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Guitar Hero director knocks Rock Band 2 cymbals
We knew that as we came closer to the games' respective release dates, the feud between Harmonix/EA's Rock Band 2 and Neversoft/Activision's Guitar Hero: World Tour would reach critical mass. In the quarrel's latest smack talk salvo, Guitar Hero director Brian Bright discussed rival Harmonix's cymbal attachments for their sequel's drum kit peripheral with Eurogamer, providing some highly quotable zingers -- and buddy, we don't mean snack cakes.Bright condemns Rock Band 2's cymbals for being "dual-mapped", meaning they'll share the functions of one of the pads of the standard kit, making the attachments somewhat unneccessary. He also dismisses them for being a panicked copycat reaction to World Tour's cymbal-equipped kit -- based on the familiar gameplay we've seen from the latest installment in the Guitar Hero franchise, we assume Neversoft would be the unparalleled experts on matters duplicative.
Guitar Hero gets branded up
Activision has announced a whole slew of brands will be supporting the upcoming Guitar Hero: World Tour, from amps right on down to guitar strings. It's nothing new to us, considering the company did the same thing for previous Guitar Hero games, but the list for World Tour is kind of massive. It goes: Ampeg Audio-Technica EMG Pickups Ernie Ball Evans Drumheads Guitar Center Krank Amplification Mackie Marshall Orange County Drum & Percussion Pork Pie Percussion Regal Tip Sabian cymbals Vox Zildjian drumsticks Of course, with Rock Band tapping Fender for their guitar needs, and Gibson suing everyone on the planet, we wonder why Activision hasn't found another suitable Guitar manufacturer to feature in their game. May we suggest Ibanez? They make some nice guitars!%Gallery-23491%[Via Joystiq]
Guitar Hero World Tour features lots of brands (except Gibson!)
An Activision press release that just landed in our inbox breathlessly details every single promotional tie-in that Guitar Hero World Tour's packing. Really, it's a huge list! Here it is, straight from the release: "Ampeg, Audio-Technica, EMG Pickups, Ernie Ball, Evans Drumheads, Guitar Center, Krank Amplification, Mackie, Marshall, Orange County Drum & Percussion, Pork Pie Percussion, Regal Tip, Sabian cymbals, Vox and Zildjian drumsticks." Notice anything missing? Considering it's busy trying to sue everyone but Activision, even retailers, it's unsurprising that guitar-maker (and patent-claimer) Gibson is nowhere to be seen. Of course, the total absence of any Gibson branding on Guitar Hero World Tour's Genericasters was our first clue but it would appear that lack of cooperation extends to the in-game experience as well. So, while you trick out your virtual drum kit with gear from the above purveyors, your axe will remain hopelessly generic. Isn't there any game in town besides Gibson and Rock Band BFF's Fender?
Joystiq hands-on: Guitar Hero World Tour
"Hang on a minute," I thought as I played Guitar Hero: World Tour at Activision's booth at the Leipzig Games Convention, "Isn't this Rock Band?" The layout on the World Tour screen is almost identical to Harmonix's series, with the guitars on either side, the drums scrolling down the middle (with the same horizontal bars displaying bass notes, except in World Tour they're purple, not orange) and the vocals on top. The star power meter, along with the rock meter, is kept in the top left, which means that if you're playing drums or bass guitar, it's not very easy to see. It took a little while to get used to the drums. The two-tier structure with the cymbals feels great, but can be slightly confusing at first. The drums are a lot bouncier than the Rock Band ones, making them not only quieter, but more fun to play. With Rock Band, the bounce seems to come more from the way the sticks are held, rather than out of the structural nature of the pads. Not hearing the constant thok, thok is definitely preferable too, as anyone who has bought silencing pads for their Rock Band drums will know. [Editor's note: Rock Band 2 also features quieter, bouncier drums.]%Gallery-23477%
Activision thinking of charging subscription fee for Guitar Hero?
