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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.
dadadadada dada da dundun!
Has he arms of thread? Is he paste or made of bread?
Nobody wants him! He just fiddles his frets!
you are crazy. if this guy has this kind of talent, it could help him on his resume. i mean he did this from scratch on his own. thats incredible, and shows how hobbies can seriously get you somewhere if you do it right.
This is f'ing hilarious... Look at his flickr pix, some chick with a nice set! So apparently Guitar Hero hasn't ruined his love life! Damn you Guitar Hero, if only I had learned to play fake guitar instead of the real thing!!! :(
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
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?
Not everybody wants to invest the time or money in playing a "real friggin' guitar," as you so eloquently put it, when for far less they can have a great time playing Guitar Hero. This guy enjoys the game, enjoys hardware hacking, and made a hell of a cool mod. Just because this isn't your cup of tea doesn't mean it's any less a good job.
Eh, I'm not impressed. Now, my Wireless Air Guitar, there's a worthy hack.
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/
Can you post a HOWTO? I'm tired of getting tangled up in cords when I play my air guitar.
This guy's the limit!
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
psshhh.. Anyone can hack a Wireless Air Guitar. Not so many guys have the intestinal fortitude for the wired version.
Im really tired of these people who think they know better than everyone else how everyone should be using their time.
In the time it took you to post that worthless suggestion, shouldn't you have been working on a cure for cancer instead?!
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"
It's a video game. If we're going to get asinine here, why don't you apply the same argument to "race a real friggin' car," "shoot a real friggin' gun," "use a real friggin' sword," etc?
(Also: you're crazy.)
think for a moment. maybe she likes a guy who's secure enough with himself to enjoy playing a game like that rather than shun it for not being as "cool as the real thing". last i checked, confidence and self assuredness was ten times the girl magnet as guitar playing supposedly is.
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!
Here's why I don't apply the same argument to other videogame genres: learning to play a real guitar is not likely to result in injuries, death, or imprisonment. Unless you turn out to be really, really bad at it. Race a real friggin' car... Why not? Just shell out a few hundred thousand dollars for a race car, reserve some time at the track, hire a team of mechanics. Yeah, sure, you're a millionaire, go for it! Shoot a real friggin' gun... yeah, there's exactly the same amount of personal risk, expense, and legal paperwork to fill out to be able to shoot a real gun as there is to pick up a guitar and learn some chord progressions. Exactly the same amount. So go and grab a real gun and fire away. Use a real friggin' sword... um... use it to do what, exactly? I'm looking around, and I... hmm... don't see any orcs or trolls to battle in the real world, unless you count lawyers, and it's illegal to take a sword to them, at least at the moment...
This sig, aah-ah, is comin' like a ghost-sig...
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.
Guitar Hero doesn't claim to be a real music-making game. It's a rhythm and reaction game. Much the same way sports games don't actually pretend to be the real thing-- they're a virtual representation of some of the strategy and problems involved, but cannot hope (or want) to encompass all of the details necessary for the game.
That's just a guitar plugged into a wireless transmitter. The guitar itself isn't any more wireless than any other. In this article's case, the guitar/controller itself contains the wireless gubbins.
Because learning to actually play a real guitar takes a very, very long time...
I probably spend more time learning to play a single song than this guy spent building his custom guitar-hero guitar.
Any man who afflicts the human race with ideas must be prepared to see them misunderstood. -- H. L. Mencken
Except if you're self-confident about being a LARPer.
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.
>Shoot a real friggin' gun... yeah, there's exactly the same amount of
> personal risk, expense, and legal paperwork to fill out to be able
>to shoot a real gun as there is to pick up a guitar and learn some
>chord progressions.
Uhm, my first 9mm pistol cost me about $250 (Ruger P85) about 10 years ago. Purchased used from an individual, so no legal paperwork. I was taught how to handle guns safely starting at around age 6, so practically ZERO personal risk.
Granted, I don't live in a sprawling metropolis, so I only have to drive about 3 miles to find a place to shoot, but I've also never had a neighbor complain that I'm practicing at 3am.
So unless you're encouraging people to buy a guitar and amp from K-Mart, all three of your points comparing guns and guitars are pretty much blown...
-l
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
Guitar Hero is an awesome game.....repeat 'GAME'
No one is saying its a replacement for playing the real thing...
