Tuesday, December 16, 2008

SCRATCH: THE ULTIMATE DJ DETAILS

on Sudden Link
Submitted: Dec 16, 2008
Scratch: The Ultimate DJ(Xbox 360)

Music rhythm games have taken the videogame world by storm. From Dance Dance Revolution to Guitar Hero and Rock Band, there’s something for just about everyone. Next year, one more piece of the pie will be filled in with Scratch: The Ultimate DJ. This game isn’t focused on dancing or playing with a toy guitar. Scratch is all about urban hip-hop music and infusing your creativity into the game with a unique turntable peripheral. To learn more about the game, we went to Dan Lehrich, creator of Scratch: The Ultimate DJ.

IGN: Traditional music rhythm games specify what notes and when you should play. This design doesn’t seem to mesh well with the idea of using a turntable to improvise. How exactly will the gameplay and scoring work in Scratch?

Dan Lehrich: One of the things that I am most excited about with Scratch is the way that we are able to introduce elements of creativity and improvisation into a genre that has traditionally been built around “Simon Says” style gameplay. We’ve worked very hard to develop an experience that blends these elements with the fast-paced arcade experience that people expect from a rhythm game. Hopefully we’ve created something that feels instantly familiar, but with layers of depth that people have not yet seen in this space. It’s a fine line between “game” and “instrument”, and I think we walk it with grace.

There are two complimentary activities that make up Scratch’s core experience: the button-press gameplay and the scratching.

Similar to other rhythm music games, button patterns move down the screen and they must be pressed in time with the music. In each song, we chart out the most interesting pathway through the music so that you are always jamming along with the coolest and most prominent parts of the songs. Instead of being stuck with a single instrument, you end up controlling various instruments at different points in time. Each song is its own custom-built experience..» Full Story on Sudden Link