Rocksmith for PC

paulbaxter · Post by **paulbaxter** » Thu Dec 06, 2012 11:28 am

This really doesn't need it's own topic, but I thought there might be one or two folks interested in this who haven't seen it over in the console section.

Rocksmith is a guitar learning game, a little like Guitar Hero/RockBand, with the exception that it works only with a real guitar, so that you learn to play guitar rather than learn how to use a guitar-like game controller. It's been out for PC for some months now. I grabbed it last week and have been having a blast.

Main discussion thread: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=79922" target="_blank

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Thu Dec 06, 2012 6:47 pm

I still have to install a transducer in the kiddo's acoustic. Once I do that I'll probably pick it up.

Exodor · Post by **Exodor** » Thu Dec 06, 2012 7:45 pm

I have it for PS3 and fiddled around with the PC demo. Loading times seemed noticably faster but not fast enough for me to spend $30 on it (I read that the price has dropped on Steam).

If it's part of the Christmas sale I may pick it up.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Thu Dec 06, 2012 8:56 pm

Just checked it out on Steam $30. And then another $30 for the cable through Amazon.

Exodor · Post by **Exodor** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 5:33 pm

Rocksmith PC is on sale on Steam for $20 now.

Tempting.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 5:39 pm

Exodor wrote:Rocksmith PC is on sale on Steam for $20 now.

Tempting.

It will be $15 on Amazon (which still requires STEAM activation) in early January. Just sayin'.

Exodor · Post by **Exodor** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 6:01 pm

Smoove_B wrote:
Exodor wrote:Rocksmith PC is on sale on Steam for $20 now.

Tempting.
It will be $15 on Amazon (which still requires STEAM activation) in early January. Just sayin'.

Are you from... the future?

At least I know now the world won't end tomorrow.

paulbaxter · Post by **paulbaxter** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 8:14 pm

Anyone who has even the slightest interest in learning to play electric guitar should pick this up. It's terrific.

Exodor · Post by **Exodor** » Sat Dec 22, 2012 3:39 am

For $20 I bit the bullet and bought it on PC.

I never really realized how much audio lag I was dealing with on the PS3. It's so much easier playing it on the PC.

My fingers hurt.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Sat Dec 22, 2012 11:39 am

Exodor wrote:For $20 I bit the bullet and bought it on PC.

I never really realized how much audio lag I was dealing with on the PS3. It's so much easier playing it on the PC.

My fingers hurt.

Same here. I could not believe the difference on the PC. And I'm still over HDMI into my monitor. I almost wish I never bought it for the PS3. I don't know how I'd go back.

Exodor · Post by **Exodor** » Sat Dec 22, 2012 12:34 pm

malchior wrote:Same here. I could not believe the difference on the PC. And I'm still over HDMI into my monitor. I almost wish I never bought it for the PS3. I don't know how I'd go back.

I also spent $20 on DLC - The Rush song pack and a few other songs that I'd already purchased on PS3. Figured I might was well get them while they're on sale.

It helps that I received the PS3 version as a gift. I'm not repurchasing it. Really!

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Mon Jan 14, 2013 10:15 am

I am sooo glad I bought this on PC. I actually get to play it now. I made it to local support act and man, local support acts must suck, because I sure do.

I am phenomenal compared to where I started from (I learned about 4 chords when I bought my guitar and took lessons in 1999 and haven't done crap with the guitar since then). I still can't play anything without the game and I am not sure that I ever will. Part of the problem is in the game progression, I am not learning any songs, just playing (trying to play) what comes up gets me high enough scores to progress through the game.

Am I correct in assuming that eventually it will be complex enough that I need to actually learn the guitar parts? Or will the skills I am learning really only stay within the game as long as I only use the game for practice?

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Mon Jan 14, 2013 10:21 am

coopasonic wrote: Am I correct in assuming that eventually it will be complex enough that I need to actually learn the guitar parts? Or will the skills I am learning really only stay within the game as long as I only use the game for practice?

