Rock Band

[Schoolyj]

Has anyone purchased/played this yet.

I was at someone's house on Saturday and played this game for about 3 hours.

It a ton of fun. The drum feature is a blast to play. The guitar has a neat feature with separate chord and solo buttons. We had four people - bass, guitar, vocals and drums - there were times when we nailed a song together that I got goosebumps.

Also - the song selection I think is slightly better than Guitar Hero (II at least, haven't played III)- fewer duds on the playlists.

[Monahan]

Yeah... It's awesome. Some great tracks on there (better than GH3, with some overlap). Creep by Radiohead, Orange Crush by REM, Wanted Dead or Alive by Good Jovi, Wave of Mutilation by the Pixies... the list goes on.

The drums are super fun and pretty hard to get used to. I've played a bunch of songs on guitar on medium, and the lower level ones are SUPER easy, but the upper level ones are RIDICULOUSLY hard-- so there's a pretty big difficulty variance within each difficulty setting.

I should probably go play it right now.

[Saff]

I hear really great things. And I'm sort of pulling for Rock Band over GHIII since I'm on Harmonix's side after being bought out.

Both games have released downloadable song updates already.

My concern is if the game is still fun with just 2 people? It get's hard finding 3 friends sometimes.

[Monahan]

I find the game to be fun with just one person. Playing with up to 4 is a blast, but you can play a solo career too, and it's like GH.

Plus, you can customize your characters, which is particularly fun when playing in a group.

[Schoolyj]

We played two person for a while - no drop off on the fun factor.

You're correct about huge range of difficulty. We played a hand-full of Metallica songs that had been downloaded that were unplayable. And playing bass (medium diff.) on Arrowsmith's Train Keeps Running on my right arm got so tired a literally could not play the song any more. But most of the bass parts on easy were pretty basic.

[Sloej]

I just got Rock Band two days ago, its awesome.

On the only two players... my Fiance and I are playing through it together switching between drums and guitar. If we run into a song that either one of us wants to sing, we log in an extra dummy "rocker" and sing with the headset in addition to drumming or guitar'ing.

It beats the pants off of GH3.

[Hamer]

That's what I hear, but I just can't get behind owning fake versions of instruments that I own real versions of. If I really wanted to have three friends over and play cover songs, I am not limited by dumb downloadable content. Oh, and I also have no friends.

Somebody just tell me which one to buy.

By the way, schoolyj, Arrowsmith actually changed their name like 30 years ago to Aerosmith. ;)

^ the reason I have no friends. I LOVE TO SPELL!

[Schoolyj]

By the way, schoolyj, Arrowsmith actually changed their name like 30 years ago to Aerosmith. ;)

^ the reason I have no friends. I LOVE TO SPELL!

Sorry - I always assumed they took their name from Sinclair Lewis' Nobel Prize winning novel as both the band and the ambitous hero of that novel, Martin Arrowsmith, were heavily influenced by the modern pharmaceutical industry.

::: fills pipe and flips the bird:::

[Telfer]

Looks cool, can't afford.

[Sloej]

That's what I hear, but I just can't get behind owning fake versions of instruments that I own real versions of. If I really wanted to have three friends over and play cover songs, I am not limited by dumb downloadable content.


"Real guitars are for old people."

[Hicks]

I just got Rock Band two days ago, its awesome.

On the only two players... my Fiance and I are playing through it together switching between drums and guitar. If we run into a song that either one of us wants to sing, we log in an extra dummy "rocker" and sing with the headset in addition to drumming or guitar'ing.

It beats the pants off of GH3.


You guys are like the Video game equivalent of The White Stripes. I can't wait to rock this game. Gonna be sweet!

[Edison]

That's what I hear, but I just can't get behind owning fake versions of instruments that I own real versions of. If I really wanted to have three friends over and play cover songs, I am not limited by dumb downloadable content. Oh, and I also have no friends.

What instruments do you play, Hamer?

