Rock Band 3 (Pre-Release)

D4RK ONION

Roadies and rockers, let the speculation begin!

Shocking news from the music gaming front -- Rock Band 3 has been confirmed for a holiday 2010 release.

News comes by way Viacom CEO and President Philippe Dauman, and subsequently tweeted by Harmonix public relations master of disaster, John Drake.

"Also, it's going to be awesome," Drake followed up, "confirmed."

So there you have it. Details are unknown at this time, but we'd hope we'll start getting some info soon. For now, let us know your Rock Band 3 feature and song "do wants."

ongarite

Irrevelant news!!

The real MEGATON news;

Lady GaGA coming to Rock Bad DLC next week with 4 track pack and Eric Cartman version also.

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTI4NTA5MTcy.html

D4RK ONION

I knew about that, :mad:

BANNED FOR REMINDING ME OF RETARDED DLC :mad::(

calex71

Well call me a pessimist, here was me 60-70% we would not see RB3.

Makes you wonder what song's they have been holding out on not putting out as dlc to go into this.

The big thing will have to be import import import, they haven't put a foot wrong in that department so far, but at the same time I really dont wont to have to pay to import again form the disc based RB games, and we'll have green day before that comes out.

The harmonies from beatles are a given I'd say.

D4RK ONION

Harmonies are a "fo sho" at this stage, and I could see lego's "super easy" making it in too. As long as they give us the instruments, I'll lap it up. And hey, the forum might get a bit of traffic!

calex71

Ah we are well due new instruments at this stage.

Also the song select layout from the beatles that showed the stars beside the songs, and being albe to set it to show friends scores on the top right was nice. Love to see more stats like times played etc.

Chances of a beatles import? there was a code on the back of the manual.

D4RK ONION

Times played would be brilliant, and if you could rate songs yourself, or perhaps a favourite system. I may have to murder everyone at HMX if they don't deliver my instruments though :mad:

calex71

D4RK ONION wrote: »

I may have to murder everyone at HMX if they don't deliver my instruments though :mad:

I think I have enough

D4RK ONION

Your xplorer is WIN. That is an impressive array of instruments.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FucbvoFFy0

calex71

Another thing that came to me today while playing GH5 at a pals house, was the challenges section from RB2, I liked doing those but they were just setlists you could pause and come back to later. One of the pluses of GH5 was the challenges they added into the songs in career, like hit a 500ns on bass or hit 90% of the notes of a solo. It also had the consequence of making you play on every instrument, which was a nice touch I thought.

Something like that could be really fun, as I said before I liked the achievements in the Beatles and expanding on those with a new overhauled challenges section in RB3 would be really good I think.

Banjo

Agreed - got GH5 during the week, only played a couple of songs but one of the first guitar challenges is to whammy your way through a cold play song. They actually made a cold play song interesting! With familiar roundy notes, song imports from earlier GHs, roady Battles, SDHC support and the ability to sing along to Sweating Bullets, it's almost in the hallowed realms of Awesome Deluxe-ness. If it wasn't for the piss poor character creation and woefully inadequate DLC I'd be selling RB2.
This poorly disguised plug for Guitar Hero 5 was payed for by the Friends of Vicarious Visions Trust.

calex71

From the green day demo , look closely before reading spoiler and see if you get it

could there be a keyboard in RB3

ongarite

IMO, the last thing the music genre is more plastic instruments to try and get the consumer to buy.
DJ Hero failed because it required a new peripheral and this will do the same for RB3.

Anyway where on the in-game UI will they fit the keyboard highway?
Will it be a 5-key keyboard for one octave or 10 keys for 2 octaves?

The screenshot gives the assumption that you can play 5 instruments at the same time. I can't see anyway to fit that in on the current highway and be anyway readable, let alone playable.

Another thing, is the 360 only supports 4 controllers (instruments) at a time.

D4RK ONION

True, but the Keyboard could function as the fourth controller to be used with the mic perhaps? Either way, I'm super hyped for this.

