New Guitar Hero to have a storymode, new Rock Band to have BUY A REAL INSTRUMENTS

[Chocobo]

http://kotaku.com/5549688/the-next-guitar-hero-comes-with-a-story

Guitar Hero is changing course with Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, a music game with some unexpected additions, including a story-driven quest mode that involves a group of heavy metal warriors seeking a legendary guitar and a battle with The Beast.

The newest issue of Nintendo Power reveals Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, in development at Neversoft and Vicarious Visions. Neversoft's Brian Bright tells the official Nintendo mag that the sixth major entry in the Guitar Hero series will focus more on "shredding" rock and roll, less on the inclusion of broader music from artists like Stevie Wonder, Duran Duran and Elton John.

On top of more shreddin', expect a quest mode that tells an "otherworldly tale, narrated by KISS frontman Gene Simmons," a conflict between the rock 'n roll gods that can only be resolved by playing Guitar Hero. Here's how it goes...

"The Beast defeats the demigod of rock and the demigod of rock is entombed in stone and his legendary guitar is banished," Bright said. "[The guitar] is the source of his power. And so you are going through and assembling an army of warriors to be able to defeat the beast. Along the way, you'll have to recover the legendary guitar…" Guitar Hero characters like Lars Ümlaüt and Johnny Napalm also appear to have the ability to transform into a blue-skinned goblin and a half-man, half-boar warrior, respectively.

Huh....

this better be cheesy and so bad it's good or i'll be angry

[BloodyMage]

Sound's like The Pick of Destiny replaced with a full guitar instead of a pick.

[MuMu]

Neversoft's Brian Bright tells the official Nintendo mag that the sixth major entry in the Guitar Hero series will focus more on "shredding" rock and roll, less on the inclusion of broader music from artists like Stevie Wonder, Duran Duran and Elton John.

If there was ever a reason to quit the series for good...

[Bells]

Making the ultimate music game is so easy...

Make it a downloadable game for $25, it comes with no song, but you get $25 worth of DLC songs to pick. Then, just release more songs, character items, stages, venues and in-game accessories.

Now you have the game with the Songlist you want to play and no bullshit content. Also, milkable.

It's so simple... so very simple.

Also, yes... Pick of destiny. First thing that came to mind.

[A Zarkin' Frood]

So (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgzFMPPH340) they're (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPyBCDeFCck) making (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDzIcGa6a6Y) a (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPBPsTa5sdU) Dream Evil (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream_Evil) themed (http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=A0455CE42DA946B3&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&v=Kea6suUaWjQ) game (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSKw57aNrE0) now (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zPy1_hW3P8)?

[Meister]

Now you have the game with the Songlist you want to play and no bullshit content. Also, milkable.
But even more of a hassle to find people for multiplayer whose setlist overlaps with yours. With disc-based releases you at least have a guaranteed sizeable common ground.

[Bells]

well, yeah. It's a drawback for sure. But i always thought that these games were more about Offline Multiplayer than Online multiplayer, which that being the case, it would be worth it.

Actually... i know rockband gave it the push for online Multiplayer, but is that still a main selling point for these games?

[krogothwolf]

If they don't make it have Cocaine Hero and Groupies Hero I will seriously be disappointed.

[Melfice]

well, yeah. It's a drawback for sure. But i always thought that these games were more about Offline Multiplayer than Online multiplayer, which that being the case, it would be worth it.

Actually... i know rockband gave it the push for online Multiplayer, but is that still a main selling point for these games?

You won't always be able to get buddies over for some rocking out, so yeah. I'd say having online is still pretty big, and I don't know about selling point - didn't even know it WAS a selling point - but it sure is beyond useful.

[Meister]

But i always thought that these games were more about Offline Multiplayer than Online multiplayer, which that being the case, it would be worth it.
Fair enough, but there's another point that eluded me earlier: by far not every player has an online connection, and they'll probably want to market their game to the largest group possible, i.e. to everyone who has a console, not to everyone who has a console and has it online.

[Ecks]

Meister touches on an interesting point here.

