Mad Catz shows off line of Rock Band 2 peripherals at E3
by Griffin McElroy 
{ Jul 19th 2008 at 12:30PM }
We all know that the talent of a musical performer is less important than the instrument through which they channel their rocking energies -- that's why we were pleased as punch to get a look at Mad Catz's impressive line of Rock Band 2 peripherals during E3. Sure, $200 might sound outrageous for a controller, but after viewing their full-sized (and realistically weighted) wireless Stratocaster and Precision Bass guitars, complete with foot pedals for easier "overdrive" activation, the list of things we would rather drop two Benjamins on quickly evaporated.
The heavyweight axes will be available Q1 2009, but Engadget got a sneak peek at some of Catz's less publicized periphs, due out this fall. These include M.I.C. ($30), a microphone with built-in buttons from a standard Xbox 360 controller, Portable Drums ($60), which include four flat pads that can be used on any surface, the "Official Cymbals" ($30 for 3 or $15 each), which will plug into three slots on the kit's center console, and the Kick Drum Screen -- though we're not exactly comfortable calling a circular piece of cardboard you apply to the front of your faux drum kit a "peripheral".
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Demaar @ Jul 19th 2008 12:38PM
You'd have to have to much money to even consider buying these. I mean, I'm toying with the idea of buying the Ion premium drums, but that's mostly because it closer emulates a real drumming experience. These are the same ol' guitars with pretty shells. Pointless.
NoHitHair @ Jul 19th 2008 7:11PM
There's also the issue of these products having any association with MadCatz. You might as well toss your wallet into a garbage disposal - it'll save you gas money and the result's the same.
Lord Bowser @ Jul 19th 2008 12:41PM
Greed will be the death of the music genre.
Proverbs 11:18
The wicked man earns deceptive wages
Isaiah 5:8
Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field till no space is left and you live alone in the land.
dark_inchworm @ Jul 19th 2008 1:21PM
You can keep whining all damn day and the music genre's not going to disappear. It's been wildly popular for years, it's helped introduce key demographics to video games in general, and it's a lot more fun than tuning in to garbage radio. Come back when they've got Linkin Park in your Mario Bros., and maybe we'll start a riot.
Tiptup300 @ Jul 19th 2008 1:30PM
Choice will be the life of the music genre. I mean, I have like 5 different things I could buy. OR I could go buy a real guitar for cheap just to try it out ON TOP of rock band.
mr mobius @ Jul 19th 2008 9:38PM
So would you buy a Rock Band Christian music DLC pack or would you buy a fully Christian version of Guitar Hero with contemporary music eg Casting Crowns, Chris Tomlin, Jars of Clay etc.
Jhongerkong @ Jul 19th 2008 12:52PM
$200 ain't that expensive when you compare it to a Cobalt Flux. Its like $300 (with shipping being $200) and thats just for a dance pad.
copa @ Jul 19th 2008 1:25PM
I don't trust anything made by Mad Catz. I may be forced to drop $30 for the Cymbals if nobody else is making them.
jsn @ Jul 19th 2008 1:30PM
at that price you're better off buying the $300 Ion set. At least it can become a real drum set or at the very least, be sold as one if you get tired of it.
umm....hello??? @ Jul 19th 2008 1:36PM
umm....yeah!! I can finally live my dream of being like Milli Vanilli(sp?) and charge outrageous amounts of money for concerts which I don't actually perform! Bring on the cardboard drum screen! (but seriously, why no double-bass drum pedal setup?)
wes @ Jul 20th 2008 9:19PM
The new drumsets actually have a slot for another pedal.It was shown on engadget thursday or so.
Max @ Jul 19th 2008 1:38PM
Why are there 2 strum buttons on the guitar?
Nassin @ Jul 19th 2008 2:11PM
for playing certain lines of notes faster. It will be more useful for bass players that like to strum upwards. the more and more I hear about those guitars the more and more I like them but the sheer fact that is mad catz kills it.
Xoviet chiK @ Jul 20th 2008 3:45AM
Wow, didn't notice that. Why two though? I had no trouble at all using two fingers for up-strumming 99% of all songs on the Rock Band disc (I'll be damned if I can ever get through Expert Run to the Hills though!). Nice thought, but I'd much rather have three strum bars. Jazz Bass would be nice too.
...You are absolutely right though. Mad Catz kills the entire deal.
Mr. Bungo @ Jul 19th 2008 3:15PM
I'd love to have a full-size Strat controller (the stomp box for overdrive is a great touch), but I just can't justify buying a gutted Squier Strat for more than I could buy a complete one I might actually learn to play guitar on. I'm not one of those "games suck, real instruments rool" dorks. That price point for a pretend instrument just crosses a line for me. The fact that they're being retro-fitted by Mad Catz also gives me pause. That company's not known for quality, and who knows how buttons made out what was meant to be a real fret board will play or hold up.
The Ion drum set makes more sense, since it can actually BE a real instrument. But realities of space and pocketbook being what they are, I'll settle for the new stock instruments. I might spring for those cymbals if they review well. They look fun.
