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[PhoncipleBone]

Judy Nails wasn't a creepy skank in the first two games. Nobody would ever have thought that she and Pandora could be combined, but apparently Neversoft did. The character design decisions alone were abominable.

The lead singer in GH 3 was also terrifying. If by art style people are referring to "colored gems" then yes, its the same. But there is a difference between good cartoonish and bad cartoonsih character styles. Rock Band uses a cartoonish character style, but it is more similar to GH 1 and 2s style(imagine that) than the hideous robotic army that Neversoft has unleashed on us all. Not to mention the animation system.

Animation and character design were never Neversoft's strong suit. Just look at the Tony Hawk games. Amazing level design and user created content with tight control, but the animations of a lot of it later on started bordering on lazy. I just wonder what happened to them. They used to be one of my most trusted developers, but after THUG 2 then GH3, they are firmly in the "watch with a paranoid eye" category.

 

[PhoncipleBone]

Character design is not the same as art-style, sorry. And character design has been crap since the first day. I've always have played with my least hated character in GH. I hope the edition tools change this. Sigh.

The character design is part of the art style. So you are to say that the way that characters look in every single game made are not indicative of the art style? Wow. So now we are going to have two arguments in game threads now. "The art design/style sucks" and "The character design sucks?" They are one and the same because they are BOTH art style.

And the character design from the get go was going for extreme stereotypes of certain musical genres. The Neversoft versions of those stereotypes just look like poor imitations of HMX stereotypes. As if all the life, personality, and character has been sucked out of them.

 

[TheGreatDave]

Eh? It doesn't really even look like Hayley at all outside of the pale skin. Even the hair doesn't look right.

Sometimes, from a special angle, when the stars allign, I recognise who she is supposed to be. And really, isn't that the standard we should hold our next gen video games to?

Also, the character design fucking sucked in GH:1 and 2. GH:3 looks like GH:2 with more light sources and some depth of field effects. Judy Nails MAAAAYYYYY have took a turn for the boob-tastic, but characters like Lars...the top left default guy...the Hendrix wannnabe...and the chick with a bra on...um...I dunno, the 80s guy, they all look fine. They don't look as good as Rock Band's characters, but they look no worse than their GH:2 versions.

People who like Rock Band's style over GH:3's are correct, people that curse the GH:3 look and praise GH:2 are delusional.

 

[Dirtyshubb]

Personally i dont give a shit what the characters look like for the most part, as long as the UI is good and it has a descent style im happy.

TBH im always too busy actually looking at the notes to be worrying about a small factor of the game such as characters. I mean its not like the game is about PLAYING music or anything

 

[DarkJC]

23 if you only count songs that are downloaded from a console online service, but last I checked copying files off a disc was also included in the definition of "download", although that part has been steadily falling out of use since the web came around. I guess my Harmonix Pack 01 isn't DLC in your eyes, then? (even though it's for sale on PSN and Live now, lol)

I'm only counting songs that are available to buy in the Rock Band music store. Harmonix Pack 01 counts...because it's for sale as DLC. The 20 free songs are exclusively available to those who obtain a code, as far as I understand it. As far as importing songs is concerned, if we're going to stretch it that far, I guess upon the release of the NXE all my games are DLC because they're on my Hard Drive.

Anyway, we could argue semantics all day, my point was that not only are they all being released by different methods, it's a very very very non-typical week. For all intents and purposes 20 of those songs would've been on the disc.

 

[TheGreatDave]

At least GH is getting some fucking DLC this time. I don't mind that it's not at current Rock Band levels, we already have a good number of announcements with more to come.

 

[fresquito]

The character design is part of the art style. So you are to say that the way that characters look in every single game made are not indicative of the art style? Wow. So now we are going to have two arguments in game threads now. "The art design/style sucks" and "The character design sucks?" They are one and the same because they are BOTH art style.

And the character design from the get go was going for extreme stereotypes of certain musical genres. The Neversoft versions of those stereotypes just look like poor imitations of HMX stereotypes. As if all the life, personality, and character has been sucked out of them.

You clearly don't know what you're talking about.

