Topic: Hey look yet another Guitar Hero game announced but wait....it's a rehash!!

[Flames_of_chaos]

Activision announced earlier today Guitar Hero Greatest Hits during their financial conference call. The game will be comprised of the songs Guitar Hero fans liked the most from Guitar Hero, Guitar Hero II, Guitar Hero III and Guitar Hero: Aerosmith. All of these repackaged songs from the earlier games will be remade to work with all of Guitar Hero World Tour’s instruments. Guitar Hero Greatest Hits will be out sometime within the next two quarters for the Xbox 360, Wii and PlayStation 3.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

This is what it takes to be the No.1 third party publisher.

=\

[EasyCure]

i dont like it, but  hey.. alot of people missed out on the first 2 GH titles (including yours truly).

[GoldenPhoenix]

I'm excited because there are several songs I'd love to sing from the previous GH games!

[EasyCure]

I'm excited because there are several songs I'd love to sing from the previous GH games!

This too. Its awesome that some great songs from the first two games (which again, might be 'new' to those of us new to the series) are going to see new life because of the full band upgrade.

Now the real question is.. Will they stick with the 100% original tunes, or will they rehash some of those cover songs??

[Halbred]

This kind of makes me happy. I really liked a lot of the songs from the first two games. However, they better do it up right:

1) No more covers. Get the master recordings for ALL the new-fangled songs. Otherwise, don't include them.
2) Why not make these downloadable track packs? Cuts costs, shortens turnaround time, consumers can pick which songs they want. For example, I sure as hell don't want "Girlfriend" (GH2), but please give me "Bark at the Moon" (GH1). But if you fail to include "Bones" or "Freebird," I will be very pissed.

So here's what Activision needs to do. Figure out which songs they can get master tracks for. Put those on a disk OR DLC.

[Mop it up]

This series is turning into the next Dance Dance Revolution, which had more releases than games with "Mario" in the title.

[Ian Sane]

I've rather they just make a Guitar Hero I & II combo for the Wii since I can't play those games.  And the full band support is a good addition.

I'll pay $20 for this unless there is too much overlap from GHIII.  But even then it depends on the track list.  How about instead of this stupid rehashing they just release these songs in full band mode AS DLC FOR WORLD TOUR!!  We want to customize our playlist and not be forced to play shitty songs from bands that suck.  My friend complain we don't have enough songs to play in World Tour because we hate about half of the playlist (mostly stuff from this decade).  But if I could pick and choose my favourite tracks from all the GH games (including Rocks the 80's which isn't in this set for some reason) I could easily make a whole game's worth.

What this or Rock Band needs to do is not offer an included playlist at all.  Instead you get so many songs worth of credits and then you pick from the DLC what you want.  Anything over the allotted credits you have to pay for.  Don't have internet access?  Well I would say "get with the times dinosaur" but to be nice you can also allow people to use their credits towards a mail-in disc of pre-selected songs.

I don't plan on ever buying one of these games at full price (disc only) ever again unless they introduce the model I mentioned above.

[Pale]

Well I don't like the sound of this really.  Disc swapping for song lists will be annoying.

I wonder what the chances are of them letting us "install" songs to an SD card.

[Flames_of_chaos]

Well I don't like the sound of this really.  Disc swapping for song lists will be annoying.

I wonder what the chances are of them letting us "install" songs to an SD card.

If Rock Band II (Wii) doesn't do it then fat chance also Activision wouldn't want you to import songs like Rock Band on PS3 and 360 does it. But this is just the ultimate definition of milking a franchise until it's only evaporated milk.

[Plugabugz]

This is Activision "annualising" their franchises. At least annualise something i'd want! I'm the consumer, give me products to consume... not the same thing as last year this year! I'm actually serious about wanting to see a Beyonce's Bootylicious Dance Mix now.

I am not paying £149.99 (nearly $300) for a game and bits of plastic and effectively licenses to the songs on the disc.

[Stratos]

Well I don't like the sound of this really.  Disc swapping for song lists will be annoying.

I wonder what the chances are of them letting us "install" songs to an SD card.

If Rock Band II (Wii) doesn't do it then fat chance also Activision wouldn't want you to import songs like Rock Band on PS3 and 360 does it. But this is just the ultimate definition of milking a franchise until it's only evaporated milk.

