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/Rock Band Weekly: Nine Inch Nails and Shinedownhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/18/rock-band-weekly-nine-inch-nails-and-shinedown/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/18/rock-band-weekly-nine-inch-nails-and-shinedown/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/18/rock-band-weekly-nine-inch-nails-and-shinedown/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Although we'd gotten used to three songs being added every week to Rock Band's music store, Harmonix told us this week a little bit more could become the norm as the developer pushes to have 500 songs by the end of the year. This week, the band Trent Reznor built and Shinedown add some songs to the library.

Nin Pack (440 MS points / $5.49) -- Also sold seperately (160 MS Points / $2)
  • "Burn"
  • "Capital G"
  • "Last"
Individual Shinedown tracks (160 MS points / $2)
  • "Devour"
  • "Junkies For Fame"
Videos for the tracks can be found after the break. The consoles return to a regular DLC schedule next week (following this week's Tuesday release of The Who pack), with songs being available next Tuesday and Thursday on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 respectively.





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]]>harmonixninnine-inch-nailsrock-bandrock-band-weeklyshinedownAlexander Sliwinski2008-07-18T18:50:00+00:00Thank you, Harmonix, Nyko, Naughty Dog, and you!http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/18/thank-you-harmonix-nyko-naughty-dog-and-you/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/18/thank-you-harmonix-nyko-naughty-dog-and-you/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/18/thank-you-harmonix-nyko-naughty-dog-and-you/#commentsFiled under:

When Harmonix throws a party they get The Who to headline that jam; when Joystiq throws a party, we get Harmonix to headline. The generous devs from Boston brought Rock Band 2 to our E3 afterparty in Santa Monica for the 300 plus attendees to prove their mettle. Take Joystiq superband The Blueberry Muffintops who closed off the night with this rendition of Elvis Costello's "Pump It Up" - take note: by this point in the night, we'd already blown out the setup's speaker. Rawk!

So really, our heartfelt thanks to Harmonix for making everyone's night. But we'd also like to thank Nyko for the peripherals, Naughty Dog for the great signed stuff, and of course Mahalo.com for the super generous use of their space. Most of all, thanks to everyone that showed up. We put Joystiq together every day for you guys and it was flattering, and humbling, to see everyone turn out today. This one's for you (hit play now!).

Love,
Joystiq

PS: If you've got any pics, please add them to our Flickr group page.

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]]>Blueberry-MuffintopsE3-2008good-dogHarmonixjoystiq-meetupNykoRock-Band-2ThanksRoss Miller2008-07-18T04:25:00+00:00Harmonix: No Freezepop in RB2, maybe in the DLChttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/harmonix-no-freezepop-in-rb2-maybe-in-the-dlc/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/harmonix-no-freezepop-in-rb2-maybe-in-the-dlc/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/harmonix-no-freezepop-in-rb2-maybe-in-the-dlc/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Bad news for Freezepop fans (like us here at Joystiq) -- the synthpop trio, of which Kasson Crooker, Senior Producer at Rock Band creators Harmonix, is a member, does not have a song in their latest game, Rock Band 2. And that's a shame -- they've had a new song on the disc in every Harmonix game since FreQuency (including Phase, their iPod game), which makes this the first Harmonix game without a new Freezepop tune.

Shocked at this revelation, we confronted Harmonix at the Rock Band event this evening, and they confirmed that yes, there is no Freezepop song on the disc in RB2. The reason given to us was that Freezepop hasn't recorded any new music lately, and that they didn't have anything new to put out. But our source at Harmonix did say to look out for some Freezepop DLC -- they may be planning, we were told, a two or three-song downloadable pack of "sweet and cold and fruity and plastic-y" music.

There's a rub, though: there is a new Freezepop song in the recently released Guitar Hero: On Tour DS game. Guitar Hero, as you may know, was originally created by Harmonix, but since GH3 has been owned by Activision and developed by Neversoft. Are Liz Enthusiasm and her two compadres jumping ship?

Update: Commenter skie reads Liz' livejournal. Apparently the band never got paid for any of their songs in the Harmonix games since Guitar Hero, but they did get paid for the GH:OT appearance. They say they want to open themselves up to as many different fans as possible, and that means showing up in other companies' games.

