ScoreHero.com :- Idiot Proof Guide to playing custom made songs in GH2.

Now normally news of this nature is located in the Emulation/Hacks Blog.. but this was too cool not to post here also!!
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[Welcome to all our visitors arriving from the blogosphere. It's mentioned below, but it really should be step 0, so let me save a bunch of you some time and frustration: This process requires a modded PS2 capable of playing burned DVDs. This is NOT something we will assist you with here. If that's you, then feel free to continue reading. If not, thanks for stopping by, and if you enjoy Guitar Hero, do take a look around the rest of our site.  --The Management]

It should be idiot proof, because i can do it

I decided to do this because there is some incredible work going on and peoples creations deserve to be played, so i thought a simple one stop guide would encourage more people to try it out.
I'm going to attempt to write this guide so that the level of prior knowledge required is zero. So forgive me if you read this and think a lot of stuff is obvious.

Firstly let me state this guide will only help you with getting other peoples created songs into your Guitar Hero 2 game
It Contains no information on creating custom notecharts.

Tools Needed (All programs are freeware) Use "paddy" without the quotes if the .rar asks for a password.

Guitar Hero Explorer: http://scorehero.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2549

GHero Utils: http://scorehero.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2132

Audacity: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

MFAudio: http://www.zophar.net/utilities/ps2util.html

Anvil Studio: http://www.anvilstudio.com/

CD-DVD Generator: http://utilities.psxforum.com/cddvdgen.zip

Apache: http://www.ps3news.com/forums/downloads.php?do=file&id=9

DVD Decrypter/Nero/Alcohol/Any other ISO burning software.

Swap Magic/Mod Chip/Method of booting burns on your PS2 (If you don't have one, don't ask, you wont be getting any help)

A DVD Burner
Good quality media to burn to. This is REALLY REALLY REALLY important. If your eventual burn does not work, this is the number one reason why. I recommend Taiyo Yuden, Sony and Verbatim or Check: http://www.digitalfaq.com/media/dvdmedia.htm for a full list

The Actual Process
Step 1. Download the provided .mid file

Step 2. Check to see if the .mid is for GH2 and not GH1, if this is not made clear by the person who posted it, check the video link if there's one provided, or ask them

Step 3. If the .mid is for GH1, or you are unsure, open Anvil Studio, load up your .mid. Look at the yellow box near the top, if it says "PART GUITAR" leave it, if not, right click it and make it so. Now go to View --> Event List, select "Events" from the drop down menu and scroll down to the bottom. Look for the entry with "Comments: [end]". If there are brackets around the word end you're good to go, if there aren't, double click the entry and put them in.

Step 4. Get an .mp3 of the song in question. If one is freely available, it may have been provided by the song creator, if not you will need to rip it from the CD or buy it from Itunes.

Step 5. Insert your GH2 disc into your DVD drive, copy the contents of the disc to a folder on your hard drive.

Step 6. Open Guitar Hero Explorer (Ghex), Go to file ---> add archive and locate your MAIN.HDR file which is in the "GEN" folder you copied from the GH2 disc

Step 7. In Ghex expand "Songs" and then the song you wish to replace, right click on the .mid file for that song and hit replace, now locate the .mid of your custom song and hit replace.

Step 8. Right click the .vgs file of the same song and click import, now right click the new box and select Add. Find your mp3 from step 4 and just fill in the bottom with the default settings. After it has finished you can preview your vgs by hitting play to check it's worked.

Step 9. Click on the folder for the song you replaced, you should see a preview of your note chart, click play, slow the playback down to 50% and check your audio file does not start too late or too early, if it does, go back to step 8 but after adding your mp3, right click it and select properties. Now fiddle around with the offset (+ if the song starts too early, - if it starts too late) and import it again. Repeat until you get it right.

Alternatively, if you have problems with GHEX (as the VGS feature is still in its early life) you can use the original method

Code:

Open your .mp3 with audacity and go to File ---> Export as WAV
Open MFAudio, select your new WAV as the input file and select .vag as your output format. Now hit process
Unzip the contents of the GhUtils archive to a folder called "GHUtils" in your Program Files folder. Open command prompt (Start Menu ---> Run ---> cmd) locate the folder to which you unzipped GHutils (type cd \Program Files\GHUtils) and type java FileExpandGuitarHero
This will launch the vgs converter. Find your .vag from step 6 and hit New Audio. When it's done it will ask you to enter a hex value, just ignore it and hit cancel. You now have everything you need to play your song, now to get them in the game :)