Think about it, at this stage only the hardcore are going to still care about this. The fad people have moved on to other games. So, they want to give the fans a new challenge. It should also be noted that this isn't new at all. There was a piano arcade game, and I'm pretty sure there was a home port

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt4MWk_B2cY

As for how many buttons, I'm going to guess 5, although 10 would be great, or even as above for a real challenge.

rizzla

I hope it's one of these

D4RK ONION

Oh god yes! That would be epic.

calex71

I used have this tiny yamaha keyboard about 12 inches long I got off santy one year, actually I still have it :eek: it would be quite cool if they threw in some keys.

How it would work though ? 5 buttons for each hand? and use something like scrolling vocals?

Thing is though it would HAVE to work !!!!!!! other wise for me it's a gimic, and another peripheral I don't want or need.

They need to make sure vocal harmonies can be done online too!!!!!!!! there a several achievements I can never get in Beatles because of that fact!!!!!!!

Oh, there was a section on the RB site last week where you could post questions for the developers of RB3 must see if I can find it, they promised ot at least give some details away.

D4RK ONION

I didn't realise you can't do harmonies online. I never tried like, but I don't see the problem!

calex71

Problem is self consciousness / finding 3 people who want to sing, much easier when no one can hear you sound like a bag of drowning kittens

grimm2005

hmmm, can't say i'd be a fan of introducing a keyboard, too many plastic instruments as it is. I'd rather they stick with what they have and improve upon it, just seems a bit gimmiky to me. Also, the B:RB harmonies are pretty much guaranteed as you can see three mics in that pic

D4RK ONION

I'd be delighted with a new instrument to master personally. Calling it gimmicky is a bit silly, because the whole genre is based around gimmicks

I can't wait for the keyboard. I usually play with friends and we're all fairly into it. We're always talking about how they should add the keyboard.
Means they can add more songs tbh.
I'd love to see some New Order or something in one of these games, although I'm not holding out too much hope.

ongarite

First Rock Band 3 info from USA Today. RB3 is going hardcore with 3 new instruments; a 25-key keyboard and 2 "real" plastic guitars.

"We are adding a new instrument (a 25-key, fully functioning MIDI keyboard) and we're adding a whole new mode, which is designed basically to answer that staleness factor."

The result, he says, is "an experience that is both accessible to players who are just getting into this thing, and builds something for the hard-core player who is maybe a little bored with where music games are."

Sussman and several key members of the Rock Band team (Harmonix senior designers Sylvain Dubrofsky and Dan Teasdale, and public relations gurus John Drake of Harmonix and Jeff Castaneda of MTV Games; you can see them all playing the game in the accompanying video) recently demonstrated Rock Band 3 for USA TODAY's Game Hunters and offered a test drive of the new keyboard controller, as well as the game's new authentic Pro mode aimed at helping players develop skills usable on real instruments.

"Everybody who wants to keep playing on the instruments they already have, we have enhanced new features and new gameplay for you," Dubrofsky says. "It's up to you to decide where you take this."

More on the advances for Rock Band 3 (due for the holidays for PS3, Xbox 360, Wii and Nintendo DS):

•Better story. Design your own characters and session musicians from improved character models and watch their story unfold throughout the game. Your band members are seen getting into the van to go to a show, and practicing as well as performing. They even appear as you choose songs to play. "It is a really cool way to make sure you are always in the narrative no matter which mode you are in," Teasdale says. "The entire game is essentially one story of your band."

Everything you do earns achievements in the goal-based career mode. "Previously our career modes weren't really about getting better as a Rock Band player, it was about investing time," Teasdale says. "We developed this entirely new career mode based around unlocking achievement-like goals to show your progression through the game, and also give you incentives to get better.

"We have hundreds and hundreds of these goals across instruments and gameplay modes and across (downloadable content). It is a really great way to finish Rock Band in your way, based on your skill, and not on some predetermined path of songs."

•More fluid gameplay. Players can jump in or out of songs without interrupting a song already in progress. They can also change instruments or difficulty settings during a song without pausing. "It's a really cool way to get rid of that friction that players have when they are in a party situation," Teasdale says.

