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[AMUSIX]

Something that hasn't been mentioned, but I think is an AWESOME change in Rock Band 2 are the new effects.

First, the order of them has been rearranged, so that chorus (the one that should be used most often) is at the end (flip the switch all the way) and so is the easiest to hit.
Second, the effects have been adjusted, and the flange is freaking sweet. A true early VH sound.
Finally, the Bass effects....Harmonix have nixed the echo (something useless for the low-register instrument) and replaced it with a kick-ass distortion/overdrive that works beautifully in a lot of the heavier tunes. Heck, you can even overdrive the overdriven bass in Battery.

I know most people never lean how to properly use these effects, and so write them off as crap, but I'm definintely a happy camper here.

 

[TheGreatDave]

The effects make me miss notes. Play me in a vs match and turn echo on, you will win.

 

[BigAT]

It's free, shut up.

When they advertise it as a reason to buy the game, I have a reason to complain.

Really it's just the lack of committing to a date on their end; I have plenty to occupy me at the moment but the fact they can't even provide a date yet is bothersome.

 

[Rentahamster]

I found a great bargain on the full band bundle if anyone is willing to wait a month!

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Rock...17421/catOid/-12841/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

"You save: -$9810.00" :lol

Got to play Rock Band 2 for a couple hours last night. Pretty sweet stuff.

 

[theo]

What i really want is an update on the Moving Pictures DLC delay.....its been almost 3 weeks now!

 

[AndyMoogle]

Damn... played all day and now my arms are so sore. So awesome!

Now I need a new Guitar. My Les Paul is a POS. I've lost so many FC's because the Green button decided to die out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5A4MjLsV7Y

Try that. Worked great for me and it has worked for others I've shown it to.

 

[Belgand]

Something that hasn't been mentioned, but I think is an AWESOME change in Rock Band 2 are the new effects.

First, the order of them has been rearranged, so that chorus (the one that should be used most often) is at the end (flip the switch all the way) and so is the easiest to hit.
Second, the effects have been adjusted, and the flange is freaking sweet. A true early VH sound.
Finally, the Bass effects....Harmonix have nixed the echo (something useless for the low-register instrument) and replaced it with a kick-ass distortion/overdrive that works beautifully in a lot of the heavier tunes. Heck, you can even overdrive the overdriven bass in Battery.

I know most people never lean how to properly use these effects, and so write them off as crap, but I'm definintely a happy camper here.

Excellent. I was always upset we never had an overdrive option before. I guess part of the problem is that there's so much variation in it whether you want a mild, warm, creamy overdrive or a thick, heavy distortion.

Same with fixing the flange. Before now it seemed instead of giving us flange and an auto-wah they should have just stuck with the wah and given us overdrive.

I'm with you on chorus though. Especially as a bass effect. However, I liked it where it was. Putting it as the first effect made it easy to switch on and off for me.

Oh and was it just me and my shitty guitar or do other people have issues where unless you reset the effects switch to something and then back to off at the beginning of songs many songs will automatically pick a random effect and apply it. I find this incredibly annoying when I have it turned off.

Really it's just the lack of committing to a date on their end; I have plenty to occupy me at the moment but the fact they can't even provide a date yet is bothersome.

It's done when it's done. Don't rush people or you get half-finished games and poorly charted songs. This is why id and Blizzard never state release dates. If RB2 didn't have a firm release date we would have Jukebox mode most likely.

Although considering how few new clothes there are, the minor changes (if any) to the character creator, and what else was done I wonder how this took them a year to do to the point that they still had to chop out features at the last minute to ship on time.

Adding in solo BWT, Challenges/BOTB (because let's face it, they're roughly the same), drum trainer (modified practice mode), and online BWT I wouldn't think would be that daunting. I mean, yeah, it'll take time, but a lot of that builds off of what they already have.

 

[NameGenerated]

I miss the solo career

World Tour is cool now that it's solo but I hate the repeats of all these ridiculously easy songs. Is there a better/faster way of unlocking all the songs (w/o cheating)? Also the random setlists are sometimes annoying when they throw in an incredibly difficult song.

 

[Struct09]

I miss the solo career

World Tour is cool now that it's solo but I hate the repeats of all these ridiculously easy songs. Is there a better/faster way of unlocking all the songs (w/o cheating)? Also the random setlists are sometimes annoying when they throw in an incredibly difficult song.

Do the challenges. Best way to unlock songs, and you can play it much like you would a linear solo tour. Every tier you get a set of 5 new RB2 songs, and when you beat that tier you get the next one.

 

[overthehill99]

Do the challenges. Best way to unlock songs, and you can play it much like you would a linear solo tour. Every tier you get a set of 5 new RB2 songs, and when you beat that tier you get the next one.

