I Love Freeform Fills

[vtjustinb]

I think my favorite part of watching people drum on Rock Band is the freeform fills. Here they are clugging along on Say it Ain't So playing 60 bpm 8th notes on the ride cymbal, and then all of a sudden a free form fill comes up and they unleash THE ULTIIMATE BRUTAL TOM FILL OF FLAILING FASTNESS.

I thought as a drummer that'd annoy me, but after seeing the look on peoples' faces when they do that and nail the green note it's really cool. As time goes along people will learn to be a little bit more musical, but letting people go crazy like that really adds to the experience--it's an awesome feature of the game. So bash on you animals.

[Jack_Harvard]

I like to wail on every pad whilst yelling "ANIMAL! ANIMAL! ANIMAL!"

[stiper327b]

Yeah, that's exactly what I was doing. I had in my head that I would be unleashing all of these rhythmically tight fills that would fill all of those around me with awe and glee. But in practice, I found that to not be quite the case. In actuality, my "fills" sounded more like "metal ball bearings careening wildly inside of a metal drum."

But damn if I still wasn't having fun.

[dragulaAC]

I have yet to get my hands on it to try it out myself, since my Bestbuy is lame. I've been looking forward to trying out the drums for a long time. I have NO drum skills whatsoever, but the fills look fun to just flail away frantically until the green final note comes. It'll probably be humerous to watch other non-drummers attempt this as well. :)

[dethklok]

AHH!!! I WANT TO PLAY ROCK BAND!!!

I am going to go to Best Buy one of these days... just you watch... just you watch...

I wanna see these Freeform Fills... they look fun.

[Bakkster]

My fills were usually either hitting YB at the same time, or alternating Y and B and hitting Green occasionally. I had trouble keeping it interesting on the end song wankery, so I've still got to feel my way around.


I like to wail on every pad whilst yelling "ANIMAL! ANIMAL! ANIMAL!"

I'll try that next time ;)

And even though I've posted it before, it's worth posting again:
Animal vs Buddy Rich (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDU-ZyBQRnQ)

[MartyMcFly]

It really is an awesome feature. When I played on the tour recently, the kid on the drums was going insane! Of course, he was a real drummer, so it made it look even more impressive.

But I can't wait to get my hands on the drums too! I only played the guitar the whole time. It was still a lot of fun though!

[Bakkster]

Also, Guitar/Bass freeform was INCREDIBLE. I couldn't believe how good it sounded. I totally plan to mess around with it again next time I play the demo.

[dethklok]

I've yet to play the demo... you are lucky my friend... everyone that has played the demo is lucky...

[Clutch414]

Also, Guitar/Bass freeform was INCREDIBLE. I couldn't believe how good it sounded. I totally plan to mess around with it again next time I play the demo.


Wait...I knew about the free-form drum fills, but your telling me that guitar and bass also have free form sections? How does that work?

If that is the case, that is awesome.

EDIT: I'm a moron, I misspelled "IS". LOL

[RkBndDrmr]

Wait...I knew about the free-form drum fills, but your telling me that guitar and bass also have free form sections? How does that work?

If that us the case, that is awesome.

Yes...it is AWESOME! Free form for everybody.:D :D

[stiper327b]

Wait...I knew about the free-form drum fills, but your telling me that guitar and bass also have free form sections? How does that work?

If that us the case, that is awesome.

At the end of certain songs, if you do well, you can get a nice little ending bonus section where you can just wail on the drums or guitar. I got it at the end of Vasoline on Hard.

And yeah, it is awesome.

[Clutch414]

At the end of certain songs, if you do well, you can get a nice little ending bonus section where you can just wail on the drums or guitar. I got it at the end of Vasoline on Hard.

And yeah, it is awesome.


That sounds awesome. My hype level for Rock Band was already through the roof. Now it is in the stratosphere.