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]]>e3e3-2008freezepopguitar-heroharmonixrock-bandrock-band-2set-listMike Schramm2008-07-17T04:00:00+00:00Overheard@E3: The Who said what?http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/overheard-e3-the-who-said-what/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/overheard-e3-the-who-said-what/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/overheard-e3-the-who-said-what/#commentsFiled under:


"We're a Who cover band, we're not nearly as good as all the others." -- The Who guitarist Pete Townshend.

The Who, the freakin' WHO, are on stage right now and this is the event of E3 2008. We probably won't be able to liveblog this while we're rockin' out, but check back later for pics of some industry folks off the clock. OK, we're missing the concert ... gotta run. Update: Check out our full gallery here.

Gallery: Joystiq @ The Who Rock Band concert

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]]>harmonixmtvrock-bandrock-band-2the-whoAlexander Sliwinski2008-07-17T00:30:00+00:00Rock Band 2 features no-fail optionhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/rock-band-2-features-no-fail-option/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/rock-band-2-features-no-fail-option/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/rock-band-2-features-no-fail-option/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Harmonix has made Rock Band 2 much more party-friendly by adding a no-fail option. It's accessible through the Extras menu as an unlockable. Like the name suggests, you can't fail a song when on this mode -- perfect for playing with people who like to stretch themselves too far when playing with friends, or perhaps bars that are hesitant to let people ruin drunken audience singalongs by a tricky bass line. Another, less obvious benefit mentioned in our interview this morning with senior designer Dan Teasdale: People who are unable to use their legs can now play drums.

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]]>harmonixmtv-gamesrock-bandrock-band-2Ross Miller2008-07-16T21:00:00+00:00Joystiq interviews Rock Band 2's Dan Teasdalehttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/joystiq-interviews-rock-band-2s-dan-teasdale/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/joystiq-interviews-rock-band-2s-dan-teasdale/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/joystiq-interviews-rock-band-2s-dan-teasdale/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


In the madness of E3, we got 10 minutes with Rock Band 2's Senior Designer Dan Teasdale. We rattled off a bunch of questions and jotted down his basic answers. Full quotes? We don't have time for full quotes! Check out the rapid-fire Q&A after the break.

To reiterate, these are not quotes, they are merely the basic information we received while jotting down info really, really fast:

Joystiq: What songs from RB1 are not going to be transferable to RB2?
Teasdale's general response: We're still working out the details -- licensing. We're going to be updating Rock Band 1 with the release of Rock Band 2.

Why aren't all the songs going to be transferable?
Licensing issues.

The Ion Premium Set also doubles as an electronic drum set. Will there be a way to use the electronic drum set with Rock Band?
Pretty much the same thing. That's like our drum trainer. You can shut that off.

Update: We should clarify this a bit more. The Ion drums are a special set for Rock Band 2, which can also be used as a real drum kit. There is an option inside the game to learn and play the drums called "Drum Trainer." The Ion drums can be used to freestyle inside the game there.

Will Rock Band 2 drums be compatible with Guitar Hero IV?
We don't have access -- We're keeping our open standard, we want people to have a choice.

How do velocity-sensitive pads fit in with the game? Will it affect score? Is it optional (e.g. can we turn off the volume differences)? Will RB1 songs be compatible with velocity sensitive system?
It's a total style thing -- doesn't affect gameplay. No answer on the RB1.

Will people who are unable to use their legs be able to shut off the foot pedal?
They can shut off failing a song in the menu. There is no way to shut off just the foot pedal.

Do you perceive Guitar Hero now as more of a threat with its full band set up? Care to give your opinion?
It's not really our focus. We have to make good musical experiences. Perfecting on what we're working out.

How long can you keep up Rock Band weekly? Is it difficult securing weekly content?
We're going to ramp up more songs. By holiday we'll have 500 songs. "We'll have some legendary milestone albums."

Will full-album downloads continue to be on a consistent, once-a-month schedule?
We don't have a set schedule.

Can we count on Rock Band 2 as an annual franchise now, a la Madden? What is Harmonix going to do improve the game fundamentally with each iteration?
I don't think you can. We innovate and then perfect. Then in our next game we'll go and innovate again.

