The Beatles: Rock Band

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E3 trailer is here

Can I say wow? Pop culture wrapped up in nifty box with great visuals/homages, multipart harmonies and fantastic songs? Sign me up day one!

To the one who said this game will be the last hurrah in music games, I hope you are wrong. But if you are right, then this is the way the genre should go out.

I don't own any guitar/band game so far.... but i am tempted to get these. Though maybe i'll just wait until the remastered versions of the songs (which sound amazing IMO) make it to CD in the autumn.

My Rock Band 1 drum set died a while ago so I'll definitely get this =)

Dear Harmonix,

Please quit making me give you money. Release something crappy so that I may build a resistance to your siren call.

I want to be excited about this, but there is one thing that is killing it for me: it breaks the "Rock Band is a platform" concept which is a large part of why RB1/2 worked so well for me. I want all the Beatles music, I'm happy to have a new visual style, I'm ecstatic to see the addition of multiple vocal tracks, but I want to be able to play all my music without having to change a disc.

Anyway, the fact that this version is adding a significant gameplay feature goes a long way to assuage the sting not being able to take the songs and play them from my Rock Band 2 disc. I just hope that they will be announcing soon that RB: Beatles is not just a standalone game, but the next step for the platform -- ie, I'll be able to export my RB2 songs to my hard drive as I have done with my RB1 stuff, then play all of that and all the DLC songs I have already bought via the RB: Beatles disc. Oh, and I also want to hear that when RB3 eventually arrives I will then be able to play my Beatles music via that disc.

Announce those two things and not only will I be buying the game, I just might consider buying the bundle to upgrade our plastic instrument collection.

Anyway, the fact that this version is adding a significant gameplay feature

What's that again?

Wait, so I won't be able to play the new songs on my RB2 disc? Or can I play my RB1+RB2 songs on this new Beatles game?

I'm confused now

Mex wrote:

Anyway, the fact that this version is adding a significant gameplay feature

What's that again?

Multiple vocal tracks.

Wait, so I won't be able to play the new songs on my RB2 disc? Or can I play my RB1+RB2 songs on this new Beatles game?

I'm confused now

It has been previously stated that the Beatles music will NOT work on RB1/RB2. This has NOT been reconfirmed lately, though -- let's hope that changes.

What I'm saying is that unless they do announce that all other RB songs are playable via the Beatles disc, then I'm not sure how interested I really am in this release. Nothing has been announced either way about this, but I'm very much hoping that it will be.

RB works because it is a platform where I have hundreds of songs to choose from at my leisure and the ability to grow that library as I see fit. If this Beatles game is truly a standalone game that isn't interoperable with other RB songs, then no amount of DLC Beatles albums is going to make this game have much value beyond a few weeks of play time. Having to change discs is an anathema to everything that is awesome about the RB1/2 experience, you know?

Personally, I'd rather see Pink Floyd Rock Band, or King Crimson Rock Band (sure to explode some heads), but this looks OK. I'm sure it'll be fun.

I still feel like the Beatles aren't a good choice for a game system that seeks to replicate only the guitar/bass/drums/vocals setup of a traditional rock band. With their early stuff, this works great, but you're going to lose a lot if you try to Rock Band-ify something like "Tomorrow Never Knows" or "Within You and Without You." Part of what makes the Beatles' music so amazing is its multi-instrumentation; do they just have you play the orchestra's part on your guitar?

I would get it if it was The Who, because as everyone knows The Who > The Beatles. and $250 =S.

zeroKFE wrote:

RB works because it is a platform where I have hundreds of songs to choose from at my leisure and the ability to grow that library as I see fit. If this Beatles game is truly a standalone game that isn't interoperable with other RB songs, then no amount of DLC Beatles albums is going to make this game have much value beyond a few weeks of play time. Having to change discs is an anathema to everything that is awesome about the RB1/2 experience, you know?

I am betting there is some legal restrain that prohibits the use of TB:RB with other content. Brand protection and all that. Best case they let you rip the tracks to be used by RB2 but without the visuals and multi vocal tracks. Based on the video the visuals are part of the experience so I am not sure how well it translate when using the RB2 presentation scheme. I see your point though.

