Tim Schafer, speaking to a group of (likely excited) game journalists, broke the hard truth last week during GDC 2009: "I was trying to figure out how you would throw down the controller and pick up the guitar," he said. MTV Multiplayer is reporting that Mr. Schafer then told the group there are "no plans" for guitar controller compatibility in the upcoming Double Fine-developed, EA-published game.
We've got one question for you, Mr. Schafer: WHAT?! But rather than mull over the fact that we won't be literally melting enemies' faces In Brütal Legend with our plastic guitars -- a travesty, no doubt about it -- we'll instead spend our time once again perusing the gallery of screens below, looking forward to its eventual release.
Reader Comments (47)
Posted: Apr 3rd 2009 10:10PM PR0F3TA said
Game looks promising...
using your guitar controllers would suck... better off without it
using your guitar controllers would suck... better off without it
Posted: Apr 3rd 2009 11:51PM WiredKnight said
I think it would be neat if they left it in as an optional thing. I agree that they shouldn't center the gameplay around the guitar controller, but it could be a fun little perk if you happen to own one.
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Posted: Apr 4th 2009 11:32PM usualyksint said
i didn't even consider using a guitar in this game - it wouldn't work, it's like saying halo should be compatible with a steering wheel cos there's a warthog in it.
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Posted: Apr 3rd 2009 10:19PM Roto13 said
*sadface*
Posted: Apr 3rd 2009 10:25PM DrScientist said
Well, I suppose it didn't really affect me, not having a guitar controller anyways. Tho I must be one of the last gamers to have not played a Rock Band or Guitar Hero game. And I loved Amplitude and Frequency....
Is it possible to get a lot of enjoyment out of Rock Band 2 or the newest Guitar Hero with just a single guitar (I don't like the idea of a drum set cluttering up my small apartment). Also, if it would be fun, which would be the best guitar to get for Xbox 360.
Is it possible to get a lot of enjoyment out of Rock Band 2 or the newest Guitar Hero with just a single guitar (I don't like the idea of a drum set cluttering up my small apartment). Also, if it would be fun, which would be the best guitar to get for Xbox 360.
Posted: Apr 4th 2009 12:53AM KeegdnaB said
You can definately get your money's worth in RB2 with just the guitar. Just be aware that if you're an achievement whore, a few of them are specific to drums or vocals.
As far as which guitar to get....before I got rock band I preferred the WT guitar but now that I've gotten used to the Strat, I liking it alot more
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As far as which guitar to get....before I got rock band I preferred the WT guitar but now that I've gotten used to the Strat, I liking it alot more
Posted: Apr 4th 2009 2:34AM MasterYogurt said
The Rock Band 2 Strat is nearly perfect. It has excellent strum action, detection, and is, best of all, totally, absolutely silent. And it feels great too; it's a good, solid size that feels reasonably realistic. Plus its built-in camera and mic to auto-calibrate tv and audio lag is the best thing to happen to the rhythm genre, EVER.
I have more FUN, in general, with the RB2 guitar, due to its more realistic feel. However, when I'm focusing on score, I still stick with my trusty old XPlorer. I feel like I get the absolute tightest control off of that guitar; plus, it's the one I beat Jordan with, and I custom-painted it, so it's got some history to it.
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I have more FUN, in general, with the RB2 guitar, due to its more realistic feel. However, when I'm focusing on score, I still stick with my trusty old XPlorer. I feel like I get the absolute tightest control off of that guitar; plus, it's the one I beat Jordan with, and I custom-painted it, so it's got some history to it.
Posted: Apr 4th 2009 11:22AM DrScientist said
Looks like I'll be going with the Rock Band 2 Strat. and Rock Band 2.
More due to it being the only guitar within a 100 mile radius that I can find in a store (living in small town South Dakota doesn't help much)
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More due to it being the only guitar within a 100 mile radius that I can find in a store (living in small town South Dakota doesn't help much)
Posted: Apr 3rd 2009 10:34PM NutMan said
That was the only thing getting me excited for it so I don't know about this game anymore...
