Excursus Comments - Brought to you by JoeUserhttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/rss/comments© 2006 - 2008 Stardock Corporation. All rights reserved.Where the doctor offers his skinning advice and frequently voices his rants and raves about our society.en-us2008-05-17T10:35:092008-05-17T10:35:09http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/rss/rss.htmlStardock Rss Generator v1.0, Andrew Powellinfo@stardock.comapowell@stardock.comJythierhttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/305882 And when I do get the instruments, it'll be amazing.]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/305882http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/305882Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10Jythier on Rock Band Rocks.CrazyC0330http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/305882I have the PS2 version, [of Rock Band]. I only have the guitar at this point. It does rock. It's fun, but in it's current state, much like Guitar Hero.

Yeah, without the extra instruments, you're missing out on what makes it so different from Guitar Hero.
]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/305882http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/305882Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10CrazyC0330 on Rock Band Rocks.Jythierhttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/305882
I also need to get a drum set...]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/305882http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/305882Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10Jythier on Rock Band Rocks.CrazyC0330http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/305882Obviously, the team behind Rock Band really looked at how people play Guitar Hero
Harmonix made GH1 and GH2. Harmonix developed Rock Band. So they've had some iterations to get it right. The publisher of those GH games, Red Octane, got bought out by Activision and so now the Activision-owned developer Neversoft makes the GH games from GH3 on. GH3 was their first attempt, which is barely more than a GH2-clone with new songs, and a few tweaks. We can only go up from here, presumably.

I think one of the most outstanding things Harmonix had done with Rock Band was to let you earn star-power while using star-power. As little of a tweak that that is, it actually makes a huge difference on your potential scoring, and whether or not you make it through tough parts of songs. I also like that I can earn in-game cash in career mode for songs that I have downloaded, as you pointed out.

I own GH2, GH3, and Rockband, all for the 360. I think that Rockband and GH can co-exist. First, as long as there is competition, gamers get better games. But besides that, here's why I think they can co-exist:

RockBand
In my opinion, Rock Band was developed out of Harmonix's continued frustration at not being able to acquire the rights to songs by artists they really wanted in the game. Part of this problem is that, at least for a GH game, the guitar part has to be the most centric part of the song. Every time they heard a song that they might want to put in the game, they had to then ask themselves if the guitar parts we fun to play, and the most prevalent. After doing that with both GH1 and GH2, they must have at some point came up with the idea to add the other instruments, and thus open the proverbial floodgates for the potential songs. Now when they decide if a song should be in Rock Band they can ask themselves if it has lyrics that are fun to sing. Or they can ask, "is there an amazing drum solo?" Finally, they can continue to ask if there are fun guitar parts in the song. Instead of only concentrating on songs that have "fun" guitar parts, they can go with songs that meet a level of fun on any of the other instruments. They go from guitar-centric songs to band-centric songs. The good thing for them is that, although they can concentrate on songs that meet the "fun" criteria for all the instruments, they can also still pick songs that are really fun for just one instrument (since you can play solo career as just a drummer, or just a singer, etc...)

GH
The whole concept for Guitar Hero was that many of us out there, when we really dig a song, would instictively play "air-guitar" to the amazing guitar solos in our favorite songs. The GH franchise should concentrate on finding and acquiring more songs that meet that criteria. Even though we've had 3 versions of the franchise so far, there are still many songs out there that would be perfect for GH. There are several songs already in the franchise that are better suited to a Rock Band setup, but there are many examples already in the franchise of the type of songs GH should now be concentrating on. Like my personal favorite from GH2, The Trooper. But, if you've ever heard anything by Stevie Ray Vaughan, you know what I mean. You can't help but jam to his riffs. Heck, they could make an entire game with his songs (instead of Aerosmith!). The point is, IMHO, GH would be amazing if it turned into the type of game that is loaded with "air-guitar" inducing songs. As it is, they're just trying to keep up with the songs that are included in Rock Band. Having only guitar-specific songs in your game might seem like a niche market (it won't be if you do it right), but if you instead use mostly band-centric songs (like those in Rock Band), but only allow users to play them on the guitar, then customers are going to find that Rock Band is the better deal every time.


Just my 2bc,

~Charles

]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/305882http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/305882Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10CrazyC0330 on Rock Band Rocks.freezejeanshttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/305600http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/305600http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/305600Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10freezejeans on Why I love TwitterPo' Smedleyhttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/305600http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/305600http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/305600Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10Po' Smedley on Why I love TwitterZubazhttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/305600
Prepare to be bored!
]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/305600http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/305600Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10Zubaz on Why I love TwitterZubazhttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/305600 ]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/305600http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/305600Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10Zubaz on Why I love Twittermittenshttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/305600Dammit. Why can't I edit that?  

