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Rock Band As the Costly New MTV?
With the announcement of Rock Band, fans of the Guitar Hero series are well and truly pleased. Despite the fact that GH controllers will work with the game, with all the peripherals the game is going to be ridiculously expensive, assuming you want to get an entire band together. "Specifically, the 'Rock Band Wireless Guitar Controller' will retail at $79.99 (40 quid approx), the standard 'Rock Band Guitar Controller' at $59.99 (30 quid approx), the 'Rock Band Drum Set' $79.99 and the 'Rock Band Microphone' at $39.99 (20 quid approx)." Beyond that, though, Kotaku's Brian Crecente takes a look at the game in a broader context, wondering aloud if the game will be a new version of MTV ... or at least, a new version of the way MTV used to be. Introducing new bands, songs, and sounds to consumers via videogames seems like a fairly natural way of trying things.
I don't think this is specific to Guitar Hero. EA has been including/promoting new music in this way for years through their EA TRAX series (Yellowcard, the bravery, etc) which are included in games like the Burnout series.
Videogames and interactive media in general are the new MTV, not just one game.
The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
I'm really interested in the game, since I play drums and guitar. It could be a lot of fun.
:)
If it's just another dressed up "Simon" like Guitar Hero is, screw it. If it's more "real", then I'm all there. I do hope they allow midi hookups, though
An operating system should be like a light switch... simple, effective, easy to use, and designed for everyone.
Calling something the "next MTV" should be considered an insult. MTV's history is pretty bad. Musically clueless and behind the times on many genres. They may have had some brief flirtations at touting some cool bands (Gnarls being a recent example) but it is mearly corporate coincidence rather than a real commitment to a scene or demonstrated understanding of any musical genre short of pop-punk or reality programming.
you forgot to throw in the $4.99 "Bic" controllers for the audience watching you. When a ballad comes on they need the proper "light and sway" technique!
The original generic sig.
So if games will be the new mtv, how long until geeks can get cheap laughs by saying "Thats like guitar hero 8 playing MUSIC"?
Is it sad that I am more likely to recognize you and your posts by your sig than your name or UID?
Harmonix hasn't confirmed any of the prices posted by EB/Gamestop. Not saying it won't be that expensive, but those prices are "pure speculation".
Warning: Apple/Nintendo fangirl. Likes her electronics cute & cuddly. May be rabid.
Or for an additional $199.99, you put up a webcam and record your band in action, upload to YouTube, and that would be the new MTV.
Virtual Betting on Facebook for non-geeks.
But a retail nightmare.
It looks great on paper, really great, but I don't think people are going to spend 2-300 dollars on a video game. Games with one unique peripheral have trouble catching on.
This may be a huge flop.
Until you can include a box of vapid, angst ridden 20-somethings whining about themselves this will simply be unable to compete with the quality entertainment that is MTV.
If brevity is the soul of wit, then how does one explain Twitter?
Never underestimate the apathy of consumers! Your customers, however, are more likely to enjoy learning about new bands they can listen to and perhaps go to concerts of and purchase albums of.
'Yes, firefox is indeed greater than women. Can women block pops up for you? No. Can Firefox show you naked women? Yes.'
Let's all settle in for a couple hundred comments telling people to just learn the instruments! Every article I've ever read on Guitar Hero, etc. has been laden with that sort of drivel... Come on, the purpose of this game is to jump right into the experience without stumbling over "Mary Had A Little Lamb".
Tell me something...it's still "We, the people"... right?
In today's Penny Arcade, Tycho shared some similar thoughts about the game being a venue for new talent. http://www.penny-arcade.com/
I don't think it's very likely that Rock Band will include tools of a high enough quality to create serious music, especially since its a console game. Allowing people to upload their own songs requires tons of regulation (for obscenity, copyright infringement). It seems far too early to tout this game as the Next Big Thing for music. It'll be like Guitar Hero, with more instruments.
Personally, I think the new MTV already exists in MySpace (and to a lesser extent YouTube). There have already been numerous artists whose popularity on these sites has landed them record deals. Its a better breeding ground for new bands: there is much more infrastructure for rated and discovering related talent to what you like, especially when you factor in that all the legitimate rock stars have MySpace pages for their bands. New music videos are premiered there. Concerts are announced "secretly" for MySpace fans, with tickets only purchasable via the site. And since MTV (and now MTV2) almost never show music videos any more, this is where people go to see them.
I can't wait to see someone hack a Real Doll into a USB Groupie.
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Bonus points for yelling "Freebird!" Even more bonus points if the track currently playing is not by Skynyrd.
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Whose to say you need to buy the mic 2 guitars and drum set. What if your like me and just a drummer. I wont want a guitar so spending 40-60 bucks on a controller (drums) isn't a problem for me.
The greatest revenge in life is massive success.
As a musician who plays in bands (and, admittedly, sucks at Guitar Hero despite being able to blaze a few sweet solos on my real axe), this is kinda sad. The amount of money totalled to buy this game, console and peripherals could just be spent on buying cheapo instruments (like most musicians begin with) and forming a real band where the songs you play aren't controlled by a game. It's much more rewarding and has just done so much for me. Imagine forming a console-based band, it's the musical version of cyber sex.
This whole scheme assumes anyone interested in this has what, at least 4 friends who would be interested in coming over to play this with him.
Pfftt. LOOOOL
I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
What's important about this game is that now I'll finally be able to start my career in Country Music! Pa will be so proud.
The thing about Guitar Hero is that you are just matching buttons to elements on a screen. That is what makes it not really very "real"...