There's an interesting tidbit over at IGN. At the bottom of one of their articles on the Xbox 360 version of Guitar Hero: World Tour, you'll notice a little blurb with an asterisk. It reads: "*Online gameplay is only available for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and Wii and may require an additional subscription." Subscription? Part of us thinks this ties into the whole music-sharing thing that was revealed during GC 2008. Remember, there Activision commented on paying for the ability to upload more of your own custom tracks. So, is this something to do with that? Or, are Wii owners going to need to pay a bit extra? We're thinking it'll have something to do with the music creation, but until we hear definitive word, this one's going to be left open for debate.%Gallery-23491%[Thanks, Robert!]
Neversoft: Keyboard not added to Guitar Hero: World Tour
In a simpler time music games involved a jug labeled XXX and a whole lot of imagination. Today music games are a thriving multi-million dollar segment of the gaming industry where countless tracks and instruments are included to crowbar the money directly out of our wallets. One instrument that won't be forced down our throats in Guitar Hero: World Tour is a keyboard peripheral ... yet. According to Neversoft's Brian Bright, who allegedly told G4 that a new peripheral was coming to Guitar Hero World Tour only to have them speculate it would be a keyboard, has confirmed to Joystiq that they have bigger ideas for a keyboard title. "A keyboard controller deserves to be introduced with its own game. This is something we're thinking about." So, what about all the keyboard sections in the song creator? Bright says, "there are reasons why we haven't included a keyboard controller." He elaborates that not all of the songs have keyboard parts so, "adding a keyboard controller would either have limited our choices, or the players." Keyboard Hero confirmed? It had better happen, how else can we test our chops at "November Rain?"
Rumorong: New Guitar Hero peripheral not a keyboard
Remember when Neversoft's Brian Bright allegedly told G4 that a new peripheral was coming to Guitar Hero World Tour, and G4 speculated it would, in fact, be a keyboard? We had a chance to talk to the very same Brian Bright who told us that "a keyboard controller deserves to be introduced with its own game. This is something we're thinking about." B-b-b-but what about all the keyboard section in the song creator? Bright says, "there are reasons why we haven't included a keyboard controller." He elaborates that not all of the songs have keyboard parts so, "adding a keyboard controller would either have limited our choices, or the players."... so Keyboard Hero: Billy Joel confirmed? Check out the full interview for more on World Tour's song creation system.
GC 2008: Activision demonstrates music creation in Guitar Hero: World Tour
To say that Guitar Hero: World Tour has a lot of content is now an understatement. The game is so ridiculously full of goodies, fans are likely going to explogasm when they watch the video above. It goes into incredible detail, showing off the music creation fun you can have in Activision's latest installment in its popular franchise. Whether you're mixing drum loops for your tracks or turning your guitar into a keyboard (could this confirm a keyboard peripheral is inbound?), it looks like you won't be bored with Guitar Hero: World Tour anytime soon after its release.%Gallery-23491% There's been a lot of Guitar Hero news lately. Like the confirmation that Miis will be included in the Wii game (as well as an explanation of how they'll be incorporated). Also, don't forget to check out which tracks have been confirmed for the game so far!
Harmonix already teasing next project, and it'll involve "Music Creation"
Like any good developer should be doing these days, Harmonix is already looking over the horizon beyond Rock Band 2, and working on their next big title. Surprise! It'll have something to do with music. However, in a "now we'll be playing catchup to Guitar Hero" reversal, it sounds like they're working on a robust music creation title.Guitar Hero: World Tour features a fairly involved music creation studio, where you can both create a song, and edit it in pseudo-MIDI software. In fact, it's so robust and technical that we think most casual players will hardly touch the thing. Is Harmonix going to take the concept and make it a little more, oh I don't know, fun?Hamonix's PR rep John Drake told MTV's Multiplayer: "We've done the whole MIDI creation thing. We think we can do something really ambitious and really great that's going to speak across all the users of the game, not just hardcore users - and that will result in some awesome stuff and not just Final Fantasy covers." Not that there's anything wrong with that. However, we'd love to see a cool music creation game that doesn't require a thick manual and that isn't Wii Music. [Photo from the amazing Glennz Tees. Check out his awesome artworkz]
Who put 'Wii Music' in my Guitar Hero?
