Working on bass hero type game - real bass

[WarriorJoe7]

Alright so I am actively working on a game in the vein of guitar hero (bass hero? probably not as it's protected.)

The most basic ideas are:
1) You play the actual notes to actual songs on an actual bass.
2) the screen displays what notes to play (not by music notation but by a visual representation of a bar traveling across a fretboard, kind of like guitar hero.)
3) You get scored on your timeliness and correctness of notes.
4) There will be other instruments, social interaction, and more.

We have many many other features we are working on, and these are just the very basics. I am doing market research to see what customers want and how well it lines up with what I THINK they want. Me and a team of people have probably thought up about 99% of what can be done with relative ease using current technology, but we might get a new idea or 2 out of this thread. We just want to verify that we are going in the right direction based on possible customers.

Please give me your feedback and see what other features you think are a must have. dream up the world, and me and a team of other programmers might get there in time.

 

[AltGrendel]

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Just saying.

 

[WarriorJoe7]

I know about this... who cares?

Guitar Hero is only bowing out because they required millions of repeat buyers and they never updated anything except the songs. We are not a corporation of 1,000 workers and 40 greedy executives. We don't need 20,000,000 sales a year to make it worthwhile for us. We are just a small team of students/programmers with a dream, and we realize a quality game of doing something real might also cost us customers who just want easy fun. As musicians we want something real even if the market is smaller. It's our niche.

We have already proven that we can do our concept by making a bass and several other instruments control the screen. Now it's game play, features, and customer input that we are working on. No we don't have a demo, but will have one this year.

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Just saying.

 

[Spinal Tapper]

I think it's a brilliant idea, dude. Are you going to just have all the notes fly across the screen and you have to hit them correctly? So you can use multiple strings, right?

Definitely ties the idea of Guitar Hero with an actual guitar/bass I could see this seriously taking off.

I'd patent that idea before you go spewing it into the internets, btw.

 

[finalrequiem]

Glad you're doing something for yourself and not just to make money. Sounds like it'd be fun for bass players, anyway. Probably would never be a commercial success but good luck! I'd play it lol.

 

[idoker]

I think your idea is very valid. Clearly, this is geared more for the actual "bass player", than the video game enthusiast. Being that the program will show and teach the actual notes of the song as they are on the fret board, it can be used for both education and entertainment.

I would say you would definitely have a market for it. And it quite possibly could bring more people to the bass guitar.

 

[Depth_Charge]

I know about this... who cares?

Guitar Hero is only bowing out because they required millions of repeat buyers and they never updated anything except the songs.

I read it also had something to do with the amount of money they needed to spend on licensing the songs for use in the games. And never updated anything? I'm not so sure...GH3 had improvements over GH2 and GH:World Tour introduced even more changes to GH3, as well as new instruments etc etc.

Still, best of luck. The fact these games were (and are) selling well indicates a market nonetheless.

 

[schmig]

Am a professional programmer myself and have long, long wanted to write this very program. Best of luck!!!!

 

[Demon_Hunter]

So, it's like "live tablature" but in a game? If you have the game telling you to play the "A" on the 5th fret on the E string but I play open A will I lose points?

 

[Legattabass]

I'd judge it on its efficacy as a practice/teaching tool. If it could markedly improve my skill and ability to learn the instrument, I'd be the first in line

What's more, if you market it as a teaching tool, and restrict the song list to those you can obtain and use without liscensing expenses out the wazoo, you can price and sell the product with a margin that could prove profitable (IE maybe you wouldnt have to rely on the sales of expansion packs, you could possibly rely solely on the price of the software and any cables/tools you need for the initial purchase).

 

[WarriorJoe7]

So, it's like "live tablature" but in a game? If you have the game telling you to play the "A" on the 5th fret on the E string but I play open A will I lose points?

It wont matter which a you hit but we will do one better.

What if you have an alternate tuning. For instance3 I don't like 5 string necks so I have an BEAD bass. You can tell the game you have an alternate tuning.

 

[TC2112]

Does this require some type of midi or game controller that can be fitted on my existing bass or basses, or will someone be required to purchase a bass that has been fitted with special electronics?

 

[WarriorJoe7]

You can use your existing bass as long as it uses a standard bridge. eventually you will be able to buy a plug and play instrument.

Installation on your own instrument would be semi-permanent (takes some time to install and uninstall) but can be undone without leaving behind any modifications.

At this time I cannot comment on the specific interface, but when I can you will hear it first here.

 

[TC2112]

I've never played a game of Rock Band, or Guitar Hero in my life, so I hafta say I'm not much interested in actually purchasing or playing this, but the technology sounds interesting -
good luck

 

[WarriorJoe7]

Rockband and guitar hero are just descriptive words here.

Would you play a game that told you what note to hit and when and then scored you on playing the right note at the right time? And all on your own instrument?

