<![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results - Kotaku Comments]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results - Kotaku Comments]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> You know what is missing from Rock Band? Those awesome Boss Battles form GH3!

Just kidding, I would love to punch the guys at Neversoft who decided that was the best way to end the game.

Harmonix hates Europe :_(

TeaBean

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @Fluffy22:

True that mate, release it in the UK damn them :@

Raikkenon

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> Cha ching?. How much is the profit per item sold that 2.5 million units= 250 million bonus payout?.

The bonus far exceeds the studio's selling price. That is some insanity.

Shareholders will be jumping in their boots come end of 2008.

Fyren

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @The Cat With Two Heads:

[gizmodo.com]

What I said there applies here too.

mdpane

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @MCWHAMMER:
Your thinking of rap rather than hip hop. Think Ugly Duckling, The WU-TANG CLAN, MF Doom, etc.

There probably would be a pretty big market for a game focused on rapping/rap battles to, though just thinking about going to a party and hearing some jackass scream Rollie On My Arm at the TV terrifies me.

Mr. Mastodon Farm

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @dowingba: @rawg: Errr, would it make me look less stupid if I said that I wrote that very quickly while I was half-asleep? Man, that is embarrassing.

Stormrider

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> $208.7 million? Think of all the DLC I could get with that money.

Americo

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @Dumari:

www.megapedal.com

jisf0rjosh

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @PownerOfNewbs: That sounds like so much fun!

@cybereality: They did make a sequel to Frequency, called Amplitude. It was awesome.

kylenalepa

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @rmeehan17:

Around the Nov. launch I was reading a blog by some famous VC investor type and he referenced that himself and others owned pieces of the company and were quite gratified by the success.

So while I'd wager a lot of the money is going to the founders, it is also going to suited investor types who staked the company in the beginning.

HeyApples

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> Ok, now all they have to do is make a sequel to "Frequency" with mock keyboards and drum-machines. Enough with the rock, I want to hear something fresh.

cybereality

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @Strangelove: I havea size 16 foot... never had a problem. Though I play on Hard... I do play expert sometimes.

Just don't smash your foot down.

Kaemon

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @Strangelove: Well you're in luck sasquatch. You can buy a metal plate to screw on for about $20. [www.amazon.com]

greeble

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> I'm almost definitely getting Rockband to augment my Guitar Hero experience in the next month or two. I'm very concerned, though, about the apparently cheap-ass foot pedal, seeing as though I have size 14 feet.

Strangelove

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> I should really look into getting Rock Band one of these days. I'm ashamed to say it, but I'm still balking at the price. The bundle doesn't seem entirely unreasonable (and never did, honestly), but life usually is.

It might also be time to start looking into getting a career.

Intellectualdiot

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @celery: Haven't actually activated it myself, I should give that a try, but from what I understand activating "precision mode" (which the game tells you how to do once you beat it, or at least it told me) more or less just makes the game read your playing more like GH1/2. Again, can't be specific, sorry - gamefaqs claims that you have to play the notes at the exact time, which sounds more like GH1. Doesn't list any cosmetic changes.

Saxboy

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @TheHun: Well I only played RB once like I said. On medium and it was easier than GHIII. i did like the game though, I just felt the guitar was kinda crappy compared to the GH guitar.
And I am not good on hard or expert at GH because honestly, I only play once every two to three weeks, and it usually only when we have company, so I play one song, and then hand the guitar to someone else. I can get through most songs on GH on medium, but then when I have not played in a while, the later songs are hard for me to finish.

suburbancowboy

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> Despite manually calibrating Rock Band for an HDTV, I regularly experience 'missed' notes playing guitar, especially when it comes to repeatedly strumming the same note (see: "Go With the Flow," etc.). A little annoying, yes.

Dr. Steve Brule

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @Chucklestyle: I remember the developers of RB saying they used the same timing as from GH2. Who knows if it's true, but it feels close enough for me.