I'll get it. I was just thinking the other day that I would pay $20 for GH3 w/ full band support. Adding songs from 1 & 2 makes me even happier as I missed out on those. Though they have to include the Trogdor song from 2.

[EasyCure]

I'm jumping on this "i'd buy it if it was dirt cheap' bandwagon, though like Ian said it really should just be DLC for petes sake but oh well, did you really expect Activision NOT to milk this franchise? They're not gonna stop so you just gotta roll with it.

[Flames_of_chaos]

This is Activision "annualising" their franchises. At least annualise something i'd want! I'm the consumer, give me products to consume... not the same thing as last year this year! I'm actually serious about wanting to see a Beyonce's Bootylicious Dance Mix now.

I am not paying £149.99 (nearly $300) for a game and bits of plastic and effectively licenses to the songs on the disc.

Guitar Hero.....annualising?!?!?! Are you kidding me it's more like quarteralising or bi-quarteralising.

[BeautifulShy]

This milking has gotten rediculious.
I've tried Guitar Hero and Rock Band. One of my friends has it.While Guitar Hero and Rock Band are ok. I wouldn't purchase it myself. To expensive.

[GoldenPhoenix]

If they have Paint it Black I will be first in line!

[Pale]

Maybe they will release them all as DLC too. Ya never know really. I bet the copies on store shelves would still sell really well regardless.

[Flames_of_chaos]

Maybe they will release them all as DLC too. Ya never know really. I bet the copies on store shelves would still sell really well regardless.

If you look at Activision's treatment of the franchise nope.

[IceCold]

This is great news because finally No One Knows will be vocal and drums compatible.

[Khushrenada]

Frankly, playing GH:Areosmith I've been wishing a few times that the game had been released later so the songs could be given the full band treatment like GH: Metallica is going to get. The only Areosmith song that you can do this with is Train Kept A Rollin' on Rock Band and that's a cover version. I'd pay full price for a new GH:Areosmith game if it had all the songs with the full treatment. Funny thing is, I wasn't even a big fan of Areosmith before but I like that version of Guitar Hero a lot more than the rest of them.

[EasyCure]

This is great news because finally No One Knows will be vocal and drums compatible.

I want both Dead Kennedys tracks that have appeared in the GH series to make a comeback as their original versions plz!

[NWR_insanolord]

I never owned 1, 2, or Aerosmith and I'd love some stuff from 3 on the drums, so I'll buy this. Hopefully since I'm getting it for the 360 I'll be able to import them into World Tour.

[UltimatePartyBear]

I'd probably be willing to buy 90% of what they're likely to put on the disc as DLC even if it were cheaper to buy the disc.  Disc swapping sucks, as I learned from GH Rocks the '80s.  I may pick this up depending on which and how many tracks make the cut, but if it's not offered as DLC it will be a huge missed opportunity.

[Spinnzilla]

I LOVE this idea, but what the hell. why not just as DLC?

Rumored Setlist:

*Guitar Hero 1 Songs*

Bark at the Moon
Cowboys from Hell
Godzilla
Hey You
I Love Rock and Roll
Killer Queen
More Than a Feeling
No One Knows
Smoke on the Water
Stellar
Take It Off
Take Me Out
Thunder Kiss ‘65
Unsung

*Guitar Hero 2 Songs*

Beast and the Harlot
Carry On Wayward Son
Cherry Pie
Free Bird ^
Freya
Heart-Shaped Box
Killing in the Name
Laid to Rest ^
Message in a Bottle
Monkey Wrench
Mother^
Psychobilly Freakout
Stop
Them Bones
Trippin’ on a Hole in a Paper Heart
The Trooper
Woman
YYZ

Rock the 80’s Songs

Nothin’ But a Good Time ^
Electric Eye ^
I Wanna Rock
Play With Me
Round and Round

*Guitar Hero 3 Songs*

Barracuda
Cult of Personality
Hit Me With Your Best Shot
Lay Down
Miss Murder
Raining Blood
Rock and Roll All Nite
Through the Fire and the flame

*Guitar Hero Aerosmith songs*

Back in the Saddle

prepare for the covers, if this turns out to be true, "The Trooper" confirms it.

[Ian Sane]

Only one Aerosmith song?  Complete Control was the song from that game I was more interested in.

Still that's a pretty cool list.  I actually like most of it.  Thunder Kiss '65, The Trooper, Round and Round would all be really fun songs to do with a full band.  The GHIII list could be better but since I already have it it's no big deal to me.

