Ever since MTV Games and Harmonix first launched the Rock Band franchise, one of their key goals was to use the software as a way to inspire gamers to learn how to play actual musical instruments. With Rock Band 3, Harmonix has introduced new technology that makes this vision closer to reality. With the addition of the keyboard peripheral, Rock Band 3 offers a new gameplay experience and expands the selection of music that is feasibly possible to perform within the game. What’s more, the keyboard itself is not only an identical replication of about 2 measures on a keyboard, but the peripheral itself can be plugged into a speaker outside of the game and act as a functional instrument.
In an effort to appeal to both the causal and hardcore fanbases, the keyboard gameplay will include two different modes: regular keyboard and professional mode. In the regular mode, blocks of keys are assigned a traditional Rock Band note color, and sriking any one of the those keys with proper timing will register as a correct hit. For players looking for a bigger challenge or for musicians that can play the actual instrument, professional mode offers an experience that essentially mirrors playing a keyboard. Instead of showing the five note colors on a track, the note display is changed into an actual keyboard, and players are required to play the correct notes, sharps and flats included. If you aren’t so musically inclined it does take some getting used to, but what’s great about this learning curve is that it is applicable to the actual instrument. If the keyboard portion of the song is a C sharp, the game prompts you to play a C sharp. When you get up into the harder difficulties, it pretty much crosses the line between players simulating playing the instrument and actually doing it.
One other way that Rock Band 3 promotes learning how to play the actual instruments is the new professional guitar peripheral. Instead of being a plastic toy with buttons, this controller is a fully functional six-stringed electric guitar. Sensors on the guitar’s neck detect players’ finger placements and allows the software to read actual notes and chords that players are holding down. The interface is no longer the traditional colored notes, but in their place is a numerical system that displays the actual notes and chords that are being held down off to the side. The end result is a game that literally can teach you how to play the electric guitar. In our private showing Harmonix showed us the true potential that this peripheral has by plugging the guitar controler into an amp while simultaneously demoing it being used to play the game.
As proof that the professional mode requires players to play the actual notes, the Harmonix representative was actually playing the song through the amp along with the game on this functional electric guitar controller. It was a very impressive showing and demonstrates how this professional guitar feature is no longer just a rhythm-based game, but a tool that can teach players how to actually play this instrument. This description might seem a little overwhelming and demanding at first, but Harmonix assured us that the game has tutorials and multiple difficulty levels to help ease players of all skill levels into playing the guitar, only for real this time.
Finally, Harmonix discussed some of the changes they have made to the gameplay experience after listening to feedback from fans of the franchise. Being a hardcore fan myself, I was most impressed with the new library feature that allows players to easily navigate and sort their music. A variety of search parameters can be set (from song length, to difficulty, to the decade it was first released), and afterwards only songs that fit those conditions will appear in the music library. This feature is particularly useful considering the massive number of songs that are available through imports from past games, in the music store, and on the Rock Band Network. According to Harmonix, there are over 1500 songs available right now, and they expect a total over over 2000 songs by the time Rock Band 3 launches later this year. Current Rock Band 2 users will also be happy to know that the soundtrack from that game will also be available for import into Rock Band 3.
One other gameplay change is the ability for players to join or drop on the fly. No longer is it required to back all they way up to the menu screen to switch out one player. Now these changes can be made instantly and easily from the player hub that is displayed the entire time you play Rock Band 3. What’s more, it is now possible to switch difficulty levels during the middle of the song without having to restart from the very beginning.
There are many more new features that will be available for Rock Band 3, and it is exciting to see how Harmonix has responded to feedback from their fans. From what I have seen so far, the final product is shaping up to be a polished, entertaining experience that gamers of all skill levels will get a lot value out of. Rock Band fans rejoice, the next sensation in rhythm games is coming soon, and it is spectacular.
