So That's Why There's A Hole In The Side Of My Head
I've written about this before, but one of the reasons I'm looking forward to Rock Band so much is that Harmonix gets it. It's like they have a direct connection into my brain, and every time they add something I really wanted, I'm reminded again.I wrote this on July 16:
I'm writing a long post on the potential of Rock Band this week, and one of the specific things I was going to mention was this exact scenario--if someone finished the game on expert, particularly if they finished two different instruments, the game should generate a code that would access a website where you could order exclusive Rock Band gear--t-shirts, jackets, whatever. The gamer would still have to pay for the merchandise, but he wouldn't even have access unless he was in a very elite class of player.
On November 1, I wrote this:
Harmonix also could have unveiled the gear that people could purchase if they reached certain levels in the game. Five-star every song in the game on expert? You'd be able to purchase a custom-designed leather jacket, and there would probably only be a thousand people in the whole country who would be good enough players to earn the right to wear one.
There would be gear that could be purchased at all different skill levels, but it would all be related to your skill in the game. You would get to wear your achievement, so to speak, and I think a ton of people would really enjoy doing that.
Here's what Rock Band's Alex Rigopulos had to say to OXM in an interview that was published on their website today:
So if you create characters in a band in the Rock Band universe, you can actually create a band page in the PC-based universe of rockband.com that tracks all of your progress, your world tour and your game achievements. So for example, the game has a really deep sophisticated character creation system for your Rock Band avatars...There’s also a band logo creator, so when you name your band, you can create your band logo and edit the graphical style. So all of that stuff, we’re going to be able to export to your web pages, and from there you’ll be able to take your band avatars, pose them, create album covers with your band logo and different scenes with your avatars. And then you’ll be able to turn that into real world stuff. For example, figurines based upon your Rock Band avatars, t-shirts with your fake band’s album art and your tour dates on the back from your accomplishments within the game, bumper stickers, old records, things like that. Really cool real-world merchandise based on this fictitious band that you’ve created in the game.
So they're doing what I wanted, but they're doing it 10X better than I ever imagined. Customized merchandise that includes your band's name and your avatar? Bumper stickers? Figurines?
Actually, um, I'd prefer to call them "action figures."
By the way, is it the 20th yet?
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