If that's the real setlist then I'll buy it for sure.  Used or new?  We'll see.

Being able to say "It's a Psychobilly Freakout!!" in a Beavis voice might be worth it alone.

[UltimatePartyBear]

That's a better list than I expected.  I hope that rumor's true, though it's missing some of my favorites.  I can't believe they'd dip into Rocks the '80s and not come up with Flock of Seagulls.  I'll also miss some of the better bonus tracks from the Harmonix era, and not just stuff like Trogdor.  I'd love to see Cheat on the Church get the World Tour treatment, for example.

How does "The Trooper" confirm covers?  I don't necessarily mind, I guess.  The Guitar Hero cover versions were my first exposure to several songs.

[Stratos]

I don't think that will be the whole setlist. Considering the last GH and RB both had 80+ songs I would guess (and hope) for a lot more. Especially since they were already made before for Guitar and Bass.
I would really like to see Black Magic Woman, Knights of Cydonia, Devil Went Down to Georgia, Rock You Like a Hurricane, Striken, Schools Out and Closer from GH3.

[Spinnzilla]

How does "The Trooper" confirm covers?  I don't necessarily mind, I guess.  The Guitar Hero cover versions were my first exposure to several songs.

Because of how Iron Maiden recorded their songs.  They recorded the vocals and drums on the same track, making it impossible for Iron Maiden master tracks to be in FULL BAND games.  Unless they rerecorded it.  This is why "Run to the Hills" is a cover in RB and why we saw no Maiden in Guitar Hero: Metallica, despite the band pushing hard to get them in.

[Halbred]

I hope there aren't too many GH3 songs on that disk. I have GH3 for my PS3. I don't need to play those songs again. And like I said, everything has to be master recordings. No more covers. I can't listen to covers anymore after World Tour.

[Spinnzilla]

I don't mind covers for the most part.  If it's a favorite band, of course I want the original version but GH covers tend to be high quality stuff.

[Ian Sane]

Because of how Iron Maiden recorded their songs.  They recorded the vocals and drums on the same track, making it impossible for Iron Maiden master tracks to be in FULL BAND games.  Unless they rerecorded it.  This is why "Run to the Hills" is a cover in RB and why we saw no Maiden in Guitar Hero: Metallica, despite the band pushing hard to get them in.

Couldn't Maiden just re-record those songs?  The Sex Pistols and Motorhead both have re-recorded 2008 versions of their songs on World Tour.  I heard that the master tapes for the Sex Pistols lone album have been lost so they had to re-record their songs to get them in the game.  I'm assuming a similar reason for Motorhead.

In Maiden's case they could probably just have Nicko and Bruce re-record the drums and vocals and keep the original guitar and bass tracks.

[EasyCure]

I don't mind covers for the most part.  If it's a favorite band, of course I want the original version but GH covers tend to be high quality stuff.

Even if some of those covers were high quality, i'd still want ALL originals if only so they don't get to have the cover artists change lyrics because of content. Oh, and they weren't all high quality

This is a perfect example of a bad cover

and heres the Original for comparison purposes. Also the lyrics:

Tonights the night that we got the truck
Were goin downtown gonna beat up drunks punks
Your turn to drive Ill bring the beer
Its the late, late shift no one to fear
And ride, ride how we ride
We ride, lowride

Its roundup time where the good whores girls meet
Gonna drag one screaming off the street

And ride, ride how we ride

Got a black uniform and a silver badge
Playin cops for real/playin cops for pay

Lets ride, lowride

Pull down your dress heres a kick in the ass butt
Lets beat you blue til you **** you're loose in your pants
Dont move, child got a big black stick
Theres six of us babe, so suck on my dick so take-a your pick

And ride, ride how we ride
Lets ride, lowride

The left newspapers might whine a bit
But the guys at the station they dont give a **** fit(?)
Dispatch calls are you doin something wicked?
No siree, jack, were just givin tickets

As we ride, ride, how we ride
Lets ride, lowride

Now i understand some of those edits but some are just plain silly. I'd rather have the 'bad' parts just muted out and give me the freedom to them off the top of my lungs when amongst fellow adult gamers.

[Morari]

Great idea. **** execution.

What is Activision's problem with just releasing stuff as DLC?

[Stratos]

Great idea. **** execution.

What is Activision's problem with just releasing stuff as DLC?

