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Possible leak: New GH II downloadable tracks
The guys over at HarmonixFans received some special insider's information on the new Guitar Hero II downloadable content that will be coming to the XBLM. The information supposedly came from Microsoft certification documents that were obtained and detail three new track packs including songs from Pantera, The Ramones and ZZ Top. Complete listings of the rumored songs are posted after the break. And even if this information turns out to be false, we know more DLC is coming and pray to the gaming gods and executives at Red Octane that they listened to their fans and adjusted their prices. How can they deny our loud and abrasive fanboy whining?[Via Arrogantics]
RedOctane promises new Guitar Hero every year
Tina Turner be damned, you're getting a new Guitar Hero game every year. In a Eurogamer interview, RedOctane co-founder and president, Kai Huang, reveals that every guitar freak's favorite franchise will soon have something in common with large men tossing balls and slamming into each other. "I think that fans can definitely expect that we're going to have one major release a year," says Kai. Following that, the peripheral manufacturer plans to "release update packs and content packs so there's more songs." And what about the controversial pricing of already released song packs? The pricing's "competitive," says Huang, though his comment may have been slightly garbled due to the degradation of interplanetary transmissions. "We've done a lot of evaluation on the pricing and the costs for each of the songs and how they work for each of the packs, and we think that they're priced competitively, but certainly we listen to the fans and we take that feedback, and if that's something we'll need to evaluate we'll do that."An annual release of Guitar Hero is hardly something we'd consider to be terrible news, but one caveat certainly needs to be heard -- not many franchises keep their sparkle on a yearly release schedule. Even fellow music maniac, Dance Dance Revolution, has taken a few bad steps in its rapid-fire career. We cringe at the thought of seeing a great franchise doing a power slide... down a set of stairs.
Red Octane 'looking into' Guitar Hero II patch problems
"We're aware of the problem and we're looking into it." So says RedOctane in response to complaints of a Guitar Hero II patch leaving Xbox 360s paralyzed by the dreaded red ring of death. A string of users have posted their tales of woe on the official Xbox forums, noting post-patch game freezes, startup glitches and eventual system lockups. The patch was initially issued to correct unresponsive whammy bars in some guitar controllers.Though Red Octane doesn't divulge to Eurogamer just exactly what "we're looking into it" entails, there's little hope that a further software patch could repair completely inoperative consoles. There's also no direct evidence to suggest that the patch itself is causing the Xbox 360 hardware to malfunction. The operating system might be fooled into thinking there is, however, which isn't much better than a physical malfunction. This occurrence is awfully similar to what transpires whenever a new Xbox 360 game is released -- is software causing a new problem, or is it letting you know that you had a rotten system to begin with?We'll let you know as soon as RedOctane or Microsoft comment further.
Confirmation and vague release window on Guitar Hero DS
At this point, we think it may be safe to assume that any and all awesome franchises will appear in some form on the DS ... and as long as they put some effort in, hey, we're not complaining. At last, Kai Huang, president and founder of RedOctane, confirmed to GameSpot that the company is looking at a DS Guitar Hero for release early next year. Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to have said anything else about it, but if we're a year away, there may not be much to say. Of course, We're curious about the approach they're going to take with the portable Guitar Hero games; there's even a version set for mobile phones, and so we can only guess they're looking at several control options. We predicted an Elite Beat Agents-style scheme, and we're sticking to that for now.
Guitar Hero 3 to use Guitar controller, features online gameplay
IGN got the skinny on the upcoming installment in the Guitar Hero franchise, Guitar Hero 3. Most importantly, they discussed the Wii version with RedOctane's co-founder and president Kai Huang. Huang confirms that the Nintendo Wii version of the game will in fact use a Guitar controller, one that will be "similar to a guitar you've seen in the past." There is more exciting news, however, as Huang confirmed that the Wii version of the title would be seeing improvements the other console installments would be receiving: online play and downloadable music. That's right, online play.
Guitar Hero 3 = online multiplayer
Red Octane's boss Kai Huang had an interview with Pro-G recently that hasn't yet been released. Whoop-de-doo, right? Wrong. In the interview, it seems Huang went ahead and confirmed the dream of many rockers who were too embarassed to take their show on the road... or in front of friends: online multiplayer with Guitar Hero 3. Yes, you can now show off your mad skillz without showing off your crazy drooling problem you get whilst playing that Black Sabbath solo.We don't know exactly what the online multiplayer feature offers, but if it's more than just a leaderboard, we'd be pumped. Sure, lag would seem to be a problem unless the whole song is pre-loaded before the multiplayer gets underway or something (thank you, PS3 hard drive?), but it could just be a score comparison between two players. This is sort of a test run for the inevitable multiplayer bound for the gigantic ambition known as Rock Band. What do you think this multiplayer will consist of?[via Joystiq]
Online multiplayer coming to Guitar Hero III
Recently announced Guitar Hero III will be sporting something we wish Guitar Hero II would have included ... online multiplayer. In an interview with Red Octane president Kai Huang, Pro-G confirmed that GH III would indeed include an online component. So fanboys, does this mean that a rumored future GH II update to include online multiplayer will never see the light of day? Well, it doesn't sound overly promising seeing that they'll probably use "Super Duper Online Multiplayer" as a new feature and bullet point for their third installment. Oh well, we still love you GH II and will wait to see if you'll grace us with online play later this year.[Via Joystiq]
Guitar Hero 3 to feature online multiplayer
Red Octane boss Kai Huang has confirmed that the third iteration of Guitar Hero will finally feature what lonely rockers everywhere have been hoping for: Online multiplayer. Huang reportedly made the comment during a Pro-G interview that hasn't yet appeared, so more details are non-existent at the moment. But that probably won't stop the rampant speculation about exactly how GH would work online.For our part, we're interested to see how a game that necessitates split-second timing will translate to the occasionally laggy world of online play. Sure, the "online mode" could just be you and a friend playing the same song and then comparing scores, but that hardly seems like fun. Another question: Won't our fingers cramp up entering our 12-note friend code on the Wii version? We kid, of course, we don't know that there will be specific GH friend codes. But we can dream.
