Dess
08-30-2010, 08:27 PM
At E3 2010, Harmonix revealed that they would be bringing the music game genre to a whole new level with the addition of Pro Mode, a new gameplay component that would not only allow you to emulate real musicians, but help you on your way to becoming one. The concept brings together software implementation and radical new hardware design, which involves creating new control schemes via wholly new instrument controllers that mimic their real-life counterparts but also produce functional in-game results.
To assist them in creating these controller solutions, MTV Games and Harmonix teamed up with Mad Catz to design and produce the new Wireless Keyboard Controller and Fender Mustang Pro Guitar Controller, as well as implementing a few notable tweaks to the Rock Band Microphone and Wireless Drum Kit. IGN was given an opportunity to take an extended look at the new hardware and how they performed in a real-life gameplay environment.
Wireless Keyboard Controller
Obviously the biggest addition to the Rock Band hardware family is the Wireless Keyboard Controller, which more closely resembles a keytar; just don't let Harmonix or Mad Catz catch you calling it that, it's a keyboard. The Wireless Keyboard Controller features 25 velocity sensitive keys, which, like a real keyboard, are capable of detecting the precise speed and strength of each key depression. In terms of how this integrates into gameplay, specifically within Pro Mode, in order for the game to fully register a strike, the key must depressed in time with the on-screen cue, but also with enough of a tap to allow the note to "ring" – just like a real keyboard, because, in fact, it is.
http://gearmedia.ign.com/gear/image/article/111/1116696/rock-band-3-instrument-controllers-preview-20100827050017123-000.jpg
The Wireless Keyboard Controller is actually a fully functional MIDI controller, which stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface. What a MIDI controller does is take every note struck or chord formulated, and convert it into a digital format which can be processed by a computer and reproduced in recording software like Reason or GarageBand. Instead of recording a live instrument through a microphone, which requires players to capture a perfect take, a MIDI device allows each and every note and chord can be tweaked and augmented in a recording program. Unfortunately we weren't able to test the Wireless Keyboard controller as a MIDI controller, but we intend on testing this function extensively closer to launch.
This was also the first time we've used the production-grade Wireless Keyboard Controller, which will be the same controller offered when the game arrives in October. The number of noticeable changes to the device is few, as most of the revisions have been a matter of performance tweaks, but the feel of the controller is definitely solid. The keys feel sturdier and have a firmer level of resistance than our earlier trials, furthering the life-like experience of playing a real keyboard. Most importantly, the shell feels well constructed and road ready, though we wouldn't recommend taking any stage dives while the device is hanging from your neck via an included shoulder strap. The Wireless Keyboard Controller will be the same across all platforms in terms of design, though the Xbox 360 version will sync directly with the console out of the box, the PS3 and Wii versions will use a wireless USB dongle system.
We also got to take a look at the completed Wireless Keyboard Controller stand, which like all of the official peripherals, is being produced by Mad Catz. The stand was designed to be fully extendable and capable of being raised to somewhere around four and a half feet, or lowered to roughly two feet. The stand is constructed of metal and can bear weight well beyond the keyboard itself. Mad Catz invited us to prop ourselves on it, but we thought better of it. The Wireless Keyboard Controller will ship when the game is released on October 26 for $79.99, or bundled with the game for $129.99.
http://gearmedia.ign.com/gear/image/article/111/1116696/rock-band-3-instrument-controllers-preview-20100827050012373-000.jpg
The Fender Mustang Pro Guitar Controller
While drums in the Rock Band series have always been somewhere grounded in reality, the guitar controller was probably the least realistic of them all. The challenge of creating a real guitar experience, both in-game and out, was replicating the process of strumming six individual strings and formulating chords and performing note-for-note solos. Mad Catz was able to do this by creating a strumming sensor system, which they call the string box, which suspends nylon coated steel strings across two mounting boxes, each with their own individual sensor. The string box works in tandem with a series of buttons distributed along 17 frets, in six rows to represent each string, totaling in 102 individual buttons.
Given the complexity of the control scheme, one can't help but be skeptical of the quality of the controller and how it performs, but we found ourselves pleasantly surprised. Again, this was the first time we were able to get our hands on a production-level version of the controller, and while the look hadn't changed much since our initial experiences, the feel was much more solid. The buttons felt more responsive and firmly mounted, the neck was securely locked into position, and body didn't creak and crack when we would apply pressure to it like we had previously, giving the impression that it was poorly constructed. Instead, the Fender Mustang Pro Guitar Controller felt pretty good – not like a fully fledged guitar, but good.
Still, there are clearly some inherent vulnerabilities with the string box design and the sheer number of buttons at work; like for instance, if a fret's worth of buttons became inoperable or perhaps one of the strings snaps. However, Mad Catz assures us that should a string break on the Mustang, the string box allows for a fairly quick and easy replacement, though they weren't able to provide us with specific details of their solutions. As for the threat of a faulty neck, the design actually features a quick-release system that detaches the neck entirely for easy storage. This could, theoretically, allow for easy replacement of a faulty neck, though the process of obtaining a replacement, if the company will offer them at all, remains unclear.
