Dear Game Developers: Unrealistic Guitar not a Problem

[Zechnophobe]

I'm sure I'm not the only one that has noticed this trend. But the more companies try to come out with 'guitar hero' type games that use 'real' controllers, the less success they have.

It seems to come from some broken misconception that the only reason these games aren't selling better than condoms, is that the guitar just wasn't realistic enough.

But it isn't true. People want a game they can play that doesn't require them to be ACTUAL musicians. By making more and more realistic guitars, or whatnot, you are simply limiting yourself more and more to a fairly small subgroup of players: Musicians.

Even worse, those types don't NEED a game to get this kind of kick.

NEVER underestimate the gamers ability to do something really fun, while looking completely silly.

 

[nintendoeats]

I think these games are cool. As a guitar player, having a game that can act as a practice aid sounds totally awesome.

 

[Jamboxdotcom]

hear, hear! i loved, loved, loved the first two Guitar Hero games and the first two Rock Band games. Rock Band lost me with 3, due to the whole "pro mode" pile of crap.

 

[nintendoeats]

Well Guitar Hero is officially dead. Activision aren't making anymore GH games. So why are we discussing it?

(People played Rock Band?)

Ubisoft is making one now. The reason that's not retarded is that you can actually plug your guitar right in to the console, instead of having to buy a new very expensive toy.

 

[arealperson]

I come from the opposite background. I hated the fad that was "Guitar Hero", people wasting their lives competing in tournaments, when all that time could have been used to invest in real skill. Without a real guitar, it always seemed a weak-sauce Simon Says 'almost-game'. I thought "Rock Band" was a touch better, as both a party and karaoke-type game, once I had gotten over that "Guitar Hero" was in-fact fun to play, whether I liked it or not.

As someone with low motivation, I've liked the idea of having a game to provide some of that for me, just as DDR did. Sure, I may not be a great dancer, but it definitely made me an active person for a while.

I'd like to add that the rhythm genre crashed irrespective of whether the peripheral was real or not, and that it's ironic that Rock Band 3 would lose someone like Jambo, as it still permits all of the old peripherals and classic game modes.