Product Manager Daniel Sussman for Rock Band 4 sat down with IGN recently to go over many of the new features players will be able to experience when the game launches later this year. The game, which Sussman stressed Harmonix’s main goal with Rock Band 4 is to add more player freedom, will run at 1080p/60fps for both of the next-gen consoles, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
“Personal expression is one of those areas where, when you’re playing a song, regardless of one of those areas, whether you’re playing in your parent’s garage, or playing on a giant stage at Madison Square Garden, the music doesn’t happen unless you play it. And giving people that sense of ownership of the song is really important, and it’s a huge part of the fantasy, and it’s one of the things you want to do as the spotlight’s on you. It’s your moment to do something, and it’s not just about execution, it’s about expression.”
He also mentioned that they’ve “really doubled down” on personal expression without sacrificing the original gameplay. Creative Lead Greg LoPiccolo chimed in as well and talked about Rock Band 4’s freeform melodies feature which was designed specifically for singers.
“For hard and expert players, there was this premium on just hitting that exact pitch that was authored into the songs. And what we discovered was that a lot of really good singers were constrained by that; they couldn’t have the kind of fun – the expressive fun – that they wanted to have as singers. So, we’ve added a feature now where as long as you’re singing in tune, you can kind of color outside the lines. You don’t have to stick with the prescribed part; you can make up your own harmonies on the fly, and as long as you sing them in tune, the game will give you credit for it. It’s a little bit hard to describe, but to actually do it, it’s incredibly liberating and fun. It’s a whole new way for singers to be creative with Rock Band.”