Band lineup guidelines?

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

1. Can bands submit scores with the usual members on different instruments (drummer and bassist switch instruments, for example)?
2. Can bands have an outside member fill in for songs from time to time?
3. Can a band replace a member permanently and continue under the same band name?

As time passes, these scenarios will arise so I figured it would be best to get everyone on the same page.

I'd be inclined to believe that only scenario 1 is kosher.

**NumberCruncher** · Joined: 07 Dec 2007 Posts: 93

For score tracking purposes, only option one seems fair, and even that might be pushing it.

What would be nice would be the ability to create alternate lineups for the same band (essentially separate bands, but all under the same name), but it might add undue confusion, not to mention requiring extra code to handle.

**raunch99** · Joined: 08 Aug 2006 Posts: 712 Location: Chicago

I'd agree that scenario 1 seems like the only one that's probably kosher. I think the score tracking system will already let you do this because it does not auto-fill in the names for each instrument when you go to input a new score.

I don't see why it'd be a problem, its still the same 4 people.
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**JCirri** · Joined: 04 Feb 2006 Posts: 4576

When we were first thinking about setting things up for Rock Band, we considered allowing several of the things you mentioned, so I'll give some background on our thinking process back then.

Scenario 1 is certainly acceptable as there are drop-downs upon submission for you to select the members that played each instrument. They default to the same as the team's last submission (if within the last hour) ONLY to prevent manual selection and save time when things (in the majority of cases) stay the same 99% of the time. But you're always free to change up which members play which parts on different songs.

For scenario 2, we initially considered the registration of "groups" rather than "bands" where a band could consist of any combination of members from the group. That brought up the issue of how high to cap the groups and regardless what number we would choose it wouldn't suit everyone's needs (unless it were uncapped). However, the real issue was simply the fact that when not all members are participating in all scores, score-tracking loses its value as the group's best scores would eventually be dominated by the best 4 players on the team.

We felt that the rankings should accurately reflect the combined abilities of all individuals on the team. So the solution for this was to give a lot of team slots and make them cheaper to upgrade than GH, but still require that a distinct team be registered for every combination of individuals.

So with that in mind, scenario 3 was something I was heavily opposed to, as it doesn't make sense to have scores remaining on the leaderboards under "Team #1" obtained by players no longer on the team. In that case it would be a random mess of ranked scores with no traceability back to individual skill.

In summary:
1. Allowed
2 & 3. You would need to register new team(s) for different combinations of players.
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**shawnpatrl** · Joined: 07 Apr 2008 Posts: 11 Location: Florida / Michigan

makes sense but how about 1 alternate member ie the "5th man"

**Slowhand** · Joined: 21 Sep 2006 Posts: 625 Location: Lombard, Illinois

JCirri's most excellent site but my 2 cents.

(Steps on soap box)

The game is called Rock Band. Do we really need to watch Spinal Tap again to know that over time, a band may change members yet still function/market/perform under it's name? What if my drummer does in fact spontaneously combust in a puff of green smoke?

Scenario one, I agree with the others, should be allowed. As a veteren of many a bar band yada yada, me the bass player, played guitar occasionally, and yet we were still "the band". Dream Theater is still DT when Portnoy plays guitar while Petrucci drums. Just not what DT is the other 98% of the time.

Scenario 2 - Your band has 6 gigs lined up over 4 weeekends. The drummer has to go in for emergency neck surgery. The band has already discussed never missing a gig we have committed to. What do you do? Well you call your other band friends who can drum anything anytime and ask them to cram learning 3 sets of material in 2 days. And the show must go on. Fill ins IMO are perfectly OK. Haven't most of us seen groups with guest musicians? I call them The Grateful Dead even if Hornsby is playin pianer.

Scenario 3 - I'm still good with this. Individual players have reps on this site, well deserved reps. In time, certain bands may also have well deserved reps. I don't think that occasionally replacing a member, particularly one who just got married and has a kid and then suddenly drops off the face of the social earth, with someone who has time to play is any dilemma at all. Shouldn't be the death knoll for the band.

Anyway, I think the OP asked for opinions so there it is. It is however JC's site and we are honor bound to follow his rules. The most important thing IMO is actual, honest, verifiable if needed scores. Not who played what etc. To me Smashing Pumpkins was Billy and Jimmy and still is even if James and D'arcy aren't around.

Hope this didn't sound too hioty toity. Sometimes I forget this is a game.

(steps off soap box, trips on the mic wire, stumbles head first into the drum kit, bleeds everywhere, breaks wrist and band finds temp replacement as they play gigs under the origianl band name)(not that this has ever happened)(or that I use too many parenthesis)
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**luminousnerd** · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 639 Location: Utah :(

Ok there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn't be able to have a new member...

Real bands change members sometimes.

I don't see any reason whatsoever, I mean, you are essentially a new band under the same name there's no reason why not...
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**Crazy006** · Joined: 20 Nov 2007 Posts: 64 Location: Ohio

Its to prevent a "band" having 7 members who each of them have a song that they can 100% that nobody else can, trade off playing those specific songs to get the highest score possible for the "band." I agree with Slowhand in real life situations, but do see JCirri's point for the video game point of view.

If you have a member leave / quit / whatever, just create a new band and get to work I guess.....

**luminousnerd** · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 639 Location: Utah :(

Well it shouldn't be tolerated to just switch members on any given song...

But if you have a member leave you should be able to get a new one.

Maybe if there was a limit, like, you can only have one new member per...week..or month maybe.
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**stxbomber191** · Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 8:55 pm Post subject:

Another question:

Why can't a single person create a band with themselves on Guitar/Vox or Drums/Vox?
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**MHSTenor09** · Joined: 29 May 2007 Posts: 825 Location: Seattle, WA