Rock Band 3: The Search For Squeeze

[k1]

From the Rock Band forums:

   
hmxhenry 

   
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 5,771
Official Statement Re: RB3 PS3 Keyboard Bundle
Hey gang,

You may have seen that retailers have taken down the Rock Band 3 keyboard/software bundle pre-orders for PlayStation 3. Unfortunately, this SKU will not be available in the U.S. (including Canada and Mexico) due to the agreement terms for the region. However, Mad Catz and MTV Games are working with those retailers that accepted pre-orders to enable them, if they choose, to honor those pre-orders placed prior to this change as soft bundles (separate discs and keyboards), at pre-order pricing. These retailers will have more details shortly.

Please note:

· Moving forward, the keyboard and Rock Band 3 software will continue to be available as stand-alone products for PlayStation 3 in the US.

· This does not affect European customers as the Rock Band 3 keyboard/software PS3 bundles will still be available in Europe.

· The Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii keyboard/software bundles are still available for pre-order.

For more Rock Band 3 news, please keep posted to the Announcement forum and upcoming press releases.

Awesome. So glad I get the opportunity to pay an extra $10. 

[James of LinHood]

It's amazing how often the PS3 seems to get the shaft (and the Wii for that matter).  I'm not bragging but when things like this happen it makes me happy that I went with the 360. 

I'm sorry to hear about this latest mishap, PS3 owners.  It really is a unfortunate situation.   

[k1]

As of yesterday you could still preorder the bundle from barnes and noble but I don't want to take the chance that it won't be honored, plus I don't know if I would still get the gamestop preorder bonus even though b&n preorders are filled by gamestop.

[k1]

Ended up pre-ordering just the game through Best Buy & getting the 500 bonus reward zone points.  Now I just need to finish up a few games before I start playing RB3 so I can put in a bigger hard drive.  (I'm at the point on my 60 GB where I can't install larger demos.)

[Mechanical Torgo]

The first DLC for RB3 has been announced!

Available: October 26

The Doors Pack 01
    - "Light My Fire" (Free from Oct. 26 – Nov. 1 in game, features Pro Guitar and Pro Bass) *
    - "Riders on the Storm" (Free from Oct. 26 – Nov. 1 in game, features Pro Guitar and Pro Bass) *
    - "Touch Me" (Free from Oct. 26 – Nov. 1 in game, features Pro Guitar and Pro Bass) *
    - "Hello, I Love You"
    - "L.A. Woman"
    - "Love Her Madly"
    - "Love Me Two Times"
    - "Peace Frog"
    - "People Are Strange"
    - "Roadhouse Blues"
    - "Soul Kitchen"
    - "The Crystal Ship"

* The three free songs will only be available through the in-game music store.  On November 2 they will no longer be free but will still be made available for purchase.

Pricing has not been announced yet.

Remember, DLC for RB3 is no longer backwards compatible with the other games in the series so if you want any further DLC you NEED to get Rock Band 3.

[James of LinHood]

Remember, DLC for RB3 is no longer backwards compatible with the other games in the series so if you want any further DLC you NEED to get Rock Band 3.

I have found this interesting ever since people started looking into the current DLC song files and noticing harmonies and keyboards charted for some of the songs.  And those work with Rock Band 1 and 2 as well as 3.   I wonder why those songs are compatible across all three games yet all DLC released after October 26th won't be.  Seems kinda fishy.  But I've got RB3 pre-ordered so I'm not really complaining.   

On the other hand it makes me wonder just how many people who refuse to lay down the money for RB3 are gonna cry about the DLC situation.  It kinda reminds me of the Rock Band PS2 players who complained day-in, day-out about the lack of DLC on their console.

[gbeenie]

At least they're getting The Doors out of their system early. It would have been epic if they had snuck in "Craigslist" by "Weird Al" Yankovic.   

[James of LinHood]

It would have been epic if they had snuck in "Craigslist" by "Weird Al" Yankovic.   

Ha!  I thought the exact same thing when I first saw this announcement.   

