PS2 vocals: broken or what?

[atiradorsp]

I've been playing GH and RB games for almost a year now, only with Guitar/Bass in my PS2 (I know, I know...). I decided to try the vocals and this is my experience.

I just bought the PS2 game "Boogie" because it was the cheapest that comes with a microphone (Logitech), so I can play RockBand and GH:WT vocals.

I'm not a great singer, in RockBand I can barely pass Creep on Easy (and I know this song by heart for more than 10 years!).

Anyway, in RB I had no problem using a multi-tap and plugging a controller in the 3rd port to control the vocals (I have 2 guitars in the other ports). There was little to no delay in the sound and it was loud and clear.

Then I went to WT. For starts, the games doesn't recognize the 3rd controller so you have to either:

a) Plug the controler in the 1st or 2nd port, disabling one of the guitars
or
b) Use one of the guitars to "control" the vocals (first you have to join the band with that guitar, press the yellow fret to change vocals and select the options - character, difficulty, etc. This is kind of confusing, because you have to ask another player to choose YOUR preferences).

Of course, to play vocal in solo mode only the first option works, so you have to power off the console and change the controls.

This is annoying but it isn't the worst part yet. Remember that I can barely pass an "warmup song" in RockBand in the Easy difficulty? The same doesn't apply for WT.

I tried a few songs that I know the melody and the lyrics (Misery Business, Assassin, About a Girl, Monsoon) and passed them all in any difficulty. I started with Easy and after realizing that the game seemed to think I'm some kind of rockstar I changed to Expert and still passed all of the songs.

I'll try to test some other songs in the next few days, but my opinion is that the vocals, at least in the PS2 version are basically broken.

There was a terrible lag in the sound most of the time and very often I just couldn't hear my voice in the speakers, even when I was singing very loud and close to the mic.

There was even a time that the game started to outputting a weird distorted sound every time I tried to sing. After I paused and unpaused the game, this problem went away. It only happened once so far, but I thought it was rather bizarre.

Anyway I think I'll stick with RockBand for vocals, wich is a shame, since I like a lot of the songs in WT.

I'll report back when after more tests.

PS: The "tap to activate Star Power" is broken too. I just ended having no control whatsoever over my activation, since the game recognizes any sound (even me singing) as a "tap", so my SP is activate as soon as it becomes available. Wich is "great" when playing in a band, because the vocals just "steals" the SP from the rest, all the time, making the vocalist the most hated member of the group, wich is pretty realistic if you think about it.

Edit:

After some more testing I can confirm that either
a) GH:WT doesn't like my Logitech USB microphone (that works just fine in RockBand and RB Track Pack)
or
b) The vocals for PS2 are really broken

You just can't sing properly. The sound is too low and with a terrible delay. Sometimes it just outputs weird noises. The pitch detection doesn't work. It's nearly impossible to keep the "ball" in the same position. It just jumps everywhere, all the time. Despite that you can still pass a song in the Expert difficulty.

Anyone tried the vocals in PS2? Does the mic that comes with WT bundle works well?

[atiradorsp]

I've been playing GH and RB games for almost a year now, only with Guitar/Bass in my PS2 (I know, I know...). I decided to try the vocals and this is my experience.

I just bought the PS2 game "Boogie" because it was the cheapest that comes with a microphone (Logitech), so I can play RockBand and GH:WT vocals.

I'm not a great singer, in RockBand I can barely pass Creep on Easy (and I know this song by heart for more than 10 years!).

Anyway, in RB I had no problem using a multi-tap and plugging a controller in the 3rd port to control the vocals (I have 2 guitars in the other ports). There was little to no delay in the sound and it was loud and clear.

Then I went to WT. For starts, the games doesn't recognize the 3rd controller so you have to either:

a) Plug the controler in the 1st or 2nd port, disabling one of the guitars
or
b) Use one of the guitars to "control" the vocals (first you have to join the band with that guitar, press the yellow fret to change vocals and select the options - character, difficulty, etc. This is kind of confusing, because you have to ask another player to choose YOUR preferences).

Of course, to play vocal in solo mode only the first option works, so you have to power off the console and change the controls.

This is annoying but it isn't the worst part yet. Remember that I can barely pass an "warmup song" in RockBand in the Easy difficulty? The same doesn't apply for WT.

I tried a few songs that I know the melody and the lyrics (Misery Business, Assassin, About a Girl, Monsoon) and passed them all in any difficulty. I started with Easy and after realizing that the game seemed to think I'm some kind of rockstar I changed to Expert and still passed all of the songs.

I'll try to test some other songs in the next few days, but my opinion is that the vocals, at least in the PS2 version are basically broken.

There was a terrible lag in the sound most of the time and very often I just couldn't hear my voice in the speakers, even when I was singing very loud and close to the mic.

There was even a time that the game started to outputting a weird distorted sound every time I tried to sing. After I paused and unpaused the game, this problem went away. It only happened once so far, but I thought it was rather bizarre.

Anyway I think I'll stick with RockBand for vocals, wich is a shame, since I like a lot of the songs in WT.

I'll report back when after more tests.

PS: The "tap to activate Star Power" is broken too. I just ended having no control whatsoever over my activation, since the game recognizes any sound (even me singing) as a "tap", so my SP is activate as soon as it becomes available. Wich is "great" when playing in a band, because the vocals just "steals" the SP from the rest, all the time, making the vocalist the most hated member of the group, wich is pretty realistic if you think about it.