My PS3 has LOTS OF GAMES, but what it DOESN'T have is an internet connection. I don't play online multiplayer on anything except my laptop. So why doesn't the videogame industry realize that not everyone has access to the internet via their console? Every big thing that comes out HAS TO HAVE online multiplayer and downloadable content and a million other internet necessary bells and whistles. Whatever happened to local multiplayer? Just you and three other dudes, controllers, and a pizza, owning the fuck out of each other on a 26 inch screen? (I'm too broke for those humongous HD combination flat screen and toaster oven things)

Hell, even PC games are getting this way. You can't play about three or four games now without a constant internet connection (Assassin's Creed 2 and Command and Conquer 4, I'm looking at you).

Really, unless you like Nintendo, if you don't have an internet connection to your console... gaming is going to suck for you in the not so distant future.

[Bells]

Internet necessary bells

I'm keeping this.... for out of context meaningfulness.


I also share that sentiment. It even reminds me of something Yahtzee from ZP said, that a game should always stand on it's own with it's single player mode, unless it was built to be 100% Multiplayer.

DLC on the other hand, that was already twisted away from it's meaning. It was supposed to be a way for Companies to extend the live of their titles with smaller content that they could sell for cheap or just give, while they put time and resources on the next big title. Thus, managing to cut away a bit of the huge costs of making games really really really fast, and also assuring a higher degree of technical quality for those same titles.

It's just not what happens. At all.

My Wii is not Online (although i don't really have a reason to get it online) but you got a major point there. There is even a new LG Tv that's been Advertised around here recently and the entire Ad campaing is built around the fact that you can use the TV to navigate the web!!

[Azisien]

New Azisien to not buy New Guitar Hero no matter what New Guitar Hero has because New Guitar Hero is going to be boring as shit just like other Guitar Heroes!

[Living Bobbeh]

Meanwhile, Rock Band 3 is going to have a keyboard/keytar. You know, a major gameplay changing addition rather than a silly storyline that does little to change the actual gameplay except add some game-breaking character bonuses.

[Donomni]

This new Guitar Hero game has a serious Brütal Legend vibe to it.

Not sure if that's a good or bad thing yet.

[Meister]

This new Guitar Hero game has a serious Brütal Legend vibe to it.
No shit. (http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/activision-unveils-gh-warriors-of-rock)
Black Sabbath - "Children Of The Grave"
Fantastic song though (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=236Lquwq22A), hope it makes it to Rock Band as well. Along with What Do I Get (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EEPvXlTUnU).

[Whomper]

Guitar Hero jumped the shark at Aerosmith.

[Meister]

Have a trailer. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOe1msdIdI4)

:wtf:

[Nique]

Guitar Hero jumped the shark at Aerosmith.

Since it is not just essentially but almost literally the same game at every instance or sequel, didn't it jump the Shark at Guitar Hero II?

It makes increasingly less sense to even have sequels to the Guitar Hero and Rock Band series becuase, as someone recently mentioned, you could simply download updates and new songs for a single game.

Except, y'know, now there's this awesome new story mode.

[BloodyMage]

Since it is not just essentially but almost literally the same game at every instance or sequel, didn't it jump the Shark at Guitar Hero II?

Updating the series at World Tour made sense because it allowed them to include the entire band kit and try to be competitive with Rock Band. It's too bad they didn't try to do anything more interesting with it than just copying Rock Band really, and actually make themselves stand out as a competitor.

I've also heard that there were gameplay tweaks made between 1,2 and 3 but I can never be sure if these are actual tweaks or just the guitar hero elitists squabbling over which game is the best.

[Nique]

I've also heard that there were gameplay tweaks made between 1,2 and 3 but I can never be sure if these are actual tweaks or just the guitar hero elitists squabbling over which game is the best.

The only gameplay "tweak" I can think of that even remotely matters to an average gamer is having original tracks instead of the covers that dominated the first 3 or 4 games of the series. That said, I'm pretty sure you are correct as the tutorial in GH 2 espouses the virtues of 'new and improved something something, etc etc'

[A Zarkin' Frood]

Well, the Hammer-Ons and Pull-Offs were pretty obvious. The mechanic was improved in 2 and became much easier to pull off. Then it got ludicrous in 3, where the time window was huge enough to fit through a Monster Truck, maybe. Haven't played any Guitar Hero after 3. So I don't know what happened since then.

