Have you ever wanted to work in video games? Well that's what the guys at GameBizCo Inc. do. Literally.
Join the cast of Another Videogame Webcomic as we peek behind the curtain to see what exactly goes into bringing your favorite video games to the small screen. It may be a job in video games, but it's still a job.
The Rock Band Network
Forget shiny new graphics or motion controls... user created content is where it's at this generation. Last week Harmonix announced that they will be releasing the
Rock Band Network, in effect throwing open their doors and making Rock Band a platform by which to experience music like your iPod or... whatever else kids listen to music on these days. As a guy who loves both music and videogames, I couldn't be more excited. (Although, as a PS3 owner, I'm
less excited since the Rock Band Network is an Xbox 360 exclusive for now...)
But this isn't the first time that user generated content is making its way to a fake musical instrument game. No, Guitar Hero World Tour has the Rock Band Network beat by probably a year or so (depending on when the Rock Band Network goes live). So why do I find the Rock Band Network a more exciting proposition than Guitar Hero World Tour's music studio?
I kind of hate to say it, but the thing that I find most exciting about the Rock Band Network, as opposed to Guitar Hero's music studio, are the hoops that you have to jump through to get the song into the hands of the players, i.e. the review process. Sure, it may not be as easy as just uploading a song onto some server somewhere and having it available to the masses but the process will most likely ensure the quality of the tracks. (It may be cool to play a full band version of the Super Mario Brothers theme song the first couple of times, but after a while it just gets old, right?)
If you've played a game like Rock Band long enough, you kind of start thinking about music in terms of the game. There have been many times where I thought to myself while listening to the radio or my iPod, "Wow, that would be fun to play in Rock Band..." In the past, it's just been an idle thought... a pipe dream. But I think the Rock Band Network will make those songs slightly more possible in the game. I'm probably in the minority when I say I want to play a Dave Matthews Band song in Rock Band. Since Harmonix can only produce so many songs as downloadable content, the chances of a Dave Matthews Band song being chosen is pretty slim. But now, bands, studios and labels have an incentive to publish their songs through the game. Not only to get a cut of the money that people would pay for those songs but to reach an audience that they might not have reached before.
And this may just be the tech geek in me, but I love the fact that Harmonix is releasing the tools they use to author all of the tracks in Rock Band. I'd actually like to take a peek behind the curtain to see how a song goes from being something you hear to something you experience. I'm no musician but I am a programmer by trade and the possibility that I'd be able to create content for a game I love is awesome.
It does remain to be seen whether or not the Rock Band Network will live up to my lofty expectations. I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens when it goes live later this year...
No-More-PSP-Reviews-a-thon Update!
Just a reminder to you guys, this will be the last week that you'll be able to
donate as we'll be closing off donations on July 31st. So if you want to get a print of any of the comics, get a t-shirt or be in the running to get the sweet Damsel as Princess Peach original artwork, get to donating!
Player Two
After the resurgence of multiplayer co-op, GameBizCo Inc. hired Player Two to be the Goose to someone else's Maverick. His workload isn't quite as heavy as most of the other people working at GameBizCo Inc. and as a result, he spends a lot of time in the break room or playing computer solitaire.
First Appearance: Another Videogame Webcomic?!? An Introduction
Player One
Player One is top dog at GameBizCo Inc. Nearly every game, from Pong to Mario Bros to Grand Theft Auto, requires Player One's expertise. His cocksure and sometimes inappropriate attitude is an annoyance to his coworkers but seeing as every game needs a first player, they make due.
First Appearance: Bonus Stage! Here comes Player One!
Damsel I. Distress
Whether it be a castle, a dungeon or mystical island, Damsel always needs to be saved... and she hates it. Damsel longs for the day when she's given the role of a strong female lead character who doesn't have huge breasts with hyper accurate physics.
First Appearance: LittleBIGPlanet
Final Boss
Underneath the huge brute that is Final Boss lies a timid creature who wouldn't hurt a fly. He puts on his "angry face" when throwing barrels down ramps or breathing fire but deep down he feels sorry for doing so. He's been known to throw a game or two in the player's favor.
First Appearance: World Record
John Minion
John Minion, or Min for short, is the hardest working employee at GameBizCo Inc. Playing everything from Goombas to no name thugs, Min gets beat up on a daily basis but loves every minute of it. He always wanted to work in the gaming industry and was originally hired as an intern. After years of getting coffee, his big break came when someone called in sick... and the rest is history.
First Appearance: Watchmen: The End is Nigh
Middle Manager
Middle Manager works in the Human Resources department. He runs staff meetings and interviews prospective employees. The other 90% of his time is spent playing Freecell on his computer.
First Appearance: Another Videogame Webcomic?!? An Introduction
