" Power Gig isn't at all meant to teach as far as I understand it. It's another step in that direction though by having you use a real guitar."
I did say "transitioning" but I could have worded that more effectively.
I think what Power Gig is trying to do is a novel idea, but it won't work. I firmly believe that people like these games because they are easy, and they won't want to "learn a real guitar" like the haters have been yelling at them to do for years.
Rock Band 3's keyboard seems like it could be fun, but it does seem a bit too safe, and it's probably the last instrument that could be added. Where they go beyond that, I have no idea.
As for Warriors of Rock's quest mode, a simple plot of "save rock and roll, guys!" could be good if it were executed decently, but I'm skeptical on how one can save rock by just playing songs. Seems like it wouldn't be awfully different from "become best band ever by playing songs." But hey, they could surprise me.
I feel like there's another crazy idea that would trump all of these, but I don't have nearly enough genius to think about what it is.
In my opinion rhythm games are quickly loosing their mainstream appeal from oversaturation of the market and need to start trying to cater to a more niche audience if they want to survive. And you know what audience they need to be catering to? The people who want more fucking metal! They aren't selling more games just by putting lame, current indie bands on the tracklist that are cheaper to license because they are shit and need the publicity more. There is so much great old metal to use, and plenty of bands and styles of music that have yet to feature in these games at all (really old blues music for instance). That is where these games need to go if they want to survive.
Someone should use a time machine to go back and completely erase the original code for guitar hero so that it never gets published. I will never understand why people think these games are fun. ( I enjoy almost all genres btw)
" Power Gig isn't at all meant to teach as far as I understand it. It's another step in that direction though by having you use a real guitar."
I did say "transitioning" but I could have worded that more effectively.
I think what Power Gig is trying to do is a novel idea, but it won't work. I firmly believe that people like these games because they are easy, and they won't want to "learn a real guitar" like the haters have been yelling at them to do for years. Rock Band 3's keyboard seems like it could be fun, but it does seem a bit too safe, and it's probably the last instrument that could be added. Where they go beyond that, I have no idea. As for Warriors of Rock's quest mode, a simple plot of "save rock and roll, guys!" could be good if it were executed decently, but I'm skeptical on how one can save rock by just playing songs. Seems like it wouldn't be awfully different from "become best band ever by playing songs." But hey, they could surprise me. I feel like there's another crazy idea that would trump all of these, but I don't have nearly enough genius to think about what it is. "
I find it hard to believe that Guitar Hero's new game is actually going to have any important story element at all. Technically the first three guitar hero games had a "save the world with rock" story stringing the setlists together, and that's all I expect from a new Guitar Hero. Guitar Hero blows.
@TorgoGrooves89 said:
" In my opinion rhythm games are quickly loosing their mainstream appeal from oversaturation of the market and need to start trying to cater to a more niche audience if they want to survive. And you know what audience they need to be catering to? The people who want more fucking metal! They aren't selling more games just by putting lame, current indie bands on the tracklist that are cheaper to license because they are shit and need the publicity more. There is so much great old metal to use, and plenty of bands and styles of music that have yet to feature in these games at all (really old blues music for instance). That is where these games need to go if they want to survive. "
It could be argued that songs that ship on disc aren't even relevant anymore. With the amount of DLC that is on the Rock Band Store (Yes that includes a ton of metal) disc based songs are just a nice bonus to the feature set.
I would like to see a guitar designed more as a bass guitar. Really what I want to do is try some slapping. It would be interesting to see if they could come up with a model that could do slapping and still allow other styles of bass playing.
" I would like to see a guitar designed more as a bass guitar. Really what I want to do is try some slapping. It would be interesting to see if they could come up with a model that could do slapping and still allow other styles of bass playing. "
Um, I really don't know. Ultimately, the core gameplay will basically be unchanged for all these games. Yeah, there's a "story" to the new Guitar Hero (also, why the fuck are they deviating from the number system again? We went from III to World Tour back to 5 and now Warriors of Rock? PICK ONE THING DAMNIT!) but the gameplay, I'm going to guess, will be the exact same, just with new music. Music doesn't even cut it for me anymore. I'll find cool songs to buy in the store, download them, play them maybe once then put away my instruments and play something more meaningful.
