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Guitar Hero: World Tour

Core features, co-op extras.

• Co-Op Campaign
• Co-Op Specific Content
• Splitscreen
• OSX Version Available

The Co-Op Experience

Four players, three instruments plus vocals = rock the house.

Description

We've all dreamed of being in a band, but unfortunately, not all of us are so musically inclined. At least you can pretend with Guitar Hero World Tour! This is the Complete Band Game package for PlayStation 3: it comes with the Guitar Hero World Tour game, wireless guitar controller, wireless drum kit, and wired microphone. Get ready for a whole new set list of awesome songs to rock out to, including Michael Jackson's "Beat It, " Van Halen's "Hot for Teacher" and more. The best part? They're all master tracks, no lame covers! The wireless guitar features a neck slider for tackling those intense solos, and a dedicated star power button and re-designed controls to further enhance your finger work. Quiet surface, pressure-sensitive pads and an authentic arrangement make the wireless drum kit as close to the real thing as you can get. You can choose to play solo, with the band, or play 4 vs. 4 Battle of the Bands play. And once you've dominated all the songs in the game? Go ahead and create your own recorded content! The Guitar Hero World Tour game package offers endless hours of interactive fun, so hurry up and order today!

Splitscreen Layout

2 player split-screen layout, 3 player split-screen layout, 4 player split-screen layout.

This page contains co-op info for Guitar Hero: World Tour on the PC . All information about Guitar Hero: World Tour was correct at the time of posting. Information is subject to change. If you see any errors please email us .

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Guitar Hero: World Tour

Availability, essential improvements, guitar hero world tour: definitive edition, configuration file(s) location, save game data location.

Localizations

Multiplayer types, connection types, issues fixed, high frame rate issues, other information, system requirements.

• Singleplayer
• Multiplayer
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• Local multiplayer games

Guitar Hero: World Tour review

It's got drums and vocals now – can it out play rock band 2.

GamesRadar+ Verdict

Great drum kit

really good guitar

Strum notes

slide sections

Recording studio

Studio powerful

but complicated

Multiplayer ends when anyone fails

Single player gimmicky

Why you can trust GamesRadar+ Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about our reviews policy.

It looks like competing “tap the buttons as colored gems move across the screen in time with music” games Rock Band and Guitar Hero have started the kind of annual rivalry usually reserved for sports fans. So, despite the fact that the series is still called Guitar Hero, this year’s big innovation is the addition of drummers and singers (and the accompanying $180 bundle pack). It’s tempting to deride the series for copying Rock Band 2, but it’s really just a natural evolution of this genre. Besides, Guitar Hero: World Tour actually trumps RB2 in a few key areas.

The most important difference is obvious after only one song: though you can use your Rock Band 2 gear with no problems, Guitar Hero World Tour has better instruments. The drum kit’s cymbals feel better and the pads sound deeper and feel more substantial. Rock Band 2’s drums have a better kick pedal, but even with its added outboard cymbals, that’s the only advantage it can claim over these beauties.

The guitar is a closer call – it lacks the visual beauty and “pickup selector” sound effects switch of Rock Band 2’s guitar. Plus, the “string” flipper is oddly, at times infuriatingly squeaky. However, the beefier star power button finally has the perfect size and location: at the bridge, where you’re unlikely to hit it by accident but where you can easily punch with your hand without interrupting your stroke. And the addition of a flat, touch-sensitive pad higher up the neck, which enables new in-game moves like faster tapping and slide guitar, seals the deal.

Once you start playing, you’ll find a bare-bones solo career mode. You’re basically a gigger-for-hire answering ads on a bulletin board, which leads to a vast list of celebrity cameos from Sting and Ozzy to Jimi Hendrix and Hayley from Paramore. We appreciated the wide range of difficulty options, though.

Multiplayer modes are pretty robust, with full support for four musicians not only offline, but online – even in full, four-on-four, head-to-head band battles, which Rock Band 2 doesn’t even do.

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Guitar Hero World Tour – Release Details

Pc macintosh playstation 2 playstation 3 wii xbox 360.

• Genre:   Action > Rhythm > Music
• Developer:   BudCat
• ESRB Descriptor(s):   Lyrics, Mild Suggestive Themes
• Local Players:   1-4 Players
• Online Players:   No Online Multiplayer
• Wikipedia (EN):   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar_Hero_World_Tour

Release Data

• Developer:   Neversoft Entertainment
• Online Players:   Up to 8 Players
• Developer:   Vicarious Visions

Description

• Guitar Hero World Tour is comprised entirely of master recordings from some of the greatest classic and modern rock bands of all-time including Van Halen, Linkin Park, The Eagles, Sublime and many more. Additionally, the game will offer significantly more localized downloadable music than ever before on all of the next-generation consoles. Budding rock stars will also be given creative license to fully customize everything from their characters' appearance and instruments to their band's logo and album covers.
• You'll be in rock-and-roll paradise with Guitar Hero World Tour. The game has advanced modes, options and tools for your rocking pleasure. Enjoy a vast amount of master recordings from some of the biggest acts of all time, including Van Halen, Linkin Park, the Eagles, Sublime and more. The game will also offer significantly more localized downloadable music than ever before. Guitar Hero World Tour gives you creative license to fully customize everything from characters' appearances and instruments to the band's logo and album covers. The innovative Music Studio lets you compose, record, edit and share music. The hard-hitting Battle of the Bands mode lets up to eight players get in on the mayhem. Jam like a pro and show off your talents like a true superstar.
• When the house lights go down this fall, a new generation of guitarists, drummers and fearless frontmen will come together and rock with Guitar Hero World Tour. Guitar Hero World Tour transforms music gaming by expanding Guitar Hero's signature guitar gameplay into a cooperative band experience that combines the most advanced wireless instruments with new revolutionary online and offline gameplay modes including Band Career and 8-player "Battle of the Bands," which allows two full bands to compete head-to-head online for the first time ever. The game features a slick newly redesigned guitar controller, drum kit controller and a microphone, as well as an innovative Music Studio music creator that lets players compose, record, edit and share their own rock 'n' roll anthems. Music creators will also be able to share their recordings with their friends online through GHTunes where other gamers can download and play an endless supply of unique creations.

