What will you play?  The new Rock Band 3 is on the way and it’s loaded with 4 different instruments on top of 3 vocals.  The new version packs more playability features for the ‘newb’ on up to ‘that guy’ who can play a 5 demon track with his eyes closed.  The vocals support backup singers in tracks that allow it, although we’re unsure what will happen when you play one of those Original Rock Band tracks you exported to your hard disk back when Rock Band 2 came out.  That said, here’s the logo:

Due for release on Oct 23rd this year retailing for about $59.99 for the disk and $129.99 if you want the Keyboard bundled.  The keyboard is running about $79.99 alone, for those more interested in the Fender Mustang PRO-Guitar can get it for $149.99.  This time around, all Rock Band peripherals are licensed for Mad Catz to create for Harmonix.  Additionally if you have a midi device, there is a new MIDI PRO-adapter also by Mad Catz that can adapt most devices for $39.99.

If you’d like to learn more, click the link below.

Game Play

As with every revision of Rock Band there comes a update to the overall layout.  The opening menu has been shortened to just 5 items.  ‘Play Now’ will take you into a group friendly option for quick play while ‘Career’ drops either you or your Band into the meat of the game.  As always, there is some ‘Training’ for those new to the game.  ‘Customize’ needs no explanation nor ‘Get More Songs’, the link into the massive archive of Rock Band friendly DLC.

This version expands the Band to a total of 7 people.  Those with more than 4 friends can now rest a little as Vocals (up to 3 members) have lost the need for a controller freeing up one more spot for the ‘real’ players to grow. Seriously though, now you can have up to 4 instruments (guitar, bass, drums, and keyboard) at any given time, a welcome addition to the main Rock Band line.

Game play has been improved with the ability for members to jump in/out between songs.  Also the ability to switch your difficulty mid song is a godsend when you have friends that like to push themselves to the point of failing.  There is also the inclusion for the over-achievers who’d like to see more in their game.  You can now purchase ‘PRO’ rated instruments.  The new Fender Mustang Guitar is loaded with 17 frets of 6 buttons to help simulate a real guitar.  The Keyboard operates in both a standard and PRO capacity.  Your drums can get an upgrade with three cymbals that will in PRO mode show a little cymbal in the game when you need it.

Playing as a group now has ‘no-fail’ on all the time.  Inviting the kids over or one of the last few whom never tried Rock band or Guitar Hero?  Not a problem.  The goal is now to have fun in the group quick play.  There is also a new mode typically for those budding artists, allowing them to only need to hit any key at the right moment.  Party Shuffle can now be used to pick from your vast array of songs letting people just rock out to the random.

Instruments

The new keyboard (aka Keytar) sold by Mad Catz contains two-octave key sets allowing both ‘standard’ and PRO keyboard play.  It can be used to play all keyboard, guitar, and bass parts of any song.  Available from Mad Catz, the unit will function as a Rock Band instrument and can be hooked up to a MIDI sequencer for a reasonable quality keyboard.  The unit can be worn with one of the standard issue guitar straps or for a few bucks more (about $29.99) for can get a stand to place it on.

If you go PRO, something this instrument does out of the box, your display will change allowing the quick to play all the keys as needed.  PRO mode opens up the full two octaves, allowing for a more realistic experience for those keyboardists at heart.

Playing a Guitar with the keyboard allows many older songs to be included and also bringing a new shine of difficulty to them.  During the startup, either guitar or bass can be selected.

The new Fender Mustang like the Keyboard supports both a Rock Band Instrument mode and a full MIDI output.  17 frets of 6 buttons provide 102 ways to cramp up your fingers.  It can be played in both right and left handed modes.  There is also support for a Mad Catz Stomp Box, introduced back in Rock Band 2.  There is also plans for a Fender/Harmonix guitar love-child called the ‘Squier’ (yeah, that’s the spelling, have to double check).

The drums haven’t changed much, but now in PRO mode you are enforced to use the cymbals when appropriate.  Fear not, a little cymbal will appear appropriately colored for the cymbal you need to hit.  The kit can be purchased with a drum kit or can be acquired separately.  They also can be used to upgrade that Rock Band 2 drum kit you might be thinking to kick to the curb for a mere $39.99. Those with an ION Drum Rocker need to look here to get your third cymbal to get yoursele PRO ready.

While not a Rock Band Instrument specifically, the wireless Microphone makes a perfect addition to your Rock Band kit.  Gone are the tangle of wires, kinked cords and just plain shenanigans the wired microphones posed.  They occupy the wireless headset’s spot so if you use that too, you may end up stepping on toes.

Online OverShare and Console Socializing

This version of Rock Band includes integration with  both FaceBook and Twitter out of the box.  Logon to RockBand.com and setup your profile along with the necessary filters to get only what you need out there for people to see.  I stress, tread gently.  Nothing worse than someone who tells us every time they play a song.

Other bands can now issue song challenges to each other.  String a few songs together then send them to your buddy to beat your score.  When they login and accept the challenge, their Rock Band will have the challenge waiting for them to play.  This should be console agnostic in implementation.

