Time for some Rock Band 2!

Some notes from the two articles:
- All RB1 DLC will work with RB2

- "On that note, we've also secured what I can easily say is the best setlist I've ever seen in a music game. The PR team would kill me if I revealed some early, but it reads like a who's who list of rock music. We have a couple of surprises that we'll be announcing soon regarding this."

- "We've taken almost everything people have asked for in Rock Band and added it to Rock Band 2, as well as including some "first time ever" features. Our World Tour campaign mode is no exception to this." (also, they have made it more "party" friendly according to the article)

- Releasing on 360 first, with PS3 to follow (I didn't check the date on this)

- "IGN: GHWT has a studio where you can make your own songs. What do you think about user-created content in music games?

Teasdale: Harmonix believes that user creativity and user-generated content has an important role to play in music games especially since it is a company made of musicians – either in currently touring bands or in the past notable ones -- and we strongly believe in the possibility of giving every-day people the chance to create their own music. In fact we've been pioneering this since our earliest music games like Frequency and Amplitude – I recommend checking out YouTube for some of the crazy remixes people have done with our previous games.
The one thing we've learned from both doing this in previous games and seeing the efforts of homebrew composers at places like ScoreHero is that it takes time to develop tools if you're serious about building a platform for people to express themselves musically. We believe that a feature like this would have to be done in just the right way to hit the broadest demographic possible from professional music composers to the most casual gamer just trying something new so the result is a truly robust feature that educates the player and enhances the total music experience for the user. If we're going to do it, we want to do it right as our goal is to create a fully-realized, fully-integrated way for people to become real musicians and release quality music through Rock Band."
Sounds like no music creator planned

- "And yes, all of your Rock Band instruments will still work with Rock Band 2."
Whew

- "IGN: Here are ten bands I want to see in RB2:
Agent Orange
The Beatles
Built to Spill
The Buzzcocks
Journey
Led Zeppelin
Modest Mouse
Pavement
The Replacements
Tool

Based on this list. How do you think I would rate RB2 on a scale of 0-10 (ten making me a happy reviewer and zero making suicidal).

Teasdale: Not only have you named some of my favorite bands, but you've also named some of the bands that are on the Rock Band 2 disc. "


That's enough of a preview, yall can read the rest of the articles

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/885/885168p1.html - IGN interview
http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/885/885167p1.html - Info about Release

6/30/2008 8:34:10 AM

id like to see a more advanced and more pieces drum set

6/30/2008 8:48:17 AM

They said they will be releasing hardware information over the next few weeks, but they will have new instruments as well...they just made a point to say older equipment would work as well

6/30/2008 8:53:20 AM

if tool is on it, i will buy it. otherwise i'd be kinda hesitant. the rest in that list i either don't know or don't care to play.

i wonder what will be different about the hardware and will it be a dramatic change (like additional drum pads or something). i guess the drum pedal will be a littler sturdier, at least i hope so...

[Edited on June 30, 2008 at 8:56 AM. Reason : ]

6/30/2008 8:55:38 AM

so RB finally comes out on wii, and they're already talking about RB2? why is nintendo always behind the big dogs in bringing out games promptly

6/30/2008 9:03:30 AM

I'm just glad the DLC transfers over. That's $200+ of content that I'll already own for this new game.

Another reason why Harmonix is the best music game maker around. Fuck Activision.

6/30/2008 9:11:32 AM

^^ Probably since Nintendo is so iffy when it comes to DLC, the companies know they can't make nearly as much money from it

For example, now only did they get the $160 from ^, but also an additional $200 of purchases as well for the same game

When it boils down to it, it's just another company trying to maximize profits

6/30/2008 9:24:31 AM

From the IGN article:

Quote :

"IGN: I don't know if you're aware, but recently an Activision executive revealed that Guitar Hero World Tour is going to be the first game to allow you to play guitar, drums, and vocals. What are your plans to counter this amazing advancement in music games? Teasdale: Yeah, the clip of the Activision executive making that statement is floating around on the internet. I think the follow-up question he got was priceless: "Isn't that called Rock Band?" We released Rock Band back in November 2007, almost 10 months before GHWT will even make its debut. I think looking at a calendar settles when the "amazing advancement" in music games actually took place."

