rock
Latest
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.
School of Rock: free Guitar Hero strategy guide
If there's one thing we like, it's a really well-done strategy guide. Add the words free and video to that guide, and you had us at free. The video part is just a bonus. It sure beats the old days of searching Usenet and praying that someone had posted a way to beat the uber-boss on level nine.GameAlmighty has put together a top-notch strategy guide for Guitar Hero to help you rock yourself to high-scores. It does get a bit dry at times, but thankfully the videos are brief and informative. It's not quite a face-melting tribute to rockmania, but it'll improve your thrashing for sure.However, it probably won't help you if you've got whammy bar problems.
Guitar Hero going mobile, just like The Who
Hands On Mobile, Inc. announced today that they have entered into an agreement with Activision to produce a Guitar Hero mobile game for handhelds. While we aren't sure if that means cell phones, PlayStation Portables, Nintendo DSs, Game Boy Advances, HP calculators or all of the above, it's further proof of the massive juggernaut that is the Guitar Hero franchise. Although this franchise was announced before, then canceled, it's now apparently been reborn.Plus with the announcement earlier today of Harmonix' Rock Band, Ubisoft's Jam Sessions for the DS, and even the Mother 3 soundtrack being made available on iTunes -- it's clear that games and music are currently making waves. It's like the horror genre in movie theaters right now. Soon you'll be seeing things like Hammered Dulcimer Champion and Harmonica Savior hitting store shelves. We here at Joystiq are really holding out for Kazoo Knights. Wake us when the announcement is on the way.
CompAmerica's new 'most powerful laptop on Earth,' the Orca Extreme
With the way CompAmerica goes around bragging about the superiority of its laptops, you'd think that the company was some high end, boutique gaming manufacturer -- instead of one of the many companies simply offering rebadge after rebadge. Just like other 'bigger than life' players such as Eurocom and Rock, ol' CA makes most of its loot selling machines originally available from Clevo, so it should be no surprise that its latest 'most powerful laptop on Earth' -- the 17-inch Orca Extreme -- is really just that D900C we saw last month. You know, Core 2 Extreme CPU, dual GeForce 7950 GTX cards in SLI, up to 4GB of RAM, and of course those three hard drives that can offer up to 600GB of storage in RAID 0. This whale of a laptop can be yours immediately -- that is, if you don't already own one of its doppelgangers -- starting right around $2,600.[Via laptoping]
Rock to roll out 22-inch all-in-one Meivo HTPC
"Xtreme" laptop OEM Rock has just announced its upcoming Meivo all-in-one PC, a Vista-powered 22-inch monster that features Core 2 Duo processors and several internal tuner options. Coming at the end of April for an even £1,000, Meivo is built around a 1,680 x 1,050 panel sporting side-mounted memory card slots and USB ports, with WiFi, Bluetooth, 7.1 output, and a pair of drive bays rounding out the specs. As far as tuners go, you get your choice of analog, digital, or hybrid -- all MXM compliant for easy expansion and upgrades. Probably not the best machine for power computing, but for watching the full season of Jericho so far on CBS Innertube from bed, this would make a good choice.Read - Press releaseRead - "Teaser" site[Via Shiny Shiny]
Pixies frontman Frank Black wails for GRAW 2
Frank Black is a rock icon. So when the Pixies frontman teams up with 3volution Productions* to record an exclusive cover of The Stooges' "Gimme Danger" for a new Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 trailer, it's reason to take notice. The song has been paired with nearly 90 seconds of GRAW 2 gameplay footage; a different direction from the one taken in the more stylized Gears of War "Mad World" ad. Still, the Black laced GRAW 2 teaser is worth a gander -- or at least a listen. *3volution Productions, created by Fear Factory drummer Raymond Herrera, specializes in producing audio tracks for games.
RedOctane dropping new Xbox 360 Guitar Hero II info tomorrow
RedOctane will be rockin' the Xbox 360 world tomorrow when they make their announcement regarding the upcoming release of Guitar Hero II for that console. They are expected to confirm the March release date, and to cover the new songs this version will have. TeamXbox has the scoop on almost all of the ten new tracks that 360 players will get, which is ten more than the PS2 version for a total of 74. Additionally, Xbox Live will let rockers download songs from the original Guitar Hero (hope that includes the ones you can buy, like The Slip's "Even Rats"), as well as the ability to purchase new songs in the future.Check out their complete coverage, and stay tuned (get it? tuned? Okay, slap us) tomorrow for more after the word hits the show floor.