Like the Wireless Keyboard Controller, the Fender Mustang Pro Guitar Controller is a fully functional MIDI controller, which again allows it to be used with digital recording software. It will be available separately for $149.99 when the game launches. The Fender Mustang Pro Guitar Controller will be the same across all platforms in terms of design, though the Xbox 360 version will sync directly with the console out of the box, the PS3 and Wii versions will use a wireless USB dongle system.
http://gearmedia.ign.com/gear/image/article/111/1116696/rock-band-3-instrument-controllers-preview-20100827051603717-000.jpghttp://gearmedia.ign.com/gear/image/article/111/1116696/rock-band-3-instrument-controllers-preview-20100827050014873-000.jpg
The New and Improved Microphone and Drums
When it was announced that Mad Catz had taken over production of the new Rock Band 3 hardware, the company also confirmed that they would take over the production of legacy hardware, meaning that they would be producing and distributing other existing standalone Rock Band hardware, like the microphone, guitar controller, and drums. While the original guitar controller will remain unchanged, the microphone and drums have been revised and tweaked for better performance.
In the case of the microphone, it is actually a wholly new design, ditching the old Logitech design for a larger, more accurate and higher-fidelity microphone. The shape and size of the microphone is actually 1:1 with a real stage microphone, although obviously not on par in terms of quality. Unfortunately the microphone is still a wired USB controller, and not a wireless solution like the other instrument controllers. In use we noticed that the decibel tolerance of the microphone was much higher, and as more enthusiastic singers crooned at higher volumes, their voices weren't being clipped when sent back through our digital surround speakers. Additionally the microphone seemed to have a larger range of sensitivity, which as always, can be adjusted within the game.
The changes of the drum, however, are a bit more subtle, as the look and feel remains largely the same. The most substantial change, actually, is how it integrates with add-ons, like the optional cymbal attachments and double kick pedal. Dual kick pedal support is now available straight out of the box through the inclusion of two dedicated kick pedal ports, rather than requiring a splitter adapter. The second kick pedal, when used in Rock Band 3, can also be designated as a second kick drum pedal or a high-hat.
The add-on cymbals have also been tweaked, featuring a new, quieter coating and a more natural downward angle of ten degrees. The sensitivity of the cymbals' built-in sensors has been improved to track strikes more accurately.
The new microphone will retail for $29.99 and the add-on cymbals will be priced at $39.99. Pricing for the drum kit has not been confirmed.
To assist them in creating these controller solutions, MTV Games and Harmonix teamed up with Mad Catz to design and produce the new Wireless Keyboard Controller and Fender Mustang Pro Guitar Controller, as well as implementing a few notable tweaks to the Rock Band Microphone and Wireless Drum Kit. IGN was given an opportunity to take an extended look at the new hardware and how they performed in a real-life gameplay environment.
Wireless Keyboard Controller
Obviously the biggest addition to the Rock Band hardware family is the Wireless Keyboard Controller, which more closely resembles a keytar; just don't let Harmonix or Mad Catz catch you calling it that, it's a keyboard. The Wireless Keyboard Controller features 25 velocity sensitive keys, which, like a real keyboard, are capable of detecting the precise speed and strength of each key depression. In terms of how this integrates into gameplay, specifically within Pro Mode, in order for the game to fully register a strike, the key must depressed in time with the on-screen cue, but also with enough of a tap to allow the note to "ring" – just like a real keyboard, because, in fact, it is.
http://gearmedia.ign.com/gear/image/article/111/1116696/rock-band-3-instrument-controllers-preview-20100827050017123-000.jpg
The Wireless Keyboard Controller is actually a fully functional MIDI controller, which stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface. What a MIDI controller does is take every note struck or chord formulated, and convert it into a digital format which can be processed by a computer and reproduced in recording software like Reason or GarageBand. Instead of recording a live instrument through a microphone, which requires players to capture a perfect take, a MIDI device allows each and every note and chord can be tweaked and augmented in a recording program. Unfortunately we weren't able to test the Wireless Keyboard controller as a MIDI controller, but we intend on testing this function extensively closer to launch.
This was also the first time we've used the production-grade Wireless Keyboard Controller, which will be the same controller offered when the game arrives in October. The number of noticeable changes to the device is few, as most of the revisions have been a matter of performance tweaks, but the feel of the controller is definitely solid. The keys feel sturdier and have a firmer level of resistance than our earlier trials, furthering the life-like experience of playing a real keyboard. Most importantly, the shell feels well constructed and road ready, though we wouldn't recommend taking any stage dives while the device is hanging from your neck via an included shoulder strap. The Wireless Keyboard Controller will be the same across all platforms in terms of design, though the Xbox 360 version will sync directly with the console out of the box, the PS3 and Wii versions will use a wireless USB dongle system.
