No create-a-track mode in Rock Band 2

by Richard Mitchell { Jul 3rd 2008 at 12:00PM }

With player created music tracks playing a pivotal role in Guitar Hero: World Tour, many may be wondering whether or not Rock Band 2 will also be incorporating such a feature. The answer, sadly, is no. In an interview with the Associated Press (the same interview that confirmed RB2 would have more than 80 tracks), Harmonix head Alex Rigopulos made it known that Rock Band 2 will not have any sort of player controlled track creation. Rigopulos noted that Harmonix wants to "do it right" when it comes to player created music. "We're taking a radically different approach to that problem. It's something we wanted to take more time to do it right. It's actually something we're not focused on in Rock Band 2," said Rigopulos, adding, "We're really focused on other areas related to the music and bringing the community together."

So, no create-a-track and community togetherness. You know what would really bring the community together? Online Band World Tour mode. Think about it.

[Via Eurogamer]

Tags: ea, electronic-arts, harmonix, mtv, mtv-games, rock-band, rock-band-2

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Neuromancer @ Jul 3rd 2008 12:03PM

That's pretty bad, when you're being out-innovated by Activision...

SuiXide @ Jul 3rd 2008 12:23PM

Guess it's too bad real instruments and musicians with all their tools came first, huh. I kid.

But in all seriousness, if I wanted to make music I'd do it the real way, with an instrument and/or a decent computer. Still, I can't play anything I make on a PC in Guitar Hero, of course there's always Frets on Fire...

webster1990 @ Jul 3rd 2008 12:09PM

Damn, while i would probably never have used it i was pretty much sure it would be in the game.
In that interview on IGN they Harmonix guy dropped hint after hint and gave a large explanation of how Harmonix wants to get the user created music "right".
Me and my friends joked about how it wouldn't be in the game even after all his wink wink nudge nudging. But i still expected it to be in there.

DBoyFlex @ Jul 3rd 2008 12:12PM

If they get good tunes to begin with and in the DLC, I am happy and don't care. I do hope they have Satriani and Zep though.

JBurton @ Jul 3rd 2008 12:12PM

Its only going to be people creating retarded songs like TTFAF on GH:WT... either that or someone is going to recreate songs like Stairway or Freebird.

Zoot Suit Jedi @ Jul 3rd 2008 12:16PM

Create-a-track is a stupid feature. The majority of people playing this game don't have enough talent to write something as fun to play or as good as anything that is on the disk or available as DLC. Perhaps a small percent do, I know that I do, but this feature is far from a make or break feature for me. I think many kids will be disappointed that there is a huge difference between clicking a bunch of multi-colored buttons and being creative.

ccc @ Jul 3rd 2008 12:25PM

LMAO

Andrew @ Jul 3rd 2008 12:51PM

Well said.

Gemini Ace @ Jul 3rd 2008 12:29PM

This doesn't bother me in the least. I'm not musically inclined enough to make anything worth hearing, so if I got GH4 I would just feel like it was a wasted feature.

Dillon @ Jul 3rd 2008 12:38PM

Does anyone think create-a-track will actually be useful? It's something 1% of users will use (well), and will be a forgotten feature for almost all casual players.

Andrew @ Jul 3rd 2008 12:48PM

I'm not the most creative guy in the world so this is no big loss for me.

Roto13 @ Jul 3rd 2008 1:23PM

All of these "Well, I suck at writing music so I don't care" comments are confusing. Aren't you people the least bit interested in trying music by users who don't suck?

007craft @ Jul 3rd 2008 1:30PM

what these games need is an "upload-a-track" feature. In which you upload any song and it simply works with the buttons all being placed in there for you automatically in tune with the music.

Its probably something thats easy to program/design but they would never do it because people would have no reason to ever buy dlc, as they could just play the songs for free. And there would be no reason to buy a game like rockband 2, when rock band one would basically have unlimited songs.

Andrew @ Jul 3rd 2008 4:03PM

To me this sounds like something that would be difficult to get right. Sure you could just program something that will put notes on the chart that's sort of in sync with the music, but to get good quality charts out of it would be very difficult.

jimmy @ Jul 10th 2008 9:54AM

easy?! how would accomplishing that be easy? what a ridiculous statement

linuxinfector @ Jul 3rd 2008 1:30PM

lmao listen to all these RB fanboys trying to convince themselves they dont care, yea you might not be able to write songs but theres tons of others who can and you can download their songs, looks like rb is gona lose this round have fun with your dlc like the pixies

Zoot Suit Jedi @ Jul 3rd 2008 1:55PM

"have fun with your dlc like the pixies"

Um...That's exactly what I'll do.

Odog4ever @ Jul 3rd 2008 2:06PM

You are joking right? If you think nobody is going to buy Rock Band because it is missing "create-a-track" you are very naive. Even if 1% of GH:WT players know how to make tracks worth playing (and I doubt it will be that many), there are no vocals so it's gimped anyway.

And don't be mad that RB has Pixes DLC and about a hundred other songs to choose from. How many songs can you download off of any GH game? Are they going to be compatiable with GH:WT? Who is going to lose again?

MDJ2010 @ Jul 3rd 2008 2:05PM

I can honestly say I am neither a RB or GH fanboy and own both games. However I could genuinely care less about create a track not being in RB2. There is more than enough dlc, I think its more important for GH considering the slow release of dlc for their games. And you kinda make yourself sound like a fanboy more than anyone else has on these comments. And yeah, like Zoot Suit Jedi said, I will definately be enjoying the Pixies dlc.

chubytuby @ Jul 3rd 2008 1:54PM

It looks like a pain in the ass to create a song of your own anyways.

tan @ Jul 3rd 2008 1:59PM

i reckon they just want to get this out before guitar hero.

Luke @ Jul 4th 2008 12:30AM

That's what I'm thinking.

It seems like this game is rushed to me; I doubt it's a coincidence that it's slated for release a month before GH:WT. Unless they're keeping their cards close to their chest (which they could very well be; we'll find out at E3), then what's new about this game besides the songs? Why not just release the new songs as DLC? At least GH:WT is a necessary sequel, even if they are a year late adding other instruments.

You know they would have included a create-a-track mode for RB 2 if they had had time. Admit it--who gives a shit if you'll be any good at creating songs, it'll be fun to fuck around with. Two words: Mario Paint.

VeHeMeNcE @ Jul 3rd 2008 5:47PM

I don't care, as long as the World Tour mode is online.

Boff @ Jul 4th 2008 8:01AM

The RB fanboys are worse than the PS3 fanboys!! ;o)

I wasn't going to say anything in case I started a flame war but I have to agree with #21 Luke. For all the people who said "Booo! GHIII is exactly the same as GHII!" how is RB2 that different, if at all, from Rock Band? I don't doubt it'll be a good quality title but it definitely feels rushed to me. No news about it at all then suddenly they're saying it's going to be out before GHIV??? WTF??