Career mode ideas

[yaniv297]

So... I just played FIFA last night and was actually kinda surprised at how good the manager mode was... I expected just games and occasional random transfers, but it turned out to be way more... so I was thinking, why not do the same with RB. It could actually be quite good... so here's how it could work:

You start performing and creating your crowd. You release your doubt album, for which you can pick 10 songs. This is crucial, as this creates your image; if you pick "niche" songs, from "quality" artists, you're aren't likely to make a lot of money but you'll get good reviews and have a decent fan base. If you pick pop songs, the critics won't like you but you'll have a good crowd. The songs you choose have to work well together. In order to record a song, you'll have to master it - get above 95% on it. You'll choose singles, and those singles will chart and create your image.

You get gig invites and start touring. Playing somewhere will increase your sales there. You choose setlists - not playing your hits will make the show disappointing, playing the same set every night will make fans bored. Playing certain songs on certain venues (like festivals) earn you more points. You can auto-simulate a show (cause playing the same tunes so many times isn't practical), like you can auto-simulate a game in FIFA. The more you play, the more your CD sales, your bandmates improve and new songs open to you. You can choose new songs to play in your set, until you're ready for the next CD.

Choosing songs from the huge catalog is crucial. Repeating songs from the same style and you'll be dissed as "trying to recreate the doubt"; Choosing something else entirely will drive away your fans but might earn you artistic credibility (like Radiohead's Kid A). Once again you face charts, critics, but your song catalog and abilities improve and you're able to reach bigger audiences.

Your band members might all have skills (meaning how difficult are parts they can play). The better they are, the more money they will take out of your income, etc. If you choose a lot of songs with guitar solos, than your guitarist might become famous in his own right.

You'll also have to deal with record companies, and other stuff. You can make money off merchandise, however if you've known as an "artistic" band (as evident by your song choices), fans will see this as selling out. You can offer free songs via the internet, which will make you more famous, etc... the possibilities are endless.

I know this is a lot to ask but I'd really like to play something like this... do you think there's any chance this will happen? and even if it doesn't... do you have any more ideas for this dream game?

[yaniv297]

OK since I'm on a roll, a few more ideas...

At the beginning of the game you get a certain amount of points which you can split as you wish among several things: "Songwriting" points will give you big selection of tunes to write, giving these points to your band members will raise their technical abilities (you'd be able to pick songs from higher tiers), "Charisma" points will make you more popular, etc. Your skills are of course yours - if you're a drummer, you can choose any drum-tier song, as long as you can play it.

There's also press, you'll be asked questions and you'd have to answer (choose an answer from 3 options), you're answers will affect your public image... not answering at all and you might come off as a mysterious character - or as a snob.

As for shows, you can auto-simulating them and only choose the setlist... choose songs you've played a lot lately and your band will get bored and play badly, playing too many shows in a row will cause your bandmates to play badly, choose a lot of high tier ones and they might also put a weaker show... etc.

[striderblack]

I think you've got some great ideas, but something that in-depth takes focus away from the intent of the game - simulating the playing of music.

How about something like, playing songs in career earns points/dollars which you can use to buy things for a virtual lobby - something unique people could see when you are hosting band quickplay. Maybe seeing someone with a lot of stuff would give the indication that they have a lot of DLC or something?

[yaniv297]

I think you've got some great ideas, but something that in-depth takes focus away from the intent of the game - simulating the playing of music.

How about something like, playing songs in career earns points/dollars which you can use to buy things for a virtual lobby - something unique people could see when you are hosting band quickplay. Maybe seeing someone with a lot of stuff would give the indication that they have a lot of DLC or something?

I see your point, but the point of this mode is to be different, just like FIFA, where you find yourself spending a lot of time signing players and doing tactics and simulating games instead of playing them. Wasn't that point of FIFA is just to play football? Of course, but that's a different game mode which offers a different experience - a more complete one than just playing tunes. If you wanna just play music, there's always quickplay.

And anyway, you still have to play each song in your repertoire at least once, when recording it, and you have to get at least 95% on it. You might end up simulating the small gigs, but if you got a big festival headline, you'll play it yourself (just like you won't simulate the cup final).

