Support NeoGAF

[zam]

Why did they have to ruin Judy Nails? She looks like some trashy, slutty rock-tart now

 

[AstroLad]

Rock Band is fun to pretend you're in a real band (even though, truthfully, being in one is next-to-nothing like that), and Guitar Hero is fun to pretend you're a master of the electric axe (even though, again, playing the guitar is next-to-nothing like that). I for one am glad we get to enjoy both.

You're forgetting that every discussion on GAF is premised on a hypothetical where you can only choose one.

 

[No6]

Poorly implemented boss battles? Even though I never had a problem with them, I could see them being frustrating for people. Personally, I don't think they're as big of an obstacle that most say they are. It's clear that Neversoft loosened up the HOs/POs and note hitboxes to an absurd degree in the boss battle songs. But regardless, I agree that they should have just made the stages "Face-Off" stages with the bosses, not battles where you can screw each other up.

So you beat Lou on expert (or worse, on hard) without requiring the game to give you specific attacks? Please share with the rest of us.

Bad art? For me it's more annoying because the Wii version is so obviously a crudely stripped down version of the 360/PS3 games. They didn't try to make the game look good on the Wii at all. They dumbed down the animations (so that they aren't even in time with the music), included little to no post-process effects... hell, the music isn't even in stereo! In co-op when you activate star power, the bass is drowned out completely!

It looks bad on the 360/PS3, too. And I've had casuals comment on it, mostly on the Cousin It singer and the robot drummer. I haven't heard any women comment on the terrible dancing women, though.

And yet I still think this iteration of Guitar Hero is just as good as the previous installments, if not better. I simply do not understand the bashing it receives. It has a similar set-list (in terms of genres represented) to previous Guitar Hero games, and arguing that it's "not as fun" as Rock Band is, in a word, silly. They're different games that are made to please different people, and in the end, you can choose which one(s) you want to buy. Why complain?

We complain because although Neversoft made a good game, there are some fairly obvious bad design decisions, and hopefully Neversoft will actually listen to the complaints and improve GH4 instead of doing what they've become famous for, namely ramrodding a franchise into the ground with one terrible design decision after another (THPS).

 

[darkressurection]

Actually, I'd say my friends aren't too casual. The friends I'm talking about have played the another two main entries (and one even bought Rocks the 80s).

Although, one of them called Rock Band a "ripoff of Guitar Hero" while we were playing it on Festivus. :lol

I am gonna need the address of these "friends"

Spoiler

Now where is my baseball bat?

 

[Christine]

I actually like the new Judy look better.

 

[ZeoVGM]

If Harmonix made a song that stopped a player of my skill level dead in his tracks from ever Five Starring every song on EASY, I'd be just as disappointed.

... I five stared every song on easy and I suck at Guitar Hero.

 

[Mercutio]

I am gonna need the address of these "friends"

Spoiler

Now where is my baseball bat?

Tonight we hunt the deadliest game of all.

Music Game Geeks.

 

[BboyDubC]

Lol - first of all, I'm a person, not people. And second, my unmusical ear can indeed hear the slap in there. In fact, I've done that move a time or two while playing real life guitar over the last fifteen years.

The fact is, you don't strum twice to slap the strings to mute them. Like I said, it doesn't necessarily make the game worse, but you're not going to convince me that the GH3 way is more accurate than the RB method. Different "Strokes" for different folks and all that (hee?).

And for the record, despite Neversoft's attempt to destroy the game with the visuals, I liked GH3, especially the online component. I just like Rock Band better.

What do you mean, they chart it as one extra note only to represent the slap. and it adds NOTHING to difficulty at all. It flows rather nicely.

 

[Justin Bailey]

I'll put it this way - GH3 was fun while it lasted, but it's definitely my last GH game. Rock Band + downloadable songs all the way for me now.

 

[CajoleJuice]

I am gonna need the address of these "friends"

Spoiler

Now where is my baseball bat?

Don't worry, I let him know what's up.

 

[Bogus]

Well, why criticize anything then? For some people, it's franchise posturing. For some people, they paid for the game and aren't happy with it so they're venting in lament of their lost dineros. For others, they're voicing their complaints in hopes that someone involved hears them and fixes them in the future.

The game has flaws and glossing over them is like glossing over how colossally EA/MTV/Harmonix fucked up on the peripherals and distribution of Rock Band. If we don't hold them to higher standards (especially companies like Activision and EA), they will not bother improving things. Heck, I bet Activision was crossing their fingers that no one would make a stink about the monoWii version.

Ah, I meant "why complain that we get the choice?" as in "why argue between them?" Wrong choice of words on my part.

