Wii Warm Up: Let's talk Rock Band (again)
by Alisha Karabinus 
{ Apr 3rd 2008 at 9:00AM }
The last time we talked about Rock Band in the morning topic, we didn't yet know that we were getting the shaft. Yeah, we said it: Rock Band for the Wii sucks. Personally, this blogger is more unhappy about the lack of DLC than the lack of other online functions. That's a lot of money to spend on a game that can't be updated similarly to the other next-gen versions, and considering we've got WiiWare on the table, no DLC just seems wrong. We're used to dragging friends over to play Wii; after all, we've played more multiplayer Wii in person than online by a long shot. It's old hat by now. Not being able to play online is sauce in the flavor of weak, to be sure, but no DLC means no sale from where I'm sitting. Of course, a lot of you probably feel differently; maybe you'd rather have online play, or perhaps you're actually excited about Rock Band. If so, please explain that one to us, because we are confused.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Mr Khan @ Apr 3rd 2008 9:08AM
It comes down to lazy dev studios, Hudson already showed it can work. Granted, Rock Band songs are greater size, but that's what rabid compression is for
Even to deal with the lack of storage space on Wii, you could have straight-to-RAM loading off the internet, for songs you could only play once
Honestly, I wouldn't really mind what they were doing, but PS2 mode = quickplay only, and that's just laziness on the highest order
Simply put, don't buy this, if you really want Rock Band, invest in another console. Show them that laziness is not going to get them anywhere
crazyyellowguy @ Apr 3rd 2008 2:13PM
I agree. Although online play and DLC is something that I usually don't need in a game of any kind, the fact that they decide to just scrap it shows how lazy the developers are.
I know the wii has its problems online and storage wise, but lazy developers = boycott game.
Charles @ Apr 3rd 2008 4:34PM
Mr.Khan, you are not just 100% correct,...The percentage that shows how correct you are doesn't exist in human form yet!
Avoli @ Apr 3rd 2008 5:44PM
Oh it exists.
It's over NINE THOUSAND!!!
I had to. My apologies.
zchry @ Jun 3rd 2008 3:53PM
Totally true.
Honestly, I'd just wait and see which direction Guitar Hero IV: World Tour goes if you want Rock Band. I mean, we've been shot down over and over again about Rock Band, and at least Activision's saying it'll go online--whether it does or not, it's worth waiting a few months.
I just don't understand why it took them this long to get Rock Band Wii out, especially since it's just the PS2 version and a drum kit that's been spray painted. There's hardly any work involved beyond that, and I could do that myself in an afternoon.
If you're going to wait this long, at least do things right.
TheCoats @ Apr 3rd 2008 9:39AM
you guys-im just not a rock band fan......LOVE guitar hero but rock band (for me) just lacks a certain quality.....i know all of you probably dont agree with me but i just dont like the feel of it......
All my friends love it and get me to play all the time but i was perfectly happy with guitar hero.....
Roto13 @ Apr 3rd 2008 9:40AM
The lack of DLC doesn't really bother me because I'm pretty iffy about DLC to begin with, but it's still too gimped to be worth the $160 or whatever it costs. I mean, come on. If I wanted the damn PS2 version I would have BOUGHT the PS2 version months ago.
jestergoblin @ Apr 3rd 2008 1:58PM
Just buy it on the 360... No downloadable content was enough of a reason for me not to buy it on the Wii and go out and buy a 360.
Chris Gregg @ Apr 3rd 2008 9:46AM
Either one of these two would have made it a sale for me:
1. Guitar Hero guitar compatibility
2. DLC
Without both of them, No Sale.
ChaOS @ Apr 3rd 2008 12:45PM
My sentiments exactly
Shalan @ Apr 3rd 2008 7:56PM
I agree with that also. My husband and I have played the Xbox version of Rock Band and were really looking forward to it on the Wii, but the fact that we can't use the guitar we already have and won't be able to get additional songs blows. We really want the game, but I'd be tempted to by the PS3 now that it's so cheap and get Rock Band for it.
jsa3mm @ Apr 3rd 2008 9:46AM
I am not buying Rock Band for the Wii, nor am I "investing" in another console.
