Still under the weather, new song a comin' the second I stop being so nasal. My singing voice isn't perfect, I know, but any little bit helps. You'll probably be getting a song sometime around the 20th.
In gaming news, Bobby Kotick talks about opportunities lost:
Another acquisition that could have gone quite differently was that when Activision was looking at purchasing Guitar Hero from RedOctane, he stated that he didn't look in Harmonix's direction, which he felt was "somewhat a failed developer of music games." Kotick alluded that had he taken the trip to Boston to meet Harmonix, the "world of Guitar Hero would have been rewritten."
This is quite interesting. It also highlights the key differences between Rock Band and Guitar Hero.
Harmonix is a company of musicians making video games. Activision is a company of gamers making a music experience. Harmonix focuses on band dynamics, and getting good songs, Activision focuses on features and difficulty.
But it's interesting to see what would have happened should the two meet. I think I can make a few predictions:
1. The DLC scene would change dramatically. It would probably be a teensy bit more expensive (i.e. $2.50 instead of $2 per song) to compensate for Harmonix being less eager to put out more SKUs.
2. Better importable shit. For example, imagine if the AC/DC Track Pack not only featured a playable AC/DC, but you could import their likenesses and costume pieces into the main Rock Bandtar Hero game. Activision (at least Kotick) wants MOAR GAYMEZ, but Harmonix hates switching out discs. You get the star power of Aerosmith, Metallica and the like, without having compromise the overall songlist.
3. Green Day: Rock Band would have come out before The Beatles: Rock Band. Shit, imagine how everyone would have reacted: "Oh great, ANOTHER band centric game? Who did they get this time? NickelHOLY SHIT IT'S THE BEATLES!!!"
Showing posts with label activision. Show all posts
Showing posts with label activision. Show all posts
Friday, February 19, 2010
Monday, September 7, 2009
The Beatles: Rock Band Cancelled, Activision Taking Over
Found via Joystiq.
First week DLC:
"Wah-wahs" by George Harrison
"Operation Ground and Pound" by Dragonforce
"Crawling" by Linkin Park
Second Week DLC:
"I Am The Walrus" covered by Steve Ouimette
Then no more DLC ever.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Guitar Hero Expansions/Delays
Song updates are rare these days, finals time and all.
Now for "Why Activision Will Make Me Either Rich Or Disgusted":
1. Guitar Hero: Van Halen "Hot For Teacher" was already blown on GH:World Tour, so the only song I'm looking forward to are "You Really Got Me". BUT, according to the article, the guest acts include Queen, Weezer, Blink 182, The Offspring and Queens Of THe Stone Age. Sounds pretty good, but damn it, why not just do DLC?
2. GH5, Band Hero and DJ Hero Not much for DJ hero, but you have the 5th Guitar Hero game in as many years (fine, keeping up brand recognition you consumer whores), and Band Hero, a "family-friendly" game, like Lego Rock Band. Really? I understand the need to compete, but all this "family-friendly" BS is making me nauseous. WHY NOT DLC? Seriously, I thought these games were supposed be getting kids away from poppy crap, not reinforcing it.
3. Guitar Hero: Smash Hits Some pretty good ones in there. "Take Me Out", "Smoke On The Water" and "Godzilla" from GH1, "Freebird", "Beast and the Harlot" and "Trippin' On A Hole" from GH2, and the GH3 songs are more focused on the easier songs (save for "Raining Blood" and "That Damn Song From That Band Whose Songs All SOund Like A Robot Made Them That Every Spergs Out Over"). "Back In The Saddle"'s an odd choice, but seriously, how many rhythm games are going to feature "Round and Round"? Are there no other Ratt songs?
Now for "Why Activision Will Make Me Either Rich Or Disgusted":
1. Guitar Hero: Van Halen "Hot For Teacher" was already blown on GH:World Tour, so the only song I'm looking forward to are "You Really Got Me". BUT, according to the article, the guest acts include Queen, Weezer, Blink 182, The Offspring and Queens Of THe Stone Age. Sounds pretty good, but damn it, why not just do DLC?
2. GH5, Band Hero and DJ Hero Not much for DJ hero, but you have the 5th Guitar Hero game in as many years (fine, keeping up brand recognition you consumer whores), and Band Hero, a "family-friendly" game, like Lego Rock Band. Really? I understand the need to compete, but all this "family-friendly" BS is making me nauseous. WHY NOT DLC? Seriously, I thought these games were supposed be getting kids away from poppy crap, not reinforcing it.