They should just do more DLC. I don't think that they're really changing the game here. I guess the first idea, to actually "teach" people how to play an instrument would be a step in the right direction though.
honestly, I think that they all need to take a break for a few years, let everyone get over the hideous torrent that was Activision/Guitar Hero over the past year, and when some interest is rekindled (from kids too young now to have played it/people now remembering how cool the first few games were) then just make a really solid release, no themes, quests, etc. Just good solid peripherals and a decent batch of songs.
" ...just make a really solid release, no themes, quests, etc. Just good solid peripherals and a decent batch of songs. "
That basically is Rock Band. Guitar Hero just needs to stop, and let Harmonix put out a Rock Band game every 2 years. But of course that will never happen.
" I would like to see a guitar designed more as a bass guitar. Really what I want to do is try some slapping. It would be interesting to see if they could come up with a model that could do slapping and still allow other styles of bass playing. "
Guitar Hero is putting too many games out and needs to follow Rock Band. Get it right, and stick with it. Since Rock Band 1, there have been what, 8 GH games? And 4 Rock Bands.
3 (Came out around same time) World Tour 5 Aerosmith Metallica Band Hero Van Halen Smash Hits
I think the whole 'teach you an instrument' thing could be a very interesting direction for instrument-based rhythm games to go in but the popularity of games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band has been for a large part because they are more accessible than trying to learn real to play real instruments.
The whole story-based rhythm game idea is a bit weird, Warriors of Rock is by no means the first game to try it, Elite Beat Agents and PaRappa the Rapper were both well-received rhythm games which tied a story into the experience but going with the modern instrument-focused type of rhythm game there is only so much you can do. Previous rhythm games that have used story well have managed to do it because they've been wacky and off-the-wall and even then I feel like there's a limit to be reached with the whole idea of saving the world or solving problems through music, there's only so many scenarios you can think up before they all get a bit samey. Games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero aren't up the extreme end of the serious scale but they're sure not properties where it seems like using music to fight Godzilla or help little Suzie find her balloon would be entirely suitable. If you're trying to tell a serious story with your rhythm game then it's almost definitely going to be charting a band's rise to success and while that was fine for The Beatles: Rock Band it's an idea with little longevity behind it, it's going to be more or less the same every time.
I suppose this long, drawn-out monologue essentially boils down to me saying I don't know where rhythm games are going next, at some point we're going to reach market saturation and with more and more band-focused rhythm games coming out it seems like that point may not be too far into the future. Like in any similar situation once the current standards for making rhythm games have been exhausted someone will have to come along with a completely new idea which blows everything else out of the water. With all respect to my fellow users I don't think we're going to work out what that awesome idea is in this forum thread. Personally as a massive fan of Rock Band and a player of the piano I'm very interested in Rock Band 3 and the keyboard gameplay.
All they need to do is stop putting shitty music in there. Remember when Guitar Hero had songs with, ya know, rocking guitar tracks? Look at the setlist for GH5. Half the songs are some pop shit. Rock Band is better, but there's some crap in there too (Linkin Park does not 'rock.' They wail, and not in the good way). The problem with pop songs in rhythm games is they tend to have simplistic, repetitive riffs. So even if you like the song it's boring to play because there's no challenge, you're just hitting the same three chords over and over.
I suppose that's not going to increase sales or anything, but all the people who loved GH 1 and 2 and then ignored everything after (like me) would probably appreciate it.
" ...just make a really solid release, no themes, quests, etc. Just good solid peripherals and a decent batch of songs. "
That basically is Rock Band. Guitar Hero just needs to stop, and let Harmonix put out a Rock Band game every 2 years. But of course that will never happen. "
yeah, but even with RB3 coming out, I don't think it'll do well. There just isn't a lot of interest even more. Even Rock Band needs to take a break.
" ...just make a really solid release, no themes, quests, etc. Just good solid peripherals and a decent batch of songs. "
That basically is Rock Band. Guitar Hero just needs to stop, and let Harmonix put out a Rock Band game every 2 years. But of course that will never happen. "
yeah, but even with RB3 coming out, I don't think it'll do well. There just isn't a lot of interest even more. Even Rock Band needs to take a break. "
Well there was no proper Rock Band game in 2009. I'm good with a 2 year cycle.
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