While not a realistic comparison, I watched Fret play "Where is My Mind?" in Rocksmith without any of the tab on the screen - just 100% memorization on his part. He's a beer-fueled time traveling robot from the future so YMMV.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Mon Jan 14, 2013 10:40 am

Smoove_B wrote:
coopasonic wrote: Am I correct in assuming that eventually it will be complex enough that I need to actually learn the guitar parts? Or will the skills I am learning really only stay within the game as long as I only use the game for practice?
While not a realistic comparison, I watched Fret play "Where is My Mind?" in Rocksmith without any of the tab on the screen - just 100% memorization on his part. He's a beer-fueled time traveling robot from the future so YMMV.

Yeah he also knew how to play guitar 100 years before Rocksmith came out. Has anyone actually learned to play guitar from Rocksmith?

Fretmute · Post by **Fretmute** » Mon Jan 14, 2013 11:17 am

Smoove_B wrote:
coopasonic wrote: Am I correct in assuming that eventually it will be complex enough that I need to actually learn the guitar parts? Or will the skills I am learning really only stay within the game as long as I only use the game for practice?
While not a realistic comparison, I watched Fret play "Where is My Mind?" in Rocksmith without any of the tab on the screen - just 100% memorization on his part. He's a beer-fueled time traveling robot from the future so YMMV.

I just turned off the tab so you wouldn't see how badly I mangle the solo.

paulbaxter · Post by **paulbaxter** » Mon Jan 14, 2013 12:56 pm

coopasonic wrote:I am sooo glad I bought this on PC. I actually get to play it now. I made it to local support act and man, local support acts must suck, because I sure do. I am phenomenal compared to where I started from (I learned about 4 chords when I bought my guitar and took lessons in 1999 and haven't done crap with the guitar since then). I still can't play anything without the game and I am not sure that I ever will. Part of the problem is in the game progression, I am not learning any songs, just playing (trying to play) what comes up gets me high enough scores to progress through the game.

Am I correct in assuming that eventually it will be complex enough that I need to actually learn the guitar parts? Or will the skills I am learning really only stay within the game as long as I only use the game for practice?

The game has a couple of problems as a learning tool, but you should be able to make lots of progress. Just use the riff repeater, lots of rehearsals, and set yourself higher point goals than the game requires. Unless you just hate the song, of course.

Fretmute · Post by **Fretmute** » Mon Jan 14, 2013 1:49 pm

The scores are all normalized, too, so you can use them to gauge how for along you are in a song. 100k is the point at which you've "learned" a song, because getting there means that you've leveled all the sections to full and can play them with greater than 90% accuracy. There are bonuses for doing certain things that may skew that a bit but, generally speaking, that's the goal.

Sticking to the chord versions of songs may help initially, because then you won't have to worry about fiddling with single string bits while you're still learning chords.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Mon Jan 14, 2013 2:22 pm

Fretmute wrote:The scores are all normalized, too, so you can use them to gauge how for along you are in a song. 100k is the point at which you've "learned" a song, because getting there means that you've leveled all the sections to full and can play them with greater than 90% accuracy. There are bonuses for doing certain things that may skew that a bit but, generally speaking, that's the goal.

Sticking to the chord versions of songs may help initially, because then you won't have to worry about fiddling with single string bits while you're still learning chords.

Without doing anything special with the settings, the games starts you with plucking and introduces chords as you level them up. It seems to default to the combo versions of the songs, I guess. I haven't done any picking my own songs or changing any settings... though I woul dlike to kill the 5 lives limit on the riff repeater activities.

Fretmute · Post by **Fretmute** » Mon Jan 14, 2013 2:31 pm

coopasonic wrote:Without doing anything special with the settings, the games starts you with plucking and introduces chords as you level them up. It seems to default to the combo versions of the songs, I guess. I haven't done any picking my own songs or changing any settings... though I woul dlike to kill the 5 lives limit on the riff repeater activities.

