Neversoft: Keyboard would limit World Tour

  • By TomM_GScom, GameSpot
  • Posted Aug 26, 2008 2:59 pm PT

Last week, a new wrinkle seemingly surfaced in the impending battle of the bands between Activision Blizzard's Guitar Hero: World Tour and MTV Games' Rock Band 2. According to an online report by cable network G4, Neversoft project director Brian Bright reportedly promised yet one more peripheral...

Last week, a new wrinkle seemingly surfaced in the impending battle of the bands between Activision Blizzard's Guitar Hero: World Tour and MTV Games' Rock Band 2. According to an online report by cable network G4, Neversoft project director Brian Bright reportedly promised yet one more peripheral will be announced for World Tour. Popular speculation quickly settled upon a keyboard add-on, thanks to a tab for the same in the game's Studio mode.

While G4 has subsequently retracted that article, stating the information was erroneous, Bright has returned to talk more about prospective new Guitar Hero peripherals. In a recent interview with gaming blog Joystiq, Bright addressed the possibility of the much-speculated keyboard controller, and why it won't be happening in World Tour.

"There are reasons why we haven't included a keyboard controller," said Bright. "Not all of our songs have keyboard parts, so we didn't want someone to come into a game, pick up the keyboard controller, and then have nothing to do in any of the songs that are selected. We wanted a big mix of music in World Tour and adding a keyboard controller would either have limited our choices, or the players'."

Not to entirely squash gamers' hopes to tickle the polymer ivories, however, Bright mused, "A keyboard controller deserves to be introduced with its own game. This is something we're thinking about."

That thought process isn't a new development. Even before Activision officially announced it had acquired the Guitar Hero license, as well as publisher RedOctane, in May 2006, the publisher filed an application to trademark the title "Keyboard Hero" with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

158 Comments

  • alex52694

    Posted Sep 28, 2008 12:07 pm PT

    umm... keyboard hero??
    LOL

  • kenkashijd

    Posted Sep 8, 2008 4:35 pm PT

    the title keyboard hero doesnt sound so hype up as it should be. Then the keyboard going to need at least 10 to 20 keys on the paino for the keyboard to be successful.

  • necronaux

    Posted Aug 29, 2008 11:07 am PT

    And how many buttons would be on the "keyboard"? A 5 button keyboard seems kind of stupid.

  • smartkid382

    Posted Aug 28, 2008 11:58 pm PT

    They've got Guitar Hero Aerosmith. All they need to do is make a Keyboard Hero Dream Theater. That game would be the hardest game ever created in any genre.

  • NoseWeed619

    Posted Aug 28, 2008 7:58 pm PT

    That would be frickin awesome! But there aren't too many good songs with keyboards involved. But there are some great songs, don't get me wrong.

  • malkin71rules

    Posted Aug 28, 2008 3:42 pm PT

    They sould make a Acoustic Guitar Hero also

  • Orgavm

    Posted Aug 28, 2008 2:07 pm PT

    hahaha geckomazz, you are god.

  • Skreb-Masters

    Posted Aug 28, 2008 8:52 am PT

    I will pay good money to see a Keyboard Hero come into fruition. At best, it can teach people how to play piano to all their favourite songs. Do it Neversoft!

  • geckomazz90

    Posted Aug 28, 2008 12:39 am PT

    A few other ideas for what the new controller for GHWT might be:

    Recorder Hero - Relive third grade music class. Play all the hits such as Yankee doodle dandy with the new recorder controller!

    Headbang Hero - A motion sensative wig lets you live out all your 80's thrash metal fantasies!

    Bongo Hero - Play the bongos to terrible covers of all your favorite dentist office tunes such as Willie Nelson's "On the road Again." and The Supremes' "You Cant Hurry Love"! ...Wait forget this one. Nintendo already lamed up this idea in Donkey konga.

    PVC tube hero - Blue Man Group covers?!?

    Spoon Hero - Tell all your friends to "Come together while you can. Save me..." from having to play the spoons in GHWT. (Soundgarden reference for those of you that didnt get it)

    Nose-whistle Hero - Nothing witty to say about this. the term "Nosewhistle" is funny enough.

    Beets Hero - Bang on trashcans or drum on streetlights! Its Beets Hero! Tin Can in a Echo-ey Room Hero - Now you can reproduce the same drum sounds that Lars Ulrich did on Metallica's St. Anger album

    Its funny I actually posted this on my personal blog (not my gamespot one) earlier today before I read this story.

