IGN (Day 4): Rock Band World Tour Hands-On

[ThePaska]

Summary: Forget what you experienced in Guitar Hero. Harmonix is going away from its traditional career mode that has you basically plowing through a list of songs that gradually increase in difficulty. Rock Band World Tour is a completely different beast. The purpose in BWT isn't to unlock songs (though that will happen in due course), but to build your band from total nobodies to stadium-packing rock stars.

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/828/828539p1.html



Well the achievements weren't the real deal, this is the real day 4 news I believe. And its a little late, they are the 3rd or 4th website to report on World Tour Mode.

Not much new is learned from this. There are a few things though:

*Cities, venues, and events all have minimum star requirements.

*you will need to at least play one or two gigs in the city to prove yourself.

*The bigger the venue, the more songs you play, the more fans you stand to gain from being successful

http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/article/828/828539/rock-band-20071018055703440-000.jpg

*"hometown" setlist, that had us taking on songs from local artists (including the Smashing Pumpkins)

*A Marathon setlist might have you play ten or more songs in a row with no breaks
(Boston you will play the "Harmonix Marathon" that has you ripping through all of the unlockable songs from Harmonix bands)

*We've even heard there is a Marathon setlist that may take six hours to beat.

A huge amount of Tour Screen Shots! (http://media.xbox360.ign.com/media/879/879549/imgs_1.html)

There are at least some nice little additional tidbits that other people didn't report on!
With some of the extra info that we didn't get from other websites and the massive amounts of screenshots I think IGN really stepped it up today, its up there with day 1 as some of the best news we have gotten from them this week.

[Tendoza]

Who saw this coming?

[Obnysalt]

There's also a **** ton of career mode screenshots.

[SmokaCola]

We should all pitch in and make comments/post pics and let Apples make a huge banner just so we can show IGN how much they fail at giving new info and playing games. Just a suggestion that's all i'm saying lol

Edit: Just saw the screenshots... maybe they're not THAT bad...

[foolosophy]

Screenshots are pretty good, I think that these screenshots are better than the last two announcements.

[Xzyliac]

Yet another exclusion from the Day 5 predictions.

Marathon confirmed and the six hour thing sounds like the Endless Setlist. Another exclusion.

[Magnet]

A Marathon setlist might have you play ten or more songs in a row with no breaks. In fact, in Boston you will play the "Harmonix Marathon" that has you ripping through all of the unlockable songs from Harmonix bands. We've even heard there is a Marathon setlist that may take six hours to beat. Awesome and insane.

Okay, that Harmonix Marathon is just too cool. I can't wait. :D

[PsycoCheerio]

it's unknown if downloadable content will be compatible with the Band World Tour.

Didn't Gamespot say that you could import DLC into BWT yesterday...
I mean, IGN is really failing at this whole RB week thing...

6 hours could be a bit long...but would be one hell of a day...

[Schultzy]

Wow, some decent information. This is totally unexpected, coming from IGN! Nice pics, too.
Maybe, JUST MAYBE, there's hope for tomorrow. Maybe. :D

[Mr_GtD]

The Chicago hometown setlist will fail if they don't have any Styx.

[MartyMcFly]

Those screenshots are awesome!!

I love the "Call Manager" option. Then it said 8/250, venues? Gigs? Whatever it is, that's a hell of a lot of shows!!

Pure awesomosity!

[SmokaCola]

I'm loving the band name on stage... Seriously, HMX that just ****ing rocks.

[travmeatwad]

Hahaha.. Mike Tyson's Punch-Out! was mentioned in one of the shots.

[SmokaCola]

http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/article/828/828539/rock-band-20071018055705909.jpg

Hmmm... Was that just the singer out of the way and the guitarist got near the mic stand or what? I know it's not possible to play guitar and sing (In the game i mean) But that looks kinda cool.

[wwaballafoshosho]

I'm loving the band name on stage... Seriously, HMX that just ****ing rocks.

pretty ****ing dope....

<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n63/brandonn_21/is.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>

[Jimmik]

yea Those shots got me really excited for this game. Moreso than usual! The art style is so amazing, and especially so after playing GH3 (by the way, its UGLY, the singer looks like kermit the frog and every girl is slutty lookin). The campaign will be amazing, and my friends will stop teasing me about checking out forums for hours every day once they see how great it will be :D

[Schultzy]

I'm loving the band name on stage... Seriously, HMX that just ****ing rocks.

Agreed! That's AWESOME! :D

As I looked at the screens, I noticed something.
The note chart backgrounds change. Does this mean you are able to pick the background of your note charts?

[Jimmik]

http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/article/828/828539/rock-band-20071018055705909.jpg

Hmmm... Was that just the singer out of the way and the guitarist got near the mic stand or what? I know it's not possible to play guitar and sing (In the game i mean) But that looks kinda cool.