With other "full band" franchises hitting the market -- one in particular with dominating mainstream music game mind share -- what are you doing to grow the Rock Band brand?
We're the only place you can go through and grow a library of game.

Does the company foresee a point when DLC will be made exclusive to the latest version?
Not for Rock Band 2. We made it very clear that we want this to be a platform.

RB 2's main strength seems to be a new set list; any worry that World Tour's song creation feature could make that obsolete?
Not really. We've had experience with music generated content. We want people to make sure they can sing our songs.

Rock Band 1's profile management was a mess, what's different now?
Rock Band 2, we don't have band leaders, characters can play any instrument. Greatly simplified.

While the ability to use existing instruments on RB2 is great, was effort put towards making new peripherals more durable, or have a lower failure rate this time out?
We've definitely learned a lot. Sturdier guitar strums. Solid metal plate on kick pedal, softer drum pads. Ability to customize drums. The calibration lens built into the guitar.

After missing the Wii window of opportunity with Rock Band 1 and focusing on the PS3 and Xbox 360, Harmonix released a Wii version last month that is essentially a port of the PS2 Rock Band. Why isn't the hugely popular Wii being prioritized this time? Will any eventual Wii release be closer to the Xbox 360 and PS3 version in terms of features?
We'd like to get Rock Band 2 on all relevant platforms by the end of the year.

What bands do you want songs from that won't let you have 'em? Why?
For a long time it was AC/DC. I'm running out of bands I want songs from.

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]]>dan-teasdalee3-2008harmonixjoystiqfeaturesmtv-gamesrock-bandrock-band-2teasdaleAlexander Sliwinski2008-07-16T08:15:00+00:00Overheard@E3: 'I feel kind of bad that we're turning people into drummers'http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/overheard-at-e3-i-feel-kind-of-bad-that-were-turning-people-i/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/overheard-at-e3-i-feel-kind-of-bad-that-were-turning-people-i/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/overheard-at-e3-i-feel-kind-of-bad-that-were-turning-people-i/#commentsFiled under: ,


When we sat down to get a fresh look at Rock Band 2 at the Harmonix E3 booth, the musical members of the dev team were happy to tell us that many people who try Rock Band wind up pursuing real instruments as a result. When discussing the new drum trainer in Rock Band 2, Senior Designer Dan Teasdale told us, "I feel kind of bad that we're turning people into drummers." Teasdale, as it turns out, is a bass player bassist.

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]]>eaelectronic-artsharmonixmtvmtv-gamesoverheardrock-bandrock-band-2Richard Mitchell2008-07-15T19:45:00+00:00Harmonix clarifies RB1 compatibility to Rock Band 2http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/harmonix-clarifies-rb1-compatibility-to-rock-band-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/harmonix-clarifies-rb1-compatibility-to-rock-band-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/harmonix-clarifies-rb1-compatibility-to-rock-band-2/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


We spent some time with Dan Teasdale, senior designer of Rock Band 2, and asked him several questions -- but we really wanted to know what's the deal with transfers of Rock Band tracks to the new game. We wanted to know a little bit more about what Harmonix CEO Alex Rigopulos meant at the Microsoft press conference when he said most songs would be available for import.

Teasdale tells us that the final list of songs not transferable to RB2 is still up in the air and it all comes down to licensing issues. We heard from a separate source that "it should only be a couple songs" and, although the company would love to just do the whole set from the first game, there may be some exclusivity issues. Harmonix apparently had to re-license every song over again for the RB2 transfers.

