The Rip Off Becomes the Rip Off (GH Wants to be RB When it Grows Up)

[Xzyliac]

HA! Irony is a *****!

Your local newscaster is back from Boston. Here we go:

Activision wants to add new instruments to Guitar Hero claiming it's the "natural evolution". God make your own jokes people. Too easy.

http://www.gametab.com/news/990615/

These are the guys who called Rock Band a rip right? I am losing respect for GH since Harmonix left.

[newwaytodie]

I think they should just keep cranking out expansion packs. No need to try and innovate when someone else better has already beat you to it.

[TheRocker]

What a bunch of Losers they're just going to end up adding soo many useless crap * and Sh... to an already fine Franchise and the ultimate result will be the same as THPS games.


*Example : Battle Mode Wth !? Gh was never about battleling out your friend it was about all about the music.. Neversoft You Suck

[Xzyliac]

What a bunch of Losers they're just going to end up adding soo many useless crap * and Sh... to an already fine Franchise and the ultimate result will be the same as THPS games.


*Example : Battle Mode Wth !? Gh was never about battleling out your friend it was about all about the music.. Neversoft You Suck

YES! From day one I knew Neversoft would make it like this.

For once I have to say EA is doing a fine job supporting innovation and as always Harmonix supplies.

[TheRocker]

I feel bad for Harmonix seeing their marvelous creation turned into a joke.. maybe somewhere in the future HMX will be able to buy back its game rights and make an ultimate Edition containing the best of Gh1.Gh2.Gh3

[Xzyliac]

I could see Activision asking Harmonix to share dev responsibilities if the franchise ever hits rock bottom.

[ThePaska]

Guitar Hero is really going down the drain. It would not be smart for them to go in this direction at all. The more instruments you add, the less this game is Guitar Hero and the more it becomes some Rock Band rip-off. They need to stick to the basics and try and improve on those, keep it Guitar Hero at its core. A good example is the new battle mode, its a terrible idea, and I know I wont be playing it at all, but thankfully GH III seems to be the same basic game that GH I and II were at heart. The songs are really good too, which really helps. I don't see guitar hero going past GH III though, I think it has just about run out of steam. Rock Band has taken over. When it comes down to it, I don't think Activision/Neversoft really know what they are doing with a music game when compared to Harmonix.

[ZkDotNet]

Eh, it's just an analyst's predictions.

[Eman311]

You do realize the ONLY reason theyre doing this is because of rock band......

they definetly realize rock band is the superior game, comes from the original creators, and feels more like guitar hero than guitar hero 3 does.

This way they can again bank on the guitar hero name and attempt to use that to out-muscle rock band.

such bull****

edit: also this is an analyst's view, i doubt it would actually happen. I doubt neversoft wants to tread into those dangerous waters and play it safe with something they can churn out consistently

[TheRocker]

In Other Words They're Scared and i Dont see a Gh4 In The Making Any Time Soon

[MrtyMcfly]

I don't even know what to say to this...what a joke.

[Apples]

I've been speculating on this for a while. I think the removable stock feature on the GH3 guitar is a first step towards adding a 6th fret button for GH4.

That would allow people to upgrade their controller without completely trashing it, they'd just need to buy an "expansion" with a new stock.


As for that news article, nothing Activision/RO say anymore suprises me, they've got their collective feet surgically inserted into their collective mouths. They call RB an "imitator" and then shamelessly copy them? The word for that is "hypocrisy".

[ababypenguin]

I think GH had a good run, but it is time to retire. RB is going to rape GH3 with no lube, I really hope that GH is done after number 3, I would hate to remember GH as "that game that was good... until it tried too hard to win back it's fans." I really think that RO should have quit while they were ahead with GH2.
RB is the new GH, plain and simple. It might sound harsh, but GH is old news, and the game doesn't need to continue making sequels.

[Akaymay]

Yeah, once Harmonix left, Them and Activision have like, a bitter sweet relationship. They agreed not to sue one another. But once Harmonix announced rock band. Neversoft copyrighted a ton of names, such as:

Drum Hero
Sing Hero
Guitar Villain
Rock Hero
Drum Villain
etc.