Hoping to somehow diminish our aversion to the sight of Miis playing musical instruments, Vicarious Visions is working the user-created, er ... "avatars" into the Wii version of Guitar Hero World Tour in a so-called unique way. In an interview with IGN, the developer explained how the recently revealed Mii mode, known as "Mii Freestyle," will work.Using the guitar or drumkit peripherals (or, if you're crazy so inclined, the Wiimote and Nunchuck for "air drumming") the mode lets you and a friend jam in a variety of music genres, laying down single notes, chords, and beats as you wish. According to Vicarious Visions, it'll all sound good because, well, it's programmed to clean up what you do. Take that, years of practice! [Via Wii Fanboy]
Rumor: New Guitar Hero peripheral coming?
G4 apparently has the "hot word," which we're assuming means "unfounded rumor", that Activision is looking to toss another peripheral into the Guitar Hero World Tour mix. They're reporting that Neversoft's Brian Bright spilled the beans, stating that he "wouldn't go into detail about what it will be," but that it's "specifically for the game's Studio mode." Hm, interesting ...Our cruel overlords at Joystiq have contacted Activision for clarification on the whole issue. Popular opinion seems to be that it's a keyboard of some type, but we'd like to think the game will feature something a bit more old school, like the guy in the image above. We're just weird like that.%Gallery-23491%[Via Joystiq]
Another Guitar Hero World Tour peripheral in the works?
The folks at G4 have a juicy tidbit on the upcoming Guitar Hero World Tour cacophony of simulated instruments: there might be another one in the works. G4 cites Neversoft's Brian Bright, who let slip that a new peripheral is coming, and will be designed specifically for the music-creating Studio mode (pictured above). The logical choice is a keyboard, since it's the preferred method for entering melodies and other mundane tasks by boring people, but we're secretly gunning for Guitar Hero Bassoon -- check out the video after the break to see why.[Via Joystiq]
Rumor: Another Guitar Hero World Tour peripheral
G4 claims to have gotten "the hot word" on a new Guitar Hero World Tour peripheral from Neversoft's Brian Bright who "wouldn't go into detail about what it will be," though he apparently said the new peripheral was "specifically for the game's Studio mode."We've reached out to Activision for some kind of comment or confirmation; however, until then, speculation seems to be the name of the game. G4 is guessing keyboard, which is all well and good. And who knows, it may well be a keyboard. We're not oracles here. But as long as we're just guessing, why not guess a little bigger, y'know? That's why we're happy to announce Joystiq's official guess for the rumored new Guitar Hero World Tour peripherpal: keytar.
Guitar Hero's Mii Freestyle mode explained
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/Guitar_Hero_s_Mii_Freestyle_Mode_Explained'; Vicarious Visions has confirmed that Guitar Hero: World Tour on the Wii will have not only all of the content found in the other versions, including DLC, but it will also have an exclusive "Mii Freestyle" mode, which we first heard about yesterday. But it goes beyond just having Miis in the normal Guitar Hero game.Mii Freestyle mode is actually an exclusive game mode in which players can create music on the fly using Guitar Hero guitars and drums -- or the Wiimote and Nunchuk as air drums, Wii Music-style, if they want to for some reason. The instruments lay down predetermined notes or sequences onto the familiar Guitar Hero note chart according to the style of music chosen. It's sort of a jamming version of the Music Studio found in the game. Vicarious Visions' David Nathanielsz calls the mode "a helpful bridge between the core game and the Music Studio in Guitar Hero: World Tour for Wii owners."The Wii World Tour, then, has all of the features of the other versions, plus a new exclusive mode. The only thing the other systems have on it now is graphics, which matter very little in a music game. Barring accidental monaural sound output or something, the Wii version will now be the superior version. Take that, Rock Band!%Gallery-23491% I want to read about Guitar Hero all ni-i-ight, and eat Guitar Hero cake!
