Opinion: Grinding Guitar Hero's Axe

[Tinman]

Rustpuppet has a rant on Guitar hero

Opinion: Grinding Guitar Hero’s Axe

[Azimuth]

I'm really dismayed that Rustpuppet continues to perpetuate such a foolish sentiment. I think perhaps he might've missed the point of my original rejoinder - that, in spite of all claims to the contrary, rhythm games are NOT simulators. It's a preposterous idea - Guitar Hero is no more a guitar simulator than FIFA 09 is a soccer simulator. They're games. This kind of stuff shouldn't be coming from someone with an understanding of the context of video games, and frankly, I think it's something of a zit on the face of his credibility. You'd expect to see opinions like this coming from decrepit school music teachers whose acquaintance with current entertainment paradigms begins and ends with Pong, not a writer on a gaming website in 2009.

Instead of sounding like someone with an authoritative opinion on the matter, he's coming off as someone who sucks at the game, and is using this as a reason to slag off anyone who doesn't as somehow missing the point of Real Instruments™. When this, of course, was never really relevant anyway. Seriously, "pseudo-shredders"? :/ I could deride anyone playing StarCraft as having no idea how to conduct a real life pangalactic war, but the truth is, I just suck at StarCraft.

I slag off my fair share of games - DotA, Counter-Strike, and JRPGs are regular targets in my writing - but I can always provide perfectly valid reasons for my opinions (OPINIONS) without resorting to quotes from people who don't even play games. And there are perfectly legitimate reasons for not liking rhythm games - GH3's dreadful boss battles, for example, or the obvious lack of instrument loadout options, or maybe you just don't enjoy playing them - but the whole "gaiz, it's not like the real thing" isn't one of them.

I also don't understand at all why Rustpuppet cares what obvious idiots think - no, being a hotshit at Guitar Hero isn't going to automatically transform you into Alexi Laiho the moment you pick up a real guitar, and anyone stupid enough to think so is going to be quickly and rudely divested of this opinion the moment they actually do. Why on earth would this person's opinion matter to anyone else? When did we start letting what morons think dictate whether or not a game is fun?

In closing, xkcd wrapped this one up perfectly:

[_Caboose_]

lol rustbucket, seems u really hate the game, btw did u just try the instruments or did u try drums/vocals as well for WT and up?

[Necuno]

I'm really dismayed that Rustpuppet continues to perpetuate such a foolish sentiment. I think perhaps he might've missed the point of my original rejoinder - that, in spite of all claims to the contrary, rhythm games are NOT simulators. It's a preposterous idea - Guitar Hero is no more a guitar simulator than FIFA 09 is a soccer simulator. They're games. This kind of stuff shouldn't be coming from someone with an understanding of the context of video games, and frankly, I think it's something of a zit on the face of his credibility. You'd expect to see opinions like this coming from decrepit school music teachers whose acquaintance with current entertainment paradigms begins and ends with Pong, not a writer on a gaming website in 2009.

Instead of sounding like someone with an authoritative opinion on the matter, he's coming off as someone who sucks at the game, and is using this as a reason to slag off anyone who doesn't as somehow missing the point of Real Instruments™. When this, of course, was never really relevant anyway. Seriously, "pseudo-shredders"? :/ I could deride anyone playing StarCraft as having no idea how to conduct a real life pangalactic war, but the truth is, I just suck at StarCraft.

I slag off my fair share of games - DotA, Counter-Strike, and JRPGs are regular targets in my writing - but I can always provide perfectly valid reasons for my opinions (OPINIONS) without resorting to quotes from people who don't even play games. And there are perfectly legitimate reasons for not liking rhythm games - GH3's dreadful boss battles, for example, or the obvious lack of instrument loadout options, or maybe you just don't enjoy playing them - but the whole "gaiz, it's not like the real thing" isn't one of them.

I also don't understand at all why Rustpuppet cares what obvious idiots think - no, being a hotshit at Guitar Hero isn't going to automatically transform you into Alexi Laiho the moment you pick up a real guitar, and anyone stupid enough to think so is going to be quickly and rudely divested of this opinion the moment they actually do. Why on earth would this person's opinion matter to anyone else? When did we start letting what morons think dictate whether or not a game is fun?

In closing, xkcd wrapped this one up perfectly:

well any fool who think that after some GH you are going to pwn at real life rocking is just silly, its entertainment and that is what it should be taken as such.

in GH's defence however it does learn you some timing with listen to the rhythm skills as well as hand/finger and eye co-ordination.

i've played my fair share of music instruments including THEEEEE RRRROOOCCCCKKK *screamy metal head voice* and sometimes its actually nice to just rip out the GH and lol finger along without jaming the serious s*** out of each other. besides its all nice fun over some pizza and bear for a friend or two...

...besides no one is forcing you to do anything in life

[_Caboose_]

Guitar Beer'o : U miss a note u take a drink

[Necuno]

Guitar Beer'o : U miss a note u take a drink

sound like fun, will try it next time with some good booze

[OmegaFenix]

...to make a proudly make of fool of themselves in front of their mates in the way that only karaoke can top, but I still feel somewhat protective over my music whenever I hear someone talk about their chops on Guitar Hero as if they’re actually worth something in the real world.

I am not a huge GH fan, i have II & III and have clocked both on Easy and started Medium. But what you saying there i have to disagree with, like Azimuth said, those people who play GH or RB and think once they've beaten Through the Fire and the Flame on Expert they will be welcomed into the Music world like gods of Rock are in for a rude awakening. Thats like people who play GTA and think they will learn how to become car thieves. It looks to me as if you've taken GH, for whatever reason, out of the gaming context and tried put it into a real world context. If you managed to beat GH on expert yes that means jack shit in real life but for people who play the game it does hold some rep. Its like people who pwn at COD or WOW or any one of the other games we play.

Now im actually in the mood to play GHIII again....

[sycogrim]

sjoe this is quite a show down between u guys... But regardless i suppose you both make valid points based on this gaming scenario... You can in some cases call GH3 a simulator as well as saying a racing game is a form of a simulator, yet they are afterall both games ... However if you look at it like this I myself am big into my music, I will listen to anything... Playing GH3 made me wanna pick up a real guitar and start learning straight away, as it just does not have the same feeling as playing on a plastic object.

But I must say Rusty very nice article and Azimuth nice reply to that one... I guess there is no real way of calling this a win win situation as you both have your seperate views on the topic but wow this was one of the best reads so far

[OmegaFenix]

sjoe this is quite a show down between u guys... But regardless i suppose you both make valid points based on this gaming scenario... You can in some cases call GH3 a simulator as well as saying a racing game is a form of a simulator, yet they are afterall both games ... However if you look at it like this I myself am big into my music, I will listen to anything... Playing GH3 made me wanna pick up a real guitar and start learning straight away, as it just does not have the same feeling as playing on a plastic object.

But I must say Rusty very nice article and Azimuth nice reply to that one... I guess there is no real way of calling this a win win situation as you both have your seperate views on the topic but wow this was one of the best reads so far

Thats the thing about Opinions we all have one.

[Necuno]

the cake is a lie...