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Old 2010.06.11, 06:02 AM   #32
Inaudible-Whisper
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So, Rock Band 3 was announced. Pretty insane step-up from the previous game (not that I expect Harmonix to continuously release the same game with a different setlist a la Neversoft). The first major addition to the core gameplay is a 25-key, fully functioning MIDI keyboard.

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All of the standard gameplay additions such as a better story mode, more fluid, party-friendly gameplay (instantly jump in and out with any instrument), revamped song filtering system are in the game, which features 83 new songs. They've also added the 3 part vocal harmonies from The Beatles and Green Day games. Anything you learn on the keyboard (in expert mode particularly) will translate to the actual thing, and if you already have a MIDI device, you can use your own instead of Harmonix's keyboard if you buy this.

And that "actually play an instrument" mentality is now going to be covered with all instruments thanks to the addition of Rock Band Pro mode. This new music learning mode lets players develop real-world music-playing fundamentals for keyboards, guitars and drums. More realistic music notations replace the standard color-coded notes during gameplay. For guitar, numbers flow down the screen along six guitar strings, telling you where to place your hands on the neck and when to strum. How do you play Rock Band 3 in pro mode? Well, for guitar you could buy the Rock Band 3 Fender Squire --

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This is a genuine, full size guitar that works as a guitar should outside of the game. It also has fret-sensing technology for your fingers which shows up in real time on the screen so you can look at the screen and see where your left-hand fingers are. It also detects strum data. Rock Band Pro mode, like the standard mode, will have easy, medium, hard and expert and will work with all 83 songs on the game, and all future DLC. When you get up to expert mode, you are playing the song on guitar. Literally. "We have arpeggio language — it does take you all the way through to Expert, which is note-for-note authoring… for ridiculous songs! Like, “Crazy Train,” or “Rainbow in the Dark,” or whatever — these songs that have blistering solos — in order to beat those songs in Pro mode on Expert, you will have to genuinely learn the song."

There will also be this cheaper MIDI Pro controller with a 17-fret neck and 6 lanes of touch buttons representing the strings:

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The drums are the same, though in Pro mode the game actually recognises the cymbals if you buy the 3-cymbal pack. It will tell you when to hit a cymbal or a tom, and a second pedal will work now so you're, for the most part, playing the drums one to one, and this will work with all DLC too.

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By this point you're probably either thinking "Holy shit! Awesome", "This is going to cost a fortune" or a bit of both. The beauty of the game is that you don't have to buy anything other than the disc, if you don't want to. Play it how you want, at any level you want. Your Rock Band/Guitar Hero drums, guitars and mics will work. If you want the keyboard, pay the extra for it. If you want the pro stuff, buy the cymbal pack and one of the guitars (it's hardly a dumb investment for a game anymore, since you're buying a legit instrument). Whatever you buy or already own, it should be a fantastic game if you're interested in the genre.

Tracklist so far:

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

Rock Band 3 - First Look
Rock Band 3 Trailer 1
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