Gallery: Rock Band 2

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]]>dlcharmonixmtvrock-bandrock-band-2teasdaletransferAlexander Sliwinski2008-07-15T18:45:00+00:00Roger Daltrey 'bored' by Rock Bandhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/roger-daltrey-bored-by-rock-band/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/roger-daltrey-bored-by-rock-band/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/roger-daltrey-bored-by-rock-band/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

"The Who recently licensed downloadable tracks for the video game Rock Band. Daltrey said he tried it and got bored quickly. He laments the way technology has shifted how people regularly interact with music, saying the scrapping of long-play records signaled the death of the music industry." (from CNN)

Roger Daltrey is 150 years old. (not from CNN; our estimate)

[Thanks Drake]

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]]>DLCEAharmonixmtv-gamesRock-BandRoger-DaltreyThe-WhoWhoKyle Orland2008-07-15T17:00:00+00:00Official Rock Band 2 web site launcheshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/official-rock-band-2-web-site-launches/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/official-rock-band-2-web-site-launches/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/official-rock-band-2-web-site-launches/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

You've scoped out the new instruments, you've memorized the track list, new you can explore around the official web site for Rock Band 2. A quick perusal of the site reveals no real new information, but there is a nice high-res trailer for the game as well as some cool wallpapers and such to download.

Interesting, the site links two two separate retailers for "official" pre-orders: One from Gamestop which lists the Xbox 360 special edition bundle at $189.99 and one from Amazon that lists it at $199.99. Gamestop also list a PS2 version at a discounted $179.99. A true rock star probably wouldn't care about these minor discrepancies, but for a struggling garage band, those are spare dollars that could go to cheetos and gas for the van.

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]]>EAelectronic-artsharmonixmtvMTV-gamesrock-band-2Kyle Orland2008-07-15T11:45:00+00:00Rock Band adding seven countries to ticket in Julyhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/rock-band-adding-seven-countries-to-ticket-in-july/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/rock-band-adding-seven-countries-to-ticket-in-july/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/rock-band-adding-seven-countries-to-ticket-in-july/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


No longer will Belgium virtual rockers have to settle for playing air guitar to dreams of living room stardom, as Harmonix and MTV have announced plans to bring Rock Band to Belgians, as well as those in six other countries later this month, including Italy, Sweden, Spain, Switzerland, Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

According to the duo, the Xbox 360 version of Rock Band will be the lead SKU in these territories, shipping on July 24, with other fake instrument flavors arriving sometime later in the fall. As with the existing European release, the disc will include all 58 tracks found on the North American version as well as nine non-English tunes such as Die Toten Hosen's Hier Kommt Alex, Oasis' Rock 'n' roll star, and Playmo's New Wave. We welcome our new friends to the stage -- may you never fail out and your fingers never cramp.

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]]>E3-2008EAelectronic-artselectronicartseuropeharmonixMTVmusicrock-bandrockbandJason Dobson2008-07-14T22:00:00+00:00Rock Band Weekly: Best of The Whohttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/rock-band-weekly-best-of-the-who/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/rock-band-weekly-best-of-the-who/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/rock-band-weekly-best-of-the-who/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Just to make sure, we checked with Harmonix to see if there was any other music sneaking into this week's Rock Band DLC, like what happened with Weezer and Doolittle. So, for this week, the much anticipated "best of" The Who will be available, replacing The Who's Who's Next album originally announced many, many moons ago.

The Best of The Who Rock Band Edition (1600 MS points / $20) -- All songs are also sold individually (160 MS Points / $2)
  • "Amazing Journey"
  • "Baba O'Riley"
  • "Behind Blue Eyes"
  • "Eminence Front"
  • "Going Mobile"
  • "Leaving Here"
  • "My Generation" (LIVE)
  • "Real Good Looking Boy"
  • "Sea & Sand"
  • "Summertime Blues" (LIVE)
  • "Who Are You"
  • "Young Man Blues" (LIVE)
Videos for the songs can be found after the break. The album and tracks will be available tomorrow, July 15, for both Xbox 360 and PS3.












(Note: We couldn't for the life of us find the original version, so here's a Pearl Jam cover.)











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]]>harmonixmtv-gamesrock-bandrock-band-weeklythe-whoAlexander Sliwinski2008-07-14T18:25:00+00:00Rock Band disc content can be ported to RB2 for 'under $5'http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/rock-band-disc-content-can-be-ported-to-rb2-for-5/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/rock-band-disc-content-can-be-ported-to-rb2-for-5/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/rock-band-disc-content-can-be-ported-to-rb2-for-5/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The Rock Band 2 press release, which included the final set-list for the game, also mentions that Rock Band content from the discs will be transferable to the sequel, but for a price. The release states that "owners of the original Rock Band will have the ability to export most of the Rock Band disc tracks and upgrade them into Rock Band 2 gameplay-the first time ever in videogame history!" You will need to pay an unlocking fee to do so, which will be "under 5 dollars."

