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E3 2008: 360 GH World Tour, Rock Band instruments 'totally compatible'

By Tor Thorsen, GameSpotPosted Jul 17, 2008 6:40 pm PT

Neversoft's Brian Bright says Harmonix's instruments can be used with Microsoft's version of the upcoming rhythm game, which will adjust for play with rival's drum set; World Tour instruments also work with first Rock Band.

During Activision Blizzard's press conference outside E3 2008, Neversoft director Brian Bright surprised many by announcing that non-RedOctane instruments could be used with Guitar Hero World Tour. Speaking today with GameSpot, he clarified some of his statements, offering a deeper explanation--and more than a few surprises.

The Rock Band drum kit.

First off, Bright said the input at the back of the drum kit 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," he said, grinning.

Second, and perhaps more importantly, he said that not only will Guitar Hero World Tour support instruments from rival Rock Band, but Neversoft had programmed the game to recognize and adjust for them.

"We use a five-channel input, and we've engineered the game to sense when you plug in a Rock Band drum set and switch to a four-channel input," he said, referring to the descending note scheme used in the game. "The orange cymbal input in Guitar Hero [World Tour] automatically becomes the green fill or the blue pad on the Rock Band drum set, depending on what works best with the song. You don't even have to think about it."

Such a move might seem surprising to those who observed previous compatibility battles between the Rock Band and Guitar Hero camps. Bright has no hard feelings, though. "Look, it's ridiculous to expect people to have two, three drum sets," he pronounced emphatically.

The Guitar Hero World Tour drum kit.

Bright also seemed confident that such sentiments were reciprocal. "As far as I know, all our instruments work with the first Rock Band," he said. "Whether they work with Rock Band 2, I can't say."

The developer also said that his comments applied only to the Xbox 360 version of the game...for now. "I can't talk about the PlayStation 3 version yet. You'll have to wait for an announcement from Sony," said Bright. He did say, however, that rumors that Microsoft insisted on such compatibility were untrue: "I mean, why not? We want as many people to play the game as possible."

For more on Guitar Hero World Tour, check out GameSpot's brand-new preview from E3 2008.

284 Comments

  • blacksparrow15

    Posted Nov 27, 2008 5:15 am PT

    I use to hate GHWT but now I think I might just get this for Christmas along with Rock Band 2. It is compatible with the PS2 right?

  • gslimjim08

    Posted Sep 21, 2008 8:58 pm PT

    nevermind cause its only for ps2.

  • gslimjim08

    Posted Sep 21, 2008 8:56 pm PT

    just wondering but is rock band guitars compatible with guitar hero encore and aerosmith?

  • fool760401

    Posted Sep 21, 2008 12:04 am PT

    I have all 3 next gen systems, and I have RB1. I am torn between RB2 and GHWT. I hope the PS3 version of GHWT is compatible with RB1 equipment. Otherwise, I am going with RB2.

    On a different note. In the past, I have been making efforts to support Sony by purchasing PS3 version of multi-system games. This news about GHWT is only compatible with Xbox 360 RB1 equipment will likely change my mind about supporting Sony. If they hope to win the console war, they need to pay more attention to these kind of things.

  • acerx7

    Posted Sep 20, 2008 1:28 pm PT

    Oh yeah! Backwards compatible instruments I'm now sold on Guitar Hero World Tour. I was skeptical about getting it because I wasn't sure they would be, but now its clear I'm grabbing this game.

  • acerx7

    Posted Sep 20, 2008 1:28 pm PT

    Oh yeah! Backwards compatible instruments I'm now sold on Guitar Hero World Tour. I was skeptical about getting it because I wasn't sure they would be, but now its clear I'm grabbing this game.

  • shani_boy101

    Posted Sep 16, 2008 3:36 am PT

    The Drums are way too low in Rock Band. Just get it over in Australia first you EA bastards.

  • benybob

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 1:36 pm PT

    lol, all the new intruments are amazingly better for both rythm games lol, and now that there compatible(i hope for the wii also) then u just need to get on band kit bundle and get the other disk. genious, i personnally like guitar hero world tours intruments better.

  • Mush_Mouth

    Posted Aug 18, 2008 8:13 pm PT

    Someone's getting kicked in the face if RB's new guitar isn't any better than the last one...

  • IceDefenseGod

    Posted Aug 18, 2008 7:11 pm PT

    Finally, now I can actually play GH.

  • lannyboy334

    Posted Aug 8, 2008 9:29 pm PT

    Yay for Activision, I really think that Harmonix is the bitter one in all of this, they have to sit back and watch Activision make a better game. My friend is getting Rock Band 2 for the Wii, and I am going to buy the whole set-up for the Xbox 360 for Guitar Hero World Tour.

  • fireboltjjl

    Posted Aug 8, 2008 8:42 am PT

    im geussing wii wont work cause you need wii motes

  • machew100

    Posted Aug 7, 2008 10:03 pm PT

    thank god, i preordered the $300 ion rock band compatible drum set and now i can use that beast on this game too, they just made my setlist that much larger... thank you activision

  • tk-42121

    Posted Aug 7, 2008 6:16 pm PT

    O thank god I don't need to buy another plastic drum kit just so I can play a few Van Halen song

  • WR83

    Posted Aug 5, 2008 12:41 pm PT

    PS2 equipment better work! SONY, please pay attention to us!

  • Princess_Gamer

    Posted Jul 29, 2008 5:31 pm PT

    Well this sounds good to me. I'm anticipating this game a lot now.

  • Duke06BlueDevil

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 11:12 am PT

    Lol. Any chance of the PS2 equipment being compatible with Rockband?

  • hellblackscorpi

    Posted Jul 24, 2008 5:30 pm PT

    yea so will i be able to buy GHWT and use its drums for Rockband ???? some one tell me im confused lol but i love GUitar hero i been down with GH since the beginning

  • txarod

    Posted Jul 24, 2008 10:36 am PT

    For some people who have ps3s like me heres why this is happening. On the xbox 360 like in 2007 they made guitar hero 2 if you remember and harmonix still was with red octane before they were bought out by MTV and EA and made rock band and then activision took over guitar hero. So when activision was making gh3 they made the game compadible with that old guitar and on the ps3 it was the first time they ever made it for the ps3 so the guitar components were different on each system and harmonix had originally designed it with red octane. So for the gh4 instruments to work on rock band and vice-versa they would have had to made guitar hero 2 for ps3 and now since they didnt people will have to spend $400 and go broke!

  • Thorpe89 Site moderator

    Posted Jul 24, 2008 8:01 am PT

    That will save some money then.

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