I built a music synthesizer using off the shelf component parts for my VCO's and power not using a kit but by using what I knew eletronically about music and eletronics. Bob Moog and Wendy Carlos were my inspiration.
I also know how to play the piano (piano, not keyboard; big difference).
What's wrong with pursuing a hobby?
if you steal from one source, that is plagiarism, if you steal from many, well, that's just research.
Yes a HOWTO because my air guitar is out of tune. I'm looking like a fool when I'm playing live.
Can I bum a sig?
I have another theory: He didn't have to spend years and years practicing the opening melody of "nothing else matters" in complete isolation, so he actually has lots of time left, for example to build a wireless controller into his air guitar, or to hang around with lots of sexy chicks.
molmod.com - computing tips from a molecular modeling
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.
And I have yet another theory: if that's him in some of the photos on there, he's in pretty good shape, and maybe he isn't so shallow as to only care about his girlfriend's breasts?
Nathan's blog
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.
"...couldn't you spend all that time and effort actually learning how to play a real friggin' guitar?!"
Maybe he already knows how to play one.
This game has nothing to do with playing real music. It's a game. Lots of people who really do play real music (like myself: about 25 years playing guitar), really enjoy playing this game. Maybe this guy falls into that category as well.
"You cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war." -- Albert Einstein
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.
Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
if this is true, then you are not very good at guitar
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
That is a nice set of dogs.
My goal is to be the next SRV but I won't live that long.
You won't live long enough to die in a helicopter crash in Wisconsin?
Information wants to be anthropomorphized.
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!
Actually there is nothing shallow about liking a woman's physique. Most girls I know like it when you are clear in this. And they are not very into men that are all-politically correct about it. Besides, you should hear women talking about other women's looks, that's much worse than the omments most male could think of :)
molmod.com - computing tips from a molecular modeling
Granted, I don't live in a sprawling metropolis, so I only have to drive about 3 miles to find a place to shoot, but I've also never had a neighbor complain that I'm practicing at 3am.
I'm wondering why...
1)Target practice FPS games aren't popular. FPS games were lots of people get shot and blown up are. You CANNOT replicate those in real life.
2)Hand guns are very dangerous, even in the hands of someone who is familiar and comfortable with them...perhaps even MORE dangerous because one(and you clearly are since you said "ZERO") becomes complacent.
3)It's great that you somehow bought a handgun without any paperwork or hassle but in a lot of areas that's illegal.
4)Why don't you pitch your idea for live action counter-strike to your local law enforcement agencies?
Or perhaps I play things that have some complexity to them. I also don't stop playing a piece until it's mastered. There's a huge difference between "getting by" and playing a piece well with great tone and zero mistakes. Anyone who says different is full of shit.
However, I won't sit here and pretend to be a master either...it's a full time job and I don't have that kind of time.
Any man who afflicts the human race with ideas must be prepared to see them misunderstood. -- H. L. Mencken
You're absolutely right! There *is* a huge difference:
"getting by" == Big major-label record deal
Playing a piece well with great tone and zero mistakes == "Uncool, who wants to hear that wankery?"
</cynicism>
In Soviet Russia, Chuck Norris will still kick your ass.
09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0
Been busy, so I'm just getting back to this one...
>1)Target practice FPS games aren't popular. FPS
>games were lots of people get shot and blown up
>are. You CANNOT replicate those in real life.
Ever heard of paintball? Laser tag?
>2)Hand guns are very dangerous, even in the
>hands of someone who is familiar and comfortable
>with them...perhaps even MORE dangerous because
>one(and you clearly are since you said "ZERO")
>becomes complacent.
Actually, I said "practically zero" (there's always a chance of mechanical malfunction)... and according to your logic, a professional race car driver is more likely to have a fender-bender than grandma driving through the farmer's market, a Naval aviator is more likely to crash a Cessna 172 than some guy who got a private pilot's license out of the yellow pages, and a skilled system administrator is more likely to trash his computer than someone who can barely find the "ON" button.
>3)It's great that you somehow bought a handgun
>without any paperwork or hassle but in a lot of
>areas that's illegal.
No "somehow" about it. A transfer between two private parties is perfectly legal (for now). Perhaps things are different in California or Massachusetts, but throughout most of the US, if your buddy has a pistol and you want to buy it, all you have to do is settle on a price.
>4)Why don't you pitch your idea for live action
>counter-strike to your local law enforcement
>agencies?
Most of the local cops and deputies here already play paintball.
-l