Harmonix makes iPod Game: "Phase"

[Nazriel]

Phase is a reality (http://kotaku.com/gaming/breaking/harmonixs-ipod-game-released-319303.php)... on the iPod.

This was hinted at with a single piece of 2D artwork on a blog post by HMX Sean earlier today. (http://community.rockband.com/index.php?do=/public/blog/view/id_598/)

Edit:
Seems Magnet deduced what it was on a response to the blog post earlier. :D

[notDREW]

has anyone tried the game? How well does it generate patterns for your songs?

[toefer]

has anyone tried the game? How well does it generate patterns for your songs?

And how do you hit the notes? Is it for the iPod Touch only?

[MaineDrummer]

And how do you hit the notes? Is it for the iPod Touch only?

I'm sure you would just push the wheel buttons like in other games.

[admanimal]

And how do you hit the notes? Is it for the iPod Touch only?

It's for "regular" nano and classic iPods only- not touch or iPhone.

[logicalnoise]

bought before I left for work. I'm going to play it on my lunch break and I'll post some impressions then.

[logicalnoise]

screw it I snuck in a game and damn this game is awesome!
songs that come with it:
NIght life by Bang Camaro
Dots and Dashes by dealership
Pop music is not a crime by Freezepop
Midnight Gamma by Intersect
Spira Mirabilis by Kodomo
The theme of Awesome by Speck
Dragonfly remix by Universal hall pass

The gameplay
pick a song(eitehr from your library or the game soundtrack
the game uses the ENTIRE Click wheel. There's a center track with 3 columns that comes forward just like amplitude. Notes come down each column. You hit them in time.
Left notes = skip back
center notes = center select button
right notes = skip foward button

There are also sweeps. Smaller dots that criss cross over teh track. to do these you swipe your thumb ove the clickwheel in sync with the sweeps.

Every song has 7 checkpoints dviding the track. If you don't complete enough of a check point you lose 1 of 4 hearts you begin each track with. I only played for about 5 minutes but it was great fun. I'm going to play a whole lot more at lunch.

[Methodis]

This game is not for any of you. It's for us Amplitude fans as it's finally our ****ing spiritual succesor that we've been crying for for ages, and I've faced several bans over. Thank you so much Harmonix. Thank you. Hopefully these Rock Bandwagoners will like the game and buy Amplitude or Frequency so we can get a game that actually spans genres more then one!

[logicalnoise]

This game is not for any of you. It's for us Amplitude fans as it's finally our ****ing spiritual succesor that we've been crying for for ages, and I've faced several bans over. Thank you so much Harmonix. Thank you. Hopefully these Rock Bandwagoners will like the game and buy Amplitude or Frequency so we can get a game that actually spans genres more then one!

I've been playing HMX games since frequency and I agree this is more of a sequel to amplitude than anything. Medium difficulty was cake so I'll go up to hard very soon. I'm going to be testing how it utilizes different genres over lunch(some DT night wish then some crystal method and daft punk(maybe some black mages later)). I think any ipod owner can love this game though.

[Methodis]

You are a true fan LogicalNoise. May god protect you through the fire and the flames.

[TheTogfather]

Well now...this does look/sound interesting. Question, can it work w/ my classic, non-color iPod?

[mobhit101]

SWEET! They used Bang Camaro for the video preview on iTunes!!! haha.... Damn, I need a new ipod... :(

[Apples]

You can pry my Zune from my cold dead hands!

Does sound like a cool concept though.

[Bakkster]

Makes me want to get an iPod just for this ;) I've never been able to find an old copy of Amplitude/Frequency, so this would likely be the next best thing. OR BETTER!? :D

Congrats, it looks awesome!

[logicalnoise]

Makes me want to get an iPod just for this ;) I've never been able to find an old copy of Amplitude/Frequency, so this would likely be the next best thing. OR BETTER!? :D

Congrats, it looks awesome!

Well the key is the sweeps. The click wheel won't register two of the buttons at teh same time so teh sweeps are at going to be the key difficulty curve. They were a breeze to do on medium but i wonder how they will play in teh hard setting and on a fast song than the one freeze pop track I played.

[Enosity]

Hey everyone. I'm glad there's been warm reception to Phase. :)

To answer a couple of questions people have about Phase:

1) Phase is for the 5th Gen iPod (video iPod) / 3rd Gen Nano (video nano) / the new iPod classic (also a video iPod). It doesn't work on any other iPods.