But if you played earlier games from Harmonix like Frequency, they supported modes that really did let you create music. You had fewer options note-wise than with a full keyboard, but many tracks of instruments - you could come up with some really different stuff that way. That's what I expect to see out of Rock Band, and even if it's fewer notes than you could get out of a real guitar if you are choosing among several notes and choosing when they play, along with what instruments play when... that is real.
I'm sure playing the game will be the same, but people creating remixes which are essentially whole new songs is what excites me.
Freezepop even had a remix contest where fans did remixes on a Freezepop song "Science Genius Girl" in Frequency and submitted it to the bad for evaluation, the winning track was included on a CD with some of their other music.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
Then for those who feel like splurging, is the $39.99 Zippo controller.
Well now I just feel obliged to link to today's (technically yesterday's now, where I live) Penny Arcade that discusses just such a lighter peripheral for audience members
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/04/04
It's not wishful thinking since it's already available.
Yamaha DTX are popular input devices for the DrumMania games by Konami.
As someone who knows how to play various instruments (having been in band/orchestra for many years), I will say that playing an instrument when you're good at it, can be a lot of fun. However, there's also the years upon years of experience of practice that it takes. And even then, it's obvious that most folks just won't ever have the talent that rock stars have.
On the other hand, with much less practice, I can play a video game that simulates the skill involved in playing a musical instrument. It's immersive (crowds cheering for me) and I'm playing actual songs that I like (versus "Row row row your boat" for the first few weeks while learning a real instrument). Furthermore, since it's easy for me to pick up and learn, it's probably easy for my friends as well. So, in short time, my buddy and I can get in some awesome, and fun, guitar duos.
Of course Guitar Hero II should not be an actual replacement for learning guitar, but it was never meant to be. Just because it's impractical in that sense, though, doesn't mean it's a stupid idea of a game.
On a personal note, I have noticed that a lot of my fellow former-musician friends also have taken a liking to Guitar Hero. Your comments seem to imply that we'd be the first to realize that a game like Guitar Hero is a waste of time. It's actually the opposite. Since we've all understand how much time and energy it took to master our respective instruments (for myself, it was the violin and the trumpet), we know that it can take months, if not years, to get good enough at the guitar to even come close to playing some of the well-known rock songs. The decision ultimately becomes quite simple. I'll take rocking with Van Halen in only a few hours, thank-you-very-much.
-- jchenx
Granted, those games don't cost the $200-300 that people are estimating that the entire Rock Band set will cost, but I think that's pretty weird thinking in the first place. I have a bunch of friends who are excited about the game. We'll probably end up buying just the one edition of the game with the instrument that we want to focus on. It also helps that the game will be compatible with existing guitar controllers, so that actually reduces the cost quite a bit if you already have them.
-- jchenx
So yeah, if you're already good enough to be in a band, more power to you. Then Guitar Hero is just a cheap imitation. But for the rest of us, who don't have the time to learn guitar (especially enough to play these rock songs), I'll take the cheap imitation gladly, thankyouverymuch
-- jchenx
'Rock Band Wireless Guitar Controller' will retail at $79.99 (40 quid approx)
Cheap wireless guitar system: $99 plus the cost of the guitar below.
'Rock Band Guitar Controller' at $59.99 (30 quid approx)
Cheap real guitar: $99
Decent: Several hundred
'Rock Band Drum Set' $79.99
Cheap real drum kit: $200
Decent: Half a grand plus.
'Rock Band Microphone' at $39.99 (20 quid approx)."
Cheap mic: $20
With the exception of the mic, every piece is cheaper than the traditional version.
Total, to put a complete band together, for a pair of wired guitars, a drum set and mic, it's $240. That buys one starter guitar/amp set. To put those same real instruments together would set you back a thousand dollars plus by the time you added amps.
Granted, it's comparing apples to oranges:
You can't be as creative with the game as you can with real instruments - but then most people will never sound as good on a real instrument as they will in game and certainly won't get the instant reward.
The game looks likely to require microtransactions to add new songs - but then again, tab books are $19.99 each in many cases).
The game will likely never get you a record deal - but then how many people play instruments vs. actually get deals?
Real instruments don't let you play with people across the country and across the world - though some hardware/software solutions somewhat let you do that.
Neither is necessarily better or worse, different rewards for different value sets. If it's just about having fun, chasing the fantasy of being in a band even though you know it's just a fantasy, the controllers are a hell of a lot cheaper than any other option (besides air guitar).
If it still seems expensive, try getting in to hardcore flight simulations: $149 for basic pedals, $149 for a yoke, $199 for a throttle quadrant, $179 for head tracking.
Just buy real instruments! Learn some real guitar, that's what impresses the ladies, not dicking around with a piece of multi-colored plastic that produced predefined crappy sounds.
might as well play with a preschool popper.
My wiimote and nanchuck can be a guitar, a set of drums, a banjo, a violin, hell some tamboreens, a cymbal, a screaming baby or just about any other batshit crazy instrument you could think up. Why bother designing a crap load of overpriced yet cheap instrument peripherals when they can just plop the game down on a Wii with a few inexpensive plastic apparatuses into which I plug my own already purchased wiimote/nanchuck and call it good for a fraction of the price.
With the days new systems and games, is Rock band really needed? First of all its going to be WAY too expensive with the controllers all between 50 and 100 dollars, what parent is going to buy that for their kid in the first place/ The market is widely composed of parents buying things for their kids, and no parent is going to buy them the complete set. Sure the idea of having friends buy the other controllers works, but i know my friends who don't have the system won't be willing to handout $70 for a controller that they will use only when the system is available to them, and even then, they probably won't use it too much. Trying to roll with the craze of guitar hero and GH2, systems that are already expensive enough will make their customers buy more and more expensive accessories to keep themselves happy. This idea will plummet and show the video game industry that it is moving too fast for its own good.