Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Activision giving free guitar with UK pre-orders of Guitar Hero: World Tour bundlehttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/20/activision-giving-free-guitar-with-uk-pre-orders-of-guitar-hero/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/20/activision-giving-free-guitar-with-uk-pre-orders-of-guitar-hero/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/20/activision-giving-free-guitar-with-uk-pre-orders-of-guitar-hero/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


We imagine that Activision Blizzard has more green cash money than a number of medium-sized countries thanks to their ownership of some ridiculously profitable franchises. While the skeptical industry analyst might expect them to sit on their surplus, or perhaps swim through it Scrooge McDuck style, a recent announcement from Activision revealed that they're using said wealth to provide faux-rockers with a pretty terrific pre-order bonus for Guitar Hero: World Tour -- an extra guitar peripheral.

As far as we can tell, the offer is only extended to those living (and purchasing rhythm games) in the UK, and is limited to pre-orders of the GH:WT bundle (currently retailing for £150 in most online stores). While it's scientific fact that the modern gaming enthusiast already owns approximately seven guitar peripherals, newcomers to the rockstar simulation genre will now be able to play with a full band without incurring any pesky fees for an extra axe. Would-be bassists, rejoice!

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]]>activisionactivision-blizzardbassguitarguitar-hero-world-tourpre-orderGriffin McElroy2008-09-20T15:30:00+00:00PS3 Fanboy gets its hands on Starpex's wooden guitarhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/ps3-fanboy-gets-its-hands-on-starpexs-wooden-guitar/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/ps3-fanboy-gets-its-hands-on-starpexs-wooden-guitar/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/ps3-fanboy-gets-its-hands-on-starpexs-wooden-guitar/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Our friends at PS3 Fanboy recently had a chance to try out the guitar equivalent of the ION Drum Rocker: Starpex's premium (i.e. not plastic) guitar controller, which more or less looks like a gutted Fender Stratocaster. Their verdict is that the Starpex plays very well, but the $180 price tag is likely to turn off more than a few people. Bonus points for being fully compatible with both Guitar Hero and Rock Band, but no word on an Xbox 360 version. The Starpex will be available for PlayStation 3 and PS2 rockers, with a Wii version reportedly on the way later.

Gallery: Starpex Guitar

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]]>guitarguitar-heropeakrock-bandstarpexRoss Miller2008-08-28T10:15:00+00:00Joystiq's Instrument Compatibility Matrix, v3.0http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/19/joystiqs-instrument-compatibility-matrix-v3-0/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/19/joystiqs-instrument-compatibility-matrix-v3-0/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/19/joystiqs-instrument-compatibility-matrix-v3-0/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

With Sony shedding some new light on the sea of plastic instrument compatibility nonsense, we thought it was time to update our compatibility charts for the Guitar Hero and Rock Band series, as well as newcomer Rock Revolution. Introducing the Instrument Compatibility Matrix, version 3.0. We'll keep updating this page as new information percolates out, hoping one day to fill in every square with a green "yes." Until that time, check out our chart skills.

Update: Now with more green care of Microsoft's compatibility commitment.

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]]>activisioncomparisoncomparison-chartcompatibilitydrumsghwtguitarguitar-heroguitar-hero-world-tourharmonixjoystiqfeatureskonamimatrixneversoftrock-bandrock-band-2rock-revolutiontabulatorRoss Miller2008-08-19T09:00:00+00:00Mad Catz shows off line of Rock Band 2 peripherals at E3http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/19/mad-catz-shows-off-line-of-rock-band-2-peripherals-at-e3/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/19/mad-catz-shows-off-line-of-rock-band-2-peripherals-at-e3/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/19/mad-catz-shows-off-line-of-rock-band-2-peripherals-at-e3/#commentsFiled under: ,


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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]]>basscymbalsdrumsguitarmad-catzperipheralsprecision-bassrock-band-2stratocasterGriffin McElroy2008-07-19T12:30:00+00:00Nyko guitar compatibility informationhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/nyko-guitar-compatibility-information/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/nyko-guitar-compatibility-information/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/nyko-guitar-compatibility-information/#commentsFiled under: , ,


After talking with Nyko this morning, we wanted to know about the compatibility of the company's wireless FrontMan guitars for Rock Band and Guitar Hero games. There is currently no Xbox 360 wireless guitar because the company hasn't resolved licensing issues with Microsoft. Check out the compatibility after the break; in the future we may make one of our official Joystiq compatibility guitar matrices for third-party guitars.


