Rock Band

[Cadaverous Pallor]

My brother has an XBox 360 and he just picked up the Rock Band kit. We got to play it this week and it is awesome! The fun of everyone playing their seperate instrument together at once is a totally new experience in "gaming". I have to admit I loved singing, even if I didn't know the words. I got to bark out the Beastie Boys "Sabotage", fumble through yet another Red Hot Chili Peppers song about California, trill the Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Maps", sing one of my angsty-youth songs, Nirvana's "In Bloom", and totally rock out.

The drums are a kick to play as well, and the usual guitar and bass are made better by the whole concept. We swapped around instruments for quite a while - too much fun.

If you have an XBox or PS3 you should totally consider getting this...it just kicks so much ass. :snap: :snap: :snap:

[MouseWife]

Oh, this was tops on our sons list, but, it isn't cheap. I think we will eventually pick it up, but, not for a while yet.

It does look awesome, I would love to play that one myself!!!

Around here, it is all about Guitar Hero 3. Of course, that would be put down for Rock Band......

Glad to hear you guys had fun with it!!

Ooo....I do want it!!!

[Alex]

After really enjoying Guitar Hero despite my initial derision I like the instrument aspects of Rock Band a lot. Especially since, unlike the guitars, the drum kit actually teaches you elements of playing drums (not the entire package, but I've seen several very qualified people say that if you can play Rock Band drums at expert level you aren't far from having the skills of a real drum player).

But I have a horrible admission that means I must try to never being the same room with the game, at least if it is being fully implemented. There is something about a person singing along to a song that makes me want to punch them in the mouth. I don't know why it is, and it is obviously misanthropic and antisocial to an extreme but it just grates on me. Being up on stage: somehow ok, do it next to me and I start wondering what living as a fugitive from the law would be like.

Since Lani sings all the freaking time we have obviously reached a truce that keeps me out of court. But I think I'd rather hold terra cotta between my naked thighs while someone is scratching a blackboard than encourage people to sing (you're welcome for the visual).

But then the point is, I suppose, pretty moot. Some musician reviewed Rock Band and said it "it is Guitar Hero for people with more than one friend." Since I haven't played a video game in a group with friends since I was 15 the opportunity to fully play Rock Band probably isn't going to arise.

But if they add a keyboard to the mix (that, like the drums, is more realistic than the guitars) I might have to overcome my phobia (or learn to live with the criminal implications of punching a lot of people).

[MouseWife]

Wasn't there going to be a game that added keyboard? Or am I remembering it that was the only thing missing? Hmmm...

Alex, you f'ing crack me up. I know you don't mean to so that is even more hilarious.

I read in Oprah mag that one way for people to feel better was to sing, this person recommended that people sing. Well, I cracked up at that; What about the people who have to listen to you sing? Poor sods.

Like Lani, I sing all of the time. Hopefully, she is blessed with a nice voice, as, I am not. But, I do it anyway. That Ben Stiller movie, where the girl is singing and dancing in her seat, I was like 'What is wrong with that?' cause that is me!!! Especially after a caffiene loaded drink...I'm dancing in my seat,{in the car, for example} doing the cabbage patch, whatever!!

I would imagine, when the kids get this {as I am sure they will, my Son works at GameStop....} they will not invite me to sing along.... :( But those songs sound like such fun!!

[Cadaverous Pallor]

I love singing along to songs. I will not do so in front of Alex. Thanks for the warning.

You just know there will one day be a keyboard and added 80's pack of songs so you can do your favorite Flock of Seagulls tunes.

[Chernabog]

The Ps3 version is $169.99 (comes with all 4 peripherals, including a wireless guitar. Xbox is same price, but with a wired guitar). Hmmmm.. this may be what my hanukkah gift certs go into! I like this concept way better than just regular guitar hero.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

The Ps3 version is $169.99 (comes with all 4 peripherals, including a wireless guitar. Xbox is same price, but with a wired guitar). Hmmmm.. this may be what my hanukkah gift certs go into! I like this concept way better than just regular guitar hero.If you're even considering it - get it! I'm sure the Commodore will enchant you with his vocal stylings.

