That Xbox marketing survey just keeps on giving: a slide on
Guitar Hero 4 presents a $180 pricetag for now-gen consoles, $170 for PS2 including all instruments. Just the software? They're asking $60 for 360 and PS3 versions, and $50 for their lower-def cousins. A handful of artists are also name-dropped – Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Foo Fighters, Smashing Pumpkins, Korn, System of a Down, Ozzy Osbourne, Interpol, Muse ... "and dozens more" – but what we're really interested in is this bit about an "all new wireless guitar controller with the first-ever touch-sensitive neck slide."
We snuck a peek at the brandless guitar in the game's trailer and, though touch-sensiitive reads to us like "no buttons" – a claim that's as worrisome as it is intriguing – it certainly appears to have buttons in the pic above. So maybe just something below the buttons then, y'know, for solos and whatnot?
Of course, pricing information is always subject to change (read: let's wait to see what
Rock Band 2 costs) and this survey doesn't include the game's "World Tour" subtitle so we're not entirely sold on the veracity of this information. Again, all eyes towards E3 where all will be revealed (we assume).
{ Jun 15th 2008 at 7:30PM } 
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
voodoo_craig @ Jun 15th 2008 7:33PM
Touch sensitive? Noooooooooooo!
Touch sensitive phones are bad enough, let alone something that needs to be as responsive as this!
giantenemycrab @ Jun 15th 2008 8:12PM
I have a feeling you just need to slide your finger up and down for a slide effect. It would work fine, it doesn't need to be accurate or anything.
MariosInferno @ Jun 16th 2008 9:57AM
As mentioned below. It's only for sliding, as of now.
Personally, I think there's tons of potential here. Like simulating pinched harmonics, tapping, etc...on top of simulating a slide. I'm really looking forward to this.
Vcize @ Jun 15th 2008 7:35PM
Pricing sounds like exactly what was expected.
Featured artists sound like all kinds of awesome.
Touch sensitive buttons sounds majorly lame.
TWiNKiE @ Jun 16th 2008 3:14AM
It's not touch sensetive buttons.
It's touch sensetive neck slides. In other words, what would constitute as a pick slide in GH (a fast scale of buttons) would most likely be replaced by a slide of the finger, on a surface probably like the touchpad of your laptop.
TWiNKiE @ Jun 16th 2008 3:21AM
Or at least I think so...
I don't know, the details are sorta rubbish...
juju187 @ Jun 15th 2008 7:37PM
you guys keep feeding the beast. GH5 $250 i called it.
jason @ Jun 15th 2008 7:39PM
Just let us use our Guitar Hero 3 controllers. That's why I'm skipping on Rock Band for the Wii.
Hafk @ Jun 15th 2008 8:44PM
They are. They have confirmed that you can use your old controllers.
WiiFTW @ Jun 15th 2008 7:42PM
Hmm...This has potential. It could either be touch sensitive with as many frets as an ordinary guitar (no plastic buttons, a bit more realistic) OR it could be lame as shit. My money's on the second one.
beatboxtaun @ Jun 15th 2008 7:44PM
I don't need a touch sensitive guitar!!!!! I have 4 fake guitars here, 3 for GH and 1 for RB, not to mention, 2 real ones! Why the hell do I need another one?! Sell the drums, software and mic as a seperate bundle. Oh, wait, they want to make more money! And why break it up, when they can just make you buy what you don't need at a higher price? Plus, the main people who are buying GH4 are return customers from the previous GH's, and very few new customers.
BeeDizz @ Jun 15th 2008 7:46PM
I dont think theyre talking about touch sensitive fret buttons. Its obviously some kind of touch sensitive "slide" below the frets that would work seperately. Sorta like the solo buttons on the Rockband guitar?
shadowchaoscontrol @ Jun 15th 2008 7:49PM
so they are completely useless, and i can still use the les paul
beatboxtaun @ Jun 15th 2008 7:46PM
If RB was smart, they'd release the songs that are set to be released on GH4 and less people will buy it. Hurry up, Harmonix, get with it!
Beatz @ Jun 15th 2008 7:47PM
"Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Foo Fighters, Smashing Pumpkins, Korn, System of a Down, Ozzy Osbourne, Interpol, Muse"
One of these bands is not like the other...
MobiusXP @ Jun 15th 2008 7:51PM
Touch sensitive guitar sounds fancy and somewhat cool, but I have a feeling that its not gonna be what I expected...
From what I'm seeing in the picture for the whole band thing, it seems kind of complicated, what is that for? With the whole scales and whatnot, are they gonna require people to have an understanding of music now?