[Donomni]

This new Guitar Hero game has a serious Brütal Legend vibe to it.

Have a trailer. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOe1msdIdI4)

So, this kinda sums it up:

No shit. (http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/activision-unveils-gh-warriors-of-rock)

Also, remembered Activision were the people originally involved in publishing Brütal Legend, and more importantly, the douchiness of them once EA got it.

So, yeah, they are totally ripping off Brütal Legend. And considering their track record recently with the company as a whole, it probably won't even be a good rip-off like 3D Dot Game Heroes.

This could just me being mad at them for ripping off a game that's less than a year old, though.

[bluestarultor]

Meanwhile, Rock Band 3 is going to have a keyboard/keytar. You know, a major gameplay changing addition rather than a silly storyline that does little to change the actual gameplay except add some game-breaking character bonuses.

I just have to say, "wait, what?" That REALLY complicates the five-button standard setup. Like, a lot. If it's anything like a real keyboard/tar, that's at least two octaves to worry about, which is a bit beyond what you can ask a newb to keep track of even with lights on the keys.

I mean, if it's some little thing with 10-12 keys (all ivories, no half-tones), that might be manageable given they put the slide on the guitar, or if they let you start that small and work up to a bit more, it could be a good "challenging" instrument, but there's not much you can really do to fake a keyboard without being insulting.

Is there a picture of this thing yet?


Edit: Nope. Apparently, it was considered, then dropped. Word from a developer: http://www.rockband.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38368

Edit again: Hmmm... That was back in 2008, though...

[Nique]

A keyboard could work with a 5 button setup though... White Black White Black White. Yeah I mean, more like a preschool toy than a video game but so far the only semi-realistic instrument has been the drums anyway.

[bluestarultor]

A keyboard could work with a 5 button setup though... White Black White Black White. Yeah I mean, more like a preschool toy than a video game but so far the only semi-realistic instrument has been the drums anyway.

Coming from a guy who used to play the piano, I'd say a 12-key, all-white setup might be better. Or heck, even a

White Black White Black White White Black White Black White Black White White Black White Black White White Black White

setup. It looks complicated, but all it really is is where you have your hands fall in Middle C. You could even have a bit more than that just to accommodate different keys like a real piano. If it was me designing it, I'd actually put that musical part on the unit with lights on the keys and maybe an LCD screen or, heck, a series of 5 LEDs per key across the top just so they could see what was coming.

Which is to say that handling that much is doable for a beginner and comfortable to put your hands on.


Edit: I'd also say that putting the buttons on a slide adds a bit of realism to the guitar, and it's pretty hard to argue against the realism of a microphone. ;)

Edit Edit: Or it could be that the slider is for Guitar Hero's guitar. ^^;


Edit again: Putting into pictures what I previously put into words:

http://i47.tinypic.com/317drf9.gif

[Living Bobbeh]

Is there a picture of this thing yet?

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn270/itzJV/RB3-INSTRUMENTLOGO.jpg
That is all we have at the moment. Taken from the end of the Green Day demo.

[Carade]

http://kotaku.com/5559801/rock-band-3-teaches-you-to-rock-with-real-guitars--keyboards

On the Rock Band front...

Wait... did I see Bohemian Rhapsody? WITH KEYBOARD?

Oh. Rock Band. Don't, this is so naughty. What if someone sees?

[Living Bobbeh]

http://kotaku.com/5559801/rock-band-3-teaches-you-to-rock-with-real-guitars--keyboards

On the Rock Band front...

Wait... did I see Bohemian Rhapsody? WITH KEYBOARD?

Oh. Rock Band. Don't, this is so naughty. What if someone sees?

AND HARMONIES.

This is your (Prototype) keyboard. It has 25 keys:
http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2010/06/500x_rb32.jpg

[Meister]

Rock Band: "We'll include harmonies, an entirely new instrument, and we're going to make an effort to teach people how to play real instruments"
Guitar Hero: "We're still really sore we lost Brütal Legend"

Neat little keyboard, the charts look like they could get confusing but then again it's one screenshot, they'll have figured something out I'm sure. Not entirely sold on stringed guitar controllers though. Seems like a bit of a single-purpose device, and I'm also a bit worried about quality. Now if there was a way you could use your actual guitar...