PS3 FrontMan
  • Rock Band
  • All Guitar Hero games
  • Can't be used with PS2

PS2 FrontMan
  • All Guitar Hero games
  • Rock Band
  • Can't be used with PS3

Wii FrontMan
  • All Guitar Hero games
  • Not Rock Band

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]]>e3-2008guitarguitar-compatibilitynykoAlexander Sliwinski2008-07-16T08:00:00+00:00Rock Band 2 to feature the late Bo Diddley's guitarhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/08/rock-band-2-to-feature-the-late-bo-diddleys-guitar/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/08/rock-band-2-to-feature-the-late-bo-diddleys-guitar/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/08/rock-band-2-to-feature-the-late-bo-diddleys-guitar/#commentsFiled under:


Rock and Roll legend Bo Diddley passed away from heart failure Monday at the age of 79. Widely acknowledged as the forefather of the mid-century rock revolution, Diddley was a musical genius, responsible for inspiring numerous other rock gods of his era. In one obituary for Diddley, it was announced that his recognizable "cigar-box shaped" guitar would be featured in the "impending" Rock Band 2. Unfortunately, we imagine they're talking about an unlockable guitar actually inside the game, and not about any kind of bundled peripheral.

Whether Harmonix planned for this to be a tribute to the blues luminary is unclear -- regardless, we'll be chomping at the bit to get Diddley's rectangular axe into the hands of our imaginary six-string virtuosos whenever the sequel to our third-best game of 2007 hits store shelves.

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]]>bo-diddleybodiddleycigar-boxdiddleyguitarharmonixobituaryrock-bandrock-band-2Griffin McElroy2008-06-08T23:00:00+00:00Gamestop prices Guitar Hero: World Tour bundle at $189http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/25/gamestop-prices-guitar-hero-world-tour-bundle-at-189/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/25/gamestop-prices-guitar-hero-world-tour-bundle-at-189/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/25/gamestop-prices-guitar-hero-world-tour-bundle-at-189/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


In order to remain competitive with Harmonix's pre-existing multi-instrument rockstar simulator, Activision's upcoming entry in their insanely lucrative franchise, Guitar Hero: World Tour, needs to match the price of the game it so closely resembles, Rock Band. According to a recent listing on Gamestop, it'll do just that -- the game alone will cost $59.99 on PS3 and 360 ($49.99 on Wii and PS2), a "guitar kit" bundle will run you $99.99, and the full band kit (which we assume will contain a guitar, a mic, and a drum kit) will run you $189.99 on 360, Wii and PS3, and $179.99 on PS2.

If these prices are accurate, you'll be paying $20 more for Activision's bundle than Harmonix's -- perhaps their five-piece drum kit costs more to produce than Rock Band's four-head. We don't mind shelling out the extra Jackson to get our hands on Activision's new skins -- the thousands of dollars we'll spend expanding our living room to contain two fake drum kits and four fake guitars, however, may have a noticeable impact on our finances.

[Thanks, Hashbrown Hunter.]

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]]>activisionbundledrumsgamestopguitarguitar-heroguitar-hero-world-tourguitarheropriceGriffin McElroy2008-05-25T13:30:00+00:00Nyko ships PS3 Rock Band/GH III compatible guitarhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/05/nyko-releases-ps3-rock-band-gh-iii-compatible-guitar/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/05/nyko-releases-ps3-rock-band-gh-iii-compatible-guitar/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/05/nyko-releases-ps3-rock-band-gh-iii-compatible-guitar/#commentsFiled under: ,


Nyko is now shipping to retailers its Rock Band/Guitar Hero III compatible Front Man wireless guitar for PS3. The third party controller is $60, which is the same price some retailers charge for first party controllers.

The Front Man guitar works up to 25 ft and allegedly gets 80 hours of play time, it also uses a "stomp box" to switch between the two rival rhythm games. It's great that the guitar is compatible with both games unlike the first party controllers, but isn't the whole point of a third party peripheral to be much less expensive than first party? Oh well, we had no complaints about the controller when we got some hands-on time with it at GDC. The Front Man seems like an alternative for those who need another ax quick and a first party controller isn't at the store .