It's not 30 on the PC like it is on the Xbox?

paulbaxter · Post by **paulbaxter** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 1:51 pm

Fretmute wrote:
coopasonic wrote:Without doing anything special with the settings, the games starts you with plucking and introduces chords as you level them up. It seems to default to the combo versions of the songs, I guess. I haven't done any picking my own songs or changing any settings... though I woul dlike to kill the 5 lives limit on the riff repeater activities.
It's not 30 on the PC like it is on the Xbox?

If you access it from the Continue Journey screen it's 5. If you do it from the main menu it's 30. Seems like a bug to me, but maybe there's some reason to it.

Exodor · Post by **Exodor** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 2:13 pm

Keep in mind you don't HAVE to "play the game" - I spend a lot of time just going into the Songs menu and practicing the songs that really appeal to me.

Although that can bite you in the ass later when it adds a song to your next concert queue and it requires you to hit 90,000 points to qualify.

Fretmute · Post by **Fretmute** » Tue Jan 15, 2013 2:19 pm

Exodor wrote:Keep in mind you don't HAVE to "play the game" - I spend a lot of time just going into the Songs menu and practicing the songs that really appeal to me.

I'm a fan of creating a custom list and performing that, because you don't have to retune between songs. Retuning my in tune guitar annoys me to no end.

JetFred · Post by **JetFred** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 12:29 am

Ignoring...ignoring...ignoring...ignoring...SOLD for $15.

So what DLC is actually important for gameplay, not just adding songs?

Exodor · Post by **Exodor** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 12:31 am

JetFred wrote:So what DLC is actually important for gameplay, not just adding songs?

None?

The only non-song DLC are the "packs" that unlock stuff that you would otherwise unlock while playing the game.

The game is playing songs. If you like the DLC songs I recommend picking them up - I have a lot of fun flailing away at the Rush and Queen DLC packs.

I won't flatter myself by claiming I play them.

JetFred · Post by **JetFred** » Wed Jan 16, 2013 12:41 am

Exodor wrote:
JetFred wrote:So what DLC is actually important for gameplay, not just adding songs?
The only non-song DLC are the "packs" that unlock stuff that you would otherwise unlock while playing the game.

Thanks, that's what I thought.

paulbaxter · Post by **paulbaxter** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 4:02 pm

Again, just for the benefit of anyone who never looks into the console forum....

Rocksmith 2014 is now available. It's a huge improvement over the original in most respects, IMHO. Been having a blast with it for the past few days.

Hipolito · Post by **Hipolito** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 6:11 pm

Is it better to get a separate electric guitar for this game, or is the Epiphone Les Paul Electric Jr. that comes with the full bundle adequate? The bundled guitar is economical, but it looks kind of small.

And does the Real Tone Cable effectively turn my PC into an amp so that I can practice on my own outside of the game?

LawBeefaroni wrote:I still have to install a transducer in the kiddo's acoustic. Once I do that I'll probably pick it up.

Is it pretty easy and reversible to do this? I already have an acoustic guitar, so maybe I'll go this route instead of buying an electric.

Exodor · Post by **Exodor** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 7:46 pm

Hipolito wrote:Is it better to get a separate electric guitar for this game, or is the Epiphone Les Paul Electric Jr. that comes with the full bundle adequate?

I haven't used it but all reports are that the bundled guitars are perfectly acceptable "intro" instruments.

And does the Real Tone Cable effectively turn my PC into an amp so that I can practice on my own outside of the game?

Again, haven't done it myself but I understand the cable can be used outside the game. The game also has a number of amps and effects for when you just want to play without playing along to a specific song or minigame.

JetFred · Post by **JetFred** » Sun Oct 27, 2013 9:30 pm

FWIW, in the old version, I fiddled with the delay and I have a reasonably powerful PC, but I could never get it responsive enough to enjoy the amp and effects while playing freestyle through the computer. Playing the game is fine because the window of accuracy is forgiving enough and the noise is so layered that it's hard to tell exactly which bit you're playing all the time. Any better experience from the old to the new?

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Mon Oct 28, 2013 1:03 pm

Hipolito wrote:
LawBeefaroni wrote:I still have to install a transducer in the kiddo's acoustic. Once I do that I'll probably pick it up.
Is it pretty easy and reversible to do this? I already have an acoustic guitar, so maybe I'll go this route instead of buying an electric.

