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Beatles Rock Band - Page 2

post #31 of 51
11/29/09 at 5:49pm
Quote:
it costs thousands of dollars
So even if one track costs thousands of dollars (and by those words, I'm assuming less that $10,000). At $1.99 per download, really not that many people have to download it to make a profit (and yeah I'm sure there's other cost involved other than preparing the track such as the dreamscapes, but I have noticed that the dreamscapes for the DLC are not nearly as elaborate as the on-disc tracks. And of course, the pre-Abbey Road Studios and "Let It Be" era tracks would recycle the established venues). And I would imagine that anyone who bought Beatles Rock Band would automatically be interested in any DLC as opposed to the other games that are more pick and choose with regards to DLC.
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post #32 of 51
12/1/09 at 8:24pm
You need to take a lot into consideration.  First off, the cost of getting access to the Beatles' catalogue of music cost Harmonix somewhere in the realm of $60 million (IIRC, I could be wrong or off in the number).  Second, they still need to operate, so paying everyone at the company (programmers, musicians, artists, legal, advertising, etc.) is included.  Third, in order to get the Beatles' songs broken down by instrument, they needed to develop a new technology that could analyze and separate the songs, which means that the R&D cost of that is included.  Sending people to Abbey Road and getting access to the studio are probably the only things considered in that "thousands of dollars" cost mentioned before.

Granted, Harmonix is probably still making boatloads from Rock Band DLC and a good amount from The Beatles DLC, but I'm not sure how many people are downloading whole albums just yet.  I'm sure at some point they'll release the numbers.  I hope they get around to more stuff, but at some point they will run out of songs that will be fun to play and have to stop.
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post #33 of 51
12/2/09 at 7:59pm
Quote:
You need to take a lot into consideration.  First off, the cost of getting access to the Beatles' catalogue of music cost Harmonix somewhere in the realm of $60 million (IIRC, I could be wrong or off in the number).  Second, they still need to operate, so paying everyone at the company (programmers, musicians, artists, legal, advertising, etc.) is included.  Third, in order to get the Beatles' songs broken down by instrument, they needed to develop a new technology that could analyze and separate the songs, which means that the R&D cost of that is included. 

But what does that have to do with future DLC? Those were up front costs to get the physical game disc out. The catalog is already paid for no matter what happens with future DLC and the track separation technology is already developed and paid for. There shouldn't be anymore upfront cost to develop additional DLC. The way I understand it, the subsequent DLC is incremental cost. If anything, they should be releasing as much DLC as they can to help amoritize those costs.
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post #34 of 51
12/2/09 at 9:40pm
The cost to put the 40-odd songs on the disc is probably separate from the additional cost to produce the 3 DLC albums.  In the end, if it doesn't make them enough money, or rather profit, then they won't produce more.
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post #35 of 51
12/4/09 at 9:26am
I too would love to see That Means A Lot eventually included.  One of my 'dream' singles by the Fabs has for years been That Means A Lot b/w I'll Be On My Way.  I played both tracks in High School (ca. 1972-ish) in a band.  But they didn't sound quite as good as when the Fabs performed them.

Our children love Beatles Rock Band.  It's wonderful seeing them hear some of the Fabs' tunes for the first time.  They don't know it, but they're also getting some remastered albums for the holidays.
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post #36 of 51
12/7/09 at 1:25am
Quote:
Originally Posted by WillG View Post

But what does that have to do with future DLC? Those were up front costs to get the physical game disc out. The catalog is already paid for no matter what happens with future DLC and the track separation technology is already developed and paid for. There shouldn't be anymore upfront cost to develop additional DLC. The way I understand it, the subsequent DLC is incremental cost. If anything, they should be releasing as much DLC as they can to help amoritize those costs.

 

I would actually guess the up-front payment in royalties was only for the songs already used on the disc.  Subsequent DLCs probably require more up-front royalties.

Whilst the technology to separate may have already been developed, each time it is used it probably still requires many hours of labour to supervise and refine, all of which goes towards the incremental cost of each track.  As they've said, it's not the same as modern tracks where the masters are already completely separated at the outset and they just work on charting and mixing the songs for game use.

I sure would like to see lots more DLC, but I'm not holding my breath.  Doesnt' even have to be full albums, 'best of' an album compilation or hits only would be most welcome too.  (For the record, I've already bought the SPLHCB and AR albums, now waiting for RS album and AYNIL single on PS3.)
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post #37 of 51
12/7/09 at 7:35pm
Quote:
I would actually guess the up-front payment in royalties was only for the songs already used on the disc
I don't know. It was pretty much clearly stated that the deal granted access to the entire catalog. I don't want to admit it, but I would be willing to buy an additional game disc to get the remaining tracks I mentioned. Maybe at a companion disc price point.
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post #38 of 51
12/9/09 at 6:43pm
The deal allowed them to pick 43 songs from the entire catalogue.  Even so, the total cost of developing a videogame nowadays is somewhere in the tens of millions, and the deal to get access to the Beatles catalogue itself was in the $60+ million range.  Add in costs for marketing and whatever else.
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post #39 of 51
12/10/09 at 7:41am
I was a Rock Band/Guitar Hero virgin before this set, so I am still getting comfortable learning how to play the guitar and drums.  Right now I can easily do Medium setting for guitar, but I'm not quite good enough for the Hard setting, some of the chords mess me up, particularly the red/blue or yellow/orange chords.  I can put my pinky and tall finger down okay but my ring finger always wants to push down too, so that's going to just take some practice.  I am starting to do some bass tracks on the Hard setting though. 

