Tumbleweed

Tumbleweed
Game	Red Dead Redemption
Type	Ghost Town, Hideout, Treasure #3 location
State/Territory	New Austin
Region	Gaptooth Ridge

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

Background

Red Dead Redemption

It is a ghost town and outlaw hideout. In its prime, it was a large settlement comparable in size to Armadillo. Once the railroads came, and built around Tumbleweed, the town died off, and most of the residents left.

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

And 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 3 New Austin cemeteries that will need to be cleansed of the Undead to complete the mission "Get Back in That Hole, Partner".

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 is white clapboard with a small steeple. It is all one 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." 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 and wrought iron fence. In the northwest corner of the graveyard is a slightly crumbled grave marker of a lady named "Elenora Riddick", if you throw a fire bottle 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

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.

Assay Office

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. 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. It is located directly north of the General Store.

Saloon

A typical western saloon. The Tumbleweed saloon is the northernmost structure in Tumbleweed. It contains an old bar littered with empty and broken liquor 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 Free Roam there is a Bolt Action Rifle located in the office.

Sheriff's Office & Jail

A large, one room sheriff's office. All that remains is one desk, and 3 chairs. It is on the west side of town. Next to it, a derelict brick jail, separated 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.

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.

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.

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, 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. In the mansion there have been many ghost sightings and some sounds, these are all just the gang if you have not done the hideout yet.

Cellar

The cellar is walled in brick, with three unevenly sized brick support posts, and a wood wall creating a horseshoe configuration. The floor is dirt. There are various containers, boxes and chairs, as well as a casket, and a mattress. The floor is littered with garbage. 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 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.

Second Floor

The second floor is where all the bedrooms are located. There are two bedrooms. They each have their own bedroom space as well as an adjoining sitting room. The bedrooms are populated with various bedroom furniture such as beds, chairs, desks, armouires, nightstands, etc. There is a bedroom with a bed and a suprisingly intact chair.

Use as a gang hideout

Tumbleweed has a history of being used as a gang hideout. In addition to the New Austin Bounty hunters which claim the town as a base, it has also played host 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.

Tumbleweed as a ghost town

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 (GTA: San Andreas, GTA IV, etc.), it is not implausible to consider that Rockstar has inserted Easter Eggs into Red Dead Redemption.

Rumors

• When the camera angle changes or a player walks from room to room in the mansion, the lights often "flicker" -- this is actually the game changing room-to-room lighting or a side effect of the game's lighting system: each room's lighting is constant, it's when Marston crosses from one to the next that the game suddenly changes its lighting to the set lighting for that room, giving the appearance of "flickering".
• Odd noises have sometimes been reported in the buildings, however, this is likely the result of players accidentally "kicking" debris around on the wooden floors. The unpainted building next to the blue two-story in the center of town is an easy place to demonstrate this; kicking the coffee pot and jug around will make odd noises, and jumping into the building from the adjacent red structure and hitting the jug on the way creates a strange roaring noise as the jug rolls on the floor. Similarly, NPC's in the inaccessible room (see below) may also accidentally walk into chairs, tables, or knock over and roll lanterns.
• All of the "dirt mounds" of the graves in the churchyard are targetable in Dead Eye, although only Elenora Riddick's has so far been found to be destructible.
• A large number of bats can be seen flying out of the mansion at around 6:05 P.M. then return at 6:00 A.M. These bats are scripted, animated wildlife, and as such can't be killed or even shot. They can also be found in Thieves Landing and possibly in some other locations. This might explain the noises which some players have claimed to have heard, mistaking the bats for supernatural happenings.
• The walls on the 1st and 2nd floor of the Mansion change color randomly and slowly.
• All day, a dog can be heard barking but no dog is seen. If the player follows the barking of the dog they will find the source of the barking can be traced all around town from the church (on the podium in the back of the church the words "the devil has got into that beast" can be found) to the center of town. However the same dog's barking can be heard in any town, it's probably just an ambient file because it is played over in almost every town.
• There is a coyote on the hill across the road from the church -- the hill with a windmill on top of it. With some patience, it is possible to get to the top of the hill and find the coyote.
• The sound of footsteps and people talking is due to the fact that there are people inside the mansion in the first floor. However, it is impossible for the player to enter the room where they are without triggering an execution animation, which allows the player to glitch through the locked door. This may be due to the player not triggering the hideout or the conditions that release the code locking the doors to the enemies in the mansion. This could be the cause that some players have heard footsteps and people talking. A variety of NPC's consistently mill around and greet each other in the locked room; this is confirmed and the video can be seen here . (evidence begins at 8:25)
• Melvin Spinney, a career criminal and a member of Dutch's gang wanted for murder, can be seen in the Tumbleweed mansion even if ganghideout is not activated. This might be due to the fact that the Tumbleweed mansion is a hideout for criminals and that Melvin is hiding there in order to avoid getting caught by the law. He is very easy to identify; he wears a green coat and hat, and he has a full beard. Melvin can also be seen at Manzanita Post by the campfire or around in Thieves Landing, mainly in Thieves Landing's saloon.
• Elenora Riddicks's grave can be opened by throwing a fire bottle at the gravestone. There is no body inside. This is the same grave dug up by Seth in the mission "Let the Dead Bury Their Dead". The gravestone says "To live in the hearts of others, is to never have died".
• After killing the lights in some buildings, exiting the building will make the building appear like it is lit up again, while entering will immediately darken the building. However this works with any building in the game.
• At a unknown time of day, footprints appear on the stairs to the cellar in the mansion. After investigation, it has been discovered that these are created by NPCs or players coming from the dirt floor in the basement onto the stairs.
• Butterflies or moths can be seen flying around the piano in the mansion. This is due to the light on the piano that attracts the moths.
• Footsteps and voices can sometimes be heard in the mansion. However, it probably has nothing to do with any kind of supernatural events since it has been discovered that a room in the mansion is full of outlaws and therefore footsteps and people talking can be heard. The outlaw Melvin Spinney can be seen in the mansion.
• Footsteps and bodiless voices yelling at you to "watch where you're going" may be found in the Tumbleweed Mansion's cellar during the Treasure Hunter Challenges if you haven't alerted the criminals in Tumbleweed.
• Rabbits can be found sitting in some of the rooms of the mansion and won't move if the player goes toward them. They can still be killed and skinned.
• In Multiplayer Free Roam, inside the barn, a corpse of a black man wearing a pink shirt can sometimes be found holding a Bolt Action Rifle in his dead hands. This corpse strongly resembles Alfred Winlock, and could possibly be him.
• On the second floor of the Saloon, one curtain is being blown by the wind while the other curtain remains perfectly still.
• On the first floor of the saloon, a lantern in the corner is floating but you can still destroy it.

