GHII-->Rock Band (not GHIII)

[Spankyboy0710]

I have big expectations for Rock Band. I hope they become realized. Here's why:

I bought GHIII knowing that Harmonix had moved on. I thought, "surely the franchise wouldn't suffer that bad". Boy, was I wrong.

Harmonix, you left a budding adolescent franchise in the hands of amateurs at best. I don't even know where to begin, but I will mention a few things in no particular order:

HO's and PO's and their placement/lack thereof
Chart mapping
Transition between difficulties
Overall choice of songs
The quality of the recording and production of the covers
Website functionality

GHIII is an ok game, but overall Neversoft completely butchered the franchise. The system that I came to adore in GHII obviously left with Harmonix. I sincerely hope I will find that system again in Rock Band.

I hope the fact that Rock Band is being marketed to a broader audience won't make the guitar tracks suffer like the rumors have hinted at.

Help me, Harmonix. You're my only hope.

[Electric_Zen]

Website functionality

I'm not going to lie. I'm a little worried about this one.

Harmonix are the best music game developers on the planet, but that's a very different skillset from enterprise web development.

It is not a good sign that they are planning a complicated, high-traffic website, but they will not be launching it until November 20th, without any large-scale beta testing that we are aware of.

The only site that I have seen pull off community + integration with game servers on a console game is Bungie.net. But that thing was a massive project. It has been worked on for years, the developers had very intimate access to the Microsoft infrastructure, and it is still pretty glitchy.

I'd say don't get your hopes up too high on the integrated website. I expect them to be working out the kinks for months to come.

[Xzyliac]

I'm not going to lie. I'm a little worried about this one.

How hard can it be? *site crashes*

[Keebler]

I'm not going to lie. I'm a little worried about this one.

Harmonix are the best music game developers on the planet, but that's a very different skillset from enterprise web development.

It is not a good sign that they are planning a complicated, high-traffic website, but they will not be launching it until November 20th, without any large-scale beta testing that we are aware of.

The only site that I have seen pull off community + integration with game servers on a console game is Bungie.net. But that thing was a massive project. It has been worked on for years, the developers had very intimate access to the Microsoft infrastructure, and it is still pretty glitchy.

I'd say don't get your hopes up too high on the integrated website. I expect them to be working out the kinks for months to come.

The integrated community website is a solution that some other company built for Harmonix.

[raregamer]

I think GH3 was fine stuck to the roots. What do you excpect a new company to do when they get a successful game. They sure not going to make noticable changes and we are talking about the company were they have ported the same Thps game to many times already and need an original fix. My worst part of GH3 though is Hard to me feels like Expert in the old ones and normal feels to easy.

[Xzyliac]

The integrated community website is a solution that some other company built for Harmonix.

Oh really?

Do you know their name by any chance? Be great to see some of their previous work.

[Electric_Zen]

The integrated community website is a solution that some other company built for Harmonix.

I've worked for several of those 'some other companies' that try to get big web applications up to coincide with a product launch.

I will just say that I am skeptical. We will find out November 20th.

[bumbousdude25]

GH III is an okay game. It's not great, but it's okay.

I didn't buy it, but I played it at my friend's house yesterday. There were two things I liked about it:

1) The Les Paul controller is awesome. I hated it the first time I used it, but after a while it grew on me (and now I have a Les Paul as a third arm. ;) ) No, seriously, I love it. The buttons are smooth and close to the neck so it's much easier to slide (plus I scared the sh** out of my friend when I took the neck off. For some reason he didn't know you could do that. :rolleyes: ). I haven't played the RB Strat yet though, so don't criticize me for loving the LP so much. I'll play the Strat this weekend when I go to Best Buy.


2) Through the Fire and the Flames. My friend and I played it on co-op on hard (we tried expert first a couple of times but couldn't do it :rolleyes: ) with me on rhythm. Even though I've said before I think Neversoft messed up on the note charts in GH III, I must say TTFATF was really, really fun. In fact, that was definitely the most fun song I have ever played in co-op in a GH game. Also, as the hardest song, it's certainly more fun than Jordan, since both players are actually doing something (Jordan had hella boring bass. Admit it.) and you can actually hear and play the song half decently ;) ). If there is anything I want to thank Neversoft for about GH III, it's Through the Fire and the Flames.

[hardyfoster]

you don't have to worry about harmonix doing junk.

but the company doing the site is mekanism
http://www.mekanism.com/

[Coldplayer]

My opinion:

ROCKBAND ---------> Guitar Hero III ----------------> Guitar Hero ----------------------------------------------> Guitar Hero II ----> Guitar Hero: 80s


I actually really like GHIII. I like that it's easier to play the notes, so it makes it easier to have fun with people who play the game for the first time. (because it's easier for them)
Also, the setlist for GHIII is the best so far (Rockband's setlist is on the same level).

I hated the setlist of GH2.

[Balsac]

Oh really?

Do you know their name by any chance? Be great to see some of their previous work.

IF EA has anything to do with it, it will be XOSN. They handled the EA Sports World site, and that thing is still a total debacle.

I certainly hope that Harmonix handles contracting the developer and keeps EA's hands off of it.