We also got to take a look at the completed Wireless Keyboard Controller stand, which like all of the official peripherals, is being produced by Mad Catz. The stand was designed to be fully extendable and capable of being raised to somewhere around four and a half feet, or lowered to roughly two feet. The stand is constructed of metal and can bear weight well beyond the keyboard itself. Mad Catz invited us to prop ourselves on it, but we thought better of it. The Wireless Keyboard Controller will ship when the game is released on October 26 for $79.99, or bundled with the game for $129.99.
http://gearmedia.ign.com/gear/image/article/111/1116696/rock-band-3-instrument-controllers-preview-20100827050012373-000.jpg
The Fender Mustang Pro Guitar Controller
While drums in the Rock Band series have always been somewhere grounded in reality, the guitar controller was probably the least realistic of them all. The challenge of creating a real guitar experience, both in-game and out, was replicating the process of strumming six individual strings and formulating chords and performing note-for-note solos. Mad Catz was able to do this by creating a strumming sensor system, which they call the string box, which suspends nylon coated steel strings across two mounting boxes, each with their own individual sensor. The string box works in tandem with a series of buttons distributed along 17 frets, in six rows to represent each string, totaling in 102 individual buttons.
Given the complexity of the control scheme, one can't help but be skeptical of the quality of the controller and how it performs, but we found ourselves pleasantly surprised. Again, this was the first time we were able to get our hands on a production-level version of the controller, and while the look hadn't changed much since our initial experiences, the feel was much more solid. The buttons felt more responsive and firmly mounted, the neck was securely locked into position, and body didn't creak and crack when we would apply pressure to it like we had previously, giving the impression that it was poorly constructed. Instead, the Fender Mustang Pro Guitar Controller felt pretty good – not like a fully fledged guitar, but good.
Still, there are clearly some inherent vulnerabilities with the string box design and the sheer number of buttons at work; like for instance, if a fret's worth of buttons became inoperable or perhaps one of the strings snaps. However, Mad Catz assures us that should a string break on the Mustang, the string box allows for a fairly quick and easy replacement, though they weren't able to provide us with specific details of their solutions. As for the threat of a faulty neck, the design actually features a quick-release system that detaches the neck entirely for easy storage. This could, theoretically, allow for easy replacement of a faulty neck, though the process of obtaining a replacement, if the company will offer them at all, remains unclear.
Like the Wireless Keyboard Controller, the Fender Mustang Pro Guitar Controller is a fully functional MIDI controller, which again allows it to be used with digital recording software. It will be available separately for $149.99 when the game launches. The Fender Mustang Pro Guitar Controller will be the same across all platforms in terms of design, though the Xbox 360 version will sync directly with the console out of the box, the PS3 and Wii versions will use a wireless USB dongle system.
http://gearmedia.ign.com/gear/image/article/111/1116696/rock-band-3-instrument-controllers-preview-20100827051603717-000.jpghttp://gearmedia.ign.com/gear/image/article/111/1116696/rock-band-3-instrument-controllers-preview-20100827050014873-000.jpg
The New and Improved Microphone and Drums
When it was announced that Mad Catz had taken over production of the new Rock Band 3 hardware, the company also confirmed that they would take over the production of legacy hardware, meaning that they would be producing and distributing other existing standalone Rock Band hardware, like the microphone, guitar controller, and drums. While the original guitar controller will remain unchanged, the microphone and drums have been revised and tweaked for better performance.
In the case of the microphone, it is actually a wholly new design, ditching the old Logitech design for a larger, more accurate and higher-fidelity microphone. The shape and size of the microphone is actually 1:1 with a real stage microphone, although obviously not on par in terms of quality. Unfortunately the microphone is still a wired USB controller, and not a wireless solution like the other instrument controllers. In use we noticed that the decibel tolerance of the microphone was much higher, and as more enthusiastic singers crooned at higher volumes, their voices weren't being clipped when sent back through our digital surround speakers. Additionally the microphone seemed to have a larger range of sensitivity, which as always, can be adjusted within the game.
The changes of the drum, however, are a bit more subtle, as the look and feel remains largely the same. The most substantial change, actually, is how it integrates with add-ons, like the optional cymbal attachments and double kick pedal. Dual kick pedal support is now available straight out of the box through the inclusion of two dedicated kick pedal ports, rather than requiring a splitter adapter. The second kick pedal, when used in Rock Band 3, can also be designated as a second kick drum pedal or a high-hat.
The add-on cymbals have also been tweaked, featuring a new, quieter coating and a more natural downward angle of ten degrees. The sensitivity of the cymbals' built-in sensors has been improved to track strikes more accurately.
The new microphone will retail for $29.99 and the add-on cymbals will be priced at $39.99. Pricing for the drum kit has not been confirmed.