GuitarHeroIi
Latest
Video: Killer Queen on GHII, worth $6?
So, Red Octane and Activision have taken some flack for the pricing of of the Guitar Hero II downloadable content. As a quick reminder, the song packs costs $6.25. With three songs to a pack, that's a little more than 2 bucks a song. Regardless of whether or not the pricing is truly reflective of the licensing costs and other related costs, many folks out there think the price is too high. So, we found this video on GameTrailers showcasing one of the new tracks, Queen's "Killer Queen." The pack also includes "Frankenstein" by the Edgar Winter Group and "Take It Off" by The Donnas, which are both decent songs in their own way. The question is then, now that you've seen "Killer Queen" as it plays in Guitar Hero II, is the $2/song price any more palatable? Would any of you be more amenable to paying 160 points for individual songs?
GHII problems software based, patch inbound
Guitar Hero II, we've been writing about it nonstop since it was released. It was the major topic of our most recent Fancast. The song packs have outraged us. The game itself, however, is basically pure gaming gold. At least, it's gold so long as you have a functional guitar. Our own David Dreger, for example, has a broken whammy bar. Or does he? According to a recent statement from Activision, it looks like the whammy bar issue may actually stem from software, not hardware. Activision and Red Octane's support pages note that the issue is caused by an element of Guitar Hero II that was added to "ensure accurate scoring". In other words, it was placed there to prevent cheating. Activision plans to release a patch that should rectify the issue within the coming weeks. So, if you were planning on fixing that guitar yourself, you may want to wait for the patch. After all, if you fix your guitar, and then Activision patches the game, you may wind up with the same problem all over again.
Major Nelson on GHII DLC, Halo 3, Sony
Before the NYC Guitar Hero II event with Gene Simmons got into full swing, Joystiq got the chance to sit down with Larry Hryb (AKA Major Nelson) and talk about all things Xbox. Speaking about the highly priced Guitar Hero II downloadable songs, Major Nelson states that it's not analogous to iTunes. In other words, the interactivity, the licensing, and the testing all go into creating a price for the new tracks. Furthermore, since the tracks are on a new platform, all the contracts have to be renegotiated. Of course, Red Octane wants to make some money as well. When asked about the bundling issue -- i.e. "I have to buy two crappy songs to get the one I like" -- Major Nelson says that bundling was probably done to bring the cost down. By working on three songs at once, rather than individual songs, Red Octane could conceivably cut down on development costs, thus reducing the price to consumers. In other words, individual songs would likely be even more expensive.Major Nelson also discusses the upcoming Halo 3 beta, the competition from Sony, the Spring Update, and the Wii. Hit the "read" link for the full interview.See Also:Xbox 360 Fancast 010 (featuring Major Nelson)
GH II and Gene Simmons rock NYC
Joystiq was in NYC to capture all the Guitar Hero II festivities at the Virgin Megastore and almost got to touch KISS rocker Gene Simmons. The event featured a few of the best Guitar Hero II players this side of Texas who battled it out for a chance to rock with Mr. Simmons. Think of it as a one big marketing event where you mix one part old rockstar with three parts video games and watch the magic happen. The video above features the GH II winner rocking it out withe Gene and also a few awkward moments, but overall it was a pretty entertaining show. Also, be sure to check out both Joystiq and Major Nelson's photo galleries from the event to get a real sense of what it's like to be in the presence of a "rock god". The event looked fun, but now it's time to watch our favorite TV show, Family Jewels ... that Gene Simmons is such a character.