Step 10. That's all the file swapping done, now to rebuild the game. Open CD/DVD Generator, select new project and then New DVD Master disc, drag and drop the folders and files from the GH2 game disc into the main window in the following order.
GEN
IOP
VIDEOS
SLUS_214.47 (If you are not using the US version of the game this file will be different)
System
Now click on the "Volume" tab and enter SLUS 21447 (or whatever your file said if it was different) into the "Disc Name" field. Put PLAYSTATION in the "Producer Name" field and change the license area to the appropriate region. Ignore the rest. Now click on File ---> Export .iml file
Step 11: Open Apache, Go to File ---> Create ---> ISO from IML file, select the IML you made in the previous step and let it do it's thing.
Step 12: Open up DVD Decrypter/Nero/Alcohol/Your burning program of choice and burn your ISO at 4x to GOOD QUALITY MEDIA (see above)
That's it, you're done. That may look like a long process, but once you have the procedure down it doesn't take much longer than 10-15 minutes including wait times to get the ISO.
Let me know if i've missed anything or if anything is wrong. (I'm not sure about the changing GH1 midi to GH2, can someone confirm that what i said in step 3 is all that's needed as i haven't tried it myself yet.)[/code]

Source: ScoreHero.com :: View topic - Idiot Proof Guide to playing custom made songs in GH2.

Compile Heart Blasts Rogue Remake For PS2

 

Well, this is news that should really be left for JohnH's regular '@Play' GSW on the subject, but since he's not posting again til next weekend, I'd better to it for him - a NeoGAF thread reveals that a Japanese remake of Rogue for the PlayStation 2 has been announced, blimey!

The always slightly grumpy Duckroll (who can read the Japanese!), comments in the thread: "This is being published by Compile Heart [here's an Insert Credit post on them - as commenters note: "They are a descendant of legendary developer Compile. Moo Niitani, creator of Puyo Puyo, works there. Right now they are developing an original puzzle game for arcade and Wii."].... It is being developed by Plophet, a tiny developer best known for the D3 published Simple series games The Maze and The Dungeon RPG. The only light at the end of the tunnel is that the "supervisor" is the Japanese guy that originally translated Rogue and all support docs into Japanese." Informative, if glass half-empty!

Anyhow, the game is called Rogue Hearts Dungeon, and there's a Game Watch Japanese-language piece with lots more pics - here's the Wikipedia page for Rogue for those wondering about its history. I wonder how the copyright/licensing worked in this case, if at all? Also, some hyper-niche publisher should pick this up for the States, hah.

Source: Compile Heart Blasts Rogue Remake For PS2
Originally published on Mon, 15 Jan 2007 13:41:02 GMT

Rumour: Saints Row PlayStation 3 bound

 

A listing on EB Games suggests previous Xbox 360 exclusive Saints Row is heading to the PlayStation 3.

Source: Rumour: Saints Row PlayStation 3 bound
Originally published on Mon, 15 Jan 2007 13:43:14 GMT

March 23 Date Likely For PS3 Euro Launch

 

According to GI, the rumors of a March 23 launch date for the PS3 in Europe are looking more and more valid. A retail source has tols GI that the UK advertising campaign for the PS3 will begin towards the end of March, which gives creedence to the rumor of the launch on the 23rd. Rumor mill for now, though.

Source: March 23 Date Likely For PS3 Euro Launch
Originally published on Mon, 15 Jan 2007 17:50:30 GMT

Eight-year-old is better than you at Guitar Hero

 

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 2, Rhythm

We here at Joystiq have posted a lot of insane videos of people playing Guitar Hero and other rhythm games, even going so far as to declare one pizza-fueled shredfest as the best GH vid ever. Well we were wrong. This video of an eight-year old getting five stars on Guitar Hero II's Psychobilly Freakout on expert difficulty is, in fact, the best Guitar Hero video we've ever seen.

While we can't confirm for sure that this performance isn't faked somehow, the video's frequent close-ups on the frets and consistent, unbroken point-of-view make it seem unlikely. The best part of the video is the way this kid disdainfully turns away from the screen during some of the hardest sections, essentially playing blind just because he can. Now that's rock and roll.

So, to the anonymous little guitar god in this video, we salute you with the new title of best Guitar Hero video ever. Until the next one comes along, that is.

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Source: Eight-year-old is better than you at Guitar Hero
Originally published on Mon, 15 Jan 2007 18:45:00 GMT

EGM Confirms Guitar Hero: '80s Edition, Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix

 

The latest issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly (which looks nothing like the shop at right) revealed a few upcoming goodies for 2007, notably Guitar Hero: '80s Edition and Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix.

The only deets so far on the new Guitar Hero is that it's PS2 only and should be here this spring. If you haven't heard about the previously Japan-only KHII: Final Mix, its main draw is that it comes packed with a 3D remake of the GBA Kingdom Hearts game, Chain of Memories.

Another tidbit out of the issue is that the upcoming Half-Life 2 Xbox 360 collection (which includes Episodes 1 and 2, the long-delayed Team Fortress 2, and the super-sexy-looking puzzler Portal) has been renamed Half-Life 2: Orange. Why? One can only assume that Xen is actually a giant orange. Duh.