[Phiromos]

wow i hate activision and neversoft now, its a shame they agreed not to sue....if i were HMX id kick neversofts ass...HMX MADE THE ORIGINAL GUITAR HERO NEVERSOFT, DON'T CALL THEIR NEW GAME A RIP OFF IF YOU DIDNT MAKE THE FIRST ONES...*******s...id sue em anyway..haha

[newwaytodie]

Rock Band is in NO WAY an imitator. Rock Band is the culmination of Frequency, Amplitude, Karaoke Revolution, and Guitar Hero. ALL HARMONIX GAMES.

It's the most natural progression given that Guitar Hero was just a stepping stone to get to Rock Band. Any further Guitar Hero games are the true rip-offs because they are just copping out on a proven formula. (something that Neversoft is quite good at)

[Xzyliac]

Yeah, once Harmonix left, Them and Activision have like, a bitter sweet relationship. They agreed not to sue one another. But once Harmonix announced rock band. Neversoft copyrighted a ton of names, such as:

Drum Hero
Sing Hero
Guitar Villain
Rock Hero
Drum Villain
etc.

Wasn't that back when Harmonix and AC were together?

[IhateShittyMetalcore]

so this is what pisses you guys off?

...right.

[ThePaska]

Wasn't that back when Harmonix and AC were together?

Yea I believe it was, I think they started doing that while working on Guitar Hero II

[Xzyliac]

so this is what pisses you guys off?

...right.

I love that one piece of logic no one will acknowledge. Your lost cause has been realized sir.

[lithiumkc]

I think hmx has definitely taken the high road here.. Well, it's easy when you have a far superior team and game. Activision definitely feels threatened, and for a big company they're probably not used to that. They seem to act like children calling it a 'ripoff' when it was harmonix's game to begin with.

Plus, we all know if they tried to put out a 'band hero' that it would be full of nothing but crappy gimmicks. HMX FTW

[IhateShittyMetalcore]

I love that one piece of logic no one will acknowledge. Your lost cause has been realized sir.

yeah, okay...

you guys are all up in arms over something thats more than likely going to be completely optional over the one player game we've all come to love. at least my point carries some weight, you guys are all up in arms over absolutely nothing. actually, that isnt true, you guys are all pissy because of a mode that will be alot more enjoyable than the standard two player mode which I'm sure will also contain the classic two player mode.

[IhateShittyMetalcore]

They seem to act like children calling it a 'ripoff' when it was harmonix's game to begin with.


excuse me? it isnt Harmonix's creation. Guitar Hero itself is a rip off of a Japanese series of games called Guitar Freaks thats been around about ten years before GH was even in development.

[bounchfx]

wow you guys are being pretty damn harsh.

if anything this means more competition on the market.

cut the "THEY OWN U LOL Y TRY" crap

[benjamin]

Guys, please stop attacking Neversoft, get angry at Activision for the Rip off quote, Neversoft has been nothing but cool about the game, they have made no rude comments they are just trying to make a good game, and it looks as if they will succeed.

So calm down.

[Xzyliac]

yeah, okay...

you guys are all up in arms over something thats more than likely going to be completely optional over the one player game we've all come to love. at least my point carries some weight, you guys are all up in arms over absolutely nothing. actually, that isnt true, you guys are all pissy because of a mode that will be alot more enjoyable than the standard two player mode which I'm sure will also contain the classic two player mode.
Very good point.

[Eman311]

so this is what pisses you guys off?

...right.

There is a little x icon in your browser. Use it

[IhateShittyMetalcore]

hey, dude. if you dont like what I have to say then dont read it.

sounds like a good plan to me.

[lithiumkc]

hey, dude. if you dont like what I have to say then dont read it.

sounds like a good plan to me.

.....how is he supposed to know if he likes what you're saying or not if he doesnt read it

[IhateShittyMetalcore]

meh, I dont care.