I support criticism, as long as it has logical basis and isn't wrapped up in a spicy tortilla of vitriol. If someone paid for GHIII and complained that they didn't like the product, well then, that's entirely within their prerogative.

However, some of the "flaws" people are harping on are entirely subjective. Take the note charts, for example. I'm sure everyone would agree that, on the whole, GHIII's charts are more difficult than the previous GHs and Rock Band. Some will say that's a bad thing, others will say it's a good thing. In the end, they're just different.

Again, I believe that the Guitar Hero franchise is starting to cater more towards the hardcore GH fans that the first two games cultivated. They cried out for a more challenging game, and they got one. The more casual fans were alienated as a result.

Does the game have flaws? Certainly. So does Rock Band. Are they game-breaking flaws? Well, that's up to you to decide. Personally, I don't think so, although I agree that some are worth going "watchdog" over.

What can I say? I like all the Guitar Heroes and like Rock Band as well. All the hot-headed bombast makes my head spin after a while, I guess. Maybe I'm too easygoing to get into these discussions. :lol

So you beat Lou on expert (or worse, on hard) without requiring the game to give you specific attacks? Please share with the rest of us.

Well, honestly, I don't think about it that much while playing it. And yes, I beat it on expert. Lou gets the first attack, and he always uses it on a section where you're playing relatively easy stuff. You get the next attack, but you have to save it for a little while until Lou gets a battle gem passage himself (as he doesn't get one right away after you, as is the norm). Screw him out of his passage, then get your next powerup. Rinse and repeat until he's done for.

I don't think I ever needed specific powerups to beat any of the bosses, although Lefty Flip kills me every single time. :lol

 

[I AM JOHN!]

First of all, they took out the awesome Clive Winston and threw in a fuck-ugly pseudo-anime girl. The game is subtitled LEGENDS OF ROCK FOR FUCK'S SAKE! ANIME GIRLS EVEN THE UGLY ONES ARE NOT LEGENDS OF ROCK YOU MORONS!

Yahtzee posts on GAF confirmed?

 

[Gattsu25]

Bad art? For me it's more annoying because the Wii version is so obviously a crudely stripped down version of the 360/PS3 games. They didn't try to make the game look good on the Wii at all. They dumbed down the animations (so that they aren't even in time with the music), included little to no post-process effects... hell, the music isn't even in stereo! In co-op when you activate star power, the bass is drowned out completely!

Same as the 360 version

My GOD, have you seen the drummer?

The ONLY things that are in synch with the music are the guitarist's fingers and the singer's mouth. Nobody's body animation matches the music...not your character, not your singer, not the hookers, no one. Couple that with animation that looks like it was directly modeled after Virtua Fighter 1's victory poses and a singer that looks like a bizarre homage of the elephant man (for facial porportions) and with a mouth that is animated like a mix between the south park canadians and a muppet...and you...fuck...you have GH3 on the 360

 

[davepoobond]

i will possibly get GHIII if the Rock band controller works with it. i dont want another guitar flying around my room

 

[Bogus]

Same as the 360 version

My GOD, have you seen the drummer?

The ONLY things that are in synch with the music are the guitarist's fingers and the singer's mouth. Nobody's body animation matches the music...not your character, not your singer, not the hookers, no one. Couple that with animation that looks like it was directly modeled after Virtua Fighter 1's victory poses and a singer that looks like a bizarre homage of the elephant man (for facial porportions) and with a mouth that is animated like a mix between the south park canadians and a muppet...and you...fuck...you have GH3 on the 360

One of my friends keeps telling me that Harmonix wouldn't give Neversoft their algo-rhythms (nyuk nyuk) for the musicians, so that Neversoft basically had to wing it. Not sure how true that is, though.

But yeah, the drummer looks his arm is glued to his side at the elbow.

 

[Pimpbaa]

Why did they have to ruin Judy Nails? She looks like some trashy, slutty rock-tart now

That's a good thing.

 

[Gattsu25]

One of my friends keeps telling me that Harmonix wouldn't give Neversoft their algo-rhythms (nyuk nyuk) for the musicians, so that Neversoft basically had to wing it. Not sure how true that is, though.

But yeah, the drummer looks his arm is glued to his side at the elbow.

I was under the impression that one of the stipulations in Harmonix's departure was that neither dev house (Neversoft or Harmonix) could use the old algorithms or code

 

[NeoXDeath]

YOU

ARE

FAGS

lol

 

[Mercutio]

I was under the impression that one of the stipulations in Harmonix's departure was that neither dev house (Neversoft or Harmonix) could use the old algorithms or code

If so, the re-working of whatever really helped Rockband. The drummer looks amazing.

