Why it's good TB:RB is standalone

[Gryffindor]

HMX has nailed down the art of not providing information. It's what they DON'T say that gets them into trouble (jukebox mode anyone?).

There's no way that they're going to actively advertise that the songs won't be exportable into RB2 or RB3.

This game could either make or break the franchise. I personally don't see it as a winning financial opportunity. They had to have paid through the nose for the song rights. But in return, they're releasing a game that has fewer songs by one band that only true die-hard Beatles fans are going to go nuts over.

For example, my kids 13 & 20 could care less about the Beatles. Heck, I'm 41 and the Beatles are even before my time.

What's going to make things even worse is that GH5 will release a week prior.

We all agree that RB is the superior game but it's hard to beat the name recognition that GH garners and the earlier release date.

My biggest hope is that they already have RB3 in the works for a spring release (and it better include a RB2 export function).

[T-Hybrid]

It isn't necessarily a negative, but more of a product feature.

It's a NON feature. You don't advertise non-features...because they're not there. I don't get how this is confusing for people.

Every exportable Track Pack has included that information ON THE PACKAGE. The Beatles Rock Band will not support that, and thus won't include that information. Therefore: No confusion. It's not on the box, don't assume it's there.

If anybody reading the package has any confusion, 30 seconds on the web (if even) will solve that problem.

[firebreather428]

whats the problem you brought the Beatles to play the beatles right not like that metallica game with random songs thrown in

[gamrrpol]

I've seen some people complain about the fact The Beatles: Rock Band is not exportable, you can't play current RB DLC on it, and it'll only worth with Beatles DLC. Well, here's a few reasons it's good that it is standalone!

tl;dr people can just read the stuff in bold to get my point.

1) If Rock Band 2 (and its DLC) was exportable to The Beatles: Rock Band, that would fracture the community. You would have some people playing on RB2, some playing on TB:RB, and that would kill the whole platform concept that I am convinced HMX still wants to keep.

LMAO and stopped reading after this point. Creating a stand-alone / separate disc is BETTER for the platform concept than keeping everything within the same RB game?

Wow...are you a corporate lawyer or shameless marketing guy? Cuz only someone in one of those professions could possibly come up with that logic.

[Super Bass]

It isn't necessarily a negative, but more of a product feature. The RB1 export is mentioned on the back of the packaging of RB2, along with the mention that the game requires instruments to play.

For the Beatles game, the packaging can state:

*Game does not require Rock Band to play (songs cannot be transferred to previous versions of Rock Band).

I don't see that as negative (currently, the songs ARE only playable on one disc) .

This mention lets people know that their 45 songs can only be played on one disc (at the moment). But the wording ALSO gives HMX a chance to make the songs transferable to RB3 if the rights to export can be worked out some time in the future (hence the "previous versions" mentioned in the sentence--all Rock Band titles before 2009).

It's a NON feature. You don't advertise non-features...because they're not there. I don't get how this is confusing for people.

Every exportable Track Pack has included that information ON THE PACKAGE. The Beatles Rock Band will not support that, and thus won't include that information. Therefore: No confusion. It's not on the box, don't assume it's there.

If anybody reading the package has any confusion, 30 seconds on the web (if even) will solve that problem.

Confused?


When I mentioned "product feature," I was talking about the game being a standalone. By "a negative" I meant that putting the statement I wrote on the packaging would only HELP people understand that the Beatles game has NOTHING to do with RB1 or RB2 (causes less confusion for customers, and gets the "export" issue out of the way in one bullet point):

*Game does not require Rock Band to play (songs cannot be transferred to previous versions of Rock Band).

Harmonix doesn't LOSE anything by pointing that out. The Beatles game IS a separate game that can be played by itself (like the track packs), but it's NOT RB3. Some people just don't know that. One sentence clarifies it all. Yes, the export ISN'T a feature, but not requiring Rock Band to play IS a feature (the info that follows is just the easiest way of HMX washing their hands of "confused customers").