2) You can play any song in your iTunes library! There's a couple exceptions to the rules like really long podcasts and stuff. It is never a hindering experience though.

3) If you've played Frequency or Amplitude, this is a "pick up and play" type game for sure.

A Phase website is launching later today... http://www.phasegame.com


Cheers

[Methodis]

Will this lead to Frequency 2 / Amplitude 2 Enosity? Also why didn't you guys integreate this with Freq.com? We need more visitors :(

[TheTogfather]

1) Phase is for the 5th Gen iPod (video iPod) / 3rd Gen Nano (video nano) / the new iPod classic (also a video iPod). It doesn't work on any other iPods.


Bummer. Oh well, saves me five bucks I guess. Thanks for clarifying...

[Bakkster]

2) You can play any song in your iTunes library! There's a couple exceptions to the rules like really long podcasts and stuff. It is never a hindering experience though.

Does this mean I can play the News From Lake Wobegon podcast in Phase? ;)

Garrison Keillor is brutal.

[logicalnoise]

I should try phase with my mitch hedberg cd(RIP). Now that's what I'd call heaven.

[logicalnoise]

wait what am I talking about? I can finally play my own music("the bad one andy" available on itunes RIGHT NOW) on a HMX game. Saweet.

[Electric_Zen]

I didn't have time to install this before I left this morning (iTunes said I had to upgrade to version 7.5 first). I can't wait!

[logicalnoise]

I didn't have time to install this before I left this morning (iTunes said I had to upgrade to version 7.5 first). I can't wait!

yeah I almost didn't because of it but I just did it as fast as possible(it requires a restart as well) and sped a bit on my way to work. But now I have plenty of entertainment at lunch.

[Methodis]

I tried some custom songs and marathon mode (lost in the last round of Marathon mode on Highway Star...****!), anyways apparently if you beat marathon mode you unlock things.

Custom songs I tried:

Motomatic (Tony Trippi) - I put a Freq song into the engine. There were some similiar patterns, but the stage was layed out very badly (not note wise, but like segments). You'd have intermissions in the chorus. Overall it was fun.

Gone, Daddy Gone (Gnarls Barkley) - This song kept alternating between the drums, vocals, and that synth beat in the back. Was pretty fun to play though.

Good Life (Kanye West) - amazing song to play in engine. Check it out.

Here It Goes Again (OK Go) - ANother amazing song to play in engine.

Highway Star (Deep Purple) - pretty hard song, although doable.

My only real complaint is that i'm getting some slowdown, but I think that's because of my iPod.

[logicalnoise]

I tried some custom songs and marathon mode (lost in the last round of Marathon mode on Highway Star...****!), anyways apparently if you beat marathon mode you unlock things.

Custom songs I tried:

Motomatic (Tony Trippi) - I put a Freq song into the engine. There were some similiar patterns, but the stage was layed out very badly (not note wise, but like segments). You'd have intermissions in the chorus. Overall it was fun.

Gone, Daddy Gone (Gnarls Barkley) - This song kept alternating between the drums, vocals, and that synth beat in the back. Was pretty fun to play though.

Good Life (Kanye West) - amazing song to play in engine. Check it out.

Here It Goes Again (OK Go) - ANother amazing song to play in engine.

Highway Star (Deep Purple) - pretty hard song, although doable.

My only real complaint is that i'm getting some slowdown, but I think that's because of my iPod.

Nice, I expected some songs to not mesh well with the engine but it sound like when it does work it's awesome. ONLY 45 mins till lunch!

[NotorietyH]

Downloading it now, was afraid it wouldn't be on the Irish iTunes store but it is!

[LongDarkBlues]

iTunes said I had to upgrade to version 7.5 first)

Boo! New versions of iTunes stopped working on my OS (XPx64) after 7.2. Game looks like fun, though - someone get to work on some YouTube vids and post them!

[CableCarrier]

Dammit, now I need a new iPod.

[logicalnoise]

played through a marathon on medium. Unfortnatly you need to add music to the games playlist with itunes. SO no custom feedback here. However teh included songs are all very good. and hard can indeed get a bit hard. I beat one marathon but didn't unlock a new difficulty(Maybe on hard?). ANyways now I want to go home to load it up with my fave tuneskis.

[logicalnoise]

Boo! New versions of iTunes stopped working on my OS (XPx64) after 7.2. Game looks like fun, though - someone get to work on some YouTube vids and post them!

7.5 is supposed to have a lot of fixes give it a try.