More easy money off of disk sales.

How does "The Trooper" confirm covers?  I don't necessarily mind, I guess.  The Guitar Hero cover versions were my first exposure to several songs.

Because of how Iron Maiden recorded their songs.  They recorded the vocals and drums on the same track, making it impossible for Iron Maiden master tracks to be in FULL BAND games.  Unless they rerecorded it.  This is why "Run to the Hills" is a cover in RB and why we saw no Maiden in Guitar Hero: Metallica, despite the band pushing hard to get them in.

And there are ways to get songs on there that do not have the instruments on separate tracks. Harmonix is able to do it. It just takes a LOT of work.
Beatles didn't all have separate tracks on their songs and a game is being released of their stuff.

[Spinnzilla]

Great idea. **** execution.

What is Activision's problem with just releasing stuff as DLC?

More easy money off of disk sales.

DLC is the most profitable aspect of these games....

[BranDonk Kong]

I don't think they'll be covers - since Harmonix made the 1st 3 games, and because the War Pigs cover on GH2 is the same cover that's DLC in Rock Band.

[Stratos]

Great idea. **** execution.

What is Activision's problem with just releasing stuff as DLC?

More easy money off of disk sales.

DLC is the most profitable aspect of these games....

I'm willing to bet more people buy the disks than get DLC. GH more so than RB.
Plus I don't think DLC is as profitable as some would think. Not saying it isn't profitable, but it's not a golden goose either.

[Khushrenada]

The songs I would want:

Guitar Hero:

I Love Rock N Roll

Guitar Hero 2:

Crazy On You
Sweet Child O' Mine

Guitar Hero 3

Barracuda
Hit Me With You Best Shot
Paint It Black
Rock You Like A Hurricane
Same Old Song And Dance
Welcome To The Jungle

Guitar Hero: Areosmith

Dream Police
She Sells Sanctuary
All Day and All of the Night
Make It
Draw The Line
Movin' Out
Sweet Emotion
RagDoll
Livin' on the Edge
Love in an Elevator
Nobody's Fault
Walk This Way
Back In The Saddle
Beyond Beautiful
Dream On
Kings And Queens
Toys In The Attic
Train Kept A Rollin' (the real version and not a cover like RB)

And if they decide to dig this far,
GH: Rocks the 80s

Heat of the Moment
I Ran
No One Like You
Radar Love


So, yeah, no surprise that the Areosmith version had the most tracks since I said earlier I'd like to see that whole disc converted to the full band treatment. But if I had to pick one, it would actually be She Sell Sanctuary by The Cult. Love that song.

Part of the reason is this, many of the songs covered in the first few GH games have already been converted into band songs like Message in a Bottle or Ballroom Blitz or Carry on Wayword Son. Plus, I don't recognize a lot of the other songs so it's hard to say if I'd like them or not. But I dislike Metal greatly. If there's a metal song, I'll play it once on Easy with the sound way down just to pass it and be down with it. Even grunge I'm not a fan of. Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam and other stuff like that.

So, in that way, discs make sense. It forces people to pay for songs they might not want for songs they do. It might be better than DLC since all songs enjoy the same sales instead of only having a few songs that sell high. I don't like it but I get why they're doing it.

[Spinnzilla]

Great idea. **** execution.

What is Activision's problem with just releasing stuff as DLC?

More easy money off of disk sales.

DLC is the most profitable aspect of these games....

I'm willing to bet more people buy the disks than get DLC. GH more so than RB.
Plus I don't think DLC is as profitable as some would think. Not saying it isn't profitable, but it's not a golden goose either.

And I'm willing to bet RB has made much more via DLC sales than software sales.  And GH will too once the DLC begins to find its feet.

[Stratos]

The reason is because RB worked hard to set up a model of being DLC centric. But the series has only been around for less than a year and a half. Time will tell if it can become sustainable in the long run.
The activity of RB 1 users on the XBox platform showed that a healthy dose of DLC did not cause a large number of people to stay with the game longer. The nature of DLC requires that gamers continue to play games after the initial launch and play cycle so they will buy new stuff. GH has a major one-time purchase supplemented with a lighter amount of DLC so it will not affect them as much if people decide to move on to something else and cease to buy DLC.
This year will be even more of a test as there will be no RB3 to draw users new and old into the fold once more.

Here is the link to the analysis data I referenced.
http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=22078