[Chernabog]

Hmmmm the $169 version does NOT come with all 4 peripherals -- it comes with a guitar, a drum set, and a mic. I'd have to get one extra ps3 guitar for bass guitar. Blech! That's a lot of money, but it'd be great at parties.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Hmmmm the $169 version does NOT come with all 4 peripherals -- it comes with a guitar, a drum set, and a mic. I'd have to get one extra ps3 guitar for bass guitar. Blech! That's a lot of money, but it'd be great at parties.Ah. I guess the assumption is that you already own a Guitar Hero game or two. My brothers already had a guitar from that.

[Ghoulish Delight]

After really enjoying Guitar Hero despite my initial derision I like the instrument aspects of Rock Band a lot. Especially since, unlike the guitars, the drum kit actually teaches you elements of playing drums (not the entire package, but I've seen several very qualified people say that if you can play Rock Band drums at expert level you aren't far from having the skills of a real drum player).Well, I sucked hard-core at drums...so they must be pretty accurate to real life.

[Peachy Keen]

Hmmmm the $169 version does NOT come with all 4 peripherals -- it comes with a guitar, a drum set, and a mic. I'd have to get one extra ps3 guitar for bass guitar. Blech! That's a lot of money, but it'd be great at parties.
Problem is, (for PS3, I hear this is NOT the case on Xbox) that the guitar from GH will not work on RB, and they do not sell just the guitar. Boo!
Means you have to either, invite friends with a guitar who also have RB, OR, buy another whole set just for the guitar. Kinda sucks doesn't it.
Hopefully the publisher who's name escapes me at the moment (I think Activision) will get their head out of their ass sooner rather than later.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Rock Band is developed by a company called Harmonix, which developed Guitar Hero 1 & 2. Activision bought the company Red Octane which developed the Hardware for Guitar Hero, and MTV bought Harmonix. So they no longer work together and Harmonix did not develop Guitar Hero 3.

At this point, both sides are kinda pointing fingers at each other as to whose fault it is that the Les Paul PS3 controller doesn't work, but Harmonix has developed a patch that would fix it, but Activision is blocking the release of the patch. ( wiki info (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Band_%28video_game%29#Guitar_incompatibility) )

Full Disclosure: I'm a little quick to defend Harmonix as my college roommate is a developer there.

[katiesue]

Full Disclosure: I'm a little quick to defend Harmonix as my college roommate is a developer there.

I'd defend Activision but I used to work there :D

[Capt Jack]

wow. it'd almost be cheaper to take up really playing the instrument, wouldnt it

(dont mind me. guitars I have, but at guitar hero, I stink on ice)

[Peachy Keen]

Rock Band is developed by a company called Harmonix, which developed Guitar Hero 1 & 2. Activision bought the company Red Octane which developed the Hardware for Guitar Hero, and MTV bought Harmonix. So they no longer work together and Harmonix did not develop Guitar Hero 3.
Both of which where blatantly stolen from Konami's Guitar Freak. I have been familiar with Red Octane long before the big GH craze. They were an online retailer who sold Dance Dance Revolution games and 3rd party dance mats. They also published In the Groove, a ripoff of DDR. Red Octane are pretty much thieves.
But anyway...;)
PS, I'd defend Harmonix too, Activision should make a guitar you can buy separately or stfu. just sayin'

[Kevy Baby]

I would defend either Activision or Harmonix if I cared.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

I would defend either Activision or Harmonix if I cared.So why did you post?

[Nephythys]

I want it- gonna have to look hard though. You can find it for PS3 just about anywhere- but not XBox and that is what we want it for.

hmmmm..bonus coming up, tax refund, trip to Disneyland and maybe some new high tech toys?

[Chernabog]

Hopefully the publisher who's name escapes me at the moment (I think Activision) will get their head out of their ass sooner rather than later.