]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/305600http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/305600Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10mittens on Why I love Twittermittenshttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/305600<a href="http://twitter.com/mittense">I hate you</a>.

]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/305600http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/305600Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10mittens on Why I love Twitterabculatter2http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303983danm manuals...]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303983http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303983Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10abculatter2 on 5 Things That Video Games Do That Really Make Me AngryDivineWrathhttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303983Not being able to skip cut scenes

Sometimes you want to go back and review events that have occured, or atleast I do. Being able to do so would help to greatly reduce the amount of saves I need to keep. It would make it easier to be able to rewatch some awsome looking cut scene or something else that I find interesting.

Bad artificial intelligence


Its worse when the AI cheats. Its not a problem when its the user setting the AI to do, but its a real pain when the AI automatically does so. You are no longer fighting an opponent that you gave a handicap to, you are fighting a cheating program. You can't even fight it as though it were a normal opponent. Imagine playing a game of cards with someone who keeps a few aces up their sleave, and you can't stop that person from swaping cards.

Its one of the reasons why I don't play the Total War series. The AI isn't programed well so it gets large amounts of free units. Someone I know says that the AI gets units quicker than what the player could get with the same towns and infinite amount of money. He's pretty sure that the game simply creates them out of thin air.

Hard to use menus


Hard to use menus are one thing, but those that doesn't make it easy to determine what something is, is a pain too. Take the Armoured Core series. Most of those I've played (rented) tend not to give much explaination of what some of the part stats do. A stat such as maximum load is easy to guess to what it does, but "Calorific Value" is not. Even some of the guides that many players have made are not sure about some of the stats.]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303983http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303983Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10DivineWrath on 5 Things That Video Games Do That Really Make Me AngryCharlesCShttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303983Not being able to skip cut scenes

They could at least give you the option of skipping it after you beat the game and move to a higher difficulty level but no, you have to watch the video there as well. At least Call of Duty 2 and 4 for PC let you get past the movies.

Bad artificial intelligence


I know what you mean. To be honest, I wish the ones on the Call of Duty series was a bit better.

Hard to use menus


So far not much of a problem for me, except with Legend of Zelda Ocarina and Majora, too many screens to scroll thru.

Collect-a-thons


I usually just cheat after getting frustrated with them.

Voice chat


Even worse is when someones in the mood to annoy and starts playing bad, loud music and you don't wanna turn the volume off cause you miss out on the game sounds. Then we have the typing chats on the screen cursing and insulting each others mother. How do they fight and type at the same time? As intense as Call of Duty 4 can get online, I can't figure out how they have 15 minute arguments with all kids of curse words and insults all while running around shooting people.

]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303983http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303983Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10CharlesCS on 5 Things That Video Games Do That Really Make Me Angrystarkershttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/304352Do you have distractions that you could probably do without?

Yep.... but she reads these forums so I ain't gonna say. ]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/304352http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/304352Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10starkers on Turning off the FirehoseZyxpsilonhttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303983static custom bik movie(s) for every last and first Evil & Good & Neutral -- Human or Alien versions there *was* as defaults.

There is also the case for a swifty "general" gathering of game-info multiple summary instead of continual wide screen popping anytime for every bit of activities mentioned somewhere in another thread in this forum, but that's really nothing compared to being completely hypno-dumbed by the above.


- Zyxpsilon.]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303983http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303983Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10Zyxpsilon on 5 Things That Video Games Do That Really Make Me Angryforeverserenityhttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303658I don't have a schedule either!  There are some that I've posted, spur of the moment and some that I've written that I haven't shared yet.  I just go with the flow of whatever I feel like doing!

]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303658http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303658Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10foreverserenity on New Blogging Schedule!Zoologist03http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303658
Also, what's your blogging schedule, if you happen to have one? And do you write your posts the day before you post it, or on the day of?

No schedule, usually.  I may have ideas in mind and I usually write them when I get the chance.  I always the post the day of writing a blog.

I think, therefore I write.

~Zoo

]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303658http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303658Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10Zoologist03 on New Blogging Schedule!Cikomyrhttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303633http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303633http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303633Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10Cikomyr on Polimon: Political Monsters!OckhamsRazorhttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303080http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303080http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303080Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10OckhamsRazor on Barack Obama is cool.CharlesCShttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303080WWW Link


Try this on for size.]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303080http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303080Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10CharlesCS on Barack Obama is cool.Island Doghttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303080My favorite.