Another party-friendly mode, "road challenges," is described by Teasdale as "taking Rock Band 1 and 2's band world tour (mode) and merging it with Mario Party. We tried to find a way to get the core experience people had playing the band world tour and the things they really enjoyed, like getting the van or getting random set lists, and putting that into a setting that you can finish in an evening instead of a week. So now we have all these tours which are actually you going on a tour of the East Coast or touring across the world, and you are finishing that in three hours or whatever time you think you have to play."

•Revamped song-filtering system. With the Rock Band library expected to grow to about 2,000 songs by year's end, it has grown too big for simply scrolling. With the new system, "you can say, 'only show me songs in Rock Band 3' or 'only songs under three minutes' or 'Eighties metal songs from my (downloadable) collection,' " Teasdale says. "It's a really cool way to take your full library down to a manageable list of songs."

Not to be forgotten, the keyboards' addition — along with carrying over the three-part harmonies from The Beatles: Rock Band and new Green Day: Rock Band games — means that "you can play as a seven -player band," Teasdale says, "which is an amazing experience."

•Rock Band Pro. This new music learning mode lets players develop real-world music-playing fundamentals for keyboards, guitars and drums. More realistic music notations replace the standard color-coded notes during gameplay. For guitar, numbers flow down the screen along six guitar strings, telling you where to place your hands on the neck and when to strum.

Two new guitar controllers in the works have actual strings where you strum; one is a full-sized, fully functional six-string Squier Stratocaster from Fender. "It can tell where your fingers are based on technology in the neck and the bridge of the guitar. No buttons," Drake says. "While you're playing it, it feels exactly like playing a real guitar," because that's what you're doing.

The other is a Fender Mustang Pro controller from accessory maker Mad Catz with a field of buttons in each fret. As your fingers compress the smaller non-colored buttons on that guitar's neck, your finger positions are represented in the game's display. "You can go from plucking single notes to power chords and bar chords, we have crazy stuff like tapping and slides," Dubrofsky says. "If you ever had any aspirations of connecting with the music in a deeper way ... you are really going to like Rock Band 3."

For drums, three new cymbals are added to the standard four drum pads, and you are forced to play the correct cymbal at the right time. "It really immerses you more. You feel more like a drummer," Dubrofsky says. "It's not only for expert levels. You can come in on easy and actually play Pro drums. We have all the different levels established. It's actually really fun. You are playing up on the high hat or down on the snare, and it feels more like a kit than ever before."

On keyboards, Sussman says, "we're actually utilizing the full two-octave range that the keyboard controller has. Everything that you are playing, whether you are playing on easy or expert, is accurate musical information. The track looks like a real keyboard track, and you are playing notes on the keyboard that if you were to step away from the game and were to play on a real piano, they would be the right notes."

Pro players can use the mode for private practice or incorporate it while others play the game's standard arcade modes. "You can be an expert keys-player playing with an all easy band, no problem," Drake says.

Among the 83 new songs to be included, Rigopulos says, "it's hard to pick a favourite, but for The Doors to be making an appearance on Rock Band finally with their classic Break On Through, I love that one. And Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody is endlessly fun."

The success of Rock Band and follow-up Rock Band 2 propelled sales of music games to more than $1.6 billion in 2008 — with the help of competing Guitar Hero titles. Despite a wide variety of new games in 2009 including The Beatles: Rock Band and DJ Hero, annual sales fell by nearly 50%.

That slide inspired the Rock Band 3 development team to try to recapture the fun "that really started this whole phenomenon in the first place," says project director Daniel Sussman.

During the game, green, red, blue, yellow or orange keys flow on a "stream" representing the notes to be played on five corresponding keyboard keys. In a new authentic Pro mode meant to help players segue to actual instruments, all 25 keys are used; the streams shifts left and right to cover the correct keys. The keyboard also works as a MIDI keyboard that can be connected to a computer. "This is a real instrument and a real device," says senior designer Sylvain Dubrofsky.

In addition to the new keyboard controller, also due for the game's release are two advanced guitar controllers that take advantage of the Pro mode, one a full-sized, fully functional Fender guitar (all sold separately, no prices yet).

Other Rock Band 3 advances: improved animations, refined gameplay features — players can drop in and out of games, or change instruments and difficulty settings without stopping songs — and a easier-to-use song menu.

