Begun, The DJ Wars Have

Being as I used to spin back in the day, I'm intrigued by these new games. The new one looks like it could be better (usb mic samples? yes please). I just want to see some in-game footage.

I honestly just wish they'd re-release Amplitude or Frequency. I don't even need a fancy new controller.

The NuMark controller looks like it has it all over the DJ Hero controller.

Did you see that list of tracks that DJ Shadow is involved in a week or so ago? Lemme see if I can find that...

Well, damn, I can't. But it was stuff like "Song You Know vs. Other Awesome Song" mixed together by DJ Shadow, and some by other DJs.

Here's a long interview with Shadow on the game that I need to read later:

http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Sto...703.htm?Page=1

I saw a tracklist for this Scratch game that includes Peter Piper, Friends by Whodini, and Don't Sweat the Technique.

Most definitely way more up my alley. And I wouldn't be surprised if Peter Piper is like a boss level or something, as in you've gotta successfully beat juggle and cut the fuck out of the opening lines like almost every successful hip hop DJ ever had to do to make their bones.

But then they couldn't charge you the extra cash for that new controller. I think I read on these boards that the success of Guitar Hero/Rock Band pretty much meant that a new music game without a plastic instrument of some kind would never get released. Of course, I have nothing to back that up.

If you've got a PSP you can just go with Rock Band: Unplugged which everyone is saying is quite great and very Amplitude/Frequency-esque.

So there are really that many people in the world that want to simulate being a hip-hop dj? Fuck, I'm old. This looks completely ridiculous to me.

Oh well, I better get back to simulating shooting slimy aliens...

Activision finally released a video.

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/e3-09-dj-hero/49793

Click if you want poorly rendered strobelite hoes shimmying for about a minute and a half as swooping cameras fly by indiscernable partygoers while an okay remix of "Hollaback Girl" with "Give it To Me" by Rick James getting chopped up in the background. If you want actual gameplay footage, don't bother clicking. All you get is this bullshit little music video.

I'm getting the feeling DJ Hero is going to be a big pile of shit. The GH analogue would be if Activision came out with a version where the controller was just a guitar neck with 3 buttons in the center. I mean, the act of actually deejaying is basically using "toys" to manipulate music already. How do you fuck that translation up?

I used to live with a DJ when I was in college, and I even spun a tiny bit as well. So I'm actually looking forward to trying this out. My first "mix"? "I've Got the Power" by Snap mixed with a little bit of "Fight The Power" by Public Enemy.

You're right. I remember hearing this statement pretty early on in the GH days, too. They basically said, "Uh, hell YES we're going to make you keep buying more instruments. Why would we stop? Do you see the piles of money we're sitting on?"

Because how else are they going to immediately flood the market with a confusing number of variations? This is a new property, Activision needs to work fast!

Honestly....fuck you if you enjoy this game.

Guitar hero i can understand.....but this.....

I'll actually consider picking it up if it gets good reviews and I can find a game/controller combo for less than $50 somewhere. That's at least a year off though so I'll have plenty of time to change my mind. I'm afraid that with the songs that the whole game will end up sounding quite dated in just a couple years.

Really??

How often do you imagine yourself Djing for you favorite songs?

Pretend playing actual instruments is plausible. This is a bit of a stretch.

When I imagine myself playing along with the music i play a instrument.

Personally i just cant see getting into it playing a fake vinyl.

Pretty cool. Love Daft Punk. How much you want to bet Justice will be in the inevitable sequel?

I had ZERO interest until the magical two words were uttered: DAFT PUNK. Sold.

This. I may have to pick it up when it hits a bargain bin.

I still don't really care about the game, but I hope they release a soundtrack.

That Queen mash-up sounds a bit shit though. And sheesh, mash-ups are so eight years ago anyway.

That Q-Tip/Billy Squier mix sounds interesting.

Well, I played some DJ Hero today at Best Buy. It's fun! Tricky, though! Keeping track of the cross-fader can throw you off, but it's not too hard.

I would say the most trying part of it was scratching with the button that's closest to the center of the "record"-- really hard to register enough spins to keep the game happy, especially if you actually use your ring finger (mine is weak, and I eventually started using my first two fingers and moving them around.)

The demo had:
-a "Learn to DJ" tutorial-- useful, but the final test requires a perfect score to pass!
-Solo DJ mode-- a 3 song-pair set. A Gorillaz track, Hollaback Girl, some Marvin Gaye, BEPeas, I forget the combos right now. I think you HAVE to do the three-song set.
-DJ/guitar mode-- Monkeywrench/Intergalactic mashup. This is pretty fun!

Anyway, my sister and I both tried all of these modes in some part or another, and we did okay, but weren't great. We're both decently skilled at music games, but we never got better than 1 out of 5 stars on any of the ranked parts! There's a lot more room for error than in Guitar Hero, I'd say-- having the crossfader in the wrong spot is the easiest error.

I'll be curious to see how more people react to this game. I'd kinda like to play it, mostly to hear all the awesome music, but dang if that scratching isn't tiring.