No touch-screen strumming for Guitar Hero DS; peripheral promised
by Scott Jon Siegel 
{ Sep 10th 2007 at 11:30AM }
Games Are Fun was in attendance at this year's Austin Game Developers Conference, and caught up with Vicarious design manager Adrian Earle, who spilled the beans on Vicarious's port of the acclaimed music franchise. In addition to the horrible decision to build a peripheral for a portable device, Vicarious plans on leaving much of the game's visuals as-is, making them two-for-two in a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality that may prove problematic when moving an established console title to an entirely new platform.
We'll give Vicarious Visions the benefit of the doubt, and assume the decision to ignore the touch screen was to avoid comparisons to Jam Sessions. Still, here's hoping Vicarious will let us rock out and still fit the darn thing in our pocket.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
blooh @ Sep 10th 2007 11:33AM
face fisted
Crono @ Sep 10th 2007 11:40AM
Are you freakin kidding me? The ONLY way to make a decent GH game on a portable is to have a guitar peripheral that the DS plugs into. Otherwise its not guitar hero, its "hold the d-pad and rub" hero.
Burritoclock @ Sep 10th 2007 11:51AM
True, except that the DS screens are tiny and any peripheral will be extremely hard to use. Just all around seems difficult to do, but here's to hoping they can pull it off somehow.
Another complaint I would have is that the DS speakers SUCK... BAD! How can you here it.
OnimushaSoki @ Sep 10th 2007 12:14PM
"'hold the d-pad and rub' hero" ... I voted you up just for that part alone, LoL
elmersglue @ Sep 10th 2007 11:50AM
i think it would be sweet if someone makes a guitar game where there's just strings on the screen, and you actually have to strum or pick using the stylus. Maybe even label the strings with the actual note (EADGBE) and make it REALLY challenging instead of the colors... a true guitar simulation, only...minus the finger and fretboard part. Wait, writing all that made me realize it would be an interesting twist on how the guitar hero series deals with specifically the fretboard, the DS is the perfect platform to deal with the strings.
Kazi @ Sep 10th 2007 11:57AM
Jam Sessions AKA Hiite Utaeru DS Guitar M-06.
Burritoclock @ Sep 10th 2007 12:03PM
I am praying to Jesus that this is supposed to be ironic or something... although you didn't reference jam sessions at the end... which worries me...
Anyway, Jam Sessions is in no way as fun as Guitar Hero, it's not even in the same realm, or universe. It's fun though, but my GOD am I sick to death of the "real" guitar versus guitar hero BULLSHIT.
elmersglue @ Sep 10th 2007 12:20PM
the reason i didnt reference jam sessions is because thats not really what im talking about. As far as i know, jam sessions consists of holding down the d-pad in certain directions and strumming one string on the screen and that plays the chord you selected with the d-pad. I'm talking about something more along the lines of actually putting all 6 strings on the screen (and maybe 4 strings for the bass) and then having you follow along on the top screen guitar hero style. Similar to the buttons layout, only instead of concentrating on the holding down on the strings part (guitar hero) the game would concentrate on picking or strumming the strings (all 6 of them, not just one bar in the middle). The game will take care of the fretboard. Imagine rocking out on a solo and all you have to worry about is hitting the right string at the right time with the right tempo.
elmersglue @ Sep 10th 2007 12:24PM
Oh and i just thought of this...how about for strumming, since a lot of the time you'd be strumming the same strings for chords and that would get old fast, the game would throw arrows in certain directions on the top screen as well as what strings to strum (ddr style). So i guess in a way it would be a simplified jam sessions but with the actual strings on the screen.
Fernando Rocker @ Sep 10th 2007 12:24PM
elmersglue
I know what you mean. I suppose you play real guitar, just like me.
They dont know what you are talking about.
Burritoclock @ Sep 10th 2007 3:01PM
To Fernando Rocker: WOW! A guitar has multiple strings?!?! Next you will be telling me that these so called "strings" go all the way up the guitar and that you don't just press the middle of the top five sections to play every note on a guitar.
"Real" guitar is NOT for everyone, I did not enjoy learning to play the guitar which is why I quit. I had neither the time nor the desire to become good. Guitar hero is fun, I could beat expert after two short weeks. There is no comparison.