Yup. And I am not buying EITHER till this issue is resolved.

F**k both of em. Seriously.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Honestly, I'm not really sure what Harmonix has done wrong. They developed to an open standard. Every other guitar on the market works. Sounds like Activision's problem to me.

[wendybeth]

I'm sorta curious as to how I'd do on drums- I played them in school and still remember all the fundamentals, but I think I'd probably stink just slightly less than I do on the Girl's Guitar Hero.

[Strangler Lewis]

My brother has an XBox 360 and he just picked up the Rock Band kit. We got to play it this week and it is awesome! The fun of everyone playing their seperate instrument together at once is a totally new experience in "gaming". I have to admit I loved singing, even if I didn't know the words. I got to bark out the Beastie Boys "Sabotage", fumble through yet another Red Hot Chili Peppers song about California, trill the Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Maps", sing one of my angsty-youth songs, Nirvana's "In Bloom", and totally rock out.

The drums are a kick to play as well, and the usual guitar and bass are made better by the whole concept. We swapped around instruments for quite a while - too much fun.

If you have an XBox or PS3 you should totally consider getting this...it just kicks so much ass. :snap: :snap: :snap:


Preachy response alert:

I don't have Rock Band, but I have Stage Play. Each person gets a "script" or "part," and you can swap. You can play an entire game or just set it to go level by level or "scene" by "scene." There's also a "solitaire" or "monologue" setting for when you're alone. It's quite a challenge to make your on-screen character perform realistically. You get a real sense of how hard it is for professional actors to give realistic performances in movies like Shrek. If you buy Stage Play, don't get the kid's version, because those omit the "coed dressing room" and "cast party" levels.

My other favorite game is "Dinner Party." Each controller represents a guest. The difficulty levels are determined by the topic of conversation, and the tone of the party you wish to maintain. For example, a non-controversial topic and a genial atmosphere are pretty easy, but that level gets boring pretty quickly. The toughest, of course, is to navigate a controversial topic while maintaining good will and mutual respect. I haven't mastered it yet.

Anyway, I've always liked video games as much as the next guy, at least in bars, and I'm sure Rock Band is fun. Nonetheless, it's a bit of a head scratcher. Playing music isn't like being an astronaut or a Norse warrior. Any adult who wants to act like they're playing an instrument should probably just go take music lessons.

[€uroMeinke]

I don't have Rock Band, but I have Stage Play. Each person gets a "script" or "part," and you can swap.

Switched gender Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf, will always be a favorite of mine...

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Preachy response alert:Did you write this while chasing kids off your lawn? :p

Maybe you should try it before you knock it. I'm not saying that hours spent on gaming could easily be spent better elsewhere...much like TV watching or cruising the internet...but that this game is a) fun and b) effortless in comparison to learning to play an instrument, or rather, in comparison to getting you and all your friends to learn to play instruments.

You do....like music, right?

[Strangler Lewis]

Did you write this while chasing kids off your lawn? :p

Do you have CC&Rs? That's a great game.

effortless in comparison to learning to play an instrument. Not that hard. Certainly no harder than living with a real woman as opposed to a love doll.

You do....like music, right?
I'm somewhere between Alex and the rest of y'all on this, and probably closer to Alex. I like to play it. I like to dance to it. I'm basically a word guy, so if I'm going to listen to it, it has to be something where I can understand the lyrics. That said, the current crop of female vocalists droning on in dizzy voices about mundane relationship details leaves me very cold.

I recognize it's probably a bit of a character flaw. I just can't get into the self-surrender that seems to be called for to be a music fan as opposed to a fan of any other art form.

[Peachy Keen]

ROFL@where topic has headed.
Truthfully, I think learning to play an instrument is a honorable endeavor, but the games are fun. Good if you want to waste some time in an enjoyable way.
BTW, there is a game called "Cooking Mama," does this go along with "Dinner Party?" ;)

[Morrigoon]

Preachy response alert:

I don't have Rock Band, but I have Stage Play. Each person gets a "script" or "part," and you can swap. You can play an entire game or just set it to go level by level or "scene" by "scene." There's also a "solitaire" or "monologue" setting for when you're alone. It's quite a challenge to make your on-screen character perform realistically. You get a real sense of how hard it is for professional actors to give realistic performances in movies like Shrek. If you buy Stage Play, don't get the kid's version, because those omit the "coed dressing room" and "cast party" levels.