 

[Otheradam]

One of my friends keeps telling me that Harmonix wouldn't give Neversoft their algo-rhythms (nyuk nyuk) for the musicians, so that Neversoft basically had to wing it. Not sure how true that is, though.

But yeah, the drummer looks his arm is glued to his side at the elbow.

That's somewhat correct. Neversoft had to code the game from the ground up because Harmanix didn't give them the code for GH and GH2. I think the agreement after the split with Red Octane was that neither company could use the code from GH/GH2 for any future games (don't quote me on that though).

 

[mood]

Meh, I like it. And the online works well and is fun.

 

[BobFromPikeCreek]

Don't worry. With Guitar Hero 4 I predict Neversoft will continue to play follow the leader with Harmonix and make the art style realistic, add character creation, something similar to Band World Tour, etc. Just like how the next Tony Hawk will be a complete knock off of Skate.

 

[Gattsu25]

Don't worry. With Guitar Hero 4 I predict Neversoft will continue to play follow the leader with Harmonix and make the art style realistic, add character creation, something similar to Band World Tour, etc. Just like how the next Tony Hawk will be a complete knock off of Skate.

They'll also enhance the presence of the story in the career mode and slowly creep some mild in-between-song sandbox gameplay elements in :b

 

[BboyDubC]

Some of you guys are so bandwagon, it's disgusting. The drummer has ALWAYS been robotic in Guitar Hero, yet nobody calls it out until Harmonix leaves and people need a new bashing point against Neversoft/GH3.

 

[AstroLad]

They'll also enhance the presence of the story in the career mode and slowly creep some mild in-between-song sandbox gameplay elements in :b

Walk around the city in mid-song!

 

[JonathanEx]

Some of you guys are so bandwagon, it's disgusting. The drummer has ALWAYS been robotic in Guitar Hero, yet nobody calls it out until Harmonix leaves and people need a new bashing point against Neversoft/GH3.

Part of bashing comes from how Harmonix has gone so far beyond in terms of the stage graphics, yet even on the 360/PS3 version, GH3 isn't exactly near it.

 

[Segata Sanshiro]

Some of you guys are so bandwagon, it's disgusting. The drummer has ALWAYS been robotic in Guitar Hero, yet nobody calls it out until Harmonix leaves and people need a new bashing point against Neversoft/GH3.

It probably only sticks out now because the competition is doing it better.

 

[Gattsu25]

Some of you guys are so bandwagon, it's disgusting. The drummer has ALWAYS been robotic in Guitar Hero, yet nobody calls it out until Harmonix leaves and people need a new bashing point against Neversoft/GH3.

The drummer moves better (but still robotic) in GH2 on the 360, though

Having played Rock Band, the difference is HUGE.

 

[ksamedi]

Yeah, I hate it when that singer starts dancing to the intro of One. Clapping his hands and stuff when all you hear is a machine gun.

 

[UncleGuito]

Neversoft didn't do a single thing to make me play the game for 40-50 hours. That's Harmonix's efforts. In fact, the boss battles on Hard made me stop playing the game.

.

The game lacked the charm and polish that the previous Guitar Hero games had. After I beat GH3, I never touched it again.

 

[BboyDubC]

Ok, let's get serious for 5 minutes here. Rockband's models still look like dolls. They don't even look like rockers. They look like high school wannabes. The art direction/presentation is far from "good". It just may be better to some than GH3. It is still freakin awful. But hey, it has the Harmonix name on it... see no evil.-

 

[Gattsu25]

Ok, let's get serious for 5 minutes here. Rockband's models still look like dolls. They don't even look like rockers. They look like high school wannabes. The art direction/presentation is far from "good". It just may be better to some than GH3. It is still freakin awful. But hey, it has the Harmonix name on it... see no evil.-

Well...shit.

 

[BobFromPikeCreek]

Ok, let's get serious for 5 minutes here. Rockband's models still look like dolls. They don't even look like rockers. They look like high school wannabes. The art direction/presentation is far from "good". It just may be better to some than GH3. It is still freakin awful. But hey, it has the Harmonix name on it... see no evil.-

:lol You're really trying hard to validate that GH3 purchase, eh?

 

[itxaka]

just got the game today. It´s still guitar hero but the boss battles are shit. Some of my friends are gonna get stuck on them for sure, they are just random shit-a-doodle stupid power ups against a non fair AI in a shit especial mode. just give me some objective like "beat this song with a 95% to win slash".

The models and shit, don´t care. too busy having fun and looking at the notes.

