Guitar Hero III Confirmed for PC/Mac
By Steve on Wednesday, September 12th, 2007 at 5:38 PM PST In Activision, Computer, Game Companies, Game Platforms
…and there was much rejoicing.
PC gamers haven’t really had much in the way of musical games. In the realm of the wannabe guitar player domain, the closest thing they get are Frets On Fire. Frets On Fire is a nice open source cousin of the Guitar Hero engine (for PC obviously) that lets you import and customize your own songs. However, it still isn’t the same without a guitar controller handy. And most unfortunately, Frets On Fire doesn’t support the Guitar Hero controllers fully (whammy bar borked). So many of us GH fans pass this relatively unknown software off as some hack job.
But now it seems our prayers have been answered. Developer Aspyr, known for their porting of Activision games, have announced they are working on porting Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock to both PC and Mac (press release after the break). Gamespy recently nabbed an exclusive interview with Aspyr to get the low-down.
The main highlight of the interview is Aspyr’s confirmation that the game will be shipping with a USB guitar controller. The controller model has yet to be announced, but Aspyr did comment that input from keyboard and/or mouse (if you are weird like that) is a feature of the PC/Mac version. Basically, if you are in-flight with your laptop distracting you, you can play some Guitar Hero to kill some time. Sounds good to me.
Aspyr was very optimistic in getting the PC/Mac version launched the same time as its console brethren; however, there is still no official launch date to report. The price of the PC/Mac version of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock will be announced soon.
And if you still have doubts, Aspyr comforts us with the knowledge that their GH3 port will contain all the features (multiplayer online modes inclusive) the console versions sport. The handling of leaderboards and downloadable content are being finalized as we speak.
When queried about the huge custom track scene that Guitar Hero 2 has, Aspyr concluded that GH3 will not be customizable. There will not be any tools included with the game to create or modify any of the game’s songs (although, it’s almost guaranteed the community will find ways of making that possible). There will also not be an inclusion of bonus tracks (outside of Guitar Hero III) at launch – such as tracks found in previous Guitar Hero games. However, Aspyr said having the old GH tracks as DLC is a definite possibility.
The interview also covers the size of the team at Aspyr working on the port as well as the sheer difficulty of porting the game to PC. Just looking at the game, you would think it had simple graphics compared to most other games. Apparently, Guitar Hero III is pushing some serious pixel data on the screen. Something many will shrug off at first glance.
If anything the interview is a good read for those interested in virtually rocking out on the PC/Mac.
AUSTIN, TX – Sept. 11, 2007 – The rock gods have spoken, and gamers around the world will now be able to unleash their inner-rock star on two brand new platforms. Aspyr Media, in partnership with Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI), today announced that the third iteration of the wildly popular Guitar Hero franchise, Guitar Hero&153; III: Legends of Rock, will be available to PC and Mac gamers for the first time ever this fall.
Being developed and published exclusively by Aspyr, the PC and Mac versions will match their console counterparts with explosive new content and features including a multiplayer action-inspired battle mode, grueling boss battles, a host of exclusive unlockable content and visually stunning rock venues. With more than 70 songs in the set list, and more original master tracks than ever before, players will be able to shred from many of the freshest and hottest artists today, along with many of the most popular rock songs ever recorded. Expanded online multiplayer game modes will also allow PC and Mac enthusiasts to rip head-to-head against players around the world and across either platform, raising the level of competition for true legendary rock status.
“Working with such a wildly successful franchise and helping to strengthen an already powerful brand has us feeling like rock stars ourselves, only without the fame, money or musical talent,” said Ted Staloch, Executive Vice President, Publishing for Aspyr. “But even without Slash’s chops, we still have what it takes to bring the best music game on the planet to PC and Mac gamers. Aspyr’s expertise in developing and publishing for these platforms means that we will deliver a game that wails just as hard as it does on consoles but feels natural on this audience’s chosen platform.”
“Providing the option for our fans to play Guitar Hero at their desk or on a laptop on the go is incredibly exciting, and we’re thrilled to now offer the ability to rock out literally anywhere and everywhere,” said Dusty Welch, head of publishing at RedOctane. “PC and Mac gamers can now shred as hard as their console counterparts do, and it’s a great opportunity to help promote musicianship and expand the growing number of Guitar Hero fans worldwide.”
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock on PC and Mac is rated T for Teen by the ESRB, and will be available this fall. For more information, please visit www.aspyr.com.
Hey Frets on Fire is just fine without everything that GH has, in fact it’s better, also the Guitar Controller does work, you just need to get a ps2 to usb adapter and bind the keys, or use the 360 USB one…
woot now i can torture people on TS2 and Vent sooo much easier.
Aspyr is also known for Stubbs The Zombie…