[Steev]

I picked this up for my wife on her birthday, and we've been having a blast with it. We're still eager to get another couple of people over to do some real group rocking, but for now we're content to stand side by side with our plastic guitars tapping out pretend music.

This game is fun, but definitely not made for people with babies. We can rarely whip out the drums. If we have time to play, it's because Isabella is sleeping... and drumming on fake drums would definitely wake her up.

[Hamer]

What instruments do you play, Hamer?

Sorry I did not see this until just now --

I play the drums for realsies. I've been playing for 15 years.

I taught myself piano in high school, and guitar in college.
Not amazing on either, but I know my way around.

Steev,
solution: teach Isabella the drums on Rock Band.

[Steev]

Steev,
solution: teach Isabella the drums on Rock Band.

No way, dude, Becky's got dibs on being drummer. Izzie Gadlin will have to take after Izzy Stradlin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izzy_Stradlin) and play the guitar.

[Hamer]

I'm not playing Rock band until they come out with the panflute attachment.

[Brendan J]

I'm fascinated by this. I played GH2 once and sucked ass but enjoyed none the less. Does this rate singing as well? Are the drums set like (ie cymbals, high hat, bass and stuff?)

[Hamer]

The drums are like four practice pads, but when you play, you hear all the different sounds. Oh, and there's a foot pedal for bass drum. I saw a video of a kid playing, and it actually looked fun, but I know I would break it in five seconds.

I'm pretty sure the singing portion is lame. Correct me if I'm wrong anyone who has played this. I think it's more of a "learn how the game recognizes voice" rather than "just sing and the game does the rest." I'm sure it's a nightmare. Again, not sure. Just a feeling.

[Monahan]

The singing is tough, cause it measures 1) that you're hitting the words/notes and 2) that you're doing it in the right pitch. I can't sing worth a lick, and the game is quick to tell me that. Apparently, though, I can manage my pitch and pitch changes a lot better when I sing in falsetto, so that's what I do when I start to fail a song... on Easy.

I can't comprehend what singing in Expert mode must be like.

[rene]

i heart rock band.

thank you hars for hooking me up.

i wish i could figure out that drum pedal.

[Morehead]

Here is my favorite part about Rock Band...

http://www.rockband.com/blog/entry/536

[Telfer]

I recently played this at a party. Great party game.

Drums are really fucking hard. A couple people at the party were naturals, but almost everyone sucked and begged not to play them. It was significantly easier to recruit someone watching the game but too scared to try it to hold the kick pedal an be in charge of just that.

Also kind of lame- there is nothing easier than playing Rock Band bass. There are obviously no chords, but unlike Guitar Hero it didn't even try to make it interesting on the songs I played on Medium. Lameballs. As far as I could tell it was also the one instrument with no freestyle. I get it if you're a game designer who hates the bass, but don't take it out on your players.

Anyways, it was indeed a blast to watch other people play, and I had fun as long as I was on guitar or singing.

[Hamer]

Actually, I think that's a pretty accurate assessment of what it's actually like to play the bass.

[Telfer]

As someone who owns and used to play a bass, I was disappointed (your hilarious crack at bass playing aside).

[Hamer]

As a drummer, I respect the hell out of bass players. It's the only thing I listen to when playing with a band. However, I am aware of them (largely, not always) getting no love.

Exceptions to this are: Sting, Paul McCartney, Stefan Lessard, Charles Mingus, and whoever did the intro to Seinfeld. That guy had to get tons of ass.

[Morehead]

Telfer-

It is my suggestion that you try it on hard next time around.

I agree with your comment on how it seems like the bass was added as some sort of afterthought. I played it on medium because my guitar skill was only at medium, but bass is different in the game. I don't know if the game designers intend on saying that it's easier to play bass, but this is what I've found. It seems like you get more opportunities to hit a Bass Groove in hard.

Just a thought.

PS

I love playing the bass on "Reptilia" by The Strokes