[Eman311]

.....how is he supposed to know if he likes what you're saying or not if he doesnt read it

this is a very special forum. i'm supposed to just know what it says without reading it

[IhateShittyMetalcore]

like I said, I dont care. but if you've predecided that all I have to say is trash then you can pretty much skip any post I make and still manage to get by on the board.

[fragpirate]

bah, w/e
to me this is awesome cuz as long as they have completely different set lists then im happy as a clam.

[Eman311]

like I said, I dont care. but if you've predecided that all I have to say is trash then you can pretty much skip any post I make and still manage to get by on the board.

actually when i went back and read your posts before that you make some good points.

I was only a little bit angry at them already trying to imitate RB. but when i realized the article came from an "analyst" :rolleyes: whats the point in even believing a word it says?

[IhateShittyMetalcore]

even if it is true its an improvement, why get angry over something that will more than likely make the game more enjoyable for two players or more.

I've had situations where me and a friend will play and we'll be in the room with another friend or two and he/they are just aching to play it with us, now he/they can. cant shake a stick at that.

[Magnet]

excuse me? it isnt Harmonix's creation. Guitar Hero itself is a rip off of a Japanese series of games called Guitar Freaks thats been around about ten years before GH was even in development.

Um. Usually a ripoff refers to a worse game that does the original no justice. A ripoff usually steals an idea and does nothing to improve it. It simply capitalizes on the idea of the original to generate sales.

Guitar Hero takes the basic Japanese arcade game (have you seen the prehistoric way the notes scroll up in Guitar Freaks?) and brings it to Americans. The music is not mostly throwaway nonsense but recognizable tunes. It vastly improves on the three fret idea of GF by adding two more. The interface is ages ahead of Guitar Freaks as is the way the background flows with each individual song with respect to the singer, speakers, etc.

How can you call Guitar Hero a ripoff? And even if you do want to call it that, is there anyway you can possibly think of that as a bad thing?

I imagine every Harmonix programmer who worked on Guitar Hero would take quite an issue over you claiming that it's not their creation. As if they just stole the code from Konami or something.

[Brad_Lee]

I'm not complaining... GH3 looks to be shaping up well and some of the songs will be fun as hell to play.

Personally I think there needs to be a stand alone guitar game.... some songs you just can't put in Rock Band. While yes the band experience is revolutionary... it also is hindering.

I'll wait till I play GH3 before I start throwing feces.

[Phrank-E]

bah, w/e
to me this is awesome cuz as long as they have completely different set lists then im happy as a clam.

According to this, GH3 has Paranoid and Mississippi Queen as well.. So much for completely different.

Also says they got Raining Blood by Slayer.. I hate to say it... But Tman is right.. GH3 has a far superior setlist thus far.. HMX needs to start throwing us metalheads some bones we can chew on.

[TheRocker]

According to this, GH3 has Paranoid and Mississippi Queen as well.. So much for completely different.

Also says they got Raining Blood by Slayer.. I hate to say it... But Tman is right.. GH3 has a far superior setlist thus far.. HMX needs to start throwing us metalheads some bones we can chew on.

I Agree , so far Harmonix has been too Quiet and they Need to announce more Metal Songs , and please no more Suffragate City videos..

[DokkenIsntRockin]

Um. Usually a ripoff refers to a worse game that does the original no justice. A ripoff usually steals an idea and does nothing to improve it. It simply capitalizes on the idea of the original to generate sales.

Guitar Hero takes the basic Japanese arcade game (have you seen the prehistoric way the notes scroll up in Guitar Freaks?) and brings it to Americans. The music is not mostly throwaway nonsense but recognizable tunes. It vastly improves on the three fret idea of GF by adding two more. The interface is ages ahead of Guitar Freaks as is the way the background flows with each individual song with respect to the singer, speakers, etc.