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]]>gh-iiighiiiguitarnykoperipheralrock-bandAlexander Sliwinski2008-04-05T08:00:00+00:00Guitar Hero: Beatles Edition a possibilityhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/18/guitar-hero-beatles-edition-a-possibility/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/18/guitar-hero-beatles-edition-a-possibility/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/18/guitar-hero-beatles-edition-a-possibility/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Aerosmith is one thing, but a version of Guitar Hero packed with Beatles songs would be the holy grail for many classic rock fans. Unfortunately, that possibility has seemed as ephemeral as the holy grail itself, as Sony/ATV has been extremely protective of digital distribution of the Fab Four's back catalog (it's not even available on iTunes).

There is some reason to hope though, with L.A. Times reporting that Sony/ATV CEO Marty Bandier has said putting Beatles songs into a Guitar Hero game is "something we have talked about and something I'd like to pursue." Whether that possibility is something Activision would also like to pursue is not yet clear, but if the companies can Come Together, they'd both have a Ticket To Ride right to the bank. Come on Activision, Please Please Us and make this thing happen!

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]]>activisionbeatlesbreakingnewsclassic-rockguitarguitar-heroharmonixlicenseSony/ATVKyle Orland2008-03-18T10:00:00+00:00Two feet, two guitars, one interesting Guitar Hero phenomenonhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/05/two-feet-two-guitars-one-interesting-guitar-hero-phenomenon/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/05/two-feet-two-guitars-one-interesting-guitar-hero-phenomenon/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/05/two-feet-two-guitars-one-interesting-guitar-hero-phenomenon/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Have no friends? No self-respect? No foot fungus? Then the below video of an unorthodox method for playing two Guitar Hero parts at once might just be for you!

When tipster Rob first sent us this extraordinary video, we thought it was somewhat unique. Apparently, though, playing Guitar Hero with your feet became a minor internet trend while we weren't looking. Some wimp out by only doing a solo part, or using their hands for one of the parts. Some use their feet out of necessity, others out of camaraderie. Some take it seriously and some just ham it up. But all of them use their feet for a game that ostensibly requires hands.

One other thing seems constant too... they all pretty much suck. Unsurprisingly, hitting those fret buttons with your stinky toes makes it nearly impossible to play on anything past Easy difficulty ... and even then it's no bed of roses. Think you can prove us wrong? Send us your video of Expert-level, foot-controlled Guitar Hero and we guarantee you a spot of internet semi-fame on this very page. To those about to rock with their feet ... we salute you.

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]]>activisionfeetGHguitarguitar heroGuitarHeroharmonixred octaneRedOctaneKyle Orland2008-02-05T21:00:00+00:00Rock Band guitar gets real string modhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/05/rock-band-guitar-gets-real-string-mod/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/05/rock-band-guitar-gets-real-string-mod/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/05/rock-band-guitar-gets-real-string-mod/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Practically anyone who's played Guitar Hero and/or Rock Band has probably come across that one jerk who just can't help denigrating the simple fun of the rhythm game experience. "That's not even close to playing a real guitar," he'll say in a snide, nasally voice. "The guitar doesn't even have strings!" Well, if you want to show up that pompous prick, may we suggest you queue up the below video of a modded, stringed Rock Band guitar on a laptop and then RUB IT IN HIS FACE AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Ahem. Anyway, while this single-stringed beast still has a ways to go to match a real six-string guitar, it looks like it captures the axe-grinding experience a little more authentically. Here's hoping that some sort of officially licensed, purchasable version of this type of guitar will be available soon.

[Via Engadget]

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]]>activisionEAguitarguitar heroGuitarHerohackmodMTVrock bandRockBandstringKyle Orland2008-02-05T02:00:00+00:00PS2 guitar pedal allows for precision rockinghttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/30/ps2-guitar-pedal-allows-for-precision-rocking/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/30/ps2-guitar-pedal-allows-for-precision-rocking/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/30/ps2-guitar-pedal-allows-for-precision-rocking/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Sure, everyone loves activating star power and wailing on the whammy bar in Guitar Hero. But for a certain, incredibly anal subset of players, these actions and their distracting arm movements represent potential streak killers. Well, those finicky gamers are in luck, because peripheral maker React has now released a foot pedal that transfers those pesky arm motions to your feet, which were just sitting there tapping out a rhythm before.

The wireless pedals, which require 4 AA batteries and work with any PS2 guitar, might seem steep at $25, but they're a bargain for the truly compulsive GH player. As the sole Best Buy reviewer put it, "I bought this pedal primarily because activating Star Power by raising my guitar usually results in missed notes." And was we all know, rock music is about exacting precision above all else.

