Def-Jam-Rapstar
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Neversoft would like to add turntable support to Guitar Hero
During E3, we got to check out the folks from FreeStyleGames playing DJ Hero -- Activision's upcoming rhythm/music game -- using blasphemous guitar controllers in-tandem with the ubiquitous plastic turntable (seen above). While Activision is still keeping mum on whether or not the ability to use guitars in all tracks of the game (none the less vocals) will be shipping with DJ Hero, apparently the folks working on the game think including their turntable in Guitar Hero titles "Sounds like a great idea!"In fact, both the DJ Hero team and Neversoft (developers of the Guitar Hero franchise) seem open to the idea of cross-game instrument implementation (say that three times fast). GH director Brian Bright told Eurogamer, "We would love to integrate in the future," speaking to the cross-franchise possibilities with each game's respective peripheral. So if we can use a turntable, have a group of folks on various instruments, and get someone spitting hot fire into a mic, what's the point of Def Jam Rapstar again?
E3 2009 highlights: The Xbox roundup
E3 was brütal! If you blinked, for a split/second, you missed something. Even if you were trine to keep up, it was a blur -- staying a.wake like that, you only pushed yourself to the brink of your own dark void. That's where Joystiq comes in; to crackdown on the madness; to reach out ... with conviction -- phew! Crysis averted. We've scoured the dark corners and survived the inferno to piece together this roundup of all things Xbox at E3. Why? Just 'cause we love you. So, draw nier and shift your eyes past the break.
Overheard@E3: Get off that mic, Rapstar!
"Internally, we used that as the architectural model of how not to do this game" -- Paul Coyne, Executive Vice President of 4mm Games on (the comically terrible) Get On Da Mic versus Def Jam Rapstar.
Voice-on: Def Jam Rapstar
(click to Biggie size) Earlier today, we spent nearly an hour with newly-formed 4mm's Def Jam Rapstar, doing our best to not totally embarrass ourselves while rapping a couple of the seven "maybe final" tracks included in the demo (after the break). While the game hits a woefully underserved demographic with the rap/hip-hop community, what we saw of the still very early in-development game didn't leave us feeling ecstatic.Between the SingStar style gameplay (music video in the background) while lyrics stream across the screen, the You're in the Movies style video creation/editing feature and the Halo 3 style community features, we didn't find a whole lot about the game -- other than its theme -- to get excited about. Though we've been assured by 4mm that the game is still rather early, and before it's "Winter" release window, a lot still has to be polished, we're sticking with the alternatives for the time being.%Gallery-64860%
Interview: 4mm raps with us about Def Jam Rapstar
When Rockstar founders Jamie King and Gary Foreman announced plans to start up a new company earlier this month, even the clairvoyant among us were taken aback by the pair's plans to take on an already bloated music game genre with an entry of their own. However, that appears to be exactly what the newly founded 4mm Games is up to, and together with Def Jam Interactive and with considerable backing from investment firm CEA Autumn Games, Def Jam Rapstar was born. While 4mm is keeping much of the game's details safely away from the mic until E3, Joystiq recently caught up with company CEO Nicholas Perrett backstage to talk about Def Jam Rapstar, as well as what else the company has planned and the reason behind calling the studio "4mm."
4mm unveils Def Jam Rapstar
Ask anyone who knows us: Joystiq understands hip-hop culture. So does the recently-revealed 4mm which today unveiled its maiden project: Def Jam Rapstar, a trailer for which we've nestled lovingly after the break. How do you know it's speaking to the hip-hop community so well with its new rapping game? Because CEO Nicholas Perrett manages to use the phrases "games that live long beyond the box," "MMO-esque," "long tail" and "game-like" in a single paragraph of the announcement story. Street? Street. As for actual gameplay, we know only that it will include rapping. We'll let you know more at E3. [Thanks, Storm Eagle]