Edit:

After some more testing I can confirm that either
a) GH:WT doesn't like my Logitech USB microphone (that works just fine in RockBand and RB Track Pack)
or
b) The vocals for PS2 are really broken

You just can't sing properly. The sound is too low and with a terrible delay. Sometimes it just outputs weird noises. The pitch detection doesn't work. It's nearly impossible to keep the "ball" in the same position. It just jumps everywhere, all the time. Despite that you can still pass a song in the Expert difficulty.

Anyone tried the vocals in PS2? Does the mic that comes with WT bundle works well?

[Rockoutdave]

yeah, i have the same problems with a RB mic plugged into my PS2. Really low sound, horrible delay, and near the end of the song I get massive distortion for some reason.

[Rockoutdave]

yeah, i have the same problems with a RB mic plugged into my PS2. Really low sound, horrible delay, and near the end of the song I get massive distortion for some reason.

[TheRaw]

My dad likes to sing a long with me sometimes and he always complains about how he can't hear his own voice. Sometimes I hear him getting behind with the vocalist in the real song but maybe it is just a lag problem. He usually doesn't get anymore than 85% on songs he knows very well. It's too bad.
_________________

Check out my band at http://www.myspace.com/indecemberwefall

[TheRaw]

My dad likes to sing a long with me sometimes and he always complains about how he can't hear his own voice. Sometimes I hear him getting behind with the vocalist in the real song but maybe it is just a lag problem. He usually doesn't get anymore than 85% on songs he knows very well. It's too bad.
_________________

Check out my band at http://www.myspace.com/indecemberwefall

[Pyrza]

I just bought GHWT complete bandset on ps2 and i have noticed same problems that you have. I use GH's own mic of course. Too bad it's broken because I don't like karaoke too much but i like to sing in GH...

[Pyrza]

I just bought GHWT complete bandset on ps2 and i have noticed same problems that you have. I use GH's own mic of course. Too bad it's broken because I don't like karaoke too much but i like to sing in GH...

[DivineMaddness]

I have had some problems like this too. The vocal comet thing will move up and down quickly even if I'm singing a constant pitch. Starpower activates at random due to the fact that it registers even when you are singing on pitch.

So far I'm most disappointed in the vocals which is a real bummer for GHWT because it has a lot of great songs.
_________________

"Much madness is devine sense"
-Emily Dickinson
Goals: GH3
Beat Lou on Expert [ ]
5* Hard [ ] RB
TTAFTF Xpert [X]

snowyporpoise wrote:

Haha one day well run out of songs. And then welll be playing "Never Gonna Give you Up" by Rick Astley in Guitar Hero 71.

[DivineMaddness]

I have had some problems like this too. The vocal comet thing will move up and down quickly even if I'm singing a constant pitch. Starpower activates at random due to the fact that it registers even when you are singing on pitch.

So far I'm most disappointed in the vocals which is a real bummer for GHWT because it has a lot of great songs.
_________________

"Much madness is devine sense"
-Emily Dickinson
Goals: GH3
Beat Lou on Expert [ ]
5* Hard [ ] RB
TTAFTF Xpert [X]

snowyporpoise wrote:

Haha one day well run out of songs. And then welll be playing "Never Gonna Give you Up" by Rick Astley in Guitar Hero 71.

[ironsalsa]

I found on PS2 I absolutely had to go deactivate the star-power clap in the options menu. The button works fine. Unless you ant to play + sing, of course.

If I actually want to sing for point, I also have to sing at a ridiculously soft level, and generally not enunciate anything which seems to take most of the random fluctuations in the comet. That said, performing "trapped under ice" as a lullaby is pretty f'n lame.

Oh, and in case anyone else looks for this on the search:

The SingStar USB microphones are not compatible with GH:WT on PS2.

:-(

[ironsalsa]

I found on PS2 I absolutely had to go deactivate the star-power clap in the options menu. The button works fine. Unless you ant to play + sing, of course.

If I actually want to sing for point, I also have to sing at a ridiculously soft level, and generally not enunciate anything which seems to take most of the random fluctuations in the comet. That said, performing "trapped under ice" as a lullaby is pretty f'n lame.

Oh, and in case anyone else looks for this on the search:

The SingStar USB microphones are not compatible with GH:WT on PS2.

:-(

[ironsalsa]

Just tried something: putting the mic up to my throat like one of those voice-boxes.
BE CAREFUL NOT TO PRESS TOO HARD, AND DON'T PUT IT RIGHT OVER YOUR VOICE BOX- YOU CAN DAMAGE YOUR VOICE.
(thank you voice lessons!)
Anyway it seemed to take away the over-reaction of the mic to other sounds it picked up. And I could sing loud or enunciate whatever I want (presumably because all it heard was the note coming through my neck).
I got the idea when I was waiting to start singing and could fan air at the mic with my hand and make the comet bump around.

(the RB mic, btw)

[ironsalsa]

Just tried something: putting the mic up to my throat like one of those voice-boxes.
BE CAREFUL NOT TO PRESS TOO HARD, AND DON'T PUT IT RIGHT OVER YOUR VOICE BOX- YOU CAN DAMAGE YOUR VOICE.
(thank you voice lessons!)
Anyway it seemed to take away the over-reaction of the mic to other sounds it picked up. And I could sing loud or enunciate whatever I want (presumably because all it heard was the note coming through my neck).
I got the idea when I was waiting to start singing and could fan air at the mic with my hand and make the comet bump around.

(the RB mic, btw)