[Thanks Dan]

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]]>activisionghguitarguitar-heropedalsPS2red octaneRedOctanestar-powerwhammy-barKyle Orland2008-01-30T14:00:00+00:00Mad Catz to make Rock Band instrumentshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/04/mad-catz-to-make-rock-band-instruments/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/04/mad-catz-to-make-rock-band-instruments/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/04/mad-catz-to-make-rock-band-instruments/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

With the absolute flood of third-party guitars for the Guitar Hero series, it's not that surprising that accessory-makers are jumping on the Rock Band-wagon, too. Well, at least one is. Mad Catz today announced a "multi-year licensing agreement" with MTV Games to produce "both wired and wireless bass guitars, a drum percussion set bundled with professional quality wooden drum sticks, and a wired microphone."

While having extra options for drum kits and microphones is nice, the addition of officially licensed, wireless, third-party guitars will be welcome news to PS3 owners tired of not being able to use their Guitar Hero III guitars with Rock Band and Xbox 360 owners tired of tripping over wires -- not to mention general Rock Band owners tired of replacing their broken bundled guitars. The instruments will be available in the "first half of 2008," according to the release.

While the release specifically addresses Rock Band instruments, it also leaves the door open for other applicable "game accessories." We personally can't wait for the inevitable pyrotechnics launcher that goes off every time you nail a tough solo. Just, er, be careful with it, OK?

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]]>drumsguitarharmonixMad CatzMadCatzmicrophoneMTV GamesMtvGamesrock-bandViacomKyle Orland2008-01-04T12:00:00+00:00Harmonix: Blame Activision for PS3 Rock Band guitar issueshttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/12/harmonix-blame-activision-for-ps3-rock-band-guitar-issues/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/12/harmonix-blame-activision-for-ps3-rock-band-guitar-issues/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/12/harmonix-blame-activision-for-ps3-rock-band-guitar-issues/#commentsFiled under:


After Harmonix's valid attempt at easing tensions over PS3 guitar compatibility issues for Rock Band, the time for détente between MTV/Harmonix's Rock Band and Activision/Red Octane's Guitar Hero is over. Harmonix has issued a detailed statement saying the company created a patch for Guitar Hero controllers to be compatible with Rock Band on PS3, but that Activision blocked Sony from releasing the patch.

Harmonix reiterates in the statement that it believes in an "open standard philosophy of hardware and game compatibility." The company says that such a policy is in the interest of consumers, game developers and console manufacturers and "will only help to grow the music game genre as well as inspire innovation and creativity." Harmonix says that on Tuesday, December 4 it was ready to release a patch approved by Sony so that Guitar Hero controllers would be compatible with Rock Band, but that Activision objected to the release and now Sony is holding onto the patch due to Activision's "continued objection." The full statement from Harmonix can be found after the break. The ball is now quite publicly in Activision's court.

The full statement to Joystiq:

"As we have said in the past, Harmonix and MTV Games believe in an open standard philosophy of hardware and game compatibility. We think that there should be interoperability between music instrument controllers across all music games. This is clearly in the best interest of consumers, game developers and console manufacturers and will only help to grow the music game genre as well as inspire innovation and creativity.

Two weeks ago, Harmonix created a software patch for the Sony PLAYSTATION 3 version of Rock Band that allowed for guitar compatibility and support for third party peripherals, including enabling use of Activision's Guitar Hero III controller with Rock Band. The compatibility patch was submitted, approved and had been scheduled for release by Sony on Tuesday, December 4. Unfortunately, Activision objected to the release of the compatibility patch. The patch remains with Sony, but we have been told that it will unfortunately not be released due to Activision's continued objection.

As is the case with the Microsoft Xbox360, we believe that Sony PLAYSTATION 3 users should be able to use the peripheral of their choice with Rock Band. We sincerely hope that Activision will reverse its decision and allow release of the compatibility patch and further, that Activision will allow Guitar Hero III to support Rock Band guitar controllers as well. We welcome all third party developers who wish to support our controllers and will provide any required support in order for them to do so.

We believe that when consumers have choice, everyone wins. Harmonix and MTV Games hope that Activision and others in the industry will also adopt this philosophy."