Fans revolt! GH II DLC is just too spendy
Yesterday, the first batch of downloadable content for Guitar Hero II released onto the XBLM with a very negative reception from fans. Red Octane released three packs to the Marketplace each containing three songs from Guitar Hero and costing 500 Microsoft points ($6.25 US) each. And there in lies the problem ... this content is expensive! The negative buzz surrounding the new tracks has not only spilled onto Major Nelson's website sparking a 560+ comment debate, but inspired angry fans to take action. Enter an online petition aimed at getting Red Octane and Microsoft's attention to do something about the over priced DLC. The online petition has gained a bunch of steam racking up over 3,600 signatures and is sure to gain more throughout the next few days. Will Red Octane respond to fan's anger towards the DLC's pricing scheme, or will they simply turn a blind eye? Well, there's only one way to find out. If you don't agree with the pricing for Guitar Hero II's new DLC and are willing to boycott any such purchase until the price comes down, then sign the online petition. If it's one thing we've learned in the past few weeks it's that sometimes those online petitions actually do work.[Thanks, MightyHealthy]
Gene Simmons rocks Times Square with Guitar Hero II
var digg_url = 'http://www.digg.com/gaming_news/Gene_Simmons_rocks_Times_Square_with_Guitar_Hero_II'; The legendary Gene Simmons (of KISS fame) rocked hard in Times Square promoting the newly released Guitar Hero II for Xbox 360. The nation's (supposed) top Guitar Hero masters were invited to perform in NYC's Virgin Megastore, and the top hero would be gifted with an autographed guitar and the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play with Simmons. Of course, as any legitimate rock star would do, he played with the ladies too.The large audience may have proven too nerve-wracking, as many of the performances were stiff, littered with missed notes, and lacking personality. Of course, everything changed when Simmons walked in the room, tongue intact. His charismatic interaction with the audience proved that it takes a lot more than fast fingers to become a real rock star. Remember that, next time you "strap on." %Gallery-2520%
First wave of Guitar Hero II songs rock Marketplace
3 sets of 3 songs from the original Guitar Hero have landed on Xbox Live Marketplace for GHII. Track Pack 1 has Ozzy's "Bark at the Moon", "Ace of Spades" by Motörhead, and The Exies' "Hey You". Pack numero dos is rockin' "Killer Queen" by Queen, The Donnas' "Take it Off", and "Frankenstein" by The Edward Winter Group. Finally, the third Pack gives you "Higher Ground" by Red Hot Chili Peppers, Incubus' "Stellar", and "Infected" by Bad Religion. Note that all of these songs are covers and not master tracks, like they were before. Each pack weighs in a 500 MS points. That means, at this price point, to get all 47 of the original Guitar Hero tracks, it would cost you roughly 7,850 MS Points or $98.09 USD. So, will you be picking up any of these packs, if so, which one?
Playing Halo PC with a ... guitar?
Trying to use the Guitar Hero II guitar controller for other applications may be a tad difficult, especially if you try to play a first person shooter with it. But AMarine decided to do just that and setup his guitar to control Master Chief on Halo PC. After mapping the buttons and demoing it in game we're going to say it seems ... awkward. But that's expected. We totally give AMarine props for taking the jump and trying it out, but would love to see someone crazy enough to master the use of the guitar in Halo. That's the challenge guys, get twenty kills in a ranked Halo PC game using the Guitar Hero II guitar as a controller and send us the vid. Anyone up for the challenge? [Via 360style.net]
Guitar Hero III60 encore this fall
RedOctane's Support Center has an interesting tidbit of information regarding the next installment of Guitar Hero, and it's release schedule. The PS2, PS3, Wii, and Xbox 360 can expect to be rocking out to a new set of songs to unlock in Guitar Hero III this Fall (for North America). This also will be Neversoft's first shot at the game, so it will interesting to see what direction they take the series, and if the pedal jack will be used or not. Do you think that this is too soon for the next game? Or is it justified as the PS2 release was back in November?[Via QJ.net]
Red Octane declares two Guitar Hero II axes defective
If you've been cranking out some serious riffs on your Guitar Hero II controller, but have been noticing a few glitches with the ole whammy bar, chances are you've got yourself a malfunctioning unit. According to Red Octane, the bar on Xbox 360 axes could have a "calibration issue that may stem from a feature put in place to ensure accurate scoring." The duo of units in question sport 95065 and 95055 model numbers, but according to various user reports, even boxes with model numbers outside of the two aforementioned figures are on the fritz, too. Thankfully, it appears that Red Octane is working overtime to figure out (and solve) the quirks, but for those who'd rather return their current unit and try out another, that appears to be your prerogative. Be sure to hit the links below for a bit more info, and make sure you find other ways to exercise those phalanges whilst waiting for a return unit if you plan on staying in shape.P.S. -If you're brave enough to want to try the repair yourself, there's already a guide. All hail the internets. [Via Joystiq]
