Arka, buy this!

GuitarFreaks, DrumMania, keyboardmania

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Arka, buy this!

Post by Ho » Sat Aug 05, 2006 9:32 pm

eBay link

You know a pianist like yourself cannot resist!

I'd offer you a KBM challenge to perhaps prod me into dusting off my controller (literally), but I'm sure you would have me completely owned inside of a day or two. Given how fast you've progressed in BM, I know you can grasp the game element. KBM has much more natural mechanics for a pianist since...uh, it's a keyboard! I'm sure you'd take to it like a fish to water.
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Post by Arka » Sat Aug 05, 2006 11:25 pm

ROTFL! I'm sorely tempted...

$175.00, though? That seem a bit steep, and the seller doesn't actually have any buyer feedback. But then, it does include both the games. Decisions, decisions.

What's the game mechanic like? Is it akin to playing actual piano pieces, or is it more like Beatmania (i.e., keys may map to different notes, more symmetry between the hands)?

Edit: strike the thing about the seller not having buyer feedback. The only reason for that is because I HAVEN'T GIVEN HIM ANY YET! I thought that name looked familiar. :oops:

I need to do that, because my games arrived yesterday and they're in mint condition (to all appearances). But I haven't gotten around to actually trying all six of them yet. Curse you, moving. :(

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Post by Ho » Mon Aug 14, 2006 5:17 pm

new eBay link

How about this? It's a much lower price point for just the controller and the first game. You could pickup KBMII (which includes 2nd and 3rd Mix on one disc) later if you decide you like it.

To answer your inquiry, I am not a pianist. I am probably not the best judge of keyboard mechanics, but my impression is that KBM is much more like actually playing piano.

It has varying difficulty levels. The most difficult seem to include a key press for each note of the keyboard part. However, it's a small keyboard, so there is a little bit of octave splitting that goes on from time-to-time. Also, there are times that the keyboard will play samples ala beatmania (or most rock bands for that matter) rather than a traditionally keyed instrument sound.

At any rate, I think you'd really like it. And if you get ambitious, we could combine our two controllers and you could play doubles mode. :)
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Post by sam » Mon Aug 14, 2006 5:20 pm

DON'T GET THE KEYBOARD FROM KONAMI!!!!

for the love of god it's awful. the software works fine if you get a midi keyboard with a usb converter. it's much better to play doubles this way too!
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Post by Ho » Mon Aug 14, 2006 5:26 pm

Geez, sam. Why are you so negative?

I like the Konami keyboard just fine. It's pretty faithful to the arcade controls made by Yamaha. Though again, I admit I am not a pianist. I don't have very discerning tastes in these matters. But my opinion is that it's perhaps the most faithfully reproduced Konami official Bemani controller in terms of likeness to its arcade counterpart.

For instance, I think it feels/plays more like the arcade keyboard than the IIDX ASC feels/plays like the arcade controls.
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Post by sam » Mon Aug 14, 2006 5:27 pm

it's small...my fat fingers are like NOOOOO


also from a pianists standpoint, i get more use out of my midi keyboard as i can plug it into my powerbook for garage band lovelyness OR plug it into my ps2 for kbm godliness
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Post by Ho » Mon Aug 14, 2006 5:29 pm

I believe the USB MIDI option only applies to KBMII. But I agree that it's viable if you already have a keyboard and adapter. If not, the game/controller bundle is a pretty darn good deal at $50.
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Post by MonMotha » Mon Aug 14, 2006 5:34 pm

You know, I tried the USB-MIDI option on KBMII. I tried various MIDI adapters, including the exact recommended model. I tried various MIDI devices and verified that they were in fact outputting general MIDI. I couldn't get it to work...
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Post by Arka » Mon Aug 14, 2006 6:01 pm

Game/controller bundle at $50? I must have missed something.

I do have a number of keyboards which should be willing to output general MIDI. I also have a number of other things which might be willing to output general MIDI (like a quasifunctional live audio -> MIDI converter - now all I need to do is learn to hum chords!). But in most cases, with Bemani, I'd much rather play the game on its intended controller.

Out of curiosity: MonMotha, what devices did you try?

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Post by MonMotha » Mon Aug 14, 2006 6:12 pm

I used a Turtle Beach USB-MIDI adapter as well as the Yamaha one that Konami recommends (I don't remember the exact model, but it is the same as they recommend for DrumMania). For MIDI devices, I used a DTXPress drum set as well as my Roland JV-35 keyboard. I also fed it raw GM via the MIDI port on my PC. I have verified on a scope that both the keyboard and my PC output things as expected. KBM wouldn't even acknowledge that I had anything hooked up (heck, it didn't even power up the USB ports on the PS2).
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Post by Arka » Mon Aug 14, 2006 6:19 pm

And you're sure you didn't forget to plug the USB connector in before you turned on the PS2? Or did you mean that it didn't power up the USB ports at all, even on startup? Yes, feel free to throw things, as always.

...Wait, why do you own a MIDI keyboard if you don't play any keyboard instruments? :shock:

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Post by Potter » Mon Aug 14, 2006 6:43 pm

because hes brandon
Riot wrote:My hair alone is like 5mb.
Merk wrote:Badyyyyy.. wanna go fiiiish? wanna go.... fiiiiIIIIIIIIIIIIsh?? Wanna go fishin'?!?!?! Him's a Badyyyy

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Post by Arka » Mon Aug 14, 2006 7:50 pm

Point.

...but then, why did he not design and build it himself, hmm?! :wink:

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Post by MonMotha » Mon Aug 14, 2006 8:10 pm

Because I needed something to test my MIDI to PlayStation adapter with, of course!
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Post by Arka » Mon Aug 14, 2006 8:52 pm

MonMotha wrote:Because I needed something to test my MIDI to PlayStation adapter with, of course!
The scary thing is, I have absolutely no idea whether this is serious or not.

I guess it would make more sense if it is, though. 8)

And with that disturbing thought, I will slither off into the ether... accompanied in spirit by my new Keyboardmania setup. Any day now I'll have a new challenge for somebody.

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