# Guitar Hero (PS2): OMG **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 4, 2005, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-hero-ps2-omg/329495 "2005-11-04T16:26:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2006, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-hero-ps2-omg/329495/41 "2006-05-15T19:32:11Z")
Which is why I said I think I’m getting too old for this. 40 approaches and I’ve been covering the industry for a long time. Who are you with **Pochacco**? It’s possible we’ve met. I did watch one of the bands playing for-real on Friday. They seemed very nice. And lest you think I’m some sort of monster here’s a quote from one of my columnists regarding the game: > [@](#): > > I find it a bit ironic that the night ended up with Guitar Hero, because when I was able to get into the show floor today (actually the rent-a-cops opened the doors a few minutes early,) I met up with RedOctane to get hands on with Guitar Hero II. As if the first game wasn’t great enough, how about one with a two player co-op mode? Want one person to play lead and the other to play rhythm or bass? It’s now available. The E3 build that I played featured six songs, the most recognizable being “You Really Got Me” as made famous by Van Halen, YYZ by Rush, and much to my delight, War Pigs from Black Sabbath. Then again, after playing the song in its entirety (nearly 7 minutes long,) I was damning RedOctane for re-creating such a hand killer. Again the “made famous by” moniker is back, meaning we will be dealing with the “so darn good you can’t believe that are covers”, but I was recently told by my RedOctane rep that Primus actually provided their music for one of their songs (and even has the “performed by” moniker as well.) He likes it. I didn’t. I didn’t interfere with his opinion getting out in print. I like being hands off. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2006, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-hero-ps2-omg/329495/42 "2006-05-15T19:38:15Z")
> [@Jonathan Chance](#): > > Who are you with **Pochacco**? It’s possible we’ve met. I’m with Sony Santa Monica. Right now I’m one of the two game directors on **Warhawk**. If you got a press demo of it at the show there’s a strong possibility that you interviewed me. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2006, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-hero-ps2-omg/329495/43 "2006-05-15T19:41:00Z")
No, one of my columnists did and he said it looked good. We’ll have to see if we can meet at one of these shows someday. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2006, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-hero-ps2-omg/329495/44 "2006-05-15T19:52:05Z")
> [@Jonathan Chance](#): > > No, one of my columnists did and he said it looked good. Thanks. It PLAYED much better than it looked, actually. We got a lot of traffic from people trying out the new controllers, but I was pleased to see that most people kept playing LONG after they’d had time to check out the new hardware. We had eight kiosks and the wait at each was never less than fifteen minutes from the start to the end of the show. That was nice to see. > [@](#): > > We’ll have to see if we can meet at one of these shows someday. I may be going to TGS this year. And I expect to have much more free time at E3 next year … . 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![c\_goat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@c\_goat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_goat)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2006, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-hero-ps2-omg/329495/45 "2006-05-15T20:04:18Z")
> [@Pochacco](#): > > **Guitar Hero** makes you totally FEEL like a rock star, even if you can’t play a lick. Now that’s a great game. That’s got to be the best, most succinct two line review ever. You know one thing that really makes me appreciate the work that went into this game… the character on screen playing the song appears to really play it, as far as hand & finger movement goes. (I’m not a guitar player so this is from my uneducated observation). This game wasn’t just thrown together, and it shows. I can’t wait for the sequel. I already have two controllers, so that co-op mode playing different parts sounds great. I have to agree with Jonathan Chance though, the way he describes the presentation would have turned me off as well. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2006, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-hero-ps2-omg/329495/46 "2006-05-15T20:11:59Z")
I’m not a gamer at all, and have little patience for games, but Guitar Hero is absolutely fantastic. Spent way too many hours with **yojimbo** playing it two weeks ago, and my fingers are still a little sore. I’m a guitar player, and my learning curve was pretty quick, but plateaued very quickly. It’s a very hard game. It did make me wonder if a similar thing could be done that actually taught one to play the guitar. The game takes a lot of effort, rhythm, and dexterity that could be put to better parallel use, but then maybe I’m a snob. Sing Star is also really fun. ---
**Author:** ![Gozu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gozu/32/6615_2.png) [@Gozu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2006, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-hero-ps2-omg/329495/47 "2006-05-15T20:12:02Z")
> [@Pochacco](#): > > Thanks. It PLAYED much better than it looked, actually. We got a lot of traffic from people trying out the new controllers, but I was pleased to see that most people kept playing LONG after they’d had time to check out the new hardware. We had eight kiosks and the wait at each was never less than fifteen minutes from the start to the end of the show. That was nice to see. > > I may be going to TGS this year. And I expect to have much more free time at E3 next year … . 🙂 Hey pochacco! I was planning to email you before E3 and meet you over there but I totally forgot ☹ Please check out my “ask the E3 guy thread” in cafe society. I have a question for you there and I know you can contribute greatly to the conversation there (assuming there is one :P) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2006, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-hero-ps2-omg/329495/48 "2006-05-15T20:18:01Z")
