Rock Band

[Toastfarmer]

I thought a thread on Rock Band might be an idea for a few reasons.

1. To get impressions from people who have imported the game.

2. To assist people thinking about or trying to import.

3. To ponder on when/if the game might actually ever come out here and at what inevitably ridiculous price it might be.

So please, have at it. I plan on importing it shortly as my 21st birthday present, hopefully all will go according to plan.

[MrAndyPuppy]

The biggest issue in importing Rock Band is getting the drumkit here. It's an astronomical price for shipping. For me, I was lucky enough to have a friend going to the US who brought it back for me.

A few thoughts:
The PS2 version is a crippled poor cousin to the others. Leave it.
The Xbox 360 version is compatible with Guitar Hero controllers but the PS3 version isn't (however, see below).
The PS3 version is region free but the Xbox 360 version isn't.
The PS3 version is compatible with any USB microphone - including SingStar mics.

Our current set up:
We bought the PS3 version and the drumkit, from the US.
We use SingStar microphones for the vocals.
We use wired and wireless PS2 Guitar Hero guitar controllers thanks to the awesomeness of The Ant Commandos PS2 to PS3 converters.
Because the game is US, we need to purchase and download our DLC from the US store which we do with via Entropay.

The Ant Commandos PS2 to PS3 converter. http://store.theantcommandos.com/product-p/gtr-ps3-adpt.htm There are heaps of much cheaper converters on the market but none of them guarantee Rock Band compatibility which is different from GH. The TAC converter comes with a small switch to allow you to choose between Rock Band, Guitar Hero and normal controller. We've been using it with the official wired and wireless GH PS2 controllers and not really had any issues (other than the occasional double up when we assign a normal controller to the same channel accidentally).

The game comes with 58 songs (only 43 in Easy), but the DLC is pretty good quality and is easy to access, either through the main US store, or in-game. I prefer doing it in-game because you can get a preview of the track, and also more easily determine if a track is part of a pack. There are more than 150 extra songs available through DLC.

Some tracks temporarily get discounted through various promotions, so the sooner you're buying your DLC the better. Most notably, McDonalds sponsored a new track each week for a month so you could get them for less than half price.

In terms of opinion, Rock Band is phenomenal. Not only can you play through the entire single player career just like you would in Guitar Hero, but you can do it three times - once as lead guitar, once as drummer and once as vocalist (you can't play the single player career as bassist).

Then you get the awesomeness of multiplayer band career mode. My son and I played an 8-song set last night. You have to play the full set back to back with no breaks and when you get to the end of it, you feel like pumping your fist in the air cause it rocked so wel. We're still working our way through the career but are getting close to the insane Endless Setlist which sets you the task of playing all original 58 songs non-stop...

Oh, the other thing to be aware of is that this mode takes advantage of the DLC in your system too. So, while the original tracks are scattered throughout the various locations, anywhere were you see a setlist that doesn't identify the song is fair game for including DLC. It was a really nice surprise to hit a couple of Oasis songs back to back in a Mystery Setlist the other day... just really well implemented.

I could go on...
_________________
GAMEparents

[Appel]

I really enjoy Rockband, a few of us imported the US PS3 version together and have had some really epic nights nights that i'm sure the neighbors weren't too pleased on. I can't remember how much it costed us in the end, but it was worth it. In my opinion, it is so much better than GH3, wihch I thought was terrible. It just didn't feel the same as the first ones.

When will the game ever come out here? It's getting ridiculous isn't it, as Guitar Hero 4 is due soon and that might lead to the dimise of Rockband in Australia.
_________________

[Fetidchimp]

EB are playing ads for it so you never know we may get it before the year 3 million.
_________________
kill, kill, kill.....the white man. Kill the white man, kill

[MrAndyPuppy]

The Who is coming!

Release date: Tuesday, July 15, 2008 (Xbox LIVE Marketplace and PLAYSTATION Store)

TRACKS: The Who 12 Pack

“Amazing Journey”
“Baba O'Riley”
“Behind Blue Eyes”
“Eminence Front”
“Going Mobile”
“Leaving Here”
"My Generation” (Live at Leeds)
“Real Good Looking Boy”
“Sea & Sand”
“Summertime Blues” (Live at Leeds)
“Who Are You”
“Young Man Blues” (Live at Leeds)

(All tracks utilize the original master recordings)

Price: $1.99 (160 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) per track or
$19.99 (1600 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) for the entire collection of tracks.
_________________
GAMEparents

[Toastfarmer]

Nice, and some live tracks too, that should add to the whole playing live feel. Hopefully Nevermind will be next.

[Sepultallica9]

*noob alert*

So if I buy RB (the game itself) from the UK, and I buy a drumkit from anywhere, they should both work on my Aus 360, am I correct? I'm under the impression that the instruments aren't region coded. And I can wait for the guitar and mic for later (like maybe 2010 when it's released here ).

Cheers for any advice.

[Fetidchimp]

As far as i know the UK version of rock band works on 360 as one of my mates in new zealand is playing it, pretty sure he has the UK version, i'll ask him to make sure.
_________________
kill, kill, kill.....the white man. Kill the white man, kill

[A13x]

[Sepultallica9]

So basically, no DLC unless I make a US or UK Live account? Dang. Otherwise, that should all be OK then...

[A13x]

[Sepultallica9]

Oh, that's handy... definitely something to keep in mind then. Cheers!

[MrAndyPuppy]

[Sepultallica9]

Yeah, I've got a couple of GH guitars (one that doesn't work, but that's another story), and I'm not a singer, so it's only the drums I'm mainly after.

[Sepultallica9]

I have a copy of the game and the drumkit on it's way to me from the UK as of now.

[Eyce]

My experience is only getting the standalone game- I play with the Guitar Hero III controller that's been 'fixed' somewhat with 3 elastic bands and Aluminium Foil.

Import guide:

Rock Band UK Standalone game:
~$85 from 365games.co.uk Free Shipping to Australia, est. 3-5 days

Drum Kit:
From what I've seen, ~$80 AUD for Drums on eBay, add $70 or so for postage. Generally "Buy it Now" auctions from Powersellers are safe.

Stratocaster (The Guitar):
If you hate your Guitar Hero 3 controller because the neck has f**ked up all the connections like me, buy one off eBay for about $80 as well, except it's generally $40 - 50 for postage, mainly because the thing is slightly longer than a Guitar Hero Les Paul controller.

Microphone:
Any USB one will do. Even the 360 headset.

DLC:
Now for the 360, you can get some cheap points cards on eBay, if you have contacts in America they could even just email you the code really. If you're with a PS3, ask MrAndyPuppy.


Controller mods, particularly the Drum Kit will be my next post for here.
_________________

[El Taco]

Thats all too hard and expensive for something like Guitar Hero 4 which will probably come out over here in a complete set for cheaper.
_________________
R.I.P Tanya

[Eyce]