I Think Rock Band Has Jumped the Shark

[kenada]

I guess just fixing the annoying quirks in Rock Band 2 was not enough for Harmonix. Rock Band 3 is apparently going to support the keytar (based on a teaser in the Green Day: Rock Band demo and this article). What the fuck‽

[BobChuck]

Rock Band was already mid-jump before it even came out.

[Measure Zero]

I really don't see what the problem is here.  It might actually be cool to have another Rock Band instrument that actually kind of plays like an actual musical instrument.

[kenada]

There are thousands of songs that won’t be compatible with the keytar unless they are recharted. Rock Band Network is not compatible (or at least the existing tools are not). Harmonix can make it easier to swap instruments around, but I’m not sure the game really needed another one.

What really inspiried this thread title (and was eventually edited out of my post) was the rumor that RB3 will support more realistic guitar playing. I know there are some who want that, but it strikes me as a gimmick like some of the stuff thats been added to the last few Guitar Hero games.

[BobChuck]

And let's face it: Rock Band version 1.0 to version today and Guitar Hero 1.1 to version today have all started out over the shark.

Guitar Hero was a neat, unique, niche idea, using a specialized controller do create a fun and enjoyable game; a simplistic parallel would be Duck Hunt for the original NES.

Only, instead of remaining a niche idea it had a popularity explosion, creating immense market pressure to provide even more content that is exactly the same yet also even better at the same time, which is basically impossible.

Sure, Rock Band was the logical extension, but there's a reason guitarists are idolized over other band members/positions, and there's not a whole lot more the concept allows for.

So Guitar Hero was getting ready to jump (and the absurdity made it fun), and Rock Band was midair (again, being even more over the top makes it fun), but everything after is accused of being the same gimmick with a new coat of paint - because it is.

Yet, they have to add something that is actually new in order to sell the latest (and only full price) version of the game, especially in the days of digitally downloaded (and pirated) content on consoles.

In other words, moneymoneymoneymoneymoneymoneymoneymoneymoneymoney.

[kenada]

Guitar Hero was a neat, unique, niche idea, using a specialized controller do create a fun and enjoyable game; a simplistic parallel would be Duck Hunt for the original NES.

Guitar Hero was conceved to be a clone of GuitarFreaks, which had been on the Japanese market for half a decade. There was nothing new or unique about it other than that it managed to crack the American market (while Konami’s attempts have largely been failures).

Yet, they have to add something that is actually new in order to sell the latest (and only full price) version of the game, especially in the days of digitally downloaded (and pirated) content on consoles.

Interface improvements (especially for navigating the horrible RBN UI) were all that Rock Band really needed. The Rock Band Store and Rock Band Network are a license to print money and obviate the need to issue regular updates like Konami does with their rhythm games.

Guitar Hero has nothing on the 20 GuitarFreaks games that have been released over the lack decade. However, the core gameplay in GuitarFreaks has been left mostly unchanged (AFAIK), unlike Guitar Hero with its ridiculous touch pad, 5-note chords, and other nonsense.

[BobChuck]

I did not know about guitarfreak.

[kenada]

I did not know about guitarfreak.

That’s not suprising. Konami has been amazingly inept at bringing their rhythm games to the United States.

[Measure Zero]

Last time I checked, Guitar Freaks was at Gameworks at Easton.  It's very similar to Guitar Hero, but it's harder, has a less friendly interface, and the songs are usually not the kind anyone would want to listen to.

[kenada]

http://www.giantbomb.com/news/hey-heres-rock-band-3/2093/

The keytar has 24 keys.

[kenada]

http://kotaku.com/5560679/rock-band-3-playing-the-new-keyboard-102-button-guitar-controller

[kenada]

http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/16/rock-band-3-squier-stratocaster-plays-both-real-and-virtual-guit/

[Measure Zero]

http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/16/rock-band-3-squier-stratocaster-plays-both-real-and-virtual-guit/

This is probably going to cost some ridiculous amount of money, but I think it's what Guitar Hero should have been the whole time.

[kenada]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOZfdJQIY1s