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Wireless Guitar Hero Redux
jeffb writes "I just finished a DIY project and thought you guys would enjoy a look. An improved upon idea: a redux of the wireless guitar hero controller, this time with perfectly functioning whammy bar, rechargeable NiMH pack onboard which can be charged from the PS2's built-in USB ports (for charging, and/or playing while docked), wireless link/activity indicator, and assembled with a nod towards a clean, and professional looking job. Complete how-to with parts list included. Best regards, rock out, and happy soldering! " The original piece on this as well.
Call me crazy, but couldn't you spend all that time and effort actually learning how to play a real friggin' guitar?!
This sig, aah-ah, is comin' like a ghost-sig...
dadadadada dada da dundun!
Has he arms of thread? Is he paste or made of bread?
Nobody wants him! He just fiddles his frets!
If you mean all that time learning and perfecting his electronics and modding skills, then you may be right. But then, we wouldn't be talking about a cool videogame controller mod on Slashdot.
Slashdot Burying Stories About Slashdot Media Owned
Obviously, turn a real guitar into a guitar hero controller!
How anybody can in all their seriousness (or not) play this game with a guitar controller that was clearly designed for 10 year kids? I mean, look at this guy. Go get a real guitar. I just started learning a guitar but it's fantastic compared to all rhythm and action games I played
:)
I am respecting all the hacking he's done though
+1 for inventive hacking/creative thinking
-10000 for degrading music as an art form.
Not looking good, Bob.
If firefighters fight fire, and crimefighters fight crime, what do freedom fighters fight? - George Carlin
the last link to the story isnt to the original wireless mod which i did and posted over at make: http://forums.makezine.com/comments.php?Discussion ID=33, its to the guy who made the self-contained music playing guitar. i dont believe that functioned at all as a controller for the game like mine did.
:)
rock on! I *love* the battery pack idea! top of my list for revision two
Hey everyone, This is a great hobby hack and I was interested in taking a look at the how-to and parts list. Is the how-to mentioned in the article the comment text on the flickr photos?
You don't look like a guitar hero. You're a poser with a Fischer-Price toy.
THIS is what a REAL wireless guitar hero looks like.
Forgive 'em Ed: they know not what they do.
Maybe Im missing the point.. but it seems like a whole lot of work for something not all that impressive.
I prefer his other project : http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffb/82039232/in/set -1671423/
When I make my own, I use the Sharpie, those rub-on lines and paterns,(You get them at Radio Shack - at least I still think you can. Or is RS just selling phones now?) and it doesn't look anywhere near as good as the photos in the links!
People who say "as you so eloquently put it" probably think they are being eloquent through use of the word "eloquent".
-- 'The' Lord and Master Bitman On High, Master Of All
the only people i know who play this game are actually guitar players
it works out your pinky and its funny to play in groups
*shrug*
I'm surprised to see this kind of response on slashdot of all places. OMG I PLAY REAL GUITAR HAHA U PLAY TOY LOSER!
It's called a video _game_.
Yknow, something that isn't real, you do for fun?
I play guitar, bass, piano, and drums, and recently picked up guitar hero. honestly? guitar hero's not at all like any "real" instrument, yes, but it's great fun, if you're not so insecure and self conscious about it that the fact it's not "real HARDCORE GUITAR AAARRRGH".
So slashdot, wake up, remember you're on a tech site and supposedly a fan of odd hacks and of gaming, and stop waving your e-peen about by declaring you're better than him for playing "the real thing"
This game is incredibly fun at a party or with a big group of friends....oh wait, it all makes sense now.
Since when did slashdot get filled with condescending anti-gaming literalists? "Play a real guitar". Umm, I've played guitar for a couple decades, and this is still a great game. Since when has the point of gaming been to replicate real world experiences? In case anyone is wondering, I also know how to drive a car, even though I still like playing Burnout Revenge. Shocking that.
Anything that builds music awareness is cool by me
At least this guy did something with his brain, instead of letting it rot on MySpace
Nice!
>> How anybody can in all their seriousness (or not) play this game with a guitar controller that was clearly designed for 10 year kids?
In order to have fun?
>> Go get a real guitar.
The Guitar Hero may not the a pro instrument, but at least it's digital and so has its heart in the right place. Those analogue strings are a hindrance to music making, unless you can dedicate years to practice or you started at a very early age.
Also, "real guitars" have caused stagnation in the development of musical instruments employing separation of triggering and parametrization. That is a very interesting niche, but unfortunately it's full to the brim with traditional guitars. The sooner they die, the better.
As a "real" guitarist, I can tell you that the Guitar Hero games are a blast!
Way back around '92 or so Aerosmith had a game at EPCOT in Florida where you had to play rhythm guitar to "Walk This Way" and some of their other songs. You were judged on how close you got to the strumming timing and it was *hard*! I played that game for hours, totally having a blast because I didn't have to remember a lot of fingerings and could really concentrate on the right rhythm. I think if I had that game at my house my rhythm guitar would have been that much better since it interactively told you how you were doing rather than either listening to yourself (always suspect) or having to find someone to honestly critique you.
