Development Green Day: Rock Band

prior mid-2009, music warner music group (which includes green day s label, reprise records) had yet included in games guitar hero or rock band, gaming industry believing music publisher boycotting music game genre on how little money saw sales of game. however, warner music group , mtv games stated lack of songs publisher due current negotiations on new licensing costs. 2 companies had reached deal june 2009, when downloadable pack of green day songs made available rock band series, heralded both companies.

with release of song sack, speculation arose more band-specific rock band titles accompany beatles: rock band, , green day mentioned among them often. though denied, mtv , harmonix, team worked on rock band titles, stated working few artists , announcements made soon. followed green day s frontman billie joe armstrong leaking band working on rock band project, details scarce. thought track pack disc similar ac/dc live: rock band track pack or pack of downloadable songs.

drummer tré cool later confirmed band approached harmonix during development of beatles: rock band band-specific game, while armstrong stated first experienced rock band game, beatles: rock band, @ cast party american idiot musical performance in berkeley, california. game formally unveiled on december 12, 2009 @ spike tv video game awards 2009. green day announced game via video , showed first trailer. subsequent press release mtv games confirmed game arrive on xbox 360, playstation 3, , wii entire setlist being exportable other rock band titles. 2010 release date stated. in addition, previous green day downloadable songs released rock band , rock band 2 included in game well.

paul degooyer, senior vice president of mtv games, stated green day selected next band focus on due input fans of game. degooyer claimed band s music lent format, music both fun play , covers range of genres band s days in punk rock modern, alternative-based works. mtv games global head of sales scott guthrie believed band had larger awareness target market (16- 34-year-old males) beatles, , expected green day: rock band see better sales result.

harmonix s chris foster noted opportunity making green day-specific game matter of happenstance; @ same time had completed beatles: rock band , considering band-centric game, licensing deal warner bros. records presented opportunity include large amount of green day s work rock band series. harmonix team felt best provide stand-alone game opposed large dlc packs. full game allow developers capture energy of band s members, billie joe armstrong, mike dirnt, , tré cool, perform songs. armstrong noted green day approached long time ago people remain anonymous near time of release of american idiot, prior popularity of rhythm games, declined, believing didn’t feel right due cutthroat nature of video game industry @ point.

music selection

the game first harmonix game feature full album in game shipped, entirety of american idiot, dookie (except hidden track myself ), , 21st century breakdown being playable. inclusion of full album of american idiot centerpiece of game s development, according harmonix chris foster, due in part thematic nature of album meant listened whole, album s success , broadway musical. led team including 21st century breakdown, album similar american idiot meant heard 1 complete work; harmonix had released 6 songs album downloadable content, did not want make had purchased songs have pay them again in full game, , instead designed game incorporate songs game if player had purchased them. once these 2 albums selected, harmonix ceo alex rigopulos determined needed include full dookie album, major label debut of band , 1 of requested albums rock band fans, in order complete experience. though harmonix had considered including material earliest green day albums, 1,039/smoothed out slappy hours , kerplunk, master multi-track recordings required rock band game engine provide proper feedback when playing not readily available,. according cool, while master tapes kerplunk exist, in poor shape , process digitize them destroy tape; such, cool stated we’re making sure have right dudes potential future downloadable content game. harmonix opted against using live versions of songs on these albums, feeling game needed stay studio versions of songs. once harmonix had selected focus on 3 albums, decided against including additional non-green day songs, instead focusing on rounding out group s history present complete green day experience.

green day: rock band features songs 3 parts of harmony, featuring same functionality beatles: rock band. harmonix noted many of green day s songs 2 part harmonies traded off other lines, such in homecoming , song in game features three-part harmony. authored vocals on of songs have third vocalist (if present) singing trade-off lines alongside two-part harmony singers. there little censoring of lyrics; according project lead chris foster, 4 5 words across entire game muted. harmonix considered standards inclusion of songs similar downloadable content, allowing mature references drugs , sex. harmonix left intact pairings of songs blended due how released on media, such brain stew/jaded , songs on american idiot album. opted leave pairing of chump , longview separate songs due how longview released own single.

following announcement of band s 2012 album trilogy ¡uno!, ¡dos!, , ¡tré!, announced dlc pack, called green day 03, feature 4 songs existing game, song oh love album ¡uno!. pack available rock band 3 , rock band blitz , not work green day: rock band.

art direction

the game includes 3 venues representing historical progression of band. warehouse fictional venue set in 1994 based on composite of house parties , squats green day played before became popular, , songs dookie played. part of design of venue inspired clubs such 924 gilman street green day played before signed major label; green day signed major label time recorded dookie, harmonix opted not make venue based on 924 gilman street historical accuracy. national bowl in milton keynes, england used american idiot , other albums, having been site 2005 bullet in bible cd/dvd recorded , band performed first stadium show. fox theatre in oakland, california used songs 21st century breakdown, replicating debut 21st century breakdown 2009 performance band there, being second show in restored theater. harmonix considered several other real-life venues based on past green day performances. woodstock 94 1 possibility, development team found difficult create daytime setting. hatch shell in boston considered, team felt venue has regional awareness , marred riot occurred after green day concert there in 1994. considered using madison square garden determined ultimately, not interesting other venues. band, in original meetings harmonix s foster, wanted make sure game captured excitement of live concerts , accuracy of venues played at; cool noted game skips lot of band s history, provided enough input on band s history personalize [the game] , put our stamp on .

the band members modeled using motion capturing performed actors hired harmonix, incorporating video , concert footage create avatars each member unique each venues. band s support team helped take photographs of band member s tattoos, , identified when received harmonix artists incorporate them avatars. songs, including 6 green day songs released downloadable content, feature unique animations tied each song. different approach taken beatles: rock band, created snippets of framing , animation repackaged other songs, including future downloadable content. because of integrated nature of songs , animations, there no further downloadable content available game. game includes, reward items, on 100 photographs , 40 minutes of video footage pulled warner bros. records archive of band. video content has been pared down on 20 hours of raw footage concerts , studio records. of live video footage used part of 21st century breakdown venue backdrops. many of these rewards specific individual songs, such photos taken during concert performances of song, , given rewards completing these songs.

harmonix has partnered demiurge studios develop game; demiurge had helped harmonix bring rock band track packs retail. furthermore, harmonix working design studio mk12, created interstitial movies in beatles: rock band, , other studios bring green day , band s bad game history game. opening cinematic created mk12 done in similar style made beatles: rock band, spanning green day s career on brief period of time.