[Melfice]

It would be ideal for the keys to have a colour coding. Looking at the screenshot, it seems there are three colour-lanes, so...
That would definitely help.

[Meister]

And let's not forget that partial tracklist!

2000s
Combat Baby — Metric (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tf6VxRENc1o)
Dead End Friends — Them Crooked Vultures (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sYXUyTC5rY)
Get Free — The Vines (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v1axtAJHTY&feature=related)
Lasso — Phoenix (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgndUAPAamA)
Me Enamora — Juanes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOZCViIVNlU) (awful)
Oh My God — Ida Maria (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naQSB1Ozyds) (surprisingly catchy)
Portions of Foxes — Rilo Kiley (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m11svmUCs3g)
The Hardest Button to Button — The White Stripes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLESpHrtvxs)

1990s
Been Caught Stealing — Jane's Addiction (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNH57uvOcU8) (embodies everything wrong with 90's music)
In the Meantime — Spacehog (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39VXuviqD9w)
Plush — Stone Temple Pilots (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5w0ierGzTM)
Walkin' on the Sun — Smash Mouth (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGsljgKmRMU&feature=related)

1980s
Crazy Train — Ozzy Osbourne (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRbPWcLode0) :dance:
Here I Go Again — Whitesnake (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxDqj8lclWA)
I Love Rock and Roll — Joan Jett (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3T_xeoGES8)
Just Like Heaven — The Cure (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y84cvGzdnyE)
Rainbow in the Dark — Dio (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUXSTY9AW-s)
The Power of Love — Huey Lewis and the News (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxdYq7o306o)
Sister Christian — Night Ranger (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qilMbQ563wE)

1960s-1970s
Bohemian Rhapsody — Queen (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2omuoO_hIbQ&feature=fvst)
Break On Through — The Doors (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dLAv0NklTg)
Crosstown Traffic — Jimi Hendrix (couldn't find one right away, but you know Crosstown Traffic)

Not very good so far, at least for me. Only three or four really good ones, more than that are pretty terrible actually.

[Carade]

It would be ideal for the keys to have a colour coding. Looking at the screenshot, it seems there are three colour-lanes, so...
That would definitely help.

Apparently, according to the video on the link, there are a few coloured bars above the keys on the keyboard. But, yeah, coloured keys themselves might be helpful, if kind of flamboyant.

[Meister]

Another load of new info.

http://www.plasticaxe.com/2010/06/11/5-things-we-didnt-know-about-rock-band-3/
http://www.plasticaxe.com/2010/06/11/rock-band-3-the-peripherals/
http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/11/rock-band-3-hands-on-preview/
http://e3.gamespot.com/story/6265161/rock-band-3-hands-on?tag=topslot;title;1
http://www.giantbomb.com/news/rock-band-3-makes-a-killer-first-impression/2103/
http://www.destructoid.com/pre-e3-a-look-at-the-disruptive-rock-band-3-176027.phtml
http://www.plasticaxe.com/2010/06/11/exclusive-interview-new-details-on-rock-band-3-pro-mode-peripherals-and-drum-functionality/

Some things that stood out for me:

- There will be a rating system for individual songs, and lower rated songs will come up less in random setlists. I had this idea myself a few months ago and I'm very glad to see it implemented.
- New sorting system, improved filters, ability to save and share set lists, ability to create your own battles; all very useful.
- Drum charts feature specific symbols for cymbals (say that three times fast), and a good deal of existing songs already support those too (!)
- New peripherals include apparently an actual Fender electric guitar with built in technology to track finger positions (for Pro mode) and MIDI output and an adapter that allows you to use a MIDI keyboard
- Keyboard parts can also be played on guitar/bass and vice versa

Bit unsure still about a Pro mode for bass: the articles don't explicitly mention it, one even says there apparently (!) is none, but in the gamespot article there's a video where lead designer Dan Teasdale explicitly mentions it, and he'd know, wouldn't he. Personally I'm pretty sure that with the hardware and software already set up for guitar Pro mode it's only a matter of including one more tab file for bass, and it would be more than just a bit silly not to.
Nevermind, it's in (http://www.rockband.com/forums/showthread.php?t=192583), just almost everyone who writes about the game is OMFG GUITAR bass what's a bass.

