EyeToy Creators Try PS2 Karaoke With SingStar

Thanks to the Gaming-Age forum regulars for pointing to a French site showing new pictures of Sony's PlayStation 2 karaoke title, SingStar. Among the details for the USB-microphone bundled game is the fact "there'll be [multiple] versions of the game" with different songs released simultaneously, including SingStar Pop and SingStar Classics - there are detailed tracklistings on the same site. The game also "recognizes your pitch, tone and rhythm" much like Harmonix/Konami's Karaoke Revolution, and an earlier preview notes: "Plug in an [USB camera] EyeToy and you'll even be able to view your own pained facial expressions [in-game]." The game, developed by EyeToy creators Sony London Studio, is due for European release in March 2004, with its Stateside debut as yet unconfirmed.

Comments

Is Billy a European?

[Anonymous Coward]

I've heard all about the big sales numbers in Europe for the EyeToy (1 million + sold I think) as well as the ridiculous rumblings that the thing is innovative (LOL) but I have heard very little from SCEA about sales in the USA. How well is this thing selling in the USA? Am I to assume from the lack of press releases that it is doing very poorly? Is Billy on the TV now?

Re:Is Billy a European?

[Anonymous Coward]

Actually it was one of the top holiday sellers for video games.

It is constantly in the top 3 in overall game sales on amazon.com

Re:Is Billy a European?

[SuperMo0]

Well, I personally think the thing is innovative. It's the first time I've seen a game accessory of any kind let you do stuff while being IN THE GAME.

Re:Is Billy a European?

[Golantig]

It just hit 2 million:

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?se ct ion_name=ret&aid=2733

There are now 5 million PS2s in the UK:

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?se ct ion_name=ret&aid=2712

Over 150 million PS2 games have been sold in Europe:

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?se ct ion_name=ret&aid=2597

Re:Is Billy a European?

[N0decam]

Innovative? I suppose not, but fun? Cool? You bet.

For less money than a lot of new games that suck, I got a technology demo that's actually fun to play, not just for me, and my generation, but for all of the people of my parents' generation that have tried it out (children of the late 40s to early 50s, and thus in their 50s.)

I heard that they were expecting it to be the big toy this year, so since I saw it available everywhere, maybe it didn't sell as well as they thought.

All they'd have to do to move them out the door though, would be to set up a demo station.

To bring it back on topic though - I just hope they don't take my advice wrt this new product - there are enough bad karaoke demos up in the local mall to make me never want to go back shopping (which is a good thing, I suppose)

Based on the pictures...

[toasted_calamari]

It looks like it tracks both timing and pitch, sounds nifty, must have one hell of a signal analysis software in it to figure out whether the person is on target.

I hope it has a good music selection, sounds like a cool game, kinda like a vocal Dance Dance Revolution

Re:Based on the pictures...

[MBCook]

The Konami one works very well, but they are unable to know what you're saying, so you could just go "La La La" through every song and it would take it and tell you your doing great. While this means you could sing parodies and such, it also means you could "cheat" by "La La"ing through tough parts.

Re:Based on the pictures...

[Allen Varney]

this means you could sing parodies and such

Nothing will demonstrate my Slashdot nerd credentials better than confessing that I sang Barenaked Ladies' "One Week" on the Konami disc, but substituted the lyrics to the Weird Al Yankovic version, Jerry Springer. I found it easier to look away from the picture to keep from getting distracted by the real lyrics. Scored only 8100 points, whoopdedoo, but it was more of a stunt than an actual effort.

Here's a winning combo

[77Punker]

Pair this style of game with a Dance Dance Revolution type of thing and you could have a Backstreet Boys training simulator!

MOD PARENT THRU DA ROOF

[Anonymous Coward]

MOD PARENT THRU DA ROOF

"recognizes your pitch, tone and rhythm"

[Anonymous Coward]

I have no pitch, tone or rhythm.
You insensative clod.

Karaoke and Game Consoles

[WebGangsta]

After having an oppotunity this week to play both Karaoke Revolution and Xbox Music Mixer with a bunch of people who really don't get into karaoke in the first place, here's my take on this topic:

You can't have enough of these, and if you have either a PS2, an XBox, or even just a plain-old DVD player, you do not need to have a separate karaoke machine in your house too.

That said, the PS2 Karaoke Revolution game received the biggest raves and participation from my crowd when compared to the XBox Music Mixer. I think it had to do more with the concept of giving people a reason to grab the microphone and sing -- people weren't trying to sing well, they were just trying to sing to match the scoring indicator (although those who DID sing well scored higher in the game). The fun part was that the game could still be played and be fun (that is, score points) even if you were a really, really bad singer. This, along with the interesting background graphics truly made this a game environment rather than a "who wants to sing" piece. And while the headset microphone is a bit flimsy and not really geared to a human adult head, it served its purpose and didn't really get in the way of the singing-as-game process.