Rock Band 2 will also support full backwards compatibility for any downloadable songs that you may or may not have bought before now.

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]]>breakingnewse3-2008harmonixrock-bandrock-band-2Jem Alexander2008-07-14T14:35:00+00:00Rock Band 2 on-disc track list revealed, features over 80 songshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/rock-band-2-on-disc-track-list-revealed-features-over-80-songs/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/rock-band-2-on-disc-track-list-revealed-features-over-80-songs/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/rock-band-2-on-disc-track-list-revealed-features-over-80-songs/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Harmonix has just unveiled the full song set list for the upcoming Rock Band 2. There will be a whopping 84 songs on the disc, and an additional 20 songs available as free DLC after the game's release. The set list is comprised entirely of master recordings, and features AC/DC, Guns N' Roses, Bob Dylan, Metallica, Pearl Jam and more.

The entire list is available after the cut.

Rock Band 2 On-Disc Track List:

1. AC/DC "Let There Be Rock"
2. AFI "Girl's Gone Grey"
3. Alanis Morissette "You Oughta Know"
4. Alice in Chains "Man in the Box"
5. Allman Brothers "Ramblin' Man"
6. Avenged Sevenfold "Almost Easy"
7. Bad Company "Shooting Star"
8. Beastie Boys "So Whatcha Want"
9. Beck "E-Pro"
10. Bikini Kill "Rebel Girl"
11. Billy Idol "White Wedding Pt. I"
12. Blondie " One Way or Another"
13. Bob Dylan "Tangled Up in Blue"
14. Bon Jovi "Livin' on a Prayer"
15. Cheap Trick "Hello There"
16. Devo "Uncontrollable Urge"
17. Dinosaur Jr. "Feel the Pain"
18. Disturbed "Down with the Sickness"
19. Dream Theater "Panic Attack"
20. Duran Duran "Hungry Like the Wolf"
21. Elvis Costello "Pump It Up"
22. Fleetwood Mac "Go Your Own Way"
23. Foo Fighters "Everlong"
24. Guns N' Roses "Shackler's Revenge"
25. Interpol "PDA"
26. Jane's Addiction "Mountain Song"
27. Jethro Tull "Aqualung"
28. Jimmy Eat World "The Middle"
29. Joan Jett "Bad Reputation"
30. Journey "Anyway You Want It"
31. Judas Priest "Painkiller"
32. Kansas "Carry On Wayward Son"
33. L7 "Pretend We're Dead"
34. Lacuna Coil "Our Truth"
35. Linkin Park "One Step Closer"
36. Lit "My Own Worst Enemy"
37. Lush "De-Luxe"
38. Mastodon "Colony of Birchmen"
39. Megadeth "Peace Sells"
40. Metallica " Battery"
41. Mighty Mighty Bosstones "Where'd You Go"
42. Modest Mouse "Float On"
43. Motorhead "Ace of Spades"
44. Nirvana "Drain You"
45. Norman Greenbaum "Spirit in the Sky"
46. Panic at the Disco "Nine in the Afternoon"
47. Paramore "That's What You Get"
48. Pearl Jam "Alive"
49. Presidents of the USA "Lump"
50. Rage Against the Machine "Testify"
51. Ratt "Round & Round"
52. Red Hot Chili Peppers "Give it Away"
53. Rise Against "Give it All"
54. Rush "The Trees"
55. Silversun Pickups "Lazy Eye"
56. Smashing Pumpkins "Today"
57. Social Distortion "I Was Wrong"
58. Sonic Youth "Teenage Riot"
59. Soundgarden "Spoonman"
60. Squeeze "Cool for Cats"
61. Steely Dan "Bodhitsattva"
62. Steve Miller Band "Rock'n Me"
63. Survivor "Eye of the Tiger"
64. System of a Down "Chop Suey"
65. Talking Heads "Psycho Killer"
66. Tenacious D "Master Exploder"
67. Testament "Souls of Black"
68. The Donnas "New Kid in School"
69. The Go-Go's "We Got the Beat"
70. The Grateful Dead " Alabama Getaway"
71. The Guess Who "American Woman"
72. The Muffs "Kids in America"
73. The Offspring "Come Out & Play (Keep 'em Separated)"
74. The Replacements "Alex Chilton"
75. The Who "Pinball Wizard"