The design and the art style are two different things. For istance, Ryu, from Street Fighter has been having the same design since the first game (with slight alterations here and there). However, if you take Ryu from Capcom vs. SNK and compare it to Ryu from Street Fighter 4, they look really different. They share the same design, but the style gives two entirely different feelings.

If you take for example the art-style of say Akira Toriyama, you can have designs that range from Piccolo to Mr. Satan. They are very different one from each other, but they share the same art-style. If you think of Final Fantasy you'll get it. Amano's designs look nothing like their videgames counterparts, still he made the character design for some of them.

So, GH has been having the same art-style since the very first moment. There's been some changes here and there. It's gone a bit more over the top and a bit more gritty if you like, but those have been slight changes. Again, character design has been always bad in GH. You can say that the new Neversoft's stereotypes are worse and I can agree. But those stereotypes were always really horrible so I fail to see why people complain from GH3 on instead of complaining for the whole series.

 

[Christoff Yurievich]

Hrm, well, hrm. I dunno. TSO certainly has more original songs than "rearranged" ones, but I would pay money (money!) for Christmas Eve Sarajevo to pop up on GHTunes before the holidays.

Oh no doubt. They were highly requested last year in Rock Band/GH as holiday songs but neither happened. Maybe this year?

 

[sneaky77]

Judy Nails wasn't a creepy skank in the first two games. Nobody would ever have thought that she and Pandora could be combined, but apparently Neversoft did. The character design decisions alone were abominable.

While I can agree with this, the over the top cartoon look has been there frm the beginning, and I have no issues with it to be honest, is kinda funny to me, is a game for fucks sake..

 

[Templar Wizard]

What I would like to know is how that new Guitar feels like.
what are the neck functions like.

 

[sneaky77]

What I would like to know is how that new Guitar feels like.
what are the neck functions like.

The neck is for the sliding parts with the purple strings, or to whammy the hold notes, and also for the music studio.

The Guitar feels very good, the strum bar is great to hold it since it sticks out a little more, it still clicks but not as loudly, and the frets are as good as they were in the LP.

 

[TAJ]

I'm only counting songs that are available to buy in the Rock Band music store. Harmonix Pack 01 counts...because it's for sale as DLC. The 20 free songs are exclusively available to those who obtain a code, as far as I understand it. As far as importing songs is concerned, if we're going to stretch it that far, I guess upon the release of the NXE all my games are DLC because they're on my Hard Drive. .

My point was that I exported Harmonix Pack 01 off of an OXM demo DVD.

 

[The Jer]

Yeah, perhaps, it's just a shame that the actual games kept getting worse and worse. I played a bunch of... hmm.. THPS2 on N64 with a friend, but the only one I went out and bought myself was THUG on GC and that was after THUG2 when it was cheap used. I think I paid $10 or so. I never messed with the creation tools because I'm the only one who plays it and there wasn't any way to get good levels online or anything else. Creative tools like this have always been sort of a waste if you can't get them onto the Internet. Even trading with friends requires that you have friends who are also really into it and hoping that at least one of them is any good at making levels and you can then remember to actually trade them.

I'll give them that they have experience with certain aspects of user creation, but we'll have to see how it works in the game.

Fundamentally doing it on the computer is going to be easier too. Using a mouse and keyboard for editing is just much faster and simpler then mucking about with controllers.

THUG and THUG2 could go online (on the PS2). You could upload everything you made (tricks, characters, goals, levels, graffiti tags) online for others to download. There was a crap load of online modes and many, like capture the flag, that were only online because they required several people or you could just freestyle around with other people.

The PS2 versions were the definitive versions of the game. THPS on the N64 was NOT developed by Neversoft, but was a port by Edge of Reality. Also, very gimped compared to the PS1 version, but not quite as much since there wasn't as much there to gimp.

For the longest time Neversoft called themselves "Playstation people" and made their games for the Playstation and everything else got a port that was obviously inferior. It wasn't until the 360 came out that the 360 version got an equal (much better in the case of THP8) version to the Playstation version. Now the only difference is the controller, which any veteran Tony Hawk player will tell you, needs to be played on a d-pad and flat face buttons, so I still prefer the PS version for the controller. It's really the only games were the controller makes a HUGE difference, imo.