The one I have requires you to cut a small hole in the guitar body, so not reversible. Wasn't a problem on the $60 beater 1/2 size the kiddo has (she used to play it by walking on the strings).

However, there are non-invasive pickups available. They're more expensive. You might need a simple adapter as well.

Skinypupy · Post by **Skinypupy** » Mon Oct 28, 2013 1:39 pm

Exodor wrote:
Hipolito wrote:Is it better to get a separate electric guitar for this game, or is the Epiphone Les Paul Electric Jr. that comes with the full bundle adequate?
I haven't used it but all reports are that the bundled guitars are perfectly acceptable "intro" instruments.

I bought the PC bundle with the guitar last Friday. I know nothing about guitars, but would say it works just fine.

Oh, and learning guitar is really damn hard.

Exodor · Post by **Exodor** » Mon Oct 28, 2013 4:27 pm

Skinypupy wrote:Oh, and learning guitar is really damn hard.

Sure is.

I'm not sure I've ever felt as good as the day I could finally consistently play a damn D chord.

Also be sure to check out Justin Guitar if you haven't already - there are a lot of really great lessons and resources there.

Hipolito · Post by **Hipolito** » Mon Oct 28, 2013 10:09 pm

Thanks for the answers to my questions. I'm still thinking about what to do, but I look forward to trying the game soon.

paulbaxter · Post by **paulbaxter** » Tue Oct 29, 2013 9:32 am

+1 on justinguitar. Excellent and free guitar lessons.

Boudreaux · Post by **Boudreaux** » Tue Oct 29, 2013 10:09 am

JetFred wrote:FWIW, in the old version, I fiddled with the delay and I have a reasonably powerful PC, but I could never get it responsive enough to enjoy the amp and effects while playing freestyle through the computer. Playing the game is fine because the window of accuracy is forgiving enough and the noise is so layered that it's hard to tell exactly which bit you're playing all the time. Any better experience from the old to the new?

The new version is much better. In the original, I had to play around with the various options to improve latency or the delay between playing/hearing notes was noticeable. In RS2014, I didn't do anything to address latency. It was perfect right from the start.

It's also worth noting that if you have interest in using the software as an amp/effects model, RS2014 improves dramatically over the original with the new Session Mode. In addition to all of the guitar tones you can create, they've modeled a full AI band to play with you. You can add in 1-4 accompanying instruments including drums, bass, guitar, and others as well as pick your key, scale modes, playing style, chord progressions, etc. It's pretty amazing.

Exodor · Post by **Exodor** » Tue Oct 29, 2013 1:07 pm

One wish - the ability to remove or hide songs from the song list.

Holy hell a few of the new songs are terrible.

Fretmute · Post by **Fretmute** » Tue Oct 29, 2013 1:20 pm

Exodor wrote:One wish - the ability to remove or hide songs from the song list.

Holy hell a few of the new songs are terrible.

Couldn't you implement that by adding every other song to your favorites, and then just sort by favorites?

Exodor · Post by **Exodor** » Tue Oct 29, 2013 1:59 pm

Fretmute wrote:Couldn't you implement that by adding every other song to your favorites, and then just sort by favorites?

I could but it would be preferable to just remove the awfulness (Ultra Soul!) completely.

The first DLC is available today - a Smashing Pumpkins song pack:

Today
Bullet with Butterfly Wings
1979
Tonight, Tonight
Disarm

IN - but waiting for the inevitable Steam sale.

paulbaxter · Post by **paulbaxter** » Wed Oct 30, 2013 8:22 am

On nonstop play mode you can remove songs from the play list. I removed all of the alternate tuning songs since I didn't want to have to spend time retuning between every song.

Exodor · Post by **Exodor** » Wed Oct 30, 2013 1:17 pm

Anyone else seeing weird "played" totals in Steam?

Steam thinks I've spent 69 hours playing Rocksmith2014. The actual total is maybe 6.

I assume it's uPlay misreporting back to Steam or...something.