Rock Band 3

http://wii.ign.com/articles/109/1096092p1.html

IGN (via USA Today) first look @ RB3.

25 key MIDI "Keyboard" controller. New guitars - traditional RB guitar based on the Fender Mustang, as well as a full size - and fully functional, STRINGED - Fender Strat. Both guitars will have sensors in the necks to track finger placement - no more buttons. I assume, however, that past RB/GH guitars WITH buttons will also be compatible.

(edit - the Mustang will also be a stringed instrument, but is still a plastic replica from MadCatz. The Strat, OTOH, is an actual Fender Squier Strat w/ RB guts installed)

New "Pro" mode replaces colored dots w/ actual music notes. So, beyond the traditional RB gameplay, it sounds like RB3 will also act as a music teacher.

83 disc tracks - among them will be:

2000s
Combat Baby -- Metric
Dead End Friends -- Them Crooked Vultures
Get Free -- The Vines
Lasso -- Phoenix
Me Enamora -- Juanes
Oh My God -- Ida Maria
Portions of Foxes -- Rilo Kiley
The Hardest Button to Button -- The White Stripes

1990s
Been Caught Stealing -- Jane's Addiction
In the Meantime -- Spacehog
Plush -- Stone Temple Pilots
Walkin' on the Sun -- Smash Mouth

1980s
Crazy Train -- Ozzy Osbourne
Here I Go Again -- Whitesnake
I Love Rock and Roll -- Joan Jett
Just Like Heaven -- The Cure
Rainbow in the Dark -- Dio
The Power of Love -- Huey Lewis and the News
Sister Christian -- Night Ranger

1960s-1970s
Bohemian Rhapsody -- Queen
Break On Through -- The Doors
Crosstown Traffic -- Jimi Hendrix


More info - and surely word on potential advancements for the Wii edition - due @ E3.

Now, lets have Basher complain about ONLY 83 tracks. From the looks of it, though - sounding like HMX may have again trumped Neversoft in the overall "cool" factor this time.

Also - RB3 will mark the 1st appearence of a RB game on the Nintendo DS, according to USA Today. But apparently not on the PSP, where RB:Unplugged went to seemingly die over a year ago.

Link to the USA Today story: http://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/...and10_VA_N.htm

You do know what they say about those who "assume", Bash....

SDHC support is a given. Any Wii game PRODUCED after Update 4.0 is going to be SDHC compatible. Period. You know - just as TB:RB is?

Every track revealed is a first to RB. Just because a track may have been issued on GH does not mean you have to buy it again - unless you want to play it in RB, which if you never noticed is a completely different game.

While not stated implicitly, considering that GD:RB on Wii will accept any & all Green Day DLC from RB2 - it's a sure bet that RB2 DLC you already own will be available from the get go in RB3.

As to a lack of GnR - you really think HMX is at fault? Ever consider it's that whiny little bitch Axl Rose that is actually to blame?

Your existing RB gear will work w/ RB3 - even the "Pro" mode is workable w/ old gear, according to HMX. New instruments - outside of the keyboard - consist only of the guitars. Sounds like a RB3 band kit will have RB2 drums w/ the cymbals already packed in (albeit still optional to use).

And "Pro" mode is a MODE available to players - traditional RB gameplay is still the bread & butter of this game.

GH did not charge you over again to use your existing GHWT DLC in GH5 - you just had to DL the FREE update to add the new game's features. Why would it be any different in RB3? Oh wait - I forgot. HMX has a personal vendetta against you, Basher! Silly me. My guess is that perhaps Pro mode options as well as keys/additional vocal parts will be added in a DL-ed update for certain tracks.

For me, I am hoping to see a Store revamp to finally allow track packs/albums a la GH5, as well as the ability to finally import other RB disc tracks (Rawk SD made it happen for homebrewers, there is no reason now for HMX to not come up w/ a legit version that they can actually get paid for - esp since storage space is not really an issue now).

Supposedly the RB2 Green Day DLC DOES have the multi-vocal parts - they just do not pop up unless you play them in GD:RB. And that is the case for Wii as well as PS360.

GH5 updated GHWT DLC not with new charts, but added in the "Band Moment" stuff (the unison bonus bits nicked from RB), added album artwork to Wii DLC & supposedly gave a boost to the audio quality.

