In the "what balls they have" category...

[deathstick]

Scroll down to the update for the interesting part. I just hope it's not true because it's a pretty stupid thing to say, not to mention bragging about their GH2 downloads when if they weren't so damn greedy they'd have gotten more.

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=14159

It's just a matter of time before they run GH into the ground the same way they did with the Tony Hawk games. They took all the fun and life out of it and just look at the bottom line-how much money they'll make.

[Bloodlust]

**** Activision, Harmonix has an eternal fan right here, and I'll support whatever they do with Rock Band from here. I don't think I want to buy GH3 even after hearing that comment :/

[phishie]

Dude, from the stuff I'm hearing I'm having less faith in the game. Everyone is saying the controllers are going to be Guitar Hero controllers. I knew it was an option to use one but I figured there'd be some originality there, like the design I had in mind earlier: Fully plastic downsized strat with plastic/nylon strings and a small pickup like sensor with the same technology as a guitar tuner, deciphering the note being played and putting the information into the xbox or playstation and playing it through your TV, then getting together with a band and making a song. As a musician I was looking forward to musicians having their own game, but if it's going to be like this might as well call it Guitar Hero III: Rock Band edition.

[deathstick]

Dude, from the stuff I'm hearing I'm having less faith in the game. Everyone is saying the controllers are going to be Guitar Hero controllers. I knew it was an option to use one but I figured there'd be some originality there, like the design I had in mind earlier: Fully plastic downsized strat with plastic/nylon strings and a small pickup like sensor with the same technology as a guitar tuner, deciphering the note being played and putting the information into the xbox or playstation and playing it through your TV, then getting together with a band and making a song. As a musician I was looking forward to musicians having their own game, but if it's going to be like this might as well call it Guitar Hero III: Rock Band edition.

At that point they should just sell a real guitar and make a 1/4" to USB cable. Think about it: if you wanna use your GH Xplorer you're going to be able to OR you can buy the new guitar. That's one less instrument I have to buy, so I can buy the drum module or one of the others.

BTW I just noticed the account was closed....an Activision plant perhaps???

[sushi111]

As absoluley sick as GH3 looks, that comment was weak.

[phishie]

Well, I called gamestop earlier and it said a wireless guitar controller (because I have no ports on my xbox) was 70 USD, if I'm not mistaken that's a hell of a lot more than a basic guitar hero controller... Maybe they do have something in the works?

[Tig3rj]

Well, I called gamestop earlier and it said a wireless guitar controller (because I have no ports on my xbox) was 70 USD, if I'm not mistaken that's a hell of a lot more than a basic guitar hero controller... Maybe they do have something in the works?


1. There has been no final price set for the controllers, read the FAQ above.
2. Xbox 360 does have ports, they are called USB. You have 2 of them on the front panel.
3. $70 for a Wirless Guitar would be about right. A Standard Wireless controller goes for $50.

You also have to remember for the controller for the 360 that they have to license Microsoft Propriotory code. It's not your standard wireless say like Blue Tooth. You you have to add in the cost there.

Look at the GH2 controller that isn't wireless.. http://www.redoctane.com/guitarhero2x-explorer.html It sells for $60.

Your idea of a guitar with nylon or plastic strings isn't going to happen and here is why...$$$. Think how durable those strings would be and how offten people would break them. People aren't going to keep spending $$$ on a game where it breaks all the time. Look at real guitars, they are much stronger and they break. A built in tuner will just drive the cost up, what does a real one go for? $10+ and about $20+ more for a Chromatic one?

You are looking at this game in all the wrong ways. It's not a game made for musician to MAKE music. Heck, you could just get real instruments and do that now if you wanted to. This is a game where it may give the user to "Feel" like what it may be like if they were in a Rock Band. At the same time have some fun with it and not take it seriously.

The game is marketed to try and get millions of people to play, not have a few 1000 real players take a stab at it. Do you really think real instrament users are going to pick this up to find people to play with a controller that isn't the real thing? They will just laugh at it as ask them selves.."Why bother with that when I have the real thing next to me if I want to get serious?" Plus what of those who don't have net? Many real instrament players now laugh at the game and tell people to go play a real guitar when the game isn't even market in that way. If anything, it may get people to try a real instrament where they may of thought they may not like it.

Sorry for your disapointment, but this will be like GH1,2,3 but with an added Mic to sing and Drums to play with a few different features that aren't in the GH games.

[phishie]

Actually, nylon strings have the same durability as flatwound steel strings, they'd actually last longer (if you don't use a pick) because they don't corrode. But what ever. Why couldn't they just leave this to GH3? It's the same exact thing except with drums and a mic... All together I think Guitar Hero was a horrible idea.

[Tig3rj]

Actually, nylon strings have the same durability as flatwound steel strings, they'd actually last longer (if you don't use a pick) because they don't corrode. But what ever. Why couldn't they just leave this to GH3? It's the same exact thing except with drums and a mic... All together I think Guitar Hero was a horrible idea.

Because it is a Video Game Business. They are evolving on the GH theme, just as with any other company say making a FPS shooter game. They make what is popular with the consumer and build off their ideas for it. In this case, adding a Mic and Drums in the mix.