I've played Guitar Freaks before, its actually quite fun. and GH IS a rip off of GF just with added tweaks. obviously the songs are going to be amaricanised seeing as how it wasnt made in japan, and GF had alot of american rock songs, I remember two different Bon Jovi songs in the arcade version I played (which is sad because Bon Jovi sucks). adding two extra frets wasnt the pinnicle of genius either, it was more like a natural progression that I'm surprised didnt get intigrated into the GF series.


How can you call Guitar Hero a ripoff? And even if you do want to call it that, is there anyway you can possibly think of that as a bad thing?

who says that a rip off is automatically bad? the new crop of grand theft auto games are essentially a rip off of the driver series.


I imagine every Harmonix programmer who worked on Guitar Hero would take quite an issue over you claiming that it's not their creation. As if they just stole the code from Konami or something.

thats nice, still isnt their creation. in fact, theres a guitar tab program thats almost identical to the gameplay in GH thats has been out many years before GH was even thought of and of course my GF point.

besides, this whole thread is moot. activision owns harmonix, so how can they rip themselves off. harmonix is part of activision, so if activision wants to borrow ideas from the rock band series they're well in their right to.

[Phrank-E]

besides, this whole thread is moot. activision owns harmonix, so how can they rip themselves off. harmonix is part of activision, so if activision wants to borrow ideas from the rock band series they're well in their right to.

Activision owns Red Octane.. NOT Harmonix. Harmonix was bought by Viacom. And is partnered with EA for publishing.

Activision pushed Harmonix out and brought in Neversoft.

[DokkenIsntRockin]

you are correct, sir. my bad, but the Harmonix team did make GH Encore: Rocks the 80's, so my other thread is in the right place.

[admanimal]

Everybody chill out. Activision hasn't said anything about any peripherals. As someone else mentioned, this is just a -financial analyst- predicting things.

And to the person that said Harmonix may help Activision out- that's not going to happen since Harmonix is working for EA currently.

[DokkenIsntRockin]

I think activision and harmonix had a falling out as well, so there might be some bad blood there.

[Phrank-E]

The way I see it like this.. Activision buys RO... HMX is like" What about us?" Activison say's "we don't need you, We got Neversoft" HMX was likely already starting to work on GH80's and were obligated to finish ot contracturally.. So how much love went into it? Not much, I'd wager.

[Eissian]

you are correct, sir. my bad, but the Harmonix team did make GH Encore: Rocks the 80's, so my other thread is in the right place.

I get the feeling it was more like 3 guys who got the shortest sticks in the draw who worked on it while the rest of the team did rock band.

[DokkenIsntRockin]

ha ha, I cant deny that for a second.

[VILLAIN]

I smell a huge rip off coming soon.:)

[AnarchyintheUK]

I bet with how difficult Guitar Hero has got with its crappy paths and 3 note chords that the drums for this "natural evolution" will be so difficult on expert that only Keith Moon will be able to do them and since hes dead Drum Hero will see no expert FC's.

[Steef]

Drum Hero?!?! - Lawls!

[AnarchyintheUK]

Drum Hero?!?! - Lawls!

I swear I remember a report about them trademarking the names drum hero and band hero ect. I'm just waiting for them to try and trademark Jukebox Hero

[killer_roach]

Activision did trademark DJ Hero, sadly... so perhaps in a couple of years we'll get to hear Morgan and Adam on X-Play talk about how Beatmania IIDX is a ripoff of DJ Hero (like when they called Beatmania US a GH ripoff).

Personally, I think it's just a matter of time before Activision and Neversoft create a full-band game... and yes, it will suck hard.

[dady5000]

Personally, I think it's just a matter of time before Activision and Neversoft create a full-band game... and yes, it will suck hard.


Hey I'm not a big fan of Greedy Activision.

But I'm still giving the possibility of a good game.

[killer_roach]

That's true, although the last game from an Activision-owned developer that I enjoyed playing was Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2... so I'm just saying on that one.

That aside, there is the possibility that they could farm the series out to an outside developer with more music game experience... not sure who that would be in the US, though.

[Teh_Nfsjunkie91]

Anyone else but me notice this is from 2007? Anyone?