The Old Man Band (Players Over 30)

[Kev2380]

It was fun playing with you guys, pubknight did you leave on purpose? Or did you get too much lag and got disconnected. Zarlor, I don't how you can play those songs on expert. Good Job! I couldn't play long, my wife is having contractions while I was playing. We're waiting for them to get close enough so we can go to the hospital.

[zarlor]

Sorry on that last set, Kev. That was getting a bit frustrating for me trying to figure out when I shoudl OD. I think I need to really just try to generaly follow the vocalist OD paths, because all to often if I miss them I might get trapped with spots where I can't go. Plus on a few songs I started doing that and just missed a couple of crucial spots (I missed on the the OD phrases I needed to hit in Alive and on Down With the Sickness, love that song, I tried to squeeze kicking in that lost OD too much and I missed getting it off. Grrr.... For those who don't know what squeeze means, on the vocal line it's when you have that golden OD section and you try to wait until the very last second to activate it to get the most time you can out of it. At any rate, there were just a ton of songs I was getting 99% on because of just barely missing 1 phrase in the song. I hate when that happens and it probably just makes me keep missing 100% on other songs I know through sheer frustration. Ah well. Good jam anyway!

No problem for the play length. Babies take priority! Here's wishing you a healthy delivery!

[zarlor]

BTW, one request. When you guys do something like select a song or make a setlist, would you do me a favor if I'm in the band and wait a sec for the song you're picking to play a few bars first? I don't always remember songs by their names and that gives me a sec to refamiliarize myself with which song it is and to look at my cheat sheet for optimal OD paths.

Also on things that are multiple song list (other than the Mystery Set Lists, obviously) if you could hit that 2 button for me so I can grab a glimpse of what songs we will be doing that would be helpful to. Same if you pick a Band Challenge (anyone up for doing the Storyteller's Challenge if we can get at least a 3-person band on?) At any rate, that would be a big help for me and also lets me know if maybe I should just pick hard for songs I don't know or barely know (if they have the difficulty levels listed that can help to, since I can usually get away with staying on Expert even if I don't know the song if it's under a 2 dot difficulty.)

[Pubknight]

Hey guys.
No, I didn't realize that it was me that disconnected.
I had the message that the leader had left... though I guess it gives you that message regardless who drops.
And then I guess we just couldn't hook back up again.
Would like to give it another shot sometime for sure... though I'm probably not going to be back on until mid-to-late in the week.

[Kev2380]

BTW, one request. When you guys do something like select a song or make a setlist, would you do me a favor if I'm in the band and wait a sec for the song you're picking to play a few bars first? I don't always remember songs by their names and that gives me a sec to refamiliarize myself with which song it is and to look at my cheat sheet for optimal OD paths.

Also on things that are multiple song list (other than the Mystery Set Lists, obviously) if you could hit that 2 button for me so I can grab a glimpse of what songs we will be doing that would be helpful to. Same if you pick a Band Challenge (anyone up for doing the Storyteller's Challenge if we can get at least a 3-person band on?) At any rate, that would be a big help for me and also lets me know if maybe I should just pick hard for songs I don't know or barely know (if they have the difficulty levels listed that can help to, since I can usually get away with staying on Expert even if I don't know the song if it's under a 2 dot difficulty.)

Don't sweat the OD stuff. I would like for us to do it at the same time but I don't really care about score or what not. I just like playing. What I try to do is get my bar about 75% of the way then on the last notes that give you that last %25 I activate OD. Usually that lasts all the way until the next OD notes and I can extend it a little.

I'll give you a chance to listen to the bars next time. It was fun jamming with you. Next time we'll have to get pub involved. The thing that really sucks about RB2 is if someone gets disconnected do we all stop and try to pick them back up? We don't know why the disconnected, or what happened and you lose fans when you end a gig, not a big deal but that can add up if you keep dropping out. I have had a few people get disconnected like what happened to you PUB, I've only been able to play with 3 other online people one time. Maybe my internet connection is not strong enough to handle that many people. We'll have to test it again.

Do you guys have AOL IM? Or another messenging program, we could meet up on that first and decide who's going to host a game and what we'd like to play. I know that seems a little more complicated but it could add some communication.

My baby was born last night, so I'm not sure how much I'll be playing, she'll probably sleep a lot and I'm taking this week off, so I should be on at random times. If I am I probably won't play long, probably a hour here or there. Holler at me, if there is a set time you guys wanna play.

[zarlor]

Congrats!

The scores aren't that big of a deal, but can be fun to try and kock up points on anyway. But esp[ecially without a full band it makes no real difference. Solo or 4-person is the only place you'll really notice scores like on the Leaderboards. (I've actually got a few in the Top 20s, I think I even have a couple of #1 spots, on solo vocals. I'm sure that will go away quickly enough, though.)

I don't really use any IM clients. I do like to use Team Talk 3, though. It's free for the server side as well as the client and I've used it with friends for MMORPGs before. I could set that up if folks wanted to try it out. Just send me a PM or email me at zarlor at acm dot org if anyone wants to try that and I can give you connection details. Or we could use the main server in Denmark, but it is oversees so sometimes there is a bit more lag that way. I can at aleast set up seperate speakers and a mic for that, though, so unlike having to switch my projector between PC and Wii I can just stay on the Wii and still communicate that way.

As for set times, that's a bit harder. Thursdays are bad for me (choir practice) and Fridays are a bit iffy, as are some times on Saturdays. Most of the rest of the week I usually fit some gaming in, though. For me it will usually be after 4pm and before 10pm Central time. Sundays I'm usually pretty open for anytime.

[Pubknight]

Congrats Kev!

Set times are tough for me too.
Drums are my main thing, so I am limited a bit by the spouse.
If she's around, I'm usually stuck with something like bass... I suck at it (medium), but I'm happy just to play along.
Other than that it's a couple hours here and there.
Probably the best thing is just to look for each other when we're around.

On the dropping thing, it just seems to happen.
I've had sessions where I've gone hours with no drops, and others where someone drops, but as you said Kev, the main problem is knowing where the problem was. I keep tweaking my wireless router as well, hoping things get better.

We could always bounce around trying different hosts to see what is generally the most reliable.

the other thing I will do, if we are all trying to play together, is if say I get disconnected, I'll fire off an invite letting you know I'm still around.
Then I can just wait for a return invite.
I will never ever leave mid set or mid song... so if that has happened, it means a disconnect.
The problem I think we were having Sunday is I would jump into another game, then your invite would come, and when I got out of the other game your invite had expired.
In future if we are playing and say I drop out, I'll give it like 20 mins or so (figuring you're in a set) before I jump into anything else. (or I'll kill time with the beat trainer or something I can get out of quickly)

IM wise, I haven't got many options... my computer is on a different floor from the Wii so I have to kind of wing it.

[Kev2380]

Pub, great idea!!!!!

Let's plan on that, if we're playing a set and one of us gets disconnected, wait for an invite. The people who are still playing will end the set or song then return to the matchmaking area to send out the invite. That should resolve the issue. I tried to do that the other night but I think I was patient enough.

I waited maybe like 4minutes before starting the tour again. I like your idea, Zarlor are you ok with this?

[suebee3340]

Hey if you guys don't mind adding another older person??? My FC is in my signature. KEV2380 posted on another board that y'all are older...I'm almost 44 - there I've said it. Now everyone can see I'm not 21.....but, I act it....I have no kids because I am one :-) Oh well...I really like RB2 online. So addictive... Like to know I'm not just playing against a computer.

[Kev2380]

No problem suebee, I'lll be happy to add you.