Related Categories
Patrick Murphy:
You guys always have things like HDTVs, headsets, and other electronic stuff and I was wondering what you do with all of the th ...
OXM SAYS:
Generally, we return them. HDTVs are obtained with legally binding loan agreements; we have generally 30 to 45 d...MORE
Posted on: May 16, 2008
Backbeat Beatdown
WORDS BY: Dan Amrich
Imagine buying a Ford that only runs on Ford gasoline. Stupid, right? Customers would never go for it. What about a TV set that only gets one network’s programming? Can you imagine having to buy three different televisions to watch three different shows? It would never sell. The market would be livid.
Time to get livid, people.
As a gamer, I can accept that Xbox games only run on an Xbox console. But at least all the Xbox controllers work, whether they’re made by Microsoft or Mad Catz. Rock Band was first to market with an electronic drum kit controller, but with this week’s revelation of Guitar Hero 4’s drum peripheral and the announcement of Konami’s Rock Revolution franchise, we’re heading into a holiday season where we’ll see not one, not two, but three different music franchises, all using three different drum controllers. They all do the same thing, but they don’t do it the same way, and they don’t do it with each other. Three different sub-standards…well, that’s substandard.
Back in the mid-'90s, Microsoft tried to get into the arcade biz with the slogan “innovation through standardization.” It was laughed off at the time and resented by the coin-op companies who were already doing business just fine without DirectX, thank you. And when you’re making 400-pound plywood boxes that play one game, you don’t really need standardization – at least, not more than they already had. But when you’re talking about a console that’s already uniform – where all customers can buy the same thing (give or take a hard drive, but let’s not get into that) – this kind of “we make our own games so we make our own rules” is asinine. And worse than that, it’s suicidal from a business perspective.
Who’s going to buy more than one drum controller? No consumers I can think of. If you’ve bought Rock Band, well, you’re going to want to stick with Rock Band. If you didn’t buy that because you were waiting to see what sales-chart-topping franchise Guitar Hero might have in the works, you’re going to be interested in supporting that kit as the standard. And as for Konami…um, the market has moved on since you failed to bring out American versions of GuitarFreaks, DrumMania, or any of the groundbreaking Bemani games that you pioneered in Japan almost ten years ago. Other companies have since swooped in and not only taken those ideas, but arguably taken then further. This is the very definition of “too late.”
Rock Revolution will ship with its own proprietary drum kit. Why?
On the retail side of the equation, who’s going to stock more than one drum controller? Retailers are already super-sensitive to the realities of managing the square footage of their storerooms. How many copies of Gears of War 2 can you store in the space of a single Rock Band kit? Hell, how many 360s? And you’re going to need demo kiosks for these new titles too, because no consumer should be expected to shell out the hefty investment for another music game without trying it out. I’ve been into some GameStop and GameCrazy locations that barely have room for the customers, let alone all the games and peripherals, and my local Target doesn’t even have demo kiosks for the existing music games. How will you sell any units?
Why do I have to even say that? Can the companies involved really not see the real-world problems of incompatible music games? Or does everyone at Konami and Activision have limitless incomes and living rooms the size of the Fillmore?
When Rock Band came out, Harmonix described it as a “platform” – you know, like the 360 itself. It’s going to be here for a while, supported with fresh content regularly – you won’t regret the investment. And arguably, Rock Band has made owning drums worthwhile, thanks to weekly DLC. If we got another music game with its own fake instruments, I could even understand that — competition is a positive thing in an arena like this, and you don’t want to have one person dominating the market if someone else has a legitimately better idea that can push the genre forward. But when a third player comes up with its own idea of how things can be better through their own proprietary technology, then it becomes everybody’s problem to solve, whether they directly caused it or not. Someone has to step in and say, “Let’s work together or we’re all doomed.” This is classic corporate greed trumping common consumer sense, and the obvious, logical answer is a standard.
Guitars aren't standardized. Don't make the same mistake again.
Do you want great games? Yeah. Do you want to buy new hardware every time one comes out? Of course not. This problem can go away if the right business deals are drawn up. Patents play into this, licensing fees would have to be paid – but you cannot convince me that one very well-designed fake drum set could not do the work of three. Get together, guys, and make that kit. That one, we’ll buy. Otherwise…have fun explaining this mess to your shareholders when you offer them unsold peripherals instead of annual dividends. This is a recipe for disaster.
Sun, 05/25/2008 - 05:46
Posted by EmThr330ne
We are seriously hitting the nail on the (drum)head with this one. The conflicting accessories already got what they wanted from me when I had to purchase the GH3 bundle AFTER realizing that the Strat wouldn't function for the disc-only version of GH. Luckily, I didn't drop the cash for the entire RB kit already.
