The humble Camp, a lot more simple than GTA Online's fancy apartments, and a lot more cold.
The early beginnings of our character see us living from the camp, it's where we eat, where we run our trading business from and where we gather with friends to tackle the challenges of the west.
We've fantasised about moving on up in the world with lots of new properties, but Rockstar have made it clear that they don't want us to leave the camp behind just yet, and that their plans involve us living rough as outlaws on the frontier - So we're going to be stuck at the camp for a little while longer.
If we're going to be made to stay outside by the fire for more time, we might as well come up with some things to make it feel more alive. Rockstar have said they want the online to more mirror singleplayer, so here's a few features which could come to our online camp to make it a much less shallow experience.
Previously Mentioned
In some previous articles, I've mentioned features for the camp such as sleeping in our tents, being able to see more than one player's dog, and brought more criminal content to the camp via heists. So I don't repeat myself, I'm going to give a few extra details on these features, but for the most part leave them out of the article - But you can read about them, and some other interesting features, in the articles linked throughout this list of top features:
- The phonograph, for music
- Camp-owned
- Torches, for lighting
- Camp-owned
- Banquet table, for sitting with a full posse
- Camp-owned
- Telescope, for stargazing
- Tied to the player's tent
- Deluxe campfire 2, for comfort
- Camp-owned
- They could add a log to chop firewood, which would give the player stamina XP, and temporarily boost the speed food is cooked on the campfire, or allow it to glow brighter
- The dog house, for more pets
- Tied to the player's tent
Camping Trip
I've separated this into two smaller lists, updgrades and base features - Just so you can focus on what you're more interested in!
Wilderness Outfitters' Great Expansion
- Allow us to customise the camp style seperately
- Tent
- Tent front chair
- Table
- Table chairs
- Decorative utilities
- Provisions table and donations ledger
- $500
- Better tier provisions can be purchased like in the ledger in single player, and will respawn after one ingame day
- Base tier: Opened tonics and food
- Upgrade 1: Normal tonics and better food
- $100, and previous upgrade
- Upgrade 2: + Ammo
- $150, and previous upgrade
- Upgrade 3: + Dynamite, throwing knives and potent tonics
- $250, and previous upgrade
- The donations ledger will show who donated what pelts and materials to Cripps or Foody Dave (from this article)
- Camp-owned
- Wash tub and clothes line, allowing players to wash the blood, snow and dirt off their clothes
- $300
- This was a model spawning in the original camp layout, before Frontier Pursuits, so this should be easy to do
- Camp-owned
- Imagine seeing a quick little cutscene with your character in a union suit just scrubbing down their clothes and face
- Gambling table, allowing all of the games from single player
- $150
- Only the friendly matches could be played here, but perhaps done in the freeroam lobby to allow in-camp cheating amongst players. If done right, this can lead to an interesting dynamic.
- Camp-owned
- Camp guards
- $500
- Fight off incoming raids and help with any other violent attackers
- Camp-owned
- Can be upgraded
- Base tier: Revolvers
- Upgrade 1A: Carbine repeaters
- $50, and previous upgrade
- Upgrade 2A: Double barrel shotguns
- $150, and previous upgrade
- Upgrade 3A: Evans Repeaters
- $200, and previous upgrade
- Upgrade 1B: Split-point ammo
- $100
- Upgrade 2B: Express ammo
- $200, and previous upgrade
- Improved hitching posts, increasing horse core regeneration
- $400
- Camp-owned
- Perhaps if we done chores, such as moving hey or pouring them some water, that could provide a temporary boost
- Easel, allowing players to paint the surrounding scenery and display a picture next to their tent
- $300
- Tied to the player's tent
What's Going On, Cripps?
- Moonshine, instead of beer in the drinks crate if we own a Moonshine shack, and have an active batch
- The flavour and potency will match our current batch of Moonshine
- Our delivery wagon and the horse used to pull it can now be seen at camp when not in use
- Of course, players will not be able to shoot the horse or drive the wagon. It's purely so it doesn't spawn out of nowhere in sale missions
- Perhaps here, players could customise the wagon and replace the horse with a suitable work horse of their own
- A tent for Cripps, and any other NPCs who may come to stay at the camp (Such as Foody Dave)
- Watching Cripps (Or Foody Dave) cook the camp stew
- This would make it feel like a less permanent item, and if it wasn't available for 2 - 3 ingame hours, it would make it feel more rewarding to have some. Watching the camp guards walk up to the pot and take a meal for themselves as they chat with eachother would really bring life into the camp
- If we had to actually collect some base ingredients for the stew too, that would be much more immersive and make it less OP
- More people at camp, especially if they eat together, is more reason for us to have more or larger tables and tents around
- Wandering trappers and fences coming to the camp, trading in their wares and buying any valuables we may have for a premium price
- Visitors interacting with Cripps, and other camp NPCs
- Making Cripps seem like he's got more going on would definitely add a layer of depth to his character
Do you think the camp needs a bit of an upgrade to feel more alive? What would you add to the system? Let us know, and be sure to share this article in hopes that someone at Rockstar takes notice to our features!