My daughters (age 4 and 2) love playing along with the songs.  My 4 year old can belt out a lot of the tunes, her favorite is "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds".  She even gave our "band" a psychedelic name: "Gravy Hive"! 
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post #40 of 51
12/10/09 at 8:14am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob McLaughlin View Post

I was a Rock Band/Guitar Hero virgin before this set, so I am still getting comfortable learning how to play the guitar and drums.  Right now I can easily do Medium setting for guitar, but I'm not quite good enough for the Hard setting, some of the chords mess me up, particularly the red/blue or yellow/orange chords.  I can put my pinky and tall finger down okay but my ring finger always wants to push down too, so that's going to just take some practice.  I am starting to do some bass tracks on the Hard setting though. 


I'm at about your level too.  Medium seems to easy, and hard is, well, just too hard on some songs!  It seems like a much larger skill jump then from easy to medium.  Not that I'm complaining.  I found that playing "hard" level bass has helped with the guitar, it's not as tricky with all the chords, but still gets you used to the extra button.  I've just started this week to play the guitar on hard on Beatles.  I don't fail the songs, but I can get through them.  On Rock Band 2 it's another story though. :(

Anyone on the PS3 who wants to add me for band fun, my user name is Ruz-El
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post #41 of 51
12/11/09 at 8:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell G View Post

I'm at about your level too.  Medium seems to easy, and hard is, well, just too hard on some songs!  It seems like a much larger skill jump then from easy to medium.  Not that I'm complaining.  I found that playing "hard" level bass has helped with the guitar, it's not as tricky with all the chords, but still gets you used to the extra button.  I've just started this week to play the guitar on hard on Beatles.  I don't fail the songs, but I can get through them.  On Rock Band 2 it's another story though. :(

Wait till you try moving from Hard to Expert...

I've been playing since GH3/GHWT, progressed reasonably quickly from Easy to Medium to Hard, and am now at the level where I could play the entire Beatles game on Hard, passing every song first time I played it.  But some Expert songs just confound me, e.g. I failed The End, which has a pretty difficult solo in Expert, though I can pass some other songs on Expert.

On completing guitar on Hard, I started over on bass.  After the first set, I found that a bit simple, switched to Expert Bass, and that's a fair challenge now, and I'm about half-way through the Story playing bass.

Some gamers have opined that the Beatles game is relatively easy compared to the others, as you've alluded to in reference to RB2.  I agree: I've also got GH: Van Halen, and it's a fair bit harder on Hard than the Beatles was on Hard.  

I was in a CD shop today, and the riffs being played in the concert DVD being demoed sounded really familiar but I couldn't quite place the song.  I quickly realised the concert was the new McCartney in NYC DVD, and after a while I finally recognised the riffs as being from The End, but they were jamming and ad libbing which is why it took me a while to figure it out.  Having said that, prior to TB:RB, I had never heard The End before...
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post #42 of 51
12/11/09 at 8:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yee-Ming View Post

I was in a CD shop today, and the riffs being played in the concert DVD being demoed sounded really familiar but I couldn't quite place the song.  I quickly realised the concert was the new McCartney in NYC DVD, and after a while I finally recognised the riffs as being from The End, but they were jamming and ad libbing which is why it took me a while to figure it out.  Having said that, prior to TB:RB, I had never heard The End before...


Did you envision a grid with coloured blocks flowing towards you?  I clearly play too much Rock Band.  :P

Beatles is definately easier I think.  I'm pretty good on Hard guitar on Beatles, Rockband, not so much.  I've seen the EXPERT being played when I've done some online playing with others, and man, I couldn't fathom it.  A guy got 95% on expert drums.  There's just too many notes man! 

It's a bit of a catch 22, Beatles is great fun, but short not so much on difficulty but variety.  that's why I picked up Rock Band & Rock Band 2.  I paid $30 for the both of them at a used place, and followed the advice previously given in this thread and copied all the RB1 songs into RB2.  Then I downloaded a bunch of song packs... if your looking for a challenge, I recommend the best of The Who.  the guitar is actually the easiest bits, bass and drums is like one long solo on nearlly all the songs!
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post #43 of 51
12/12/09 at 2:02pm
I think the Beatles RB is probably easier because, well, the Beatles' songs weren't exactly the most complicated.  They go more for sound and melody than rocking out solos.  Look at the hardest songs from RB1/2 and any GH game.  They're all either metal or from the 80s/90s/2000s.  The Beatles come from a different era of music, and I think it's reflected well in the game.