Keyboards, "pro mode" & multi vocalists will be part of all new DLC once RB3 is released. Updates to older tracks COULD happen, but are not any plans as of now to do so, it seems.

In looking @ the HMX press release, I noticed that the game was announced for all 3 consoles, yet no deliniation btwn the versions was mentioned during the talk of game features - incl the ability to import RB, RB2, AC/DC, GD:RB, Lego RB & Track Pack discs.

I too find the tracks so far pretty solid. And 2 of the '00s so far -- White Stripes & Them Crooked Vultures - are ones I also look forward to.

Over on the Rock Band site's forum, they are discussing some of the videos shot of RB3. While HMX said 83 tracks from 83 artists are to be on disc, it sounds like some of the disc artists may be seeing DLC soon after release, based on multiple tracks from announced artists some saw being played @ E3 & it's surroundiing get-togethers (and none were existing DLC).

Another track apparently to be on disc, but not officially announced (was actaully a "secret" within some RB3 DS promo) - Yes's Roundabout.

Hell YES!!!!

Still hoping to get word from HMX on the Wii edition's features or lack thereof - beyond the big major new additions whcih should be on all iterations. If Activision & Homebrewers can make track packs & disc imports happen on the Wii - both legit & not so legit -as well as seeing a "real" online system like in MH3 - there is ZERO reason at this point that RB3 Wii should lack such things. There are no real excuses anymore. I can see no to limited RBN business & some cutbacks in visuals/character maker/etc...but the storage is now there for potentially a lot of content. At least let us bring in those other RB tracks w/o hacking our consoles!!!

All we really DO know is that our RB2 DLC will be playable in 3 & we'll get to store 'em on SDHC cards this time.

They have advertised as such in all the press - however, they do not delineate the various features amongst the consoles.

But, if you figure that the Green Day game for Wii recognizes all the RB2 Green Day DLC tracks you may have - why wouldn't it? GH has done this already on the Wii.

Personally digging the RB3 setlist - lots of goodies from different eras/genres. Several trakcs also have the missus stoked to get back into RB.

Basher - while your Skynryd dreams may very well come true @ some point, you should probably just give up the ghost on any GnR in music games for the forseeable future. Doubt Axl is in a generous mood, esp with tracks that in any way, shape or form involve his ex GnR bandmates. That said, it would not surprise me that if the current/upcoming GnR tour has any shows recorded, that "classic" GnR live tracks could happen. I'd DL a live WTTJ or Sweet Child of Mine if a solid recording/performance (even if it's Axl & his current "band").

But that is a very tentative & aprehensive "could".

Some Wii-centric good news...

If nothing else, it seems RB2 tracks will export to RB3 Wii:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIpNnyn9xN4#t=8m42s

Also, the 1st Wii RBN content has been announced - looks like it'll come to the system much as it does PS3.

http://rockbandaide.com/7963/the-rbn...-nintendo-wii/

Posted today on the RB website forum by the HMX dev who uses the screen name HMXThrasher:

We haven’t released any info yet about the specifics surrounding export but we’ll have more information soon. You’ll be happy to know that Rock Band 3 for the Wii will also have import/export capabilities for previous Rock Band titles. Stay tuned to the News section of the Zine in the coming weeks!

http://www.rockband.com/forums/showt...37#post4036537

HMX has announced the first DLC coming for RB3. You may have heard of this group.....

The Doors Greatest Hits will be the 1st DLC album to be issued on RB3's release date of 10/26.

It gets better - 3 tracks from the album will be FREE for the first week of release on all platforms. Nice!

Light My Fire” (Free from Oct. 26 – Nov. 1 in game, features Pro Guitar and Pro Bass)
“Riders on the Storm” (Free from Oct. 26 – Nov. 1 in game, features Pro Guitar and Pro Bass)
“Touch Me” (Free from Oct. 26 – Nov. 1 in game, features Pro Guitar and Pro Bass)
“Hello, I Love You”
“L.A. Woman”
“Love Her Madly”
“Love Me Two Times”
“Peace Frog”
“People Are Strange”
“Roadhouse Blues”
“Soul Kitchen”
“The Crystal Ship”

AS with all future RB3 DLC, pro drums & keys (when applicable) will be a part of all RB3 DLC tracks. Pro guitar/bass will be reserved for certain tunes (and may cost more per track than traditional RB tracks)

Some additional RB3 news today for Wii rockers....looks like RB3 will finally gives us track pack/album options on DLC going forward as of release day.