 

]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303080http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303080Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10Island Dog on Barack Obama is cool.Adventure-Dudehttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303080
Still won't vote for him ]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303080http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303080Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10Adventure-Dude on Barack Obama is cool.jdkeepsmilinghttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303080Anyone who cn wield a lightsaber correctly surely has my vote.

]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303080http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303080Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10jdkeepsmiling on Barack Obama is cool.Cedarbirdhttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303080]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303080http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303080Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10Cedarbird on Barack Obama is cool.Texas Wahinehttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303080http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303080http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/303080Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10Texas Wahine on Barack Obama is cool.Zubazhttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/301809http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/301809http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/301809Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10Zubaz on TestTrudygolightlyhttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/300665Nelly

  Good one Mason!!!]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/300665http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/300665Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10Trudygolightly on Test Blogging...stubbyfingerhttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/300866Can't seem to get it to work. It seemed to set up fine and it acts like it's publishing fine, but when it directs me to my blog,no article.

]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/300866http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/300866Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10stubbyfinger on How to use Windows LiveWriter with JoeUserPhilly0381http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/300859 ]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/300859http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/300859Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10Philly0381 on Showing off Live Writer!Chef Garryhttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/300859 My cat does that but with a wee bit more decorum.]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/300859http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/300859Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10Chef Garry on Showing off Live Writer!MasonMhttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/300665http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/300665http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/300665Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10MasonM on Test Blogging...Jythierhttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/156470 ]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/156470http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/156470Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10Jythier on Testing!greywarhttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/156470http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/156470http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/156470Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10greywar on Testing!little-whiphttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/156470 HaHaHa!]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/156470http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/156470Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10little-whip on Testing!Garfilthhttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/150631
I will play with it some more though.

Thanks]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/150631http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/150631Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10Garfilth on Awesome Expose Clone for Vistamada_eckshttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83494
The King of New York wants to be the president of the united states...

BRILLIANT

-mx- ]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83494http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83494Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10mada_ecks on Christopher Walken needs more cowbell...and your VOTE!47songshttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83494 Wha' hells bells, I'd vote for him! ]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83494http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83494Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:1047songs on Christopher Walken needs more cowbell...and your VOTE!ExodusCrowhttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83494
What? I don't speak your crazy moon-language.


Some good links there. Can't wait to see more! Hillarious stuff!]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83494http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83494Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10ExodusCrow on Christopher Walken needs more cowbell...and your VOTE!Bichurhttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83494 ]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83494http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83494Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10Bichur on Christopher Walken needs more cowbell...and your VOTE!Cordeliahttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151Congrats on the promotion Nick! It coudln't have happened to a nicer guy!

Don't forget "Regret 101", "Introductory Despair" and "Stress Management"

Uh...hopefully not!

]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10Cordelia on A New Sheriff!WebGizmoshttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151 I shot the sheriff...but I did not shoot the deputy! ]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10WebGizmos on A New Sheriff!Fuzzy Logichttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10Fuzzy Logic on A New Sheriff!Corky_Ohttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151 Badge polished....

Guns loaded and ready....

Boots broke-in.....

Hat just so....

Looking good! ]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10Corky_O on A New Sheriff!little-whiphttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151
Citizen 1?
I see Wizop (6).
Unless I'm looking in the wrong place.


Dunno, I'm viewing this from JU, while I suspect the rest of you are viewing from WinCustomize, so perhaps thats the difference.

Jafo's shows up the same way here, and I know he's an admin, so thats probably it.]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10little-whip on A New Sheriff!Mackintoshhttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151 Don't forget "Regret 101", "Introductory Despair" and "Stress Management" ]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10Mackintosh on A New Sheriff!EventHorizonhttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151
Lessons on 'Jaded 101' start next week...


heh...

Congrats nick...Try not to abuse your new toys *too* much... ]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10EventHorizon on A New Sheriff!Erk.http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151 Congratulations, DoctorNick! ]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10Erk. on A New Sheriff!pictoratushttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151

A Doctor and a Sheriff? You are a busy young man! ]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10pictoratus on A New Sheriff!Night Trainhttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151 Congrats Dr. Nick!
]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10Night Train on A New Sheriff!Jafohttp://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151]]>http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151http://doctornick.joeuser.com/article/83151Sat, 17 May 2008 06:35:10 -04002008-05-17T10:35:10Jafo on A New Sheriff!