Red Octane looses Guitar Hero II patch for Xbox 360
We're not quite ready to consider this a coincidence, but the hard-working souls over at Red Octane have officially unleashed a patch for the malfunctioning Guitar Hero II axes just in time for the weekend. Recently, it was claimed that axes sporting 95065 and 95055 model numbers could lose responsiveness in the whammy bar, but thanks to Xbox Live, users can download the patch and get back to unadulterated rockin' right away. So what are you waiting for? Finish up those finger exercises, fire up your console, and let us know if in fact the downloadable solution mends the problem.[Via Joystiq]
GH II updated, no more whammy problems
Red Octane, being very stealth like, released an auto update for Guitar Hero II early this morning fixing everyone's whammy bar woes. The other day, we learned that people's broken whammy bars weren't a result of malfunctioning hardware, but were software based. Red Octane said that whammy bar problems were being caused by a chunk of anti-cheating dev code that they added late in the development cycle. So, the newly released auto update fixes this code problem and whammy bars the world over can go back to whammying. Fire up your copy of Guitar Hero II, download the update, and whammy until your heart is content. Now, we just have to get Red Octane to acknowledge that they over priced GH II's DLC and fix that whole mess. But we'll deal with that next week.[Thanks, DeadPlasmaCell]
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.
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]
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?
Guitar Hero 3 due out this fall?
Seems like Red Octane wants to make this a yearly franchise, a la sports titles. Not really. That would be shameful! Anyway, this is coming straight from the Red Octane support center. Someone asked when Guitar Hero 2 would make its way to the PS3, Wii, etc. Red Octane responded:"Guitar Hero 2 for Playstation 2 launched 11/7/2006, Xbox 360 launched 4/3/2007 and both items are shipping now. Please check www.guitarherogame.com and www.redoctane.com for the most current information. Guitar Hero 3 for the Playstation 2, PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii are currently scheduled for release in the United States in Fall of 2007."There you have it. Expect either a retraction or confirmation from Red Octane soon. Our thoughts? It's probably true. Everyone wants to rock out.
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]
Take 360 Guitar Hero flaw into your own hands
Let's say you're one of those who ended up with a bum 360 Guitar Hero II controller. Sure, you could return it like Red Octane suggested, but what's rock 'n' roll about letting the man care for you? Nothing, that's what. Luckily for those who rock on their own schedule, All About the Games has posted a purported fix that requires little more than opening your axe and loosening two uptight screws. The site does state that the fix won't void your warranty, though we'll offer a reminder that you shouldn't operate on the guitar while it's plugged in. But come on, you rebels, isn't that exactly the sort of thing the man would want you to worry about? Are you going to wait for the man to pat your head and give you a lollipop or are you going to pull a Brian May and tear the fireplace out of the wall and get rocking?[Thanks, Brigham][Update: Ruh roh. Looks like someone didn't pay their hosting fees! All About the Games is currently down and their repair guide along with 'em. We'll update as soon as it seems like things are back to normal. Update 2: And we're back!]
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]
Red Octane says two Xbox guitar models 'defective'
After awaiting an official response all week on what Red Octane plans to do about defective guitars some customers received with their copies of Xbox 360's Guitar Hero II, we've received from several tipsters the responses they received from Red Octane. The response brings up nothing but more questions.Red Octane writes to those with complaints about the guitar, "We have isolated this issue to two model numbers that can be found on the guitar's packaging. The numbers are 95065 and 95055. We are asking that customers who puchased [sic] their items from a retailer perform an exchange with that respective store (for a model number other than the defective two listed above). Customer's [sic] who purchased through our online story [sic] can complete an rma request for their defective item and we will exchange it for a fully function [sic] guitar controller. We do apologize for the inconvenience and will resole [sic] these matters." Joystiq has been interviewing people all week trying to make sense of this entire issue as Red Octane is less than forthcoming with information. For example, here at Joystiq, we have a 95055 box, with a 95065 sticker placed over the UPC (originally 95055) and a 95065 guitar in the box - everything works fine so far (except star power activation is far less responsive than the PS2 guitar). Over at sister site Xbox 360 Fanboy, where they received a broken controller, they had a 95067 (that is not a typo) box with a 95065 guitar inside. At this point Red Octane acknowledges "defective" models as 95065 and 95055. If you have a defective model guitar, go ahead and return it with Red Octane's blessing. [Thank you to everyone we've interviewed and those who sent in tips]
