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Rock Band Hardware Q&A

Related Platforms:
  • Xbox 360
  • PS3
  • PS2
By James Yu, GameSpot, Posted Sep 18, 2007 2:01 am GMT

Harmonix producer Daniel Sussman tells us about the new hardware peripherals in Rock Band.

Rock Band, as the name implies, expands on the music rhythm game genre by adding more players and more instruments alongside the guitarist to create an entire band. The complete Rock Band ensemble consists of a vocalist, a lead guitarist, a bass guitarist, and a drummer. The new instruments are a microphone, a drum set, and upgraded Fender Stratocaster guitars for the lead and bass guitarists.

The extra peripherals will set the price of the game close to the $200 mark, but the success of Guitar Hero and Guitar Hero II makes the pricing easier to accept. If players are willing to pay $70-$90 for a single-player guitar game, $200 doesn't sound unreasonable to get the full four-player band experience. We caught up with Harmonix producer Daniel Sussman to find out more about the Rock Band hardware.

The vocalist, drummer, and lead guitarist all have single-player campaigns in Rock Band. Sorry, Flea.

The vocalist, drummer, and lead guitarist all have single-player campaigns in Rock Band. Sorry, Flea.

GameSpot: Will I be missing out if I use an older guitar model such as the Gibson SG or the X-Plorer, or will I be able to retrofit it with new accessories? Perhaps through the X-Plorer effects-pedal port?

Daniel Sussman: I don't know about specific guitar models, since that's something only the manufacturer can answer. But I can say that Rock Band is designed to work with the open-controller standards of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 platforms, and should therefore work with third-party controllers that are also based on those standards. However, we've worked really hard to raise the bar with our Fender Strat controller by adding features like the 5-way toggle switch and extra fret buttons, which allow you to show off your gameplay and style in new ways.

GS: Does the new Strat have a built-in tilt sensor?

DS: Yes, it does. With the Fender Strat, you will find all of the features that people are used to, plus some added bonus features never before seen on a guitar controller.

The Strat's fret buttons have the colors printed on the side to keep the guitar face looking clean.

The Strat's fret buttons have the colors printed on the side to keep the guitar face looking clean.

GS: Can you explain how solos work with the lower fret buttons? How will the game get players to use the new buttons?

DS: A lot of the inspiration for the lower fret buttons came out of the fun factor of playing solos up there. They provide a really nice opportunity to showboat. When you get to a solo section in Rock Band and play on the upper frets, we make every note a hammer-on/pull-off. This means you don't need to strum at all. You can do two-finger tapping; you can raise your strum hand to the heavens; whatever you want. Or you can always strum along as you normally would. We've been careful to make sure that you are not punished by the game if you're not using a Fender Strat--you just miss out on some of the fun stuff.

GS: Did you test out any new guitar features that didn't make the cut?

DS: Yes, we did. A lot of our early design was centered on an abstract tenet of "guitariness". We really wanted to deepen the simulation of playing a guitar. In that vein, we had a lot of ideas on the table that were meant to make our Fender Strat controller feel less like a game controller and more like a guitar. We were able to keep some of these (for example, having the buttons flush with the neck and a clickless strum bar), but we lost a handful as well.

The Strat's five-way switch lets players toggle between effects such as flanger, echo, or chorus.

The Strat's five-way switch lets players toggle between effects such as flanger, echo, or chorus.

GS: What kind of challenges did you have to overcome to add wireless instrument support?

DS: We didn't experience many technological problems in our efforts to go wireless. The PS3 Strats are all wireless, and we've been working very closely with Microsoft on our wireless technology for the Xbox 360 Strats.

GS: Four peripherals and only three USB ports…will the Xbox 360 package include a USB hub?

DS: Yes, the Xbox 360 Rock Band Special Edition bundle will include a USB hub.

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222 Comments

  • krazymonkey2345

    Posted Jan 11, 2008 8:06 am GMT

    any one know when its comeing out in the uk

  • aaa3gamer

    Posted Jan 4, 2008 8:54 am GMT

    when does the rock band exuiptment get in for PS2?

  • just4pool93

    Posted Nov 18, 2007 1:33 pm GMT

    Wow you dont have 3 friends thats sad

  • HicktownMayor

    Posted Nov 14, 2007 4:20 pm GMT

    This game looks awesome but who has the money for a $200 game? Plus, you're never gonna have 3 friends over all the time (unless your in college). What are the 4 instruments: Guitar, Drumbs, Bass, ?Vocals?

  • xfactorstl

    Posted Nov 14, 2007 12:05 pm GMT

    I'm really not mad that the 360 version is wired. I am going to be playing this so much, and i don't want to wait for batteries to charge when i'm ready to roooooooockkkkkkkk!!!!!!!

  • PhantomPhoot

    Posted Nov 13, 2007 7:29 pm GMT

    NEWSFLASH: This article was printed in September of 07. Alot has changed since then, but you can still rely on this interview to a degree.

  • jjdomo

    Posted Nov 13, 2007 11:42 am GMT

    i dont think the PS3 package needs a USB hub--it's all wireless.

  • Get_Shorty

    Posted Nov 13, 2007 10:21 am GMT

    What if you don't want to play bass and you want to play 2nd guitar on a song?

