns but throwing dynamite at the rock will kill him.
The name of the town might be a reference to the 1968 Clint Eastwood western film Hang 'Em High. This is possible because in the film, a wagon full of criminals is called the "Tumbleweed Wagon" and the town of Tumbleweed is full of criminals
Tumbleweed resembles Tarnation of Red Dead Revolver, both being ghost towns that are overrun with criminals and gangs.
Many NPCs travel the road passing the mansion, but are not attacked by any gang members. If the player travels this road, they will not attack as long as one doesn't attack them. However in Multiplayer, the gang members will attack the player if they go through Tumbleweed.
It is possible to get the Winchester Repeater immediately after the second mission; just fast travel to Tumbleweed and clear it to receive a Winchester Repeater (the lawman must be kept alive in order to receive the weapon).
The undead have a large presence in Tumbleweed, even after the graveyard is cleared. Usually one or two can be found in each residence, and more shambling around the town. They also spawn in hordes outside of the mansion. Inside the mansion, there are several undead that will wander out of the rooms and attack Marston. But if entered as undead Marston, they will stand motionless until provoked.
Moses Forth's father is buried in the graveyard. The inscription ironically reads, "This is one grave he cannot rob."
In the mansion, the player may sometimes hear a chicken clucking even though there is no livestock in the town.
According to a campfire tale, Walton Lowe can be seen sleeping in the Tumbleweed jail at midnight.
Jeb, an NPC the player can complete a strangers mission for at Rathskeller Fork has a wife buried here.

Marked Graves

Butch Somers

1876-1900

Rustler hanged by his own rope.

Hattie Tanner

In loving memory of Hattie Tanner.

Died March 16, 1898

Taken too soon.

Amelia Eaves

Died July 8, 1849 of Cholera.

Died 25 years ago.

Obediah Graves

Here lies Obediah Graves

1867-1886

Hanged for a crime he didn't commit.

Grace Blankenship

Here lies Grace Blankenship

Died May 15th 1907

Survived by loving husband Jeb.

Houston Greenup

1872-1905

Not as fast as he thought he was.

Unknown person

took her own life on September 8th 1906.

Herbert Forth

1858-1901

Loving father of Moses.

This is one grave he cannot rob.

Truman Briggs

25th of August 1892.

Loved by his mistress.

Murdered by his wife.

Isabel Feaney

Here lies Isabel Feaney of Ridgewood Farm.

1881-1905

Elenora Riddick

Died on June 27th 1882

Aged 25 years.

To live in the hearts of others is not to die.

Unknown person

1852-1881

So drunk he did not remember dying.

Lincoln Crenshaw

April 29th 1904

A life long sinner. All dressed up and now he's here.

Prominent Mission Appearances

Leigh Johnson

Hanging Bonnie MacFarlane

Seth

A Gentle Drive with Friends (final cutscene only)
Let the Dead Bury Their Dead