As we speak, I have waited patiently for the mission, "Gates to El Presidio" to load. I've restarted my Xbox once, and now I'm just seeing if patience will do it but as the 5 minute mark flies on by I am tempted to restart my Xbox yet again.
However, while staring intensely at Red Dead Redemption's load screen I noticed how much I hate it. It consists of flashing images in black and red while a revolver gets reloaded, yet when the revolver gets fully reloaded that does not mean the end of the load time, instead it just begins anew. What is the point? Is it to distract gamers like me for a full 5 seconds hoping that when it gets fully reloaded the loading will be done and I can go on and play the game only to find bitter dissapointment?
 
So this lead me to think about what I would like in a load time, and of course ideally it would be no load time and if there is one as short as possible. Some games load missions while you're watching a cut-scene and others load while you are playing, as I just woke up, I can't really think up of examples at this moment but Splinter Cell: Conviction comes to mind even though the load scenes were incredibly long at some points you only got a few. Although, if there has to be a load screen I don't want to see a cycle of flashing images, I really don't care about that, all I need is something that symbols the amount of loading the game has done, let it be numbers, or an animation like Red Dead Redemption's reloading only if when all the bullets are put into the revolver that would mean the end of the load and the beginning of me having fun.
 
So what do you think? What are games that have done loading really well? What would be your ideal load screen other than there being none?
 
After looking up to the television screen and the load screen being the only thing visible, I guess it's time to restart my Xbox again...

Well, my experience with the RDR loading is that it actually got faster throughout the game. I know that makes no sense, but I really felt like it did. Now it only takes a moment, even when loading the game up from the main menu. Loading mission also goes really fast. And about the revolver getting loaded. That is just there to show you that the game hasn't locked up, so you know it's loading. But in your case it seems weird that you have been waiting for five minutes for a mission to load. 
 
Also, I don't remember exactly how the loading screen for Conviction looks, but from what I recall the load was pretty damn fast for that game -- all the time, really.
 
So, yeah, basically I totally disagree with you... :P

I think that mission in particular may just be bugged. My brother has experienced the exact same issue when attempting to load up that mission. Some people have weird fixes like killing a particular NPC before starting the mission and others just said waiting a full day and trying it again fixed it. I think it's most likely just random. Most of the time it locks up and maybe one out of every ten times it actually works.
 
As for loading times in general, I share your hatred for the revolver filling with bullets. Some sort of indication as to how much longer I have to wait is extremely preferable and I love to be entertained while waiting so things like MW's cutscenes and load progress combined into one is my ideal situation.

Uncharted 2 has the best loading pretty much ever. Just a single load at the start then you can play through without a single load, just straight up awesomeness. 
It seems like most games nowadays have taken to loading screens like RDR that don't show any info, I remember a time when basically every game had a bar that showed the progress of a load.

For me I don't want any cutscenes hiding the load times, as I use load times to take breaks, I'd want something that shows the amount of loading (and preferably an EST) while being stylish about it and give an MGS4 style press start to continue screen when it's done, so I could let it load while away from it (bathroom break, going to get a snack, etc)  and not have it get me killed or something for not making it back in time. 
The press start thing should also be optional, so that those who want to continue right away can.

Will installing on hard drive make it faster?  I've been meaning to do this but keep forgetting.

I install my games to the hard drive from the start. 
I'm prettysure flashy spiny icons in load games are just there as a  "processing" reference so you can tell if yer system has locked up if that icon doesn't move. status bars are nice but ideally i think the loading screen should let you hit the start button and check yer inventory or your stats. Just something to read to occupy yer mind and make the load seem shorter.

" Will installing on hard drive make it faster?  I've been meaning to do this but keep forgetting. "

I really like GTA4's loading times, especially the one at the beginning of the game, because the images and soundtrack make me pumped to play the game.

What I don't get is this game gets installed on to your HD (at least PS3 version not sure about 360's), yet it still has to load things...? Wasn't that the point of installing it on the HD in the first place?

Be sure to clear your HDD's cache. I heard it helps.

" What I don't get is this game gets installed on to your HD (at least PS3 version not sure about 360's), yet it still has to load things...? Wasn't that the point of installing it on the HD in the first place? "

" Uncharted 2 has the best loading pretty much ever. Just a single load at the start then you can play through without a single load "

" @Ujio said:

" What I don't get is this game gets installed on to your HD (at least PS3 version not sure about 360's), yet it still has to load things...? Wasn't that the point of installing it on the HD in the first place? "

It helps make the load times faster and games will always have load times, unless technology gets better in this category. "

And then there's games like Dragon Ball Z when the load screens are NEVER QUITE LONG ENOUGH!  :P

Try installing the game.

Just to clarify, I didn't mean to address Red Dead Redemption's loading times; for the most part they are fine.
I was addressing, the load screen's design in general.

Yeah, install the game. I have had zero problems with loading. Less than 5 to 7 seconds for any screen I come to.

My load times are like 10 seconds long, 360 verison.

loading time in RDR isn't that bad.  after you load the initial one, it's faster in the other load times. 
 
although i wish games will incorporate some mini stuff that you can do while loading.  the dbz tenkaichi games i think had some of those mini stuff where you can move your analog stick and things happen on screen. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night also had a simple one where you can play around the "Now Loading" image hehe!  Well that is if having a long loading time is unavoidable for the game. 
 
And besides, I'll still patiently wait for an acceptable long loading time if it's a great game like RDR. :)

Yes, I have installed the game, I do so with every game I play.
This 5 minute load time was a one time thing, I'm pretty sure it was a glitch. The load screen in general is what annoys me.
What makes good load screen design?
 
Just to restate, I do not need help making my load times faster, I've already beaten Red Dead Redemption as of now.

I play on the PS3 and only the load time when you load your game from the start menu seems long. After that, everything moves pretty quickly.

Im having the same issue with the same mission (and only that mission), but on a ps3.  i had to install....must just be a buggy part of the game.  Hopefully they notice and fix it with the update