Key Features

Pro Guitar: Rock Band Pro lets you further develop your musical skills through gameplay! Play in the game, rock in the real world! The flagship of the Rock Band Pro initiative, Pro Guitar features realistic guitar and bass performance, utilizing either the new Fender™ Mustang™ PRO-Guitar™ simulated guitar controller from Mad Catz or the Rock Band 3 Squier® by Fender Stratocaster® real guitar/controller hybrid that is being developed by Fender and Harmonix.

Pro Guitar Trainer: The trainer helps you get up to speed with the skills you need for rocking in the real world. For Pro Guitar and Pro Bass, the trainer starts with basic videos explaining the parts of your guitar and how to hold it. Then, we jump right in by teaching players open notes, and moves on to power chords to help players really learn real-life guitar technique. Once players get the hang of the instrument, they can use the trainer to master any song in the game, as well as any future DLC with Pro guitar or Pro bass parts. The Pro Guitar Trainer gets players rocking in no time!

Pro Keyboard: If you’re lucky, you tickled these ivories before at E3 in traditional Rock Band five-key representational mode (“keys”). Now’s your chance for a deep dive into the pitch-accurate Pro Mode (“Pro keys”). Experience the challenge and reward of playing along with real keyboard parts until you’ve mastered them on Expert! Watch in awe as the note-chart shifts between octaves on the fly and buff up your finger strength with tendon-cramping solos.

Keyboard Trainer: Who says music games can’t give you real world skills? Building on the already deep tutorial tools minted for the Rock Band franchise, the Keyboard Trainer takes players from the basic “keys” mode to the expansive world of “Pro keys”, which includes real instruction on everything from theory, modes, chording and much more. Go ahead; we dare you to master “Bohemian Rhapsody” on Pro Expert, a true-to-life musical exorcism that no other game on the planet can offer. You’ll need this trainer to do so. Period.

Keyboard Compatibility: Keyboard controllers can be used to play keyboard parts, but also guitar and bass parts (non-Pro). Similarly, guitar controllers can be used to play keyboard parts (non-Pro). No need to constantly switch peripherals to play your favorite instrumental part during the game or to rock catalog content!

Career Mode: You’ll learn the ropes of rock stardom in Career Mode, going from an up-and-coming garage band to megastars, but how you do it is all new. You’ll start by playing in basements and hopping subway trains and gain notoriety, fans and fame as you progress through your Career. Completing different gigs and goals helps your band accrue points toward a Career Score, which determines your band level – for example, whether your band travels around in a van or a jet. Although your goals browser leads you through the game, goals can be achieved in any game mode – including Road Challenges, Quickplay and Trainers.

Road Challenges: Road Challenges present players with a one- to five-hour experience with challenges designed to be completed in a single gameplay session (for example, Metal Challenge, Indie Rock Challenge, 80s Rock Challenge). Road Challenges, once completed, connect to a band’s persistent career and drive the collection of in-game goals and achievements. Additionally, Road Challenges incorporate gameplay variants like “Streakmania,” “Overdrive Chain” and “In the Spotlight,” which allow players to earn bonuses beyond the typical five stars.

Character Creator: Rock Band 3 let’s you personalize your band like never before, featuring a bevy of fully-customizable options for everything from facial structure (a brand new feature to the Rock Band series!) to body type, and everything in between. What’s more, your created character / band will be featured in all of the in-game vignettes, literally casting your characters and band right into the game! Yeah, it’s rad.

New Menus: The new “overshell” makes the Rock Band gaming experience easier than ever. The overshell menus manage Rock Band logistics for each individual member of the band, allowing players to drop in or out, modify their gameplay options (including difficulty and no fail), choose a character and sign in or out of a profile without affecting other players in the session.

Compatibility: Rock Band 3 is compatible with all Rock Band™ and The Beatles™: Rock Band™ peripherals, as well as most Guitar Hero® and other authorized third-party music video game peripherals and microphones. Mad Catz is the official peripheral manufacturer and distributor for Rock Band 3 game controllers. Rock Band Pro Guitar is compatible with the Mad Catz Fender™ Mustang™ PRO-Guitar™ guitar controller and the Rock Band 3 Squier® by Fender Stratocaster® Stratocaster guitar controller.

Music

The Rock Band 3 on-disc soundtrack contains 83 of the best bands from around the world, including bands that have never appeared in a music game, as well as support for most existing Rock Band tracks (Rock Band and Rock Band 2 discs, downloaded songs, Rock Band Network songs, track packs, AC/DC Live: Rock Band Track Pack, LEGO® Rock Band and Green Day: Rock Band).

Additionally, Rock Band 3 will give players immediate access to a music library approaching 2,000 songs at launch, with new content added weekly. Rock Band’s gigantic music library dwarfs that of Guitar Hero® or any other music game on the market.

Redesigned Library for Better Music Management: Create and save set lists and share them with your friends online and on your console. Improved song sorting, including by instrument, decade, genre, difficulty and more, makes it easier to find the songs you like – and hide the songs you don’t. Song recommendation system will recommend new songs for you based upon those you already like to play.

