Harmonix Holiday Livestreamaganza on 12/19! Q&A, DLC reveal & giveaways FOR CHARITY!

[Pitch-Black]

If you want to destroy my ugly Christmas sweater, just pull this string as I walk away. But, seriously.

Awesome charity. Awesome ideas. Looking forward to some awesome news (it's about time you started talking about the awesomeness of RB 4, I'm hoping). HMX is just awesome. I am officially tired of the word "awesome" now.

[Pointblank41]

Q) Are any more RB3 Versions planned?

Q) Any update on getting Give It Away/Spoonman into Rock Band 3?

Q) Where do you see the Rock Band franchise moving forward? has Rocksmith changed how you will approach things in the future as far as Pro guitar? (the trade off between trying to open it up to all guitars with less accuracy in detection opposed to flawless detection with 2 or 3 select guitars)

[thjimmy]

Great idea! Please make sure to post a link for donations. Can't wait for the fun.

[NOT_Travis]

My question would be: when working with an artist that is very friendly toward the franchise, such as the Foo Fighters, who decides which song is selected for release as DLC? And if it's mutual (HMX and the artist collaborating), how is that decision reached?

I'll try to remember to tune in. All the more reason to get on my distance learning class over Saturday and Sunday so I can listen in with a clear conscience.

[folkeye]

If you want to destroy my ugly Christmas sweater, just pull this string as I walk away. But, seriously.

Awesome charity. Awesome ideas. Looking forward to some awesome news (it's about time you started talking about the awesomeness of RB 4, I'm hoping). HMX is just awesome. I am officially tired of the word "awesome" now.

...oh come now. 'Awesome' never gets old

Question: Is ham on the dinner menu? If not, why?

[folkeye]

If I were to interview someone from Harmonix, here are some of the questions I would ask...

Question: Rock Band 3 has the highest Metacritic score of any "guitar/band simulation game" with a 93, but it seems Rock Band 3 also gets a lot of criticism for being "unfun" over time. What are your feelings about both the praise and the critique of Rock Band 3? I am in this crowd. It just doesn't have the steam to be much fun long term, meaning something outside of sticking a score next to a song. I've stopped playing months ago, it's sad since I do love RB2/LRB still and when I get the urge that's where I'll go. SO RB3 missed the hook for me. Music great, game lackluster for the gamer in me.

Question: Rock Band 3 included, for the first time, keyboard play. Do you know how successful this addition to the game has been? Is it being utilized? Have any artist/labels been more interested in the game now that this peripheral has been added?

Question: Dance Central is a very successful Kinect game for the Xbox 360. Have you thought about releasing the game using the motion controls of the other systems?

Question: Harmonix seems to be the leader when it comes to supporting games after release through multiple patches to add fan requested extras or to fix things that fans complain about with the gameplay. Harmonix also supports their games with DLC, especially Rock Band which has had DLC released for it every week for over four years. What makes Harmonix so committed to their games, most companies end support after about a year? I'm guessing all the side stuff still makes them some money But in terms of the company's interest with the fans, they've done a great job in the diverse musical content they've offered

.Question: Is the Rock Band Network successful? I contacted someone from Connor Christian’s label and asked them if they would re-do “Sunday Suit” to add the awesome keyboard parts as a Rock Band 3 version, but was told that getting the songs into the format needed was just too much based on the return. Have you heard of other artist reporting the same thing or is this a unique opinion on RBN? What is the entrance fee to get into RBN anyway?

Question: Everyone wants to make sure Harmonix is successful, especially those from the forums, we feel like we are a part of Harmonix even if we don’t work for the company, we feel invested in it. As such, we would like some idea on what Harmonix has planned to remain solvent in the years to come. So, what is going on in the future? DLC through 2012? Rock Band 4? Dance Central 3? New IP?... and what does, “take Rock Band in a new direction” really mean? I hope this one gets less vague soon. Hoping to the great game lords above it'll get me intersted again. My DLC is getting dusty. You considering a more player tailored experience perhaps?

Last Question: How has “pro guitar” been received? Do you look at RockSmith, smack yourselves on the forehead, and say “duh” or are you happy with the approach you took? Personally, I like how Harmonix found a way to keep track of finger placement in a “real guitar” even if that guitar is no longer being produced and has a bad reputation as a “real guitar”. Never really got a true feeling how well it did. Did the interest ever pick up, remain level, or lose steam? BTW what actually did happen with the Squier (just curious)?

Thanks for asking a few qeustions on my mind that I was too lazy to actually type out, yet not too lazy as to not add some thoughts

So, yeah +1 (Especially if there's any hint on what they want to do with RB). Also, +10 to anybody who posts the info where we can find it. Can't watch stuff like this, at work.

[meck77]

Props on joining in to help charities of any sort, more specifically my question is how can we as a community get more involved with helping this charity?

[D1Matman]

Someone touched on the RBN entrance requirements for authors, so I'll take a stab:

Question: Currently RBN authors are required to reside in the United States. Does HMX have any plans to try and globalize the RBN, to allow for passionate content creators all over the world to better represent their country or region in the RB marketplace? Thus allowing for more international flavours which is a big win for everyone no matter where you come from... while also feeding the insatiable desires of people all over the globe to be able to experience more of their favourite local music in Rock Band (whether its old hits or new tracks on their local scene).

Whether you are Italian, Swedish, British, Spanish, Australian, Canadian, German, French, etc, etc... I'd like to see everyone get more of a chance to play their nations most storied hits on Rock Band if someone there is prepared to dive on in to RBN and 'represent'.

[RockBandRocker]

Question 1: What were some of the HMX staff's favorite songs released as DLC in 2011?

Question 2: Is the "Why it rocks" section of the song request form read? Is it used in considering what songs get selected for inclusion in the game?

Question 3: Are we ever going to see more full albums as Rock Band DLC?

Question 4: Is there any chance of seeing songs that appeared on the Dance Central soundtrack as Rock Band DLC?

Question 5: How often do HMXers go out to concerts?

[D1Matman]

Oh one other while about the place:

Question: Is the dream of ever having an export for RB: Beatles tracks totally dead for all eternity as well as every conceivable bogus dimension?