Tech Bytes

I think an all Aerosmith game sounds awful (same with an all Tool one, but I digress... haha). You'd think that with the new competition in Rock Band, Activision would make a game that is a step up, not one that is more limited.

Though I personally like the guitar/bass in Guitar Hero much better.

Well I can see why it's expected to be so negative. For one, maybe they should get a single cover or various even, because to see the same guyu singing and sounding like Pearl Jam, Tenacious D, Santana, Rob Zombie, etc etc etc... That doens't really bogue well. The person really needs to feel like they are part of the cover band. To see the same vocalist sing exactly like the vocalist of these highly valued bands, is kind of a let down. Send in the cover bands, not attempt to voice over the actual vocals.

This game would be an interesting game, if it included all the original memebers of Aerosmith except the lead guitarist, hence being the character you selected.I still think this game is over rated. I actually play guitar in a local band. For me, at least, it's offensive. Maybe if they spent more time fixing orginiality in the game, like cut scenes, life like singing which suits the vocalist, musicians in sync with what is playing, etc, maybe then.

I don't think that Aerosmith sucks, but I wouldn't want an entire game focused on them. Tool would certainly be more interesting, though I imagine most songs would require a higher age rating than Activision would like.

But really, aren't we over this fad yet?

Games such as Guitar Hero and Rock Band are akin to computer programs designed to display documents to the user in a useful format, much like Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft Word. This format makes downloading new tracks the obvious choice.

However, given that these companies exist to turn profit, there must be financial benefit in issuing discs.

Marketing a new game is simpler than marketing new tracks for download; a physical entity makes for a better commercial or poster ad. Also, a disc containing a set number of tracks might be cheaper to produce than agreeing to a complex royalty scheme involved in offering tracks for download.

you're forgetting that it's actually cheaper to buy the new disc than to download the same number of songs on the microsoft service

Personally, I would rather play (or at least pretend to play) a guitar than sing. I'm sure there are quite a few people out there that feel the same. So whether Rock Band will completely outshine Guitar Hero is debatable.

I do agree with you that selling a set of songs based on one band, and packaging it as a "new" game is a bad move. It would be far more cost effective to simply sell individual songs or a suite of songs in a downloadable format. Why go through all the trouble of manufacturing discs and all the packaging involved when you could just post them on a server and collect the cash? Worried about advertising and shelf space? Pay the box stores to put up glorified posters above the game aisles. The expense to produce and distribute a "new" game every few months must be astronomically high.

On a side note, when are they going to develop an "advanced" Guitar Hero that will allow you to plug in a real electric guitar and teach you how to play a real instrument? ... I'd rather sound terrible on a real guitar playing the songs I like, than be forced to play Aerosmith (no matter how accurate I sound to the read thing).

I have to say that a Guitar Hero based on Aerosmith tracks isn't a great idea. It'd be like Guitar Hero: Jimi Hendrix. Sure Jimi was a great guitarist, but not everyone who enjoys "guitar based music" enjoys his tunes.

In fact, I don't think any band really should have their own Guitar Hero. While I think the idea of Guitar Hero: Iron Maiden would be great, lots of kids who don't like Metal would not enjoy it. And likewise, even less would enjoy a Guitar Hero: Cannibal Corpse or Guitar Hero: Cattle Decapitation.

Now, a conceptual focus on some releases like Guitar Hero: Virtuosos would be great. Just devote the entire game to tracks by John Petrucci, Michael Romeo, and Joe Satriani. Or what about Guitar Hero: Extreme Metal, with tracks by Morbid Angel, Deicide, and Carcass. Guitar Hero: Progressive Rock, Guitar Hero: Classic Rock, Guitar Hero: Classical Guitar would all have their niche, yet devoted, audiences.

But we get back to the fact that Guitar Hero: Funky Town and Guitar Hero: Punk Anthems would only really sit well within their own niche. I'd love Guitar Hero: Extreme Metal, I'd never lay down money on Guitar Hero: Nickelback.