To give you an idea how bad GH was, GH2 for the PS2 sold over 800,000 units in December of 06 for North America with 1.3 million sold for the year of 06.. http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3156365

That is a lot of $$$ to be made from a simple game that is a horrible idea. Over 200,000 song packs have been downloaded from Xbox Live for the 360 version. At $6.25 for 3 songs that comes to $1,250,000 just in downloads for the game on the 360.

You may think it is a horid idea, but from a business stand point it was an awsome idea and it's getting more popular in pubs taking over karaoke. Also to the point where they are competing in the World Series of Video games and you be able towatch it on TV.. http://kotaku.com/gaming/where.s-my-remote/cbs-to-air-world-series-of-video-games-265039.php

http://www.thewsvg.com/news/26/

Just think if you were good and enter and made it to the finals. You have a chance to win $15,000 just hitting those 5 frets and 1 strum.. http://www.thewsvg.com/prizes/

Not bad for a horrible idea huh?

[Brock_Landers]

I'm guessing Phishie is one of those sorts that thinks all the people who play Guitar Hero are a bunch of wannabe-poseurs and that these sort of games somehow cheapen the skill and effort it takes to learn a real instrument. (if not, I apologise, but there's a strange backlash of them out there)

I'm still a little perplexed how he got into the idea of Rock Band hating GH though.

[sa_nick]

I'm guessing Phishie is one of those sorts that thinks all the people who play Guitar Hero are a bunch of wannabe-poseurs and that these sort of games somehow cheapen the skill and effort it takes to learn a real instrument. (if not, I apologise, but there's a strange backlash of them out there)

I'm still a little perplexed how he got into the idea of Rock Band hating GH though.

Agreed. He's posted on like 6 different threads saying the exact same thing about how the GH guitars sucks etc... wassup with that?

[flclrocks07]

He just doesn't like the way the game is turning out so far. Admittedly it would be cool to play the suggested guitar with nylon strings, but it as it's been said before too much money. I for one love Guitar Hero and think it was a great idea. I've already made some of my money back by going to a tournament and playing it. $20 for playing a video game isn't bad. Second Place on Expert by the way :cool:

[c0nd0rd4myt]

i'm actually kinda lost on what people are so mad about.

personally, if GH became the new Madden, i think that'd actually be a good thing, both for gaming as a whole and for music. theres allways gonna be new music coming out, and a yearly compilation of the best for that year would work out pretty gnarly. and in my mind they dont need to do anythign really innovative or new cause the core gameplay is allready fun. as long as the songs are worth playing i dont mind.

[benjamin]

I can never understand why people get so angry about yearly editions of Madden. There a people out there, I call them "Sports Fans" many of them don't play many video games, but they really enjoy their sports so they get the game. They care enough that a Roster Update is enough reason for them to get another version of the game. And I know most people think that "Sports Fans" are sneaking into their house at night to steal money to buy Games, but actually these "Sports Fans" are using their own money that they themselves earned. So who cares what they spend it on?

[Smidget]

Phishie, you hate GH and you hate where RB is going. Why are you even posting on these boards?

To anyone who is hoping this is going to be a game for musicians where you can create "real" music (in the most real sense) and the perihperals are going to be more like a real instrument than a peripheral...get over it. It is a video game and it uses peripherals. Go learn an instrument if you want to create real music. If you already play one, then why do you want this to be a game to create real music? Don't look at RB from the mindset of a musician, look at it from the mindset of a gamer who happens to also be a musician (gamer first, musician second). I play drums but I want this to be an awesome VIDEO GAME, not an awesome "music creation" game.

Phishie, if you think GH was a horrible idea, you've missed the point of music/rythm games. That's what it is, not "a game for musicians".


Back to the topic (well, I'll try anyways, haha): From the linked article -
"Asked how the company felt about impending competition by the end of the year, referring to Harmonix and MTV Games' Rock Band, company officials took a curious stance in saying that it "wasn't surprising that [the franchise] has attracted imitators"

wth were they thinking?

[SoraRikuVGM]

Activision needs to shut their mouth. They didn't even have a part in GH until recently. Sluts.

[c0nd0rd4myt]

well, consider the literal translation of the word imitate. Rock Band at its core roots does imitate the basic GH formula, but it also expands upon it. its the same way Obsidian Entertainment Imitated Biowares formula with the second Knights of the Old Republic. in order to replicate, you must first imitate.

[Ardius]

BTW I just noticed the account was closed....an Activision plant perhaps???

Nah, I think phishie finally realised that this game is not for musicians to make new music, lol. Took him long enough.

[benjamin]

well, consider the literal translation of the word imitate. Rock Band at its core roots does imitate the basic GH formula, but it also expands upon it. its the same way Obsidian Entertainment Imitated Biowares formula with the second Knights of the Old Republic. in order to replicate, you must first imitate.

We don't know if it is imitating it yet, we know nothing yet. Will the guitar and bass be similar? Most likely. But for all we know it could be dramatically different.

[cooldude93]

yeah I do think that was uncool of them ...... and yes how did you get into these idea if you hate guitar hero so much Phishie