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]]>activisionbreakingnewscompatibilityguitarguitar-heroguitarheroharmonixmtvrock-bandrockbandAlexander Sliwinski2007-12-12T16:50:00+00:00Rock Band and turkey: A Thanksgiving family test, part 2http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/30/rock-band-and-turkey-a-thanksgiving-family-test-part-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/30/rock-band-and-turkey-a-thanksgiving-family-test-part-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/30/rock-band-and-turkey-a-thanksgiving-family-test-part-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Add the Sterns to the great family bands of popular culture. Put us on a flashing marquee like the Osmonds, Jacksons, and von Trapps that came before. With a rotating lineup of three generations, a band dog who curls up next to the drummer, and enough hijinks for a Monkees plot, we've toured across the country from San Francisco to Boston. It doesn't matter to us if our fame is virtual and our fans digital; Rock Band was a hit at our annual Thanksgiving gathering.

Before I left the West Coast, I loaded up a dedicated carry-on with an Xbox 360, Wii, and the full complement of power supplies, video cables, and controllers. I made it through airport security without any problems. (And on the flight home, I wondered how many Rock Band kits the TSA had been screening.)

Like last year, the Wii was still popular. But we mostly stuck with Wii Sports. Even casual gamers have a glut of titles to wade through; we never opened Zack and Wiki and only briefly tried EA Playground and Rayman Rabbids 2.

Instead, Rock Band filled most of our game time. While I thought it'd be fun to try with my family, I never expected it to be "this year's Wii" as my sister said. Disguised as a rhythm game, Rock Band is a sleeper family hit. Every day, we joked about "getting the band back together" before assembling that evening's players.


"Are these real songs?" my dad asked as we scrolled through the list of quick-play tracks. We wanted to jump in and take the stage after initially setting up and plugging in. But even the Stones track was too pop-culture for him. We warmed to the progressive, song-unlocking style once we began our world tour, we wanted more multi-generational hits right away.

I promised that we'd try to download something he'd like better. "I'd pay any amount of money for Simon and Garfunkle," my mom added.

We stuck with the initial tracks for our first gigs. My dad took the drummer's chair, my sister, Alison, sang lead, my sister's fiancée, Zurich, played bass, and I played guitar. We launched into our first song without any tutorial or preparation. None of us had played a rhythm game with fake instruments, with the exception of Karaoke Revolution. But we quickly found a groove as we learned the process.

The vocal and guitar tracks were easiest to figure out. But we failed out of a few songs before seeing when to hit the kick-drum; that could have been better color coded, or maybe we didn't have accurate colors on the composite TV connection. My dad kept up with his drum track well but hammered out extra beats in flourishes of enthusiasm. Unfortunately, the game didn't share his style, failing us out again.

We kept rotating drummers, with my mom stepping in. After we struggled through "Creep," she noted, "At least I didn't flunk out. ... I can't believe I only got 74 percent." She found a silver lining, noticing, "I had the most energy! I think that's a kind way to say I hit a lot of things."

All of us took a turn with the sticks with varying success. Even my grandmother made it through a few songs. But after everyone had a turn on various instruments, the core group of us (read: 29 to 38 year-olds) formed an in-game band.



Live on the road would be tough. We immediately hit our first snag when picking our characters and band name, as our drummer Rich had to leave for the night. (The call of his wife and kids was greater than the excitement of a road trip.)

We rushed through the setup, sticking with the default name, "Real Strumbar," and regretting it later. With the exception of the name, our gigs over the rest of the week were great. I was always thrilled whenever the crowd clapped on the beat behind us. And with four players taking a different role, Rich noted, "This is a lot more fun than Karaoke Revolution."

The game held us so tightly, we began to form a mythology about our band. Watching the in-game band-mates frolic around San Francisco and earn prizes after gigs caused us to imagine even more of a backstory. When my grandmother walked between us and the TV, she commented on the low quality of the clubs and how she had to cross the stage to get to the bathroom. At first, we were excited for all of the action our rockin' van was going to bring. But after we won a tour bus, we invented an elaborate story where we drove the old van into the river but made it look like an accident, collecting the money through insurance fraud. Now that's rock-and-roll.

My grandmother waking up late at night to investigate strange tapping sounds? (Was it a woodpecker? Water dripping?) Not rock-and-roll as much.

We downloaded the Police song pack and a CCR track for my dad and continued playing Rock Band every night. But technical problems disappointed us. Itching to spend Microsoft points, we wanted to buy tracks from within the game and couldn't find how. We eventually stumbled into the Marketplace song-purchase area.

Often, we'd have problems logging in all of the instruments, having to restart the Xbox and try again. With all of us swapping between instruments, we were annoyed that each player login had to correspond to our original instruments, wasting time while we tried to remember which of us originally played what. Temporary glitches also frustrated, like the Police songs didn't show up once while Fortunate Son was available. Restarts always solved these problems, but the game setup often took five or ten minutes.