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Video Game / Guitar Hero World Tour: Definitive Edition

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The game takes the engine and base game content of World Tour by Neversoft and expands it even further with community-made characters, songs, instruments and venues, as well as content backported from prior and later Guitar Hero series games.

Since its beta release in 2021, the mod garnered quite some attention thanks to its ability to take in custom band lineups, instrument models and venues, resulting in some rather amusing rosters from countless fictional universes as well as real-world celebrities, from the usual mod staples like CJ from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Thomas the Tank Engine and even Disney Princesses like Snow White as well as the cast of Breaking Bad of all people.

This game provides examples of:

• Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking : The example picture—where badass characters like Kratos and CJ are jamming with a relatively soft-spoken princess like Snow White—are not that uncommon given the wide selection of downloadable rocker models.
• Game Mod : Done in spades, though it could very well amount to its own game considering how it expanded upon World Tour and then some.
• Holiday Mode : Setting the system clock to a certain date will cause its UI to take on a different theme depending on the holiday, be it Valentines, Halloween or Christmas.
• Joke Character : Plenty of them, mostly based on popular internet memes such as the crew member from Among Us and even a rather crudely-modeled depiction of Jesus Christ by WTDE co-developer Zedek.
• Wide-Open Sandbox : While the main story mode for World Tour is intact, the rest of the game and all cheat codes are unlocked from the start, allowing the player to shred around at their leisure.
• Red Storm Rising
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• Afraid of Monsters

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What Guitar Hero Controllers Work on PC: Compatibility and Setup Guide

Venturing into the realm of rhythm games often leads to the nostalgic classic, Guitar Hero. While traditionally played on consoles, many enthusiasts look to breathe new life into this iconic game by playing it on a modern PC. Not all Guitar Hero controllers were created equal, however, and their compatibility with a PC can vary. It is crucial to know which controllers will work seamlessly with your PC setup and which ones may require additional steps or hardware to function properly.

To connect a Guitar Hero controller to a PC, you need to ensure that it has either a USB port for wired connections or wireless connectivity capabilities. Fortunately, many Guitar Hero guitars, such as those from RedOctane and the X-Plorer model, are designed to connect easily to a PC. Depending on what you own or decide to purchase, the process of setting up varies but generally involves plug-and-play mechanisms or the interaction with specific drivers and software.

Configuring the controller in your PC’s settings can be straightforward or might necessitate some manual tweaking. This usually involves mapping the controller’s buttons to correspond with in-game commands. Once configured, your Guitar Hero controller can offer a comparable, if not richer, gaming experience on your PC compared to traditional consoles, especially with the plethora of customization options available through emulators and software designed for rhythm gaming.

Want to see the latest Guitar Hero items that are popular right now? Just click here!

Key Takeaways

• Guitar Hero controllers for PC use require USB or wireless connectivity.
• RedOctane and X-Plorer models are known for their compatibility with PCs.
• Proper configuration is necessary for optimal gameplay experience on PC.

Compatibility of Guitar Hero Controllers with PC

To effectively use your Guitar Hero controllers on a PC, it’s important to understand both the essential requirements of your computer and the general compatibility of different controllers. You’ll need to ensure you have the right connections and possibly some additional software or drivers.

Essential PC Requirements

Your PC must have a USB port to connect Guitar Hero controllers, whether directly through a Guitar Hero model with USB connectivity or via an adapter. For wireless controllers , a wireless USB dongle specific to the controller’s console type is necessary. If you’re using a PS2 controller , you’ll need a PS2 to USB adapter .

For smooth performance, ensure your Windows PC is running an operating system that supports the required drivers or software . Some controllers may need third-party applications like Xpadder to be recognized as an Xbox 360 controller, which is commonly supported by PC games.

General Compatibility Guide

• USB-based Guitar Hero controllers : Directly connect to the PC and may require specific drivers .
• Xbox 360 Guitar Hero controllers : Typically have native PC support and should work once connected.
• Wii Guitar Hero controllers : Can be used with a Bluetooth connection if they are wireless or a Raphnet adapter for wired controllers.
• PS3 Guitar Hero controllers : Require a USB dongle that’s made for the respective controller.
• PS2 Guitar Hero controllers : Need a PS2 to USB adapter or converter , and you might have to install drivers or remapping software.

For any Guitar Hero controller to interface with PC, compatibility with the game itself is also crucial. Some Guitar Hero games available on PC may not support every controller type, so check the game’s compatibility list. When using adapters or converters, ensure that they are correctly installed and recognized by your Windows PC before attempting to play.

Specific Guitar Hero Controllers and PCs

Finding the right Guitar Hero controller that works with your PC can enhance your gaming experience. Below you’ll find specific information for connecting PlayStation, Xbox, and Wii Guitar Hero controllers to your PC.

PlayStation to PC

To connect PlayStation Guitar Hero controllers to your PC, you often need a USB adapter or a Bluetooth connection if it’s a wireless model. Most PlayStation 3 controllers, including the RedOctane and Kramer Striker , and some PlayStation 2 variants, can be used on your PC. Popular choices include:

• RedOctane’s Wireless controllers (with a USB receiver)
• PlayStation 2 wired controllers via a USB adapter

Games like Frets on Fire and Clone Hero are commonly used when playing guitar games on PC.

