Official GH: World Tour Thread

Just copied this off scorehero.

New Updates in Green

Links
Activision's official confirmation: http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/875/875975p1.html
Game Informer Article:
https://2img.net/h/i27.photobucket.com/albums/c171/zygote7/1.jpg
https://2img.net/h/i27.photobucket.com/albums/c171/zygote7/2.jpg
https://2img.net/h/i27.photobucket.com/albums/c171/zygote7/3.jpg
https://2img.net/h/i27.photobucket.com/albums/c171/zygote7/4.jpg
https://2img.net/h/i27.photobucket.com/albums/c171/zygote7/5.jpg (Picture of new drum kit)
https://2img.net/h/i27.photobucket.com/albums/c171/zygote7/6.jpg
https://2img.net/h/i27.photobucket.com/albums/c171/zygote7/7.jpg
https://2img.net/h/i27.photobucket.com/albums/c171/zygote7/8.jpg
https://2img.net/h/i27.photobucket.com/albums/c171/zygote7/9.jpg
https://2img.net/h/i27.photobucket.com/albums/c171/zygote7/10.jpg
https://2img.net/h/i27.photobucket.com/albums/c171/zygote7/11.jpg
Trailer: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=UQ26v2OzlCE
First Screenshots: http://www.worthplaying.com/article.php?sid=52353

Release Information:
-Tentative release date of 10/27/08
-Tentative Full Band kit: $189.99/$179.99 (360 and PS3/PS2)
-Tentative Guitar Only kit: $99.99/$89.99 (360 and PS3/PS2)
-Tentative Game only: $59.99/$49.99 (360 and PS3/PS2)

Instruments
-There will be a new guitar, bass, microphone, and drum kit. Unique bass guitars will be used (probably for the open notes), and USB microphones are used.
-Guitars are no longer licensed by Gibson and are custom made
-The wide bars (the "clear notes" as referred to in the article) will be used during the bass segments to signify "open string", meaning that you strum without pushing in a fret, adding a new spin to how the bass is played.
-Drum kit has 3 pads, 2 raised cymbal pads, and a bass pedal. The pads supposedly can detect how hard you hit them.
-Star power for the drums can be activated at any time by crashing both cymbals at once.
-Every instrument is wireless out of the box.
-The old guitar controllers will still work. However, they say that you might miss out on some of the new play mechanics.
-No announcements as of now have been made on whether Rock Band instruments will be compatible or vice/versa. However, this seems unlikely because of the non-compatibility issues in GH3 and the fact that the drum set has a different number of pads.
-Drums are velocity sensitive. In other words, softer hits will result in a softer sound, and harder hits will result in a louder sound.

Gameplay
-The new "Easy Rhythm" mode for kids and newbies, where instead of having to push in frets, you simply strum along to the wide bars that are normally used for the bass drum.
-The boss battles are back, but they've been altered significantly. They are less about attacking and more about playing the song back and forth.
-GH3 Battle Mode is still in the game, but it's only for multiplayer and online now

Career Mode
-There will be a world-tour style career mode where you choose a location and tracks you want to play at that venue, similar to Rock Band
-Unlike Rock Band, the interviewee claimed that you will "never be playing the same tracks over and over"
-There are separate career modes for at least guitar, bass, and drum (possibly vocals)
-The drum tour will add "drum solo" sections where the camera zooms in on a drummer and allows a freestyle solo

Tracks
-There are supposed to be "more tracks than in any rhythm game ever", and the interviewer mentions "at least 70"
-The Neversoft employee claims all tracks will be masters
-Van Halen, Eagles, Linkin Park, and Sublime are confirmed to have tracks in the game.
-Dream Theater is mentioned, but not confirmed to have a song.
-Lenny Kravitz's "Are You Gonna Go My Way" is played in the trailer

Characters/Customization
-Have the ability to create rockers, instruments, and logos, much like in Tony Hawk
-The classic GH characters are also available
-Their will be more special guest (real artists), but no one has been announced.
-Ted Nugent has mentioned via a radio interview that he has been mo-capped for the game and has rumored a song similar to Stranglehold being used somewhere in the game

Music Creator
-Jam Over mode: you can go into an on-disc song and remix the sounds with a free form jam, much like in Amplitude. This mode will not include vocals. After creating the remix, you can return to normal play mode and play the new note chart.
-Advanced Studio mode: a program, said to be like Apple's Garage Band, that will allow you to create your own music tracks, along with note charts for them. AS mode has an editor for guitar which can reportedly do electric or acoustic notes with a variety of sound effects, one for drums that has a normal drum kit along with Latin percussion instruments, and a keyboard editor that you can use to replace vocal tracks (which are not supported, for copyright and data storage issues)
-Each person will be allowed to upload 5 tracks, and if you receive positive reviews, you may be able to up load 10 or more