Continued DLC Releases: Harmonix will continue to publish new Rock Band 3 DLC for fans every week. Tracks released post-launch of Rock Band 3 will contain some functionality based on newly introduced features, including key and harmony parts where applicable and Pro Guitar parts on some songs. All previously purchased songs from the Rock Band Music Store will support Pro Drums.

Rock Band 3 on-disc soundtrack:

“Welcome one and all to the e3 derby!  The horses are lining up in the gate. AND THEIR OFF!  Coming out of the gate strong is the microsoft owned horse, OnThe Back Of Natal. Meanwhile the Sony Owned horse seams to have stumbled out of the gate…”

Yes, welcome to the week known as e3.  By the end of today, the winners of the e3 derby will be determined by me based on who i felt had the best showing.  And this is like a derby because out of the gate with a huge head start was Microsoft.  The ability to go first lent them a few advantages, first they are setting the whole tone for the convention with their “Showing not telling” mentality.  Secondly going first allowed them to unleash the first in game demo of Final Fantasy 13 on the XBox 360.  Square Enix has really spread their wings as of late, deviating from their Sony mentality.  This isn’t to say they haven’t always been multi-platform, but with Final Fantasy being mostly Sony exclusive (although not contracted) they always felt Sony-centric.  Now this is one bullet that has literally been taken out of the chamber of Sony’s gun.  Sony can no longer say that any announcement for Final Fantasy 13 is new or interesting, Microsoft beat them to that punch.  Microsoft also came out with a nice selection of exclusive games, including stealing another one from Sony.  With the announcement of Metal Gear Solid: Rising coming out for the Xbox 360, I don’t know if anyone can catch them. 

Let’s go into a bit more detail and go with some ratings.

Presentation 9/10 – A lot of what makes e3 what it is, is gaudy press confrences.  With a set that would rival almost any major award ceremony, Microsoft took the stage strong.  At first I thought, opening with Rock Band: The Beatles seamed a little weak.  I understand a lot of people still enjoy music games, but I think the craze is starting to die out.  Then they pull out all the stop with Olivia Harrison, Yoko Ono, and most importantly Paul and Ringo, the remaining surviving members of the Beatles.  Then they follow that up with more star power, bringing out Tony Hawk to introduce his new skateboard controller.  The rest was very general till the end, when they unleashed Project Natal onto the world, but that’s for another section.  OVerall the production was amazing, and by not letting the confrence get dragged down by numbers, they were able to keep excitement up and kept people interested.

Announcements 9/10 – Another 9 here, the only reason it doesn’t get a 10 is cause if you bring out the maker of one of your best game properties (Gears of War) and have them announce that they are working on an XBLA game, it’s a big let down.  Last year CliffyB from Epic Games comes out with a Lancer (Chainsaw gun from Gears Of War) and that was the big moment.  I understand Epic may only be ready to release this XBLA game, but don’t announce it here, let it leak before the confrence.  However the advent of Metal Gear Solid: Rising coming to Xbox exclusivly, Facebook, last.fm, twitter, Halo: Reach and of course Project Natal makes up for it.  When Peter Molyneux came out and showed that video from Lionhead Studios showing what Natal can do, I was blown away.  Now I am sure they only showed off what was already programed, but think of the applications.  A friend who can help your son or daughter out with their homework.  Someone who will help keep your children active, and maybe, in the future, a babysitter.  You may think it strange to leave your child in the care of a computer, but what if you know you are only going out for an hour or two for a nice dinner with your spouse.  Turn it on, and hook up a special Xbox 360 alarm system  to your house. At the first sign of trouble, if they kid looks sick or starts crying, it can through the internet, call you immediatly.  Or in the event of a break-in can call 911.  I am sure there are more practical uses (personally I can’t wait for the golf games) but these are just some of the many options that now become available.

Games 8/10 – Showing off Halo: ODST and Halo: Reach was nice.  It was good to finally see some actual game play for ODST.  Alan Wake has the feel of another Blacksite: Area 51 type of game to me.  A very simple style third person shooter that may have great story but weak gameplay. The in game demo they showed, he spent more time walking then anything else.  Crackdown 2 and Left 4 Dead 2 both look great but not a lot of good footage from either.  Tony Hawk Ride looked nice, especially with the skateboard.  Shadow Complex does look like it can be a fun game.  Final Fantasy 13 is looking good but in true square enix style, they gave us only a small clip to leave us wanting more.  Rock Band: The Beatles has some nice new innovations like actual harmonies (something I was hoping for in rock band 2). 

Overall 9/10 – I think Microsoft has more then set the tone for all of e3 with this briefing.  They left it open for more news to come out over the course of the week.  They came out strong setting a bar for the rest of the big three to try to catch.

 In a half hour from the time of writing, the Nintendo Confrence will start.  Lets see if they can come out strong enough to even be noticed.  Nintendo doesn’t need to come out as flashy cause of what Nintendo is about.  If they can drop a few hardcord gamer’s games, and a bunch of high quality first party games they can still do well.  I will be back with part 2 sometime later today.