@Saxboy: Huh, didn't know GH3 had that. Do you know if that changes the windows to GH2 size or something else?

celery

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @suburbancowboy: Today is your lucky day! I've got some advice for you: bump up the difficulty! If you get destroyed on medium in GH then you aren't very good meaning that you aren't very good on hard or expert in RB.

TheHun

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @trogam: I'm not sure about the strum timing, but the GH2 HOPO system was a lot more forgiving than GH. HOPOs in GH2 could be performed at strum timing, while in GH, the window was something like 1/4th that of the strum window, I think? That and the fact that POs no longer needed to be actual POs, of course. That (for me at least) overshadowed any change in the strum timing.

@dowingba: Well, I'm not sure if loosening the timing is good or bad. I agree it's more fun initially (when I was playing the GH3 demo, I just kept thinking "man I'm awesome, I hope someone is watching") but it kinda takes away from GH as a "serious" rhythm game. Who knows if the world needs another serious business rhythm game, but that's what I look for.

And yeah, "button mashing" might be too strong of a statement, but some of my HOPOs in GH3 were at least 2 notes late, and the game still gave me full credit for them. And I'm sure some extra frets found their way in without breaking combo, though I think that applies to GH2/RB HOPOs too.

celery

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @celery: Turn precision mode on. Good luck :)

Saxboy

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> There's no real debate about GH3 being harder than Rock Band but that doesn't make it better.

I own both games and as much as I loved GH3 I just don't play it anymore. It seemed that Activision decided to best way to improve the game was to just make it unreasonably difficult and completely disregard the actual music. I guess what I'm saying is that if you never wondered why Slipknot (GH3) was hard than Hendrix (GH1) than you're GH3's target audience.

Rock Band is easier but at least, for the most part, it sticks to the music. As you see DLC pile up (as it already has) you'll see that difficulty continue skyrocket.

Also it should be worth noting that once you get RB chances are you'll leave the guitars up to your friends and demand full ownership of the drums.

Dumari

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @trogam: The timing window on GH2 is ever-so-slightly looser than GH1, it was the change to how the hammer-ons worked that made that particular engine gold. RB's timing is quite similar, I'd say maybe just like GH2 or in between GH2 and GH1. GH3's is laughable. They opened up the timing window so people would have an easier time with the near-impossible songs they picked.

Chucklestyle

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @trogam: Each Guitar Hero game has gotten "looser" than the last in timing. I find that it's a good thing. Every time they loosen the timing in a Guitar Hero game, it feels more and more like playing a real guitar. Here's a secret guitar players all know: Guitar Hero is a fuck of alot harder than playing real guitar, because you have to follow something with perfect timing, instead of play it yourself on a real instrument. It makes a big difference.

I'm not sure how anyone could 100% anything in GH3 by "button mashing" though.

dowingba

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @celery: wasn't he GH2 timing a lot tighter than the original GH timing. I'll agree about the timing in GH3 making parts feel to easy, but the timing on RB feels about right. Provided the delay is setup correctly.

trogam

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> Rock Band is a lot more fun than Guitar Hero now, in my opinion. Mainly Rock Band works better at parties when you can have the Guitar Hero people on Guitar cranking it up to expert (Green Grass and High Tides is freakin' hard) and then other people go on to the other instruments on whatever difficulty they want. Then Rock Band works well when you have friends to play with on a regular basis because you see how everyone gets better. Its more about the group doing well than about the indivuidal. Guitar Hero is fine for playing by yourself, but Rock Band makes you work together as a "Band" hence, Rock Band. Main complaint about Rock Band...all the Fender Guitar models look the same! Also, I have yet to break the Fender Guitar which I find I prefer mainly because its easier on the hands with the longer neck.

trogam

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @CyN1caL: Is GH3 harder than RB? I've only played the demo, but it felt like the timing was so loose you could drive a truck through it. If "The Metal" was using GH2/RB's system, it would have been a challenge, but in GH3, button mashing was enough to 100% the main riff.