Even with those many issues, we couldn't get enough of the virtual stage. For us music game newbies, the four roles felt exciting and different. Real Strumbar may not play again until next Thanksgiving; we're eagerly awaiting our triumphant 2008 reunion tour. Maybe we'll be able to download Simon and Garfunkel by then.

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]]>drumseaelectronic-artsguitarharmonixholidashjoystiqfeaturesmtvmtv-gamesrock-bandthanksgivingturkeyZack Stern2007-11-30T09:03:00+00:00Rock Band store accessories and the drum baghttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/21/rock-band-store-accessories-and-the-one-necessity/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/21/rock-band-store-accessories-and-the-one-necessity/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/21/rock-band-store-accessories-and-the-one-necessity/#commentsFiled under: ,


Harmonix's Rock Band store is mostly full of unnecessary merchandise, but there are a few things that might help in protecting your $170 "music platform." As the drum set taking up a square meter of real estate in the living room grows into an eyesore, the one handy thing the store has is the Rock Band drum bag.

The $50 drum bag is an easy storage solution when "company" comes over. Nobody likes the first question out of a new visitor during the holidays when they see the drum kit to be, "What the hell is that thing?!" There are also guitar and drum stick sleeves, plus new drum sticks and stickers in the store that are neat, but the drum bag does feel like an obvious solution to something that will be an issue in time. Disassembling the kit and putting it into a Bloomingdales Big Brown Bag just seems wrong. But if someone finds other DIY storage solutions we're all ears.

Gallery: Rock Band accessories

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]]>guitarperipheralpriceps3rockbandwiredwirelessxbox360Alexander Sliwinski2007-11-21T13:30:00+00:00Nega-review: Rock Bandhttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/20/nega-review-rock-band/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/20/nega-review-rock-band/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/20/nega-review-rock-band/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



"If you're looking for another game to whittle away the hours perfecting guitar parts by yourself, Rock Band likely won't live up to your expectations." (2) "Rock Band's singing and guitar campaigns aren't as developed ... as standalone games like SingStar or Guitar Hero." (8) The game "isn't great if you're playing by yourself. ... it's not nearly as compelling going through songs with a single instrument." (3) "There just isn't as big of a sense of accomplishment as you climb the ranks without all the little animations and feedback you got on Guitar Hero 3." (5) Yes, "the Solo Tours lack the animations and story elements of Guitar Hero's solo campaign, which make them slightly less interesting to play by yourself." (8) "Expect more than a few awkward silences if you're by yourself." (3) "Guitar Hero is better if you're playing alone." (5)

"The actual online play, honestly, isn't quite as crucial a component as you'd think." (3) "One omission is online cooperative play." (7) "For the full co-op career mode, you have to play offline. That's disappointing." (9) Yup, "you can't do co-op career online - a major disappointment." (1) That's right, "the Band World Tour mode is not available online, and that's a shame." (5) What's more, "you may hear some out-of-sync bleed through the headset ... and the singer's signal won't be transmitted due to lag: the other players will hear the pre-recorded vocal track." (1)

A "major problem [is] the smaller track lists when compared to Guitar Hero." (4) "There are only 45 licensed tracks, and not all of them are great songs. ... In fact "some of the songs in Rock Band just plain suck (Coheed and Cambria, seriously?)." (2) "You are going to see repeats often." (2) and "it's disappointing having to repeat songs so often along the way." (3) In one five-hour stretch, our band ... must have played Nirvana's 'In Bloom' six times. By the end, our love for Nirvana's classic had wilted." (2)

"Another element that might not immediately thrill people is the graphics." (1) No, "the visuals may not strike players right away". (7). "Harmonix has opted for a grainy visual style, bathing the slightly cartoony characters in intense stage lighting." (1) "I do wish there had been a little more focus on the overall package of graphics than the movements and lip-synching of the characters." (4) "GHIII has higher quality textures and models." (8)

"Rock Band doesn't offer the insanely intense ... challenge of Guitar Hero III." (2) No, "guitar and bass never approach the level of challenge set before them in Guitar Hero." (3) "You aren't getting songs with the craziest guitar solos" (8) and players "may be in for a shock when they find themselves lazily strumming chords or picking through simple arpeggios." (7) "Those who have been shredding and mastering the Guitar Hero games will find that these parts don't come close to offering the same challenge ... any expert won't be pressed hard with these note layouts." (2) "The note charts for Rock Band tend to be a little easier, and ... they just don't flow quite as well as the Guitar Hero games." (5) "In fact, if you are thinking about purchasing Rock Band solely for the guitar portion of the game you had better think twice -- Guitar Hero III is your game." (6)

