Xbox 360 guitars tethered down by the man
by Ludwig Kietzmann 
{ Sep 28th 2006 at 9:15PM }
The man, of course, being represented here by a wire. According to a posting on Major Nelson's blog, the Xbox 360 guitar controller (in its current state) is not wireless as many free souls had hoped. Given these wired confines, perhaps the guitar's name, X-plorer, wasn't the greatest of choices. Still, we got along just fine with the PS2 version, so this tidbit of news hardly represents the end of the world as we know it.If you're unwilling to let go of the wireless dream, perhaps you can read something into Major's final statement. "Not sure what the plans are for wireless and the people from Guitar Hero were not talking."
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ultran @ Sep 28th 2006 9:18PM
We'll still Thrash.
TheLetterD @ Sep 28th 2006 9:21PM
Just curious, has anyone considered that it may be due to the plug and charge cable? If they are showing it off, they don't want the controller to run out of power. If its wireless it still needs a cable to draw power.
I see no reason why it wouldn't be wireless. I'm betting that it is.
WASD John @ Sep 28th 2006 10:42PM
It's gotta be wireless! No reason why they couldn't do it. My guess is that you can plug in the battery pack to it, and plug in the charge cable as well. I'm thinking a setup similar to current controllers.
dvnt @ Sep 28th 2006 9:34PM
If they don't make it wireless I'll be severely dissapointed. There's more than enough space in that plastic shell to put in the required hardware. And I'm certain it can reliably broadcast several button presses at once. So if they don't do it they're just trying raise their bottom line on manufacturing costs and shortchanging the consumer.
#2 is probably right. Any wires sticking out of the thing should be the play'n'charge kit.
Adam @ Sep 28th 2006 9:34PM
Umm... isn't that the whammy?
The H @ Sep 28th 2006 9:38PM
They didn't make up that name for the guitar. Gibson made a model that looked like that called the "explorer" in 1958 or so. I guess in a way they did "choose" that name, since they could have called it something else, but I'm just sayin...
Premaximum @ Sep 28th 2006 9:41PM
I agree with #4...that looks to me like it's just the whammy...I'm not sure where this mistake was made.
a Master Ninja @ Sep 28th 2006 9:45PM
Fix your monitor settings #4 and #6. There is clearly a USB cable plugged into the side, above the whammy bar.
Tylor @ Sep 28th 2006 9:59PM
Increase the brightness on the image or your monitor, it's obviously plugged in with a USB cable seperate from the whamy bar. Whether or not it's just for charging who knows.
Muskie @ Sep 28th 2006 10:13PM
Believe it or not, this is actually a Boon for many people, being wired. Given the whole 360/PC interoperability thing, games like Frets On Fire ( An Open Source Guitar Hero Clone for Win/Linux : http://louhi.kempele.fi/~skyostil/uv/fretsonfire/ ) Will Increase in popularity. And I just wanted to plug FoF Cause it rocks. :P You can even Import songs from your Guitar Hero PS2 Disc!
bill pullman @ Sep 28th 2006 10:13PM
eugh, i hope they don't paint the strum bar on the final version. clearly, it doesn't stand up to abuse.
Player1 @ Sep 28th 2006 10:17PM
Here's an adjusted version where you can see:
http://www.sonofgamenight.com/images/stories/guitarhero360.jpg
The way that paint is chipping off of the strum bar leads me to believe those are not final colors (hopefully). The buttons on the body are terrible too. The way the buttons on the original one looked like knobs seemed so clever to me.
Acrylic @ Sep 28th 2006 10:18PM
Ya know, it's really not that big of a deal. When you plug a real guitar into an amp, you use a cable. Unless you use a wirless thing, which I've never used because I wouldnt think its reliable...
Muskie @ Sep 28th 2006 10:30PM
Well, at least the Wiitar Hero Controller Will be Wireless.. :P
Kris @ Sep 28th 2006 10:59PM
It seems they also have failed to produce a paint that can withstand ultimate strumming, my current guitar is so abused! it'll be good to replace it.
Adam @ Sep 28th 2006 11:05PM
Ah, I love the explorer. It's (IMO) the best guitar model made to date. To bad I don't own or want a X360.
Woot, Wii.
Adam @ Sep 28th 2006 11:06PM
Also, It can be wireless easily. Maybe it will take batteries and do like the gamecube Wavebird, just flip a switch to turn it off.
