Rock Revolution drums revealed [update]

by David Hinkle { May 17th 2008 at 2:00PM }

Update: Keep in mind, folks, that the Wii version of the game hasn't been confirmed to use peripherals. The Wii port might utilize only the Wiimote and nunchuk for "air guitaring" and "air drumming." Nothing is set in stone yet, but we just wanted to make sure you were aware.

Well now, those of you with a keen eye will undoubtedly do a double-take on this one. Don't those drums look an awful lot like the drum kit for another game? Still not jogging your memory? Well, try a convenient link.

The Rock Revolution drum kit has six different face drums, of varying sizes, which tells us a lot about the demographic they're shooting for with this title: music-loving Octopi. Seriously, that's a lot of drums to be hitting on! We're scared of the 4 (and pedal) that comes with Rock Band, so the thought of using this kit absolutely paralyzes us with fear.

[Via Joystiq]

Tags: drum-kit, drums, konami, rock-revolution

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Charles @ May 17th 2008 2:08PM

Wow... This will be actual drum training then... If like with EA's Rock Band, the songs drumming is made to match the drumming of the real song, then this will be a much more effective teacher for drumming.

John B. @ May 17th 2008 3:13PM

Yes, quite an effective teacher for drumming. Because being a successful percussionist is all about being able to hit as much crap as possible at the same time.

Now all they need to do is teach players to read rhythms, time signatures, and a trap set legend, as well as teach them to keep time and educate them on any semblance of stick and pedal technique.

Look, games like this are a lot of fun, but if I see one more moron shouting about how Rock Band makes you into Neil Pert I will kill myself and everyone around me.

Ben @ May 17th 2008 9:57PM

it makes kids into drummers as much as guitar hero makes kids into guitar players... it may help them have a modicum of improved timing and rhythm, but beyond that, its moving around a pad that is unlike anything that isnt part of a marching band.

honestly, big arcades have had virtual drumming for at least a decade. the set it extremely similar to a real drumset, and its in noway hard to track the notes. why the hell cant this be put out for GHIV? why do we have to get a dumbed down, crap version, that mimics playing a drumset bought from walmart.

and wiifanboy, how the hell are you scared of bashing around? you also scared of raising the shade to your room and seeing the sun?

Charles @ May 17th 2008 10:45PM

Wow, you people should calm down. I didn't say you're gonna become a drumming god. I just meant that, for people who have never touched a drum kit in their lives, this will give them a good idea of what it could be like.

James @ May 19th 2008 10:45AM

I'm sure I'm not the only huge nerd on a site with "fanboy" right in the name, so I'm surely not the only person who was in a high school marching band percussion section. I speak from experience when I say that plenty of middling-to-decent drummers have no idea how to read music, so that complaint about the "training" aspect of Rock Band et al does nothing for me. Sure, it's not going to teach you certain rudiments that "conventional" drummers might expect you to learn, but just being able to keep time and know where to hit to make the noise you want is a pretty big part of the total skillset.

Lars @ May 19th 2008 3:53PM

Well, except the drums aren't positioned well. I mean it's a good layout horizontally. The cymbals, toms, snare are all in the right place, but vertically not so much. It's gonna be tough to be tapping that hi-hat while using the snare. But really it's not the quantity of drums or the layout that gives you good training. Limb independence, coordination, and rhythm are the most important.

Regarding "that's a lot of drums to be hitting on"
Snare, hi-hat, crash/splash, ride, 2 toms, kick. Pretty much a standard kit... just missing a tom. Oh and they probably skipped the hi-hat pedal AGAIN. I'd rather have 3 pads and 2 pedals than any of these game kits being made or on the market. All a good drummer needs is a snare, hi-hat, cymbal, kick.

Waffala @ May 17th 2008 2:18PM

Konami did it first and they're still doing it best. Of course next thing you know the guitar is going to have 24 buttons with a DS-10.. and strings.

Anyways, where's my EA knockoff of KeyboardMania http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keyboardmania with only 7 keys

Matt @ May 17th 2008 2:56PM

Hey....

8 drums is not a lot - I'm a drummer, and have at least 20 different pieces...

This should be cool..

Later,

Matt!

Jake @ May 18th 2008 1:00PM

20 Pieces...
Really?
20?

Damn I'm poor.

LeChuck @ May 17th 2008 3:21PM

It may be more accurate to real drum sets but will it make for better play in the game? I'm wondering how hard it'll be trying to keep an eye on 7 note columns running down the screen. And it doesn't have vocals so it's automatic fail for anybody who wants a singer in their virtual band.

Lars @ May 19th 2008 3:55PM

I'd love it if they used actual drum notation instead of these "highways" they use. You could still color the notes. But come on, train people to read standard notation while training them to play!

TVGenius @ May 20th 2008 10:32PM

They probably do the 'highways' since then it correlates to the position of the pads as well... which makes it easier for beginners. Then it becomes a matter of screen real estate if you start futzing around too much.

Aparoid @ May 17th 2008 10:46PM

Yeah, with Rock Band I got annoyed by how I only had 4 pads, especially when some of the time it's a symbol and later in the song it's some other piece. This looks challenging and fun at the same time, and I think you'll definitely get more honeys with this than Rock Band. :P