Isn't there a challenge to play all the songs in order linearly?

 

[bounchfx]

yeah challenges basically is the regular tour, just looks a bit different is all. I'm starting to prefer it, however I wish there was still a way to sort songs and SEE THE STARS. instead of just points... so I know what i want to improve on. bah.

I think the best new feature is by far make a setlist. it's so awesome.

and I just tried visions drums.. it's not as bad as I was predicting. just got about 50% through.. I think I'll be able to do it. it sure is fun.

 

[Belgand]

yeah challenges basically is the regular tour, just looks a bit different is all. I'm starting to prefer it, however I wish there was still a way to sort songs and SEE THE STARS. instead of just points... so I know what i want to improve on. bah.

I think the best new feature is by far make a setlist. it's so awesome.

and I just tried visions drums.. it's not as bad as I was predicting. just got about 50% through.. I think I'll be able to do it. it sure is fun.

WITCH!

He's in league with Satan to gain both ungodly drumming prowess as well as the ability to tolerate shitty music! His mind has been warped by the unholy energies that pervade his body!

 

[NameGenerated]

Do the challenges. Best way to unlock songs, and you can play it much like you would a linear solo tour. Every tier you get a set of 5 new RB2 songs, and when you beat that tier you get the next one.

Ah ok, cool.

Also Rebel Girl makes me want to rip my fuckin' ears off.

 

[Struct09]

Isn't there a challenge to play all the songs in order linearly?

If there is one I haven't unlocked it yet. Doesn't really matter though, since you can play them broken up into 5 song sets by tier (and you can save and quit any time during those sets)

 

[Belgand]

Ah ok, cool.

Also Rebel Girl makes me want to rip my fuckin' ears off.

It makes me want to rip your ears off as well.

We need much, much more Riot Grrrl in the game. Why no Sleater-Kinney? Or Bratmobile? C'mon people, get with the fucking program.

Even if it's more grunge than Riot Grrrl I'd also like Veruca Salt in the game. I mean, wasn't "Seether" pretty big for a while or was I just listening to more college radio then?

Spoiler

My college radio station was terrible. It was basically just a much crappier mainstream station. Of course, the campus paper was on par with USA Today. I think they were trying to teach them to be prepared for the career of mediocrity and lowering the bar of American media even further that likely awaits them.

If there is one I haven't unlocked it yet. Doesn't really matter though, since you can play them broken up into 5 song sets by tier (and you can save and quit any time during those sets)

I think that's what he meant.

 

[Sp3eD]

Wow Peace Sells guitar chart is freaking amazingly fun.

I am normally pissed when I fail out of a song at 96%, but the chart is so good that I will beat it after my hand heals from playing 3 challenge tiers in a row.

Some of these songs are absolutely brutal on downstrumers.

 

[rjcc]

In your band set up (where you make your band logo) you can choose your stand-in roster.

I've been liking to keep the vocalist empty, as it tries to match a vocalist with whatever the first song you choose is. Start with Charlene...always.

I see said the blind man. you just need additional characters created to fill in with

 

[Onemic]

What university do you go to, out of curiosity?

York University

 

[Struct09]

Wow Peace Sells guitar chart is freaking amazingly fun.

I am normally pissed when I fail out of a song at 96%, but the chart is so good that I will beat it after my hand heals from playing 3 challenge tiers in a row.

Some of these songs are absolutely brutal on downstrumers.

Agreed on Peace Sells, awesome song to play on guitar.

 

[BobFromPikeCreek]

So how much are used RB1 drum kits going for these days?

 

[rohlfinator]

I need to stop lurking in this thread -- it's making me too envious of everyone who has the game already. I've been on a break from RB all summer, but I just exported my songs and ordered the game and a new set of 2.1 speakers (subwoofer, finally!), but I made the mistake of preordering the game with GameStop's cheapass shipping. I don't think they've even shipped it out yet. Gah.

It's done when it's done. Don't rush people or you get half-finished games and poorly charted songs. This is why id and Blizzard never state release dates. If RB2 didn't have a firm release date we would have Jukebox mode most likely.

Although considering how few new clothes there are, the minor changes (if any) to the character creator, and what else was done I wonder how this took them a year to do to the point that they still had to chop out features at the last minute to ship on time.

Jukebox mode seems like such a simple feature to implement that there must be a bigger issue than mere time constraints, especially if they have no intent to patch it in later. I'd guess that its omission is due to a licensing issue of some sort.

 

[Belgand]

So how much are used RB1 drum kits going for these days?