Feels like GH3's motto is "everyone a shredder." It certainly looks more impressive, but seems to be aiming at casual players. Frankly, I think GH2/RB is already too lax with the timing, so this turned me off from GH3.

celery

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @Saxboy: Shouldn't be too hard. But we're relying on Nintendo to do something pro-active here. So I expect ...it will be too hard.

dowingba

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @CyN1caL: The Guitar Hero guitar is MUCH more accurate & responsive. There is no doubt about it. I like the style & size of the Rock Band guitar, but at the end of the day, its a video game, and you want the peripheral that best does what you want it to.

PownerOfNewbs

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @dowingba: USB Harddrives and SD Flash cards would work perfectly, and shouldn't be too hard to implement I wouldn't think.

Saxboy

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> I've played rock bad once, and I felt that it was way easier than GH, and the 4 times I missed a note, I felt that it was because of the guitar, and not my playing. It was actually pretty frustrating to be breezing through a song (where I normally get destroyed on GH on medium) and think I hit the note fine, only to have it not register.

suburbancowboy

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @Dumari: "The Destroyer" or "The Omega", perhaps?

(Disclaimer: I have no actual information about the above products, other than what is posted in the ScoreHero forums. I made my own bass pedal with a switch and a block of wood)

In any case, here's to hoping that everyone at Harmonix gets a big, fat bonus check, and then the rest of the money goes to licensing more tracks. (Okay, *maybe* some re-engineering of the instruments, too :))

Jazhuis

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> Hopefully that money goes where it belongs, into Muse's pockets for the rights to all their albums.

Madnoir

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @CyN1caL: Agreed. GH3 is harder, true. But that doesn't mean Rock Band is any less competitive. It's just that when playing ranked guitar duels in RB, you better damn well 100% the song if you're going to win.

Also, Green Grass and High Tides is harder than anything in any Guitar Hero game save Slayer and Dragonforce.

dowingba

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> This article, and the Gamasutra one it is based of, is wrong. Harmonix STOCKHOLDERS will receive $209 million IF sales forecast are met and surpased come December 31st 2008 AND the bonus will be given on 2009.

The money has been "set aside" in case the pay-out is made. They have NOT received $209 million right now. Shareholders and Harmonix MIGHT get the $209 million come january 2009.

Lehet

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> Ah, here's some actual information on "who gets the money":

[query.nytimes.com]

Way at the bottom, it mentions that investors who owned Harmonix (most likely private owners, including the founders and some Venture Capital firms) would get additional payment based on performance.

So employees would only get money if they were paid in stock options before the buyout.

Of course, given the success of the game, I'm sure a lot of the folks there are a hell of a lot better off than they would be if they were only relying on their band income.

PositivelyGreg

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @PownerOfNewbs: How is GH3 more finally tuned that Rock Band?

The guitars themselves? Sure, I'll agree with that to an extent, but how anyone can think GH3 is better than RB just because it's "harder", is beyond me.

CyN1caL

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @mywhitenoise:

6 Grateful Dead songs coming out this week, and Nirvana's Nevermind is likely near complete, and I'm betting will see a release this month.

CyN1caL

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> europe release!!! milliiiiiiions of minions waiting here!!

SaintEmpire

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @Stormrider: What math are you using here? If it was split equally between 100 employees, that'd be: $2,087,000 each.

dowingba

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> Good for them. Somehow, Vivendi must be LOSING lots of money on Rock Band. Even with all the DLC purchases, the numbers don't add up. Looks like they are investing in the future.

Btw, had a hardcore session of Rock Band Saturday night, completely with groupies (girlfriends). Guitar Hero guitar still blows away Rock Band so they definitely need to fix their guitar gameplay so it is more finely tuned.

PownerOfNewbs

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> with all the new cash, what the should do is get that Wii Version out PRONTO...

Go Team Venture

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @Stormrider: I think you're math is off. $208.7M split 100 ways is a little over $2M per person. That's a lot of meatballs.

rawg

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> Now it's time for them to work on Keyboard Hero.