My other favorite game is "Dinner Party." Each controller represents a guest. The difficulty levels are determined by the topic of conversation, and the tone of the party you wish to maintain. For example, a non-controversial topic and a genial atmosphere are pretty easy, but that level gets boring pretty quickly. The toughest, of course, is to navigate a controversial topic while maintaining good will and mutual respect. I haven't mastered it yet.

Anyway, I've always liked video games as much as the next guy, at least in bars, and I'm sure Rock Band is fun. Nonetheless, it's a bit of a head scratcher. Playing music isn't like being an astronaut or a Norse warrior. Any adult who wants to act like they're playing an instrument should probably just go take music lessons.
The way you wrote this up totally put a smile on my face. Which is quite an achievement for a curmudgeonly post. So well done :)

[Scrooge McSam]

I'm sorta curious as to how I'd do on drums- I played them in school and still remember all the fundamentals, but I think I'd probably stink just slightly less than I do on the Girl's Guitar Hero.

Paradiddle?
Flamadiddle?
Swiss Army Triplets?
Match grip or Traditional?

Geek boy was 6 years on the snare line in HS and college. Can ya tell?

Ha! I never knew you for a "stick".

[Not Afraid]

Ahhhhhh, memories! Steve, you play Honey, ok?

That was a beautiful post SL!


Old Person Alert:

Remember when we used to play imagination games without a game consul? That was fun!

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Ahhhhhh, memories! Steve, you play Honey, ok?

That was a beautiful post SL!


Old Person Alert:

Remember when we used to play imagination games without a game consul? That was fun!Anyone with a Bluetooth Borg implant shouldn't knock technology in any form :p

[Not Afraid]

I pick and choose my technology mostly based on efficiency. Bluetooth has allowed me to multi-task even better than before! Gaming...I just haven't quite "gotten" it yet. I have message boards if I want to waste time. ;)

[Motorboat Cruiser]

Here's a clip of me playing rock band.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HbxdRpN2Ug

Great game. ;)

[wendybeth]

Paradiddle?
Flamadiddle?
Swiss Army Triplets?
Match grip or Traditional?



Geek boy was 6 years on the snare line in HS and college. Can ya tell?

Ha! I never knew you for a "stick".


Still remember when I upgraded from 7-A's to 2-B's. Thought I was pretty hot stuff. I can barely do a decent roll, and I get about five seconds into a paradiddle and I screw it up. I quit playing because my arms were getting too muscular, and I thought it made me look fat. Yes, I was a superficial teen. Plus, I'd discovered partying.:D (I never went beyond 2-B's, and I played traditional. Our teacher would gut us if we tried to play rock god style).

[wendybeth]

Oh, and cool video, MBC!:cool:

[CoasterMatt]

I wanna see the Rock Band - Groupies addon pack :)

[NirvanaMan]

I want to play. When is this coming out on Wii?

[Ghoulish Delight]

No announced date yet.

Actually, doing some searching, don't hold your breath for any time soon. Last April, Harmonix CEO was saying that they'd "absolutely" be bringing it to "every platform". But a couple weeks ago, EA (who distributes it) sai "We have not announced any plans for a Wii version at this time," which doesn't sound promising.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

As of January 3rd (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/03/ea-still-no-rock-band-for-wii-announcement/), still no announcement of plans to make it for Wii. :(


ETA - You beat me to it but I have a link :p

[cirquelover]

Here's a clip of me playing rock band.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HbxdRpN2Ug

Great game. ;)

Sounds great! If I was closer I would love to come hear you guys play, Rock on:snap:

[Chernabog]

There's a small chance I may pick this up with all my gift certs at Best Buy, and then hope for the best about eventually getting another guitar that is compatible with the various guitar heroes.