Bonus Songs
76. Abnormality "Visions"
77. Anarchy Club "Get Clean"
78. Bang Camaro "Night Lies"
79. Breaking Wheel "Shoulder to the Plow"
80. The Libyans "Neighborhood"
81. The Main Drag "A Jagged Gorgeous Winter"
82. Speck "Conventional Lover"
83. The Sterns "Supreme Girl"
84. That Handsome Devil "Rob the Prez-O-Dent"

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]]>acdcbob-dylanbreakingnewse3-2008guns-n-rosesharmonixmetallicapearl-jamrock-bandrock-band-2Andrew Yoon2008-07-14T14:07:00+00:00Rumor: Rock Band 2 to feature GNR Chinese Democracy trackhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/rumor-rock-band-2-to-feature-gnr-chinese-democracy-track/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/rumor-rock-band-2-to-feature-gnr-chinese-democracy-track/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/rumor-rock-band-2-to-feature-gnr-chinese-democracy-track/#commentsFiled under: , ,


According to The New York Times, the arrival of Rock Band 2 later this year will not only be accompanied by expected fanfare, but the belated blaring of scented weapon rockers, Guns N' Roses. Taken from the band's eternally upcoming album, Chinese Democracy, "Shackler's Revenge" will reportedly grace Harmonix's sequel, signaling the first time a new Axel-lent song has managed to find its way onto a disc in a very long time.

While the Times views the track's in-game appearance as a portent of the band's album making it to store shelves before the great shelf extinction of 2019, less optimistic folks (that's us!) have simply accepted an unpleasant truth. Rock Band 2 is never coming out.

[Via X3F]

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]]>Chinese-DemocracyEAguns-n-rosesHarmonixmtv-gamesRock-Band-2Ludwig Kietzmann2008-07-14T02:00:00+00:00Fight the Foo with the Rock Band 2 gameplay debuthttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/12/fight-the-foo-with-the-rock-band-2-gameplay-debut/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/12/fight-the-foo-with-the-rock-band-2-gameplay-debut/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/12/fight-the-foo-with-the-rock-band-2-gameplay-debut/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


The second savory dish on the pre-E3 smorgasbord: the gameplay debut trailer for Rock Band 2. Unfortunately, this premiere video doesn't do a great job of highlighting the new features that were explained at last month's cleverly-named EA3 event, such as the online world tour and drum training modes. What it does show us is a few of the game's trippy new cutaway visuals, and that we're going to need to get some extra arms surgically attached to our torsos if we hope to play the drumming portion of "Everlong" on expert. Hopefully, we can undergo this risky Gorofication procedure before Rock Band 2's September launch on the 360.

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]]>e3-2008eaeverlongfoo-fightersharmonixrock-bandrock-band-2trailerGriffin McElroy2008-07-12T13:00:00+00:00Konami lodges patent suit against Harmonix, MTV over Rock Bandhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/10/konami-lodges-patent-suit-against-harmonix-mtv-over-rock-band/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/10/konami-lodges-patent-suit-against-harmonix-mtv-over-rock-band/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/10/konami-lodges-patent-suit-against-harmonix-mtv-over-rock-band/#commentsFiled under:


Konami has filed a lawsuit against Harmonix, MTV Networks, and their parent company Viacom alleging that Rock Band violates patents it filed in 2002 and 2003. In the suit, Konami seeks to block Harmonix from using its "inventions" - we're guessing guitar controllers here - and, in addition, is asking for cash compensation. Bloomberg reports that Viacom has not received a copy of the compaint and, as such, could not issue an official comment.

Having introduced GuitarFreaks - a music game utilizing guitar controllers - in Japanese arcades nearly a decade ago, Konami has been late to the guitar game party in the States, only recently announcing its own answer to Guitar Hero and Rock Band with Rock Revolution. We've contacted Konami for comment on the legal proceedings and will update when possible.