Speaking of the guitar, "the Stratocaster guitar controller feels a bit like a toy." (1) "It will take some getting used to if you've played many hours on another controller [and] even after getting used to it the guitar never feels as good as the alternative -- especially on Xbox 360 where you're tethered down with a wire on the Fender model." (2) "It can be a little harder to slide from button to button on the Rock Band Fender" (5) and "one friend thought the strum bar was a complete deal-killer, and after a few hours of trying to get used to it, he shrugged and went back to the Guitar Hero guitar." (5)

Yep, "the strumming feels less solid than the Les Paul and the buttons aren't raised enough, which makes moving between them a bit more difficult." (8) What's more, "the Braille-like bumps on the middle button are too subtle, so it's hard to know where you are on the fretboard sometimes." (1) "The new switch to adjust the effects during solos in Rock Band is a ... gimmick" (2) and "we kept bumping the five-way effects switch accidentally." (1) "The new guitar controller feels foreign, with its soft-pressing, inset buttons - it's not the clicky, tactile stuff we're used to." (9) "For my money, I'll take the Guitar Hero III wireless Les Paul controller over the Rock Band guitar." (2)

The drums, for their part, are "not indestructible." (1) "During my play time, I had a pre-production foot pedal snap in half during a particularly driving session of Bon Jovi's Wanted Dead or Alive on expert. ... The kick pedal is surprisingly thin around the main pressure point in the middle where the spring meets the underside surface of the pedal itself. ... It definitely looks like the most vulnerable part of the entire drum set." (2) What's more, "the wire that connects the pedal to the drum set fits into the back of the drum pads, but it doesn't have a very good connection." (5) "Worries about the drum controller's durability remain." (6)

As for the drumming gameplay, "it's ... sometimes difficult to see the orange kick bar on the note scroll as soon as overdrive begins because it's accompanied by a glittery yellowish-orange splash on the screen, which somewhat conceals the orange of the kick note. Let me tell you, it really sucks to miss a note right at the beginning of your overdrive passage because it's difficult to see." (2) And "honestly, if you have any rhythm at all, the easy setting on the drums will frustrate you more than the hard setting. Feeling the vibes of the music on the easy setting will cause you to fail repeatedly ... you will find yourself struggling to find the rhythm." (4)

The "vocal game is more about accuracy than passion." (1) "The person holding the mic is not included in any of the unity sections; they are not key to any of the big endings that offer massive bonus points ... there's no question that the singer is not always on equal footing with the other players." (2) "You activate star power by singing through the colored sections, which is slightly on the annoying side; unlike the guitars, you can't activate your star power at any time." (5)

Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends (the nitpicking): the Joystiq Nega-review. We've taken nine reviews worth of small complaints about Rock Band and compiled them into a review that makes the game look like the worst thing since Britney's Dance Beat. We do this, as always, not because we hate critically-praised games, but because we know no game is perfect and that the negatives can be hard to spot in largely positive reviews. (This time around, we're also offering 'sour grapes' solace to those unfortunate souls who can't get the game before it inevitably sells out).

It should be noted that while many reviewers complained about the new guitar bundled with Rock Band, most Guitar Hero axes work perfectly with the game, so these complaints can be bypassed. It should also be noted that Harmonix is hard at work on a patch to make the Band World Tour playable online, which should come as a welcome addition to many reviewers. And, as a final note, most of the reviewer complaints about the single player game melted away when there were two or more people in a room playing, so if you have a bunch of friends that are ready to rock, just ignore that section.

Sources
(1) OXM
(2) IGN
(3) 1UP
(4) CheatCC
(5) Ars Technica
(6) GamePro
(7) GameTrailers
(8) PGNx
(9) GamesRadar

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]]>drumsEAguitarharmonixkaraokeMTVnegareviewrock-bandKyle Orland2007-11-20T08:00:00+00:00Comparing Rock Band to Guitar Hero in difficultyhttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/15/comparing-rock-band-to-guitar-hero-difficulty/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/15/comparing-rock-band-to-guitar-hero-difficulty/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/15/comparing-rock-band-to-guitar-hero-difficulty/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Games Radar has put together a little piece comparing the difficulty of Guitar Hero to Rock Band. Their basic conclusion is that "Guitar Hero III hard = Guitar Hero II expert" and "Rock Band Expert = Guitar Hero II hard." They say that Guitar Hero is tough to jump into and Rock Band may be too easy at the medium level for seasoned vets.

