How do you differentiate ho/pos from regular notes.

[Brad_Lee]

I'm not seeing a distinction.

[Kaboobi]

They're a bit smaller. The 9 video montage only had them at one point, but if you look around you might find some video with it.

[skeltonath]

I don't know exactly, but they look about half the size. I'm not sure if the smaller size affects the timing window or not though(that would suck :( ).

[Brad_Lee]

I gotcha. I'd wish they had gone with something a little more distinctive.

[masterx1918]

the solo buttons

[skeltonath]

Wooo! Comparisons! :D

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g69/skeltonath/rockbandnormalnotes.jpg
Normal notes from Learn to Fly

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g69/skeltonath/rockbandhopo.jpg
HoPo's from Epic

[Slab_X]

So they're not using the GH style circle HOPO notes anymore? The new style seems pretty hard to notice now. I guess I'll be able to tell easier when I see some solid in game footage.

[ThePaska]

from what I have read from people who have played it, it is very easy to tell the difference, they are significantly different in size.

[PsycoCheerio]

It is really easy, especially when you see them right after what appears to be a huge normal sized note.

[cakefoo]

They'll be easy to tell apart. If there's ever any question when you first get the game, just look at the faint note lanes- full size notes take up the entire lane. (which look VERY faint after compressing a crap-ton) ;)

Normal notes:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/cakefoo/videogames/ps3/normal.jpg
HOPO's:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/cakefoo/videogames/ps3/solo.jpg

[Apples]

During star power in GH2, it's nigh impossible to tell ho-po's from regular notes since the color distinction is lost (well not impossible impossible, but pretty difficult)

I was pretty skeptical of this new system at first, but I think it has merit.

[Brad_Lee]

During star power in GH2, it's nigh impossible to tell ho-po's from regular notes since the color distinction is lost (well not impossible impossible, but pretty difficult)

I was pretty skeptical of this new system at first, but I think it has merit.

You can still clearly see the black ring.



When notes are closer together it seems natural that they would be smaller for easier readability.. but I still wish there was a different way of telling them apart.

[Magnet]

I'm thinking these smaller notes are better than the GH HOPO markings. You had to consciously look at the notes for that black ring or absence of the black ring. It should be easier to know if they're HOPO now without having to check the notes ahead of time. Overall size is a lot easier to check than a distinct coloring of part of the notes, especially when there's a lot of notes.

I can tell the HOPO notes vs. normal via size comparison very easily at a first glance. And from looking at the vid, it will be easy to tell when bigger notes come back as they're noticeably wider. It looks like it's going for more of an automated, subconscious recognition by players (if any notes suddenly become wider than usual) than a "force players to look-ahead at all incoming notes for any black rings" mentality. When I watched the whole montage video, I knew the HOPO notes were HOPOs at once (as did probably everyone who knows about HOPOs). I 5 starred Jordan on Expert before I even noticed that there was a visual representation of HOPOs in the GH games. I knew there were HOPOs in both GH games at the time, but I never realized there was any visual distinction. A size difference is easy for everyone to notice right from the get-go.

If I had a choice between the black/white rings of GH and the note size difference, I'd go for the smaller notes.

[Brad_Lee]

Color is easier to determine than size.

[dlisapussy]

black is an absence of color


and i noticed the hopos in RB right away

believe me, your probably gonna have a bigger screen than the comp and size will be sooo easy to determine

[dlisapussy]

I knew there were HOPOs in both GH games at the time, but I never realized there was any visual distinction. A size difference is easy for everyone to notice right from the get-go.



same here until like 2 months ago, and i still don't look for the black rings, i just guess really

[Brad_Lee]

black is an absence of color


and i noticed the hopos in RB right away

believe me, your probably gonna have a bigger screen than the comp and size will be sooo easy to determine


Black: the color at one extreme end of the scale of grays, opposite to white, absorbing all light incident upon it.

Not that it matters. I still think it would be better if they gave a color distinction between hopos and regular notes.

[Bakkster]

Black: the color at one extreme end of the scale of grays, opposite to white, absorbing all light incident upon it.

Not that it matters. I still think it would be better if they gave a color distinction between hopos and regular notes.

On a computer monitor/TV, black is the absence of light being transmitted.

I'm guessing the size will get easier to see. It's not like it can get any harder...

[Vigorousjammer]

i'm a fan of the new system over the old...
size seems good...
but hey, here's an idea...
how about size AND color?
they could make the Edges of the notes black for regular notes, and white for hopo's

[vtjustinb]

Color is easier to determine than size.

There's research in usability that argues both sides of that claim, but personally I think in the context of a scrolling interface size is a bigger distinction because you're not paying THAT much attention to the color of the notes--you're mapping their spacial relationship to your fingers.

Ordinarily the fact that the brain processes color rather than color being an inherit property of objects themselves is a real perceptive advantage, but again in the case of a scrolling interface I believe size is a bigger indicator (relating to the gestalt principle of similarity).

[tucsonovernite]

This is one of those many subjects where I feel we should give the benefit of the doubt to Harmonix. We know they're playtesting this beast to death and it only took me a few viewings to adjust to the blocky notes I imagine that'll translate to other tweaks to the gameplay also...

[CaptainHowdy101]

This is one of those many subjects where I feel we should give the benefit of the doubt to Harmonix. We know they're playtesting this beast to death and it only took me a few viewings to adjust to the blocky notes I imagine that'll translate to other tweaks to the gameplay also...

^Agree with this poster

[Brad_Lee]

There's research in usability that argues both sides of that claim, but personally I think in the context of a scrolling interface size is a bigger distinction because you're not paying THAT much attention to the color of the notes--you're mapping their spacial relationship to your fingers.

Ordinarily the fact that the brain processes color rather than color being an inherit property of objects themselves is a real perceptive advantage, but again in the case of a scrolling interface I believe size is a bigger indicator (relating to the gestalt principle of similarity).


When referring to black and white, they are always more distinguishable than size. Compare a basketball to a soccer ball being thrown at you. You could easily determine their color, it would be much harder to determine which was bigger.

[Bakkster]

When referring to black and white, they are always more distinguishable than size. Compare a basketball to a soccer ball being thrown at you. You could easily determine their color, it would be much harder to determine which was bigger.

I think this is quite different. In GH the HOPO have a circle in the middle of a colored disc. I have troubles seeing a white circle in the middle of a field of yellow. I also think that quick visual comparison never comes into play because nobody notices the black, so unless they can see that white within color (especially the light-blue of star power), you won't see the HOPO. Heck, I don't even look at the note colors anymore, just where they are on the fretboard.

I'll bet once we get some time with the bars the difference will be more apparent, and this will be a no-brainer.

[Brad_Lee]

I think this is quite different. In GH the HOPO have a circle in the middle of a colored disc. I have troubles seeing a white circle in the middle of a field of yellow. I also think that quick visual comparison never comes into play because nobody notices the black, so unless they can see that white within color (especially the light-blue of star power), you won't see the HOPO. Heck, I don't even look at the note colors anymore, just where they are on the fretboard.

I'll bet once we get some time with the bars the difference will be more apparent, and this will be a no-brainer.

You don't have to notice the white... you notice the lack of black. Easy to see black within yellow.

If it aint broke dont fix it.

[Bakkster]

You don't have to notice the white... you notice the lack of black. Easy to see black within yellow.

If it aint broke dont fix it.

That's what I meant: I don't see the black circle, which is a problem. I'm sure there are a lot of people who have no problems with the current system, but there are a lot who find it very hard to differentiate. That to me says broken.