On related note (somehwat), I just got GH III on Sunday. It's not bad...I like the set list, and the wireless Black Les Paul is without-a-doubt better than the Xplorer (it just has a much more 'solid' feel to it) and is going to make a SWEET bass guitar for Rock Band. But GH II really is the same old re-hash of what I've already played. Not that I'm saying that is a bad thing, mind you...it's comfortable and familiar. To me....it just seems that Harmonix is going that extra distance to add new things to and evolve the GH-type rhythm game experience. And I really like what I've been hearing. I can't wait to rock my living room.

"HELLO SYRACUSE!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

Seriously, Rock Band has successfully replaced Bioware's Mass Effect as the game I am most looking forward to this fall/winter. And I'm a huge Bioware fan.

Bravo Harmonix, Bravo.

[Symphonite]

Watching people try to flail at fills for songs that flailing fills don't work is like people that wail on the whammy bar as fast as possible at every opportunity, musicality be damned. There's an upper limit to getting the star power charge for whammying for a reason.

Also, having played the drums, I concur with the awesomosity of free-form fills. I also like how you can play something while the song is about to start without penalty. I was playing some random rhythms here and there befor the song started like any drummer does in a live show.

[Edgehopper]

Watching people try to flail at fills for songs that flailing fills don't work is like people that wail on the whammy bar as fast as possible at every opportunity, musicality be damned. There's an upper limit to getting the star power charge for whammying for a reason.

Also, having played the drums, I concur with the awesomosity of free-form fills. I also like how you can play something while the song is about to start without penalty. I was playing some random rhythms here and there befor the song started like any drummer does in a live show.

QFT on the second paragraph; having the drums map to real drum sounds when not called for by the notechart is a stroke of genius. Did anyone notice what the scoring was like on the freeform fills? Did you get any points for playing something during the fill, or was it just for overdrive activation? I'm sure you get the same for playing a proper slow triplet fill as for crazy flailing, but I wasn't sure if you even got anything for playing a slow triplet fill over simply waiting to hit the cymbal at the end.

And I thought no rhythm game mechanic could ever be cooler than tilting a guitar to activate starpower...

[Clutch414]

If possible, I'm going to try and go all "In the Air Tonight" on the first few drum fills that I come across. Regardless of the song.

[ParliamentFunkadelic]

If possible, I'm going to try and go all "In the Air Tonight" on the first few drum fills that I come across. Regardless of the song.

ahhhhh. good call.


"blap blap, boom boom, bloombloom-bloombloom, pop pop "

[zankfrappa]

yeah, i cracked up watching a video of a band playing say it aint so, where the drummer must have started every free form fill with a solitary hit of the crash cymbal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Bxst7qhQHk

thats the one.

[BenGmanUk]

yeah, i cracked up watching a video of a band playing say it aint so, where the drummer must have started every free form fill with a solitary hit of the crash cymbal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Bxst7qhQHk

thats the one.

lol that's just awful! hey at least they're having fun though. Its also quite an eye opener on how bad the songs sound with a crap drummer.

Can't wait!

:)

[lithiumkc]

QFT on the second paragraph; having the drums map to real drum sounds when not called for by the notechart is a stroke of genius.
I totally suggested that... but for a practice mode.


Did anyone notice what the scoring was like on the freeform fills? Did you get any points for playing something during the fill, or was it just for overdrive activation? I'm sure you get the same for playing a proper slow triplet fill as for crazy flailing, but I wasn't sure if you even got anything for playing a slow triplet fill over simply waiting to hit the cymbal at the end.

And I thought no rhythm game mechanic could ever be cooler than tilting a guitar to activate starpower...

Its pretty awesome... I hope the guitar one sounds good, I can think of a few cool riffs to try :p

[SmokaCola]

Think you'll get the freeform for guitar during solo career? That'd be pretty sweet.

[Bakkster]

Think you'll get the freeform for guitar during solo career? That'd be pretty sweet.

The demo had freeforms for both guitar and bass during solo quickplay, so I would assume so.

[Xzyliac]

THE ULTIIMATE BRUTAL TOM FILL OF FLAILING FASTNESS

Quoted for proper use of caps.