  • kahoony

    Posted Nov 12, 2007 1:27 am GMT

    this game is going to be awesome, but the fact that they've ditched Gibson, i think that they won't have much diversity in the in-game guitar skins.

  • impl0sion

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 2:43 am GMT

    its going to be like, £200 or $420 in the UK... what a rip off.

  • Myke_Kreed

    Posted Nov 9, 2007 11:09 pm GMT

    Harmonix needs to answer whether the release versions of their guitars will work with GH 2/3. IGN did a test and found RB guitars to be incompatible at the time. Please tell me I won't have to buy a whole seperate set of guitars to enjoy both of these games (with 2 players)

  • VIDEOGAMEFREAK6

    Posted Nov 9, 2007 2:35 pm GMT

    Does anybody know if the PS3 package will include a USB HUB?

  • Junior_Sr

    Posted Nov 8, 2007 10:20 pm GMT

    If Looks do not decieve, this game ROCKS!!!

  • wrugirl

    Posted Nov 8, 2007 3:21 am GMT

    Cant wait!!!!!!!!! Should be amazing!!!

  • Ryke_Masters

    Posted Nov 1, 2007 6:06 pm GMT

    Uh, Fauxjangles, I hope to god that was you trying to pull off sarcasm and not being serious. I agree there's nothing "noble" about not going next-gen, everybody screws tou out of your money equally in the end, next-gen or not, until they don't need to sell the product anymore, at which point it either becomes very cheap or extremely rare and costly. No, not everyone can afford or want to go next gen, but the "noble because they screw us out of our money" approach is crap. I don't have a 360 or a PS3 myself, but when I actually can pay for it myself instead of borrowing from my parents, I'll be getting one.

    Oh, and the game looks amazing. Hopefully everyone will know someone who can actually sing, I sure don't. >_>

  • jubeajubea

    Posted Oct 29, 2007 1:53 pm GMT

    Wow gunguy, I feel bad for you. Just think of all the time and money you've spent practicing and honing your skills at guitar just for the remote chance you'll get to experience the fun of being in a rock band. Now think of the $170 and 5 minutes of setup time I'll be spending to get a great gaming experience with Rock Band. Now I know the real meaning of GG.... GunGuy!!
    p.s. good luck with your guitar playing career btw, I hear its really lucrative

  • Fauxjangles

    Posted Oct 25, 2007 1:05 am GMT

    liam72 said: "... No... I don't have to go next-gen. I think not going next-gen is much more noble than being slave of microsoft that sell their shi* 400$ when it costs them maybe 100$ to build it. And i'm including conception price. I understand why ppl go next-gen but i'm not stupid cause i dont go next gen. And, ppl are not stupid cause they arent rich neither. It's not everyone who have money for 360."

    Are you stupid? It's common knowledge that Microsoft is losing money on every Xbox 360 they sell. It costs something like $715 to make the console. Same with the PS3, it costs about $805 to produce.

  • remaynard

    Posted Oct 23, 2007 11:41 pm GMT

    @ Gunguy0194:
    So.. I mean, I don't understand. Why are you browsing a video game website, if you don't understand the differences between simulation and reality?

  • Gunguy0194 posted Oct 23, 2007 5:32 pm GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Gunguy0194

    Posted Oct 23, 2007 5:32 pm GMT (hide)

    WOW. That's alol I can say, if your going to spend $200 F***ing dollars for a game that simulates playing a guitar, why don't you just play guitar for real? I mean if you play guitar for real, you can play almost all the songs in existance... I mean it would be a crappy starter guitar, but still, spend your money on better things like *A REAL GUITAR*.... Also, if you get good at Rock Band you will go NOWHERE in life, but if you get good at playing a real guitar, you can actually make money off it and get MUCH more satisfaction when you get good. If you haven't noticed, I play real guitar, in fact I play a Fender Stratocaster black/white aniversary addition, and it's a lot more than $200 dollars but that's after you get good. This game is ridiculous.... I can just imagine all the nerds playing in their little "Living Room" bands... wow.

  • fatafreak

    Posted Oct 21, 2007 1:45 pm GMT

    mmm...if it was cheaper maybe. maybe in 08 when we can buy stuff seperate, i dont feel like dishing out 170$ with GH3 so close.

Review Scores

PlatformGameSpotMetacritic / User Score
Xbox 360
Review this game
9.0
PS3
Review this game
9.0
Wii
Review this game
8.0
IP
Review this game
- -
PS2
Review this game
8.0
WINM
Review this game
- -

Game Info

  • Xbox 360 PS3 Release Info

    • Release Date: Nov 20, 2007
    • ESRB: T
      Titles rated T (Teen) have content that may be suitable for ages 13 and older.

  • Wii Release Info

    • Release Date: Jun 22, 2008
    • ESRB: T
      Titles rated T (Teen) have content that may be suitable for ages 13 and older.

  • IP Release Info

    • Release Date: Oct 15, 2009
    • ESRB: T
      Titles rated T (Teen) have content that may be suitable for ages 13 and older.

  • PS2 Release Info

    • Release Date: Dec 18, 2007
    • ESRB: T
      Titles rated T (Teen) have content that may be suitable for ages 13 and older.

  • WINM Release Info

    • Release Date: Dec 4, 2009

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