Hahaha wtf Activision?

6/30/2008 9:54:55 AM

They live in their own little world, didn't you know that?

6/30/2008 10:01:48 AM

^^hahahhahahah

6/30/2008 10:28:10 AM

lz will never happen

6/30/2008 10:53:36 AM

lmao activision. wow. just wow.

6/30/2008 11:09:31 AM

^^why not

[Edited on June 30, 2008 at 11:14 AM. Reason : ^^]

6/30/2008 11:14:32 AM

there is a image of the RB2 interface in the article and it looks basically the same (not broke, don't fix it) so it appears no extra pads.

plus if there was extra pads then wouldn't they have to make everybody buy drums again?

6/30/2008 3:29:50 PM

^ It's my understanding they haven't released any new information regarding hardware, so you are probably seeing the RB1 hardware

6/30/2008 4:02:40 PM

I don't think the instruments will be any different, functionality wise. The new guitar looks pretty sweet, but pretty much the same functionally. They will probably just jazz up the drums with cymbals over the green and yellow pads that you can optionally use when they're being used as cymbals in the game.

I kinda wish they'd add a hi-hat pedal, but I know that ain't gonna happen.

[Edited on June 30, 2008 at 4:05 PM. Reason : d]

6/30/2008 4:04:16 PM

Quote :

"I kinda wish they'd add a hi-hat pedal"

the fucking drums are hard enough as it is.

7/1/2008 8:33:11 AM

I still think this will be a purchase for me, as it'll be a way to expand the collection a good amount without having to purchase a ton of DLC

I don't see why they wouldn't, but hopefully they sell the game separately from the beginning instead of only in a bundle with new instruments

7/1/2008 8:47:37 AM

^Even Activision sold Guitar Hero 3 without a bundle, so I'm pretty sure that Harmonix will for RB2.

7/1/2008 9:39:51 AM

You could always just buy this:


http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/19/mad-catz-apt-to-release-rock-band-instruments-next-week/

7/1/2008 10:10:35 AM

i have a real electronic drum kit and sometimes i let rock band play in practice mode and follow along on the real drums (i'm still trying to learn to play). it's fun, but if i could hook it up to the ps3 and actually use them to play, that'd be even better.

7/1/2008 10:13:46 AM

i just got chills when i read "built to spill" and "pavement"...

....and "journey", too.

7/1/2008 10:16:13 AM

Quote :

"The US gaming show X-Play has shown Rock Band 2 being played for the first time on a recent episode of their show. Some enterprising folks have put two and two together via their detective work and think these are nine Rock Band 2 songs potentially... "Panic Attack" by The Paddingtons (maybe Dream Theater), "Give It Away" by The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, "Chop Suey" by System Of A Down, "Everlong" by Foo Fighters, "Kids in America" by Kim Wilde, "Ace of Spades" by Motörhead, "Hello There" by Cagedbaby, "Any Way You Want It" by Journey and "Pinball Wizard" by The Who. More info is at DarkZero.co.uk."

7/2/2008 9:10:42 AM

damn it. i didn't watch xplay last night...i just figured they didn't know anything more than ign.

oh well. yay for chop suey & give it away!!!

7/2/2008 9:15:20 AM

why is it released on 360 first? i know that article said microsoft was instrumental in developing some of the features...but why limit yourself to one console for a few weeks/months when you could have so many more by including at least ps3? people who don't have a 360 and have a ps3 or wii aren't going to go out and buy a 360 just to play rb2 on it earlier. sounds stupid to me.

7/2/2008 9:48:48 AM

^ But then again, I bet you there are some people that will purchase a 360 just to play

especially if they have a price drop on the 360 coming up like it's rumored

7/2/2008 9:52:27 AM

i could see that if you're still playing ps2 or something, but i just don't see that that many ppl are going to buy one. i dunno.

i know i'm not. i've got ps3 and wii and that's enough. i only use the ps3 for rock band and blueray movies anyway, so i'm definitely not spending money on another console for one game.

7/2/2008 9:54:25 AM

Quote :

"i could see that if you're still playing ps2 or something"

Rock Band was instrumental (pun!) in me getting a 360. I debated between 360 and PS3, but Rock Band was the reason I was interested in a getting a next-gen console at all.