 

[Johnkers]

THUG and THUG2 could go online (on the PS2). You could upload everything you made (tricks, characters, goals, levels, graffiti tags) online for others to download. There was a crap load of online modes and many, like capture the flag, that were only online because they required several people or you could just freestyle around with other people.

The PS2 versions were the definitive versions of the game. THPS on the N64 was NOT developed by Neversoft, but was a port by Edge of Reality. Also, very gimped compared to the PS1 version, but not quite as much since there wasn't as much there to gimp.

For the longest time Neversoft called themselves "Playstation people" and made their games for the Playstation and everything else got a port that was obviously inferior. It wasn't until the 360 came out that the 360 version got an equal (much better in the case of THP8) version to the Playstation version. Now the only difference is the controller, which any veteran Tony Hawk player will tell you, needs to be played on a d-pad and flat face buttons, so I still prefer the PS version for the controller. It's really the only games were the controller makes a HUGE difference, imo.

God I'm craving a new "real" Tony Hawk game. The last one I played on PS2 was THUG2. After that I only played the DS one, a bit of American Wasteland on 360 (shit port) and some of Project 8 on PSP.

They were all "ok" but none of them clicked in the same way that the previous games did. The latest one (which name evades me at the moment) seemed pretty shitty based on the demo too .

Can't wait to see what they are doing to the series after the year off though

 

[TheGreatDave]

I hope you like peripherals!

I want a good Tony Hawks. I liked THUG2 and Sk8kand, and nothing since.

 

[The Jer]

God I'm craving a new "real" Tony Hawk game. The last one I played on PS2 was THUG2. After that I only played the DS one, a bit of American Wasteland on 360 (shit port) and some of Project 8 on PSP.

They were all "ok" but none of them clicked in the same way that the previous games did. The latest one (which name evades me at the moment) seemed pretty shitty based on the demo too .

Can't wait to see what they are doing to the series after the year off though

American Wasteland on the 360 was exactly the same as the XBox version. It just had 360 version stamped on it, came out later, and was touted as "next gen." It wasn't until THP8 that they made the "next gen" Tony Hawk. They've always made a new game engine for the new Playstation.

THP8 and THPG were great games (at their core), but they did have a new engine which made them feel very, very different from the old PS2 engine, even if they had the same controls. (They are very good, but I still prefer the PS2 engine over the first one and the new one). Of course, THP8 was the most unpolished, unfinished game I've ever played (every version). It felt like I was beta testing. Awesome at the core game level, but not finished. Neversoft blamed it on Sony and not receiving a PS3 dev kit until very late, several months before release, and then not having all the tools they wanted available to them. Joel bitched about it to the press all the time, before and after release. Of course, they never delayed the game, which had to come out at the same time every fall. and THP8 managed to be even unpolished on the PS3 version than it was on the 360 version, it didn't have any online play (and THPS3 was the first PS2 game to have online play) and had a frame rate that would drop into the teens and below (it had always been 60fps before).

 

[The Jer]

I hope you like peripherals!

I want a good Tony Hawks. I liked THUG2 and Sk8kand, and nothing since.

THUG2 was the last awesome TH game (and the best of them all). Everything since then has just been good or great.

 

[megashock5]

Hope the Wii band bundle isn't too supply-constrained. Me got no preorder.

OK, now you have me concerned. Is it rumored to be?

 

[TheGreatDave]

THUG2 was the last awesome TH game (and the best of them all). Everything since then has just been good or great.

They should just make XBLA THPS, all new shit but in the last gen engine. I'd pay full price!

 

[Captain N]

how many people plan on picking up the Wii version? I am thinking of getting that one and would like to know how like I'll be to gave some other GAFers to play against.

 

[AndyMoogle]

Does this DLC work with GH3 as well, or are they just gonna ignore that game from now on?

 

[megashock5]

how many people plan on picking up the Wii version? I am thinking of getting that one and would like to know how like I'll be to gave some other GAFers to play against.

Wii version here, but not until Christmas unfortunately. It's what my family wants to get me as my gift this year, which is cool with me.

 

[TheGreatDave]

Does this DLC work with GH3 as well, or are they just gonna ignore that game from now on?

Seeing as they've said nothing about it, I'm gonna assume we're ignoring that game from now on.

