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| Exclusive Q&A with Developers of The Beatles: Rock Band
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| July 28, 2009 at 11:54 am |
No detail was overlooked in creating
an authentic experience, like this recreation of The Beatles' famous
appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show.
Editor's Note: We recently submitted some questions to the developers of
The Beatles: Rock Band,
and lead producer Naoko Takamoto was kind enough to supply the answers. We weren't able to
find out whether or not there would be a level in which Yoko Ono
breaks up the band, but the rest of our exclusive Q&A session is
below.
What was it like working with The Beatles master recordings to get them into the game?
Working with The Beatles' master recordings was amazing and truly a privilege. Some of the songs that were recorded as 2 or 4 track posed some technical problems. Giles Martin at Abbey Road was able to create the playable tracks our game needs (guitar, bass, drum, and vocals) through tiresome diligence, using forensic science software to filter out instrument frequencies one second at a time. The time the Harmonix Audio Team and Quality Assurance Team spent going over every single drum hit, every single vocal harmony pitch, was humbling. We wanted to get it just right. Getting the opportunity to work with such iconic songs, put them into the game, and watch people enjoy The Beatles in a new way is really exciting.
We know from your E3 press conference that Paul and Ringo have seen the game and approved of it. Were they involved in the actual development, or did they just see the final product?
All the shareholders were given the opportunity to provide feedback on every aspect of the game throughout its development cycle, which was much appreciated by the Harmonix team.
Long-time fans of The Beatles have images of their performances indelibly ingrained onto their memories. Because so many have specific memories of how The Beatles look and act, did that present any development challenges?
It's definitely an intimidating thing to create something like this for a group as beloved as The Beatles. Our goal was always to strive toward creating an experience that felt authentic through and through, without turning the game into a history lesson. It's about getting the details right — the haircuts, the outfits, the instruments, the set pieces, all of that stuff. We pored over countless photos and videos and other archival materials, and also picked the brains of The Beatles shareholders themselves to make sure these iconic performances looked, sounded, and felt right.
And it seems like every young person interested in music eventually "discovers" The Beatles. Was it only a matter of time before a timeless classic like The Beatles meshed with the modern technology of video games? And is it a huge responsibility bringing a digital representation of The Beatles to a younger generation?
I don’t think it’s a responsibility to a younger generation, necessarily. The Beatles’ music is everywhere and will continue to be. We worked hard to make sure the game does justice to their catalog, and to everyone’s (soon to be realized or decades long) love for the band.
Did you receive a song list and start working from there, or did you start working on specific appearances and stage sets, hoping you would be able to do the songs that matched up with them?
It was a bit of both. We tried to select outfits, eras, venues and songs that would be good representations of their career. Everyone worked together to make these decisions, and the details came together around the same time.
It looks like a lot of effort was put into making authentic-looking instruments for this game. Why were the instruments made a point of emphasis for this title?
It's really about the authenticity of the experience. As mentioned earlier,
The Beatles: Rock Band works with a wide variety of instrument controllers, but for the hardcore fan, there's just something magical about holding a replica of Paul's Höfner bass, or John's Rickenbacker 325. These are the instruments you just naturally associate with The Beatles, and having them in your hands while you play just adds another layer of realism.
Will we see any of the cheeky humor from interviews of The Beatles or from their movies?
As a matter of fact, one of the coolest things we have in the game is studio chatter from the band members. During loading screens and a few other in-game menus, you'll be able to hear outtakes from the band warming up or after they've just finished a song. A lot of this stuff has never been heard before, and some of it is really playful and funny. We've got some other hidden gems along these lines as well, but you'll just have to play the game to experience that stuff for yourself.
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| Madden Monday: Dealing with In-Game Injuries |
| July 27, 2009 at 3:48 pm |
Jammed Thumb? Abdominal strain? Hurt
Feelings? He'll have to be examined to find out.
Will you put him back in? It could cost you the game, or it could cost you your starter.