Hopefully once more details are revealed I will change my mind.
Hopefully once more details are revealed I will change my mind.
Posted: Apr 3rd 2009 10:38PM F1 Basu Gasu Bakuhatsu said
I think Vader said it best.
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Posted: Apr 3rd 2009 11:00PM Sly C said
i think this says it better
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Posted: Apr 3rd 2009 11:19PM (Unverified) said
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Posted: Apr 3rd 2009 10:40PM (Unverified) said
holy shit, being able to play parts of the game with an RB controller would be the sweetest thing evrar! (as long as it was optional or something)
Posted: Apr 3rd 2009 10:41PM Jonman said
Can't say I disagree with Schafer. Playing with a guitar sounds too much like a gimmick.
Posted: Apr 3rd 2009 10:41PM (Unverified) said
Why not? Thats what this game needs, something unique and awesome to help it stand out from the rest.
I'd been kicking around the idea (I say kicking around because do to the lack of a Wii dev kit, my only available option is to pull a Bob) of combining the Guitar Hero Guitars with the Balance Board (in gameplay, not real life) to form an awesome ski/snowboarding game where tricks are pulled off by completing insane guitar solos. The more insane the solo, the more awesome the trick, the more points you score.
As for Brutal Legend, I've come up with this so far: Each enemy would have a weakness (Red, Blue, etc.) combos (riffs) would increase your score, you could hold a note to charge it up, if you time your whammy bar right you could cause a critical hit on an enemy's weakpoint for massive damage, activating star power sends you on a rampage where your attacks deal either 2/3/5 times the damage or all critical hits (for the critical hits one, the meter would have to take a while to fill to stop it from being unbalanced), and Boss Battles could be guitar duels.
Anyone else have any suggestions?
I'd been kicking around the idea (I say kicking around because do to the lack of a Wii dev kit, my only available option is to pull a Bob) of combining the Guitar Hero Guitars with the Balance Board (in gameplay, not real life) to form an awesome ski/snowboarding game where tricks are pulled off by completing insane guitar solos. The more insane the solo, the more awesome the trick, the more points you score.
As for Brutal Legend, I've come up with this so far: Each enemy would have a weakness (Red, Blue, etc.) combos (riffs) would increase your score, you could hold a note to charge it up, if you time your whammy bar right you could cause a critical hit on an enemy's weakpoint for massive damage, activating star power sends you on a rampage where your attacks deal either 2/3/5 times the damage or all critical hits (for the critical hits one, the meter would have to take a while to fill to stop it from being unbalanced), and Boss Battles could be guitar duels.
Anyone else have any suggestions?
Posted: Apr 3rd 2009 10:57PM DVersion said
I think that would be a good idea if not for the fact that brutal legend has it's own thing going with the army controls and whatnot.
The thing is the guitar controller is only good if you believe you're holding a guitar. Once you get down to using it to hit buttons and move around you kind of break the idea of it and it becomes an un-wieldy controller.
I think if you throw down some kind of guitar-based fighting game it might work. just constant string of riffs to rack up combos and counters would be a neat, if not terrible, idea.
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The thing is the guitar controller is only good if you believe you're holding a guitar. Once you get down to using it to hit buttons and move around you kind of break the idea of it and it becomes an un-wieldy controller.
I think if you throw down some kind of guitar-based fighting game it might work. just constant string of riffs to rack up combos and counters would be a neat, if not terrible, idea.
Posted: Apr 4th 2009 7:58PM (Unverified) said
Your idea was pitiful until you said "massive damage." Do want.
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Posted: Apr 3rd 2009 10:45PM Cafecito said
I'm okay with not using the guitar. I don't even have one, actually.
Posted: Apr 3rd 2009 10:51PM Walsh said
Pretty sure the fact its a Tim Schafer game and its a homage to 80s hair metal already helps it stand out enough.
Posted: Apr 4th 2009 12:40PM The Monarch said
Hair metal is the ENEMY, man!
In this game, AND in real life.
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In this game, AND in real life.