Xbox controllers usually have an advantage because many come with USB connectivity, making them plug-and-play devices for PCs. The X-Plorer controller from Guitar Hero II on the Xbox 360 is a great wired option that’s directly compatible with your PC. Alternatively, wireless Xbox 360 controllers like the Guitar Hero Live guitar can connect via a wireless gaming receiver . The following controllers are known to work well:

• Xbox 360’s X-Plorer (wired connection)
• Xbox 360’s wireless controllers (with wireless receiver)

These controllers work seamlessly with PC games like Clone Hero and are favored for their ease of use.

For Wii Guitar Hero controllers, you’ll typically use a Bluetooth connection to pair the controller with your PC, given that the Wii remote (Wiimote) communicates via Bluetooth. You may need additional software to recognize the controller’s inputs. Here’s what you’ll likely use:

• Wii Remote connected via Bluetooth
• Guitar controllers like the Guitar Hero Live guitar connected with the Wii remote

Keep in mind, for playing titles like Guitar Hero III on a Mac or PC, using the Wii remote with Clone Hero is a common practice among gamers. Additionally, DOYO and Activision made Wii guitar controllers that can be adapted for PC use.

• Gametime Buddies Brand Name wireless guitar for Guitar Hero and Rock Band games.
• Size: 30 inches long with neck, 9.5 inch width at the guitar body.
• Wii remote controller slot on the front of guitar, easy to connect and hold the Wii Remote.
• Compatible with All Guitar Hero Games and Rock Band 2 or 3.
• Not compatible with the Rock Band games that requires microphone to play, such as Rock Band 1 and more.

Using and Configuring Controllers on PC

To make the most of your Guitar Hero controllers on PC, you’ll need to correctly install them, use the right software, and know how to troubleshoot common problems.

Installation and Settings

Before rocking out on your PC, ensure your Guitar Hero controller—whether it’s a wireless or wired model—is properly installed. For wired controllers , it’s often as simple as plugging them into a USB port on your PC. However, some models, like the PS2 controller , may require a PS2 to USB adapter . For wireless controllers , you’ll need to connect the corresponding USB receiver and often use the sync button on the controller to establish a connection.

Once plugged in, navigate to your system’s Settings to ensure everything is functioning. Check the properties of your controller in the device manager to confirm that all the buttons—or frets —and the strum bar are recognized. Ensure that no compatibility issues are present for a smooth experience.

Third-Party Software and Games

After installation, you might need third-party software to assign the controllers’ inputs to keystrokes or game controls—this is especially true for games that don’t natively support Guitar Hero controllers like Clone Hero or Rock Band . Programs such as Xpadder or JoyToKey allow you to map the fret buttons , strum bar , and dpad to your liking and save different profiles for various games. Specifically for Guitar Hero titles like Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock or Guitar Hero: Aerosmith , ensure the game settings are configured correctly to recognize your controller.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Occasionally, you may encounter issues where the PC doesn’t recognize your controller or the controls aren’t responding correctly. Here are a couple of common issues and their solutions:

• Driver Problems : If using a wireless controller , sometimes Windows doesn’t install the correct drivers automatically. You can go to Device Manager and manually update them.
• Port Issues : Controllers may not be recognized if plugged into USB 3.0 ports. Try connecting to a USB 2.0 port if you encounter this problem.

Remember to check the controller’s compatibility with your PC’s operating system and that any third-party peripherals , like a Fender Stratocaster from Rock Band, have the necessary hardware or software support.

Enhancing Your Guitar Hero Experience on PC

Playing Guitar Hero on PC can be a highly rewarding experience with the right equipment and custom content. Using compatible controllers and personalizing your game with mods can significantly enhance your gameplay.

Additional Peripherals

For an authentic Guitar Hero experience on PC, having the ideal peripherals is crucial. Xbox 360 guitars are known for their compatibility and can be connected to your PC with a wireless receiver or USB cable. X-Plorer Wired Guitar is a great choice if you’re after a plug-and-play experience with a classic electric guitar feel.

Ensure that your controller’s battery is always charged for consistent performance, especially if you’re using a wireless controller. In case you want a full band setup, you can also consider adding drums and other peripherals that work with games like Clone Hero and Rock Band track packs .

Custom Songs and Modifications

To freshen up your song library, incorporating custom songs is a fantastic way to personalize your Guitar Hero experience on PC. Software such as Clone Hero , Performous , and Phase Shift allows you to add songs and customize gameplay. These platforms are often community-driven, offering a vast array of additional songs and modifications.

• Clone Hero : Highly popular for its custom song support.
• Rock Band Track Packs : Can be imported to expand your song library.

Incorporating these custom songs is usually straightforward — download the tracks and follow the instructions provided by the software to include them in your game. Doing this will breathe new life into your playing sessions, providing you with virtually endless content to enjoy.

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Guitar Hero World Tour

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Guitar Hero World Tour (initially referred to as Guitar Hero IV or Guitar Hero IV: World Tour ) is a music video game developed by Neversoft and published by RedOctane and Activision. It is the fourth main entry in the Guitar Hero series . The game was launched in North America in October 26, 2008 for the PlayStation 2 , PlayStation 3 , Wii , and Xbox 360 consoles, and a month later for Europe and Australia. A version of Guitar Hero World Tour for Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintosh has also been announced for a release on July 26, 2009 and was the last Guitar Hero game published to these operating systems by Aspyr Media.

While the game continues to feature the use of a guitar-shaped controller to simulate the playing of rock music, Guitar Hero World Tour is the first game in the Guitar Hero series to feature drum and microphone controllers for percussion and vocal parts, similar in manner to the competing Rock Band series of games. The game allows users to create new songs through the " Music Studio " mode, which can then be uploaded and shared through a service known as " GHTunes ".

