Old Games: Encyclopedia Bombastica: Amplitude

@FonkyMucker said:

Whats going on Mecon?!?!

I really have no idea what Alex is missing when it comes to bands, but I'm also less of a music nerd so... that's why?

Never played this game but i played a ton of Frequency during the PS2 network adapter beta test.

@Deusx said:

@JEC03 said:

Rock is so mediocre and horrible ever since Brittany Spears hit in the late 90's then you had the boyband bullshit that was the beginning of the end around that time rock really has lost it's edge.Sure there was and still is underground bands that are out there that are good but nothing like the late 80's to the mid 90's when there where so many unique style of bands to listen to.Now the bar seems so low anyone on youtube can get a record deal.It's really sad how generic and dull music has become in over the past decade I really hope rock makes a comeback the music industry more then ever needs a kick in the ass.

You should stop watching MTV, kid. Music is great now a days. Give me one genre, I'll tell you what to listen. There are so many good bands now a days, maybe you're not looking for them in the right places.

First off I don't watch MTV and I'm not a fucking kid lmao like I said before the good music is underground.But the point I was making was about mainstream music I would like mainstream to go back to focus on rock I think the country would benefit from another rock legend in my opinion there hasn't been one since Cobain and Morrison.

I beta tested this game for a day back when Harmonix was still a little developer. I remember when they were excited about getting a new fridge. hehe

This is one genre I completely missed out on. Just never got around to trying these games. Will have to do so in future.

@LiK said:

I beta tested this game for a day back when Harmonix was still a little developer. I remember when they were excited about getting a new fridge. hehe

:D

It's good to see Alex talking about a game he actually likes...more of this!

@bkbroiler: No, that's not what I meant. Sorry, its hard to articulate. I'm glad we get this feature at all, its just I see nothing wrong with wanting something more involved or to me interesting.

I had high hopes for this feature as something to give some background on video game history and what games may have influenced future ones. Amplitude fits into that description, but only for very recent games. I'd rather see them start much earlier as Jeff is doing and work its way up to see some of how games have evolved over the years.

I want more Quicklooks, I want all of them. Its just that to me Amplitude would have been an awesome QL throwback or some other feature. I know Jeff and Ryan would have a lot to say on the game, but since it is a game on this feature I don't know if the staff would find it necessary to go back to it. That's my main issue, this is what they have chosen to do with these games. Its great that they show them and I'll take as much as the staff as I can, especially Alex since we get less of him than anyone. Its why I stopped following Gamespot as soon as Jeff and the crew left.

To be honest I wish Jeff presented these games with another person as well. I get why Jeff chose to do it this way, maybe stemming from his "Hall of Fame" idea or because its much easier to do them this way, but Quicklooks work for a reason. Having two or more people interacting and discussing a game gives so much more insight into the game than one person giving their interpretation of a history lesson and opinion on a game.

Music died with Freddie Mercury.

Loved amplitude back then, can't remember at all what inspired me to buy it but I was glad I did.

Also Lego Rock Band for DS is probably the closest we ever got to a proper amplitude sequel, suprisingly great game for a rhythm / handheld

Bands A Make Her Dance.

Came in here expecting Jeff, not disappointed to find Alex.

Man, I know that I do not listen mainstream music anymore, but I had no idea that there were no more bands O_o.

Anywho, great Bombastica Alex. Always looking forward for more from you!

Lol my tastes are almost the exact opposite of Alex. Dubstep <3

@Undeadpool said:

@melodiousj said:

Don't feel bad, Alex. We all become that cliche eventually.

Whenever I see someone my age shit-talk "today's music," I feel compelled to ask them at exactly what moment they became their parents. Some accept it, most rationalize it.

I couldn't pin it to a precise moment. My mom and I are both rock fans, actually, and we both kind of fell out of love with most modern rock around the same time.

I hope he re uploads this with fixed audio levels, I feel all video content on this site has the game audio levels way too low.

I thought that Urban Dance Squad's Deeper Shade of Soul in 1991 really kickstarted the thing of putting a DJ in your band. And having a DJ did a lot for them, really they were little without their DJ.

@JEC03 said:

Rock is so mediocre and horrible ever since Brittany Spears hit in the late 90's then you had the boyband bullshit that was the beginning of the end around that time rock really has lost it's edge.Sure there was and still is underground bands that are out there that are good but nothing like the late 80's to the mid 90's when there where so many unique style of bands to listen to.Now the bar seems so low anyone on youtube can get a record deal.It's really sad how generic and dull music has become in over the past decade I really hope rock makes a comeback the music industry more then ever needs a kick in the ass.