RazorD @ Jun 15th 2008 8:13PM
That pricetag means they should be able to come in at £99 in the UK, and smash Rock Band out of the water. *pray*
Bellerophon @ Jun 15th 2008 8:17PM
Unless I actually see them touting how this feature affects the core GH gameplay then I can only see this "additional" feature no more than a gimmick for that music creation feature.
Seriously, I'm here to pretend to rock out, not try to make my own tunes to rock out to. If I wanted to do the latter I'd go grab a REAL guitar, some friends, hijack the garage every evening and piss off the neighbours.
87th @ Jun 15th 2008 8:31PM
"The Doors"
*pre-orders
Tegolin @ Jun 15th 2008 8:32PM
I never thought I would hate GH so much, when GH2 came out.
Eddie @ Jun 15th 2008 8:51PM
it would be kinda sweet if the strumbar was a touchpad.
For like ten seconds.
Purple Haze @ Jun 15th 2008 8:52PM
If they had Hendrix, Ozzy and The Doors (who don't have a bassist and the bass would probably be doing the keyboard) I would have to give it a chance.
Kieron @ Jun 15th 2008 9:19PM
Are we sure "touch sensitive" doesn't just mean that the guitar buttons will have velocity like a good musical keyboard (i.e. there's a difference between pressing the button really hard and pressing it lightly)?
Martez @ Jun 15th 2008 10:12PM
I was thinking that- or maybe the buttons were like touchpads so you could slide your finger on it to "bend" the note. That'd be a neat idea- not a dealbreaker by any means, but a neat idea. They've gotta try SOMETHING. So far it seems like they're just going to try everything and hope enough of it sticks.
Giroro @ Jun 15th 2008 9:30PM
You can see the touch sensitive part below the buttons in one of Joystiq's screenshots of the trailer
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m233/Diggydog01/ghwtaxe3.jpg
Giroro @ Jun 15th 2008 9:35PM
you can see it in this angle too. I's not as obvious, but there is a noticeable lack of those fake frets that are on the other GH controllers
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m233/Diggydog01/ghwtaxe1.jpg
cranium @ Jun 15th 2008 9:33PM
i thought 'touch sensitive' might refer to how hard you press the fret buttons to determine a 'bend' sound to your notes, similar to using the whammy bar. but in that promotional material up top the guitarist is holding the whammy as he strums. ..hmmm does that support or refute my suspicion?
Hoffer @ Jun 15th 2008 9:40PM
I put down $25 on the full bundle for GH:WT yesterday at Gamestop. Hardware is always limited at the release of stuff like this. So, I want to make sure I get it release day.
I've got 4 guitar controllers already. I figured I should get the GH4 one because it'll do something new. Looks like I was right.
Charli @ Jun 15th 2008 10:30PM
Maybe the buttons are someway touch-sensitive? That way you could add extra points for using tremolo for style by moving your finger left/right on the button when you're holding a long note. Sliding up/down on the buttons could be used to simulate string bend.
But probably too complicated for a plastic guitar.
lockheede @ Jun 15th 2008 9:41PM
Look at this pic (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b32wAU3XfqE). You can see the beginning of some rectangular shaped section right below the buttons.
Jim Halpert DM @ Jun 15th 2008 9:42PM
It would be so awesome if the touch pad replaced the strum bar and you used a pick stylus to strum a la Guitar Hero on Tour for the DS
lockheede @ Jun 15th 2008 9:42PM
Sorry ignore the link on that! Try this one!
http://www.joystiq.com/photos/guitar-hero-world-tour/818117//full/
ChooChooCharlie (MK 0430-8740-2222) @ Jun 15th 2008 9:50PM
My brain is telling me "No, you don't want this. You already have too many peripherals." But that band line up is telling me "Buy it. Buy it now. Buy two of them."
Please Harmonix, release some of the included tracks as DLC and stop me from this brash decision.
Jomolungma @ Jun 15th 2008 11:35PM
I don't want to brag, but if you look at my comment here: http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/21/guitar-hero-ivs-new-axe-spotted-activision-goes-indie/
(it's 9 posts down, incl. replies) I actually called this touch-sensitive feature on the new guitar. You can see it in the early pics. It looks distinctly like a long rectangle on the fret board, between the buttons and the body of the guitar. I'll be interested in seeing how it is implemented.
Brian Fantana @ Jun 16th 2008 12:41AM
All I can say is that if you can't use the tracks from GH3 and they don't include a mic, for singing, Activision can eat a dick.