Just the thought of spending money on so many extra guitars just makes me annoyed.

And it is my understanding that there are NO guitars out there that will play Guitar Hero 1 & 2 on your Ps3, is that correct?

[Ghoulish Delight]

That's more or less correct. There are some klugy work arounds (getting a USB adapter), but even those aren't perfect (delays, and "hammering" doesn't work). RedOctane has said they're working with Sony on it.

[Chernabog]

What is hammering (with respect to the GH controller?).

Heh well I came |thisclose| again to buying Rock Band, but that's because I went to best buy with the intention of getting a Nintendo DS and use the $110 store credit I have... and they are all out. I really really don't want to do the same thing to find the DS that I had to do to get the Wii (no, oddly enough it didn't involve me on my knees, mmkay?) but still, it was a lot of work for a freakin video game system. So Rock Band, being plentiful, may be the easy thing to spend on :)

Of course, I *could* get a PSP, which would be great at the gym (since I could watch downloaded movies) but... the DS is better, right?

[cirquelover]

I love my DS! I'm not much of a gamer but am still having lots of fun with the variety of games available.
Of course the boys are trying to convince me to let them get Rock Band. I think they can have enough fun right now with all the guitar heroes they have around my house!

[Ghoulish Delight]

What is hammering (with respect to the GH controller?).
Certain notes (when playing on hard/expert) can be played in succession without having to re-strum. So you just hold a note, strum, then hold the strum and just change notes. You can spot a note that can be hammered because it's got a little glowing beam coming out of it. It'll screw with your brain the first time you try it, but it's the only way to get really good at the harder songs on the harder difficulties. And it's apparently not doable when using the USB adapter that gets the GH II guitar to work at all with a PS3.

[Strangler Lewis]

How does the theremin simulator handle? Is there one for the Wii?

[mousepod]

How does the theremin simulator handle? Is there one for the Wii?

That is world-class snark. Visible (and invisible) mojo for you.

[Morrigoon]

Okay, I finally have to ask this, what is this "theramin" I keep seeing references to?

[CoasterMatt]

OMG!! You don't know know what a theremin is?
Well, lot's of people don't know what it IS, but they sure as hell know it when they hear it :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theremin

[Ghoulish Delight]

You should have seen the joy on our faces when CP and I came across a theremin at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry that we were allowed to play with. Such joyous joy.

[Alex]

Based on the snark I just assumed it was some mood controlling drug. Sounds like one. But based on mousepod's response I looked it up.

As for you not being familiar with theremins, lashbear has a thread where he'd like to mock you (http://www.loungeoftomorrow.com/LoT/showthread.php?t=7332).

[CoasterMatt]

For a short time, they had a mad scientist type character walking around Magic Mountain with a theremin, and I giggled like a schoolgirl when I got to play with it; I weirded him out.

[Morrigoon]

Okay, so who's gonna be the first one to take home this baby:
http://cgi.ebay.com/THEREMIN-ANALOG-T-SHIRT-MOOG-RCA-CLARA-ROCKMORE_W0QQitemZ290199293063QQihZ019QQcategoryZ1 5687QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Morrigoon]

CM: it's the mod of your dreams, man: http://cgi.ebay.com/KIT-Theremin-KITS-No-Soldering-THERAMIN-SEE-IT_W0QQitemZ360015220895QQihZ023QQcategoryZ1287QQs sPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[CoasterMatt]

I know what I'm getting for my birthday :)

[FEJ]

I just found out it is available for the PS2, we will be getting it in the next week or so.
(I originally thought it was 360/PS3 only)

[Peachy Keen]

Legend of Zelda theme played on theremin (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJYho56INKU)

[Nephythys]

well- I bought Rock band tonight. It is the one splurge I had (sort of) planned.

It's fun- so far- drums are hard, guitar is Guitar Hero- so same deal- and I like to sing best:)