Letter to Harmonix about their games (i.e. Rock Band, etc.)

Just posted this e-mail to Harmonix for feedback.

The email:

Subject: Feedback from a long-time player of Rock Band, Rock Band 2 and a new player of Beatles Rock Band

Body:

Hi there.

I own Rock Band, Rock Band 2 and Beatles Rock Band for the XBox 360. I also have licensed probably 30 – 50 downloadable tracks for Rock Band and Rock Band 2 (thank you, by the way, for making those tracks interchangeable between the two games).  I plan to buy and download the 3 full Beatles Rock Band DLC albums when they become available.

I just finished up setting up and testing and playing Beatles Rock Band last night and it’s been a real treat.

Almost like the joy that comes after slogging through a lot of Rock Band tracks that I don’t enjoy to get to tracks I DO enjoy.

Which brings me to my main piece of advice.

You may be aware that many video racing games come with extensive accompanying tracks selections from popular and classic artists, but that most of those games, knowing that different players’ preferences for songs differ, allow the player to disable those tracks he or she doesn’t like, even during story or quest mode.

Recognizing that your games’ story modes rely on increasingly difficult tracks being played for increasing durations, it’s probably not a great idea to directly map the same idea to your games’ story modes. BUT, it seems like if folks playing don’t like the insanely difficult and arrhythmic tracks from death metal bands AND have downloaded difficult tracks from bands they do like, you could think about making it an option for players to use their downloaded tracks instead. This could also serve as a driver for downloading content for players to disable using the tracks they don’t like to play.

I do realize that I can play the quick play mode and always control what I play in Rock Band and Rock Band 2, but it’s not as satisfying as playing the quest or story mode.

Anyhow, playing games is about having fun. Sometimes it’s fun to be challenged but sometimes dealing with things we don’t like in order to be challenged (i.e. my being tasked by Rock Band 2 to play Visions by Abnormality so I can prove I have the ability to play something difficult) is not fun. I don’t like playing games that are not fun. It seems to me like you as game designers and creators should have it as your first priority to keep playing games enjoyable for the players.

I stopped playing Rock Band 2 after I got to Visions. I really didn’t enjoy slogging through that track (and others like it) in order to unlock tracks I do like. I found it challenging, yes, but also unpleasant.

I bought the Beatles Rock Band game because I knew I liked all those songs and would enjoy playing along with them.

You may have the option, of course, of releasing games centered around single bands or genres, and I encourage you to explore that, but my dream Rock Band type game would allow me to use the tracks I’ve already downloaded or purchased as part of games I already paid for and keep all the music pleasant for me and my household to hear. I also realize there are licensing issues inherent in this request, but I figure that usually when there’s a will, there’s a way.

I hope that you’ll continue to explore different ways to do that that won’t end up forcing me to play along with songs I DO NOT LIKE in order to progress and unlock and play songs that I do like.

Thanks,
M