ThekonamiMan @ Apr 3rd 2008 9:49AM
Personally I think Nintendo did it to themselves by not included a HDD in the Wii or letting use an external one with the system. Very few developers are going to want to include DLC for Wii games since the flash memory on the thing is so little. The problem is Nintendo doesn't really care since right now they have more than enough developers making shovelware for the system they don't have to worry about losing devs at the moment.
milan @ Apr 3rd 2008 10:20AM
Nintendo didn't 'do it' to themselves by not including a HDD, they 'did it' to their customers. Much worse.
bransman @ Apr 3rd 2008 9:50AM
Was planning on getting RB for my Wii as well, till I found out some of these discouraging details. No DLC, forget that...
I was planning on picking up another next-gen console soon anyway. Looks like that console may be the winner of the Rock Band as well.
Sorry Nintendo.
jmf @ Apr 3rd 2008 10:01AM
Lame...the wii always gets the shaft
Jumbo @ Apr 3rd 2008 10:05AM
I dont care about online play.
I have friends.
But lack of DLC caused my lack of interest.
Shame too, I was gonna buy this one. But with a lot of those songs already in Guitar Hero, the lack of being able to buy the music that I enjoy hearing/playing for the game just turns me off from it.
Orion @ Apr 3rd 2008 10:30AM
the whole point of rock band is to be able to expand the game so that essentially you never have to buy a rock band II unless it's on a new console in the future. To take away DLC on this game really hurts it. I'm curious to see if people won't make DLC actually ON the wiiware channel once it comes out. Either way, I'd be really shocked if Guitar Hero IV that comes out this year didn't have DLC on the wii. By then WiiWare will be out, and they will have had plenty of time with the online tools to make the Wii version much more well rounded. Either way, at the very least... at least with guitar hero I can buy the stuff like Aerosmith and IV... with Rock Band you're really getting shafted as that is pretty much the only songs you will ever be able to play with that really expenisve, and space hording control system.
I'll pass.
Besides.. I got the chance to play Rock Band this weekend, and honestly it's just... not the same. I don't get the same sense of satisfaction as i do in Rock Band. Maybe it's because it has to play songs that are entertaining for all musicians instead of just guitar, so you get a lot of songs that don't really take advantage of the instruments as much, but it just doesn't feel as polished. I kinda got bored. That and being a drummer I kinda felt the drum kit was a bit bland for me. It's different from the whole guitar bit as playing a plastic guitar is nothing like playing a real one. But when i have an electric drum set 5 feet from my tv that essentially is pretty close to the concept of the rock band drum kit, it makes me wanna play what i know i could play rather that what the notes spoon fed me.
rover1013 @ Apr 3rd 2008 10:35AM
Not too long ago I would have begged for a wii release of rock band... of course that was coming off of my experience with the 360 version of the game and not a gimped "who cares?" PS2 version.
If I didn't now own a 360, I wouldn't own rock band. If it wasn't for Mass Effect being touted as a 360 exclusive (prior to the PC announcement... jerks) I wouldn't even consider owning a 360 and if it wasn't for someone buying it *for* me as a gift I could have never gotten over the gut wrenching pain even thinking about purchasing one consistently gave me.
I'm a sad nintendo fan who will once again be made fun of by other fanboys for my favorite "gimped" console. Alas.
Sonic_13 @ Apr 3rd 2008 10:37AM
There's really no excuse since the development tools for both DLC and especially online have been out for a while now.
Storage space isn't an issue as songs can easily run from SD cards (other games like Excite Truck and Endless Ocean already do).
ThekonamiMan @ Apr 3rd 2008 11:46AM
The songs in music games like Rock Band aren't like the music files that other games will let you play as a custom soundtrack. They aren't MP3s, they have the songs separated into each instrument that you are playing with each note being separate. That is how it plays the notes when you hit the correct buttons and doesn't play it when you miss it.
Ben @ Apr 3rd 2008 10:38AM
I would hate to work for the game company porting rockband to the Wii, after reading all of these comments, it sure seems it has 0 chance of being successful.