This can't be serious. This is too funny. Artists like Brittany Spears and Justin Timberlake did not do anything approaching new, and didn't ruin anything at all. I mean, there were essentially boy bands and figurehead-like female singers who sold themselves on style and didn't really write and produce any of their music before Ms. Spears was even born. All of this has existed for generations, well before The Beatles and all those fancy and lovely rock bands from the 60s and 70s. And again, there are plenty of new artists doing interesting/new things (Janelle Monae, Flying Lotus, Deerhunter), as well as new artists sort of doing old things (Wolfmother, Tame Impala, Big K.R.I.T.).

I'm liking that we're seeing more more Bombers add to the Encyclopedia Bombastica, I can't wait until some of the other guys upload some stuff.

@Alex - At 30 I feel like just as much of an old man as you sound, listening to nothing except my old favourites, which with the exception of the odd artist all pre-date the middle of the last decade at the latest. Still, as a listener of extreme metal I think the concept of The Band(tm) has never gone away. There are one-man-bands, dodgy supergroups, as well increasingly smaller 3-piece and 2-piece outfits plying their trade, but if you feel you miss the concept of a music source which also doubles as a collection of personalities - eg. the guitar guy, the drums guy, the mysterious miscellaneous guy deliberately avoiding meeting the camera's gaze in the promo pics - then you'll never not find that in metal.

Since you're a confessed 'rock guy' why not take a tour of the dirtier fringes for a year or two... Hit up last.fm or mapofmetal or metal-archives or whatever and see where it takes you. BTW I say 'extreme' metal, because in order to find good stuff you have to delve past the bands masturbating in the novelty of the genre (fewer of those around nowadays), break the crust and swim in some unadulterated death, black or doom metal.

Having said that, I'm out of touch, and I go back to what you said about sticking to old favourites. Metal could have died last year and I probably wouldn't know. By a certain age you simply know who you are and like what you like; when trends change I no longer change with them because I'm set like jelly. Same goes for artists whose style changes schizophrenically throughout their career, as they make some wanky personal journey of discovery: they don't have any long term relevance to me, since their changing insights, based on their lives and personalities, don't stay relevant to my own.

@heatDrive88 said:

Ex-Harmonix employee doing a quick look of an old Harmonix game? SHIT SON.

COLLUSION. FOLLOW THE MONEY.

*mumble* *mumble* CHEMTRAILS! *mumble*

@Alex Here is a band that benefitted from a dj: Portishead!

Thank you, @Alex.

I like the small 'The Thinker' by Rodin you have on your shelf. Speaking of which, what is that next to it? Just curious. It looks like a black and white version of scarecrow's mask/face from 1939 The Wizard of Oz film.

One of my favorite games.

Also one of a list of games--along with Frequency--that immediately reminds me of the collection of games/consoles I lost and kind of bums me out.

Anyone remember Anti-grav for the PS2?

I actually think Alex does a better job at this than Jeff does. Nice work!

Needs more game audio :-/

I loved this game so much.

@Alex Incubus made a pretty good go of it with a DJ. They weren't total dirtbags! Says me.

@Alex: Great new entry. Can we have more in game audio? The game seemed silent. Need to find the balance between the commentary and in game audio I guess.

@Dan_CiTi said:

@JEC03 said:

Rock is so mediocre and horrible ever since Brittany Spears hit in the late 90's then you had the boyband bullshit that was the beginning of the end around that time rock really has lost it's edge.Sure there was and still is underground bands that are out there that are good but nothing like the late 80's to the mid 90's when there where so many unique style of bands to listen to.Now the bar seems so low anyone on youtube can get a record deal.It's really sad how generic and dull music has become in over the past decade I really hope rock makes a comeback the music industry more then ever needs a kick in the ass.

This can't be serious. This is too funny. Artists like Brittany Spears and Justin Timberlake did not do anything approaching new, and didn't ruin anything at all. I mean, there were essentially boy bands and figurehead-like female singers who sold themselves on style and didn't really write and produce any of their music before Ms. Spears was even born. All of this has existed for generations, well before The Beatles and all those fancy and lovely rock bands from the 60s and 70s. And again, there are plenty of new artists doing interesting/new things (Janelle Monae, Flying Lotus, Deerhunter), as well as new artists sort of doing old things (Wolfmother, Tame Impala, Big K.R.I.T.).

I think you misunderstand what I'm trying to say the point is mainstream rock from 80's to the mid 90's was in the spotlight and there was so many great bands out there and not so great.The reason I bring up Brittany Spears and boybands is because Pop music took over and at least I feel there is not as many great bands as there was in the past now the rock scene is filled with hipsters case and point.

Pretty funny Sunday was the first time I played this in years and then this video comes out and this game is still awesome especially the multiplayer.

It would be pretty neat if I could hear the music in this game that is based around music.

