How Video Games Are Saving Classic Rock

[jtmckinley]

As a gamer myself I think it's kinda sad that Guitar Hero or Rock Band would be the savior of classic rock (disclaimer: have not played these games, but know about them). If I had my wish some game company would make something similar to these games but rather than use silly toy controllers that have no relation to the instruments (well the guitar controllers anyway, maybe the drum & mic controllers of Rock Band have some relation) they would use something like the Line 6 guitar port you could plug a real guitar into. I think that might be really cool and would actually teach kids (and adults) to actually play the instruments, but maybe that would make it too hard. Actually I think something like that would be great as an instructional tool even if it wasn't a game per se, I'd buy it.

On another note, I have noticed that some games are putting real songs into games via an in game radio (i.e. the car radio in GTA IV which I've yet to play) or the TVs in Darkness that have music videos, old cartoons, and even the movie To Kill A Mockingbird on the in game TVs. I think that's pretty cool and does enhance the realism of the game IMHO. Of course it's not classic rock usually from what I've seen, but I still think it's a cool development.