As for the second point, I don't play online so I don't really know what's to improve, however any online implement will be good.

[LegolElf]

I like the ideas, but I don't think this mode would fly in a Rock Band game. There are other "band experience" type simulator games out there though if you really want to give something like this a shot. Just google it and I'm sure something text based on PC would work just fine for you, with an easier interface to navigate than on the 360.

I see what you are getting at, but choosing and playing songs only a few times per album (recording, big tour dates, etc) wouldn't really be what Rock Band is about. I agree you can do quickplay for the music if that's all you want and this would be a different mode, but it's just too much to manage with a controller... especially the controller on a plastic instrument.

Again, there are PC games out there that do almost exactly what you are getting at here (only you aren't "playing" any songs). I remember an old DOS PC game when I was younger that literally let you name your album, band, singles, etc and it was reviewed, and it tracked where you were on the charts, and you would be tempted with drugs, parties, alcohol, etc along the way. You could resist and lose popularity, or go all out and become famous but have a short life and short stay at the top. It was simple, but in the same idea of mind as what you are talking about here.

I like the ideas. I don't like the execution of it in Rock Band.

[yaniv297]

I like the ideas, but I don't think this mode would fly in a Rock Band game. There are other "band experience" type simulator games out there though if you really want to give something like this a shot. Just google it and I'm sure something text based on PC would work just fine for you, with an easier interface to navigate than on the 360.

I see what you are getting at, but choosing and playing songs only a few times per album (recording, big tour dates, etc) wouldn't really be what Rock Band is about. I agree you can do quickplay for the music if that's all you want and this would be a different mode, but it's just too much to manage with a controller... especially the controller on a plastic instrument.

Again, there are PC games out there that do almost exactly what you are getting at here (only you aren't "playing" any songs). I remember an old DOS PC game when I was younger that literally let you name your album, band, singles, etc and it was reviewed, and it tracked where you were on the charts, and you would be tempted with drugs, parties, alcohol, etc along the way. You could resist and lose popularity, or go all out and become famous but have a short life and short stay at the top. It was simple, but in the same idea of mind as what you are talking about here.

I like the ideas. I don't like the execution of it in Rock Band.

First of all, I wasn't aware of the existence of any text games... but IMO actually playing the song is a part of the experience. Part of the fun will be to actually know, listen and play the songs your band does... Being able to choose your favorite songs from the RB catalog for your band, the songs you would have wanted to write, is part of the fun .I don't think it will be the same in a text game.

I don't expect it to happen in RB3 or even RB4 (it was years before the first Manager Mode was added to FIFA), but if music games will stick around a few years, I think it could happen.

Few side notes:
1) I believe we all have a regular controller at our home... no need to use the instruments for the menus and stuff.
2) You can play the songs with your band as much as you like in rehearsal mode, and if you'd like you can actually play every single gig your band does.

[exploder]

by doubt you mean debut right?

[I_Love_You]

They should make an RPG style career mode so that people can claim Activision ripped off Harmonix again (lulz).

Actually I'd really like an RPG career mode. Anything other than what RB2 had to be honest. Too long and repetitive to unlock everything, not enough song option, bad DLC integration, etc.

I really don't know what they plan to do, or what I really want, but I'm sure I'll be happy with the finished product.

[soup567]

I like the ideas, and I hope they're implemented. I think another feature could be something like what your band is like before their first album. An option could be like underground hero or garage band or something and that effect what can happen to your band. For example if you choose underground hero you would start out anti-commercial but if you have a big sound change or start to become very commercial it upsets your fans like what happened to Metallica.

[Givem2me]

I suggested something like this in the request a feature mode. I think it would be best as a stand-alone game, maybe similar to Final Fantasy Tactics where you have a lot of the same concepts but the game is totally different. Well, not totally different, as the vehicle for playing the songs would be the same, but make it an indepth career mode based game where you can get expeience points for playing certain cities, certain genres, certain difficulties... buy everything from your vehicles and amps to multipe costumes. Make it where you have to play all the instruments at one point or another to get all the stuff, etc.

You'd also need to make RB3 songs immediately exportable and usable in this game, but I'd go for a hundred cities and have your guy walk around them RPG style and have some minor thinking challenges along the way.