Aw, it was confirmed that you can't sing and play guitar at the same time? That sucks :(

[SmokaCola]

yea Those shots got me really excited for this game. Moreso than usual! The art style is so amazing, and especially so after playing GH3 (by the way, its UGLY, the singer looks like kermit the frog and every girl is slutty lookin). The campaign will be amazing, and my friends will stop teasing me about checking out forums for hours every day once they see how great it will be :D


My sister said Judy was a whore... I laughed at that good. Although Judy is a bit distracting when playing songs with her... I need a cold shower now :(

[Mr_GtD]

Aw, it was confirmed that you can't sing and play guitar at the same time? That sucks :(

You can sing and play guitar. It just won't be reflected in-game, on the stage.

[wwaballafoshosho]

i guess enter sandman will be a california venue song...

[masterx1918]

****in rock. it may be old news but still nice screens

[army_of_me]

What could the hometown setlist thing mean for international cities???

I'm hoping Reykjavik = Björk (or, more likely, Sugarcubes)! :) :) :)

[sushi111]

Band name on stage = Killer

Amazing screens today. Kudos IGN

[WingsOfSteel]

(Boston you will play the "Harmonix Marathon" that has you ripping through all of the unlockable songs from Harmonix bands)

Rhode Island Marathon. :(

[Xzyliac]

Rhode Island Marathon. :(

GOOD Made In Mexico please?

[TheTogfather]

Wow...came through pretty good IGN. Nice job, well done. Sure, we knew most of it, but those screens are flippin great. Band name in lights behind the stage?!?! Holy freaking crap...so awesome HMX! So blown away...

And yah..8/250...as in 250 gigs? like, total? Wow...

[hitdevil]

For Reykjavik I have the strangest feeling that we'll see Everybody To The Limit by Strong Bad. Doesn't Harmonix have a thing with Homestar Runner? And Doesn't Strong Bad have a thing with East Reykjavik?

although it would be hard for the singer to keep saying Fhqwhgads

[ThePaska]

For Reykjavik I have the strangest feeling that we'll see Everybody To The Limit by Strong Bad. Doesn't Harmonix have a thing with Homestar Runner? And Doesn't Strong Bad have a thing with East Reykjavik?

although it would be hard for the singer to keep saying Fhqwhgads

If thats true about the Reykjavik connection then I really would not be surprised at all. We got Trogdor last game, I could see us getting another Strong Bad song this time around.

On that note I hope to see some Dethklok in this game as well especially with their CD just coming out.

[SmokaCola]

Aw, it was confirmed that you can't sing and play guitar at the same time? That sucks :(

Nah man, you can play guitar and sing in REAL life. In the game you will show up as 2 players though, you won't be 1 guy playing and singing.

[Xzyliac]

If we get Homestar I want the Brothers Chaps to write a full length version of Kissyboots by Teen Girl Squad. Drum solo included.

[IErrantVentureI]

Guitar Hero 3..

You now fail.

[Simonious]

If we get Homestar I want the Brothers Chaps to write a full length version of Kissyboots by Teen Girl Squad. Drum solo included.


16 HOUR DRUM SOLO! Doo-dah-doo- FLOOR TOM'D! STEP MOM'D! Pom pomm'd?



I would absolutely kill for another Homestar song, even Experimental Film (It's truly a TMBG song)

[IErrantVentureI]

How do you all think the Marathons will work? As in, load times. I want one big load time, and just play song after song. This could also work in regular venues, when you play a couple songs right after another.

Like, you and your band are tearing up Highway Star, and it's the last song on your setlist. You go all out on your end wankery, and you hit the last notes in the song. The HUD and fretboards completely disappear while the camera switches angles from your band to the packed, cheering stadium. They yell encore, and to be more specific, they yell, "Won't Get Fooled Again!" The same chant echoes throughout the stadium, as the camera focuses back in on the band. The HUD and fretboards pop back up, and off you go into your encore song of "Won't Get Fooled Again."

What do you guys think? I thought of GRAW as I wrote this, and that game has no load times, just cutscenes then you're straight back into the game. I wonder if your songs can load while the camera checks out the stadium, a la GRAW.

[SmokaCola]

Bunch of text.

Yeah, Instead of that big load time though I'd imagine it will be like after you finish the song your band members will walk around a bit and get that "next song" type thing going, checking and tuning the guitars and what not. At least I hope it's that way, that'd give more of a band feel than "please wait, loading" screen.

[Doshin]

If we get Homestar I want the Brothers Chaps to write a full length version of Kissyboots by Teen Girl Squad. Drum solo included.


hahahah i want the full jam band version of Circles by the kinda long haired band

[RkBndDrmr]

Didn't Gamespot say that you could import DLC into BWT yesterday...