"Our ambition for Rock Band 3 was really to re-energize and reinvigorate the (music game) category and advance it and move it forward," Rigopulos says.

Confirmed songs so far are:

2000s
Combat Baby -- Metric
Dead End Friends -- Them Crooked Vultures
Get Free -- The Vines
Lasso -- Phoenix
Me Enamora -- Juanes
Oh My God -- Ida Maria
Portions of Foxes -- Rilo Kiley
The Hardest Button to Button -- The White Stripes

1990s
Been Caught Stealing -- Jane's Addiction
In the Meantime -- Spacehog
Plush -- Stone Temple Pilots
Walkin' on the Sun -- Smash Mouth

1980s
Crazy Train -- Ozzy Osbourne
Here I Go Again -- Whitesnake
I Love Rock and Roll -- Joan Jett
Just Like Heaven -- The Cure
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
The Power of Love -- Huey Lewis and the News
Sister Christian -- Night Ranger

1960s-1970s
Bohemian Rhapsody -- Queen
Break On Through -- The Doors
Crosstown Traffic -- Jimi Hendrix

The gem-like fret in the middle highway is for the cymbals for the drums.

First video & Harmonix introducing the game:
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid42806360001?bctid=90946364001

Mr E

In the battle of the song lists (GH6 vs. RB3), RB3 wins easily.
The keyboard is a huge draw for me, can't wait to try it out.

calex71

:eek: Epic news

Never thought I'd ever being saying this but some of those songs are in GH already but a thumbs up from me, they always seem to get the balance between classics and modern songs right and don't rely heavily on metal tracks nobody but the die hards on the RB forums moan for.


Some of the features mentioned are in GH already, but with hmx implementing them it's a win, hopefully the feature that allows someone to quit during a some is for online play too!!!!!!!!

My gimmick theory about the keyboard is out the window, thats now officially win also.

The 'pro' mode mentioned has me intrigued also. real strings ????????? This has me thinking big time, that it really just a fender squire with a midi port! If you already have a guitar with a midi connection / pedal could it be used???? I bet it can be / exit dream mode

My biggest concern with this will be the € needed to buy a new set of instruments, I predict we will be seeing more different bundles than there were versions of windows 7 like game only , game + keyboard , full band set, full band set with posh pro guitar + amp. I think this feature is an EPIC win for drummers mainly.

I get the feeling all the old stuff songs and instruments will be compatible though. Edit: they actually say it all will be in the video

Now I need to go and clean up from soiling myself.

Greyjoy

I honestly thought the keyboard would be pretty gimmicky as well but I'm really intrigued by it after seeing the preview. I'm tempted by the sound of the 'pro' guitars but what is the likelihood that we'll actually see them in the shops over here? We never even got the RB2 instruments except re-branded as part of the Beatles kits. Plus there's the fact that I already own 3 guitar controllers, my sitting room/wallet might not be able to stretch that far.

Mr. K

Bohemian Rhapsody is both RB3 and GH6...sweet. Means I'll just be getting RB3! And Huey Lewis and the News, hello Back to the Future!

The keyboard idea is great, but Pro mode is where it's at. It has a very real chance of getting people started on learning an instrument, as opposed to just inspiring them.

calex71

Mr. K wrote: »

And Huey Lewis and the News, hello Back to the Future!

That was the 1st thing I thought of too when I saw it

johnny_ultimate

Rilo Kiley?! Sold and sold.

I really do love Harmonix. A keyboard could have been a pointless addition, but man that looks like a nice piece of kit. The more I think about it, the more yet another plastic controller seems entirely necessary. Bohemian Rhapsody / Break on Through (want Light My Fire!) is a good start, but I'm even more excited about the possibilities for more piano / keyboard led songs (Ben Folds please please please!). The pro mode sounds fun too, will wait and see prices for the new guitars but proves that Harmonix are definitely trying to get more people actually playing music as well as providing a fun game.