As far as searching the web, these "people" that have been mentioned in this thread that are unaware that RB1 can be exported into RB2 (even with it being mentioned on the back of the packaging AND in the game manual ) are most likely the target audience for this game. This group will have NO clue that RB:TB CAN or CAN'T transfer (because apparently they don't do ENOUGH research--30 seconds for you and me, but maybe an hour for them). Some people are just impatient about looking things up (even with the economy and everything). And the export issue is probably the LAST thing they'd find out about (assuming they don't know that RB1 exports to RB2, right?). I think that SOME people will learn about it online, but I figure MOST will be clueless even AFTER looking up the game information (the reason I said HMX should just put the statement on the box).

I understand what you meant by NOT putting it on the packaging (like how "no export" isn't mentioned on the GH games because it's NOT part of the game). But what I wrote was just a simple statement that Harmonix could put on the packaging to cause LESS confusion for people considering purchasing the game. Since some of them don't know how to read a game manual throughly (the RB1 export mentioned above), or know which gaming sites, besides this one, to check for game info (like many of us on here) putting it on the box for them to read in the store simply makes HMX look good (export or no export).

Man, that was wordy.

[Super Bass]

I meant to reply to this yesterday:

This thread was supposed to be about the 'good points' of TB:RB NOT being exportable. But it's unavoidable that it goes the direction of the countless others int he forums a passionate hate for this fact. But any how...

I might be the only person out there from what I can tell who would NOT want 45 songs from ONE artist exported into my RB1/RB2 world. I don't have tons of DLC, so the chances of having a good selection of random songs pop up is slim. I like the Beatles, I'll get the game, but I don't want 1 or 2 of their songs popping up in every mystery set I play, that would get aggravating (I prefer sticking to tour mode vs. quick play). Self containment in this case is a good thing.

The only time you should start stressing over this issue is if/when RB3 comes out and they say 'sorry RB1 and RB2 won't work'. THEN it's time to throw them rotten tomatos.

Maybe this will game will spark an interest for people unfamiliar with RB to look into it. Heaven knows we need more players... the player pool is getting more scarce... at least when I want to play

Good points of TB:RB not being exportable:

1) We get to play The Beatles in a video game (and the gameplay looks VERY nice).

2) The game will spark the interest of non-gamers (like the Wii did back in 2006, and continues to do today).

3) The game gives Harmonix a nice starting place to shape their ideas for RB3 (harmonies, updated character details, etc.).

And as Jecca, said:

4) The Beatles:Rock Band will most likely help the RB platform grow (I can't see this game not pushing at least ONE person to purchase RB2).

I'm not so much disappointed about the game not exporting (understandable rights issues and the fact that this was NOT an Activision game ). I'm just let down about the issue not being clarified months ago and the shock some players will have when they realize that the songs are stuck to ONE disc, unlike RB1 to RB2 (and hopefully RB2 to RB3). It will be an AWESOME disc, but the songs will still only be on ONE disc.

The Beatles on ONE disc, or no Beatles at all.

Tough scenario, but "something" is better than "nothing at all."

Also, I applaud your optimism on this whole situation, Sir (no sarcasm in that statement).

[DanB91]

This thread was supposed to be about the 'good points' of TB:RB NOT being exportable.

I am sure this has already been stated in the thread, but if it hasn't allow me to say: how does omitting an OPTIONAL feature (that many of us want) have any "good points"? I just don't understand.

The point about having no export feature unifying the community makes little sense and even if it was 100% dead on, the effect would be negligible. The other points don't have any purpose because they wouldn't affected if TB:RB was exportable.

I really don't mean to sound like a troll, but if you're happy (not indifferent, but happy) about TB:RB not having an export feature, you have been brainwashed by HMX.

[ScottyTheBody]

There are TONS of good things about the Beatles: Rock Band. TONS. Many people arguing good points about it (playing as the Beatles, great cutscenes, harmonies, etc.) and I agree with most of those points.

However, there is nothing good about TB:RB being standalone. Sorry guys just no argument there.