Writting a musical game guide: What should I add?

[Erik_Twice]

One article I have always wanted to write is a music game guide for newcomers to the genre. Not in the mechanical or historical sense but more as an introduction to the most well-known good games of the genre.

The problem is, I don't know how to present it. After a small introduction, talking about the music, the gameplay and the accesibility I'm already at the lenght of a normal review before I get to home versions, making the article pretty long after talking about seven games.

Would you prefer to give each game a single article or just have a big, long one? I was thinking about listing the games by order of accesibility (DDR first, Pop'n music last, for example) and that's lost if I give each game a single article. Of course, I could give each game it's own article but write a short, hub one that links to the rest.

What do you think? Anything you would want to see?

[CRTGAMER]

Maybe one Huge Article
Put each style Music game in a paragraph or two, most importantly from a History aspect how they connected with each other. Guitar Freaks to unrelated Guitar Hero for example.

Include Pics and Links to your article
Really adds to an article with the further reads reference. Be sure to hit the Import stuff, a lot of music specialty games and song titles are in Japan only. You could include info on the various unusual controllers. Maybe also a mention of the health aspect such as the DDR workout. When you get the article compiled, post on Racketboy too please!

[retrosportsgamer]

If you're worried about length, perhaps break it out over a number of entries. It's a pretty extensive task and you're obviously being very thorough. If you have the stamina to be comprehensive on all the sub-genres - do it.

[noiseredux]

one long article. Don't break it up. I like long articles that serve as a history lesson. Let the need dictate the length, and don't worry about it being "too long." If everything you're saying is (A) worth be included to properly stress the historical importance, etc and (B) is interesting, then really there's no such thing as "too long."

I'd much rather read a super long but interesting article on a genre/series/whatever (a la HG101) than a bunch of short reviews or whatever that are broken apart from each other.

[TEKTORO]

Dont forget MTV Music Generator!
You if want use it and need some help,im the man on that one

[noiseredux]

Dont forget MTV Music Generator!
You if want use it and need some help,im the man on that one

I still have a copy too. Man I spent so many hours on that thing back in the day. I loved the little "jam session" feature on it too where you could just assign samples to different buttons on the controller and start/stop them up like a sampler.

[TEKTORO]

Dont forget MTV Music Generator!
You if want use it and need some help,im the man on that one

I still have a copy too. Man I spent so many hours on that thing back in the day. I loved the little "jam session" feature on it too where you could just assign samples to different buttons on the controller and start/stop them up like a sampler.

You do!!
I have MTVMG2 (PS2) and its actually part of my music studio with the PS2&mini screen,it gets use for certain projects.

It definitly is a neat creation tool,if your just learning its pretty easy to just layer bars from different genres to make songs.Or if you master it you can create original patterns with the built in sequencer and any sounds you sample.

Matter of fact,one of my friends back in the days (which we were all in the same DJ/going out to party/club/raves circle) Had sold a bunch of his MTVMG tracks as mp3.We even heard some of them at a Club in the city and MIAMI ELECTRONIC MUSIC CONEFRENCE!!He was blown away when he heard a well known DJ spinning his mp3!This was all from MTVMG both PS1 and PC!!

It was pretty serious stuff

[noiseredux]

yeah, it's a pretty good basic tool. It's like a mini-version of FruityLoops or something.

Did you ever get the PS2 boxset of Digital Hitz Studio? It came with a USB mic and audio-input for PS2. Pretty sweet. I had it for a while, but got rid of it since I never used it.

[Erik_Twice]

I'd much rather read a super long but interesting article on a genre/series/whatever (a la HG101) than a bunch of short reviews or whatever that are broken apart from each other.

Oh yes, I'm actually using HG101 and Racketboy as references. The problem seems to be that writting a guide for newbies to get started into the genre is at odds with the history of the games or an in-depth explanation of their workings of the genre, which are really, really abstract.

In other words, seems like I have two clashing articles:

1) A beginner guide to the heavy hitters of the genre

This would be quite simple. A short introduction for each game, how they work, what kind of music they have and who the game can appeal to and what versions are the best to get started. Since it's a beginner guide I limit myself to what I think are the both biggest and best series with access to the genre being key. (DDR, Pump it Up, Taiko Drummaster, Guitar Freajs/Drummania, Beatmania IIDX and Pop'n Music would be the only games featured)

Of course the alternative is to write beginner guides to each of those games instead of putting them together. Surprsingly there aren't any good guides for any of those games and it would be greatly appreciated by many if I could just tell them how to boot the fucking game.

2) A HG101-like comprehensive guide. Picture "Konami shmups" only for music games and all companies

This would be great because there's no centralized information about the subject. But I don't think that throwing such information at the internet right now would be as useful as a beginner guide. Ideally I would write the entry level article first and the comprenhensive guide later.

I'm also wary of tackling this subject because I will never be able to play many of the not so obscure games of the genre. Sure, I know a lot about them, I have played PPP and know what is the best version of Keyboardmania but when I haven't even played DJ Max Technika I doubt I'm qualified to talk about Dance Maniax or that congo game whose's name escapes me at the moment.

Smaller series or stand-alone games like Ouendan are better suited to normal reviews, of that I'm sure.


Concerning history...I'm not qualified for that. I doubt anyone, not even their own developers know the real history behind many of those games. Just knowing when DDR was released or which of the twelve versions of the first iteration was first is impossible. And it isn't rare for each game to have huge flamewars on the topic that I don't really want to get into*


Sorry if it looks like I overthink this stuff but after trying a couple of different aproaches it seems I need to have clear goals, otherwise I know I will end up fragmenting the information beyong use.


*Except the bar debate, I'm getting into that one

[noiseredux]

nah, it's cool to brainstorm. No worries. You know I'm a fan of yr blog, so glad to bounce ideas around with you.

I almost wonder if the article should be a two-parter -- meaning the Beginner's Guide to the genre is the first big half of yr article, and then there's the much bigger and more in-depth "Konami Shmups" half that goes above-and-beyond Beginner's.

some people would stop reading after the first half, so that they could run off to invest in new games and familiarize themselves with those. Then in a few months they'd perhaps return to read the second half since they now know those games and are interested in learning more.

Eh?