New DLC Week of 2/05/08

[tekturbo]

You are wrong. The average video gamer is 29 years old. Average buyer 36! I agree with the rest of your post though minus there being too many old songs. Eventually there will be something for everyone. We are getting new songs every week. EVERY WEEK! Be patient.

Here's proof...

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/20...graphics_x.htm

[azeroth272]

I think 3 songs a week is pretty good, considering they have to choose the songs, sort out any licensing issues, record all the instruments and a vocalist if they can't get a master track, record a crowd singing the song, sync up animations with the song, sync up lighting with the song, figure out the note board for each difficulty for each instrument, and finally put it all together. Ten to fifteen songs a week would be a miracle. But those are just my thoughts.

[tekturbo]

I think 3 songs a week is pretty good, considering they have to choose the songs, sort out any licensing issues, record all the instruments and a vocalist if they can't get a master track, record a crowd singing the song, sync up animations with the song, sync up lighting with the song, figure out the note board for each difficulty for each instrument, and finally put it all together. Ten to fifteen songs a week would be a miracle. But those are just my thoughts.

Wow, someone who gets it!!!

[OroJack]

Oh by the way THANK YOU Harmonix for releasing songs for your game out of the goodness of your heart and not with any thought of profit and/or making good on your business model. You guys should be proud of your great charity to all Rock Band gamers everywhere.

/sarcasm

[Froggy]

Not too excited about this week's downloads (and wasn't too excited about last week's either) BUT I am definitely not dissappointed!! I think HMX is doing a kick ass job with the DLC on a weekly basis! Yeah they could do more songs or maybe get "better" songs but we could also be getting NO songs. Much love Harmonix!

oh and I'll probably be picking up the B-52's Song just because it's the only one I have heard of the 3 and I'm sure it will be a hit at my weekly gatherings because it's a decent sing along type song.

[Justeesh]

For everyone saying that people should stop complaining because they need to appeal to everyone's taste in music be realistic for a second. Even for the people that like and will download these songs I can almost assuredly say that these songs are not on their personal top 15 songs that should be in Rock Band. That to me is the problem that there are so many great rock songs and they are releasing what are really marginal songs even to those who like them.

Acknowledging that HMX is doing its best to satisfy as many people as possible is being realistic. Understanding that a large number of hurdles exist to license and arrange a song for RB is realistic. Accepting that my favorite songs might never, ever be in the game -- because I am but one person, with an emotional investment in obscure tracks that others might detest -- is being realistic.

You know, I've had about a dozen friends over to play RB since buying it right after xmas, and the only people I don't invite back are the fascist critics who refuse to listen to, let alone play, a song that offends their delicate gold-plated ears. One of them told me that he unconditionally hates "every song released after the mid 90s." The saddest part is that it reminds me of when I was 15, and refused to listen to anything that wasn't heavy, angry, or depressing. It's so much easier, and fun, to learn to enjoy whatever is playing.

The friend that sang Oasis, Timmy+LotUW, and the Stones before finishing with a triple Metallica set? He can come back any time.

[magnus7661]

Here's the thing Harmonix doesn't seem to understand. Kids play video games, period. I'm 27, I'm not a kid. I bought this game for my little brother and saw how fun it was so now I probably play it more than him. But the majority of the Guitar Hero fans/players and now the ones who play Rock Band are younger. I would guess the average age is 14-17 years old.

With that said, there are waaaaaaaaaayyyy too many old songs. If you are going to keep doing the updates, then you need to put out AT LEAST 1 current day song every week. It just makes sense.

Also, if you've sold 2.5 millions songs of DLC already, why the hell aren't you dropping like 10-15 songs a week. You would make $100 million dollars by the end of 2008 EASILY. You make them, we will buy them, the end. This 3 a week thing is stupid; especially when you have a week like this one where I WANT to spend money on new songs but there isn't anything good that's coming out.

Don't you want my money? Sometimes it seems like you don't....just my two cents, carry on everyone!

agreed, maybe not even 10-15 songs, maybe atleast 5, something for everyone. 1 or 2 really well known songs, and then maybe 3 songs like this weeks. that way people wont be too disapointed. a week is such a long wait to end up with songs like this =\

[endlessly]

anyone asking for 10-15 songs a week doesn't understand the costs, paperwork, and time it takes to make these things

licensing alone can cost anywhere from free to $100K for one song depending on the artist
so asking for 10 songs a week is insanely costly

[Will-san]

I may pick up "Roam" but it seems like a pretty weak week.

I am sure HMX has done a ton of market research to figure out how they should price the songs and how many they should offer. And I am sure there is a huge behind the scenes battle between the creative guys who pick the songs and the management guys who give them a hard time and bust their chops about licensing fees.

I am sure there are a bunch of guys at Harmonix who love music who just think the company should pay whatever it costs to get the master tracks for premium songs and a bunch of MBAs who push them to release songs that are cheep to license.

I'd love to see the break down of how well different songs sell. If even the worst (and by worse I mean the more obscure songs with the cheap licensing fees) songs are selling well (which I suspect they are) then the MBAs will win since there will no be financial incentive to release more expensive songs.

lets say it costs 5x to license a premium song i.e led zeppelin vs 1x to license a weaker song like say a B52's track. the MBAs are going to expect at least 5 times as many downloads for the premium track. If everyone is buying everything or almost everything the MBAs are going to tell the creative folks to go fly a kite.

My guess is that it will take a few more months before people stop downloading almost everything and start getting more picky and that's when the choice DLC will start to show up.

My suggestion is to only download songs you really want.

[OroJack]

Acknowledging that HMX is doing its best to satisfy as many people as possible is being realistic. Understanding that a large number of hurdles exist to license and arrange a song for RB is realistic. Accepting that my favorite songs might never, ever be in the game -- because I am but one person, with an emotional investment in obscure tracks that others might detest -- is being realistic.

You know, I've had about a dozen friends over to play RB since buying it right after xmas, and the only people I don't invite back are the fascist critics who refuse to listen to, let alone play, a song that offends their delicate gold-plated ears. One of them told me that he unconditionally hates "every song released after the mid 90s." The saddest part is that it reminds me of when I was 15, and refused to listen to anything that wasn't heavy, angry, or depressing. It's so much easier, and fun, to learn to enjoy whatever is playing.

The friend that sang Oasis, Timmy+LotUW, and the Stones before finishing with a triple Metallica set? He can come back any time.

To tell you the truth I was not a big rock fan when I bought Rock Band and did not know 90% of the songs in the game. But I came to like most all of them. The same is true with the DLC I always youtube the songs and download what I like when again I had not heard most of the songs.

The frustration sets in when you release a KISS song and it is not one of there better known songs. It just doesn't make sense to me. If you want to release lesser known KISS songs to expand peoples tastes release a pack and don't ignore songs like "Rock and Roll All Night".

I mean the fact of the matter is there are literally hundreds of songs that are, in my opinion and it seems the opinions of others who have expressed their displeasure, "better" than what was released this week. (Note: Quotes used to denote OPINION) I realize that not everyone or even most people share my taste in music but that doesn't mean my opinion is not valid.