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]]>breakingnewsguitarfreaksharmonixkonamimtv-gamesrock-bandRandy Nelson2008-07-10T22:01:00+00:00Rock Band 2 details: wireless instruments, playlists, drum trainerhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/09/rock-band-2-details-wireless-instruments-playlists-drum-train/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/09/rock-band-2-details-wireless-instruments-playlists-drum-train/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/09/rock-band-2-details-wireless-instruments-playlists-drum-train/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Let's get this out of the way first: Rock Band 2 isn't the innovator Rock Band 1 was. But if it walks like Rock Band 1 and rocks like Rock Band 1, then what makes it Rock Band 2? If you're afraid of getting a glorified song-pack, Harmonix has a handful of new features in store that they hope will assuage your fears, and they all seem to revolve around the user experience. That means no new instrument types and no fancy, new graphics, but a whole lot of what you love about Rock Band 1 has been fixed up and added onto. We got a chance to check the game out at EA's EA3 event last month and EA shared a fact sheet with us that lays out all the new features.

The sequel's major feature seems to be "backwards compatibility" - that means all your previously purchased DLC will work, no need for redownloading or authorizing. It just works. The same philosophy extends to your equipment: all of your Rock Band 1 equipment will work with Rock Band 2.

Gallery: Rock Band 2


Just because the equipment looks identical, doesn't mean it is. While the hardware they had on hand at last month's EA3 event wasn't final, and wasn't even playable, that didn't stop us from fiddling with the display models they had. The wireless guitar (yeah, the Xbox 360's default guitar is wireless now) promises to have a "sturdier, more precise feeling strum bar" as well as "quieter buttons" while the new wireless drumkit (yeah, it's wireless now) sports a metal-reinforced pedal, along with "quieter and more natural feeling drum pads" which, oh yeah, are now velocity sensitive. They also spoke of the drumkit being "expandable with third party options," but we'll have to wait to see those. One final hardware upgrade is the guitar's "integrated calibration tool" - a tiny camera which can be held up to your display to instantly calibrate the game - a godsend for anyone who brings Rock Band to a friend's place.



Harmonix has also added more character customization options - while leaving everything from the first game - and now that your characters can be multi-disciplinary, we may actually use this feature. No longer will your Cobra Commander drummer be confined to the skins alone, he can pick up a guitar or take his rightful place behind the mic. Now that you've got the band you want, take the whole game online in a multiplayer Battle of the Bands contest "that will be generated by Harmonix on a regular basis." You'll also be able to bring your band online in World Tour mode, one of the original game's most oft-cited shortcomings. Lastly, one of the most interesting new additions to the game's many modes: a drum trainer which "gives players a step-by-step lesson through the basic beat and fill vocabulary any real world drummer would know." See mom? It's educational.

They've also streamlined the song selection screen, making it look nearly identical to the game's store: album art is displayed alongside the tracks, making it quicker to scroll and catch something you want to play. Another welcome new addition: custom setlists. Want to blast through a dozen of your favorite songs without stumbling through the song and band selection screens? Make a playlist for more rock, less management. Speaking of songs, though RB2 promises 80 tracks on the disc (in addition to whatever you've already downloaded of course) they were only showing off 10 tracks:
  1. Dream Theater - "Panic Attack "
  2. System of a Down - "Chop Suey"
  3. Foo Fighters - "Everlong"
  4. The Muffs - "Kids in America"
  5. Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Give it Away"
  6. Motörhead - "Ace of Spades"
  7. Cheap Trick - "Hello There"
  8. Elvis Costello - "Pump it Up"
  9. Journey - "Anyway You Want It"
  10. The Who - "Pinball Wizard"
We're eager to learn more at E3 but, right now, we've got that feeling that everything being added in Rock Band 2, save for the substantial song selection, could have been accomplished with a patch or update. While Harmonix hasn't categorically denied it, most disappointing is an apparent inability to access all your music from the Rock Band 1 disc in Rock Band 2. For example: you've purchased The Pixies seminal Doolittle album, but only downloaded 14 of its 15 tracks; "Wave of Mutilation" is on the disc, you see. So, when Rock Band 2 rolls around, those 14 tracks are seamlessly swept into Rock Band 2's library, but your experience is incomplete. For us, our dreams of a music "platform" were inexorably tied up in our ability now, and going forward, to access every Rock Band track we'd purchased to date from one elegant interface, without switching discs. Here's to hoping Harmonix has another trick up their sleeve.