  • mrsnowy

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 10:15 pm PT

    i personally think the keyboard idea is really stoopid. I mean really, how much different could they make it from a real keyboard? If u like the keyboard, go out pick one up and play it. same thing with guitar and drums. No more plastic...the real things much better.

  • OS_Warlock

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 10:10 pm PT

    Bah!! you know the new "peripheral" has to be the COWBELL !!!!

    More Cowbell !!!!

  • HappyBB

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 9:20 pm PT

    A Keyboard Hero game? Hmm..., perhaps it can teach me how to play a keyboard then.

  • TissueShoe

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 8:02 pm PT

    Keyboard Hero? I fail to see how it would work. It would need a lot of buttons to feel right, and nobody wants to look for notes to hit all the way across the screen. I'll stick to the band setup without a keyboard. Not to mention the fact that there'd be no room for it on the screen if it were included with the band setup.

  • Zidaneski

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 6:33 pm PT

    Whats the point of having its own game? I agree with Masterdj1992, With its own game it would be too much like a regular keyboard. Well guess what, you can buy a MIDI keyboard, download songs onto it and the notes will light up for you to play already. So you don't even need to pretend, you don't even need a television.

  • Zidaneski

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 6:33 pm PT

    Whats the point of having its own game? I agree with Masterdj1992, With its own game it would be too much like a regular keyboard. Well guess what, you can buy a MIDI keyboard, download songs onto it and the notes will light up for you to play already. So you don't even need to pretend, you don't even need a television.

  • z3dd1cu5

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 6:16 pm PT

    I can't believe this hasn't already happened. I mean with a keyboard you could have an 100% authentic music playing expierience. I cant wait for Keyboard Hero!!!

  • Beastcake

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 6:02 pm PT

    RB2 FTW!!

  • Masterdj1992

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 4:46 pm PT

    meh, the keyboard would be too much like a real keyboard so you might as well just use a real one in my opinion, feel free to agree or disagree, just don't insult me. :-)

  • MysticDynamite

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 4:18 pm PT

    LUTE HERO FIRST
    THE LUTE IS GODLY

  • ZOnikJJ

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 4:10 pm PT

    keyboard mania

  • wiifan001

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 4:02 pm PT

    OK that's understandable. I mean GH World Tour is already innovative enough the way it is, and yes I think the keyboard should begin with its own game. It's good news as well to know that with the lack of a keyboard, the price will drop even lower.

  • -Nintendude-

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 3:55 pm PT

    Timstuff, there is a keyboard game series already. Keyboard Mania has existed for years but the series wasn't that popular so they stopped making new games.

  • thestickman

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 3:40 pm PT

    Instead of a keyboard its going to be a cowbell! XD

  • RussDaMan

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 3:12 pm PT

    I'd love a Violin hero....just think about being able to play 'Yellowcard' songs. Quality band, check them and you'l she what i mean!

  • Timstuff

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 2:53 pm PT

    Neversoft is waiting for Harmonix to put a keyboard into Rock Band first, so that they'll know how to copy it.

  • mikeeatspeople

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 2:34 pm PT

    or just Manzareck-it and play bass parts on the keyboard controller.

  • lamplan

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 1:40 pm PT

    Jump - Van Halen
    Europe - (ewwww)
    Billy Joel
    The who there'd be some songs. But yea, Guitar hero has to stay focused or the dragonfarts fans will go apeturd on them.

  • Sk8ter_213

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 1:32 pm PT

    Keyboard.... come on.. all we need are the basics. Guitar, Drums, vocals and Bass.

  • belgand42

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 1:13 pm PT

    Of course we need a keyboard. How else will I be able to play "The Final Countdown"? Quite possibly the greatest song of the 1980s.

    Not to mention organ solos in The Doors, Boston, and Styx songs or work out my full Geddy Lee fantasies and sing, play bass, and keyboards.

  • StegrShmil

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 12:33 pm PT

    Just because there isn't a keyboard, doesn't mean you still can't make the same noises a keyboard can, its still an option in the studio mode. You just can't play those noises in the actual song.

  • ckat609

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 12:13 pm PT

    Up to this point, my favorite game instrument has been the drums. I've always wanted to get piano lessons but never could manage... my schedule just doesn't work with getting a teacher. I would really love if they could just make a piano game that really taught you how to play the damn thing... it's been frustrating with those dvd courses and stuff. Besides... getting DLC for it would be soooooo sweet... I would definetly buy it...