Krackatoa

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @Stormrider: rofl. You know the employees aren't going to be seeing that money.

Dorphat the Insomniac

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @kylenalepa: Good point, actually. Harmonix can't have more than a hundred employees. 208.7 million means nearly 100 thousand dollars apiece. Either they're all very, very happy right now or that money is going somewhere else within the studio somehow.

Stormrider

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> Cool, now that you have all that money could you start uploading more (diverse, and better) songs instead of the standard 3 a week?

mywhitenoise

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @Saxboy: A single downloadable song in Rock Band is around 30mb. It will be hell trying to manage your downloads on the Wii's pathetic internal memory.

dowingba

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> Can they please at least release a heavier duty bass pedal?

Hell at this point I'd pay for it.

Dumari

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @kylenalepa - I think last article I read said around ~250. I think.

This is great encouragement that Rock Band will continue to deliver, as diluted GH begins a descent into hasbeenness.

lonkley

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> "I think when they have Hip-Hop Hero I would be more inclined to get into these rhythm games."

Yeah, I can't wait to hear the songs in Hip-Hop Hero. Let's see, most will go: "Uh, Ah, Yeah, Uhh, Ahh, Yeahh, N***a, N****". Really catchy stuff.

MCWHAMMER

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> Now just think of all the extra millions Rock Band could make on the Wii... that's right... now make it so! Please?

Saxboy

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> I'd love to be a Harmonix employee right about now.

Br00klyn-Grenade

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @jackal888: Guitar Hero already is Keytar, when you think about it. Especially now that we're playing keyboard parts in Killers' songs.

This is a well earned bonus. Harmonix are one of my all time favourite developers and they have yet to make a bad game in my opinion. Even their iPod game "Phase" is kick-ass. An iPod game, that's kick-ass.

(Note: I kinda wish I could play Rock Band, seeing as it's my favourite game of all time, but my 360 bit the dust. It bit the dust...while playing Rock Band. And then it worked again for a couple days, until it bit the dust again...while playing Guitar Hero 3. This time permanently.)

dowingba

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> Glad to hear, they certainly deserve it.

CyN1caL

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> Not even going to comment. Don't want to get all angry over the whole guitar thing on the PS3.

Oh wait. God damnit. Grrrrrrrrrrr.

Dorphat the Insomniac

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> I'm still waiting for them to release Hysteria as a DLC!

HellGuard99

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> It's great to see Harmonix rewarded for making the best rhythm game ever, and let's hope a good chunk of this money is reinvested so we'll be seeing yet more awesome games from them!

Edgehopper

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @ArmyofJuan JuanSebastiann (XBL) ArmyofJuann (PSN): Keytar is needed.

I am still amazed that this game is so popular. I think when they have Hip-Hop Hero I would be more inclined to get into these rhythm games.

jackal888

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> @rmeehan17: Considering this bonus is going directly to Harmonix, I'm guessing all of it will end up in the pockets of the people who made the game.

Stormrider

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> All i want is an expansion with the keytar.

I MUST PLAY EUROPES FINAL COUNT DOWN NOW!!!

ArmyofJuan

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> Hot damn.

This might be a stupid question, but Harmonix isn't that big of a company, right? Maybe a few dozen people? So, uh, what are they going to do with all that money? Fill a swimming pool with Susan B. Anthony coins all Scrooge McDuck-style, only to realize that diving head first into a pool of coins is a great way to break your neck?

kylenalepa

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> Congrats to them. They deserve it.

Adrock4

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> I thought the popularity of Guitar Hero had eclipsed Rock Band. It's nice to see there's still justice in the game industry.

RRRansom

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> yay... now make a world tour online mode patch dammit..

Katorok

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> hopefully a portion of this money goes where it should: in the pockets of the people who actually made the game.

rmeehan17

]]> <![CDATA[Harmonix Gets Bonus For Big Results]]> Theyd earn more if they released it in the UK!!

/angry face

Fluffy22

]]>