When previous Rock Bands were released, the campaign was fairly simple: rock out, collect fans, and tour the world. While that isn’t a terrible format, something felt a bit off; fans didn’t mean as much as they should. While they were nice to have, they never really did anything in the game. Harmonix looks to change that with Rock Band 4.
According to a recent interview with IGN, Harmonix revealed that the campaign for Rock Band 4 would incorporate some RPG elements into the game.
You know, you go from your hometown to being the biggest band in the world, you choose…what kind of band you are.” – Alli Thresher, Harmonix
In the interview, Alli reveals that in Rock Band 4, the team has decided to bring some RPG elements into the campaign. When you book gigs, you will decide exactly what type of gig it is you’re going to be playing. Will you jumping in on a corporate gig and make tons of money, or go with the “struggling artist” route and make it your own way?
“You can take corporate gigs and make a lot of money as a band, you can take a path to pursue your artistic integrity, and along the way, as you make these choices, the game kind of responds to you,”
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“So, you might take a gig where you decide you are the spokesperson for off-brand salted meats and start your every gig by warming up the crowd telling them how much you like salted meats,” “And the crowd is not into it and booing and stuff, and you have to play really, really well to get them over it.”
“you could take a path where maybe you decide you just want to, like, couch surf around the country, use social media to meet people and sleep on their floors. So, you’re not really making a lot of money, but maybe meeting enthusiastic crowds – maybe too enthusiastic – maybe meeting super fans and trying to navigate dealing with them.”
The addition of RPG elements is pretty interesting, if only because it changes up the usual formula of “play songs and play more songs” that mostly every rhythm game has been following up until now. The ability to be invested in your choices, even seemingly non-consequential ones such as whether or not you sell meats to your fans, is a welcome addition to a genre that desperately needs something new.
Source: IGN