Multra wrote:

I would get it if it was The Who, because as everyone knows The Who > The Beatles. and $250 =S.

Led Zeppelin. That is all.

Its hard not to get caught in the groundswell of excitement and hype. As a Beatles fan, is it it even possible to be neutral to the game (assuming that you're down with the rhythm genre)?

wanderingtaoist wrote:
Multra wrote:

I would get it if it was The Who, because as everyone knows The Who > The Beatles. and $250 =S.

Led Zeppelin. That is all.

They will never be in a music game though.

Multra wrote:
wanderingtaoist wrote:
Multra wrote:

I would get it if it was The Who, because as everyone knows The Who > The Beatles. and $250 =S.

Led Zeppelin. That is all.

They will never be in a music game though.

Never say never.....but, yeah

demonbox wrote:

Its hard not to get caught in the groundswell of excitement and hype. As a Beatles fan, is it it even possible to be neutral to the game (assuming that you're down with the rhythm genre)?

Yes, as I outlined above.

Seriously, though, let me play my other RB songs in the presentation style of this new game, and I'm 100% on board.

Well, screw y'all-- I'm excited. I'll definitely pick this up at launch, although I don't know if I'll go for any of those new instruments (they DO look pretty nice, though).

Makes sense to me to have this as a stand-alone: while RB is definitely a game that appeals to a wide audience, there are probably even more Beatles fans that will pick this up. The new instruments and the new four-part harmony feature also makes these songs and older RB songs incompatible with one another.

Although... I do have to say that it might get a bit "same-y" playing the same band's music over and over. Still, the Beatles definitely have a pretty wide range of sounds to work through.

EDIT:

The trailer is also available on LIVE right now.

Multra wrote:
wanderingtaoist wrote:
Multra wrote:

I would get it if it was The Who, because as everyone knows The Who > The Beatles. and $250 =S.

Led Zeppelin. That is all.

They will never be in a music game though.

I know, *voice of Professor Farnsworth* but a man can dream though, a man can dream...

Pink Floyd > King Crimson > The Beatles > The Who > Led Zeppelin

Round One, Ready....FIGHT!

zeroKFE wrote:
demonbox wrote:

Its hard not to get caught in the groundswell of excitement and hype. As a Beatles fan, is it it even possible to be neutral to the game (assuming that you're down with the rhythm genre)?

Yes, as I outlined above.

Seriously, though, let me play my other RB songs in the presentation style of this new game, and I'm 100% on board.

I hear what you're saying, but would it really work? I guess they could have a menu choice for playing original RB songs, but they're really aiming for the so-called Beatles Experience. I haven't bought any band specific music games yet, but i'll pick this up day 1.

jonnypolite wrote:
zeroKFE wrote:
demonbox wrote:

Its hard not to get caught in the groundswell of excitement and hype. As a Beatles fan, is it it even possible to be neutral to the game (assuming that you're down with the rhythm genre)?

Yes, as I outlined above.

Seriously, though, let me play my other RB songs in the presentation style of this new game, and I'm 100% on board.

I hear what you're saying, but would it really work? I guess they could have a menu choice for playing original RB songs, but they're really aiming for the so-called Beatles Experience. I haven't bought any band specific music games yet, but i'll pick this up day 1.

Yeah, it'd be a little odd to see John, Paul, George, and Ringo doing Foghat.

I still think mainstream interest in rhythm games featuring whole new sets of instruments will die off by the end of this year. I think that's more Activision's fault than Harmonix and EA, and of course I'll buy The Beatles: Rock Band. No brainer.

But really, how many of you are going to drop $250 on the whole set?

I wasn't overly pumped for this originally, even though I am a Beatles fan. Then I recently watched the Beatles Anthology documentary series again and combine that with today's preview and I'm pretty sold. I'm now kind of glad I sold my rock band instrument kit before I moved.

Rat Boy wrote:
jonnypolite wrote:
zeroKFE wrote:
demonbox wrote:

Its hard not to get caught in the groundswell of excitement and hype. As a Beatles fan, is it it even possible to be neutral to the game (assuming that you're down with the rhythm genre)?