3. Guitar Hero: Smash Hits Some pretty good ones in there. "Take Me Out", "Smoke On The Water" and "Godzilla" from GH1, "Freebird", "Beast and the Harlot" and "Trippin' On A Hole" from GH2, and the GH3 songs are more focused on the easier songs (save for "Raining Blood" and "That Damn Song From That Band Whose Songs All SOund Like A Robot Made Them That Every Spergs Out Over"). "Back In The Saddle"'s an odd choice, but seriously, how many rhythm games are going to feature "Round and Round"? Are there no other Ratt songs?
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Quintessential Guitar Hero Part 1 of 5
Via Destructoid:
"Activision announced earlier today Guitar Hero Greatest Hits during their financial conference call. The game will be comprised of the songs Guitar Hero fans liked the most from Guitar Hero, Guitar Hero II, Guitar Hero III and Guitar Hero: Aerosmith. All of these repackaged songs from the earlier games will be remade to work with all of Guitar Hero World Tour’s instruments. Guitar Hero Greatest Hits will be out sometime within the next two quarters for the Xbox 360, Wii and PlayStation 3. "
As I promised in my GH:Arcade potential setlist speculation, it's time for my list of Quintessential GH Songs, broken into 5 parts so I can make each entry more detailed. 10 Tiers, 5 songs each. (I'll still go by the games themselves if I ever finish Rock Band).
GUITAR HERO: THE ESSENTIALS
Tier 1
1. "I Love Rock And Roll" by Joan Jett- First song in the first Guitar Hero is perfect to kick things off.
2. "I Wanna Be Sedated" by The Ramones- Second only to Blitzkreig Bop, it's a Ramones classic, and one of the first fast songs you encounter.
3. "Slow ride" by Foghat- Another one because it's the easiest song in GH3, but also another fairly well known.
4. "Heart Shaped Box" by Nirvana- This is the earliest case (setlist-wise) of a band we've been clamoring to see make it in. No doubt about it, the cover sucked, hopefully the new edition will use the masters.
5. "Surrender" by Cheap Trick- First song, yadda yadda, and it just goes to show how smart the setlist arrangers are. The first song you hear when you start carrer mode is something you've probably heard your whole life.
Tier 2
1."Cherry Pie" by Warrant-We've all heard this one, whether you were born in the 80s, or merely a byprroduct of all those "BEST OF 80s HAIR METAL!" CD ads. I think these guys are a one hit wonder (like most bands of that time), so I took pity on them :( But it's perfect for rockin; back and forth to.
2."Smoke On The Water" by Deep Purple- EVERYONE WHO HAS EVER PLAYED GUITAR HAS ATTEMPTED TO PLAY THIS SONG.
3. "Rock N' Roll All Nite" by KISS
4. "Take Me Out" by Franz Ferdinand- This was the first song in Guitar Hero that made you go: "Wait a minute! This song was on the radio yesterday! And it's everywhere!" For that, it showed it's relevance to us young kids with our iPods and black President. It showed GH as not only a means to archive old songs, but as a commercial product that's for everybody.
5. "Woman" by Wolfmother- Again, this was a point when Guitar Hero was able to promote new artists into the limelight, as well as highlight recent acts.
"Activision announced earlier today Guitar Hero Greatest Hits during their financial conference call. The game will be comprised of the songs Guitar Hero fans liked the most from Guitar Hero, Guitar Hero II, Guitar Hero III and Guitar Hero: Aerosmith. All of these repackaged songs from the earlier games will be remade to work with all of Guitar Hero World Tour’s instruments. Guitar Hero Greatest Hits will be out sometime within the next two quarters for the Xbox 360, Wii and PlayStation 3. "
As I promised in my GH:Arcade potential setlist speculation, it's time for my list of Quintessential GH Songs, broken into 5 parts so I can make each entry more detailed. 10 Tiers, 5 songs each. (I'll still go by the games themselves if I ever finish Rock Band).
GUITAR HERO: THE ESSENTIALS
Tier 1
1. "I Love Rock And Roll" by Joan Jett- First song in the first Guitar Hero is perfect to kick things off.
2. "I Wanna Be Sedated" by The Ramones- Second only to Blitzkreig Bop, it's a Ramones classic, and one of the first fast songs you encounter.
3. "Slow ride" by Foghat- Another one because it's the easiest song in GH3, but also another fairly well known.
4. "Heart Shaped Box" by Nirvana- This is the earliest case (setlist-wise) of a band we've been clamoring to see make it in. No doubt about it, the cover sucked, hopefully the new edition will use the masters.
5. "Surrender" by Cheap Trick- First song, yadda yadda, and it just goes to show how smart the setlist arrangers are. The first song you hear when you start carrer mode is something you've probably heard your whole life.