Taking your Madden NFL experience even closer
to what you see on Sunday, Madden NFL 10
has a revised injury system, changing the way you approach in-game
injuries. We're not talking about you getting injured while playing,
like straining a thumb ligament on the d-pad or
pulling a hamstring from celebrating too much. We're talking about
your players getting injured within the confines of a Madden NFL 10
game.
Just like in a real game, you won't know the status of an injury right
away. When you see a player limping around or acting injured in other ways, you'll have to call out the
trainers, who will come out with all-new animations, to take a look
at him. Coaches have always said that players can play hurt, but they can't play injured.
Once your player is examined, you'll have to decide whether he can
tough it out, or if he risks even greater injury.
If you decide to let him keep playing, his rating will be negatively
affected, based on the severity of the injury. Plus, he'll run the
risk of making the injury worse. The system has been retooled to follow the logical consequences of players
continuing with injuries.
For even more realism, injuries occur more often on special teams plays
because everybody's moving at top speed. An injury slider was also added so
that you can tune the injury risk to your liking. And nearly every single injury type
was recreated to replace unrealistic injuries like "bursitis," "dehydration" and "Cat-Scratch Fever."
To top it off, the injury cart will roll out when your player needs
a ride into the locker room!
So make sure you stretch properly before each game, and, barring
some injury, we'll bring you more Madden news next
Monday. |
| Coming Next Week: July 26-August 1
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| July 24, 2009 at 2:52 pm |
You'll be having too much fun with Wii
Sports Resort to worry about how weird you look doing it.
You'll be able to enjoy a variety of sports
activities on a tropical island when Wii Sports Resort, which
includes the Wii MotionPlus accessory, arrives in stores Sunday. The
accessory plugs right into your existing Wii Remote to give it more
motion-sensing ability, which means added control and a greater
sense of immersion for you. It just makes everything better, kind of
like bacon does for cheeseburgers, baked potatoes and hot fudge
sundaes. Speaking of better, King of Fighters XII takes the arcade
favorite and bacons it up with with compelling gameplay,
high-resolution graphics and intense online combat for
next-generation consoles. Check out those, plus these others,
shipping out next week. Remember, actual in-store dates may vary; so please contact your local store before you head
there.
Sunday, July 26
(Street Dated) Wii Sports Resort for Wii.
Monday, July 27
King of Fighters XII for Xbox 360
and PS3.
Tuesday, July 28
Rockin' Pretty for DS.
Space Bust a Move for DS.
Blazblue: Calamity Trigger for Xbox 360
and PS3.
Call of Duty 3: Roads to Victory Greatest Hits for PSP.
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| Madden Monday: It's All in the
Details — All-New Field Treatments |
| July 20, 2009 at 1:46 pm |
Will life imitate art? Apparently, the Patriots will make
it to the AFC Championship game this year.
Hey! It looks like the Cowboys will make the playoffs this year! It must be the first round.
Hey! It looks like the Cowboys will make the Thanksgiving Day game this year! Oh, wait.
Hey! The Steelers will make the opening game this year! We took
the joke too far, didn't we?
The Madden NFL team is always striving to
make Madden exactly like a real game you'd watch on a typical
Sunday, and Madden NFL 10, packs in more details than ever to give
you an authentic NFL experience. We've gotten our football-frenzied
hands on some advance screen shots of one of those details,
field treatments, just like the ones you'd see airbrushed onto the
grass for a playoff or other special game. Because GameStop
headquarters is near Dallas, Texas, many of us around here are hoping these
shots are prophetic — one of them shows the Cowboys in the
playoffs.
Speaking of those little details that make the game more realistic,
Madden NFL 10 will pack in many more, in addition to the field
treatments. You'll see moments of anticipation, like a referee
pulling players off of a fumble pile to find out who came up with
the ball, or the chain gang heading out to measure after a fourth-and-inches attempt.
You'll also see a healthy dose of scripted scenes, like the coaches
discussing a crucial 4th-down play with the Quarterback, players
taking pre-game warm-ups, sideline banter between star players, or a QB on the phone with the staff in the booth, or with his celebrity
girlfriend in the suite.