    In my opinion, if they were to put out a keyboard peripheral, it would have to be at least 3 octaves... playing with less would be just sad.

  • solidstein

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 11:52 am PT

    with a keyboard you could have all these sily titles u want accordion hero flute hero triangle hero and even synth hero the keyboard can become anything it could be come a drum set a guitar a base what ever u want it to be so i dont see how it wouldnt work. i mean i can understand if your a true hardcore player and want the sim but i still believe the keyboard just brings a whole new layer to the game

  • solidstein

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 11:45 am PT

    they could always use the keyboard as a add on periphereal i believe the keyboard would add a whole extra layer to the music creator. if anything neversoft could atleast let you use your own keyboard in the game and then have a option in game to turn on the keyboard for songs that use them.

  • litewo

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 11:34 am PT

    "litewo first off what the hell is digital movement. second off the limit of the analog stick is the inability to target specific areas of the body. instead of playing halo were all you have to do is spray your gun in the area that they are, play something like CS were you dont have fancy dual analog stick tricks like magnetism to help your aim."

    Digital movement is how you control with the WASD keys, since it's incapable of analog movement.

  • slyfoxmccloud

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 11:16 am PT

    .....actually guitar hero limits the keyboard. anybody who knows anything about piano. knows its on of the hardest instruments to play as well as the most versitile. Keyboard also can play any sound....so he's right it does diserve its own game.....but wrong about its disservice to world tour.

  • RakinR

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 11:05 am PT

    god dam just teach my how to play these instruments, it would be alot better if the instruments were similar to the real thing. not some plastic crap. although i loved guitar hero 2 >.>

  • ponyoncrack

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 10:42 am PT

    The only good version of chocolate rain was sung by Chad Vader.

  • erinnicole93

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 10:32 am PT

    KEYTAR HERO!

  • faceman420

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 10:32 am PT

    GH: Dream Theater!!

  • spoonthemoose

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 10:24 am PT

    litewo first off what the hell is digital movement. second off the limit of the analog stick is the inability to target specific areas of the body. instead of playing halo were all you have to do is spray your gun in the area that they are, play something like CS were you dont have fancy dual analog stick tricks like magnetism to help your aim.

  • Martin-2-5-9

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 10:23 am PT

    A keyboard music game would be cool, But not in a Guitar Hero game dammit.

  • litewo

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 10:12 am PT

    "for starters litewo they're talking about a keyboard like a piano or something like that and to speak blasphemy about something so perfect as the combination of keyboard and mouse for gaming is heresy. "

    the keyboard DOES limit games. if you play a FPS on a keyboard and mouse for example, you can only move your character in digital, not analog like you would with the more elegant dual analog sticks. that's why the most popular FPS games like Halo now use controllers.

  • Hvac0120

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 9:51 am PT

    Even if you can't use the keyboard in most of the main songs, it would be nice to have it for the music editor.

  • 21655

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 9:38 am PT

    zaveline, learn to read; the keyboard IS NOT coming to GHWT.

    gnrlstuart: The Submit button ISNOT meant to be double-clicked. If such a mistake occurs, it's possible to delete the repeated comment.

    What we need is a spinoff of Disturbed, All that Remains, Dream Theater, or Kamelot. All four, if we can manage that. Their discographies should be enough to keep one busy for months.

    21655

  • theshredmaestro

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 9:32 am PT

    Sedoras

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 11:34 am GMT

    "Time for a Dream Theater Spin-Off"

    -----------------------------------------

    Yeah!!! or Children of Bodom!!!!

  • steve04

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 9:31 am PT

    Wheres Triangle Hero? lol keyboard doesnt sound bad. i would have liked it in world tour

  • KlausRottingham

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 9:30 am PT

    I'm looking forward to Flute Hero

  • teirdome

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 9:23 am PT

    Dang, and I was hoping Keyboard Hero would be a typing game...

  • zaveline

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 9:22 am PT

    YES! A NEW CONTROLLER!? KEYBOARD!? SWEET! NOW WE CAN MAKE CHOCOLATE RAIN AS A CUSTOM GH WT SONG!

  • swloosh

    Posted Aug 27, 2008 9:19 am PT

    i dont understand how anyone could think keyboard = 100% 80's music and Rap/ R&B
    a "Keyboard" can be used for synth, piano, and organ. or any other sound you want to make. lots of, if not most good bands have a keyboard player. and judging by the posts on forums, most of you guys like songs with some form of key based instrument whether you realize it or not

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