Jake C @ Sep 28th 2006 11:12PM
"5. They didn't make up that name for the guitar. Gibson made a model that looked like that called the "explorer" in 1958 or so."
Gibson still makes Explorers...
Adam @ Sep 28th 2006 11:17PM
The Gibson Explorer, or X-plorer (since 2002), made its debut in 1958, then known as the Futura. It offered a radical, "futuristic" body design, much like its sibling, the Flying V. Its initial run was unsuccessful and it was discontinued in 1959. In 1975, Gibson began reissuing the Explorer after other guitar companies had success selling similar designs.
Str8 from Wiki.
Andrew @ Sep 28th 2006 11:31PM
Not to rain on anyone's wireless parade, but so far, Microsoft has been unwilling to license the wireless technology to anybody. 3-rd party controllers have all been of the tethered variety. I see no reason that this will be any different.
Carl @ Sep 28th 2006 11:31PM
I was gonna buy both the GH2 for ps2 and later this for 360, but if its not wireless I see no point in doing so considering its confirmed that the PS2 version will output 480p, such that any Hdtv can upscale it easily without the lag sometimes acsociated with de-interlacing 480i. So... wireless and you've got me on atleast 150$ of stuff for GH2, otherwise its just 40 for the single game on ps2...
Brandon @ Sep 29th 2006 12:13AM
#20 is correct. At the beginning, Microsoft stated that only first-party controllers will be wireless. I'm really at a loss as to why so many people hold on to the idea that it will be wireless.
Cody @ Sep 29th 2006 12:27AM
I wouldn't want it wireless anyway. With the speed and frequency that the buttons need to be pressed, the (barely noticeable under normal circumstances) lag would be terrible, except MAYBE on a 100% charge. Anything less would throw off your rhythm. And in music based rhythm games, timing is 100% necessary, if you're off by the slightest amount you won't perform as well as you would normally.
DeeboStoker @ Sep 29th 2006 1:19AM
Keeping the cord keeps guitar hero real. I use a cord extender so that I can easily roam across stage (living room) without fear of unpluging from the amp (PS2) on accident. My hope is to one day have enough money to play guitar hero like the Who, and smash the PS2 w/ the guitar at the end of my set.
No hope of smashing the 360... it's a tank.
JM Scion @ Sep 29th 2006 8:14AM
Why is the guitar being wireless such a big deal? I still don't understand the point of wireless controllers at all. I mean, if you like playing games while standing as far away from the TV as possible, go right ahead. But it seems to me like having to change or recharge the batteries in the middle of a game would be a needless hassle. I mean, come on, shouldn't we be thankful that they are making controllers that look like guitars in the first place? Why aren't we getting controllers for 1st-person shooters that look like machine guns?
navstar @ Sep 29th 2006 1:31PM
I would think the Wii version would get "free" motion sensing and wireless-ness by having a slot where the Wiimote connects to it. (it would also mean the Wii version would be cheaper to make)
jabbertrack @ Sep 29th 2006 1:59PM
Every time someone mentions how "perfect" the game would be on the Wii it makes me want to smack them.
Do you really think it would be that much different?
Do you think that motion sensativity means ANYTHING in the way GH works?
Oh so what... you think holding a giant Wii-mote and flinging it up and down would be 'just like playing a guitar'? Ya because guitar picks are big sticks right?
gawd you people are so dumb...
if it comes out for the Wii... AWESOME, but it's not going to have anything to do with the Wii-mote...
it's still going to use a strum bar and 5 buttons on the neck
skyman8081 @ Sep 29th 2006 3:09PM
Because when playing a real guitar on-stage you are SO limited by having to run an XLR or 1/4" cable. m i rite?
rapture @ Oct 3rd 2006 11:41AM
Quick! I'm running out of USB ports.
Seriously, with the vision cam, wireless network Adapter, a wired controller, and a plug-n-play charger I'm hurting. Now how the heck am I going to get an HD-DVD player in there?
Dano @ Oct 19th 2006 1:16PM
Wireless is a NO GO. Any EXPERT GH player that has tried the wireless options KNOWS that you ain't gonne be hitting the notes on time on those ridiculous expert note charts. Wait til you guys see the unlocks on GH2. I really wanted to give wireless guitars another chance, but the lag for expert play is unbearable.
Jason @ Nov 8th 2006 12:48PM
So what? I've never played a live show with a wireless guitar rig in REAL LIFE! Monster jazz cables give the best signal around for keeping the instrument's tone in tact. Real guitar players learn how to go crazy on stage even with cords.