Every effort has been made to ensure that players will look and act the
way they do on Sunday. Every starting QB and kicker in the league will throw and kick like they do in real life. Peyton looks like Peyton. Big Ben
looks like Big Ben. Even Matt Stover has his true (albeit bizarre) kicking stance.
No detail has been overlooked, right down to snow melting and
dripping off of the camera lens, or a running back's arm casting a
shadow on his chest as he tucks the ball away.
A little spit-and-polish, or elbow grease, or make-better-ness, has also been
applied to the
on-screen graphics, with all-new stats, banners and ticker, making this the most immersive broadcast presentation EVER for Madden.
And just like the good ol' days, your opponent will have no idea which play you picked, with the return of
the "Turn back the clock" 3-play playcall window.
No game day is complete without a visit to the stadium's parking lot.
You'll see Philly fans cooking up some cheese steaks for a tailgate
party, Panthers fans taking pictures with their head in the mouth of
the big Panthers statue outside the stadium, or Bears fans playing some pre-game Cornhole.
(It's a real game! Do a search for the American Cornhole Association.)
We hope you enjoy this peek at the field treatments. Although they
may hint at future events, anything can happen in the NFL. Remember, as of right now, your
favorite team is undefeated. We'll bring you more Madden next
Monday. |
| Coming Next Week: July 19-25
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| July 17, 2009 at 6:47 pm |
You can be a vermin, and we mean that
in a good way, and save the world with G-Force on Tuesday.
Several fun titles are shipping out this
week, including some that are street-dated for Tuesday. When a title
is street dated, that basically means that it's guaranteed to be in
stores that day, or you're guaranteed to receive it that day if you
order online by 11:00 a.m. CST the day before and opt for overnight
shipping. Otherwise, the dates we list are ship dates, which means
they'll be heading out of our warehouse on that day, most of the
time hitting stores the day after. Of course, these dates are
subject to change due to conditions beyond our control, like
inclement weather or your local GameStop being completely surrounded
by school zones in a hundred-mile radius, forcing the delivery
driver to drive 20 mph the whole way, for example. So you should
always contact your local store before you head out.
Monday, July 20
Sins of a Solar Empire Game Of the Year Edition for PC.
Tuesday, July 21
(Street Dated) G-Force for Xbox 360, PS3,
Wii, PS2, DS and PSP.
(Street Dated) Rock Band: Country Track Pack for
Xbox 360, PS3, Wii and PS2.
(Street Dated) The Watchmen: The End is Nigh
for Xbox 360 and PS3.
The Little King's Story for Wii.
Transformers Greatest Hits for PSP.
Call of Duty 3: Roads to Victory Greatest Hits for PSP.
Thursday, July 23
King of Fighters XII for Xbox 360 and PS3.
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| Madden Monday: Top-Secret Stadium
Unlock Code |
| July 13, 2009 at 11:04 pm |
For your Wii Only: Play the big game
in Madden NFL 10 after you enter the super-top-secret code.
Psst… Hey, you! Come over here. Closer! You
weren't followed here, were you? If you like to read out loud, don't
read any further. In fact, even if you silently mouth the words as
you read, don't read any further, either. You may be picked up by
one of those computers that can read lips, like the one that tried
to kill Dave Bowman in that space movie. We're about to give you a
top-secret code. When you get your copy of
Madden NFL 10 for Wii,
you can unlock the stadium hosting Super Bowl XLIV in South Florida
by entering the code "THEBIGSHOW." Shh! Don't tell anyone!
Not only will you be able to unlock the stadium, but this year's Madden NFL 10 will also
bring striking visuals to the Wii with all-new player models, larger-than-life stadiums,
new animations and a stylized broadcast presentation. You will also
be able to enjoy 11-on-11 or 5-on-5 football with Madden Showdown, a quick, customizable competition
that allows you and your friends to go head-to-head in an effort to become the next Showdown Champion.