Political groups angry over Left Behind game
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Left Behind: Eternal Forces is beginning to raise the ire of some religious and political groups a month after its release. The Campaign to Defend the Constitution and the Christian Alliance for Progress are working to get the critically panned game pulled from Wal-mart shelves because of its "message of religious intolerance." Apparently some people think that gunning down the forces of the Antichrist, which include Muslims, rock stars and a sexy Secretary-General of the U.N., is un-Christian. Who knew?To be fair, the game does let you convert non-believers instead of killing them, but it's hard to argue with the campaign's message that the game promotes "violent, divisive and hateful scenarios." Still, it seems a bit opportunistic to single out Wal-mart, which only sells the game in 200 of its 3,800 locations, while other equally culpable retailers get a free pass. Is an intolerant message enough to justify restricting a game's sale?
Rock rolls out Merom-packed, 13.3-inch Pegasus 335 laptop
If you like your lappies like your music, then Rock's latest addition to its Pegasus series is sure to please. Hot on the heels of its mammoth-sized Xtreme SL Pro comes the much more portable 13.3-inch Pegasus 335, which is marketed as a mobile entertainment center and comes bundled with a USB DVB-T TV tuner to capture those sparkling British OTA broadcasts. Beneath the hood lies your choice of Intel's T5600/T7200/T7400 Core 2 Duo processor, up to 2GB of DDR2 RAM, up to 160GB SATA hard drive, an 8x dual-layer DVD burner, built-in 802.11a/b/g, a 4-in-1 flash card reader, and a WXGA display. Among the assortment of ports is 4-pin FireWire, gigabit Ethernet, 56k modem, S-Video out, audio in / out, PCMCIA, VGA, and a trio of USB 2.0 connectors to boot. Including a three-year warranty, prices range from £722.55 ($1,404) to about as much as your credit card can stand, and is available now for holiday delivery.[Via RegHardware]
The mouse for the modern caveman
Not everyone feels comfortable using a mouse made out of modern materials like plastic or, y'know, mammoth skin. Fortunately for office cavemen everywhere, a Russian designer called Neko has filled this market niche by making a mouse out of stone -- or, more likely, made a plastic mouse with polished stones stuck on top. The beige scroll wheel and cable ruin the appeal slightly, although that wouldn't stop us from freaking out the Engadget interns by turning up to work with what appears to be a hunk of rock.[Via MAKE]
Rock goes for broke with its SLI-equipped Xtreme SL Pro laptop
If you're the kind of person who likes their gizmos to the Xtreme, then you're sure to love Rock's new Xtreme SL Pro. Following in the same 20-inch vein as Acer's Aspire 9800 and Dell's XPS M2010, this gargantuan machine packs specs most commonly found in a full-fledged desktop. Powered by a 2.0GHz AMD Turion X2 TL-60 processor, the SL Pro also packs twin NVIDIA GeForce Go 7950 GTX 512MB graphics cards, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, a pair of 100GB 7200RPM SATA drives, dual-layer DVD burner, WSXGA+ display, 5.1 surround sound output, 1.3-megapixel webcam, and a 4-in-1 flash card reader. Additionally, you'll find built-in WiFi / Bluetooth connectivity, a DVI output, FireWire, and five USB 2.0 ports. Aside from weighing 15.2 pounds, having a presumed 28.4 (at best) minutes of battery life, and being nearly two inches thick, this prodigious laptop will set you back at least £2,499 ($4,720) depending on options -- but hey, it'll sure be easier to snag than that other crimson-clad eXtreme toy this holiday season.[Via Pocket-Lint]
Dave Navarro & Guitar Hero II at Best Buy coverage [update 1]
Hot guitar strummin' and finger pickin' action collided with the corporate man at Best Buy in Los Angeles on Monday, with Dave Navarro (because real rockers love the game too) on hand to promote Guitar Hero II, and Joystiq was there. We lined up about half an hour early to get pix and vids, quietly slipping in amidst the obsessive fans of either Navarro or this game. After talking to about a dozen people, we realized that they could have sent James Taylor to plug this thing, and the same people would've shown up. Everyone was stoked for the midnight release of the game, and one hardcore fan even drove up from San Diego, just to get his axe signed.A representative from BB handed tickets out and told us that they were only giving out 50 so that you could get in line to have things signed. Once they finally opened the doors and let us flood in, we spent some time at the various demo stations they had set up (with pretty sweet speaker systems that looked like they were on loan from a K.I.S.S. concert), and then dutifully took our spot in the signing line. We grabbed a game en route to the table and pulled the guitar out of the box, got it signed by Navarro, and then -- surprise! We were told that Activision was buying the game for those first 50 tickets. Score! Big announcement about that guitar & game soon on Joystiq, so keep your eyes open.Pictures and video after the jump, but sadly no Carmen Electra since she and Dave went splitsville earlier in the summer.[Update: added some rockers]
Rock launches Xtreme CTX T2700 gaming laptop
UK rebadger PC manufacturer Rock has a blazing new 17-inch laptop in store for British gamers, the Core Duo-powered Xtreme CTX T2700. As its name suggests, this model sports a T2700 CPU running at 2.33GHz, along with 1GB of 667MHz DDR2 RAM, a zippy 7,200RPM 100GB hard drive, 8x dual-layer DVD burner, and on the connectivity tip, the always-popular Bluetooth and three flavor WiFi. Graphics on this model also promise to impress, with a 512MB-equipped GeForce Go 7900 GTX card from nVIDIA handling the heavy lifting for the 1920 x 1200 WUXGA display. As you'd expect, a configuration like this doesn't come cheap, and will cost around $3,200 when it drops in the next few days.
