No Part: thoughts?

**inv4der** · Joined: 16 Sep 2007 Posts: 9656 Location: Meridian, ID

This is what happens in band when you try to play The End from Backspacer. Now, the impact of that image may be lost to some. (Especially those of you who know your GH DLC)

What that is is a No Part on drums (Something that until today was a vocal-only experience for RB fans). I've heard various things about RB only being able to support a No Part on vocals, or that HMX wouldn't use songs with No Part for the three non-vocal instruments. These ideas are clearly wrong, although that's no fault of anyone who believed these things.

However, I can't complain about this new thing that HMX is doing with their "music game platform". It will open quite a few options for DLC, explains how the White Stripes will be possible, and adds what could be called "fairness" to what was previously a system slightly skewed "against" a vocalist.

Now I know this could easily spiral into wishlisting, but I'd really prefer that that not happen. (I hesitated a while on posting this as a result, and if the mods want to deal with it, that's fine) What I'm really posting this for is a discussion of what this means for the "platform". I'm not against using a song like The End or Maggot Brain as examples of what's now possible, but please don't just post a wall of songs with one part missing with no real purpose.

**ManfredvonKarma** · Joined: 31 Oct 2007 Posts: 3783 Location: Toms River, NJ

This totally means that Never Gonna Give You Up is coming now. >_>

Seriously, though:
I think it's interesting that we have finally seen a "No Part" in RBDLC outside of vocals. I distinctly remember reading that HMX had guaranteed guitar, drums, and bass as being mandatory aspects of gameplay, but either that was wrong, or HMX went back on it.

I'm all for the inclusion of such songs on an occasional basis, but I have to say I vastly prefer a song that I can play with everyone rather than a song where someone will have to do something else for a few minutes.
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**inv4der** · Joined: 16 Sep 2007 Posts: 9656 Location: Meridian, ID

**Stormrider2112** · Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 8:37 pm Post subject:

If it's part of a full album, I say fair game. But, for songs released as singles/random packs, no way.
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**GHAddict** · Joined: 19 Feb 2008 Posts: 1718

I personally don't think this means a whole lot for the platform. Of course we'll get a song or two that have some blank parts, but the DLC choices in the past have been pretty solid. Assuming that we get more Caprici di Diablo and Rude Mood and less Master/Slave and The End, the 3-part songs could actually be really cool.

You specifically said you don't want this to be a wishlist thread, so I won't name any names,

but there are some awesome songs revolving around the drums. Having no limitations on what songs can be picked for Rock Band can actually be a really positive thing...

...if Harmonix plays their cards right.

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**beingmused** · Joined: 13 Dec 2007 Posts: 2475 Location: Boston, MA

Icemage probably thinks this screws over vocalists somehow

**inv4der** · Joined: 16 Sep 2007 Posts: 9656 Location: Meridian, ID

**diablocon** · Joined: 11 Aug 2007 Posts: 1565 Location: Glasgow, Scotland

I'm not against it in moderation, with album releases being the obvious exception (so far only one No Part song hasn't been part of an album).

It does certainly help open up genres that may have been off limits before, since not everyone uses the usual four-man setup.

I think the question though is will they use No Part on guitar?

With vocals it's kind of hard to avoid the fact that a song might not have any, and should a song have no percussion, then drums are pretty screwed too (Saucy Jack has no drums, but a lot of other instruments to drum along too for example). Bass can take the guitar route and chart other instruments (tuba in Saucy Jack, lower sounding guitar in Maps, but the White Stripes are obviously going to be troublesome).

But we've already had songs with no guitar, and instead of getting No Part we get some of the most insane charting ever (I'm looking at you Clint Eastwood). Is there anything that HMX won't chart to guitar should the opportunity present itself? It does seem HMX will go out of their way to avoid a No Part at all costs, even if it means some pathetic charts in the process (Polly says hi).

**vkw619** · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 668 Location: Central Florida

**Sully** · Joined: 12 Nov 2006 Posts: 4570 Location: Tampa, FL

I only play Guitar and I couldn't be bothered in the least if there were songs every week that had no guitar part. I don't see why this makes people mad.

**inv4der** · Joined: 16 Sep 2007 Posts: 9656 Location: Meridian, ID

**diablocon** · Joined: 11 Aug 2007 Posts: 1565 Location: Glasgow, Scotland

**internetguy87** · Joined: 27 Mar 2008 Posts: 3505 Location: Pittsburgh, PA

**Abomstar** · Joined: 28 Jul 2006 Posts: 994 Location: Utica, NY

I don't mind it at all -- it only opens the door for more amazing songs. The only time it's inconvenient is in a multiplayer band scenario, which I never play anyway, but I think they should've implemented it so that the person with no part can just freeform instead of being kicked out. As if it wouldn't be completely rude to choose a song that forces someone to do nothing anyway.

**GanonMetroid** · Joined: 10 Feb 2007 Posts: 1460

I only see this as a way to get more variety of songs into Rock Band. So, now that we see that it's ok for a song not to have drums, that means we could get some Flight of the Conchords.

I can dream, right?
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