When we switched to the Xbox Music Mixer, it was more of a generic karaoke experience, and therefore a bit of a turnoff for those people who were more shy or uninterested in actually singing. Of course, with the ability to add any number of relatively new XMM songs to the system for $2-a-pop via the Internet, the XMM makes for a valid karaoke machine for those people who don't currently have one.

So what's my plan now?

• I'm certainly going to get any Konami expansion packs for Karaoke Revolution that get released. Yes, the crowd loved this game that much for me to do this.
• I'm going to look into the Code Junkie karaoke package for the PS2 available at my local discount software shop for around $30, featuring 3 CDs of music.
• I'm going to evaluate the concept that some people have of creating their own WMA+G files from their existing karaoke collections for downloading onto the XBox, while shelling out $2/per current song that I can't find on a current karaoke CD.
• And for those times when I don't feel like firing up the PS2 or the XBox to sing karaoke, I'll plop a karaoke DVD in and let people sing along with those -- no karaoke machine is necessary. Now if only I could figure out the best way to pump the DVD audio and a vocal mic through my standard A/V receiver, then I'll have all my bases covered -- suggestions appreciated, although I was just going to hook up my tape deck and plug mics into that, then pressing REC-PAUSE to activate the mics and hope the audio feeds through. Unless I should buy this nifty gadget which seems to address the problem.

Re:Karaoke and Game Consoles

[Allen Varney]

The "Code Junkie" page supposedly linked above brings up a GameSpot blurb about Datel's "Karaoke Party," but nothing with the words "Code Junkie," nor does a quick Google search bring up anything with that term. ???

I'd really like some way to easily convert a song into Konami Karaoke Revolution format. The game aspect of KR really captures people's enthusiasm, but the pop tunes skew a little young for my aging crowd. Personally, I'd love a disc of old 1930s Tin Pan Alley or Andrews Sisters songs, and the only way I'm ever going to see that is if I can create it myself.

Re:Karaoke and Game Consoles

[WebGangsta]

The term "Code Junkie" is the name of the company that I saw on the package in my local discount game store, and all the UK-based shopping webpages that refer to the Datel program use the same box graphic as what I saw in my US-based shopping mall. So to me, they're the same thing.

I doubt that you'll see KR songs that skew to the 1930's or 1940's, seeing as the majority of PS2 game players are probably not in that target audience. Of course, Konami and PS2 have a huge benefit of being able to draw from the catalog of Sony artists (not actually checking to see if Avril, REM, and Cher -- artists currently on the KR game -- are on any of the Sony-related labels). Cross-promotion can be a wonderful cost-reducing thing for everyone.

A side note about my earlier question on the "karaoke DVD/video game microphone adapter" -- it looks like it's just a box that sits between the audio in/out feeds from the DVD/game system and the stereo. I wouldn't want to feed the video through it (looks like it supports composite only, not s-video or component), and I question if I would want to permanently pass all audio through the box as well in case that would affect any Dolby/surround game features from other non-karaoke games... aside from the fact that I'd want to run audio through the optic cable instead of the RCA cables. So, back to the original question: any other suggestions for connecting microphones to a stereo while still allowing DVD audio to play?

Please. I'll do you two better!

[Anonymous Coward]

Combine it with "Am I Hot or Not".com and American Idol branding.

Oh the humanity!

U.S. is just late to pick up

[superpulpsicle]

The karoke craze has been around for decades in most asian countries. Especially Hong Kong and Japan.

If they had made a sing-along game it would be a hit in asian anytime. But until it is a hot seller also in the U.S, it's not considered a real million dollar success.

I have seen many asian folks who buy on a regular basis sing-along karoke VCDs from music of their own culture. It's something going on for a long time down there. For years Americans are considered lame and gay singing karoke style. Things have changed.

Great Idea, But...

[shadowcabbit]

This seems like a very cool idea, and I'm all for new and innovative games being released here in the U.S. That said, I will definitely not be buying either Karaoke Revolution or SingStar. Ever. This is not a reflection on the quality of these products, which is undoubtedly very high. It's for a far more practical reason.

It is because I know I cannot sing, and I wish not to inflict any more of my voice upon the world than is strictly necessary.

Off topic

[Anonymous Coward]

Two thirds of your post had nothing to do with the Eye Toy and the other third does not answer the question.

I would buy some karaoke games if

[Nakamiya]

they would leave Japanese songs instead of changing it to crappy american songs.