A question for the gaming hive-mind

[tanuki_green]

Hey - does anyone know if the Rock Band guitar controllers for the XBox 360 will work on the PC for Guitar Hero?

Comments

[tfabris.livejournal.com]

I know that if I plug a Rock Band (wired) guitar into the PC, it shows in the game controllers console as an ordinary joystick with each of its buttons and analog sensors mapped normally. (It might go searching the web for a driver first.)

I know this because that's how I did diagnostic work when repairing the notorious problems with my first generation Rock Band controller. I wouldn't necessarily expect the wireless RB2 controller to work, but the wired one: Plug it in, bam, it's a joystick.

I'm guessing it would "Just Work" for Guitar Hero PC. The problem of deliberate controller incompatibility is, as far as I know, entirely a *consoles* issue. The PC game arena has always been designed around controller-brand agnosticism, and I don't see any reason it should be otherwise.

In order for the PC Guitar Hero to be incompatible with the Rock Band controller, they'd have to go very far out of their way to exclude it in their code.

Now that I think about it, I wouldn't put it past them. Hm.

[tanuki-green.livejournal.com]

The reason I ask, I've been playing Guitar Hero on my laptop for some time now. I was at BestBuy yesterday playing Rock Band 2 and found I really did like the controller better.

I may have to give it a try and see.

[tfabris.livejournal.com]

See, that's just it: The new Rock Band 2 controller is wireless. I'm not sure how to get XBox *wireless* controllers working with a PC. Are they bluetooth?

Now I'm curious about how to get Xbox wireless controllers working on a PC. I'll do some googling.

[tanuki-green.livejournal.com]

Well... Obviously - at BestBuy - the controllers were VERY wired. Like really heavy chains so you wouldn't run away with the controller. But yeah - I've been wondering about getting the wireless controllers for XBox working on PC too... Hrm...

[tfabris.livejournal.com]

The answer appears to be Xbox 360 Wireless Gaming Receiver for Windows (http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-Wireless-Gaming-Receiver-Windows-Pc/dp/B000HZFCT2).

Whether or not this works with Rock Band 2 controllers, or works only with Microsoft-brand joysticks, I don't know.

[tfabris.livejournal.com]

Trying to find out if that receiver works with the Rock Band 2 controllers: Uncle Google isn't helping. It looks like you're on your own. And as I understand it, you don't have a huge amount of disposable income to experiment in this way.

[tanuki-green.livejournal.com]

No... Not a huge amount... I just want to know if it works before people start asking what I want for my birthday so I'll have a good answer for them.