Depends. I've found them for very good prices on Craigslist. I think I've seen at least $40 a few times, but others were in bundles so the true price was masked a bit.

 

[scissorfight]

So how much are used RB1 drum kits going for these days?

i sold mine for 40 today...but you would be better off grabbing a brand new set for 45 w/ free shipping at amazon.

 

[Grecco]

So how much are used RB1 drum kits going for these days?

New kits are going for 50 bucks

 

[BobFromPikeCreek]

i sold mine for 40 today...but you would be better off grabbing a brand new set for 45 w/ free shipping at amazon.

I was asking for the opposite reason. Want to ditch my old kit and upgrade.

 

[Daigoro]

Even if it's more grunge than Riot Grrrl I'd also like Veruca Salt in the game. I mean, wasn't "Seether" pretty big for a while or was I just listening to more college radio then?

yeah, it was pretty big for awhile. i remeber hearing it a lot.

 

[Belgand]

I was asking for the opposite reason. Want to ditch my old kit and upgrade.

They list at $50 according to Amazon. You might be able to convince someone to pay $60 on CL if you hurry though.

yeah, it was pretty big for awhile. i remeber hearing it a lot.

Yeah, I looked into it. It apparently went to #8 on Billboard's Modern Rock chart and was apparently on MTV in the mid-90s. That explains it too. I didn't hear it until '99 after Eight Arms To Hold You was out and I bought American Thighs. Oddly it was still the first song by them that I heard. I don't know how I managed to miss it during the 90s.

 

[BobFromPikeCreek]

Whoa, wait a minute. Are the RB2 drums not in Canada yet? I don't see them listed as available at any Canadian site.

 

[Sandman42]

Whoa, wait a minute. Are the RB2 drums not in Canada yet? I don't see them listed as available at any Canadian site.

I pre-ordered them from EB Games, but they said that they didn't know when they were getting them in.

 

[BobFromPikeCreek]

I pre-ordered them from EB Games, but they said that they didn't know when they were getting them in.

Fuck. Well forget that. I'm not selling my RB1 drum kit yet in that case.

 

[Belgand]

Whoa, wait a minute. Are the RB2 drums not in Canada yet? I don't see them listed as available at any Canadian site.

They probably don't have enough Canadian content in them yet to qualify for sale

 

[bryehn]

Whoa, wait a minute. Are the RB2 drums not in Canada yet? I don't see them listed as available at any Canadian site.

I haven't found them anywhere. EB, Rogers, Blockbuster, Wal Mart...nothing in my area (Ottawa) at all. Most stores have no idea they exist.

 

[Uncle AJ]

Friggin' hard Expert Drums pass-on-sightread report:

Great Success!
Battery
Painkiller
Colony of Birchmen
Rambin' Man (Yes it's really fucking hard, a test of your right arm's stamina)

Thank you, come again...
Panic Attack - 96% (SHIT!)
Peace Sells - 90%

And I'm avoiding Visions as long as I possibly can. :/

 

[Evander]

It won't let you name a character "Spice" either. Guess that is closer to the slur you are looking for.

Well, technically I'm not looking for it, but yeah.

This makes me want to go in and test out the word filter more.



I'm suprised that they made it this crazy, as opposed to going for a bit more leniency, and then allowing for a bit of user moderation. I'm actually kind of upset that I had to change from the band name that I ALWAYS have used in the past, when I honestly believe that not a single person would have would it offensive, racially or otherwise (outside of Boston).

 

[Grecco]

I wish they would ban actual real life band names to be honest. Seing Rush, A7X ect is so stupid its like City of Heroes and guys making Wolv3rine and ZOOPAMan only worse.

 

[bishopcruz]

Gold Starred Hungry Like the Wolf and Eye of the Tiger on vocals today. First time out on both of them too.

The vocal sensityivity seems a bit better, not perfect yet, but much better than RB1.

On a separate note, they need to get 'Easy Lover' on this shit like NOW. I forgot how the guitar part was pretty good, and hey, the vocals rock.

 

[Onemic]

Peace sells 100% doesn't deserve to be under impossible. 90% of the song is the generic yyyryyyyry combo over and over. It's only the last 30 seconds or so that it becomes hard and it's really because of the irregular double bass hits. Something that can be perfected with about 5 minutes of practice.

 

[Sandman42]

The rest of the Peace Sells album will make up for that.

 

[TAJ]

Wow Peace Sells guitar chart is freaking amazingly fun.

I am normally pissed when I fail out of a song at 96%, but the chart is so good that I will beat it after my hand heals from playing 3 challenge tiers in a row.

Some of these songs are absolutely brutal on downstrumers.

