Rock Band

[NiX]

The GH2 controller will work with Rock Band but you'll be missing the lower set of buttons used for freestyle mode.

[Bokonon]

Who's Next as downloadable content makes Rockband a 100 times better than GH3 for me. That said, I'll likely be getting both. If they add The Bends or OK Computer from Radiohead, and it'll be 1000 times better.

What can I say about F13?  It's really my favorite website in the entire universe!  I love the irreverent banter and sly wit these keyboard jockeys produce.  And I especially love the staff, they're AWESOME.

[NiX]

I just got finished playing Killing In The Name Of on GH2 for 360 and man am I glad they're using original tracks. Worst. Cover. Ever. Y'know, aside from those kids that did Nirvana.

[cmlancas]

That was a perfect time for a Tay Zonday rickroll. I even was hoping it was and then you let me down.


Cry.

[NiX]

I thought about it. But.. I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

[Murgos]

From bottom to top, the first note will have a black top on it, and the other two will have white tops on them.

Wait, are you saying there is a visual cue as to which notes can be hammered on and pulled off?  I never noticed that but I'm just starting to do Hard and still try and strum almost every note.

edit:  wrong kyū

[Driakos]

Wait, are you saying there is a visual queue as to which notes can be hammered on and pulled off?  I never noticed that but I'm just starting to do Hard and still try and strum almost every note.

Not so much a queue.  Just if the note has a black ring in it, you gotta strum.  If it has a white ring, you can strum, but it's easier to just hit the button.

[Murgos]

Well, that should make life easier.

[cmlancas]

Wow. I never knew that ><

Might've made playing through half of expert a shitton easier. Why do I know nothing about guitars? :P

[WayAbvPar]

Ok, I went through the tutorial, but I ain't too good at them yet. Are there any situations on Easy where you can use them, or is it Medium/Hard and above?

[Big Gulp]

Ok, I went through the tutorial, but I ain't too good at them yet. Are there any situations on Easy where you can use them, or is it Medium/Hard and above?

Medium is where they really start to show up.  Best example early on that I can think of would be War Pigs.

ETA:  Scratch that, I think Shout at the Devil is before War Pigs, and that's got quite a few hammer ons.

[WayAbvPar]

OK cool. Got Shout At The Devil as an encore, so I can practice them there. I gotta get to shredder status before Rock Band comes out, even though I am more interesting in playing drums in that.

[Chenghiz]

Looks like I'm a bit late, but that song lineup looks quite solid on the whole.

[Nonentity]

I just played Rock Band at PAX earlier today (posting from the PAX freeplay area).

I sang, and I did Stone Temple Pilot's Vaseline. It's pretty much Karaoke Revolution.

It is... fucking cool. I wanna try drums tomorrow.

The way they do the visual effects on the player models and stuff, makes it look like a music video, along with the introductions of the players.

I'll also try guitar tomorrow, so I have some point of reference.

[WayAbvPar]

I just played Rock Band at PAX earlier today (posting from the PAX freeplay area).

I sang, and I did Stone Temple Pilot's Vaseline. It's pretty much Karaoke Revolution.

It is... fucking cool. I wanna try drums tomorrow.

The way they do the visual effects on the player models and stuff, makes it look like a music video, along with the introductions of the players.

I'll also try guitar tomorrow, so I have some point of reference.

You owe us at least a YouTube vid of you playing, you bastard!

I wanna know how the drums work/feel- post when you get a chance.

[Nonentity]

I didn't get a chance to play again, due to the fact that the lines just got retarded long after the first day.

I have some pictures at home of me rocking out though, so I'll find those.

Regardless - I saw a lot of people using the drums, and it looked good to play if you weren't absolutely rhythm-deficient.

[schild]

Lots of videos at Gametrailers.com.

The drums look hard. Which is good.

However, what struck me as odd - and I hope they aren't the final product, though I fear they are - the guitars have gone down a notch in quality. While, somehow, it seems like the Guitar Hero 3 guitars have gone up a notch.

[Nonentity]

Lots of videos at Gametrailers.com.

The drums look hard. Which is good.

However, what struck me as odd - and I hope they aren't the final product, though I fear they are - the guitars have gone down a notch in quality. While, somehow, it seems like the Guitar Hero 3 guitars have gone up a notch.

I wish I had a chance to use the guitar, but I'm starting to see this.

One thing I will hand to Red Octane in that respect, and that is they know how to make quality peripherals.