Casual music listeners are fickle, while fanatical music listeners like myself don't want to immerse ourselves in genres and bands we don't like. So the point of this wall of text: Guitar Hero should really stick to the current model or it just won't sell well enough to stick around.

Now that we have that out of the way, I'd /LOVE/ to see Keyboard Hero: Keith Emerson...

it seems everywhere I look nobody can actually read a whole press release the game as announced will feature Aerosmith and there carrer but will include bands(tracks( that are influcenced and/or have played with them in some way or fashion...so there will be a bit more variety to it than appears here

Basing Guitar Hero or Rock Band off of ONE group/band/singer is a bad idea. Very bad. Even if it did include a few covers or sideshow band songs, it's still going to be based on Aerosmith. Both of these games are known for their varities. This would only attracted the Hardcore Guitar Hero and Aerosmith fans only. A game full of Aerosmith songs? I would probably commit suicide after finishing the third or fourth song. But anyways, I do beleive using bands as the purpose/ plot of the game is a bad thing thing and rather boring. Gamers want to be a cover band, not Aerosmith or TooL for a day.

I would wager once this version of the biggest non-game series in gaming today sells like garbage compared to other installments, their idea of one-band discs will be done.
Even if the focus is just on Aerosmith and they include some tracks by bands they've played with, variety was the best thing the GH series has going for it. A lot of casual people will pick up a copy of GH2 (or 3, whatever) just because something like Sweet Child O' Mine is in there and they'd like to try it. Who is going to do the same because now they can play Love in an Elevator?

I'll take a Aerosmith game over, an MCR, FOB or any other overplayed mainstream emo crap bands that are on the radio these days, game ANY day. It could be a whole lot worse, folks.

Guitar Hero. Being a musician who plays a real guitar, I tried guitar hero once, and I will never pick up that "guitar" ever again. While it is a cool concept for a many people (I have friends who rave about it) It is a game that will not succeed dedicating one bands' discography to a release. As earlier posts state, a lot of the fun in the original GH was the variety of pop rock songs that satisfy many musical tastes. The Aerosmith release will do well with the GH fans who are also Aerosmith fans but will bomb with the Fleetwood Mac fans.

Aerosmith = Emo rock
"It's my life" , "Janey's got a gun" , "living on a prayer"

Now which member has expirenced what these songs are about? Try none. They're just a cry for attention. Christ, this is even worst then most emo rock/punk bands. And though there may seem to be a big Aerosmith and GH fans, this will not go over well. Not too many people are going to be impressed with the 20+ Aerosmith songs in a row. I hate GH. I am a true musician. I play guitar. I think this game is a mockery of guitar and bass playing, but doing this game is just only going to ruin it's rep. People demand variety, not complete discographies. Maybe if the did the Beatles or the Rolling Stones, but not Aerosmith. I wouldn't even consider them to be in a GH title. But hey they're trying it out, and we'll see how it turns out.

Firstly, I'd like to point out that emo is a hardcore subgenre from the 80's. Chances are that whoever is using the word to describe a music genre is wrong, such as the last 3 posts.

Jason, this is a video game, not a guitar simulator. Lighten up.

When did Aerosmith do "Living On A Prayer" iyo, Jesse?
It seems a true musician would have enough knowledge of the stuff he is complaining about to not make a mistake like that.

Um, Jason, I know you're a "true musician" and all, but aren't "It's My Life" and "Livin' on a Prayer" Bon Jovi songs?

First off, I'll just say that Rock Band is kicking GH3's butt when it comes to downloads and if Red Octane doesn't do something about it they can say goodbye to their little empire.

Anyway, I think it's a big mistake to devote an entire GH game on one band. Aerosmith is actually one of my favourite bands but I just don't think every song lends itself well to GH, know what I mean?

I also think this holds true for any band, not just Aerosmith. It'd probably be better if they just made an Aerosmith download pack similar to the Foo Fighters/Velvet Revolver pack they released for GH3 awhile back. In other words, just feature the songs that best fit the "GH experience" and spare us the marketing shenanigans.

By the way, I'm STILL waiting for more Metallica and Pearl Jam in GH3. Come on Red Octane! Start making some deals already!

