[Feedback Wanted] A list of much needed RB4 gameplay improvements

[Earoc]

With all the Clone Hero "hype" lately, I thought it would be constructive to put together a short list of relatively easy-to-add features that could really take Rock Band to the next level and remain the dominant rhythm game in the industry.

I am currently working on putting together an in-depth analysis of the rhythm game industry. As I am trying to construct a purely objective look at the future of Rock Band, I decided to start by sharing a short opinion-based commentary on some of the things I would do to improve the actual gameplay.

My primary goal for posting this is to just get some feedback from the ScoreHero community. I want to be able to see what fans currently think about Rock Band from all points of view.



Here it is: (and here's the Original Post)
Calibration

Need I elaborate?

Competitive Mode

Currently non-existent. Almost every player I have talked to has said they believe this would be a very much used add-on to the game.

Individual Instrument Sound Control

Because the only thing that may be more annoying than missing notes because you can't hear your own instrument is (see next bullet).

Focus Mode

This was featured in Guitar Hero. Basically, I've always ignored the epilepsy warnings until Rock Band 4. There's too many flashing lights and unnecessary background effects. It would be okay if I was practicing for a real-life performance, but no, I am sitting in my gaming room trying to get this FC when suddenly blinding strobe light temporarily blinds me (this is especially devastating to your moral when playing brutal mode).

Practice Mode

Needs improvement big time. At least needs a speed below 70%, and it would be cool to see a speed above 100%. Or, being able to access practice mode from the Quickplay menu would be nice so my 1,650 songs don't have to refresh for a half-hour from switching to practice mode.

Make More Wired Legacy Adapters.

Straight-forward.

Section Breakdown of Notes Hit

I wish I could see where I missed the notes at and go directly to practice mode instead of going through a trial and error experiment.

Matchmaking and Online Play

So many things.. The biggest things I would say are wrong with Online gameplay is there's no random matchmaking lobbies. Yeah--there's joing a random match or whatever, but for some reason they always put me into a match where the instrument I am on is already taken.

Having multiple of an instrument (2 guitarists etc). This could essentially serve as a form of competitive mode also without there being an actual competitive mode.

I can't stand going into an online match, and people think it is a requirement to choose 4 songs when there's only 2 people. 10% of the people don't know you can hold green to continue, so they feel obliged to choose 2 songs. Seems pretty logical and simple to just change that setting to, Number of Song Choices Per Player.

Brutal Mode

Needs to be a selectable difficulty online.

Also needs some clean up with the background.. I understand the point is be make it more challenging, but it's just downright degrading when you're going H.A.M. and you literally can't even see the notes because activating overdrive is like looking into a solar eclipse without the safety glasses (I wonder if those would help).

Customization

Kind of what I've said above. Just small things like venue selection, character selection before playing a show, maybe a normally-shaped human to choose from.

I was a GH fan, so I would love to be able to change the shape of the notes when playing guitar and bass. I think it would be a cool feature to be able to select normal note shape or the pro-drum symbol note shape on strings.

Showing Leaderboard Rank in Post-Song Stats

Was already done in Rock Band 3 (I am pretty sure). Definitely a neat little stat to see after finishing a song.

Rockudrama

Why was this update 8GB? Why would anybody actually dedicate time to creating this? Why do random shapes and letters pop up half-way down the runway when I am trying to play a song? Just, why?

Rivals

Rivals may not be dead yet, but it is certainly on its way there if it remains how it is currently. There is absolutely zero incentive to put forth effort to this unless you're a top 3 or top 5 crew, and even then, you are only playing for rivals points.
Putting a search or filter function when searching for a crew. Example, filter crews that need guitarists.

Level System

Broke AF, as the kids would say. Went from level 1-90 in about a year, and 90-100 in about 3 weeks. Simple fix would be increased level cap. but just very, very high. Like, 1000.

[Earoc]

With all the Clone Hero "hype" lately, I thought it would be constructive to put together a short list of relatively easy-to-add features that could really take Rock Band to the next level and remain the dominant rhythm game in the industry.

I am currently working on putting together an in-depth analysis of the rhythm game industry. As I am trying to construct a purely objective look at the future of Rock Band, I decided to start by sharing a short opinion-based commentary on some of the things I would do to improve the actual gameplay.

My primary goal for posting this is to just get some feedback from the ScoreHero community. I want to be able to see what fans currently think about Rock Band from all points of view.



Here it is: (and here's the Original Post)
Calibration

Need I elaborate?

Competitive Mode

Currently non-existent. Almost every player I have talked to has said they believe this would be a very much used add-on to the game.

Individual Instrument Sound Control

Because the only thing that may be more annoying than missing notes because you can't hear your own instrument is (see next bullet).

Focus Mode

This was featured in Guitar Hero. Basically, I've always ignored the epilepsy warnings until Rock Band 4. There's too many flashing lights and unnecessary background effects. It would be okay if I was practicing for a real-life performance, but no, I am sitting in my gaming room trying to get this FC when suddenly blinding strobe light temporarily blinds me (this is especially devastating to your moral when playing brutal mode).

Practice Mode

Needs improvement big time. At least needs a speed below 70%, and it would be cool to see a speed above 100%. Or, being able to access practice mode from the Quickplay menu would be nice so my 1,650 songs don't have to refresh for a half-hour from switching to practice mode.

Make More Wired Legacy Adapters.

Straight-forward.

Section Breakdown of Notes Hit

I wish I could see where I missed the notes at and go directly to practice mode instead of going through a trial and error experiment.

Matchmaking and Online Play

So many things.. The biggest things I would say are wrong with Online gameplay is there's no random matchmaking lobbies. Yeah--there's joing a random match or whatever, but for some reason they always put me into a match where the instrument I am on is already taken.

Having multiple of an instrument (2 guitarists etc). This could essentially serve as a form of competitive mode also without there being an actual competitive mode.

I can't stand going into an online match, and people think it is a requirement to choose 4 songs when there's only 2 people. 10% of the people don't know you can hold green to continue, so they feel obliged to choose 2 songs. Seems pretty logical and simple to just change that setting to, Number of Song Choices Per Player.

Brutal Mode

Needs to be a selectable difficulty online.

Also needs some clean up with the background.. I understand the point is be make it more challenging, but it's just downright degrading when you're going H.A.M. and you literally can't even see the notes because activating overdrive is like looking into a solar eclipse without the safety glasses (I wonder if those would help).

Customization

Kind of what I've said above. Just small things like venue selection, character selection before playing a show, maybe a normally-shaped human to choose from.

I was a GH fan, so I would love to be able to change the shape of the notes when playing guitar and bass. I think it would be a cool feature to be able to select normal note shape or the pro-drum symbol note shape on strings.

Showing Leaderboard Rank in Post-Song Stats

Was already done in Rock Band 3 (I am pretty sure). Definitely a neat little stat to see after finishing a song.

Rockudrama

Why was this update 8GB? Why would anybody actually dedicate time to creating this? Why do random shapes and letters pop up half-way down the runway when I am trying to play a song? Just, why?

Rivals

Rivals may not be dead yet, but it is certainly on its way there if it remains how it is currently. There is absolutely zero incentive to put forth effort to this unless you're a top 3 or top 5 crew, and even then, you are only playing for rivals points.
Putting a search or filter function when searching for a crew. Example, filter crews that need guitarists.

Level System

Broke AF, as the kids would say. Went from level 1-90 in about a year, and 90-100 in about 3 weeks. Simple fix would be increased level cap. but just very, very high. Like, 1000.