"I Just Don't Get It..."

[Vidgmchtr]

Just spotted this above this thread on the "Ads by Google" bar. Don't shoot the messenger...

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W...T...D

*chuckle*

Honestly though, I do not see these on my browser, and did not think that'd happen. I'm quite glad my style sheet blocks most things like Google ads.

[Koopaslaya]

This is half WTD and half ANGST...

What I don't get is this:

Why do so many people go out and spend all the money on Guitar Hero? Why not spend the money to get a real instrument and do something intelligent? I would much rather have people going out to the local music store and picking up and Oboe, or perhaps a Mandolin. I enjoy Guitar Hero, but I'm a musician. To watch millions of children get so good at a video game when they could put forth that energy into their own musical abilities. I just cannot fathom why anyone would want to play Guitar Hero over getting their own instruments. Do not tell me that Guitar Hero is "easier." Sure, it's not as challenging, as doing the real thing well, but the true Guitar Hero, I think, should desire to play the real thing.

I don't understand these people who spend all their time and a lot of money becoming Guitar Hero masters when they could use those resources to become true Guitar Heroes.

[Chupperson Weird]

Guitar Hero is a game that has nothing to do with music. If Guitar Hero didn't exist, the people that play it would be playing other games, not music. In a related matter, one of the Penny Arcade guys apparently thinks that if people are able to sequence/record/??? their own music for GH or RB that the controllers will be magically transformed into instruments. I would like to Not Get It at this time and state that if you are not directly causing the notes to appear in realtime then you are not playing an instrument. Which doesn't mean an addon to a game that let you create your own music would be a bad thing at all, but it definitely won't make you be playing an instrument.

[MEGAߥTE]

That's like asking why people play games at all when they could be "doing something intelligent."  It's to have fun or complete a challenge, not to train themselves for a particular ability (with the exception of actual simulators like the military uses).  Guitar Hero is to Guitar as Dance Dance Revolution is to Dancing or Wii Sports is to Sports.  They only take concepts from their namesakes that give a vague resemblance of the originals.  Guitar Hero benefits by having a novel control scheme and strong soundtracks; I doubt anybody plays it thinking it will help them with guitar, but it can act as a gateway for people to actually try to learn guitar when they wouldn't have otherwise been interested.

[bobman37]

Guitar Hero is just another video game. The people who get REALLY good play because they like the video game, NOT because they want to play guitar. If they wanted to play guitar, you bet your bottom they'd go buy one. The only difference between GH and any other video game is the shape of the controller. Otherwise, in both cases, you're carrying out the intended task in order to score the highest, beat the game, etc.

I don't think I've ever seen this before. People have gotten after the gaming community for spending too much time playing video games instead of doing something more productive, but fellow gamers? Who cares how much time/money people are investing in Guitar Hero? They're just playing another video game! Just because the controller is shaped like a guitar, people feel like they need to bash the whole idea, Why-don't-you-go-play-a-REAL-instrument style. Oh yeah? Why don't you go stomp on a REAL goomba? That's what I thought.

I am a musician as well. I have been playing trumpet for over 5 years. I love it to death. I also love Guitar Hero. Why does there have to be a border? I'm appalled to see such ridicule coming from fellow musicians/gamers.

[Lizard Dude]

Why don't Mario players do something intelligent and take up parkour?

Why don't Call of Duty players do something intelligent and join the army?

Why don't Custom Robo players do something intelligent and build real robots?

Why don't Nintendogs players do something intelligent and buy a real dog?

Why don't Sonic players do something intelligent and join track?

Why don't Street Fighter players do something intelligent and take up martial arts?

Why don't Phoenix Wright players do something intelligent and get a law degree?

[Koopaslaya]

If Guitar Hero didn't exist, the people that play it would be playing other games, not music.

I'm not entirely sure about that. I know a lot of people who own a PS2 for the sole purpose of having Guitar Hero. They play it like they think they are better than Steve Howe or something.

In a related matter, one of the Penny Arcade guys apparently thinks that if people are able to sequence/record/??? their own music for GH or RB that the controllers will be magically transformed into instruments. I would like to Not Get It at this time and state that if you are not directly causing the notes to appear in realtime then you are not playing an instrument. Which doesn't mean an addon to a game that let you create your own music would be a bad thing at all, but it definitely won't make you be playing an instrument.

I agree that it wouldn't be a musical instrument. Furthermore, how would one sequence his own guitar hero songs with merely 5 buttons?

They're just playing another video game! Just because the controller is shaped like a guitar, people feel like they need to bash the whole idea, Why-don't-you-go-play-a-REAL-instrument style. Oh yeah? Why don't you go stomp on a REAL goomba? That's what I thought.

That is a poor argument.

I am not saying that guitar hero is bad. I never said that it was bad. Perhaps I am wrong, and people play it becuase they only want to play a video game for fun. Maybe I've missed something. Personally, however, I find a the ability to play a real guitar (or any other musical instrument) much more entertaining (and worthwhile) than the image of playing guitar on a screen. I've played GH with my friends, yet it's just not as fun to actually preform music with them. Same thing goes for Wii Sports. I enjoy it, but I'd rather be outside playing the sports themselves. In a Mario game, or a Star Wars game, I cannot actually put myself into the scenario in which I find the Character. Thus, I enjoy those games much more, and find them of a higher value.

Why does there have to be a border? I'm appalled to see such ridicule coming from fellow musicians/gamers.

Now... let's not be rash here.

[bobman37]

I'm not aiming my post at you, Koopaslaya. Every time I have this argument, it's with a fellow musician and/or gamer.

I realize that portion of my argument wasn't very well worded, but I'm sick of fighting this battle... I'm not going to fix it.

Everyone has their own opinion. If Koopaslaya feels differently than I about Guitar Hero, I guess I'm out of place trying to defend it from an opinion.

...So I guess I'll just go downstairs and play some Guitar Hero.

[MEGAߥTE]

I enjoy Guitar Hero

If Koopaslaya doesn't like Guitar Hero

[bobman37]

Ouch. My bad.

Fixed.

[Lizard Dude]

How come videogames always get the bad end when people get confused and think the games = doing the real thing.

Murder simulations cause people to go out and shoot up their school but guitar simulations prevent people from playing real guitar?

[Suffix]

Although somebody's going to do their hardest to prove that wrong one day, I sure love that logic.

[ShadowBrain]

I bet casual games are a plot invented by the government to force people to lose interest and stop playing all games, period. That'll stop the violence!

Oh, and my bro isn't the best guitar player in the world, but he said that GH is way harder sometimes.

[Chupperson Weird]

Yes, because they have nothing to do with each other!

[SolidShroom]

Guitar Hero is a freaking fun game, and playing guitar is also a lot of fun. But honestly, this worries the crap out me. It may be a bit more accurate than Guitar Hero, but why God, why?