On Rock Band compatibility-

[Quastor]

Pretty sure GH3 hit stores near a month ago, which means the demo guitars were out there long before that. They had enough time to know they weren't going to work to at the LEAST put out a statement before the game was released so us poor people that forked out $60 for the standalone disc wouldn't be hosed.

What? Do you really think RedOctane thought, "Hmm, those Harmonix guys are creating a game similar to ours that everyone is viewing as direct competition to our franchise. Let's send them over one of our demo guitars so they can try it out on their own game!"

Please. Harmonix had to get a hold of the Les Paul the same way everyone else did. Best Buy.

[StrangeDays]

Good point Quastor! I'm sure with both these companies trying to outdo one another, it's hard for them to both come to the table and agree on a standard format. Also, since they are competing, if they ripped code from one another, that would be a BIG no no.

Joystiq just posted a guitar compatibility guide. Turns out RB guitar doesn't work on GH3, so it sounds like maybe Activision doesn't want to play nice? Not sure.

http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/21/jo...ibility-guide/

Can't we all just get along !?!?!?!

[AdamWill]

"I can guarantee you that RedOctane has patents and copyrights surrounding the guitar and how it interfaces with the PS3 and software."

I highly doubt that. It's hard to imagine a patent could exist that would *allow* Harmonix / EA to develop a distribute a guitar-based rhythm action game using a guitar peripheral which does not differ from Guitar Hero's in any particularly significant way, but *prevent* Harmonix / EA from allowing the GH3 controller to work with RB. Unless Neversoft / Activision went to the trouble of developing a completely proprietary input system for the GH3 guitar (rather than simply having it map the standard controls), which somehow I doubt they would do.

All the significant patents to do simply with making a guitar-based rhythm action game belong to Konami, as is detailed (rather interestingly) here:

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/new...hp?story=16014

[Vorpar]

Joystiq just posted a guitar compatibility guide. Turns out RB guitar doesn't work on GH3, so it sounds like maybe Activision doesn't want to play nice? Not sure.

Have you read the user agreement on GH3? They revoke the license if you don't use their LP.

[Emowii]

What? Do you really think RedOctane thought, "Hmm, those Harmonix guys are creating a game similar to ours that everyone is viewing as direct competition to our franchise. Let's send them over one of our demo guitars so they can try it out on their own game!"

Please. Harmonix had to get a hold of the Les Paul the same way everyone else did. Best Buy.

Yeah, but aren't you getting the point here. GH3 has been out for a month now. Harmonix could have easily gone and bought the game a month ago and told everyone with the PS3 version that the Les Paul was not gonna work with Rock Band. All this mess would have been avoided.


Unfortunately they did everything but that, and I don't think it was by mistake. I am beginning to believe they knowingly let people walk over that cliff of buying the Rock Band game disc, only to realize they were not gonna have a guitar to play that game with.

[JackBNimble]

So there is something I don't understand here.Why is the situation like this?

XBOX 360

Xplorer + Les Paul + Fender Strat all work for Rock Band?But RB does not work for GH series,that's fine.RO/activision allow LP and Xplorer.

So my question is, What's up with the 360?Why can you use all GH controllers with RB on the 360 and not with the PS3?It seems to me that EA/HMX have locked out the LP and SG for the PS3.I could go to any store and buy usb adaptor for my SG but that will not work either.So it looks to me like HMX has locked out all controllers to the PS3 other then the Strat.WHY?

Sony and MS should make a manditory controller scheme for these types of games that game makers can not deviate from.This should not have been left up to the game makers to decide what controllers work for each system.I don't see how this is acceptable to SCEA to sit and watch game makers making Sony customers buy all these controllers to play rythem games,when the 360 does not have this prob.

I hope SCEA takes some action!!!

[thrdeye]

I try to stay out of this stuff, but....

From the posts I've seen, sounds like Sean is shootin straight....he's been in the community from the beginning and has always been involved.

It also sounds like they want the Les Paul to work. Having the Les paul work with RB benefits both organizations at this point and hurts neither, so that's why I truly believe they want it to be compatible. If you don't believe his post, I guess that is your decision to make.

However, as I've stated mulitple times, the Les Paul is a big laggy turd, and I wouldn't use one even if it were compatible.

[ThePaska]

I hope stand alone guitars come out soon, this GH III guitar really is terrible. Simply because it has a detachable neck (dumb idea!) and so the buttons often do not work at all, also it being wireless creates all kinds of lag that I just cannot deal with. So here's hoping that I can just spring for another Rock Band guitar ASAP!

[rworne]

It's always amazing how people can simplify a complex problem to justify their views.

Now, I'm not a lawyer, but I'm pretty sure Harmonix would be opening themselves up to lawsuits if they simple patched RB without RedOctane's permission/request. I can guarantee you that RedOctane has patents and copyrights surrounding the guitar and how it interfaces with the PS3 and software. If Harmonix were just create a patch, they could be infringing on RedOctane's IP and get sued. In a situation like this, it's better to tread carefully. I'm sure Harmonix has spent the past two days trying to reach out to Activision and RedOctane to allow them to do this. My best advice is to start pressuring Activision/RedOctane to allow these two games to play nice.

I'm tending to give some weight to this. If you read the opening legalese on GHIII, they specifically state that ONLY an Activision-supplied guitar controller or a gamepad supplied with a console can be used with the game. I'd look with suspicion at any company that makes claims like this.

So they want to shut out 3rd parties with this little clause? I'd like to think that Activision could not care less what you by their guitars for, but Activision and EA are competitors after all. If they can screw the competition, they will.

BTW: Where are all the GHIII guitar controller knock-offs?

[mltdwn]

I don't understand why you guys don't just buy additional RB guitars. You can buy them direct for EA.... A tip, it involves going through the support system.