[Mechanical Torgo]

Apparently, Billy Joel DLC is coming December 14.

From a Harmonix press release:

...and beginning Dec. 14, some of Billy Joel's most-loved songs including "Big Shot," "Captain Jack," "It's Still Rock N Roll to Me," "Movin' Out," "Only The Good Die Young," "Piano Man," "Pressure," "Say Goodbye to Hollywood," "The Entertainer," and "The Stranger" will be available as Rock Band 3 downloadable content and will include Keys and Pro Keys parts...

[k1]

Feeling lazy & trying to kid wrangle right now...  anyone know if the Pro modes have different levels? Or is it just Easy, Medium, Hard, Expert, Pro?

I'm hoping the Pro mode has different levels because I want to take advantage of the Pro Guitar & drums, but I know I'm not good enough to just jump in if it doesn't offer say "Pro Mode - Medium" for guitar & drums. 

[Mechanical Torgo]

Awesome quote from Billy Joel taken from USA Today:

"I've never allowed my music to be used in a game before," but an Entertainment Weekly review of NBC's The Office changed his mind. Alluding to an episode in which characters mention a Rock Band featuring Billy Joel, "the critic wrote something like, 'God forbid that ever should happen.' So I called my people and said, 'Get me (on) that Rock Band game.' Then I wrote the critic, saying that every time I get a check, I'll give him a little nod."

Owned.

Also, Pro Mode will have multiple difficulties.

[k1]

Also, Pro Mode will have multiple difficulties.

excellent! thanks!  I was planning on picking up the pro instruments at some point anyways for other purposes (like utilizing the midi out on the guitar for another musical iRiff perhaps...) but that's incentive to get it sooner! 

[Compound]

Feeling lazy & trying to kid wrangle right now...  anyone know if the Pro modes have different levels? Or is it just Easy, Medium, Hard, Expert, Pro?

I'm hoping the Pro mode has different levels because I want to take advantage of the Pro Guitar & drums, but I know I'm not good enough to just jump in if it doesn't offer say "Pro Mode - Medium" for guitar & drums. 

Just to confirm,XBox Magazine's latest issue reports the same thing: Pro mode has multiple levels. They in fact recommend just starting the piano mode on pro.

[James of LinHood]

Apparently, Billy Joel DLC is coming December 14.

From a Harmonix press release:

...and beginning Dec. 14, some of Billy Joel's most-loved songs including "Big Shot," "Captain Jack," "It's Still Rock N Roll to Me," "Movin' Out," "Only The Good Die Young," "Piano Man," "Pressure," "Say Goodbye to Hollywood," "The Entertainer," and "The Stranger" will be available as Rock Band 3 downloadable content and will include Keys and Pro Keys parts...

If the last two songs are not "We Didn't Start the Fire" and "Uptown Girl" I will not be happy.

Also, we might be getting a second Billy Joel pack this spring:

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/legacy-recordings-sets-stage-for-monumental-2011-billy-joel-reissue-project-with-release-of-billy-joels-the-hits-on-tuesday-november-16-105380288.html

Rock Band is excited to offer a new Billy Joel edition of the popular video game, providing a masterful keyboard experience of his music to fans around the world through two downloadable game packs: a "Hits" pack of 12 songs arriving in December 2010 followed by a 6-song "Piano Challenge" pack in the spring.

I say might because if the 6 song pack is really titled Piano Challenge Pack then it's probably not just Billy Joel but rather one Billy Joel song and songs from 5 other different artists.

[James of LinHood]

The advance reviews are all starting to roll in:

http://gameinformer.com/games/rock_band_3/b/xbox360/archive/2010/10/15/rock-band-3-review-a-whole-new-challenge.aspx

http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/22/rock-band-3-review

http://www.destructoid.com/review-rock-band-3

http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/66125

http://www.vgrevolution.com/2010/10/rock-band-3-review/

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/reviews/games/music_simulator/rock_band_3/index.html

Also, Official X-Box Magazine gave Rock Band 3 a 9.5 out of 10 according to Metacritic.com. 

Tuesday can't come soon enough.