Guitar Hero (more interesting post title TBD)
I bought Guitar Hero over the weekend. I’m not that great at it—”easy” is just below my ability, and “medium” is slightly above, so I’m pretty much never gonna see the game on any level that I feel like I’ve mastered it.
Still, whatever, it’s kind of fun. I always liked the guitar in Sunshine Of Your Love, so I looked forward to that. A couple songs like Hit Me With Your Best Shot and Welcome To The Jungle are a lot more fun to play than they are to listen to. I am surprised to find I like more straight rock than I’d thought.
However, odd thing happened while I was going through Easy mode and got down to One by Metallica. I had like an emotional reaction to it—or hm, no, that’s how I described it at the time, but it’s not quite right. I had maybe a pride reaction. Or honor? Anyway, it just felt wrong to play it on easy. It deserved more. I just cancelled it mid-song and picked a different one.
I was having a difficult time with “medium”, and you have to get through a number of songs before you can get down to the part where One is available to you. But I bludgeoned my way through it just so I could get down to One again and put some effort into it that it deserves.
I don’t even like Metallica all that much. I am fascinated by this reaction in myself, and as self-analysis is my lifelong hobby, I expect to mull this over a fair bit.
August 20th, 2008 14:49
I’m still trying to resist that game like the plague, as it has claimed the social life of a few of my friends. Needless to say, the ability to play “Trogdor” perfectly in GH 2 is the real test of manhood.
August 20th, 2008 17:28
You nailed this in chat the other day, Holmes, and it has me questioning my ability to have fun with GH in the future: it seems like I’m sponging creativity and entertainment off of the work of others. I’d had that feeling before, but couldn’t put it in words.
I mean, yea, it’s still fun, but the illusion of “rockin’” is supplied by the work of original musicians and the game designers. I think the game’s popularity is fueled in part by the fact that your Average Schlob can pick up a guitar and play a Rage Against the Machine lick without any effort at all.
Again, I’m not some intellectual/creative snob — I like the game, but it always leaves me feeling a little… dishonest. Or something.
August 20th, 2008 18:18
Yeah. Hear ya. Though the music I compose in my head while I’m waiting to fall asleep has taken on a more guitary feel to it; as watered-down as the guitar experience in the game is, it’s made me pay more attention to how guitar music actually works (not that I’m playing actual music, but I do have to listen closely to actual music in a way I haven’t before). So at least it’s not all wasted time for me.
August 27th, 2008 10:35
The “cheating” or “dishonest” reaction is an interesting response to GH that comes up frequently. I’m not sure I understand why; when people play, say, Madden 08, do they feel like they’re cheating because they’re not ACTUALLY good at football and because Madden 08 is a pale comparison to actually setting foot on the field? I don’t think people have this reaction or dishonesty (or outright disgust with those who enjoy GH, which I’ve seen all over the web) with other games.
Maybe it’s the fact that it has a peripheral that looks like a guitar - perhaps a Madden 08 that ships with a plastic football-shaped controller would garner the same kind of reaction.
August 27th, 2008 11:54
Probably because actual guitar playing is also something you can do while sitting on your couch. The Madden 08 game is so far removed from actual football, that it’s not close enough to draw a parallel. I think if there were a robotic arm you could wear that would boost your football throwing power, you’d get much the same reaction if you were in a backlot game with one.
Actually I heard a story a few days ago on NPR about electric-assisted bikes: bikes with motors that aren’t strong enough to push the bike by itself, but give people the ability to bike longer or up hills they normally couldn’t. They spent some time talking about the “actual biker” reaction to this, and generally being condescending. That’s probably similar.
August 27th, 2008 22:46
Hey Greg,
Long time no see!
telnet digitaldial.homeunix.com 10000
Ddial lives!
-EBG
August 29th, 2008 09:41
I think a big part of the misunderstanding comes because some people think the game is supposed to be a guitar simulator, when in reality, it’s an air guitar simulator (and a damn fine one!).
Inasmuch as the game is encouraging people to try learning the actual instrument, I think it’s marvelous. It’s also causing a lot of people to actually listen to music in a way they never did before. Heck, I know Lemur picks out bass lines a lot better nowadays. (And, I must admit, it gives me more respect for the melodic sense of a band like Boston than I ever thought I’d have.)
Mantis smile upon you, old friend. Rock on!
September 5th, 2008 22:23
When my daughter (12) and my nephew (5) were easily at expert and I was still sweating out medium…I came to realize that why my Dad never played our video games (atari) with us. Smack…cold fish slap to the face…
Mike G>