So you're correct. By releasing it only on 360 first, there are going to be people who hop on just for the game if they didn't for the first one.

7/2/2008 9:57:15 AM

Same way most people hopped on the ps3 for MGS

7/2/2008 10:04:36 AM

Aye, I considered getting a 360 for a while for a number of games. Rock Band was the clencher.

7/2/2008 10:14:28 AM

More Songs:

Quote :

" * "Man in the Box" - Alice in Chains * "We Got The Beat" - The Go Go * "American Woman" - The Guess Who? (or Lenny Kravitz) * "White Wedding" - Billy Idol * "Aqua Lung" - Jethro Tull * "Bad Reputation" - Joan Jett * "One Step Closer" - Linkin Park * "Peace Sells" - Megadeth * "You Oughta Know" - Alanis Morissette * "Testify" - Rage Against The Machine * "Spoonman" - Soundgarden "

7/3/2008 2:06:52 PM

It's about time they got some more rage.

7/3/2008 2:44:07 PM

I really want to see how they approach the song making feature of Guitar Hero

If this turns into a $60 Rock Band 1.5 with just additional songs and slightly upgraded hardware, i'm going to be disappointed

7/3/2008 3:37:47 PM

Quote :

"It's about time they got some more rage."

This [rumored] song would be the first by Rage to make it in the game.

^brace yourself, cuz I'm pretty sure that's exactly what it's going to be. I mean, where else can you really take a music video game w/o getting too gimmicky with the instruments (I'm looking at you, GH4)? They've already announced RB2 will be compatible with all the RB1 songs and vice versa, so they really can't change much about the hardware (other than making it more reliable / realistic) unless they want to produce 2 different charts for all DLC going forward.

I mean, 7 pads for the drums + a touch-sensitive neck on a guitar is nice and all, but the most fun I have with this game is with people that don't usually play games. Slapping a bunch of extra buttons on is going to do nothing more than turn those people completely off. Even though I'm definitely a 'gamer', I can say that while I'm intrigued by the fancy GH4 guitar I'm completely intimidated. I have a hard enough time with the simple 5-button version.

I'd still love a hi-hat pedal for the drums though.

edit: as far as song-making goes.... it seems like the type of thing you'd play with for about 30 minutes when you get the game and then forget about. Sitting there for hours in GH4 laying down multiple tracks to create a song that won't even have lyrics seems pretty tedious to me. Even more tedious than learning a real instrument and creating real music...

[Edited on July 3, 2008 at 4:01 PM. Reason : d]

7/3/2008 3:59:08 PM

Disappointed if that is indeed the Journey song they picked.

7/3/2008 5:12:22 PM

^^Well how many songs are on the original Rock Band (not including downloadable content)? I think there were like 60. So even if they weren't going to release Rock Band 2 and instead just release all the songs to download (at the standard rate of I think $2-3 a song), it would be cheaper to just get the disc for $60. And they would probably put more than 60 songs on it anyway.

7/3/2008 5:34:48 PM

they've already announced it will be over 80.

7/3/2008 7:15:32 PM

from the Neogaf thread:

Quote :