How about a game where it tells you the chord changes and then you can solo. If you play within the right chord/scale you get points (realizing that in some music this will be impossible or extremely hard... blue notes in jazz or blues for example. Scoring for timing may also be an issue.)

I've never played a game of Rock Band, or Guitar Hero in my life, so I hafta say I'm not much interested in actually purchasing or playing this, but the technology sounds interesting -
good luck

 

[zeroncali]

Erm... Rock Band 3 already has this. All you would need to do is develop a bass controller since the only ones they have are guitars.

 

[TC2112]

Rockband and guitar hero are just descriptive words here.

Would you play a game that told you what note to hit and when and then scored you on playing the right note at the right time? And all on your own instrument?

How about a game where it tells you the chord changes and then you can solo. If you play within the right chord/scale you get points (realizing that in some music this will be impossible or extremely hard... blue notes in jazz or blues for example. Scoring for timing may also be an issue.)

probably not. I don't really need points, it just has to be pleasing and right to my ears, but again, I am not a gamer of ANY type so points are just measures that I'm not really interested in. However, the technology is what interests me. If you can develop something that can track actual notes and "score" them for correctness (which I really don't understand, who is to say what is "correct" in a solo piece of music, but I get your concept), then could it also create written music based on what you play, or create tabs in real time as you play. Maybe not your software, but it would seem the interface would surely be compatible to do these types of things.

 

[ShredderMaximus]

what about using some kind of usb interface, like this?
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[minmei]

Ohhh that is a very good idea. +1 on the teaching angle already mentioned

Don't care if Activision is cancelling guitar hero. The reason why that was so popular is because people like music. I mean MP3's are still popular. Then people love video games. And when you combine video games with YOUR favorite MP3's, its an insta hit.

But like most video games its fun, but it doesn't teach you anything. The video gamer crowd is never satisfied; this years game of the year is old news 6 mo's from release, unless you get rare games like IL-2 sturmovik (2001 release and fans flock the online servers still). And also Guitar Hero "rockers" are considered weaksauce, so once the novelty got old, then it got old because unless you played for real, you weren't cool as the real players, you were just a poser. Google that microsoft / bill gates / slash video with that guitar hero champion girl, and people clowned her when compared to slash.

But if its a system that teaches you how to play bass or be a better player, then, you got something. With the ability to jam with songs you want, bands you want, that is a b00n to players. Especially the non gigging / bedroom player crowd.

However if you market this to the bass player / guitar player segment (I highly / strongly advise you include guitar in), then you get something fun.

I find that I have to push myself when I lose interest in learning bass / guitar because the beginning songs really isn't something that I can get into.

But I found out if I play my songs on a tinny logitech speaker on my PC, its fun to "play" the bass along with it.

They have tuners that tell clip on and even though its super loud, you can tune your guitar around. I know, where have you been Min? Those came out x years ago . . . So get a uber one that can detect notes on the fly, or chords etc. Make it wireless, and it transmits to the game system . . . . Clip it to any bass headstock . . . people can learn to play better on their weapon of choice.

Or people just plug their bass into the game system, and viola, it detects what you do on your bass and the game determines if you get close or not . . .

You could also do the video game aspect of a story adventure, because that draws people in. Include something that can involve people from different walks of life . . . Like have a whole customization character screen. People can be that old blues player who's everyone ripped stuff off to that neophyte, wide eyed teenager with the whole world ahead of them . . . or the hard rocker going to show the kids how its really done etc . . .

have you, the player, be the hero or bad a***, in really great storyline. Or just have an arcade mode where you can play with a band or solo, or select what instruments you want to play. If you have a good story, people want to get involved, and be a part of it. Look at how mmo-rpg's or rpg video games they have a great following, without serious action you'd find on Call of Duty MW 2 . . . Choose yer own adventure books still are popular (though I think its now flash based n online

Maybe mix it up like have you be bass for different music genres etc . . . and have a n00b, medium, advanced, expert, and maestro version . ..


Then you could have a lutheir's corner, like how Forza for the PC draws in all the car enthusiasts because they can race and mod their fav cars. They have real life cars in there.

People can mod their basses / guits, and there is a selection of tonewoods, pickups, amps etc . . . has realistic sounds, and people can make a guitar or bass, then test play it (instead of their bass tone coming through, it uses the games for that type).

Oh and include bass greats, like Crossroads, you vs the devil's chosen bass player, and then plot twist and you get saved by Jaco!

Another thing to consider is the social / online thing. Maybe do a SIMs like situation where players around the world can chill, play, talk shop, teach . . . heck even get certain brands, luthiers, players in on it, like Gran Turismo has Japanese car manufacturers . . . Thats a strong area . . . heck even a discreet advertisement here and there would help cover bandwidth / hosting costs

Ok I'm rambling, but just being able to jam with your fav bands and favorite music. Awwweee sooome!