> [@Gozu](#): > > Hey pochacco! I was planning to email you before E3 and meet you over there but I totally forgot ☹ I was totally slammed at the show anyway. The only time I had to myself was an hour Friday morning. > [@](#): > > Please check out my “ask the E3 guy thread” in cafe society. I have a question for you there and I know you can contribute greatly to the conversation there (assuming there is one :P) I’m following both your thread and Jonathan’s. Ask away! ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2006, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-hero-ps2-omg/329495/49 "2006-05-15T21:24:40Z")
I have not seen the game. I play guitar. We apparently have some folks very deep in the gaming industry, so I’ll re-ask **jjimm** ’s question: Is there any chance that a MIDI interface to the game, rather than the game controller, could be developed so that regular guitar players could have the fun, without learning a new instrument? ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2006, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-hero-ps2-omg/329495/50 "2006-05-15T21:29:45Z")
I have not seen the game. I play guitar. We apparently have some folks very deep in the gaming industry, so I’ll re-ask **jjimm** ’s question: Is there any chance that a MIDI interface to the game, rather than the game controller, could be developed so that regular guitar players could have the fun, without learning a new instrument? ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2006, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-hero-ps2-omg/329495/51 "2006-05-15T21:35:07Z")
I have not seen the game. I play guitar. We apparently have some folks very deep in the gaming industry, so I’ll re-ask **jjimm** ’s question: Is there any chance that a MIDI interface to the game, rather than the game controller, could be developed so that regular guitar players could have the fun, without learning a new instrument? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2006, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-hero-ps2-omg/329495/52 "2006-05-15T21:37:32Z")
> [@NoCoolUserName](#): > > Is there any chance that a MIDI interface to the game, rather than the game controller, could be developed so that regular guitar players could have the fun, without learning a new instrument? [It’s been done.](http://www.joystiq.com/2006/04/11/guitar-hero-hack-a-sequencer-is-born/) ---
**Author:** ![Gozu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gozu/32/6615_2.png) [@Gozu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2006, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-hero-ps2-omg/329495/53 "2006-05-15T23:39:42Z")
> [@NoCoolUserName](#): > > I have not seen the game. I play guitar. We apparently have some folks very deep in the gaming industry, so I’ll re-ask **jjimm** ’s question: > > Is there any chance that a MIDI interface to the game, rather than the game controller, could be developed so that regular guitar players could have the fun, without learning a new instrument? There is no chance at all of that ever happening. ---
**Author:** ![Gozu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gozu/32/6615_2.png) [@Gozu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2006, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-hero-ps2-omg/329495/54 "2006-05-15T23:53:36Z")
> [@Pochacco](#): > > [It’s been done.](http://www.joystiq.com/2006/04/11/guitar-hero-hack-a-sequencer-is-born/) I don’t think that’s what he meant. He wants to plug his real guitar via a MIDI connection to the PS2 and use said real guitar to play Guitar Hero. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-hero-ps2-omg/329495/55 "2006-05-16T00:10:30Z")
> [@Gozu](#): > > I don’t think that’s what he meant. He wants to plug his real guitar via a MIDI connection to the PS2 and use said real guitar to play Guitar Hero. Ah, you’re right. No, there’s no way that will ever happen. The player isn’t really playing notes in Guitar Hero. He’s playing a game of Simon Says. If he hits every beat, the game plays the song normally. If he misses a beat the game plays a canned flub. There’s not really any support for actually playing real notes. ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-hero-ps2-omg/329495/56 "2006-05-16T14:37:46Z")
> [@Pochacco](#): > > Ah, you’re right. > > No, there’s no way that will ever happen. The player isn’t really playing notes in Guitar Hero. He’s playing a game of Simon Says. If he hits every beat, the game plays the song normally. If he misses a beat the game plays a canned flub. There’s not really any support for actually playing real notes. Thanks for the clarification. ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2006, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-hero-ps2-omg/329495/57 "2006-05-16T20:39:51Z")
> [@NoCoolUserName](#): > > I have not seen the game. I play guitar. We apparently have some folks very deep in the gaming industry, so I’ll re-ask **jjimm** ’s question: > > Is there any chance that a MIDI interface to the game, rather than the game controller, could be developed so that regular guitar players could have the fun, without learning a new instrument? You’re not really learning any sort of instrument. It’s 5 buttons. Basically a modified PS2 controller. I’ve played for a LONG time and I jumped right in and was wailing away on GH in about 2 minutes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitar-hero-ps2-omg/329495.md?page=2)