Rock's Pegasus 660 and Quaddra TX2 laptops for gamers
Yo, Rock just dropped two new low-to-mid range gamer laptops into the mix with their Pegasus 660 and Quaddra TX2 (pictured left-to-right, we think). The 6.8-pound Pegasus model brings a 15.4-inch, 1280 x 768 display, Intel Core Duo, nVidia GeForce Go 7600 graphics with 256MB onboard memory, 120GB disk, 2GB RAM, and even a silent mode which kills the fan and throttles back the CPU to a cool runnin' 1GHz. Not big enough, Jack? Then try on the Quaddra TX2 which packs in a 17-inch, 1680 x 1050 pixel, X-Glass anti-reflective screen, AMD Turion 64 X2 dual-core proc, Bluetooth, WiFi, 1.3 megapixel cam, and the same GeForce Go 7600 graphics card, disk and RAM squeezed into a 7.7-pound, 1.4-inch thick slab. The Pegasus 660 should pull £1,060/$1,924 while the TX2 will demand just a bit more at £1,175/$2,133. Both should begin shipping in the next few weeks. [Via Stuff]
Video Games Live seats in Indy up for sale
Tickets are now on sale for the two Video Games Live shows planned in conjunction with Gen Con Indy Friday & Saturday, August 11-12.After a stop in Philly earlier this month, the VGL tour is moving on to Houston July 14th, Chicago August 5th, and then Indianapolis the weekend after that. More on reserving seats for the Hilbert Circle Theatre can be found on the official announcement page (via the pic to the right or the Read link below).Judging by the reviews of the Philly show so far, Video Games Live sounds like it could be a lot of fun. If they keep providing public access to Guitar Hero II, they may have sold this blogger on going already. We hope Midwestern gamers not attending the Chicago show can make a pitstop in Indy to keep Tommy's show on the road. So, yeah ... rock on.See also: Official VGL report from Philly (with some local links to boot) Video Games Live ticket purchases opened a bit early The official page for Gen Con Indy PS2 impressions: Guitar Hero II
Preview of new Guitar Hero II co-op mode
In case you missed it on Friday, IGN posted a pre-E3 hands-on preview of Guitar Hero II's new co-op mode. It's a departure from the first game's multiplayer mode in that the two players have to depend on each other a lot more to pass each song and thereby make beautiful music together.While the old multiplayer option will still be around in the sequel, the new mode mixes distinct lead guitar and bass or rhythm parts where each player affects the other in various ways, whether by failing if either performance slips (as in DDR), sharing the same Rock Meter (with mistakes from either player resetting the score multiplier), and needing to both go vertical at the same time to activate the shared Star Power. Thankfully, different difficulty levels can be assigned to each player.The Joystiq team out in L.A. will probably find something to do until they get their sweaty paws on a guitar controller or two on the E3 show floor (maybe one of those wacky press conferences will help pass the time), but we're sure the wait to try the latest build of this rockin' series will be worth it. The seven songs available at E3 are listed below.[Thanks, murph]
Blitz Games joins the Revolution
IGN reports that UK developer Blitz Games, who is responsible for the enjoyable Fuzion Frenzy (and many other not so enjoyable titles such as Bad Boys 2 and Bratz: Rock Angelz), has officially claimed they are in cahoots with an undisclosed, yet assuredly big-named, publisher to bring a game to the Revolution. We personally hope it's another entry into the dangerous world of equestrian combat starring everyone's favorite spy Barbie. We're not being sarcastic at all, really.
