The only gameplay "tweak" I can think of that even remotely matters to an average gamer is having original tracks instead of the covers that dominated the first 3 or 4 games of the series. That said, I'm pretty sure you are correct as the tutorial in GH 2 espouses the virtues of 'new and improved something something, etc etc'

Well, the Hammer-Ons and Pull-Offs were pretty obvious. The mechanic was improved in 2 and became much easier to dopull off. Then it got ludicrous in 3, where the time window was huge enough to fit through a Monster Truck, maybe. Haven't played any Guitar Hero after 3. So I don't know what happened since then.

So, this kinda sums it up:

Also, remembered Activision were the people originally involved in publishing Brütal Legend, and more importantly, the douchiness of them once EA got it.

So, yeah, they are totally ripping off Brütal Legend. And considering their track record recently with the company as a whole, it probably won't even be a good rip-off like 3D Dot Game Heroes.

This could just me being mad at them for ripping off a game that's less than a year old, though.

I just have to say, "wait, what?" That REALLY complicates the five-button standard setup. Like, a lot. If it's anything like a real keyboard/tar, that's at least two octaves to worry about, which is a bit beyond what you can ask a newb to keep track of even with lights on the keys.

I mean, if it's some little thing with 10-12 keys (all ivories, no half-tones), that might be manageable given they put the slide on the guitar, or if they let you start that small and work up to a bit more, it could be a good "challenging" instrument, but there's not much you can really do to fake a keyboard without being insulting.

Is there a picture of this thing yet?


Edit: Nope. Apparently, it was considered, then dropped. Word from a developer: http://www.rockband.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38368

Edit again: Hmmm... That was back in 2008, though...

A keyboard could work with a 5 button setup though... White Black White Black White. Yeah I mean, more like a preschool toy than a video game but so far the only semi-realistic instrument has been the drums anyway.

Coming from a guy who used to play the piano, I'd say a 12-key, all-white setup might be better. Or heck, even a

White Black White Black White White Black White Black White Black White White Black White Black White White Black White

setup. It looks complicated, but all it really is is where you have your hands fall in Middle C. You could even have a bit more than that just to accommodate different keys like a real piano. If it was me designing it, I'd actually put that musical part on the unit with lights on the keys and maybe an LCD screen or, heck, a series of 5 LEDs per key across the top just so they could see what was coming.

Which is to say that handling that much is doable for a beginner and comfortable to put your hands on.


Edit: I'd also say that putting the buttons on a slide adds a bit of realism to the guitar, and it's pretty hard to argue against the realism of a microphone. ;)

Edit Edit: Or it could be that the slider is for Guitar Hero's guitar. ^^;


Edit again: Putting into pictures what I previously put into words:

http://i47.tinypic.com/317drf9.gif

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/n...RUMENTLOGO.jpg
That is all we have at the moment. Taken from the end of the Green Day demo.

http://kotaku.com/5559801/rock-band-...ars--keyboards

On the Rock Band front...

Wait... did I see Bohemian Rhapsody? WITH KEYBOARD?

Oh. Rock Band. Don't, this is so naughty. What if someone sees?

AND HARMONIES.

This is your (Prototype) keyboard. It has 25 keys:
http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets.../500x_rb32.jpg

Rock Band: "We'll include harmonies, an entirely new instrument, and we're going to make an effort to teach people how to play real instruments"
Guitar Hero: "We're still really sore we lost Brütal Legend"

Neat little keyboard, the charts look like they could get confusing but then again it's one screenshot, they'll have figured something out I'm sure. Not entirely sold on stringed guitar controllers though. Seems like a bit of a single-purpose device, and I'm also a bit worried about quality. Now if there was a way you could use your actual guitar...