RIP Guitar Hero

I look at Guitar Hero as advanced karaoke. Every once in a while I'm in the mood for it, but I don't get the folks who do it all the time.

Their problem was that after people had one game, they weren't going to keep buying it again. Would have been much smarter to just go hard on making deals for songs and drop the staff coming up with new instruments and games.

 

The same logic applies to the Madden series, except that Madden is probably bigger.

 

So people playing a football video game aren't going to get good at real football? People playing Grand Theft Auto should actually be out stealing real cars? People playing James Bond games...

I doubt there are many out there who actually think playing GH will prepare them to start a band. It's a video game. It's there for entertainment. Relax.

 

Perhaps, though I think graphics, improved capabilities of the systems it's been on and advancements in gameplay lend better to annualization of sports games. With Guitar Hero, the visuals aren't that important and since most people don't want to pay $200 a year for new plastic instruments, changing the gameplay isn't easily done.

 

RE: Learning to play the real instrument sted RB or GH:

Now, with the keyboard, pro drums and pro bass and guitar, you are learning to play the real instrument. Granted, the keyboard only has, what, 25 keys, but that's two octaves, or 1/4 of a real piano. And it's damn hard on pro keys.

The pro guitar has you learning chords and where to place your fingers on the actual frets and not just pressing red yellow blue green orange. And with the cymbal expansion pack, with the hi-hat expansion pedal, you are playing a real trap set with electronic pads instead.

The next thing to come out is a guitar with actual strings that's compatible with RB. It'll be a great trainer.

On top of all that, it really give you a chance to connect with the music, especially on the more difficult settings. You catch small riff changes and other things you might not have heard before. The vocals are fun to learn for some of these songs, although, without some of the cussing included, it can be a little stupid.

GH was late getting into all the things RB did, so no surprise it isn't going to continue. Although I was reading that Viacom is getting rid of Harmonix, so RBs future isn't so bright either.

 

I'd find it hard to learn piano on 25 keys, but I guess it could be done.
The guitar issue is more difficult. Correct fingering and tone go hand-in-hand. I don't think a simulator would be a good way to learn.
You can get a guitar to learn on for less money.

 

Good point.

Not to threadjack, but:

I'm wondering, because I don't play it, does Madden have downloadable content for updating rosters and player capabilities to reflect real-life performance?

If so, throw in DLC for new control configurations and I think my brother would be hard-pressed to buy it more than once every four or five years, instead of every year like he and his buddies do.

 

I could be mistaken, but I believe that the roster updates for Madden stop at a certain point, forcing you to buy a new installment, unless you want to make them manually on your own in the game. As a result, each new game at least has the cache of offering new players and ratings each year. It has gotten to the point where each year, you'll see NFL stories featuring players upset that their speed rating is only 90 in Madden.

GH and RB aren't exactly comparable. I think you have the dual problem of a fad finally trickling out, plus tons and tons of inventory at an inflated price thanks to the licensing issues. Sure, GH1, 2, 3 and 4 are decent games, but there are like another six or seven side games, plus "artist" games (Beatles, Van Halen, Aerosmith) that don't include every single by the band, nevermind every song.

 

That's the thing. Instead of spending so many resources to develop games like Green Day and The Beatles Rock Band, they should've simply licensed all of those songs as DLC only and been done with it. Maybe there's more profit potential in annualizing, but the margins have got to be higher to do DLC.

Oh well. I've still got Guitar Hero 5 for my Wii and more than 100 songs between that disc and DLC. Still good for parties.

 

If only I could use that logic to sell blow and kill my rivals ...

 

The last roster update for Madden '11 is out this weekend.


In the sports games, they do try to add new features (more than just the new players or players on correct teams).
Sometimes it's more cosmetic features (more realistic crowds, actual referees on the field). Other years, it's more game play additions (like next year's Madden is adding a surprise onside kick feature).

 

On a related note, Yngwie Malmsteen is the cover-story of the most recent Guitar Player.
He credits Guitar Hero with revitalizing his career.