 

[Slacker]

Ok, let's get serious for 5 minutes here. Rockband's models still look like dolls. They don't even look like rockers. They look like high school wannabes. The art direction/presentation is far from "good". It just may be better to some than GH3. It is still freakin awful. But hey, it has the Harmonix name on it... see no evil.-

Now we're back to opinion. I think Rock Band's visuals are excellent. No, I'm not popping it in to show off the fierce power of the PS3 when friends come over, but they work perfectly for the game. Look no further than the drummer at the beginning of Maps:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAeq4ivhk1g

 

[UncleGuito]

Who gives a crap about models, etc? This is a music game- GH3 isn't a good music game compared to Rock Band, GH2, GH1. The note charts are AWFUL.

 

[Gattsu25]

The models and shit, don´t care. too busy having fun and looking at the notes.

About those notes: have HOPOs ever been as easy to notice as they were in GH3/RB? I *love* the fact that both games make spotting them so damn instinctive now.

 

[Ten-Song]

Don't worry. With Guitar Hero 4 I predict Neversoft will continue to play follow the leader with Harmonix and make the art style realistic, add character creation, something similar to Band World Tour, etc. Just like how the next Tony Hawk will be a complete knock off of Skate.

No, Guitar Hero IV will have a full on cutscene rich story mode, where you and Bam Margera fly all over the world doing wacky things while you play in various places, and of course get into MORE boss battles than ever before, and they'll replace the score multiplier with a combo meter.

 

[blackadde]

Ok, let's get serious for 5 minutes here. Rockband's models still look like dolls. They don't even look like rockers. They look like high school wannabes. The art direction/presentation is far from "good". It just may be better to some than GH3. It is still freakin awful. But hey, it has the Harmonix name on it... see no evil.-

total disagreement here ... i think harmonix derived and exaggerated the forms pretty well. they have a really good aesthetic going here. it's fake - it's VERY fake - but that's fine. it's believable.

 

[BboyDubC]

Who gives a crap about models, etc? This is a music game- GH3 isn't a good music game compared to Rock Band, GH2, GH1. The note charts are AWFUL.

This again? See last page.

 

[123rl]

Yahtzee posts on GAF confirmed?

Yahtzee FTW

"Where the fuck is Clive Winston?"

"And, number four, WHERE THE FUCK IS CLIVE WINSTON, YOU PRICKS?!":lol

 

[BobFromPikeCreek]

No, Guitar Hero IV will have a full on cutscene rich story mode, where you and Bam Margera fly all over the world doing wacky things while you play in various places, and of course get into MORE boss battles than ever before, and they'll replace the score multiplier with a combo meter.

"That's fucking fun, man!!"

 

[Phoenix 2.0]

Long rant.

I agree with every single word you said. Well, aside from people eating shit and all that.

 

[Jube3]

Don't worry. With Guitar Hero 4 I predict Neversoft will continue to play follow the leader with Harmonix and make the art style realistic, add character creation, something similar to Band World Tour, etc. Just like how the next Tony Hawk will be a complete knock off of Skate.

They're gonna add Nail - The - Hammer on to replace star power. The song slows down to 50% speed while its on.

 

[davepoobond]

the next GUN game will be a Guitar Hero game.

it'll be GUN: Guitar Hero -- and it'll all be cowboy music with an acoustic guitar with an inkling of metal.

 

[Segata Sanshiro]

Guitar Hero: Country would be awesome

 

[jamesinclair]

Im so confused at the hate.

Do you not like the expert note-charts? Play Hard, it's more fun.

Why is the PS2 version so terrible? Longer load times, yes, and they fucked up by forgetting quickplay co-op, but besides that...? Its the best in the series graphically on the system, and it plays fine.

Whats so bad about 80s? Its a cheap game (reusing assets) but the song list is fine, and the gameplay is the same.

 

[TheGreatDave]

So you think the boss battles, including Lou on Hard or Expert where winning is completely dependant upon random power-ups, and even the most skilled GH player in the world will lose if the game spits out the wrong ones, are just fine?

My theory is that if GH3 wasn't on a Nintendo console there'd be a lot fewer people defending it. Prove me wrong!

I beat Lou on Hard the day I got the game. Took me...about 5 tries. It was hard, but not unfair. Expert is another matter, but it's not like you NEED to beat Lou to do anything.

 

[I AM JOHN!]

Yahtzee FTW

"Where the fuck is Clive Winston?"

"And, number four, WHERE THE FUCK IS CLIVE WINSTON, YOU PRICKS?!":lol

In his place we get some bubbly J-pop creature and you can't play Classic Rock with that...thing, it's like cock-slapping the Mona Lisa.

 

[davepoobond]

Guitar Hero: Country would be awesome

Guitar Cowboy