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Alpha Protocol initiated for October 6
Sega and Obsidian Entertainment's wetwork-heavy stealth RPG dated for this fall on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC.
- Posted Aug 21, 2008 5:33 pm PT
- 196 comments
Source: Expanded cable TV network G4.
What we heard: With MTV Games' Rock Band upping the ante in the rhythm game scene last year by introducing drums and vocal tracks, Activision Blizzard and peripheral makers RedOctane had no real choice but to respond in kind with Guitar Hero: World Tour. In addition to an overhauled plastic guitar that features a touch-sensitive neck, the publisher has announced a pair of new peripherals: a five-pad drum kit with kick pedal and pressure sensitive pads and a microphone for karaoke tracks.
;)
It now appears as if RedOctane has one more peripheral yet to reveal. Speaking with G4, Neversoft project director Brian Bright reportedly told the enthusiast network that yet one more peripheral will be announced for Guitar Hero: World Tour. While Bright did not elaborate on what, exactly, the peripheral is, he did note that it will be used exclusively in the game's Studio mode, where aspiring musicians can lay down their own tracks. Neversoft has been charged with developing the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 editions of World Tour.
So what could this new peripheral be? The obvious guesses, and guesses they most certainly are, would be for a keyboard or turntable peripheral, both of which would be particularly compelling considering Activision's applications to trademark DJ Hero and Keyboard Hero. However, with only a few months between now and the launch of the game, it seems unlikely that Activision Blizzard would wait so long to make a push for some new dedicated device.
Further, a device of that scale packed in with the game would undoubtedly rocket the price of the package. Many retailers, who are often tipped off by publishers so that they can accurate allocate shelf space and promotion, are currently listing the most expensive World Tour bundle for $189.99, which falls squarely in line with the game/guitar/mic/drum kit model established by Rock Band a year ago. Were it a packed-in item, the peripheral would likely be chintzy by design and not worth the attention.
A more plausible possibility, then, is that the peripheral Bright was referencing could be a device that is fully functional outside of the game. During E3 2008, Bright revealed that the new drum kit would include an input that would allow its control to be mapped to any instrument with a MIDI digital output. "I was just doing it last night with a MIDI-10 drum machine," Bright teased at the time.
The official story: RedOctane had not responded to requests for comment as of press time.
Bogus or not bogus?: Not bogus that we've heard the last of new peripherals in Guitar Hero: World Tour. A Guitar Hero-branded MIDI-compatible device is looking most probable, though far from confirmed.
domino1812 posted Aug 24, 2008 11:12 am PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)