Emo , the music genre is often refered to as alternative. It's most noticable for it's depressing songs and whinning lyrics, sung by a feminine voice by a man. It's commonly played on an acoustic guitar. The singner does not scream, which would be considered Hardcore emo or "Screamo". Examples 'Drive' by Incubus is considered by many as an 'emo' song, take the lyrics and and feminie voice in factor. Aerosmiths Emo factor would be up there. Feminine voice. Teen angst. What else could you ask for?

Claudio, Rock Band has a better licence on Metallica songs for now...They already have permission to have Metallica's new Single for their new album this year, when its released (possibly just before the album release).

Hey, how about a variety of music for those of us who like more than just hard rock. How about some, country, jazz, blues, christian, or hey maybe some old rock and roll songs. It would be nice to just chill and play some softer songs once in awhile.

Emo in Halifax, you're just plain wrong. Emo is short for emotional hardcore. It's not alternative. It's not Coldplay. It's not whiney vocals sung by a feminine man. It's not acoustic.

It's an 80's subgenre of hardcore that was just hardcore music with emotionally charged lyrics.

Debbie: Aerosmith has some very blues inspired guitar work, for what that's worth.

@Debbie;
Perhaps you should try GH's PC counterpart, frets on fire. Same eaxct game, minus the 3D animations for right now, plus it's free. You can download FOF songs from many sites or download specific collections through Bit Torrent or Mini Nova. The game only lacks in 3D Animation, but other then that it's better then GH series. You can even make your own tracks using the FOF editor. You don't even need to use a song that has a guitar riff, so you could use Lounge ambience, electro, techno, symphonies, classical, etc etc etc... GH and RB might have some competition, as rumours are going around about a Rock Band version of Frets on Fire. Damn, it's going to suck to be them!

Well Andrew, what ticks me off just a wee bit is that GH has been around for awhile now and it seems to me that the folks over at Red Octane have become complacent in light of the success they've had. GH3 was available before Rock Band but the latter game has much better support behind it. I would have assumed that GH3 would have been able to snag some sweet licensing deals (and no, a whole game featuring Aerosmith isn't my idea of a sweet deal) but instead Rock Band got those. I just expected better.

On a completely different note, Debbie also makes an interesting suggestion. I feel that while the song selection is better in GH3 than in GH2 the same can't be said about the variety of songs, in my opinion anyway. I would also like to be able to play oldies and jazz and maybe a little acoustic guitar thrown in for good measure. GH-Unplugged or something, you know?

xboxgamer;
Please re read what the article says.
" focuses entirely on the songs of one band: Aerosmith."
Focuses entirely on the SONGS of ONE band. Does not say inspired by, nor motivated by. Maybe you should carefully re-read what you (Like Jason said afterhand, who feels Bon Jovi= Aerosmith, and I do agree with him)posted. 'Of' is implying Aerosmith creations, not songs done by another band.

This is directed at Emo in Halifax and Garet. Your both wrong. Emo started out as a type of writing, and Garet, that is one side of how 'Emo' came into play in the music scene. I've heard some stories where it's dated even farther back then the eighties, circa the mid seventies, as a small subgenre of punk. emo from Halifax, what your describing is mainstream emp pop. True emo music would be Alice in Chains, or Bush (Bush X). Incubus would be considered everything but emo, as they do Jazz, Blues, epiremental, alternative, Rock, Rock and Roll, Hip hop, Dance, Heavy metal, Heavy rock, ambience, Jango, etc... the list continues as there is pretty much no genre left that Incubus has done.

Jordan

Winnipeg

When did Aerosmith do "Living On A Prayer" iyo, Jesse?
It seems a true musician would have enough knowledge of the stuff he is complaining about to not make a mistake like that.