Excitement

Banjo Fella

The idea of Pro Mode is absolutely amazing. They're turning Rock Band into a wonderful learning tool, as well as a game... that's just such a brilliant move. I've always loved Rock Band, but there were points when I felt ashamed with my obsession because it's kind of a pointless skill to have! This helps jaded players enjoy the game in a completely different and much more real way, which is awesome! And I'm so excited about that MIDI keyboard!

Looks like I'll be shelling out for some more plastic instruments, then.

ongarite

No interest in the Pro Mode for me, some interest in the keyboard, keytar.

Its a game to me and some great fun not a training simulator. If I wanted to play a "real" guitar and like a "real guitar", I would buy one.

D4RK ONION

The keyboard is going to be amazing. I'm so glad they're looking to answer that staleness factor. Because I know that's what drives so many of the good players away.

Thanks ongarite for the news

Yreval

Very impressed with how the keyboards are going to be implemented. Like a few others I was having difficulty seeing how this would be anything other than a gimmick - I was thinking that the best we could realistically hope for was something like Beatmania IIDX - but it looks like Harmonix are serious about this.

EDIT: http://rockbandaide.com/5639/activision-reacts-to-rock-band-3-announcement/

D4RK ONION

I was thinking about learning the piano this summer anyway, so this ties in brilliantly. I'm looking forward to getting lost in a Rock Band game again.

calex71

D4RK ONION wrote: »

I was thinking about learning the piano this summer anyway, so this ties in brilliantly. I'm looking forward to getting lost in a Rock Band game again.

Send me a copy of your book "How I learned piano that one summer" By Onion Mozart

ongarite

OK even more information coming out now, some really great features for you to customise:

Borrowing a page from the Rock Band Network, the game will also now let you rate tracks using a "lighters" system. One lighter? Worst song ever. Five lighters? Maybe this is the song you lost your virginity to, who knows. The point is further personalizing your collection and your experience. Songs rated low will appear in random set lists with less frequency; songs rated highly will appear more often. You can even account for ratings when using the aforementioned filter system.

The peripheral itself is a full two-octave keyboard. When playing the standard game, you'll be confined to five keys, marked on the keyboard by the standard red, yellow, blue, and green colors. When playing in the game's "Pro" mode, however, you're dealing with something else completely -- the hardest difficulty levels may find you playing up and down the keyboard's 25 notes.

Sussman pointed out that you don't need to own this standalone peripheral to play the keyboard parts in songs. If you already have a guitar controller, the standard game will support that. On the flip side, guitar and bass tracks can also be played using the keyboard controller; this is good news, since there will likely be many tracks in your library that feature zero keyboard parts.

While the ability to create customized set lists was a feature introduced in Rock Band 2, Rock Band 3 takes it to another level. Players will be able to save set lists this time, giving them names, and even logos. Setlists can also be shared online.

Set list creation and song selection has been completely revamped. It’ll be easier to find songs you want to play via advanced filters, which we knew about from the USA Today story. But did you know you’ll be able to hide songs you don’t want to play? And find songs you may not know about via a song-recommendation system that will “suggest tracks from Rock Band’s colossal music library, based on personal fan preference”? You’ll also be able to save set lists and share them with friends, both in-game and via RockBand.com.

Everything’s integrated. We knew about the new, all-encompassing career mode that tracks your progress no matter what you’re doing in the game. But did you know that career mode will have over 700 “goals and rewards”? And that online leaderboards will be integrated into the career mode? And that you’ll be able to share your progress via in-game integration with Twitter, Facebook, “and more”? Well, see? Now you do.

ongarite

First trailer of the game, Halloween launch date rumoured

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofITzQf4zzg

ongarite

So let’s talk about drums: Are you guys doing an entirely new kit?

DS: No. Drum functionality is basically the same as it has been in Rock Band 2. We’re making some changes in the software: Obviously we’re supporting the cymbals in this robust way, through Rock Band Pro. There are some other things: We’ve looked at the way we detect rolls and some of the other, more complicated drum things you do in a game, and we’re trying to support that in the gameplay a little better than we have in the past.

And on the drum kit, we’re actually opening up the mysterious second input jack. That will be by default a second kick pedal jack…or you can switch it to be a hi-hat, which functions in the free-play drum modes or the drum fills.