And speaking of Pro mode:
http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/4826/rb3pro.gif (http://img809.imageshack.us/i/rb3pro.gif/)

[Melfice]

And yet, with all those wonderful features and announcements, the best thing is...

*drumroll*

It's going to get a simultaneous world-wide release! Well, Europe's still going to get gouged on the price, but at least we won't have to wait more than half a year for it to get here! :dance:

[bluestarultor]

Damn! This is love! Actual MIDI instruments and compatibility with existing MIDI keyboards? If I had any indication I could get a group together and actually play, I'd be on this like white on rice!


Sadly, our set of PS2 Guitar Hero titles hasn't seen the light of day since sometime last year. I don't think the investment would pay off. :(

[Meister]

In more immediate news Harmonix deliver the greatest Rock Band DLC week so far with 12 Creedence songs. I haven't bought any DLC in months but this one's a no-brainer.

· “Bad Moon Rising”
· “Born on the Bayou”
· “Down on the Corner”
· “Fortunate Son (Original Version)”
· “Green River”
· “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”
· “Lookin’ Out My Back Door”
· “Proud Mary”
· “Run Through the Jungle”
· “Travelin’ Band”
· “Up Around the Bend”
· “Who’ll Stop the Rain”


e: hooooold everything no "Have you ever seen the rain"?

HARMONIX:argh:

[Professor Smarmiarty]

Where is Keep on Choogling?

[Melfice]

In more immediate news Harmonix deliver the greatest Rock Band DLC week so far with 12 Creedence songs. I haven't bought any DLC in months but this one's a no-brainer.



e: hooooold everything no "Have you ever seen the rain"?

HARMONIX:argh:

You know they're gonna put it in RB3.
People were raging because of Bohemian Rhapsody when the Queen pack released, and it's in RB3.
Surely Harmonix would do the ri-NICKELBACK!!!!!!

Sorry.
Surely Harmonix would d-MILEY CYRUS!!!!!

... yeah, okay. Sorry.

HARMONIX! :argh:

[Carade]

Old thread bump! BUT.

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/111/1114861p1.html

Rock Band 3 entire setlist. And it is awesome.

[A Zarkin' Frood]

Rammstein – Du Hast Surely, you couldn't choose one of the Rammstein songs I actually like instead of Du Hast? I mean, there are Mutter, Benzin, Zerstören, Weißes Fleisch, Waidmanns Heil (e: Spring, Ohne Dich, Feuer Frei, Klavier, [...])and other bitchin' tracks. But okay, it won't ruin the game.

Amy Winehouse – Rehab Ugh, okay, but at least there's no Tokio Hotel this time.

Tokio Hotel – Humanoid Can we have that "FFFFfff" tag I made now?

[Meister]

The upside is, you can rate individual songs, and songs rated 1 won't come up in random setlists. Gonna do that with a whole bunch of songs immediately.

e: like, I'm playing Lego Rock Band because I got it cheap and while I like the setlist a lot better than I thought I would I never want to hear Valerie or any Good Charlotte or We The Kings again as long as I live.

Decent setlist in that light but I can't help but look over at the Guitar Hero one and lament the fact that it has Neil Young and the Buzzcocks and this one noticably does not. And while I'm at it there had better be some Stranglers DLC very soon. Shit's perfect for the new features.

complain complain complain

[Julford Hajime]

Look, any excuse to sing Crazy Train.

Like, fuck the rest of the list, I'M GOING OFF THE RAILS ON A CRAZY TRAIN.

[Melfice]

Songs I know I'm definitely gonna have fun with:

The Beach Boys – Good Vibrations (Live)
Golden Earring – Radar Love
Jimi Hendrix – Crosstown Traffic
Lynyrd Skynyrd – Free Bird
Night Ranger – Sister Christian
Ozzy Osbourne – Crazy Train
Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody
Whitesnake – Here I Go Again

Could have done with some more Golden Earring and some Stevie Ray Vaughan (The House is Rockin' would have been pretty sweet with the keyboard and whatnot), but there's always DLC, right?