During critical situations, the cameras will move in tight and gameplay
will slow down to allow you to influence the biggest plays of the game
with the Spotlight Moments feature. The Road to the Super Bowl mode
will allow players to jump in and out throughout the season as you work together
with your friends as teammates to become the national champs.
Speaking of working together, the Huddle Up co-op mode will allow
you to help out a less experienced teammate by throwing an extra block or tripping up a receiver.
And with the three play-call settings, All Play, Intermediate and Advanced, players of all ages and experience levels can
get in on the fun.
So your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to reserve a copy of
Madden NFL 10 for Wii,
enter the super-top-secret code
to unlock the stadium, and invite some friends over to enjoy it when
it releases August 14.
In the meantime, check out this video with a peek at the stadium and
gameplay. We'll bring
your more Madden news next week.
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| Coming Next Week: July 12-18
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| July 10, 2009 at 11:39 am |
Create your team with EA SPORTS
TeamBuilder, one of the new features in NCAA Football 10.
We're looking forward to next week's release of
NCAA Football 10. This season, you can
earn bragging rights with the new Season Showdown feature, misdirect
your opponent with new Strategic Playcalling, or upload
your school's logo to create your own custom team with the new EA
SPORTS TeamBuilder. If you've always wanted the Fighting Sand Fleas
of your alma mater to be in NCAA Football 10, this is your
chance. Here's a list of all of the games shipping next
week. Actual in-store dates may vary, please contact your local store before you head out.
Monday, July 13
Sherlock Holmes: Mystery of the Mummy for DS.
Tuesday, July 14
(Street Dated) NCAA Football 10 for Xbox 360, PS3, PS2 and PSP.
(Street Dated) Birthday Bash for Wii.
Science Papa for Wii and DS.
Tony Hawk's Project 8 Greatest Hits for PSP.
Marvel Ultimate Alliance Greatest Hits for PSP.
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| EA SPORTS Will Launch Madden NFL Hall
of Fame Program Tomorrow |
| July 6, 2009 at 3:46 pm |
We can't quite make out who any of these guys are from the inaugural season, but you can nominate one of them for the Madden
NFL Hall of Fame.
Want to nominate the '99 Rams playbook? Go for it.
We just received word that EA SPORTS, will
launch a community-driven program tomorrow that will allow you to
participate in choosing members for the Madden NFL Hall of fame.
We're told that the Madden NFL Hall of Fame is designed to
celebrate and honor the individuals, features, players, playbooks,
fans and even exploits that have all contributed to making Madden
NFL one of the most popular video games in history.
After 21 years
of franchise history, you probably have a good idea of who you
favorites have been over the years, and EA SPORTS will allow you to lead
the way. The program is intended to engage fans in two-way
conversations about Madden NFL throughout each season. It will span
this year and culminate with an induction ceremony for the Inaugural
Class at Madden Bowl XVI, February 4, 2010 in Miami, Florida.
Because it's a community-driven initiative, fan involvement is KEY. As an active member of the Madden Community, you
can be a guiding force for the direction of the Madden NFL Hall of Fame. Every Madden NFL fan will have the opportunity to nominate and vote for which Madden NFL artifacts he or she thinks should be inducted each year — and
anyone or anything is fair game. Nominate Eddie George as the first cover athlete, the ambulance from '92 that harmed more players than it helped, the Rams playbook from '99, or even the dreaded Madden Curse.
We were also told that EA SPORTS is looking for three to four of the
most passionate Madden NFL Fans out there to team up with an NFL player, sports and game media members, and a few EA SPORTS Madden NFL reps to
help determine the ins and outs of the program on a special Madden
NFL Hall of Fame Selection Committee. This is your chance to show
that you are the biggest Madden NFL fan.
You can visit www.MaddenNFL.easports.com tomorrow to see more details about the Madden NFL Hall of Fame, and
to find out how you could become an integral part of the Madden NFL legacy.
We'll bring you more Madden news next Monday. |
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