Perform on Fake Instruments on a Real Stage for Real Money

The idea behind games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band is to give you the sensation of playing in front of a huge crowd and rocking out, but usually these games are played in a living room with a very small group of people. Occasionally there are competitions that allow you get on stage, but even then, they are usually on a small, temporary stage. But fear not, little rocker dude, because Saturday July 12, 2008, Maximedia Studios will be offering the chance for anyone to play on a professional stage in front of a roaring crowd. The "Ultimate Guitar Hero / Rock Band Contest" will be challenging rockers from the Dallas/Fort Worth area to compete with each other for an as-yet-unspecified amount of cash in front of a live crowd on a real stage. There will be prizes given away throughout the day, and it should be fun for anyone. The full press release at the "read more" link below. For more information, check out the event website at www.liveatthemax.com/rockband.

TipperQueen discusses her appearance at CES 2008

It's not every day that you can say you met both the richest man in the world and one of your favorite rock star idols, but long time Dallas resident Kelly Law-Yone (aka TipperQueen) recently did just that at CES 2008. She appeared on stage with Bill Gates and Slash of Guns N' Roses fame to help promote Guitar Hero 3 during Microsoft's keynote address at the annual Consumer Electronics Show.

Realm Media Networks was able to ask Kelly a few questions about her recent experience.

Realm Media Networks: So, to get started, how were you selected to appear at Microsoft's CES keynote?

Kelly Law-Yone: Since I have several YouTube videos of me playing Guitar Hero, including some of my WSVG [World Series of Video Games] performances, Microsoft knew that I was a technical player that could perform on stage. They also had me perform at their GH2 360 release, so I had already worked with them before. I was contacted in December while I was in Florida for a Guitar Hero tournament, so I had less than a month to prepare for all of this.

RMN: What was it like meeting Bill Gates and Slash?

Kelly Law-Yone: I got to talk to Bill briefly backstage about Guitar Hero, which was pretty awesome. He seemed really impressed when he learned that people used their right hand to tap notes on the fretboard. He was really easy going and was always cracking jokes when something didn't go exactly right.

I only got to meet Slash briefly before the show started, and it was hard to recognize him without the shades and the hat, haha. I didn’t even know he was going to be there until I arrived in Las Vegas. I was more nervous about Slash watching me during my performance than anyone, because after all – he's the one playing this on a real guitar. I didn’t want to mess this up, and I didn't!

After the show, I got to take a picture with Robbie Bach and Bill Gates, which was simply amazing. I couldn't believe it was really happening, because I’ve always wanted to meet Bill ever since I was a kid. I also got a picture with Slash and congratulated him on a great performance and he said the same to me! I only wish I had the chance to play him on Guitar Hero 3.

RMN: How did this CES press conference compare to the Guitar Hero 2 launch?

Kelly Law-Yone: The CES Keynote was much more rehearsed and practiced than the GH2 launch. During the keynote, everyone was running around backstage and there were tons of wires on the floor so people would constantly tell you to "watch the floor." CES is one of the biggest events of year, so it was definitely more scaled up.

RMN: Are you going to be appearing at any other Microsoft events?

Kelly Law-Yone: I would love to work more with Microsoft – they are a great group of people to work with. Everyone knows how to have a good time but still stay focused on what needs to be done.

RMN: Many people are saying Guitar Hero 3 has bumped up the difficulty significantly over Guitar Hero 2, does that seem like an accurate statement to you?

Kelly Law-Yone: I actually think it's the opposite; I think GH3 is a whole lot easier than GH2. Part of it has to do with the larger timing window when you can hit the notes so you don't have to be as precise. Some people complain about the complicated chord changes, but all it takes is figuring out what is most comfortable for you. One of my favorite parts about GH3 is the different hyperspeed settings and the fact you can play at your own [hyperspeed] on XBOX Live. I think the note charts in GH2 are much more complicated than that of GH3 actually. "Through the Fire and Flames" is the hardest song to do well on, in my opinion, but if I get through the first few notes of the song I know I’ll pass it, unlike Guitar Hero 2’s "Jordan."

RMN: Thanks for answering a few questions, I'm sure your fans were excited to see you up on stage at one of the biggest press conferences of the year!

Kelly Law-Yone: It was definitely one of the greatest events I have ever been to, and I have to thank Microsoft, my team – Team Pandemic, and my friends and family cheering me on. Being on stage with Bill Gates and Slash seems surreal, and I’m really thankful I got to have this amazing experience. Keep rockin’ everyone, and have a great 2008.

Other Links:
[pic] TipperQueen at WSVG Dallas 2007
[pic] TipperQueen at Midnight Gaming Championship

Guitar Hero 2 rocks Dallas at the World Series of Video Games

The World Series of Video Games (WSVG) made its stop in Dallas for 4 days of gaming competition on July 5-8, 2007. World of Warcraft, Fight Night: Round 3, Quake 4, Gears of War and Guitar Hero 2 were played by individuals and teams, with the top spots earning anywhere from three to ten thousand dollars.

Numerous sponsors, including XFX, Intel and the CompUSA also had booths setup to show off their latest wares, give away t-shirts and interact with the community. A whole convention hall was setup for bring-your-own-computer LAN gaming, where anyone and everyone could bring their system from home to play lag-free with people from the DFW area.

The goal of the WSVG is to "professionalize gaming, to grow it as a lifestyle event, and attract the general public as well as hardcore gamers," says Rick Stark, Marketing Director for the WSVG. By attracting the general public, the WSVG and other gaming leagues hope to attract advertisers and sponsors that can turn video game competitions from something done by a group of friends on a weekend to a worldwide competition that finds the best players of our generation.

Big hair returns in Guitar Hero: Rocks the 80s

Activision is rocking all the way back to the 80s in a Playstation 2 exclusive that is sure to inspire torn jeans and big hair in your favorite 30-something. The track list for Guitar Hero: Rocks the 80s continues to grow with some classic songs from music's darkest era.

• "Hold On Loosely"
• "No One Like You"
• "Only a Lad"
• "Radar Love"
• "Ballroom Blitz"
• "The Warrior"
• "What I Like About You"
• "Wrath Child"

Licensed music is not usually touted as the main feature of a popular video games, but with Guitar Hero the music is the game, and the right tracks can tempt the most un-rhythmic of game players.

For a full list of the announced tracks thus far, click the read more link below.

McDonald's draws Gamers from all over DFW

On October 14th I attended the McDonald's Midnight Gaming Tournament to attempt to compete in Guitar Hero with people from around the DFW area. I would soon learn that I was nowhere near the level of those that showed up, but with only a couple hours of playtime, I didn't expect to be. The story involves Guitars, Cheerleaders, and a final showdown between people described as "machines" and "robots" by their fellow competitors. I would leave with a new respect for those that long to be a the ultimate Guitar Hero.

Background

The Video Gamers League partnered with McDonald's to put on a tournament in the greater-Dallas market to provide a way for Gamers to compete beyond the local area. There is a tournament for each of three games, Tekken 5, Guitar Hero, and NCAA 07 Football, and all the tournaments take place at the same time, from 9PM on Saturday until whenever a winner is determined. The format follows a simple single elimination format starting with up to 32 players, resulting in a single winner after 5 rounds. There are going to be eight preliminary tournaments, resulting in eight winners per game that will compete on the ninth week to determine the overall champion for each game. I attended the fourth week of the tournament on October 14th.