If you're a drummer (I am), the RB drums are a disaster. Fine for the casual GAMER... But given the subject matter of these games, that's only HALF of the consumer base purchasing this type of game... Did Harmonix REALLY think no one was going to notice? Being a drummer made it DAMN NEAR impossible to play anything beyond medium difficulty. This is in large part (for me, anyway) to a couple of issues.
First - The pad setup is in no way, shape, or form like a real setup. The strange slant of the set's pads, coupled with the awkward straight-on position you have to sit in to access the pads correctly, made for constant frustration when I kept hitting the "hi-hat" that sits in roughly the position the "snare" should have been in. (never mind that it can absolutely thrash your back)..
Secondly - The pads are FAR too touchy. Point blank. Hitting too hard (similar to a real drum strike) gave bogus results of double hits, or nothing at all. Where as too soft either pseudo-works, or gives nothing.
Could a better resolution be that MS THEMSELVES should produce the accessories and force the software developers to work around the designs? Activision, Konami and EA WANT the revenue of the installed base of 360 owners. If the house that Gates built barks, I'm sure they would listen.
Fri, 05/23/2008 - 19:52
Posted by hornerboy73
i think RB has the advantage because it already has some fans most of which will stick with it because they probably invested $170 in it
Fri, 05/23/2008 - 19:52
Posted by hornerboy73
i think RB has the advantage because it already has some fans most of which will stick with it because they probably invested $170 in it
Thu, 05/22/2008 - 16:47
Posted by Riastlin
I don't mind each company making a drum kit controller. That in and of itself is actually good for the industry as it encourages improvements. But, they absolutely should be compatible with each other.
As it stands now, I won't buy GHIV. This has nothing to do with whether or not it will be a good game, but rather, why pay another $170 or so for a game that pretty much does the same thing that Rock Band does, just with different tracks?
Now if my controllers worked with GHIV, I would absolutely consider purchasing the disc only version of the game. Really, in the end all of the companies are hurting themselves.
Wed, 05/21/2008 - 19:34
Posted by hornerboy73
thanks xCCx_Cheif97 but that sucks because i have the Stratocaster and was thinkin about just buying the disc for GH3
Wed, 05/21/2008 - 04:25
Posted by Spybreak
one word, greed... Don't buy into this crap. I questioned myself when I was going to buy a game with a guitar to play a possible of 2 games but after hearing how awesome GH3 was I bit. Shit, it took me forever to decide to buy the wireless racing wheel, just happened to find a used one with a great price, and there are way more games for that one.
Wed, 05/21/2008 - 01:41
Posted by xCCx_Cheif97
The Strat is incompatible with GH because activision only wants specifically made GH guitars working for their game, where as RB has a simple mechanism that says basically, "Input this button press, game hits this note."
Tue, 05/20/2008 - 23:46
Posted by hornerboy73
about the guitars, is it the Les Paul guitar doesnt work with RB or is it the Fender that doesnt work with GH3?
Mon, 05/19/2008 - 06:42
Posted by GamesRadarBrett...
I completely agree, a standard is clearly called for. Custom controllers on a per-game basis is absurd. Well, I thought it was until people were willing to do it for Wii. Remote, Nunchuk, Zapper, Classic Controller, Wii Wheel, Sports Pack with tennis racket and golf club...
Mon, 05/19/2008 - 04:13
Posted by Steakslave
Cart00nstrip, I think you really have something here. You may want to look into drafting up this idea for a patent before someone beats you to it. Programmable handheld controllers have been around for a while, but using optional/detatchable/positionable inputs is a sweet solution for this delema indeed! Not including analog, the 360 controller has over a dozen input buttons itself. Imagine the rig that it could translate to when thinking of drumpads & cymbalpads. That's overkill I know, but it is possible. Let's not forget that even a standard version of this would probably retail for more than $100. If none of these current game/peripheral makers are wise enough or willing to do this then perhaps a third party manufacturer like Mad Katz would do it. The only hurdle then would be like where the wireless Les Paul for PS3 doesn't work with PS3's Rock Band because it's not "allowed" to. Hopefully this is where console manufacturers would step in and tell the software companies to "play nice" with everybody.
Sun, 05/18/2008 - 13:01
Posted by cart00nstrip
As made obvious by the article and the previous responses, we ALL know the worst-case scenario is dire - both for the consumer AND the creator/manufacturer/publisher. However, has ANYONE (aside from, y'know, ME) bothered to consider the practical applications here if the various companies involved all DID agree upon a specific standard?Something MS was pretty explicit about from the get-go involving the 360, 'member? Sony, of course, afforded no such stipulations for ITS box - much like their wishy-washy rules involving compression quality on BR.