Yes, as I outlined above.

Seriously, though, let me play my other RB songs in the presentation style of this new game, and I'm 100% on board.

I hear what you're saying, but would it really work? I guess they could have a menu choice for playing original RB songs, but they're really aiming for the so-called Beatles Experience. I haven't bought any band specific music games yet, but i'll pick this up day 1.

Yeah, it'd be a little odd to see John, Paul, George, and Ringo doing Foghat.

Dude, that would be f*cking *AWESOME*. The Beatles doing Lynard Skynard? What ever could be wrong with that? Answer: not one damn thing!

SummerMatt wrote:

Makes sense to me to have this as a stand-alone: while RB is definitely a game that appeals to a wide audience, there are probably even more Beatles fans that will pick this up.

I think maybe we mean different things by "stand alone." I'm referring to the idea that this game would be completely removed from the existing platform. I assume you are just talking about them marketing/selling it as a product that is fully functional without any prior investment in Rock Band stuff, and that much doesn't bother me at all.

The new instruments and the new four-part harmony feature also makes these songs and older RB songs incompatible with one another.

Well, what I was saying (or trying too -- seems I failed to get my point across well ) is that the harmonies actually provide a valid reason why the Beatles songs can't work in the old RB games. Aside from legal bullsh*t/branding/other stuff that I don't give a sh*t about though, there really is no technical reason that old RB songs couldn't work in RB: Beatles.

EDIT:

Demiurge wrote:

But really, how many of you are going to drop $250 on the whole set?

I might consider it if the game will function with the old songs as I've been discussing. We still have the old RB1 drum set which is, well, rough around the edges, and I'd love to have a second wireless guitar. Yeah, it's pricey, but if (IF!) the game can provide a continuation of the experience we've been enjoying for the last two years, I don't mind continuing to invest in improving that experience.

zeroKFE wrote:
Demiurge wrote:

But really, how many of you are going to drop $250 on the whole set?

I might consider it if the wife lets me.

Really, was I not the only one thinking that?

Rat Boy wrote:
zeroKFE wrote:
Demiurge wrote:

But really, how many of you are going to drop $250 on the whole set?

I might consider it if the wife lets me.

Really, was I not the only one thinking that?

Apparently you aren't familiar with how Luna rolls. She's a dirty goddamn enabler.

zeroKFE wrote:

She's a dirty goddamn enabler keeper.

There, just in case she's reading. No charge.

Name the first five bands you think of when someone says "Rock Band" and I very seriously doubt any of them will be the Beatles. They just don't fit the mold. Kiss would have been a better choice. Or Motley Crue. Or Guns'n'f*ckin'Roses. Or any number of vastly inferior yet perfectly servicable rock bands which are, in fact, rock bands.

Early selections would be a better fit, as someone mentioned above. Even among later albums you could cherry-pick a few tracks. The single version of Revolution. The Ballad of John and Yoko. Maybe She's So Heavy. But could you imagine Fixin' a Hole or Blue Jay Way? Maxwell's Silver Hammer would be a goddamned abortion.

Helter Skelter could be fun.

I GOT BLISTERS ON ME FINGERS!

***edit***

All my earlier remarks are withdrawn pending the following: the opportunity to sing lead on Oh Darlin'

Those are not in any way mutually exclusive concepts.

zeroKFE wrote:
Rat Boy wrote:
zeroKFE wrote:
Demiurge wrote:

But really, how many of you are going to drop $250 on the whole set?

I might consider it if the wife lets me.

Really, was I not the only one thinking that?

Apparently you aren't familiar with how Luna rolls. She's a dirty goddamn enabler.

My girlfriend is the same

I'm super-excited about this, and given that the RB2 instruments (or even the game itself, in fact) are still not available in Australia at all, I may indeed get the whole set so that I can retire my RB1 drums and ye olde Xplorer. I grew up listening to The Beatles and practicing singing vocal harmonies along to them, so the multiple vocal lines are a huge draw for me.

I also hope that there's some way to fit The Beatles stuff in to the rest of the Rock Band experience, but given the amount of effort that's clearly gone in to specialising this I'll probably be willing to give Harmonix a pass on it.

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