GC 2008: Miis to rock out in Guitar Hero: World Tour
The Wii version of upcoming Guitar Hero: World Tour just got a bit more unique. The title will apparently include Mii support, allowing those of you who don't want to go through the pain of modeling yourself in the custom character creator to still get your likeness into the game. No other details about the Mii implementation are available right now, sadly, but we're sure they'll shed some light on it soon enough.For those of you that don't get the joke in the image above, be sure to head past the break for a brief explanation.%Gallery-23491%
GC 2008: Guitar Hero World Tour to work with all instruments on PS2, 360 and PS3
Well, this should make the patented Joystiq Instrument Compatibility Matrix a bit easier to memorize. Straight from our special Leipzig correspondent Jem Alexander, Activision says that If you play Guitar Hero World Tour on PS2, PS3 or 360, your instrument is going to work. Whether it be from Rock Band, Rock Band 2 or whatever, it works with Guitar Hero World Tour.Now, what does this mean for the Wii version of the game? We have absolutely no idea. But hey, what are you complaining about: It's got Miis in it! Isn't that enough?
GC 2008: Miis go on Wii's Guitar Hero World Tour
We've just heard from our man at the Leipzig Games Convention Jem Alexander, and he's got some exciting news for fans of pint-sized rocking: Miis will be used in Guitar Hero World Tour's Wii version of the game. He didn't say how, so we're hoping that they'll play Oompa-Loompa-like minature roadies who rush onto stage and fix broken strings for the full size rockers. But we doubt it.Oh, Jem also passed along that all versions of the game would include exclusive European tracks, which is secret code for "you'll have to buy them later through DLC."
Microsoft says Rock Band 2, Guitar Hero: World Tour, and Rock Revolution instruments to be cross-compatible on 360 as well
It's sad that the petty bickering between Activision, Harmonix, and Konami required console makers to step up and ensure that gamers didn't end up with piles of redundant plastic instrument controllers, but things are starting to get better -- just as Sony did yesterday, Microsoft announced that it's requiring Rock Band 2, Guitar Hero: World Tour and Rock Revolution to be cross-compatible on the Xbox 360. The post on Redmond's Gamerscore blog isn't chock-full of details, but we'll commend Microsoft and Sony for getting involved to make sure that all the lawsuits and infighting don't adversely affect their customers -- now if they could only find a way to make those drumkits actually fit into a living room, we'd be all set.[Via Joystiq]
MS: Xbox 360 instruments from Rock Band 2, GH: World Tour and Rock Revolution will be cross-compatible
Clarifying its stance on rhythm game compatibility issues, Microsoft's Gamerscore Blog announced today that all the instruments for Rock Band 2, Guitar Hero: World Tour and Rock Revolution will be "cross-compatible" on Xbox 360.Sony announced yesterday that PlayStation 3 would feature full cross-compatibility among the three games as well. Guess that leaves only Nintendo to make it official.Update: The Instrument Compatibility Matrix has been updated[Thanks, Mike]
Joystiq's updates the Instrument Compatibility Matrix
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Guitar_Hero_Rock_Band_Instrument_Compatibility_Matrix_v3_0'; Now that Rock Band 2, Guitar Hero World Tour and Rock Revolution are all headed our way, Xbox 360 gamers will soon be flooded with new instrument peripherals. This raises the question: which instruments will work with which games? Joystiq has stepped up to the proverbial plate and provided the answer: the Joystiq Instrument Compatibility Matrix 3.0. If you're planning to pick up any of these upcoming music games (and you really should be), consulting this handy chart is a must. It will be updated as new information is released, so be sure to bookmark it for the next time you've got a hankering for a new plastic instrument.