Guitar Hero '80s, Half-Life 2: Orange in New EGM [1up]

Source: EGM Confirms Guitar Hero: '80s Edition, Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix
Originally published on Mon, 15 Jan 2007 18:56:46 GMT

Do PSP games on PS3 cause a threat?

 

Via PSPfanboy
Sony seems to be having a bit of a problem. They have a portable system that is a success, but not by any means their main product. Then they have a new console that desperately needs games any way it can get them. Obviously they need to compete on the high end next gen game front, but they also need to compete against the Virtual Console and Xbox Live Arcade. Without the backlog of games like Nintendo or the head start of Microsoft, they seem to be turning to a questionable source for their downloadable games; the PSP.
The obvious issue with PSP games going to PS3 is that it begins to negate the reasons for a consumer to own both. Sure, right now it's a Gripshift and a Tekken, but what happens if the trend just continues? Sure, this would strengthen the PlayStation Network, but at the cost of PSP exclusives. This is just not acceptable when the PSP still has a long way to go to establish itself.
If Sony does insist on continuing to take games from the PSP library to the PS3, than it needs to change how it does so. Microsoft announced Live Anywhere quite some time ago, but we're still waiting for the day when we can play Xbox Live Arcade games on the go. Part of the reason is that Microsoft doesn't yet have a portable gaming system, but Sony does. Why not have it so if I download Gripshift on the PS3 I can download it to my PSP as well free as charge. For games that require progress, it would be great if I was able to share saves between my PSP and PS3. Maybe this is part of Sony's eventual plans anyway, but until I can buy Tekken on my PSP and continue it on my PS3 or vice-versa, it seems like a missed opportunity.
It could just be that this is a temporary solution and as more developers jump on board the PlayStation Network, Sony will stop relying on PSP games as downloadable content. Even if this is the case though, it still seems like a dangerous road for Sony to travel. It could just be that I'm overreacting though. What do fellow PSP owners think of this development?

Source: Do PSP games on PS3 cause a threat?
Originally published on Mon, 15 Jan 2007 19:23:24 GMT

Evolution: MotorStorm Could Get Split-Screen

 

In an interview with Edge, MotorStorm developer Evolution Studios said they might introduce split-screen mode to their upcoming over-the-top driver if there is enough demand for it.

Does Evolution have any plans (even at this late stage) to implement any split-screen options in the US/PAL versions of MotorStorm? [From: Anthony N Putson]

MS: Rally Evolved dropped split-screen and we'll probably leave it that way for MotorStorm unless we get an overwhelming demand. Splitting all that high-def detail into two is a performance nightmare. However, the beauty of online consoles is that the game can change in the future and we can sit down with SCEE and say, 'Let's offer this for download - the fans want it'.

SK: Split-screen racing requires compromised visual/aural fidelity to accommodate multiple simultaneous views of the environment. For our PlayStation 3 debut, we elected to spend our entire processing/rendering budget on a single view, relying on the more compelling online experience to provide multiplayer thrills...

So if current PS3 games only use half the power of the console this shouldn't be an issue. I really hope fans (yes, I'm among them) can drum up enough support to get the studio to release an add-on that would let us shred through the tracks with a friend on the same TV. Brian Crecente

You interview... Evolution Studios: the Q&A [Edge]

 

Source: Evolution: MotorStorm Could Get Split-Screen
Originally published on Mon, 15 Jan 2007 21:00:19 GMT

Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection Upgrade?

 

Ever since Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection suddenly appeared on the Japanese PlayStation Store late last year, everyone's been wondering when the hell the downloadable title will hit North America. While Namco's still refusing to provide any details whatsoever, the last few minutes of the most recent 1up Yours podcast suggest this delay may be attributed to the addition of several new features and modes.

Ninjas have told me that it is coming here, not right away, but it'll be worth the wait because they're adding new features, new modes that'll make it worth your while.

Unfortunately, not only does this tidbit fail to answer the question of "when?", it also introduces new questions such as "what?" and "how much?". Going by the bare bones Japanese release, logical additions range from the suspiciously absent Practice Mode to traditional Tekken mini-games like Tekken Bowl, maybe even some type of functionality with the PSP version, but would this drive the price of the game up? What about those who already purchased the Japanese version, will these additions be patched in? And what's going on with the rest of Namco's PlayStation Store offerings -- Japan's had the PSone version of Mr. Driller for weeks now!

1up Yours - 01/12/2007 1h:28m:20s [1up]

 

Source: Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection Upgrade?
Originally published on Mon, 15 Jan 2007 21:46:57 GMT

Gabe Newell Disses PS3

 

Labels Sony's system a "total disaster."

Source: Gabe Newell Disses PS3
Originally published on Mon, 15 Jan 2007 23:14:00 GMT