Nice game, nice controller!
This post brought to you by your friendly neighborhood MBA.
Guitars are all fine and dandy, but why not make this:/ 002236
http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/03/16
No. I'm serious (it's not just me! check out half those threads).
Accordion Hero would be pure awesome (like lens flare, and motion blur). That's your next task. You may begin now.
(yeah, yeah, I realise it's just a controller, no software for Accordion hero, but have to start somewhere)
Clones are people two.
First and foremost, it is a game controller, not a gig guitar... so I think it is important to separate two different "threads" of thought here...
As a guitar, well, it's not like a real guitar. That's OK, because if you'd like to learn guitar, you can get yourself an inexpensive set up like this or this, or for left-handed folks, this. I don't think comparing the controller to a real guitar or learning to a real guitar is relevant. Not everyone that has dreams of wailin' on a guitar or spankin' the plank with some down-home (your favorite kind of music here), but lots of folks would enjoy the fun of playing guitar without the trappings of learning two hands, many strings, and 18-24 frets.
Games are supposed to be entertaining - I don't think that the comparison to real-world instruments is relevant (beyond their entertainment value).
So far as the hack... It seems pretty neat to me. Doing hardware hacks is a lot like candy - it doesn't have to have a point - it's just fun.
A Passionate Independent Musician
In the early 90's there was a PC game called "Quest for Fame" that included a "virtual pick" that connected to a joystick/game port (a 15-pin serial port made for joysticks & gamepads specifically, before the days of USB). Basically you had to strike something with the pick in time with the music. The whole object of the game was to play gigs and eventually be a guest guitarist at an Aerosmith show. It's kind of funny to think about it now but also sad that no one can think of original ideas anymore.
He didn't have to spend years and years practicing the opening melody of "nothing else matters"
For those of you who didn't find this damn hilarious, the beginning of "Nothing Else Matters" is all open strings, that is, no fretwork involved.
All that is necessary for the triumph of good is that evil men do nothing.
The moving parts in those things seem to be _really_ easy to misallign. If you actually tighten the screws all the way, the pick bar gets stickey, which really effects gameplay. You have to only screw the body together part way.
1. Autocross is a few hundred dollars, assuming you have the right car. (I do)
2. Guns can be bought with minimal hassle (even here in California) and take it to a range if you're willing to pay, or a public shooting area (these are usually located in National Forrest areas here in California)
3. Swords can be bought (I own several) and for a modest amount of money you can either take fencing lessons
None of these "sports" (if you will) is necessarily dangerous, assuming you have the right equipment and exercise a reasonable amount of care.
Every geek should try all four! (Guitar, autocross, shooting, and fencing)
Interested in a Flash-based MAME front end? Visit mame.danzbb.com
Gibson has released an ethernet capable guitar. It also includes the traditional 1/4" connector. I'm still trying to figure out exactly why an ethernet adapter is needed on a guitar.
-- Will program for bandwidth
For all the haters above, who criticize this game - you simply haven't played it. The day I was introduced to it was a small party of friends, when one of the guys excitedly brought out this fisher-price looking mini-guitar I thought to myself "no one could make me play that thing".
Well I watched for a while, and the soundtrack to this game is awesome. Just watching the gameplay made me really wanna give it a shot, despite possibly looking incredibly foolish. After that it was no turning back. After spending the majority of the weekend getting drunk and playing guitar hero, I broke down and bought a slim PS2 and Guitar Hero game (and 2nd controller for multiplayer action) for myself about a week later. Two months later it's still a very fun and challenging game. My girlfriend plays the thing (and loves it), and she doesn't usually play any other games.
And for all those who think they are good at this game: www.scorehero.com - this is where you can measure up. Many of these expert players are absolutely insane. For example (to those who know the game), someone just posted a 100% (with screenshot) of The Breaking Wheel on expert - 417k points. The guy who runs the website has spent alot of time on it and it shows, the interface is awesome and the features are great.
So one might say it plays like an unamped guitar. Interesting; the next Guitar Hero release should give a star penalty for weak sound.
Everyone's favorite Jewish kid!
> why don't you apply the same argument to [...] "use a real friggin' sword," etc?
WAY ahead of you on that one!
Now, has anyone seen a fairy recently? I'm low on health, and the last "fairy" someone directed me to wasn't exactly what I had in mind...
You've confirmed what I've been telling my guitar students for years... WORK THE RIGHT HAND!!!
They all want to get the fingering right for the latest riff-du-jour, and spend hours doing scales, faster and faster, because speed is king, but they can't keep time and a simple rythmn ties them in knots.
Work the right hand hard early on and rythmn becomes natural and automatic and everything flows smoothly. Once the left hand gets ahead of the right though, the right hand never catches up.
09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0