Tier 2
1."Cherry Pie" by Warrant-We've all heard this one, whether you were born in the 80s, or merely a byprroduct of all those "BEST OF 80s HAIR METAL!" CD ads. I think these guys are a one hit wonder (like most bands of that time), so I took pity on them :( But it's perfect for rockin; back and forth to.
2."Smoke On The Water" by Deep Purple- EVERYONE WHO HAS EVER PLAYED GUITAR HAS ATTEMPTED TO PLAY THIS SONG.
3. "Rock N' Roll All Nite" by KISS
4. "Take Me Out" by Franz Ferdinand- This was the first song in Guitar Hero that made you go: "Wait a minute! This song was on the radio yesterday! And it's everywhere!" For that, it showed it's relevance to us young kids with our iPods and black President. It showed GH as not only a means to archive old songs, but as a commercial product that's for everybody.
5. "Woman" by Wolfmother- Again, this was a point when Guitar Hero was able to promote new artists into the limelight, as well as highlight recent acts.
Friday, December 19, 2008
God Damn It, Activision, You're Killing Me!
You're sticking a little knife in my heart AND KILLING ME...
December 23
Hinder - "Use Me" (single)
Nickelback - "Because of You" (single) <--- DAMN IT!!!
Rev Theory's "Light It Up" (single)
On the other hand...
January 15 - Travis Barker Track Pack
Blink 182 - "What's My Age Again"
+44 - "Lycanthrope"
Flo-Rida w/Travis Barker - "Low (Travis Barker remix)"
That and for some reason my wrist is messed up. Curse you "Creep" and your bar chords! CURSE YOU YOU GODDAMN SWINE!
December 23
Hinder - "Use Me" (single)
Nickelback - "Because of You" (single) <--- DAMN IT!!!
Rev Theory's "Light It Up" (single)
On the other hand...
January 15 - Travis Barker Track Pack
Blink 182 - "What's My Age Again"
+44 - "Lycanthrope"
Flo-Rida w/Travis Barker - "Low (Travis Barker remix)"
That and for some reason my wrist is messed up. Curse you "Creep" and your bar chords! CURSE YOU YOU GODDAMN SWINE!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
News Stuffs
IT'S ELECTION DAY. VOTE BITCHES.
--------------------------------------------
Remember how a few weeks ago I called the Rock Band Stage Kit stupid and impractical?
I take back the first part, and the second if you have friends. Found out via FakePlasticRock that it ain't half bad. Looking at some of the videos, it seems like a worthy buy for frequent party people. The effects range from OMG!AWESOME! to Eeeehhh.... and it feels like the game.
BUT HOW? You ask,
Apparently the company making the kit worked with Harmonix, so that everything syncs up with the virtual light and game effects, so everything is all programmed in.
It looks good, but $99 is a bit too much for me right now.
I leave you know with Boston:
------------------------------------------
"Say It Ain't So" is really hard for a Tier 2 song. I guess I'll do "Hand That Feeds" in the background.
-------------------------------------------
The reason Harmonixis now the true overlords of has right to the Beatles songs, is accountable to one thing: flexibility.
I guess this means with royalties or branding, whereas Actvision would want the games in the Guitar Hero franchise, I have no idea what this game is supposed to be. Harmonix just wanted it more and would be willing to do something else entirely rather than say BEATLES IN ROCK BAND NAO! Sometimes it's not who gives you the most, but who gives up the most. Both companies stance have something, but again, I would like some more details. Holiday 2009?!? I still don't know what the hell I'm doing for Holiday 2008!
--------------------------------------------
Remember how a few weeks ago I called the Rock Band Stage Kit stupid and impractical?
I take back the first part, and the second if you have friends. Found out via FakePlasticRock that it ain't half bad. Looking at some of the videos, it seems like a worthy buy for frequent party people. The effects range from OMG!AWESOME! to Eeeehhh.... and it feels like the game.
BUT HOW? You ask,
Apparently the company making the kit worked with Harmonix, so that everything syncs up with the virtual light and game effects, so everything is all programmed in.
It looks good, but $99 is a bit too much for me right now.
I leave you know with Boston:
------------------------------------------
"Say It Ain't So" is really hard for a Tier 2 song. I guess I'll do "Hand That Feeds" in the background.
-------------------------------------------
The reason Harmonix
I guess this means with royalties or branding, whereas Actvision would want the games in the Guitar Hero franchise, I have no idea what this game is supposed to be. Harmonix just wanted it more and would be willing to do something else entirely rather than say BEATLES IN ROCK BAND NAO! Sometimes it's not who gives you the most, but who gives up the most. Both companies stance have something, but again, I would like some more details. Holiday 2009?!? I still don't know what the hell I'm doing for Holiday 2008!
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