[Quastor]

I beat one marathon but didn't unlock a new difficulty(Maybe on hard?).

Yup, beating a marathon on hard unlocks expert.

[logicalnoise]

so I seem to be doing my best with just one thumb anyone have better results with two?

[Slappy]

so I seem to be doing my best with just one thumb anyone have better results with two?

I play with one thumb; other folks at HMX play with two.

I hold the iPod (5th gen Video) and play with my right hand, but brace the iPod with my left, so the screen isn't bouncing around so much when I'm banging on Expert mode.

[sushi111]

Sounds amazing!

[Quastor]

so I seem to be doing my best with just one thumb anyone have better results with two?

I'm double thumbing it. I found the beats to be pretty quick when playing the Theme of Awesome earlier today (which, I was wondering, was it written for Sean...). The sweeps are really the challenging part for me, it's hard at the moment to judge how much of a sweep I'm actually going to need.

I will probably be playing Phase more over the next two weeks than GH3. Next step: load up the GH1 soundtrack and Stars. :D

[Enosity]

I play exclusively with 2 thumbs. My favorite iPod for Phase is the Nano. Not for the large handed folks though.

[Methodis]

Wouldn't the true way to be one thumb, since it seems to mimic the Square, Triangle, Circle of the PS2 pad?

[Spraynwipe]

I found the beats to be pretty quick when playing the Theme of Awesome earlier today (which, I was wondering, was it written for Sean...).

No. It was written by unicorns drinking Lincoln's tea, then passed down to kings by Chaucer.

[Methodis]

I didn't want to flood the Phase forums (it's open people, JOIN THEM!) but how does the game pick up the notes? I'm guessing it runs it through iTunes equalizer and anything that goes over a certain point gets a note?

[Slappy]

I didn't want to flood the Phase forums (it's open people, JOIN THEM!) but how does the game pick up the notes? I'm guessing it runs it through iTunes equalizer and anything that goes over a certain point gets a note?

iTunes uses special code to find "potential" notes -- I don't really understand it except that it's more complicated than an equalizer. These potential notes are then filtered by the game to generate different difficulty levels.

I'm hoping we'll give out more details out in the weeks to come, because it makes us sound wicked smaht.

[LesBeardly]

I don't suppose there's any way to play this on an iRiver H340, is there? :P

I'd like to play this game, but I don't have an iPod. Is a PC release planned?

[CyN1caL]

Before I buy it, I'm curious if I can use any song on my ipod, or just songs bought/downloaded via itunes?

[Electric_Zen]

Any song...

[admanimal]

I don't suppose there's any way to play this on an iRiver H340, is there? :P

I'd like to play this game, but I don't have an iPod. Is a PC release planned?

No and probably not.

[McDeezy]

I'm actually thinking about buying this. It must be sick.

[SmokaCola]

I wish HMX would make something like GH or RB for the PSP. That would be insane man, a drum game would be cool to play on the PSP because of the left right triggers and the face buttons. Either that or the DS, or both. Either way doesn't bother me because I own both. I just don't have the cash for the 160GB model iPods and that's the only one I see worth getting.

[PsycoCheerio]

I just got it...pretty awesome...gonna make work a lot more entertaining...and school...

[McDeezy]

I just got it...pretty awesome...gonna make work a lot more entertaining...and school...

How much is it?

[PsycoCheerio]

$5

Some songs are just wicked fun...while others seemed a bit off, but still you got to listen to yoru own music at the same time so it evened itself out.

I gotta be at work in 3 hours, i need sleep...

[logicalnoise]

some more impressions. IT's still mega fun and I pretty much want to try all of my songs on it but for now I'm just doing select ones. It's difficulty is extremely varied for each song. If teh note mapping seems off it's because your ears ahve tuned to a different set of notes than teh game has. The game is always correctly mapping something in the song but it may not be what your listening for. It actully makes it pretty intesne and the main concensus on the ohase boards is that this game can induce a meditative state. You literally block everything out while playing. ANyways as usual I highly reccomend it if you have a 3rd gen nano or ipod video or newer. SOme people have said the older ipod videos can have a bit of slowdown in the game but it isn't a big deal.

[ThePaska]

It looks like such a cool game, and you can use most any song you want! I might have to buy an iPod for this.

[BiffMan]

No. It was written by unicorns drinking Lincoln's tea, then passed down to kings by Chaucer.

You sir, are a strange, strange man. I salute you!