World Tour received generally positive reviews with critics responding positively to the quality of the instrument controllers, the customization abilities, and improvements in the game's difficulty compared with the previous Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock . Some reviewers have commented on issues with poorly laid-out note tracks, the limited Career modes, and the difficulty of the music creation tool and the poor quality of the resulting songs.

• 1.1 Bundling and promotion
• 2.1 Games Modes
• 2.2 Characters and Customization
• 2.3.1 Guitar
• 2.3.2 Drumkit
• 2.3.3 Microphone
• 2.3.4 Instrument compatibility
• 3.1 Custom songs
• 4 References

Development

The fourth major entry to the Guitar Hero series, referred to as Guitar Hero IV at the time, was officially announced upon the merger of Activision and Vivendi Games in December 2007. "We couldn't have done it without Red Octane's support." says the Guitar Hero Team. [1] The game's new title, Guitar Hero World Tour , was officially announced by Activision in May 2008. [2]

Activision and RedOctane had previously registered for trademarks on " Guitar Villain ", " Drum Villain ", " Keyboard Hero ", " Drum Hero " and " Band Hero " [3] (the latter being used in a later title ). Analysts theorized that future Guitar Hero would need to include additional instrument peripherals in order to compete against the former Guitar Hero developer Harmonix 's Rock Band . [4] Activision's CEO Bobby Kotick and early previews of the game revealed that Guitar Hero IV would branch out into other instruments and vocals. [5] [6] [7]

According to the Game Informer preview, the addition of drum functionality came from work initially done towards the Drum Hero title. This work was later folded into the Guitar Hero series after Neversoft was chosen as developer of the series. [5] Neversoft's Allen Flores stated that with the addition of the existing drum gameplay, the development of World Tour took under a year, starting development immediately after the release of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock . [8] The drum instrument controller was designed to be more realistic, with details from Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers , Stewart Copeland of The Police , and Travis Barker of Blink-182 , all of whom requested the elevated cymbal pads. [8] The ability to open-strum the guitar was a feature that was planned for Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock but was removed before release, finding that it was too difficult on the Guitar tracks. However, they built this feature in from the start of World Tour development exclusively for the Bass tracks. [9]

Bright describes the development of the note track for a given song once it has been licensed for the game as a parallel effort, a process that they have found to be more efficient than their previous work on the Tony Hawk games. [9] Once the song was mixed for use by the development team, a "tempo map" was created by one developer; this map denotes the beats in the music which then can be used by the rest of the development team. Once the tempo map was complete, the song was then distributed to the various teams, such as the specific instrument teams or to the animators, to complete the song. [9] Note-for-note tracking from the song was then performed, and in some cases, changes were made to account for sections that cannot be replicated on the game controllers; the final track represented the note track for the Expert difficulty of the song. Note tracks were then reduced and adjusted to create the note tracks for the lower difficulties in the game. [9] A difficulty assessment was made using the final note tracks to determine where the songs were to be placed in the soundtrack progression. The difficulty model is based on that from Guitar Hero: Aerosmith , which was adjusted from the Guitar Hero III model after the team received negative feedback from players regarding a "brick wall" in the difficulty progression in that game. [9]

The song list for World Tour started as the list of songs that Neversoft wanted to include in Guitar Hero III , but had failed to get into the game or as downloadable content; the list was eventually expanded to over 500 songs. [9] The song list was then prioritized based on what the team thought would be best in the game, and then going after the music that would take the longest time to license, as was the case for the Jimi Hendrix songs. [9] While songs were selected to make sure that guitar, bass, and drums all had great parts, they also opted for songs that would be strong for one single instrument as to make the game still appealing for those playing the single player modes. [9] Some songs were also suggested through the licensing efforts by Activision for inclusion in the game. [9] Flores stated that the inclusion of caricatures of recording artists in the game was either due to the team seeking that specific artist for the game, or the artist approaching the development team and requesting to be part of it. [8] The band Tool , which hasn't licensed its music since 1996, allowed for the inclusion of three of its songs in World Tour as long they were involved with the artwork and tracking of the songs for the game, leading to the creation of the art-like Tool venue. [10]

Bright noted that they had support for "epic drum solos", in which the band animation would focus on the drummer, but removed this feature from the game's final release due to its complexity. [9] They also had to remove the "Jam Over" mode planned for the game's music creation section that would have allowed players to start with one of the game's songs and play over it on their instruments; this feature was removed in order to keep the final product polished and on-time. [9]

The custom song creation feature was inspired by the current "hacking environment" that has arisen from the first two Guitar Hero games, where players would create new tracks and share them with others. [11] [12]

Meanwhile Hands-On Mobile acquired to create a mobile phone version of the game to be released later in November 2008. [13]

A port of Guitar Hero World Tour has been rated by the ESRB for Microsoft Windows computers , though Activision has not officially confirmed this version [14] until it was confirmed by Intel on February 27, 2009 [15] and displayed at CeBIT on March 3–8, 2009 in Hannover, Germany. [16] [17] [18]

Bundling and promotion

KFC's Guitar Hero -branded Fully Loaded Box Meal.

In preparation for the release of Guitar Hero World Tour , Activision partnered with the fast-food chain company Kentucky Fried Chicken to promote the upcoming release of Guitar Hero World Tour in their Fully Loaded Box Meals in September 2008, [19] which consisted "KFC snacker" sandwich, two chicken strips, a drumstick or thigh, a biscuit, two sides and a 32 ounce soft drink. On October 28, 2008, Kotaku gave their impression of the KFC promotion, giving their overall rating the selection of food with a D-, stating that "it was one of the few meals where vomit phobia was almost outweighed by a feeling to purge this poison." [20]

On October 26, 2008, Guitar Hero World Tour was released in North America with several bundle packages, as well as a standalone game. Europe and Australia received this title in November 2008. In addition to a game bundle that includes a wireless guitar for each platform, the game can be bought in one of two bundles that include the guitar, drums, and microphone controller. The second bundle, only available through RedOctane's store, also includes a T-shirt, keychain, and a recharging kit. [21] Players in the United Kingdom who pre-order the full band bundle also received a second guitar controller for bass players. The bass guitar is the Les Paul guitar, the same model as bundled with Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock . [22] During the Christmas season of 2008, Some retailers, such as Target, sold in-store a dual guitar bundle which included two identical wireless Les Paul styled guitars from previous game versions and did not include the new guitar with the tapping area.