Holy crap, Alex, are you really throwing They Are Who We Thought They Were out there? That's... kinda amazing.

There's so many bands out there today and music is as good as it's ever been really.

Very nice, Alex. I dug these games back in the day, and I appreciated the insightful monologue on BANDS.

"I'm gonna play it. I'm gonna do it, gonna play this game for ya."

Reminds me of that scene in Wanderlust where Rudd is talking into the mirror about his DEE-YICK-KUH.

I sure wish they'd make a new one of these. Rock Band Blitz doesn't even come close.

Dude. Green Day Rock Band was great.

Oh man, P.O.D.

@melodiousj said:

@Undeadpool said:

@melodiousj said:

Don't feel bad, Alex. We all become that cliche eventually.

Whenever I see someone my age shit-talk "today's music," I feel compelled to ask them at exactly what moment they became their parents. Some accept it, most rationalize it.

I couldn't pin it to a precise moment. My mom and I are both rock fans, actually, and we both kind of fell out of love with most modern rock around the same time.

I could: after I moved out of my college's dorms. The campus eatery was the last place I was exposed to modern, popular music without having to seek it out and after that, I simply stopped seeking it out altogether and basically went back to a combination of my favorite stuff and my parents' favorite stuff.

@JEC03: I guess, but like everything ever, trends change. Sometimes X thing is bigger than Y thing for A amount of time. There are still good "rock" bands, but now they're not just making generic rock music, unless you want listen to Foo Fighters remake the Colour and the Shape the eighth time. And I am not big on metal music, but that band on the right isn't fucking metal band, they're so shitty scene melodic metalcore band or whatever. Actually, metal music is doing very well nowadays, from what I have gathered from many general music sites like Rate Your Music, with bands like Agalloch, Converge, Vektor, Cult of Luna, and more.

Also here is modern rock music that is pretty damn good.

@Dan_CiTi said:

@JEC03: I guess, but like everything ever, trends change. Sometimes X thing is bigger than Y thing for A amount of time. There are still good "rock" bands, but now they're not just making generic rock music, unless you want listen to Foo Fighters remake the Colour and the Shape the eighth time. And I am not big on metal music, but that band on the right isn't fucking metal band, they're so shitty scene melodic metalcore band or whatever. Actually, metal music is doing very well nowadays, from what I have gathered from many general music sites like Rate Your Music, with bands like Agalloch, Converge, Vektor, Cult of Luna, and more.

Also here is modern rock music that is pretty damn good.

Good points but to be honest I'm more into industrial rock I love it,bands like Frontline Assembly,Ventana,KMFDM, older NIN albums,Cyanotic ect.

Bands man... bands.

@MrOldboy said:

I was hoping this feature would be, at least for the time being, Jeff's little thing. Having other members of the staff doing this feature feels weird since Jeff seems to be starting much earlier in game history.

Jeff has sort of chosen to pick games that he thinks people should know about and that are probably unknown to a lot of the GB audience. Amplitude is well known whether those who think its a tiny cult game want to think so or not.

I really like the idea of this feature, I just don't want it to get watered down with a lot more recent well known games instead of highlighting the lost games of yesterday.

This game really truly isn't as big as you for some reason think it is.

@Alex P. Turntalker. Always talking out of turn. Sheesh.

Thanks for keeping the 'bastica rollin' Alex. :) Having never played this game, I can see its influence. I can see.......

Oh, and did you see the photo Swery65 took of Nic Cage's hollywood star? That's... the only one he wanted to share... O_o;

@MasturbatingestBear said:

@MrOldboy said:

I was hoping this feature would be, at least for the time being, Jeff's little thing. Having other members of the staff doing this feature feels weird since Jeff seems to be starting much earlier in game history.

Jeff has sort of chosen to pick games that he thinks people should know about and that are probably unknown to a lot of the GB audience. Amplitude is well known whether those who think its a tiny cult game want to think so or not.

I really like the idea of this feature, I just don't want it to get watered down with a lot more recent well known games instead of highlighting the lost games of yesterday.

This game really truly isn't as big as you for some reason think it is.

Indeed. If it seems bigger, it's probably because of the Internet being a natural echochamber for getting the word out about stuff and making opinions seem more widespread and louder than they possibly are. Frequency and Amplitude show up often enough in online discussions and they were critical darlings in their heyday, but it's not like they were a cultural phenomenon or anything.

Plus, given that Alex, you know, actually worked at Harmonix, I would suspect he'd have a little insight into how well the game did financially or at least have access to the people who would know that.

Don't worry, Alex! The glorification of bands will return one day, I'm sure.

Music is just kind of sleepy right now.

This is a great feature. Appreciate the insight.

really glad to see more members of GB doing a bombastica. These are quick looks for older games, which I just love watching in the background while working on something.