From today's weekly DLC announcement on the Rock Band website forum:


So, during the 1st week of release, Wii rockers can either get the 3 free Doors tracks as single DLs, or can get the whole Greatest Hits pack - inclduing the 3 free ones (Light My Fire, Riders On The Storm, Touch Me).

As well, Wii will be getting the folowwing RBN tracks on release day:

· of Montreal – “Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse”
· In This Moment – “Mechanical Love”
· Clutch – “The Mob Goes Wild”
· Demon Hunter – “Collapsing”
· Bif Naked – “Sick”
· The Shins – “So Says I”
· Testament – “Henchmen Ride”
· Band of Horses – “The Funeral”

Picked up the game only @ a Gamestop midnight sale. Only played a couple of tunes so far.

Dig the "overshell" UI - song sorting is much nicer, with a ton of sort options. You can create & share setlists as well.

Seems to treat the SD card more like a HDD than before. Had 192 tracks from RB2 that I had moved to a 16GB card via my PC. Once RB3 saw the card, it went thru a "DLC loading" procedure - while loading tracks, I could still navigate the various menus (only thing not doable @ the time was selecting tracks to play).

Wii Store was not live late last night - expcet it to open up later today. Gotta get my Doors tracks (in PACK form this time!!!)

Owners manual has a 1 page section that discusses "song import" - basically, the Wii version will have the ability to fianlly bring tracks from other RB games into RB3 w/o homebrew hacking (and, thusly, costing you Wii Points). However, the manual states to go to rockband.com for the import procedure info (and the site is still down right now). Interestingly, the WIi version also had in the case the same flyer I assume PS360 people are seeing that touts the full 2000 tracks available to RB players. Sounds like HMX is finally giving the WIi a RB game that matches up mostly w/ the HD console cousins.

Wii graphihcs, to me, look better than they did in RB2. While I never gave much creedence to how RB2/TBRB looked on Wii VS PS360 (at least in the note highway parts), RB3 on Wii won't fool anyone that it's on an HD console, but it does look rather nice.

Will give a better impression after I get some real playtime in. But so far, it looks like the reviews are right. RB3 is so far shaping up to be the ultimate music game

According to Nintendo's own info page on RB3, the launch week DLC stuff cosists of several previously announced RBN tracks for the week, the Doors stuff (3 free tracks this week only, or the whole 12 track album for 1500 points - new Doors pricing kicks in after next week, as well as the ability to DL the other album tracks as singles) & the imports for RB2 & Green Day RB.

Looks like disc imports (at least on Wii) will be delivered as DLC. Green Day & RB2 will run 1000 POints each. Green Day is EVERY track, whereas RB2 will be missing some tunes (same on all consoles).

So yes, albums/packs are happening for Wii this time out.

True - as of right now, only RB2 (most of it) & Green Day RB (all of it) export on Wii. Over on the rockband.com forums, HMX folks have stated that they are working on getting more export content open for Wii.....as well as PS360, as essentially RB1, for example, does not actually "export" to RB3. PS360 folks w/ the RB1 export on their HDDs have access to the tracks, but a RB noob on the Sony/MS platforms can't apparently export RB1 directly into RB3 - has to be done via RB2 first.

RB1 & Lego are currently in the "possible future export", not so much the "never" for the Wii, based on some HMX comments since RB3 came out. And even though most of the Wii RB titles lack any kind of export code key, they could be handled on Wii just as RB2 was. RB3 "sees" RB2 save data & then unlocks the RB2 export pack in the Redeem Codes section of the store. GD:RB, OTOH, does have a unique code printed on every owners manual. This is the key to accessing the entire GD disc tracklist for export.

Week 2 of RB3 DLC brings us....not much.

One new track, Rush's "Subdivisions"

Other than that, The Doors Greatest Hits will now be available as singles, as well as a pack. During this 1st week of release for RB3, 3 Doors tunes are free, or the entire pack can be had for $15.

As of Tuesday, the full Doors 12-pack will run $20, but every song within it can be had as a single for $2.

The 3 free tunes from this week and the Rush track next week also have Pro Guitar options. As of now, the 3 Pro Guitar upgrades for the 3 free Doors tracks are also free - Pro upgrades go to an additional $0.99 as of Tuesday 11/2/10.