Holly @ Jul 19th 2008 3:21PM
Your link about the cymbals is a little misleading. The $30 pack of 3 cymbals is for the basic Rock Band 2 drum kit that comes with the Rock Band 2 bundle, not for the Ion set. The Ion Drum Rocker comes with two cymbals already, with a third one sold separately for $50. I'm assuming there's a pretty big quality/durabiliy difference between $10-$15 plastic cymbals and $50 plastic cymbals, but we'll see.
Saria the Cat @ Jul 19th 2008 3:58PM
Okay, it looks cool, I admit. However the drums are already taking up way too much space in our small apartment so adding all that extra stuff would just make it ridiculous.
Spirit @ Jul 19th 2008 4:09PM
When people said "stop playin geetar hero n play the reel guitar lol", it pissed me off. With the controller, guitar Hero was only $80. The drum controller showed earlier was fine too, as you could turn in into a real drumset.
However, the $200 for a controller is just ridiculous. And I doubt that price is because of the cost of making it - For $200, you can get one of those Squier 'strat packs' which is a Squier strat (which I imagine thats what the Mad Catz guitar is, just with all the electronics in it gutted out..) AND a little amplifier and other accessories.
Besides, can anyone trust Mad Catz peripherals?
Me @ Jul 19th 2008 5:01PM
What's the point of putting symbols on rockband drums? There's still only four "notes"(or whatever they're called), and I don't think hitting the symbols instead of the pads make it any easier. This is why guitar hero four's drums are superior.
Seroth @ Jul 19th 2008 6:30PM
The fact that cymbals are OPTIONAL negates the need for a "point." It just looks cool. Not everything needs to make sense.
Mr. Bungo @ Jul 19th 2008 7:37PM
From what I understand, the Mad Catz cymbals do add functionality to the game. This is all just hearsay from E3, so it may not be 100% accurate, but I think the cymbals work like this:
The game will know if you have cymbals plugged in to the drum set, and change a few things. During fills and during the drum trainer mode, the cymbals will all sound like cymbals and the drum pads will all sound like drums. This gives you more to work with in creating fills or going nuts in the big rock endings. During the normal note tracks, the cymbals will just double for the pads of the same color, but if the actual sound in the song is a cymbal, you'll get more points for hitting a cymbal than hitting a pad.
Sounds like they do actually change game play a bit, but it's definitely not the same as GHWT's fifth note track. Still, it's enough to sound like fun. As someone who's still getting a hang of Rock Band's drums on Medium, I probably couldn't handle 5 drum notes and a pedal anyway. :o)
Bacon @ Jul 19th 2008 5:14PM
Even if I actually wanted them for a second, I would hope you could flip them around.
/left-handed
LocalToast @ Jul 19th 2008 7:39PM
With all the money some people will be putting into Rock Band accessories, they could seriously learn a real instrument and maybe even form a band.
I may buy a wireless guitar, but that's about it. I don't need anything fancy. On the other hand, there's always that Rock Band Stage Kit with fog and lights...
Nietha @ Jul 19th 2008 9:26PM
My brother-in-law's in a band and aside from real instruments, the other gear's sickly expensive. Even if you happened to form a band in which everyone owned their own instrument, you'd then all have to chip in for the other stuff. Once you think you're good enough to record, studio time is way expensive. Gigs around your area may pay your gas and food money. If you're lucky, you could afford drinks too.
Dell @ Jul 19th 2008 10:46PM
Mad Catz as it may be, I do trust Harmonix, i'd like to think they wouldn't back the Catz unless they were confident the goods were up to standard...
My GH1 and 2 guitars got all kinds of punishment and have survived, but my GH3 guitar went to the shop twice, and once was a defect on the mint controller. They told me it was the third today. :(
Trust for Harmonix, disdain for Mad Catz. Do they cancel one another out? Perhaps, but it's still friggen expensive.
Jim @ Jul 21st 2008 11:40AM
I will comment on two things,.. First off I am a drummer with 20 years studio and live experience. I love this game! I think it is a great way to learn to play and get your hands moving. My first comment about this game would be that the people making the controller should add a bassdrum pedal in series with the other pedal to create a double bass drum environment, for Metalica and other such bands that use double bass. Secondly, this sites stated "We all know that the talent of a musical performer is less important than the instrument through which they channel their rocking energies" this comment is totaly offbase and wrong. I have heard awsome musicians play on terible equipment and there talent total shows. I have also heard musicians with tons of money buy $10,000 drumsets or guitars and they suck!!! The size or price of the instrument makes no difference. Therefore the talent of a musical performer is very important!!! You have to practice to be good!! You dont just buy a good kit and expect everyone to love you!!!!
Dave W. @ Jul 21st 2008 12:12PM
I am a drummer of 40 plus years and I agree with Jim all the way. I think this company is just trying to get people to buy more expensive stuff. But if they were going to the most realistic set up with the bare minimums they should have a double bass pedal, hihat pedal, two toms, snare drum, ride, and 1 crash cymbol. With a kit this size you can do anything. The only problem with adding a working hihat pedal is the coordination. It take time and practice and pattience to master any instrument. keep practicing.
Dave