That’s awesome. So, how are the cymbals being designated in the game? Are you adding colors? Or new shapes? How is that going to work?

DS: We have new shapes. We share the same lane, so toms and cymbals coexist on a single lane, but they’re differentiated by shape. So the cymbals look like little cymbals, and the toms look like standard gems.

SM: About the drums, this is actually something we want to make sure people realize: To play Rock Band 3, you don’t have to buy anything new. You can play this with your existing instruments, unless you want to do Pro guitar or keys — the Pro initiative in general — but all the rest completely works with existing hardware.

DS: That’s true. The Rock Band 2 cymbals, all that stuff is super-functional right out of the gate. And I’ll add that almost our entire legacy catalog is already authored for cymbals. With keys and Pro guitar, the legacy stuff doesn’t support Rock Band Pro, but Rock Band Pro supports legacy songs for drums.

OK, right. So, it supports three cymbals, right?

DS: Correct. Although it’s pretty modular. In Rock Band Pro, you can play if you only have one cymbal, but you’ll suffer on the leaderboards. The game behind Pro drums is that you get extra score for hitting the correct surface. And if you don’t, it makes it a little harder to survive through the end of the song. But that covers the one-, two-, or three-cymbal configurations. Depending on what you have, the game adapts to that.

Let me back up for a second. You said that the legacy content already supports cymbals. Did you mean that you’ll see the cymbal icons when playing older DLC in Rock Band 3?!

How did that happen? Have you guys basically been planning to do this all along?

DS: Well, yeah. Most of the content — some of the early Rock Band stuff doesn’t have it, but by and large, the vast majority of the entire Rock Band catalog supports cymbals in gameplay.

Wow. I, uh…wow. I don’t have a cymbal kit for my Rock Band 2 set — have I been missing something? Has this always been the case?

DS: No. Without devolving into too deep of a technical discussion, our authoring guys have basically been putting in information that has gone unrealized up until Rock Band 3. So there are a lot of cues and “hooks” in our authoring flow that have always been there; we just haven’t had the software cycles to take advantage of them. Cymbals are an example of that. [Our authors have been] authoring the distinction between a tom hit and a cymbal hit, but the software has never taken advantage of that distinction until Rock Band 3.

That is huge.

DS: Now, I want to stress that that’s only the case for drums. Everything that we’ve done with keys and guitar is a brand-new form of track and gameplay. That’s all restricted to RB3-specific content and forthcoming DLC.

The only negative out of the whole interview is basically confirming that DLC from the time RB3 is released will not be compatible with RB or RB2 anymore due to the Pro-Mode guitar & keyboard configurations.

ongarite

Rock Band 3 Squier By Fender Stratocaster Guitar Controller
price TBA :(


* Fully functional, full-sized, stringed, electric guitar
* Technology built into the neck and fingerboard tracks finger positions
* Transmits strum data for each of the six strings
* MIDI output

Rock Band 3 Wireless Fender Mustang PRO-Guitar Controller
$149.99


* 17 frets, 6 buttons per neck
* 6-string strumming area allows for discrete picking of each string
* Touch-sensitive string box allows players to mute or cut off notes
* MIDI output

Rock Band 3 Wireless Keyboard Controller
$79.99, $129.99 with Rock Band 3 included


* Two-octave keyboard (C3 to C5)
* Velocity-sensitive keys (non-weighted)
* MIDI output
* Can also be used to play the lead guitar or bass
* Playable flat or strapped over the shoulder
* Includes touch strip for as-yet-undetermined purpose

Rock Band 3 Wireless PRO-Cymbals Expansion Kit
$39.99


* Three-cymbal set
* Compatible with all wireless Rock Band drum kits and all Rock Band software
* Quieter sound with noise-dampening rubber covering the full surface area
* Enhanced responsiveness
* Cymbals now permanently rest at a 10-degree angle
* Also available in the “Rock Band 3 Wireless Drum and Cymbal Kit” — details forthcoming

Rock Band 3 MIDI PRO-Adapter
$39.99


* Use a real MIDI keyboard or MIDI drum set in Rock Band 3
* Velocity sensitive adjustment for MIDI drums designed to reduce cross-talk during play
* Ships with a removable clip, allowing it to be attached to a belt

calex71

I'll not be rushing out to buy any of those guitars right away, if we even get them over here.

