Rocksmith and the fear of Audio Lag

The game represents a true innovation in the sign of music games on the market. Reenact songs with your own guitar and still have fun by a scoring system which keeps me constantly on the ball. Those were my thoughts when I heard last year from Rocksmith. Today it has finally arrived with me and before I have many test is part of an audio lag, which can sound the tone just after striking the string.
To say it right away: Yes even with analog cable and the "best" setting you will still have an audio lag of about 50 ms.

About me: I am playing guitar for 12 years. Due to massive laziness I would define my level to advanced. However, I am also very talented at every musical instrument. This self-assessment is possible for the following types of meaning. For what is easy for me, can be totally overwhelming for a newcomer.

1. Here we go

After inserting the DVD and you have attached the cable I find no way to install the game. Maybe I'm at this point only too stupid and have played too much XBOX, that I can not find this option. So be it. The many places mentioned to long or even endless loading times I can not confirm. The game loads faster or as fast as a Gran Turismo 5 be installed routes. As I said, find it more quickly since you can play around a bit during the break.

2. The entry

At the very beginning you will receive hot and every beginner quickly explains the most important things. I would have a "Skip" desired at this point, but that's not possible. Perhaps just as well. The German language edition is in fact very good and the speaker can convince. The videos are short, but quickly convey the most important thing. Beginners will probably already have here the first problems, as they may want to repeat the video. However, this is the main menu at any time.

Right at the beginning you will be shipped after the tutorial in career mode to rehearse there immediately for the first gig.

3. The first song

The first song is really very very very beginner friendly. The notes fly slowly and clearly visible to the player. For me it was not a problem to catch the initial 3 different shades, so the game immediately lifted me to a new level, so that the title was interesting. Incidentally, it was "Satisfaction" by the Stones. At the bar on the top of the screen you can see very well where to progress technically located in each section. That is, if someone has taken all the notes in the section, the beam is completely colored. Weakens you against another one section so this is just filled only to 50% for example.

4. Performance adjustment

As already mentioned, there is in this game, a power adjustment, which I consider to be very successful. I for one came very quickly to a higher level. Once there, I meet with my titles are foreign quickly to challenges. The game remembers here for each section of each song my performance level, so I'm moving in the rhythm sections, for example, at the highest level, while in the areas Soli my performance level has been somewhat dimmed. Should I now worse in an already mastered by me range through a series of false notes, the system is me runterstufen not immediately Special me the opportunity to adapt myself to the new level of difficulty. The worse is relatively fast if you lays hands in a hectic situation on the fretboard. When you're in a couple of songs on an upscale level, the game will raise the starting difficulty degree following, unplayed titles. So it is not compelled in every new song to start all over again. Especially in such situations also incorporates the tolerance of downgrading quite well because on a new song to have to adjust each only. Well done!

5. Career & challenges

The career is in my case is not so advanced, but in 2 hours I've already done 3 gigs gemütge and brought a gold medal in a challenge. Here I did not really paying attention, because it is possible for a song after another runterzududeln in good Rock Band or GH manner, but discovering new techniques such as bends or PullOffs / Hamme ring offered by the game challenges in Career mode, which make it to improve the technology in this area tremendously. One should this option if you also want to learn something, not leave out and play extensively.

6. Charging times

As already mentioned, the load times are not really big, but when I play a challenge, these have finished with silver and they may play again wants to lose without my progress, I have to reload all the titles again. Quasi all the fun again. I did that whole 2 times. As I wait times but were then too long for such a short fun, I have waived my progress and set the restart option in the pause menu at the end of the song. As I said, at this point of progress in this challenge will not be saved. This is important insofar as one can reach a perfect score even more tones, which necessitate the repeated playing of the challenge.
Nevertheless, I would like to mention once again that the load times do not appear too long for me, on the whole.

6. Graphics

The graphics in a game like this. Yes it's true, the audience are 2D Pappsteller the move. BUT, these are quasi recorded video sequences of people who celebrated in front of a stage at the camera. For the purpose after the show in the fans to see and determine my performance based on their response, the graphics are more than adequate. No player will ever time the environment have to be considered while playing because something is learned and the dynamic difficulty demands a careful so that people can not see. If there is a game that does not need better graphics, then Rocksmith. I'll say it again prefer: The graphics are good, not very good, but not bad either! Similar to Rock Band 2 but without the performer in 3D on stage.

7. Cable

The question I have asked myself: Can I use the PS3 cable also on the XBOX, since there is only one USB cable and nowhere is whether that is possible. So you can also go to a friend who has an XBOX and play there with his adapter and his guitar.

8. Guitar

I would like to mention here on a matter relating to the instruments. Yes, it is sufficient in a very convenient guitar, but the pickup of these cheap guitars have usually not good output, so that the guitar may sound too quiet. The volume with my Fender American Standard is good, but would make a Les Paul Epiphone even more pressure because their pickups are louder from the ground up. Furthermore, this guitar is cheaper by a multiple.
For beginners I recommend to her guitar raise thinner strings and the same stock up on spare. Thicker strings are for beginners although more appropriate for the purpose of power development, but also fürdern the frustration factor and you want but learn through play. A string thickness of .010 on the small E string should be a good middle ground. Also, make sure if the strings become discolored by sweat, this switch without cracking or breakage must be respected by the good sound.

9. Lag

I would like to focus briefly on the lag. My home configuration is as follows: TV: Samsung LE40C650, Speaker: Teufel Ultima 60, AV Receivers: Yamaha RX-V471.

As a first choice, I have the PS3 of course connected to the AV receiver via HDMI and selbiger sent image information to the TV while the sound from the speakers comes. Here, an audio was noticeable lag of approx 80-100ms. They already had something more strike to meet them exactly, but that does not exactly match the song sounds. So had to serve the Analog variant. PS3 AV receiver to TV via HDMI. Set in the PS3 as a video signal HDMI. Audio via analog cable to the AV receiver to the audio channel. In the PS3 Audio on SCART / .... Analog flat. The audio lag could be reduced to about 30-40ms. But will apparently never completely disappear. Is in the current configuration but very well tolerable. Songs can be played without any problems and it comes to mood.

Many claim that the latency correction settings are much worse than in Rock Band. This is entirely false. There are exactly the same settings, only the colorful menu lacks it. It has an audio to video signal test and can adjust ms delay manually. However, Rock Band and GH suffers from exactly the same problems when playing the drums in solo mode. Which is precisely when an action-reaction present situtation. The prefabricated songs an exact sequence, because you can not be late. There is a tolerance range and end. In Rocksmith we have a game in which we decide on the sounds. Here you can in between belting a solo madness and it will sound good. Where only FAILgeräusche be heard in Rock Band. So please do not compare apples and pears.

10. DLC

I think I have about 10-15 songs found as DLCs. That made me a little upset right now, because I expected at a game that for over 8 months was already available in the US with more DLC song selection. Possibly gets any better still by the European release. Maybe missing here even licenses. This may rock band and Co better. Time will tell whether Ubisoft and Co still make improvements.

11. Conclusion

Rocksmith got me completely convincing and now brings out the playful. I can imagine that I can improve my technique tremendously with this game. Whether it's the blind find their way on the fretboard or korrete execution of bends to the right target note. For beginners who have some discipline and not be too quick to give up, as well as advanced users who want to improve their Fähikeiten or just learn new songs playing, Rocksmith is just right. The lag is in the best configuration available but bearable. Updates could bring something here eventually. More DLC would be desirable. Buy!