GHII guitar works on Windows, Frets on Fire
As if Guitar Hero II wasn't enough on its own, it seems the X-plorer guitar does even more than expected. Our overlords and fellow slaves of rock at Joystiq have discovered that the X-plorer guitar controller that ships with the Xbox 360 version of Guitar Hero II works flawlessly with Windows. The device reportedly works in both Windows XP and Vista. The fret buttons correspond to buttons 1 through 5, back and start control 7 and 8, the D-pad and strummer control the Point of View Hat, the whammy bar controls X rotation, star power controls Y rotation and the Z-axis moves as you move the guitar.With some control configuration, the peeps at Joystiq even managed to get the guitar up and running with the freeware PC Guitar Hero clone, Frets on Fire. Getting the guitar to control a guitar game is interesting, but we're not satisfied. No, we won't be satisfied until we're pulling off headshots with our guitar. Even better, we'd like to see someone rig a music program to use the guitar as an actual instrument. Maybe someone could whip something up with Game Studio Express. Anyone care to take up the challenge?[Via Joystiq]
USB Guitar Hero II controller for 360 works in Windows
We're sure the hackers would've gotten this up and running sooner or later all the same, but it's nice to know they don't have to: the Xbox 360's new Guitar Hero X-plorer controller works with Windows like a charm. Windows XP and Vista recognize the USB guitar right off the bat, and even offer up a controller testing control panel. Setting up the the Frets on Fire Guitar Hero clone is a breeze, and you should be shredding in no time. Unfortunately, Mac support isn't quite there yet -- the X-plorer is recognized when it's plugged in, but not as an input device. Hopefully some friendly hackers will get some drivers up and running before too long, so our Mac-using rock god wannabes can get in on the Frets on Fire action as well, but until then they'll just have to content themselves with that boring old six string stashed in the closet.[Via Joystiq]
GHII trailer rocks on Marketplace
If by some insane chance you've missed the metric ton of Guitar Hero II coverage this week, you may be interested to know that the official commercial is now available on Xbox Live Marketplace. If you don't know what Guitar Hero II is all about, the commercial should give you an idea. Basically, rock and roll can (and does) save the world. You won't be destroying any meteors during the game, though you may feel like you have that kind of power once you finish playing. Go download and enjoy (unless you already have the game, in which case you'd probably prefer not to be bothered).You can check out the "as seen through a screen door" version here.
GH II: Shouldn't we get all the songs? [update 1]
Ever think about Guitar Hero II's advertised song list? On the box it clearly states the game features 70 songs, but if you don't already know, you only have access to 6 off the get go as others are only playable if you unlock them. Though, this may be obvious and even acceptable to some, over at Game Stooge they've openly expressed their distaste with this unlocking method. Ultimately they feel ripped off by paying $90 for the game and then having to unlock new songs just to get to play the content that was promised on the box. If you beat the game in easy, you only have access 36 of the 70 tracks and the rest could potentially be too difficult for some to unlock. Heck, Game Stooge would settle for having access to the tracks in just practice mode. Then at least a person could play them.What do you guys think? If you're plopping down $90 on a game do you think you it's your right to have access to all the content in the game or do you feel it's okay for the developers to make you work for it? We're not sure if it the comparisons Game Stooge uses are fair, but we agree ... we just want a way to rock out to all 70 songs.Update 1: It looks like GH II's game designer Chris Canfield responded to Game Stooge's post with insight into their decisions and, for those of you who want their songs now, an unlock all tracks cheat code. Also note that if you are going to be using the cheat code think about your guitar's button colors ... yeah, the "O" had us thrown off a bit.
GHII X-plorer problem explored, culprit found?
Possessing a Geraldo-like level of journalistic investigation skills, our cruel masters at Joystiq have uncovered more info on the faulty X-plorer guitars that shipped with the Xbox 360 version of Guitar Hero II. It seems that the majority of whammy bar problems are being reported by owners of the guitar with the pedal jack near the power chord, model 95055. The other model, with the pedal jack near the headset jack and shoulder strap, model 95065, doesn't seem to be generating as many complaints (though our own David Dreger is reporting issues with his). Red Octane hasn't made any official announcements regarding its investigation of the matter.For clarity's sake, your best bet is to look for a box with Part No. 95065. The part number is located above the ESRB rating on the back of the box. Find a detailed image of the part number location after the break.