Peace Sells, first try, all downstrum, after missing a day of sleep, and nine straight hours of play, directly after doing the same thing on Colony of Birchmen. >

 

[Stabby McSter]

master exploder is the best song to sing EVER

that is all

 

[NameGenerated]

master exploder is the best song to sing EVER

that is all

I haven't gotten to it yet, how much have they edited it?

 

[duffey]

Ugh the RB2 drums can be a pain in the ass. I'm performing much better with the RB1 set thanks to the fact that every time I hit the blue note on the RB2 set at anywhere other than lightly tapping triggers the yellow note. I really hope that just using the RB2 set more just makes it go away but this is starting to make me sad :/

 

[bounchfx]

Ugh the RB2 drums can be a pain in the ass. I'm performing much better with the RB1 set thanks to the fact that every time I hit the blue note on the RB2 set at anywhere other than lightly tapping triggers the yellow note. I really hope that just using the RB2 set more just makes it go away but this is starting to make me sad :/

ugh that sucks man, mine's been working near flawlessly.

 

[Stabby McSter]

I haven't gotten to it yet, how much have they edited it?

they've edited just the swear words out aaand pretty much thats it

still hella fun to hit the high notes

 

[Sp3eD]

Ugh the RB2 drums can be a pain in the ass. I'm performing much better with the RB1 set thanks to the fact that every time I hit the blue note on the RB2 set at anywhere other than lightly tapping triggers the yellow note. I really hope that just using the RB2 set more just makes it go away but this is starting to make me sad :/

Go into freestyle mode and try to put some pressure on the yellow pad before you wail blue pad. If it doesn't register, put a piece of tap on the back to hold the pads rim down a bit to stop it from vibrating.

I had to do that to my set and now it works perfect.

 

[Staccat0]

It makes me want to rip your ears off as well.

We need much, much more Riot Grrrl in the game. Why no Sleater-Kinney? Or Bratmobile? C'mon people, get with the fucking program.

Even if it's more grunge than Riot Grrrl I'd also like Veruca Salt in the game. I mean, wasn't "Seether" pretty big for a while or was I just listening to more college radio then?

Spoiler

My college radio station was terrible. It was basically just a much crappier mainstream station. Of course, the campus paper was on par with USA Today. I think they were trying to teach them to be prepared for the career of mediocrity and lowering the bar of American media even further that likely awaits them.

I think that's what he meant.

Yeah, being a fan aside, they are a band whos stuff is perfectly suited.
I guess corin oversings too much?

 

[Onemic]

I'll be the first to say that colony of birchmen is by and far the most fun drum song to play in all of RB(DLC included) it has the prefect balance of being very challenging, and yet at the same time not frustrating, and you feel like a fucking champ when you're able to perform well in it.

We really need Blood mountain or Leviathan as album DLC and quick.

Spoiler

Then again I'm a little biased as Mastodon is one of my favourite bands if you look at my last.fm page.

 

[Eggo]

Hey all,

Just a quick update on a couple of things people have been asking about since RB2's launch yesterday.

First off, thank you to all of you who've bought Rock Band 2 and are online playing the 84 master tracks that came with the game! As promised, Harmonix will be delivering 20 songs of free DLC to customers who buy Rock Band 2. This content will be available later this fall. Stay tuned for news re: official release date for these tracks.

Combined with our consistent download offering of songs, albums and packs, we're continuing to deliver on our promise of bringing alot of music out there weekly for the Rock Band platform. By the end of 2008, there will be over 500 songs across Rock Band (RB1 Disc, RB2 Disc and DLC).

We hope this answers your questions about the free tracks. We'll be announcing the exact tracks as we get closer to the release date. In the meantime, we hope you're enjoying working through the epic RB2 tracklist!

Lastly, some folks have been asking about the status of the previously discussed Jukebox Mode. This mode was removed from Rock Band 2 in the final stages of development. We have no immediate plans to bring this feature back to the platform in the future.

Hope this clears up any confusion!
__________________

While I'm disappointed we're not getting the tracks any time soon, I'm glad Harmonix is being up front about it, instead of keeping us in the dark. Communication is a good thing.

 

[Xevren]

I'll be the first to say that colony of birchmen is by and far the most fun drum song to play in all of RB(DLC included) it has the prefect balance of being very challenging, and yet at the same time not frustrating, and you feel like a fucking champ when you're able to perform well in it.

We really need Blood mountain or Leviathan as album DLC and quick.

Spoiler

Then again I'm a little biased as Mastodon is one of my favourite bands if you look at my last.fm page.

Mastadon dlc would be awesome.

 

[Keyser Soze]

I had a US 360 and RB2 in a basket ready out check out on VG+...