John Rios @ Apr 3rd 2008 10:51AM
Unfortunately, I'm sure tons of uninformed consumers will still shell out the dough for it proving that you don't have to put any work into a Wii game to make money. That's a BAD message to be sending to developers. No sale for me.
samfish @ Apr 3rd 2008 10:38AM
Although I have no plans to buy Rock Band, it's REALLY shitty of them to charge the same price as the PS360 versions despite missing key features.
People should seriously boycott this one.
shadowchaoscontrol @ Apr 3rd 2008 3:51PM
who isn't already
Toast @ Apr 3rd 2008 10:43AM
Is it a direct port of the PS2 version? DLC isn't vital to me, nor is the Band World Tour mode, but a lack of customizable characters in the PS2 version might tip me away from picking it up.
Co @ Apr 3rd 2008 10:46AM
Rock Band is lame. And to an extent so is GH.
THRILLHO @ Apr 3rd 2008 10:46AM
Harmonix or EA (whoever made this stupid decision) must've forgotten they have sold over 6 million songs on DLC already. They can easily make this work. Have your bundle come with a 512 or 1gb sd card, and have DLC save to the card. Have the games save allocate room for one song. When you choose to play a DLC song, it will take an extra few seconds for it to load the song from SD to the wii. I know i'm not a developer, but how hard can that really be? You can play stages and replays for brawl right off of the sd card as it is.
Like chris gregg said earlier, no DLC and no GH guitar compatibility make this a no-go for me, and i've been waiting for this one BIG TIME.
Matt @ Apr 3rd 2008 10:48AM
No DLC = no purchase. Pathetic. GH3 is great but seriously broken without DLC.
ruindpzzle @ Apr 3rd 2008 12:55PM
completely agree.
couldn't have said it better.
splazzatch @ Apr 3rd 2008 10:51AM
I don't really care about the online play because I don't use that but what bothers me most is the huge cost with no DLC. If I am going to spend that much money and then run out of things to do with it (I can only listen to the same song so many times) that is a huge waste of money. Lower the cost and I'd think about it. Add DLC and I'd definately have it.
Kris @ Apr 3rd 2008 10:49AM
I will pass on the Wii version, no online play and no DLC. I will probably get it for my 360. Ahh the nice thing about having 2 next gen consoles!
TheCoats @ Apr 3rd 2008 12:02PM
*playstation 3*
ahh....the bad thing about having 3 next-gen consoles (knowing one of them is it)
Kris @ Apr 3rd 2008 12:27PM
I have no interest in the PS3. I am sure it has good qualities, but for now it is lacking a good game library. Although it is getting some exclusives that might entice me. Also it might see a price cut if M$ does end up putting Blu Ray in the 360.
vidGuy @ Apr 3rd 2008 10:51AM
I bought RB for the 360 two days after it came out. I love having DLC and online play and couldn't do without it. I'm kind of POed though because the first batch of instruments the sent out SUCKED. I've had to replace my guitar, my bass pedal, and my USB hub. Luckily they are still under warranty and as far as I can tell will remain that way for life.
sketchampm @ Apr 4th 2008 10:19AM
Rock Band is a superior game to Guitar Hero 3 in more ways than I can count. I own Guitar Hero 3 on PS2 and Wii. I've always wanted Rock Band, I have 4 friends that own it and it's the highlight of every party.
But no DLC = No sale.
Simple as.
PJack @ Apr 3rd 2008 2:40PM
Let me get this straight, you guys want DLC?
Without DLC, they are forced to give you a decent product right from the start. I'm going to my game and my five extra songs and that's all that I want or need. And I don't need online play, I have real friends.
It would be awesome if they could give the game to us cheaper, but I'm buying it anyway. I don't think a single one of you has mentioned the most important part of the game: singing, drumming, and playing the guitar.
sn1per @ Apr 3rd 2008 11:11AM
I *might* have looked past the lack of online play, but when you combine that with the lack of DLC, band world tour, and customized characters, there's no way I'll be buying it.
Dan @ Apr 3rd 2008 11:28AM
how do you DLC without a harddrive? i have to say, nintendo kind of brought this upon themselves.