Why GH II's guitar gets no wireless magic
We all wished it would happen, we all prayed to the powers that be it would happen, but in the end we were sadly let down. We're of course talking about the long rumored Guitar Hero II wireless guitar that everyone wished they'd see, but ultimately ended up being one wired disappointment. And our friends over at Ctrl+Alt+Del have finally gotten to the bottom of all the politics and discovered the real reason why we aren't rocking out to "Possum Kingdom" on our wireless X-plorer guitar. It was those darn Microsoft product developers who hoarded all the wireless magic. Yes sir, they're holding onto their precious wireless and aren't sharing. If you're reading this Microsoft, please let us have your proprietary wireless magic. We'll totally trade you one brand new ring ... straight up.[Thanks, Paul]
Red Octane on GHII X-plorer issues
After a request for comment from Joystiq, Red Octane has officially responded to the reported problems with the Xbox 360 Guitar Hero II X-plorer guitar. For those that missed the news, it seems that many people are experiencing problems using the whammy bar on the X-plorer guitar for the Xbox 360 version of GHII. Some claim that it is slow to respond to input, or that it doesn't respond at all. Users are also complaining of faulty tilt controls. There are two different controller models, distinguishable by the location of the pedal jack (either near the power cable, or near the headset jack and shoulder strap; both models pictured above). We've received reports of problems with both models.In response to the reported problems, a spokesman from Red Octane told Joystiq, "In regards to the controller, we're currently in the process of having our internal QA and production teams look into this possible issue, and are working to quickly isolate this if there is one. In the meantime, we suggest our fans try to replug in their guitars without holding down any buttons or the whammy bar, and that may help immediately resolve the issue." You heard the man, you'd best resist the urge to fiddle with your whammy bar when plugging in your guitar. As for the "recall," Guitar Hero's street date lockout caused Target computers to register the product as "Recall for Sale." For now, there is no official recall of Guitar Hero II and its X-plorer guitar. In the meantime, Red Octane is investigating any flaws in the X-plorer hardware.
GH II event in NYC featuring Gene Simmons
Major sent word that Microsoft will be hosting a Guitar Hero II event featuring KISS rocker Gene Simmons in New York City. The event will be held next Wednesday, April 11th at the NYC Virgin Megastore starting at 12:30PM and should wrap up around 2:30PM. Not only will Gene Simmons be rocking it out on stage, but five GH II champions will be competing and Major Nelson will be floating around doing his thing. NYC residents mark your calendars, because next Wednesday you'll be in the presence of five rock gods and Gene Simmons too. Don't you just love marketing events?[Via Major Nelson]
Red Octane responds to Xbox Guitar Hero II guitar issues
Red Octane has responded to reported issues with the guitar for the Xbox 360 version of Guitar Hero II. Speaking to Joystiq, Red Octane states, "In regards to the controller, we're currently in the process of having our internal QA and production teams look into this possible issue, and are working to quickly isolate this if there is one. In the meantime, we suggest our fans try to replug in their guitars without holding down any buttons or the whammy bar, and that may help immediately resolve the issue."In regards to the Target "recall," Red Octane confirms our information that there was and is no recall. The Target street date lock out caused the system to ring up as "Recall for Sale." As things stand currently, there is no recall and Red Octane is looking into the issue of a faulty Xbox 360 guitar controller.
X-plorer problems, potential recall?
Apparently, all is not well in the land of rock. Reports are coming in to Joystiq that many Guitar Hero X-plorer guitars have unresponsive whammy bars. We've also received reports, along with Joystiq, that some Target stores are refusing to sell the game, saying that there has been a recall. We have been unable to confirm whether or not there has been a recall yet, though we should know sometime today.Here at Fanboy Towers, we have at least one broken X-plorer, owned by none other than our own David Dreger. It seems that there are two variants of the X-Plorer, one with the pedal jack near the power cord and one with the pedal jack on the bottom of the guitar (near the headset jack and shoulder strap). Joystiq reports that the problem exists in the variant with the pedal jack near the power cord, but David claims otherwise, as his pedal jack is on the bottom. If you've been upset because you cannot yet afford Guitar Hero II (like me), then you may want to hold off a bit longer to see where this all goes. We'll keep you posted on the situation as it develops.[Via Joystiq]Update: Added some language to clarify what is meant by the "bottom" of the guitar.