I've been playing Harmonix games since Frequency and got GH soon after it came out.  I play on Hard regularly and try Expert from time to time; I can beat a song on Expert but can only ace it on Hard.  The best suggestion I can give you is to play with your hands one fret down and use your pointer finger to hit the green and red buttons.  It's easier to reach with that finger than it is to reach with your pinky or move your hand every time you have to hit orange.
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post #44 of 51
12/15/09 at 8:24am
Good tip Morgan.  I tried it this weekend and it is certainly a bit easier to do hard that way.  I was quite pleased with myself doing a challenging 4 song set on RB2, especially with the final song "Alive" by Pearl Jam.... until the never ending solo of never ending hammer on's at the end... bastards! :P

"Rubber Soul" is out today on everything but the PS3, who getting it?  I will be on Thursday since I have the PS3.  There's some good songs on this one, should be fun.  
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post #45 of 51
12/16/09 at 7:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell G View Post

Good tip Morgan.  I tried it this weekend and it is certainly a bit easier to do hard that way.  I was quite pleased with myself doing a challenging 4 song set on RB2, especially with the final song "Alive" by Pearl Jam.... until the never ending solo of never ending hammer on's at the end... bastards! :P
 

One technique for these games I learned to retrain your fingers' muscle memory was to go all the way back down to easy level and play all the songs with your index finger on the red and play them all the way through like that, just moving up to hit the green button when it came up, then repeat it all on medium. Your dexterity should increase dramatically and you'll be more adaptable to the kinds of shifts and contortions the hard and expert modes will demand of you
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post #46 of 51
12/19/09 at 9:12am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell G View Post

"Rubber Soul" is out today on everything but the PS3, who getting it?  I will be on Thursday since I have the PS3.  There's some good songs on this one, should be fun.  

I did.  "You Won't See Me" is dead easy, I got 100% on my first attempt on Hard, then got 100% and 5 gold stars when I did Expert (again first attempt) -- first time I have ever achieved 100% any guitar part on expert, let alone 5 gold stars...

(I've managed 100% on bass expert on The End, but that alone wasn't enough for gold stars; I guess I didn't use Beatlemania effectively enough.)
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post #47 of 51
12/19/09 at 11:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yee-Ming View Post




I did.  "You Won't See Me" is dead easy, I got 100% on my first attempt on Hard, then got 100% and 5 gold stars when I did Expert (again first attempt) -- first time I have ever achieved 100% any guitar part on expert, let alone 5 gold stars...

(I've managed 100% on bass expert on The End, but that alone wasn't enough for gold stars; I guess I didn't use Beatlemania effectively enough.)

Good job!  I played the whole album once, but on medium guitar since I sang it too.  If you want a challenge, you should try singing songs you barely know while singing, tricky stuff!  I've discovered that I can 100% songs done by Lennon on the medium vocals.  Pauls songs are too high, and Georges are a bit off.  Ringos are simply impossible. :P

I plan to give it a play today on hard drums and guitar.  not at the same time though!  I like this pack, lots of good songs.  Norweigan Wood is fun to play, and forgot how mean and creepy that Run For Your Life song is.  I still hope there are some more packs coming out for this, but harmonix is being very closed lipped.

On another note, I rented Lego Rock Band and have played it a bit this week.  It's novel good fun for anyone looking for something a bit different.
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post #48 of 51
4/6/10 at 8:31pm

Greetings All,

I'm looking to pick up Beatles Rock Band for the Wii.  I've heard that if you get the full Beatles rock band set, those instruments won't work on other Rock Band tracks.  SO, I'm thinking about getting the Rock Band 2 set (with the guitar, drums, mic) and then buying the Beatles Rock Band software.  The question is...will that work?

Also, how does the DLC (downloadable content?) work with the Wii?  Is there an extra fee?  If so, how much do they run a guy?

Thanks!

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post #49 of 51
4/7/10 at 9:01am
Quote:
I'm looking to pick up Beatles Rock Band for the Wii.  I've heard that if you get the full Beatles rock band set, those instruments won't work on other Rock Band tracks.  SO, I'm thinking about getting the Rock Band 2 set (with the guitar, drums, mic) and then buying the Beatles Rock Band software.  The question is...will that work?

 

I don't have this on the Wii, but the and "Rock Band" branded instrument should work for all games (including Guitar Hero). I don't have the Beatles instruments for PS3, I use the original RB guitar and the RB2 drums. There is nothing different technically between the Beatles instruments and the ones released for RB2, just the physical design.
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post #50 of 51
4/7/10 at 9:06am
All the instruments should work provided they are Rockband branded. 

DLC for the Wii tends to be more expensive I think since you have to buy all the tracks seperately instead of in the album packs like on the xbox/ps3, but I could be wrong.  You also get burned a bit since when you get a bit tired of the beatles and decide to buy Rock Band 2, you wont be able to export songs from RB1 and the track pack either I don't think due to the memory limitations.
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post #51 of 51
4/7/10 at 6:26pm
Starting with Rock Band 2 and Guitar Hero: World Tour, every instrument released should work with pretty much every music game.  So The Beatles: Rock Band instruments should work with all RB and GH titles (except GH3).

The DLC is packaged differently for the Wii.  Also, you will want to buy an SD card to store it on (the Wii reads up to 32 GB cards I think) since the internal memory is only like 512 MB and fills up quickly with other stuff.
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