To elmersglue: After you went into more detail there you actually have a great idea. That's probably what Jam Sessions should have been. There could even be harder difficulties that combine jam sessions with your idea. For example you would have all the strings and then also 5 "fret" buttons (d-pad and the left bumper)yes it would be harder than hell, but thats what a super hard/expert mode is for.
However it's no reason to not make a guitar hero game.
sjenky @ Sep 10th 2007 11:52AM
Horrible decision? I don't think jamsessions had anything to do with it either.
How would one manage to play multiple chords at the same time through the touchscreen? I'd rather have the true GH experience than some overly simplified, 'taiko drum master DS' clone.. ever played it? WAY too easy, even on max. difficulty.
Donald @ Sep 10th 2007 12:01PM
Exactly.
J @ Sep 10th 2007 11:53AM
Is the shirt that guy is wearing based on those GIJoe overdub videos? "hey kid, I'm a computer. Help computer".
I need one of those.
Scott Jon Siegel @ Sep 10th 2007 12:05PM
Yes, the shirt I'm wearing is from Fensler Films, a.k.a. the guys who did the GI Joe shorts. I'm wearing it because I'm a computer.
J @ Sep 10th 2007 12:15PM
Stop all the downloadin'!
Awesome
megaStryke @ Sep 10th 2007 12:15PM
I'm a compootah! Stop all the downloadin'!
Kye @ Sep 10th 2007 12:08PM
Damnit, I was looking forward to Ukalele Hero!
Hirsbrunner @ Sep 10th 2007 12:33PM
I'm holding out for Sitar Hero.
Kye @ Sep 10th 2007 12:37PM
Banjo Hero FTW!
Almack64 @ Sep 10th 2007 1:14PM
Man that's all old news, nothing will beat the sophistication that Harp Hero will be when it comes out.
hvnlysoldr @ Sep 10th 2007 1:15PM
Miyamoto will smoke us all at Banjo Hero.
Hirsbrunner @ Sep 10th 2007 1:35PM
Could you imagine trying to do Foggy Mountain on a banjo controller?! Holy crap!
Fernando Rocker (NDF - Water Ring) @ Sep 10th 2007 2:24PM
I was hoping for Piano Hero... with the full 88 keys perioheral.
Alienhead @ Sep 10th 2007 12:27PM
The whole point of guitar is hero is playing on a guitar like controller. Touch-screen strumming WTF are you all talking about? That's just dumb. Kind of like Guitar Hero on the DS.
Dave Silva @ Sep 10th 2007 1:11PM
Oh no. Not Vicarious Visions. PLEASE, NOT THEM, ANYONE BUT THEM!
Hey Apples @ Sep 10th 2007 1:14PM
I loves me some guitar hero, but I don't see how this will result in anything but a total bastardification of the franchise.
Fullmetal Salchemist @ Sep 10th 2007 3:18PM
Much like your "bastardification" [sic] of the word "bastardization"?
Geoff @ Sep 10th 2007 9:38PM
I'm going with "bastardisation". But that's because I'm a limey Brit.
That Fuzzy Bastard @ Sep 10th 2007 4:25PM
Yeah, I too wish that Jam Sessions had six strings instead of the one mega-string---it seems like it would've been a lot more appealing if it had that extra bit of realism.
Guitar Hero, though, needs no such realism---it's a straight-up fantasy fulfillment. I can't say I have any idea how you'd make a peripheral that makes it all work, but maybe the developers will prove smarter than me on the subject...
JulyFlame @ Sep 11th 2007 1:40AM
So, a guitar peripheral that you plug the DS into?
Instead of the Guitar peripheral plugging into the DS, DS goes into the guitar controller.
That'd make sense. Watch your fingers and what you're supposed to be doing.
imalinuxfreak @ Nov 26th 2007 10:32PM
lord knows the last thing we need is another 'Learn-to-play-guitar-in-7-seconds-or-probably-money-back-gaurentee'
^mouthful. Sometimes video games dont help learning things. All you need is some time and patience. DS suks, period. Although, i will give them a chance with this, I think that it isnt portable anymore when i set it on the table, and pull out my 2 and a half foot.... guitar controller from my back pocket and start jamming on the busride to school. its absolutley not the kind of thing we need, everyone will get one, and people will be bumping into everyone, and if someone lit on fire, we wouldnt be able to stop them because theyd be playing guitar hero and it would kill us all in a horrible fire. So, guitar hero for the ds will basically kill everyone. But thats what they said about cynide... ;)