Rock Band is really only fun when everyones making an ass out of themselves. And not using GH3 songs would just be retarded.
bob jones, cumlord @ Jun 16th 2008 1:51AM
Touch sensitive probably means you can do vibrato on each button for solos. That's my guess.
JRM @ Jun 16th 2008 6:04AM
Slide eh? ...maybe they'll incorporate some country music into the songlist...
Seriously though, all these new guitars/peripherals are really turning me off from the franchise. Especially because they get more complex each time. And, unlike real guitars, it's not like you need to buy them because you're looking for a different sound/tone. it's just some plastic case with extra functionality. Boooo!
VeganTnT @ Jun 16th 2008 7:24AM
why does it need to be touch sensitive?
they could easily add a button that slides back and forth on a rail (similar to the button on an equalizer) It would be cheaper and be easier to pull off since you have tactile response.
MariosInferno @ Jun 16th 2008 9:44AM
I'll pay $10 extra for a touch pad.
An eq slide sounds incredibly burndensome and far easier to break. I'd rather be able to just take my finger and slide it up and down the neck.
ToRo @ Jun 16th 2008 10:35AM
Ugh! Jimmy Hendrix? Damn it. I might have to buy this garbage. damn you jimmy for being the best guitarist!!!
Matt B @ Jun 16th 2008 11:25AM
Yet another way that Harmonix is being passed by, as Activision continues to innovate. And the fact that its going to be nearly fully supported on the Wii, unlike the gimped Rock Band, its another reason to buy GH:WT instead of RB.
B3astofthe3ast @ Jun 16th 2008 12:15PM
If by innovate, you mean completly stealing Harmonix's idea's and completly take credit for all that harmonix has done, then sure, they "innovated".
Matt B @ Jun 22nd 2008 5:06PM
And? Harmonix store the Guitar Hero idea from Guitar Freaks? And every FPS game maker stole that idea from Wolfeinstein 3D. Its called innovation- and its not just coming up with a new idea, its also taking an idea and making it better. Think Apple with the iPod.
Harmonix was lazy and just ported the PS2 version. Activision is giving us Wii owners what Harmonix should have done, if they actually cared about Wii owners and cared about innovating. DLC(from the SD card!!!), online play, Wiimote support, GH3 guitar compatibility, wireless drums, quiter drums, cymbals above the drum pads, slider on the guitar. Hello? Anybody who doesn't consider this innovation is blind.
Abscissa @ Jun 16th 2008 7:05PM
Touch-sensitive anything always ends up being crap. It pisses me off that companies (like portable-music-player manufacturers) keep cranking that shit out like it was trendy. Hell, if I could still find a laptop with a built-in optical trackball instead of one of those worthless touchpads, I would get it in a heartbeat. So yea, count me out.
(Sometimes stylus stuff is ok though, like on a PalmOS PDA or a DS)
Hafk @ Jun 16th 2008 8:27PM
You never know until you use it in action.
The only thing I fear about the pad is loosing sense of where your hand is. Granted, I file and sand off the yellow button nudge on my GH controllers, but I still "feel" the five buttons.
Megamanxu @ Jun 19th 2008 11:10PM
just make the song harder... please...
one of my sugestion, which they will NEVER EVER do, is, making guitar hero like a cd player, just buy new cd, know wat i mean. but since they want more money then i guess that's not gonna do it XD.
touch sensitive eh? hmm i guess i can finally do solos with my tongue via stick the guitar in my mouth and "slide" using my tongue.
Tucker @ Jun 21st 2008 8:59AM
The touch-screen is used during sustained notes to slide the note up and down (think a more advanced whammy). It is also used to tap notes to play (instead of strumming I believe). It's biggest feature is that in the song creator, it adds staccato (shortness) and sustains to notes. Also, hold the back button while strumming to make a palm-mute sound. Hope that helped, see more here. http://ps3.ign.com/articles/882/882949p3.html
Ryry @ Jul 23rd 2008 10:57PM
Dudes y haven't we put the best of all songs on a guitar hero yet "Stairway to heaven" by Led Zepplin or The Beatles or Neil Young-"Like a Hurrican" or "Ohio" or "CORTEZ THE KILLER"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! or "Sounds of Silence"-Simon and Garfunkel, "Goodbye Blue Sky"-Pink Floyd. More Jimmy Hendrix like all along the watchtower and castles made of sand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No Wonder I haven't bought a guitar hero yet I don't care what the price is just ass long as it has songs worth getting it for.