Activision created a series of television advertisements directed by Brett Ratner based on the famous scene from Risky Business where Tom Cruise dances to Bob Seger 's " Old Time Rock and Roll " in a shirt and underwear, each featuring a different set of celebrities lip synching to the lyrics while using the new instrument controllers. The first ad included athletes Kobe Bryant, Tony Hawk, Alex Rodriguez, and Michael Phelps. [23] Another ad spot featured model Heidi Klum; two versions of Klum's ad exist, one a "director's cut" where she is wearing less clothing. [24] A subsequent commercial featuring model Marisa Miller was banned from airing as too racy. [25] [26]

A viral YouTube video titled "Bike Hero" showed what appeared to be a teenager riding a bike along a route marked with symbols similar in appearance to the in-game note tracks with LED lights on the handlebars blinking in time to the notes to the song " Prisoner of Society " by The Living End . The video was later determined to be the work of a viral marketing company Droga5 in cooperation with Activision to promote the Guitar Hero games. [27] The viral advertisement was considered a success, with about 3.5 million views since its release. [28]

Gameplay of a whole band playing Billy Idol's "Rebel Yell". On top is vocalist, bottom from left to right: Guitar, Drums, Bass

Guitar Hero World Tour builds on the gameplay from previous Guitar Hero games, in which players attempt to simulate the playing of rock music using special guitar-shaped controllers. World Tour expands beyond the core guitar-based gameplay by introducing the ability to play drums and sing vocals, and supports the ability for up to four players to play together in a virtual band through these different instruments. Successfully hitting notes increases the player's or band's score, as well as increase the " Rock Meter " that represents the song's performance. Missed notes are not scored and negatively affect the Rock Meter. If the Rock Meter drops too low, the song ends prematurely, with the virtual audience booing the band off stage. Completing a consecutive series of notes successfully will increase a scoring multiplier for that player up to 4x. This multiplier is doubled when the player activates star power. Similar to Rock Band, the band shares a common score, scoring multiplier and band performance meter while each player has their own performance metric; the band also shares the same " Star Power " meter, though any player may activate it at any time. A player that performs poorly and reduces their performance meter to zero can still continue to play, but they drain the overall performance meter for the band, requiring the other players to make up for this. Successfully completing a song garners a three to five-star rating based on the accumulated score, and rewards such as in-game money that can be used to buy new guitars and outfits for characters.

The guitar interface remains relatively unchanged in World Tour . As with previous Guitar Hero titles, the guitar and bass player must hold down the correct fret button(s) on the controller while strumming in time with the notes as they scroll on-screen. One addition to the guitar gameplay is the ability to play notes while holding a sustained note. Additionally, the bass guitar player will be required to play notes representing an open E/Fb string, which is shown on-screen as a solid line across their note track. To play these notes, the bass guitar player strums the controller without pressing any fret button keys. The drum interface is similar to the guitar's interface, with each on-screen note track equivalent to a colored drum head on the controller, with the bass drum indicated by a line across the note track. The drum player only needs to hit the correct drum pads simultaneously to the note gems to successfully play their track. There are also marked sections on the drum part wherein the player may play any notes they wish in a 'solo' to gain points. The vocal track requires the player to match the pitch of the notes in a manner similar to Karaoke Revolution to be successful. Special sections of each players' note track are marked with glowing notes, which, if completed successfully, builds up Star Power. Once enough Star Power is accumulated, it can be released via various means to double the band's current score multiplier. For guitar and bass, this is done by lifting the guitar controller vertically or (though not in bass) by pressing a button on the guitar face; for drums, by striking both cymbal pads on the controller at the same time; for vocals, by tapping the microphone or making a similarly quick sound.

In addition to the standard four difficulty levels ( Easy , Medium , Hard , and Expert ) for each song and instrument, a new Beginner level has been added in World Tour. This difficulty is aimed for younger and unskilled players; notes are generally simple straight lines in time with bass drum beats, and allowing any or no fret button to be held while the note is strummed (for lead and bass guitar), any drum to be hit (for drums), or any sound to be made (for vocals).

Games Modes

The primary single-player game mode is Career mode, which can be played on either the lead guitar, bass guitar, drums, or vocals. Career mode has been slightly altered from previous Guitar Hero games. After creating a band, selecting or creating an avatar, and then selecting an instrument, the player is then presented with one of several gigs containing two to five songs each. Most gigs end with an encore song that is not revealed until the other songs are completed. Two of the lead guitar gigs feature "boss challenges" with Zakk Wylde and Ted Nugent; these boss challenges, featuring original songs by Wylde and Nugent, are different from Guitar Hero III 's boss battle, removing the focus on attack power-ups and instead featuring a call-and-response mechanic similar to the existing Face-Off mode. The gigs are arranged by difficulty based on the selected instrument. The player is awarded in-game money for each song completed, and completing each gig can also award additional money for meeting certain criteria, such as never letting the Rock Meter drop below a certain level or playing the first several notes of a song perfectly. Completing a gig can also unlock one or more gigs with more difficult songs to complete. Additional awards, such as customization items, are also awarded for completing gigs. The player's accumulated earnings across any of the single player Career Modes are tracked and used to rank the player's overall performance level.