 

[Dark Octave]

I like the look of Rock Band's guitar better, but those buttons that look like strings to slide on may be a cool feature.

Anyway, screw the songs list. I'm excited about GH:WT to make my own songs and post them up.

Can't wait.

 

[Plaguefox]

.

 

[TheGreatDave]

So the WT first week pack is on XBLM; 440 points for a pack of 3 and 160 points for a song. I believe this is Rock Band pricing exactly. Also, a free Neversoft track pack, with Anything by An Endless Sporadic and Electrorock by Sworn.

 

[Bigfoot]

Where are the reviews? I'm waiting to hear more about the Wii version and the drums. Even though I'll end up buying it anyways, I'd like to know how the Wii version stands up.

 

[Tenks]

I just saw this at Kotaku. $250 is a bit much for a guitar. I can understand the ION kit at $300 but not sure on this one.

http://kotaku.com/5067592/logitechs-unveils-250-guitar-hero-controller

 

[Templar Wizard]

The neck is for the sliding parts with the purple strings, or to whammy the hold notes, and also for the music studio.

The Guitar feels very good, the strum bar is great to hold it since it sticks out a little more, it still clicks but not as loudly, and the frets are as good as they were in the LP.

kewl, i was familiar with the functionality, but the build and actual play were most important. and size? as big as the RB strat?

 

[TheGreatDave]

Oh Jesus Christ, it's possible I'll purchase that. I have no dignity.

The plastic buttons on a realistic neck is a bit...weird though. I may be able to pass because of that strangeness.

*edit* Actually...

No deal. Too fugly.

 

[Tenks]

Oh Jesus Christ, it's possible I'll purchase that. I have no dignity.

The plastic buttons on a realistic neck is a bit...weird though. I may be able to pass because of that strangeness.

Panties will be soaked when you walk in with that axe

 

[vexvegaz]

does the new GH guitar still make those clicking sound when it strummed?
sexy lookin guitar and very interested in that sliding part thingy, but the if it clicks ill have to pass.

 

[The Jer]

wow

 

[Tenks]

does the new GH guitar still make those clicking sound when it strummed?
sexy lookin guitar and very interested in that sliding part thingy, but the if it clicks ill have to pass.

I think it still clicks but not as badly as before. I can give a more 'for sure' review Sunday/Monday. Though the WalMart near my work has GH:WT set up to demo so I guess I could go there.

 

[TheGreatDave]

I hope it's still a nice, loud click. Quieter is fine. Quiet is not.

 

[XShagrath]

OK, now you have me concerned. Is it rumored to be?

Looking at the ads for next week, this is what I see:

Circuit City: Band Bundle (360/Wii/PS3) - Limited Supplies - Minimum 2 (each) per store
Best Buy:
* Wii Guitar Bundle >>>> minimum 24 per store
* 360 Guitar Bundle >>>> minimum 15 per store
* PS3 Guitar Bundle >>>> minimum 12 per store
* PS2 Guitar Bundle >>>> minimum 9 per store

* Wii Band Bundle >>>> minimum 4 per store
* 360 Band Bundle >>>> minimum 5 per store
* PS3 Band Bundle >>>> minimum 6 per store

Looks like if you didn't pre-order it (for any platform), you'd better be there early if you want any kind of bundle.

 

[sneaky77]

does the new GH guitar still make those clicking sound when it strummed?
sexy lookin guitar and very interested in that sliding part thingy, but the if it clicks ill have to pass.

Is still clicks, not as loud as the LP

Size is not as big as the strat I don't think. but is a little bigger than the LP

 

[sneaky77]

Does this DLC work with GH3 as well, or are they just gonna ignore that game from now on?

I don't see why it would, is two different engines they would have to make the guitar/bass charts twice

 

[VOOK]

how many people plan on picking up the Wii version? I am thinking of getting that one and would like to know how like I'll be to gave some other GAFers to play against.

I will most likely be going the Wii version.

 

[BigDug13]

I really don't like the way you activate star power with drums in this game. You have to hit both cymbals and bass pedal at the same time. But if you're in the middle of a beat, good luck doing any of that while maintaining the 4x multiplier. I don't have the GH drums, so on the RB drums, you have to hit the yellow and blue pads while hitting the bass drum. But still, nearly impossible to keep the 4x multiplier unless you wait for a part with no drums.