00
The benefits, tho', would be eNORmous if (say it with me) "the drums were all universally customizable." Hallelujah! If each pad could be reassigned (and, optionally, relabeled) per user spec, having multiple kits to choose from could be optimal. We get a choice of basic set-ups, then we get to customize the inputs. What's not to like?
00
I mean, OBVIOUSLY they will all be NOTHING as cool as Ion Audio's totally bitchin' prototype shewd off at CES...
00
But ANY choice is STILL a choice. Why y'all gotta be a buncha neggy Nancies? Hmmm?
00
Unfortunately, RB's controller is prolly gonna hafta be left behind - the simple fact that it didn't allow for tweaking IMMEDIATELY dated the thing anyway: whoever heard of a real drummer who didn't have his heads set up his own way?
00
Look at it THIS way - the guitars all have adjustable straps; the mics, well, you can pretty much do with THEM what you like... The drums should've been (and should BE in the future) a LOT more adjustable/customizable - it's inherent to the experience!
00
gt: cart00nstrip
Sun, 05/18/2008 - 07:43
Posted by Steakslave
Lets not forget the guitars as well. Guitar Hero 4 is going to support a new guitar controller that has "added functionallity". And while the previous GH controllers will still work with it, who's to say about Konomi's new game? Right now my living room looks like a practice space for a band of five year olds. I have the Xplorer, the wireless Les Paul, The Rock Band Fender & drums, and the red guitar for PS2 because I just "had to have" GH 80's. I just can't do this every year. So these guys need to just focus on new software, or play nice and at least make downloadable patches for these things to work together. Otherwise we'll have a new definition of Guitar Hero rash.
Sat, 05/17/2008 - 02:52
Posted by Allanon6666
And there less the problem. One kit means not as much profit for all the other companies. But if we're lucky, the pull their heads out of their buts and come up with something that will make everyone(or most) happy.
Sat, 05/17/2008 - 01:55
Posted by Dan OXM
I hear you, Allan. One of the first questions I asked Harmonix when I saw the drums was "can I cross my arms to play hi-hat and snare 'correctly'?" And they said no. So I can understand a real drummer's frustration with these abstract representation of drum-like objects. So I say...let's make a set that pleases both real drummers and can be simplified for non-drummers. Being able to swap drum heads around or adjust angles should not be that tall an order if you're making ONE KIT.
Sat, 05/17/2008 - 01:17
Posted by Allanon6666
The problem is, I see where the companies are going. I have friends that actually play drums, they refuse to buy rock band because the drums feel ALIEN to them and they don't want to play guitar. Not to mention, having dedicated cymbals for a drum kit should have been something that Harmonix did from the start.
And while I like how the GHIV and Rock Revolution drum kits sound and look (or at least how the GHIV ones look), it is still the dumbest move these companies could make (I had you going for a sec didn't I). Dan, your right, the music industry needs a standard for drum kits, if not guitar controllers too. If there is no standard then these games are going to flop and the music genre is plenty big for new franchises.
Fri, 05/16/2008 - 19:01
Posted by CAWeissen
I totally agree. It would completely make sense.
_________________
Gamertag: CAWeissen
Fri, 05/16/2008 - 18:41
Posted by smoothoap33
Dan and previous commenter, I also agree, I don't see how one couldn't. It's much better for the consumer to buy one product and have faith that it will continue to be relevant for a long time.
(That's why I don't want the next Xbox to come out any time soon.)
Imagine buying a Ninja controller for Ninja Gaiden and a Basketball for NBA 2K#...it would be ridiculous, but the same thing is going on with this.
Fri, 05/16/2008 - 17:39
Posted by stunner1210
I couldn't agree more. I'm more than happy with how Rock Band has been supported so far and things can only get better. I wasn't too interested in Guitar Hero 3 for various reasons, but the main one was Neversoft and Activision's lack of common sense. As soon as I heard about GHIV's addition of drums and vocals, it turned into a "I told you so", followed by a sigh.
Really, the only way I'd even consider buying GHIV is if my Rock Band instruments worked with it. Factor in what I can only imagine to be a steep price and the existing lack of experience (possibly talent) of Neversoft in this genre, I don't see myself picking it up. But as more and more music games come out, it eventually has to get to the point where someone within one of these companies stops and says, "Hey, you know what, we could probably still make a load of money if we support outside peripherals."