[cmlancas]

Their DDR pads are a fucking joke. Just thought I'd throw that out there. I definitely wondered if my guitar for GH was going to be unplayable in two weeks when I purchased the game.

[Driakos]

Their DDR pads are a fucking joke. Just thought I'd throw that out there. I definitely wondered if my guitar for GH was going to be unplayable in two weeks when I purchased the game.

The whammy bar on my GH2 (360) guitar broke.  I wasn't even rockin out that hard :) 

Sucks too, cause the second guitar for the house, is still rigid.  The buttons were all loose on the broken one.

I heard good things about the Red Octane pads.  No good?

[schild]

Their DDR pads are a fucking joke. Just thought I'd throw that out there. I definitely wondered if my guitar for GH was going to be unplayable in two weeks when I purchased the game.

Huh? The Ignition pads are the industry standard for soft pads and the metal pads are quite goddamn good. Now I know there are better pads out there and I know people are making custom pads. But then, this is a lot like joysticks, isn't it? Sure you can spend $300 and get a custom made byrdo or you can import a HRAP 3 and replace all the buttons with Sanwa parts. But really, you're approaching fantatic level at light speed rather than making the game better. The Red Octane Ignition DDR pad is fine (for a soft pad). And their hard pad is fine as well. For 99.9% of the people out there.

[cmlancas]

Maybe it is because I am 6'2" 215, but I tear the soft pads to shreds doing anything close to expert. They don't last two weeks with me. Granted I play more at the arcade, but still :)


Edit: And yes, I am probably in the "fanatic crowd." Too bad I can't be a catass in a rhythm dance game. What the hell would you call it?

[Stephen Zepp]

My latest track requests: Possum Kingdom by Toadies, and Stinkfist by Tool (although that will never fly due to the theme of the song I imagine).

[Big Gulp]

My latest track requests: Possum Kingdom by Toadies

I don't see that one happening; it's already on GH2.

[bhodi]

Is it? Is that one of the ones hidden under the expert mode which 90% of the people never see?

[Stephen Zepp]

Is it? Is that one of the ones hidden under the expert mode which 90% of the people never see?

Yah seriously? never seen it.

[Ragnoros]

My guess is it is one of the 360 only songs.

Fake Edit: My google-fu hath prevailed. http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/753/753668p1.html

They are indeed 360 only, my guess is you have the ps2 version.

[Viin]

Possum Kingdom was the first song I played on GH2 - I love that song.

The Trogdor song kicked my ass for a bit until I played it 10 times (on medium, no less) but that's a good one too. :)

[cmlancas]

I can't get past set list six on expert yet, but Trogdor is pretty fun on hard. :)

[WayAbvPar]

Got to play some 2 guitar GH II over the weekend- very fun. Coop and standoff (faceoff? whatever they call it) are both a lot of fun. Really made me pine for Rock Band even more.

[Nonentity]

Man, I want my Guitar Hero 3 Les Paul so badly.

schild, I know I was thinking of getting the PS3 version, but I want my second 360 guitar - I might just end up getting this for 360. I think my hands have (gasp) gotten used to the 360 Xplorer guitar.

[WayAbvPar]

Where the hell is all of this stuff supposed to plug in? How many USB ports are on a 360? I know there are at least 2, but are there others that I am missing? I guess the mike can plug into a controller, so they would just need a 3rd USB port for a 2nd guitar.

[MisterNoisy]

Where the hell is all of this stuff supposed to plug in? How many USB ports are on a 360? I know there are at least 2, but are there others that I am missing? I guess the mike can plug into a controller, so they would just need a 3rd USB port for a 2nd guitar.

I think the drum kit is supposed to incorporate a USB hub for the other stuff.

[Phildo]

And if you don't have the drum kit?  "USB hub sold separately.  Only $299.99"?

[Ragnoros]

And if you don't have the drum kit?  "USB hub sold separately.  Only $299.99"?

Well the drums come with the rock band bundle. So if you have rock band you have the drums. Or you could in theory just buy the game and play solo with your existing guitar. Either way your fine. (Assuming the drums are infact a USB hub of some sort.) Only problem is if it's not a hub, or for some reason you got 2 guitars and a mic, but no drums. Or something. I suppose they could expect you to get a wireless second guitar but that would be crap of them.

Edit: Don't worry. Be happy. Rock on.

Edit Again. Kotaku says "Guitar Hero X-plorer Will Work With Rock Band 360, USB Hub Packed In"