"Was this posted yet? http://www.rockband.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60563 RB1 songs available as free DLC according to an IGN editor. Seems hard to believe they would be available for free. Also more leaked songs from another person claiming to be a tester. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Ro...f_Leaked_Songs 1) tangled up in blue (bob dylan) 2) bad to the bone (george thorogood) 3) we've got the beat (go-gos) 4) bad reputation (joan jett) 5) pinball wizard (the who) 6) dammit (blink 182) 7) thats what you get (paramore) 8) the trees (rush) 9) ace of spades (motorhead) 10) chop suey (system of a down) 11) testify (rage against the machine) 12) spirit in the sky (norman greenbaum) 13) ramblin' man (allman brothers) 14) rebel girl (bikini kill) 15) eye of the tiger (survivor) 16) panic attack (dreamtheater) 17) everlong (foo fighters) 18) one step closer (linkin park) 19) lump (presidents of the USA) 20) come out and play (offspring) 21) drain you (nirvana) 22) carry on my wayward son (kansas) 23) peace sells (megadeath) 24) souls of black (testament) 25) livin on a prayer (bon jovi) 26) round and round (ratt) 27) new kid in school (the donnas) 28) alright now (free) 29) today (smashing pumpkins) 30) man in the box (alice in chains) 31) any way you want it (journey) 32) holiday in cambodia (dead kennedys) 33) give it away (red hot chili peppers) 34) white wedding (billy idol) 35) hello there (cheap trick) 36) cool for cats (squeeze) 37) psycho killer (talking heads) 38) ? (devo) 39) one way or another (blondie) 40) de-luxe (lush) 41) push it (static-x) 42) pump it up (elvis costello) 43) master exploder (tenacious d) 44) bandages (hot hot heat) 45) PDA (interpol) 46) my own worst enemy (lit) 47) float on (modest mouse) 48) aqualung (jethro tull) 49) spoonman (soundgarden) 50) bodhisatva (steely dan) 51) suffer (bad religion) 52) i was wrong (social distortion) 53) american woman (the guess who) 56) you oughta know (alanis morrissette) 57) mountain song (jane's addiction) 58) stop! (against me) 59) hungry like the wolf (duran duran) 60) alabama getaway (grateful dead)"

whooooooooaaaaa

7/5/2008 9:23:20 AM

That's a solid list of songs there. I'd buy.

As far as the free DLC for RB1, if it is true, I'm betting that you'd have to at least have some sort of proof of purchase to get it or something. I would want to be able to play the RB1 tracks on RB2, but they would kill their RB1 sales if they did that. At least people would be willing to shell out sixty bucks for another 80 songs if they never bought RB1 in the first place.

I'd almost have to buy a 60GB system to accomodate for all the DLC...

7/5/2008 10:14:42 AM

That is a pretty diverse set there, a little bit of everything it seems. I wish they wouldn't reuse so many of the guitar hero songs though. I also think its kinda funny that GH4 keeps pushing Linkin Park like that is one of their featured bands or something but yet, they show up in RB2 as well.

7/5/2008 10:25:39 AM

they need another radiohead song besides fucking Creep. creep is nowhere near the greatest of their songs

7/5/2008 6:16:54 PM

^"my iron lung" is available for dlc for Rock Band now.

I hope they have something included on Rock Band II where it will automatically transfer in the songs from Rock Band I by loading up the disc. I already have a ton of DLC for the first game, but I would consider pre-ordering this game if it allows me to load up 200+ songs to play in a single setting.

7/5/2008 6:33:34 PM

i'm sure the songs will just show up by themselves

[Edited on July 5, 2008 at 7:41 PM. Reason : ^and it will.. the best i can tell]

7/5/2008 7:41:13 PM

i cant complain too much...

with songs like...

31) anyway you want it (journey)
25) livin on a prayer (bon jovi)

all they need to do is add "your love" by the outfield and it'd be a complete sorority/frat fest

7/5/2008 8:51:45 PM

have they done "don't stop believing" already?

7/5/2008 8:56:49 PM

don't think so.

7/6/2008 11:28:09 AM

The more I read about this, the more disappointed I'm getting

hopefully something new will come out at E3

7/9/2008 2:47:45 PM

confirmed tracks: (9 of 10 were on that list above)

* "Ace of Spades" by Motörhead
* "Everlong" by Foo Fighters
* "Pinball Wizard" by The Who
* "Panic Attack" by Dream Theater
* "Any Way You Want It" by Journey
* "Chop Suey" by System of a Down
* "Kids in America" by The Muffs
* "Give It Away" by Red Hot Chili Peppers
* "Hello There" by Cheap Trick
* "Pump It Up" by Elvis Costello

7/9/2008 5:24:34 PM

7 more confirmed:

* "Almost Easy" by Avenged Sevenfold
* "Bad Reputation" by Joan Jett
* "I Was Wrong" by Social Distortion
* "Livin' On A Prayer" by Bon Jovi
* "Rock'n Me" by Steve Miller Band
* "Testify" by Rage Against the Machine
* "White Wedding Pt. 1" by Billy Idol

7/11/2008 10:11:19 AM

7/11/2008 12:39:31 PM