Posted: Apr 4th 2009 12:41PM The Monarch said
Oh, hey, look at that. My avatar actually changed correctly.
Classy, no?
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Classy, no?
Posted: Apr 4th 2009 12:41PM The Monarch said
Ah, but when you click on it, you get Mark Gormley.........hm..........I didn't even upload that.......
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Posted: Apr 4th 2009 12:46PM The Monarch said
OK WHAT THE FUCK IT WENT BACK TO THE OTHER PICTURE AGAIN JESUS H. SKULLFUCKING CHRIST
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Posted: Apr 4th 2009 12:47PM The Monarch said
OK NOW WHEN I CLICK ON THE PICTURE IT GOES TO THE PICTURE THAT I WANTED TO BE THE AVATAR PICTURE AND THE PICTURE THAT WAS WHERE THAT PICTURE WAS DOESN'T EXIST ANYMORE
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Posted: Apr 4th 2009 12:49PM The Monarch said
and now its back to the correct picture..........
WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?!
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WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?!
Posted: Apr 3rd 2009 10:57PM dr steve brule said
man it would have been awesome, they should still give it the option to use the guitar and if not just make it time press events or whatever without it. we need more games that use instruments other than gh and rb
do it tim, do it
do it tim, do it
Posted: Apr 3rd 2009 11:10PM jhowlett said
it could be an optional thing, i remember playing a few games on the nes that used the game pad and light gun. i don't have a guitar controller so as long as it's an extra for those that do
Posted: Apr 3rd 2009 11:53PM Premature ejaculation man said
Could make it a coop feature akin to UR MR GAY. The other person could help sometimes by rocking out
Posted: Apr 4th 2009 1:01AM Nobledevil Gaming Optimist said
Oh, DAMNIT! That woulda been the coolest idea for a game in years. Hopefully fan response may yet convince him to leave it in as an option chosen by each individual player. A quick pause screen telling us if we want to change controllers during a boss fight or something would so damn sweet I'd buy a guitar controller JUST for this game.
Posted: Apr 4th 2009 6:27AM ashstampede said
considering my guitar hero controller is just collecting dust It wouldnt be a gimmick. AS for as switching over your controllers I dont see how it would be hard. Most people have coffee tables and the guitar controllers have straps. So when the game need the guitar control bits do some flashy intro to the "guitar finishing move", player puts controller on coffee table and take the guitar controller that you had around you with the strap and rock out.
Posted: Apr 4th 2009 11:24AM (Unverified) said
The game is and appears stupid, the actual actor when he portrayed things and stated things at the evil and abomination that is the VGA awards even made that more blatant.
Ignoring his poor English skills and offensive vocabulary, I have to wonder why in that picture the guy is smoking?
It seems that this game is simply a collection of all that is stupid and the problem with our society... it doesn't even make sense in any form of fiction, and that's just stupid.
Sigh...
Ignoring his poor English skills and offensive vocabulary, I have to wonder why in that picture the guy is smoking?
It seems that this game is simply a collection of all that is stupid and the problem with our society... it doesn't even make sense in any form of fiction, and that's just stupid.
Sigh...
Posted: Apr 6th 2009 6:19AM (Unverified) said
It's only a game. Chill out.
And +1 to optional guitar support included!
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And +1 to optional guitar support included!
Posted: Apr 4th 2009 1:23PM kid said
You took the words right out of my mouth. I literally was about to come in here and post the same comment. I don't understand this "Jack Black plague" that is sweeping the nation. He isn't funny. His entire career is based on making a "totally awesome sweet" statement and then going COMPELTY TOTTALLY NUTS ABOUT IT.
I also just don't see the allure of a Metal themed open world. I guess all those people who want to burn in hell and thrash on their guitar while doing so, with Jack Black, will really enjoy this game
I also just don't see the allure of a Metal themed open world. I guess all those people who want to burn in hell and thrash on their guitar while doing so, with Jack Black, will really enjoy this game
Posted: Apr 4th 2009 5:50PM hanspecans said
i had a little interest in this game with the use of the guitar controller. now i have zero interest.