Answer;
No one WOULD want to waste their time learning these songs to begin nor learn about them. Aerosmith and Bon Jovi, in the muscian world, are pointless pop bands. These guys should of been the orginial N'Sync and Backstreet Boys. Their guitar playing is far from 'satisfying' (This I know because I play guitar, and COULD learn their songs just by listening to the song, if I grew really bored. The only Song I know by Either band is Walk this Way, written by Aerosmith, but I never play it anymore), and both bands only special in mainstream pop. Sorry I feel that I don't want to be another 'Pop-boy-Metal-hair-band'.

they shouldn't make a guitar hero game with only aerosmith maybe make several different editions of guitar hero four with different controllers and more songs of that specific band. Then put out any songs that are not on all of the guitar hero 4 games for download if you want.

Aerosmith would make for a terrible Guitar hero game! Maybe they should be focusing on genres, like Rock, Rock'n'Roll, Blues/Jazz, etc... Or even using billboards charts through the past 20-30 years. Focusing on one Band is being too biased. Not everyone might love/like that band, and it's too much of a specific preference. Using genres is giving a choice of bands that specifically perform for that genre, and there are more followings for each genre, compared to the single artist or band. Next we'll have Guitar Hero: The Elvis Presley Chronicles or Guitar Hero: The Green Day Version. Come on people! Variety is going to win over gamers!

Ok Ive seen the word emo enough to make me vomit spiders!

The idea of Guitar Hero is to master the different tunes at various speeds and such, having just one band to play to destroys this idea.

Rock Band is badass for the bass and drums (seeing as guitar hero is solely the guitar (unless you play two player then bass comes in) it is unbeatable by a more open game such as RB) But I cant see why they would throw the mic in there, NO ONE wants to sing!

Its like the person singing got hit by the vial in my favorite game, Toss the Acid!

Apples and oranges. Guitar Hero for practise and Rock Band to Rock with your buds!

Monkey said;
The idea of Guitar Hero is to master the different tunes at various speeds and such, having just one band to play to destroys this idea.

Yes this maybe true, gamewise, but in reality you won't be able to play anything as the game doesn't help you learn to play guitar/ bass any better then before as if you had no idea what the hell you were doing.

Moneky is right though. The variety is to change the tempo of the songs, the variety of buttons needed to press, the different scaled solos and guitar fills, etc etc etc... focusing on one band makes you become 'adjusted' to only that one band, and making it more often then not harder to learn or play other styles.

If a real musician WERE to play Rock Band, there wouldn't be a fear of no one having to sing. There isn't a problem. It doesn't even recognize complete singing. You can pretty talk in the key of the song and still passthe song no problem. People and youth need to get over their childly fears.

Jason, it's a game. Who cares if you're a "real musician".

Also, emo isn't a type of writing. As usual, I wonder where you get your information. try going to fourfa.com and learning something. But you play guitar, you must know everything about music.

Hey Jason I think youre getting your Aerosmith and your Bon Jovi mixed up there buddy. I dont think its a totally bad idea to do a whole game based on 1 band but it needs to be a band that is knowv for their guitar playing, I mean in 4 games I havent seen any Frampton, Van Halen, I mean when did Jack Black become a guitar Hero J/k, but on areal note I do like Aerosmith I just think it's a bad choice for a GH lover like me

I never said it would turn you into a pro guitar player, I just said that one is meant for solely "guitar" playing and the other is for "band playing".

And when DID Jack Blakc become a guitar player? Although I do enjoy that song Metal, hehe

Dun Dun Dily Dily Dilylyly,
Dun Dun Dily Dily Dun

Come on guys... games like guitar hero/rock band/etc/etc are just that - GAMES!! Not only do I enjoy playing games like guitar hero/rock band/etc, I am also a pro musician (bassoon, cello, guitar).. Playing these games are supposed to be fun, not a music recital. The key word is game... who cares if you're a pro; guitar hero is not "guitar pro for dummies" or "recital hall 101". It's a computer simulation, like..hmm... flight sim.

I can see Emo/ Jason's point as they are the same person :/ I am not a pro musician, but must people get high and mighty because they can beat, for example, The Metal on Expert and expect that they can play it on a real guitar. Those people are losers. Instruments are something you just know how to play right away takes time, effort and practising... People need to realize like orion said, it's a game sim. Though lol it defeats the purpose of a simulator because your not simulating playing an actual guitar, rather simon says. Games are games and are not meant realistic in any way...