I'd still love to see them make it work though. I'd pay $100 extra dollars for a harddrive that worked with the Wii if it meant I could get downloadable content for rock band. it would seriously be worth the investment for me. a harddrive is always a good accessory, and what better game to put it to use than for rock band?
Dan @ Apr 3rd 2008 11:37AM
rock band is a LOT of fun in a social setting. my GF and her friends love it. but without downloadable content, i think they'd just be disappointed at the limited song selection.
i might sit this one out, as much fun as we've had playing it on our friend's 360.
paddock2 @ Apr 3rd 2008 12:08PM
No DLC= rock band for the wii for mii
I thought the big N said that they planed on having streaming content in replace of the HD. I love my wii but it is really starting to look like a specialized system for the the Nintendo games and that is about all. I am fine with that as long as they can put out a good game ever 3 months.
Oneiroi @ Apr 3rd 2008 12:01PM
For me, I remember first playing Guitar Hero 1 and 2 and not having DLC. I never thought it was something guaranteed. Since I haven't played Guitar Hero 3 or RB with DLC, it doesn't seem like a huge loss for me. Yes it would be awesome to have it, but...oh well.
BrokenMonkey @ Apr 3rd 2008 12:07PM
Maybe if the Wii had more memory than a gnat, it could have DLC.
BlueWiki @ Apr 3rd 2008 12:28PM
I hear what you are all saying no DLC, yeah it could be a better game. But it all comes down to what you want out of the game. In the end for me, I am looking for a fun game for a group of friends to enjoy. How many games come as is without DLC and are still amazing? I can't download any more levels for mario party 8 (it definitely needs more btw) but I still break it out when guests arrive. A niche game can add hours of excitement even if it is limited in its growth. Plus do you think this is the last game to come out that will use the RB accessories? Bottom line, if you have friends to help you rock out on occasion and they would enjoy foolishly singing, go for it. I will.
TVGenius @ Apr 3rd 2008 12:30PM
Were we in a situation where RB was being released for all consoles at the same time, I would have gone for the PS3 version nonetheless, as having the DLC is great to keep things fresh. If the PS3 version didn't do DLC, I wouldn't still be playing it nearly as much. That said, I think they owe it to Wii owners to drop the price $30 or so.
Drew @ Apr 3rd 2008 12:40PM
Rock Band sold me a 360... Specifically for the DLC which I knew wouldn't be a part of anything on Wii due to the lack of a HD...
Each console has its strengths (well, PS3 maybe not), and DLC is the 360's over the Wii.
The Wii has some decent games and a revolutionary control scheme (when it works).
jpc168 @ Apr 3rd 2008 12:46PM
No DLC is lame... but combined with the high price, the virtual porting over from a PS2 (why wasnt this done months ago?), no compatibility with the GH3 controller, no custom characters, no online play, and basically NOTHING new for the Wii version to make up for the missing features... this is a no buy for me. Let's hope they decide to include SOMETHING! or perhaps lower the price? Please, Harmonix, do this right!
jughead789 @ Apr 3rd 2008 12:59PM
Has it officially been confirmed that there will definitely be no customizable characters or world tour. I've been searching and i can't seem to find official word either way. I know they said it will be closer to the ps2 version but that could just mean graphically and presentation wise (I doubt it but one can hope). Without these features i can't justify paying that much for an easier version of guitar hero with drums and karaoke, and I was really excited about this coming to the wii. Everyone has a ps2 if they wanted the shitty version they would have bought it already. Bad looks Harmonix.
Brad @ Apr 3rd 2008 1:06PM
Others have said it and it's more than true. I'm sure Rock Band on Wii can handle DLC... but where in hell are they going to put it?
Until Nintendo gets up off of its ass and builds a mass storage solution (a REAL online infrastructure wouldn't hurt either), the Wii will remain the best platform for offline gaming in an online era.
Adam @ Apr 3rd 2008 1:38PM
Yeah, I don't understand why they're expecting Wii owners to pay $10 more than the PS2 version's price when it's the exact same game and set of accessories. What's that extra $10 funding, hrm?