Band Career mode is similar to the solo Career mode, with the game songs presented as several gigs to be completed. A band must have at least two players to proceed, but the second player may be either a local player or one over the network. Players may be at different levels of progression in the game, but will still gain benefits for successfully completing songs when playing together. After completing each gig, a magazine will appear on screen with the band featured on the cover.

The in-game interface features vocals along the top of the screen, and three tracks underneath, for bass, drums, and guitar; only tracks for active players will be shown. Full four-player bands can compete with other bands online in a Battle of the Bands mode.

Both single players and bands can play a setlist of up to six songs in Quickplay mode, still earning in-game money rewards for their performances. Existing competitive modes from the series, including the Battle Mode from Guitar Hero III , are also present in the game.

The Wii version of the game features a special " Mii Freestyle " mode that allows players to use their Miis as their characters as they improvise songs via the guitar and drum controllers or using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk.

Characters and Customization

Render of a band composed of in-game characters: Judy Nails on vocals, Eddie Knox on guitar, Lars Umlaut on bass and Johnny Napalm on drums.

Players are able to use the Create-a-Rocker mode which is based on the Create-a-Skater mode in Neversoft's Tony Hawk series and the advanced character creation scheme from the Tiger Woods PGA Tour series. Players can change their character's pose, clothing, tattoos, makeup, and age. Selected characters from previous Guitar Hero games are available as templates for creating a rocker. Previous games featured Gibson Guitars, but as a result of a lawsuit with Gibson Guitars, branded guitars are not featured; instead, the player can create a customized guitar from various components, such as bodies, fretboards, and headstocks. The player's in-game drum set and microphone can also be similarly customized. Activision had formed partnerships with several instrument equipment manufactures to featured in the game, including Ampeg, Audio-Technica, EMG Pickups, Ernie Ball, Evans Drumheads, Guitar Center, Krank Amplification, Mackie, Marshall, Orange County Drum & Percussion, Pork Pie Percussion, Regal Tip, Sabian, Vox, and Zildjian.

In addition to the computer- and player-controlled characters, avatars of notable musicians are featured in the game, either with motion capture or the licensing of their image for their character. Such artists include Hayley Williams , Jimi Hendrix , Ozzy Osbourne , Zakk Wylde , Billy Corgan , Sting , Ted Nugent , and Travis Barker .

New venues in the game include virtual recreations of real arenas, such as Ozzfest , Amoeba Music , Live Nation’s House of Blues , Sunset Strip and San Francisco’s AT&T Park . One venue showcases the trademark art style of Tool and was developed in collaboration with the band. World Tour is the first Activision game on the PlayStation 3 to support dynamic in-game advertising provided by IGA Worldwide; similar advertising for the Xbox 360 version is provided by Massive Incorporated.

Instruments

Guitar Hero World Tour Wireless Guitar Controller

RedOctane developed a new guitar controller for World Tour . The unit is approximately 25% (1/4) larger than previous controllers, making it closer to the size of a real guitar. The new controller includes a longer whammy bar and places the Star Power button directly below the strum bar, improving the access of these features. The strum bar itself was made quieter and longer. The neck of the guitar is detachable, similar to the Gibson Les Paul controller for Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock , but the connector has been hardened to avoid connection issues experienced with the previous unit.

The neck of the guitar features a touch-sensitive pad just below the normal five fret buttons. The player can use either the fret buttons or the touch pad to play regular notes. The pad also allows the player to play notes via tapping or via " tap strumming " similar to the slap bass method for bass guitar, and to alter the pitch of sustained notes. Guitar tracks feature notes connected by a semi-transparent purple line, (except for the Wii version, in which semi-transparent gems replace this purple line) called " Slider Gems "; the player can play these notes by sliding their fingers up and down the touch pad or by tapping the fret buttons without strumming. The touchpad can also be used for sustained and staccato notes in the music studio feature while recording guitar, and is used for finer control over loops when recording other instruments.

Guitar Hero World Tour Wireless Drum Controller . It includes 3 drum pads, 2 cymbal pads, and a bass drum pedal.

Guitar Hero World Tour features a wireless six-piece drum kit, with a bass drum pedal and five velocity-sensitive drum pads for snare (red), two toms (green and blue), and two cymbals (yellow and orange), which Activision has stated provide the " most realistic drum experience ever in a video game ". The drum kit was designed with help from John Devacka, the developer of MTV Drumscape, and developed key patents used for most modern music games that are now owned by Activision. Special note gems on the drum track are " armored ", requiring the player to strike harder on the appropriate drum head in order to break the armor and score points. During song creation, the velocity sensitivity feature of the drum pad allows players to alter the sounds made by the drums. The drum set also has a MIDI input port in the back, allowing users to connect a compatible MIDI drum kit to play in the game. The Wii version of the drum controller includes a slot for the Wii Remote to fit into, enabling it to become wireless, much like the guitar controller introduced for the Wii version of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock .

The official microphone used for vocals uses a USB connection. When playing vocals, a gamepad or Wii Remote is necessary in order to navigate menus, select difficulties, and pause.

Logitech and Activision announced that the former company will produce " premium " instruments to be released later in 2008.

Instrument compatibility

World Tour will work with older Guitar Hero guitar controllers. Activision stated during their E3 2008 press conference that Xbox 360 users will be able to use the existing Rock Band instrument controllers as well as other third party controllers in Guitar Hero World Tour; Rock Band instruments for the PlayStation 3 are not guaranteed to work in World Tour, though Sony is attempting to help make these units compatible. All Rock Band original Harmonix instruments for PlayStation 2 will work with World Tour. According to issue 027 of the UK's Official Playstation Magazine, all Guitar Hero and Rock Band PS3 controllers are cross-compatible with all games (except for Guitar Hero: World Tour drums on Rock Band, however some require patching, which is done automatically when connected to the internet).