Edit: what if you break a string on that 2nd guitar? I was kind of right about the 1st one being a squire with a midi port. They should give an achievement for playing it in tune

And I just realised well not be able to use the cymbals unless we have a wireless kit

ongarite

calex71 wrote: »

I'll not be rushing out to buy any of those guitars right away, if we even get them over here.

Definitely for the hardcore crowd who can FC and gold-star every song in RB.
The basic Pro-Note guitar is $150, they are not mentioning how much the Fender made Squier is at all, probably looking at $250 or $300.

OK one last bit on information, very welcome. If they add in per instrument calibration, it will be the best music game ever!

Across the bottom of the menu screen is something Harmonix calls "the overshell" -- for every member of your band, there's a little popup menu where players can set, using their own instruments, their login name, their instrument track of choice, their own difficulty setting, lefty mode, and any other options. That's right -- no more will your Rock Band parties feature one awkward person yelling out, "Guys! Don't touch anything! Just let me set it up!" Everything works seamlessly -- as one person navigates to the right play mode, everyone else sets their own tracks up and chooses their own options. Additionally, the overshell allows drop-in, drop-out anywhere, anytime during the game -- as Harmonix told us, "this isn't a separate team mode or a party play style," it's everywhere in the game.

ongarite

One last update for today!
Gamespot have a decent preview but best of all they have 2 videos.

http://e3.gamespot.com/video/6264547/?hd=1
This one shows the drop-in/out, song sorting and playlist selection.

http://e3.gamespot.com/video/6264546/?hd=1
This one is on Pro-mode

NotorietyH

I'm so damn excited for this game now. Can't Always get what you want by the Rolling Stones so needs to be in this game now that it has keyboard and harmonies and everything else!

NTMK

ongarite wrote: »

The basic Pro-Note guitar is $150, they are not mentioning how much the Fender made Squier is at all, probably looking at $250 or $300.

the strat apparently its a fully functioning guitar when u stop playing so it has more than one use so the price could be justified.i see myself owning the mustang if it works as a midi guitar

D4RK ONION

Ongarite thanks for all the info!

I'm getting seriously HYPE right now. Especially about them releasing the Midi "brain" so you can use a real electronic drum kit.

calex71

D4RK ONION wrote: »

Ongarite thanks for all the info!

I'm getting seriously HYPE right now. Especially about them releasing the Midi "brain" so you can use a real electronic drum kit.

You have been able to do it for quite a while, that madcats portable drum set had one with it did it not

/ goes to check his unopened box (got them for buttons months ago and never used them)

Banjo

*grumbles in the corner about the dismal prospect of full Wii parity or left handed guitars*

Dav

I just got this press release about Rock Band 3, so thought I'd post it for you folks - nothing that hasn't been covered in thread already I think, but this is the official word anyway:

EA Press Release wrote:

HARMONIX, MTV GAMES REINVENT MUSIC GAMES WITH
ROCK BAND™3

Rock Band 3 Features Announced, including amazing soundtrack plus access to the
most music available in any video game with more than 1,500 tracks and growing; new keyboard gameplay and three-part harmonies for up to seven players rocking together; Rock Band Pro Mode and much more!


Guilford, UK – June 11, 2010 – Harmonix, the world’s premier music video game developer and MTV Games, a part of Viacom’s MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B) today announced features for Rock Band™3, the next generation of the ultimate social and interactive music gaming platform.

Featuring an incredible 83-song setlist and access to far more music than any other music game, as well as innovative new gameplay modes and instruments, Rock Band 3 will change the way fans think about and play music games. This next iteration in the Rock Band platform has something new for everyone and also supports traditional Rock Band gameplay with players’ existing instruments.