Yeah they did


but you'll be able to roll all of it right back into the World Tour mode, which means your band could be lighting up marquees around the globe for a long, long time to come.

Very awesome having your name in lights!! This game is just oozing with awesome.

[blue_dragonzero]

No one noticed that they confirmed that you can be in multiple bands?


One person must be band leader. That person will always need to be logged in and playing for the band to exist. However, the rest of the players can pop in and out (though you always need two people minimum to rock out). In theory, you and three buds can get together and start a band over the weekend. Then if you hate the way your friend Al sings, you can kick him off the band and bring in a ringer. Or maybe someone from the band has a "date" with a "girl." No worries, just play without them. Band members can continue their own solo careers and build up money and stats, then rejoin the band at any time. It's a fairly smart plug-and-play system.

[DrBraun]

...the singer looks like kermit the frog and every girl is slutty lookin

Girls in rock bands are supposed to be slutty lookin' - that's why we like them! :cool:

[ThePaska]

Yeah, Instead of that big load time though I'd imagine it will be like after you finish the song your band members will walk around a bit and get that "next song" type thing going, checking and tuning the guitars and what not. At least I hope it's that way, that'd give more of a band feel than "please wait, loading" screen.

This is how I assume it would be. Maybe slightly bigger load times before you start, and there will probably be slight pauses between each song where it loads but you probably wont even notice it.

[Xzyliac]

Girls in rock bands are supposed to be slutty lookin' - that's why we like them! :cool:

No substance. Where in Hell is this world going to?

Anywho I have no work today so I'll be here waiting out the day until IGN wraps the week up. Gonna be a long day.

Please just confirm Welcome to the Jungle already.

[PurpleHaze]

Having read both the IGN and GameSpot articles, a question occurs to me. The only fixed spot in the band is the "leader", and anybody else can jump in to fill other spots - which is very cool. However, are the instrument assignments fixed at all? For instance, I create a guitar character, and then create a band - as the leader of the band, would I only be able to play guitar, or would I still be able to choose other instruments? Actually, that raises another question - when you create a character, are you creating a character for a specific instrument, or can that character be used in all of the solo careers, and other modes, and with any instrument?

[Xzyliac]

Your characters are instrument specific. I don't know if your position is.

[PurpleHaze]

Actually, I just thought of a potential answer to my own question - I wonder if being a band leader is tied to your gamertag and profile, rather than the actual RockBand character - which means you could still use the same band, and still be the leader, but select your drummer character instead of your guitar character, for instance. That would certainly be possible on the 360, not sure about other platforms though.

[Thrashdragon]

One person must be band leader. That person will always need to be logged in and playing for the band to exist. However, the rest of the players can pop in and out (though you always need two people minimum to rock out).

Now I'm curious as to how solo play works. I had assumed that you could start a band in solo play and people could hop in and out whenever. Since you have to have at least two players for the WBT...what do you do in solo play?

[Bakkster]

Now I'm curious as to how solo play works. I had assumed that you could start a band in solo play and people could hop in and out whenever. Since you have to have at least two players for the WBT...what do you do in solo play?

My understanding is that Solo play is like GH (each solo career has its own song progression) and World Tour is multiplayer only.

[Thrashdragon]

My understanding is that Solo play is like GH (each solo career has its own song progression) and World Tour is multiplayer only.

So if you could pull off playing and singing at the same time, you could solo the World Tour...

[Bakkster]

So if you could pull off playing and singing at the same time, you could solo the World Tour...

Yes, but good luck. I plan to try bass + vocals, but there are a few songs that scare me (Dani California, Highway Star, for example). Add that some gigs require that you play certain songs, and solo World Tour becomes VERY difficult. Of course, you can always grab a partner if needed.

[hitdevil]

can someone confirm this for me. Do you know if it is possible for one person to be a different difficulty then another person in world tour mode?

I'm way more experienced then my soon to be band mates and I don't wanna play guitar on medium while I can handle expert

[Xzyliac]

can someone confirm this for me. Do you know if it is possible for one person to be a different difficulty then another person in world tour mode?

I'm way more experienced then my soon to be band mates and I don't wanna play guitar on medium while I can handle expert

You can play different difficulties.

[HeXcoda]

You can play different difficulties.

Hooray! I can rock out with folks who are expertaholics without dragging them down (presumably)! A feature bullet point must for casual gamers.

Plus, try to imagine the following:
Guitar Guy: Okay, we're gonna do Tom Sawyer on Expert!
Vocal Guy: ...uh... I don't want to be coughing up blood for weeks, thank you.