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]]>BreakingNewsEAEA3HarmonixMTV-GamesRock-BandRock-Band-2Christopher Grant2008-07-09T11:29:00+00:00Rumorong: GameSpot says Rock Band 2 will support RB1 songshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/08/rumorong-gamespot-says-rock-band-2-will-support-rb1-songs/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/08/rumorong-gamespot-says-rock-band-2-will-support-rb1-songs/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/08/rumorong-gamespot-says-rock-band-2-will-support-rb1-songs/#commentsFiled under: , ,


And here we go again: After IGN backtracked on comments that seemed to indicate that Rock Band 2's biggest perceived shortcoming - spreading the rhythm game "platform" onto multiple discs, thereby tossing our precious monolithic library of songs to the wind - would in fact be be addressed by the sequel comes word from GameSpot who say ... well, the exact same thing and ... look at that, they backtracked later as well.

Their original story said that Rock Band 2 "will feature full support for all of the original Rock Band songs, all of the downloadable content" as well as the 80 songs on the RB2 disc. GameSpot evidently got their purportedly faulty information from IGN's piece, and a Harmonix representative tells us that both stories were incorrect (both have been updated).

Even so, that doesn't stop us from dreaming of our perfect solution: You mail in both the Rock Band 1 and Rock Band 2 discs; include $5 for shipping & handling along with three cereal box-tops; wait 4-6 months; get Rock Band 2: MEGA edition back in the mail including all tracks from Rock Band 1 and Rock Band 2 (including bonus Sgt. Slaughter or William "The Refrigerator" Perry action figures). See? Perfect.

[Thanks, Joe]

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]]>HarmonixMTV-GamesRock-BandRock-Band-2Christopher Grant2008-07-08T18:22:00+00:00Rumor: Rock Band 2 to feature all RB1 tracks as free DLC [update]http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/08/rumor-rock-band-2-to-feature-all-rb1-tracks-as-free-dlc/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/08/rumor-rock-band-2-to-feature-all-rb1-tracks-as-free-dlc/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/08/rumor-rock-band-2-to-feature-all-rb1-tracks-as-free-dlc/#commentsFiled under: , ,

rock band
Rock Band 2 could provide download access to all of the tracks featured on the original Rock Band disc, according IGN Xbox 360 Editor Nate Ahearn. Responding to comments made by a poster in an IGN Insider "Grudge Match" that pits Rock Band 2 against Guitar Hero World Tour, Ahearn writes, "Immediately upon purchasing Rock Band 2 you'll have the ability to download a huge library of songs, as well as all of the songs off of the original disc as a free download."

Ahearn has apparently (and probably wrongfully) answered a long-standing question about the seamless continuity between the two catalogs; from the RB1 disc to the RB2 disc. Many purchasers of the original Rock Band -- marketed as a "platform" by its developers -- had hoped that as the franchise inevitably spawned, there would be no need to swap discs. Supposedly, the solution lies in downloading the first game's disc tracks onto the hard drive. Still, there are at least two important questions that need answering: (1) Can we pick and choose our RB1 songs, or do we download all of them as one "free download?" (2) Can any RB2 purchaser access RB1 songs for free, or do we need to validate our ownership of the first game? Expect the full reveal next week.

Update: According to IGN Xbox Team Editor-in-Chief Hilary Goldstein, "Nate goofed in writing that. He hopes that is allowed. Nothing about this has been announced and Nate's never even seen RB2. Sorry, guys." Honest mistake ... or covering tracks? We'll know next week. [Source - IGN Boards (registration required)]

[Via GameFAQs Boards]

Source - IGN Insider (registration required)

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]]>dlceaharmonixmtv-gamesrock-bandrock-band-2James Ransom-Wiley2008-07-08T14:55:00+00:00