In the News

This text appears in one of the newspaper 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 see 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.

Multiplayer

• In multiplayer Free Roam, the Bolt Action Rifle is located here. One criminal 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 is home to two Gatling Guns,and one mounted Smoothbore Cannon.
• Tumbleweed is the location of the "Undeadwood" map in Undead Overrun.

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.
• 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.
• Several newspaper articles make reference to the town being haunted.
• 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
• The third treasure in the Treasure Hunter Challenges is located in the mansions basement underneath a cow skull in Tumbleweed.
• Tumbleweed resembles Tarnation of Red Dead Revolver, both being ghost towns that are overrun with criminals and gangs.
• Many Wagons travel through the town even though there is a high gang presence and they should be attacked.
• Rumours said there are ghosts inside Tumbleweed Mansion. Strange voices are heard when shooting a lantern inside the mansion.
• In Undead Nightmare Tumbleweed's graveyard must be cleansed. Among the people buried there who rise from the dead is Jimmy Saint.
• It is possible to get the Winchester Repeater immedietly 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)
• In multiplayer, the Tumbleweed gang hideout is overrun by "Unaffiliated Criminals." Despite this fact, David Anthony, who's part of Walton's gang, can sometimes be found outside the barn.
• The Undead have a large presence in Tumbleweed, even after you clear the graveyard. Usually 1-2 can be found in each residence, and more are shambling around the town. Strangely, none are found in the mansion.

Gallery

Criminals are confronted at Tumbleweed.

A photograph of Melvin Spinney standing inside the mansion by the stairs.

The Tumbleweed Mansion in the sunset

John in Tumbleweed.

Tumbleweed Ghost Woman.jpg

The ghost woman of Tumbleweed. This picture is considered fake.

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The footprints on the stairs to the cellar. Later the footprints had disappeared

03.33.jpg

The butterflies/moths that circle the piano

Jimmy Saint re-appears during the Undead Nightmare.

Videos

<videogallery> Video:Red Dead Redemption: Tumbleweed Haunted?!|Is Tumbleweed actually haunted? Courtesy of NooBTooBGamerS Video:Tumbleweed gameplay Video:Red dead redemption tumble weed haunted?|haunted? Video:Red Dead Redemption Secret - Flock of BATS|Bats </videogallery>

Trophies/Achievements

Red Dead Redemption

Completing the Tumbleweed hideout is associated with these gameplay achievements:

	EVIL SPIRITS 25 gamerscore Silver silver Complete Tumbleweed and Tesoro Azul hideouts in singleplayer.

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	SLOW ON THE DRAW 10 gamerscore Bronze bronze Get 10 assists in a single hideout in a public Free Roam session.

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	HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL 20 gamerscore Silver silver Complete all hideouts in single public Free Roam session.

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	ON THE TRAIL OF DE VACA 10 gamerscore Bronze bronze Uncover every location on the map in Single Player.

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	REDEEMED 100 gamerscore Gold gold Attain 100% List in the singleplayer game completion list.

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Undead Nightmare

Cleansing the cemetery at this location contributes toward the following Achievements/Trophies:

	JUDGE A MAN BY THE... 30 gamerscore Bronze bronze Complete "A Cure for Most of What Ails You" and "Get Back in That Hole, Partner" Survivor Missions.

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	ZED'S DEAD, BABY 40 gamerscore Silver silver Attain 100% Game Completion statistic in Undead Nightmare.