Console makers have helped to ensure instrument compatibility between current and upcoming guitar and band games. Both Sony and Microsoft have announced that instruments for World Tour , Rock Band 2 , and Konami's Rock Revolution will work between all three games on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The Wii version of the game only supports guitar controllers from previous Guitar Hero games, and " no compatibility with any other peripherals ". The Rock Band 2 Drums however, are compatible with Guitar Hero World Tour .

World Tour adjusts the tracks in the game to account for the instrument controller being used. For example, sections of the lead guitar track that are designed to be played on the new World Tour controller's touchpad can be played by tapping the frets on older controllers without strumming. When using Rock Band 's drum controller, which has one fewer percussion pad than the World Tour unit and lacks velocity sensitivity, two of the lanes on the " World Tour " drum board merge, reducing the note track to four drum pads and bass pedal, and no armored notes are presented.

All of the 86 songs in the game are master recordings, a first for the series. Project director Brian Bright claims that they have " a pretty even split between the '80s, '90s, and classic rock " with a " good amount of emerging bands ".

Custom songs

Guitar Hero World Tour allows players to create their own songs through Music Studio and share them with others through the Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, and Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection internet capabilities. The Studio is similar to Apple's GarageBand software. The player can create the tracks for each song by playing it in real or slowed time, with the game quantizing offbeat notes to the nearest beat as set by the player, or tracks can be constructed one note at a time. The notes played by the user will be the default Expert difficulty track, and the lower difficulty versions will be generated by the game.

Players can create the tracks for lead, rhythm, and bass guitars and for drums, selecting from a number of different sounds and kits for each instrument. Distortion and other effects can be added to these tracks through Line 6 amplifiers in the " GHMix " mode. Players cannot record vocals directly, but can create a hum-along vocal line in the Studio. PlayStation 3 users with MIDI-compatible computers will also be able to connect their computer to the console and use it for song composition; a similar feature is sought for Xbox 360 owners. Eurogamer reported that a crew at Activision was able to successfully create a " perfectly respectable cover " version of the first verse of " Smells Like Teen Spirit " by Nirvana.

• Phi Psi Kappa (USA)
• Wilted Orchid (Sweden)
• Bone Church (Poland)
• Pang Tang Bay (Hong Kong)
• Amoeba Records (Los Angeles)
• Swamp Shack (Louisiana)
• Rock Brigade (The Pacific)
• Strutter's Farm (Kentucky)
• House of Blues (Los Angeles)
• Ted's Tiki Hut (Tahiti)
• Will Heilm's Keep (England)
• Recording Studio (Canada)
• AT&T Park (San Francisco)
• Tesla's Coil (Australia)
• Ozzfest (Germany)
• Times Square (New York City)
• Sunna's Chariot (Asgard)
• ↑ Elliot, Phil (2007-12-03). " Activision Blizzard fact sheet reveals some unannounced titles in the pipeline ". Game Industry Biz . http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=31168 .  
• ↑ Minkley, Johnny (2008-05-21). " Guitar Hero World Tour revealed " . http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=141762 .  
• ↑ Sinclair, Brendan (2007-01-17). " Activision calls dibs on Guitar Villain, Drum Villain " . http://www.gamespot.com/news/6164293.html .  
• ↑ Boyer, Brandon (2007-08-01). " Janco: Guitar Hero To Add New Instruments In 2008 " . http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=14930 .  
• ↑ 5.0 5.1 Template:Cite magazine
• ↑ Hatfield, Daemon (2008-04-21). " Guitar Hero IV Branching Out " . http://uk.wii.ign.com/articles/868/868193p1.html .  
• ↑ Faylor, Chris (2008-05-12). " Guitar Hero 4 Includes Song Creation and Sharing, Multiple Instruments, Van Halen, Linkin Park ". Shacknews . http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/52650 .  
• ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 " Neversoft's Alan Flores Interview ". Team Xbox. 2008-09-17 . http://interviews.teamxbox.com/xbox/2304/Neversofts-Alan-Flores-Interview/p1/ .  
• ↑ 9.00 9.01 9.02 9.03 9.04 9.05 9.06 9.07 9.08 9.09 9.10 Chick, Tom (2008-09-25). " Guitar Hero World Tour Developer Interview " . http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?pager.offset=0&cId=3170171&p= .  
• ↑ Template:Cite magazine
• ↑ Pigna, Kris (2008-05-21). " New Details on Guitar Hero World Tour " . http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3167919 .  
• ↑ Minkley, Johnny (2008-05-21). " Neversoft talks World Tour " . http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=141770 .  
• ↑ Dredge, Stuart (2008-09-10). " Guitar Hero World Tour coming to mobile phones ". Pocket Gamer . http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/Mobile/Guitar+Hero:+World+Tour/news.asp?c=8837 .  
• ↑ Linde, Aaron (2008-07-31). " Guitar Hero World Tour PC Edition Listed by ESRB; Logitech to Offer 'Premium' Instrument Controllers ". Shacknews . http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/53952 .  
• ↑ " ESL World: Intel Gaming Hall " . http://www.esl-world.net/masters/season3/hannover/intel_gaming_hall/ .  
• ↑ Crecente, Brian (2008-09-18). " Finger-Lickin' Guitar Hero ". Kotaku . https://kotaku.com/finger-lickin-guitar-hero-5051716 .  
• ↑ McWhertor, Michael (2008-10-28). " Guitar Hero: World Tour KFC Fully Loaded Box Meal Unboxing, Impressions ". Kotaku . https://kotaku.com/finger-lickin-guitar-hero-5051716 .  
• ↑ Faylor, Chris (2008-10-07). " Guitar Hero World Tour Gets $240 Deluxe Edition, Regular Band Bundle Priced at $190 ". Shacknews . http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/55142 .  
• ↑ Reed, Kristen (2008-09-19). " Free bass for anyone pre-ordering Guitar Hero: World Tour 'super bundle' " . http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=241639 .  
• ↑ " Activision Publishing Unveils Star-Studded Television Ads Promoting The Highly Anticipated Guitar Hero(R) World Tour Launch ". Activision. 2008-10-24 . http://sev.prnewswire.com/entertainment/20081024/LAF02424102008-1.html .  
• ↑ Template:Cite AV media Template:Cbignore
• ↑ " First Peek At New Lingerie Model In New Guitar Hero Commercial ". 5 March 2009 . https://www.kotaku.com.au/2009/03/first_peek_at_new_lingerie_model_in_new_guitar_hero_commercial-2/ .  
• ↑ Tolito, Stephan (2008-11-20). " Activision Coughs Up Real Story Behind Amazing 'Bike Hero' Clip ". MTV . http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2008/11/20/real-story-behind-bike-hero/ .  
• 1 Controllers and controller compatibility
• 2 Guitar Hero (series)
• 3 Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock

• Guitar Hero: World Tour Achievements
• Guitar Hero: World Tour News
• Walkthrough *

5. Guitar Hero: World Tour Online/Multiplayer

XBOX Live New in the " Versus" -mode is Band vs. Band. Easily done if you have the full kit; find another person who has all instruments & set up this match. Select " XBOX Live " & scroll down to " Band vs. Band ". You don't have to win this 'battle', completing the song is good enough. Don't worry about failing out because you can't and wont fail out. While doing this battle, just play with your guitar to unlock another achievement.

You completed an Xbox LIVE Band v Band match

Get the highest score in the band as the lead or bass guitar (4 player band)

Redo the above, but set up the song " No Sleep Till' Brooklyn ' & don't play on the bass, guitar or drum but place your mic in front of a fan. This way, the vocalist will have (a lot) more points then the other members, which gives you another achievement.

You got the highest score in a band as the vocalist

Another new feature: 2 vs 2 Pro-Face Off. This can be done with two players if both of you have 2 guitars; Select " XBOX Live " & scroll down to " 2 vs 2 - Pro Face Off ". Finish one song to unlock another achievement.

You completed an Xbox LIVE 2 v 2 Pro Face-Off match

Last but not least in the battle section: the battle itself. Star Power-phrases are substituted by Battle Power-phrases which gives you the ability to let your opponent fail out. Select " XBOX Live " & scroll down to " Battle ". Again, you don't need to win this to earn another achievement.

You completed an Xbox LIVE Battle Mode match

Band-Related Achievements First, set up a song with 4 players: a drummer, a guitarist, a bassist and a vocalist. I recommend " No Sleep Till Brooklyn ", since this is the song where you can gain all the achievements listed below on. Set the difficulty to Hard or Expert (I recommend the following settings; drums: hard, guitar: hard, bass: expert, vocals: expert) & try to get all bandmembers 100% on the song. While going through the song, your band should get a 50 note streak, which will unlock another achievement. While you get that, all members have to activate star power at the same time to unlock another achievement. This should give everyone a x8 multiplier, which forces another achievement to unlock.

All band members got a 50 note streak at the same time

All band members activated star power at the same time

You earned an 8x multiplier with the rest of the band at the same time

If you finished the song, where everyone hits 100% of the notes, you'll gain 3 other achievements. Expert vocals shouldn't be hard, since it's a talky song; which means the tone of the vocals is always the same. The other instruments require some additional practice.

You completed a song in a band

You got 100% on a song in a band

You got 100% on a song in a band on hard or expert

Score Related-achievements Although it's quite easy to obtain this achievement with 2 players (one playing guitar, the other playing bass but both on Hard), I recommend doing this with 4 people since this will give you a small boost to earn the " Bling Bling "-achievement.

Go to " XBOX Live " & select " Quickplay ". Invite your friends & select the song " Schism " by Tool. Now, as I said with only a guitar player & bassist on hard, you can own the score of 444,444 (since I got 500K this way) so if you have a solid drummer on Medium or higher & a vocalist on Beginner (since those are pretty hard to find), you should easily beat the objective; which forces another achievement to unlock

You scored 444,444 or more on the song Schism

Let's move on to a harder song (not that hard at all), " Trapped Under Ice " by Metallica. Again, select " XBOX Live ", " Quickplay " & invite your friends. The score of 444,444 can be easily beaten with a guitarist and a bassist both on Expert, but once again: find a solid drummer that can play on Medium or higher and attach a fan to your line-up. Use Star Power whenever it's available (especially the guitarist and the drummer) and you should get over 500k without any problems.

You scored 444,444 or more on the song Trapped Under Ice

Bling, Bling Here's where the grind begins. Remember I said to do everything with 4 people? Well, this is the reason why. When you are playing solo, you earn $500 to $1200; when playing in a band, you gain $1500 to $4000 (difficulty does matter). At all times: play the songs on the difficulty you are sure you can hit 95% of the notes. I know the lower tiered songs are really easy, but if you get to Time Square and you barely pass the lower tiered songs on Expert; it is better to drop a level. The solutions on here provides enough information for solo play, but I think it's better to play the songs you like on whichever difficulty you like. If you play one hour each day, you'll get there eventually. Don't try to rush it & play on Expert if you can't do it. Play 10 songs each day on the difficulty you are comfortable with. There's good news about this achievement though: if you play locally with someone who earned it; you'll get the achievement even if you haven't earned $10,000. I read a thread about being glitched online as well, but don't believe it. You have to do it locally. (This glitch is the reason the completion time on the overview page is so low). If you finally reached Rock Rank 50 (or $1,000,000); you'll feel awesome since you'll finally have this game beaten! Congratulations are at hand, bragging about it is permitted :D!

You earned $1,000,000 in lifetime earnings