Activating star power alone does nothing to the band's score. It helps if you're the one failing, but it doesn't seem to help someone else's failing. If multiple people activate at the same time, then you get the bigger overall multiplier. (for our 2 man band, we got 2x multiplier.) It seems to use a full bubble of the 6 bubbles for each person who activates. Everyone in the band is filling the band's star power bubbles at a rate of 1/2 of a bubble per star section. If it's a hard song, whoever gets to a tough section needs to be the one to use the star power.

I do love the drum fills because I can actually play cymbals throughout now, but once Madcatz finally gets done, that won't be an exclusive GH thing. The drum fills don't come that often though. Sometimes you'll only get a chance to mess around on a drum fill once in a song. (excluding the beginning and end "mess around" sections.) I like Rock Band's charted drum fills unless you have star power better. But that's a personal choice.

The guitar and drum timing seems to be a "little" bit more forgiving than rock band, but all the songs so far have been fun to play on both guitar and drums. Using the RB guitar, you can flail away at the frets when those "slide" notes appear and all the notes get hit. Not sure if that's intended, or if that's a simple workaround for people who don't have the slide.

Fun game so far. The art style isn't my thing, but like others have said...you're just looking at colored gems when you're actually playing the game.

 

[sneaky77]

The guitar and drum timing seems to be a "little" bit more forgiving than rock band, but all the songs so far have been fun to play on both guitar and drums. Using the RB guitar, you can flail away at the frets when those "slide" notes appear and all the notes get hit. Not sure if that's intended, or if that's a simple workaround for people who don't have the slide.

You can do that on the GH:WT guitar or with the older GH guitars too, is the way is supposed to be, is just tapping sections the touch strip is optional, i think you get more $$ if u use it.

I thought to activate the drums was just the 2 cymbals not the bass pedal too..

 

[TheGreatDave]

You have to bass kick as well to use SP? I don't approve.

 

[J-Rock]

how many people plan on picking up the Wii version? I am thinking of getting that one and would like to know how like I'll be to gave some other GAFers to play against.

Wii version for me here. Preorder paid in full.

 

["God's Beard!"]

Unless something has changed, music tracks are limited to about 1000 notes, which will put songs in the 3-4 minute range. So no November Rain or full length Dragonforce songs for us.

Also, the MIDI in those videos sound REALLY bad. Maybe not Wii Music MIDI bad, but it's pretty terrible regardless.

so basically one 30 second buckethead solo.

 

[megashock5]

Looks like if you didn't pre-order it (for any platform), you'd better be there early if you want any kind of bundle.

Thanks for posting the info. My parents offered to get me the band bundle for Christmas. As long as they can find one before that it's all good. Hopefully it won't be too hard to come by. Fingers crossed.

I picked up GHIII when CC had it on sale last week and my wife is giving to me for Christmas as well, so I'll have two guitars.

 

[NameGenerated]

To anyone who works at Gamestop or the like, would pre-ordering on Saturday for the guitar+game bundle be too late? Or could I still get one?

 

[Grecco]

just wanted to say that the new gh guitar is my favorite guitar now

 

[TheGreatDave]

just wanted to say that the new gh guitar is my favorite guitar now

Do you think the touch pad can be useful? The lack of physical distinction between frets seems like it could kill it.

 

[Grecco]

Do you think the touch pad can be useful? The lack of physical distinction between frets seems like it could kill it.

Much like the Solo buttons on the strat ill probably ignore it. But the rest is amazing. I tried it out at Best Buy where they set up the kit to try out. So good. Adding a huge star power button <3

And the drums are soo nice. I didnt expect that. Loved them both.

 

[XShagrath]

Do you think the touch pad can be useful? The lack of physical distinction between frets seems like it could kill it.

I was really hoping they were like the solo buttons on the Strat, in that you could use them during the normal portion of a song (but still have to strum). That way it would be much easier to slide on solos like Ride the Lightning or GGaHT. However, they only seem to be active during the "purple ropes" section, which makes them fairly useless to me.