The Most Music. Period.
The Rock Band 3 disc soundtrack contains 83 of the best bands from around the world, including bands that have never appeared in a music game, as well as support for existing Rock Band tracks (Rock Band and Rock Band 2 discs, downloaded songs, track packs, AC/DC Live: Rock Band™ Track Pack, LEGO® Rock Band and Green Day: Rock Band™).

Additionally, Rock Band 3 will give players immediate access to a music library approaching 2,000 songs by launch, with new content added regularly. Rock Band’s gigantic music selection dwarfs that of any other music game on the market.

Announced Tracks:

2000s:
· Metric, “Combat Baby” · Rilo Kiley, “Portions for Foxes” · Them Crooked Vultures, “Dead End Friends” · The Vines, “Get Free” · The White Stripes, “The Hardest Button to Button” · Phoenix, “Lasso” · Ida Maria, “Oh My God” · Juanes, “Me Enamora”

1990s:
· Jane’s Addiction, “Been Caught Stealing” · Smash Mouth, “Walkin’ on the Sun” · Spacehog, “In the Meantime” · Stone Temple Pilots, “Plush”

1980s:
· Dio, “Rainbow in the Dark” · Huey Lewis and the News, “The Power of Love” · Joan Jett, “I Love Rock and Roll” · Night Ranger, “Sister Christian” · Whitesnake, “Here I Go Again” · The Cure, “Just Like Heaven” · Ozzy Osbourne, “Crazy Train”

1970s:
· Queen, “Bohemian Rhapsody”

1960s:
· Jimi Hendrix, “Crosstown Traffic” · The Doors, “Break On Through”


Redesigned Library for Better Music Management
Rock Band 3 allows players to create and save setlists and share them with friends, both in-game and through RockBand.com. New song filters make it easier to find the types of songs fans want to play and hide the songs they don’t, while a built-in song recommendation system will suggest tracks from Rock Band’s colossal music library, based on personal fan preference.

Expand the Band
In addition to guitar, bass, drums and solo vocals, Rock Band 3 adds three-part vocal harmonies that were introduced with The Beatles™: Rock Band™ and, for the first time ever, a keyboard peripheral to the band. Up to seven players can rock together for the ultimate social gaming experience.

Go Pro: Play Just for Fun or Rock for Real with Rock Band Pro
Rock Band 3 empowers players to develop actual musical skills through the fun of fully scalable Rock Band Pro gameplay. Fans can dive in on Easy to try out basic skills and work their way up to Expert for real mastery.
· Pro Drums supports three expansion cymbals, with gameplay differentiation between toms and cymbals.
· Pro Keys features pitch-accurate keyboard performance across a two-octave range, displayed on an easy-to-read keyboard track.
· Pro Guitar features notated guitar and bass performances, available for play with either the new Fender™ Mustang™ PRO-Guitar™ simulated guitar controller from Mad Catz or the Rock Band 3 Squier® by Fender Stratocaster® Guitar Controller that is a real guitar/controller hybrid. The Rock Band 3 Squier Stratocaster is a fully functional, full-sized, six-string electric guitar that also functions as a game controller.

Something for Everyone (New Gameplay Modes!)
For the casual player, Rock Band 3 has great new party modes that allow fans to get rocking with friends quicker than ever, including party shuffle and persistent drop-in/drop-out and difficulty selection from any gameplay screen. For the serious player, the revamped Career Mode features 700+ goals and rewards and seamless leaderboard integration for an endlessly deep campaign experience. Rock Band 3 also adds a suite of social networking tools to the game so fans can engage friends and fellow rockers over Facebook, Twitter and more. Whether players want to jump in for a quick song or take their band to the top, Rock Band 3 has a mode for everyone.

calex71

Banjo wrote: »

*grumbles in the corner about the dismal prospect of full Wii parity or left handed guitars*

This is my dream , well not the wii bit but lefty guitars
Still makes us more authentic Hendrix style playing flipped ones

calex71

Dav wrote: »

I just got this press release about Rock Band 3, so thought I'd post it for you folks - nothing that hasn't been covered in thread already I think, but this is the official word anyway:

Reply back and tell them Calex and Banjo want lefty guitars and those guitars that are like 'double' guitars please

D4RK ONION

Thanks for that Dav, I feel all important now