Having had significant time with Rock Band on a visit to Harmonix on Tuesday, we can say that when comparing the guitar portion of the game, Rock Band on hard feels close to Guitar Hero II on medium -- except you do have to deal with that pesky orange button, so in essence it feels the same. That doesn't mean that there isn't a challenge in there for the average player, it's just a point of reference for jumping in. Now that's just the guitar, we're not even talking about the beasts of drumming and singing, nor the extreme joy the social interaction of the game provides.

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]]>ghIIIguitarguitarheroperipheralpricerockbandwiredwirelessAlexander Sliwinski2007-11-15T22:00:00+00:00PS3's Guitar Hero III dongle explained, leading to more questions [update]http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/11/ps3s-guitar-hero-iii-dongle-explained-leading-to-more-question/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/11/ps3s-guitar-hero-iii-dongle-explained-leading-to-more-question/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/11/ps3s-guitar-hero-iii-dongle-explained-leading-to-more-question/#commentsFiled under: ,

Answers are slowly starting to emerge about the mysterious dongle the PS3 uses for wireless guitar capabilities in Guitar Hero III. The over-simplified version is that even though PS3 and Wii both use Bluetooth, the Wii guitar plugs directly into the Wiimote hijacking the signal, while the Sixaxis doesn't plug into the guitar -- hence the USB wired dongle as a wireless bridge.

Before we go any further, this isn't just a GH III problem. Rock Band will also use some sort of PS3 dongle. This might also explain a lot about why there isn't a Wii version of Rock Band announced yet. Although it's completely disputable, here's our basic idea: Two USB ports on the back of the Wii for the drum and mic (which are wired on every console), then if Harmonix wants the guitars to be wireless they need to design a guitar modeled around the Wiimote to plug into so that Rock Band does the same signal hijack that GH III accomplishes.

Apparently Sony doesn't feel up to talking about why these dongles are necessary as they stonewalled 1UP when the site went looking for answers. Maybe Sony will give Red Octane and Harmonix the tools to make their guitars work dongle-less one day, but to get things done for this holiday season this was the only (or most cost effective) solution available.

Update: We were trying to avoid bringing the Xbox 360 into this, but considering there is some confusion, the Xbox 360 version of Guitar Hero III is "dongle-less." Meaning a direct connection is made between the guitar and Xbox 360. Regarding Guitar Hero I & II support on PS3, Red Octane wrote us: "In regards to your other question about GH and GHII (on PS2), they do work on PS3 (w/ both SG and Kramer), though they will require an appropriate adapter for the guitar controller."

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]]>ghIIIguitarharmonixredoctanerockbandsonywirelessAlexander Sliwinski2007-10-11T13:58:00+00:00Rock Band FAQ: Part 1http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/09/rock-band-faq-part-1/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/09/rock-band-faq-part-1/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/09/rock-band-faq-part-1/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


MTV's Multiplayer blog has posted answers to frequently asked questions regarding the corporate fustercluck (MTV/EA/Harmonix) published rhythm game Rock Band. We could bother to put the question and the answer, but if y'all can't figure out what the original question was you can hit up Multiplayer:
  • No other hardware combinations have been announced yet beyond the standard (guitar, drum, mic) bundle. And yes, the bass guitar is just a second guitar controller which you probably have lying around ...
  • ... because Harmonix will keep an "open platform philosophy" and games will be compatible with third-party controllers "that conform to the various platform controller standards."
  • If you're short on guitars but want to play head to head, the online play will be both cooperative and competitive.
  • The Xbox 360 gee-tar will come with a USB hub (remember the guitar in the bundle is wired).
  • A Wii version has not been announced ... yet.
Now, we don't have insta-access to Rock Band like MTV's Multiplayer blog, but we can try to get some questions answered too -- we're scrappy like that. So if you have some lingering Rock Band questions (and there are plenty good ones still left), leave 'em in the comments and we'll try to get some answers. And automatic name calling to the people who ask questions already answered by bullet points above.

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]]>guitarHarmonixperipheralpriceps3RockBandwiredwirelessxbox360Alexander Sliwinski2007-10-09T11:45:00+00:00