A couple months back I sent some questions over to Freestyle Games regarding DJ Hero (Thanks Lindsay!).  I got them answered recently. Here are the questions along with the response. They hinted at either a sequel or an update.

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KY: How long did it take for the DJs to make these mixes?

FG: DJs can take anywhere from one day, when everything comes together, to up to a month on some of the trickier mixes. On average, it takes about two weeks to go from a concept to a mix that is ready to be marked up in DJ Hero.

Our teams are broken out by genre and they are given the two tracks for a particular mix. Prior to beginning work on the mix, they all meet to listen to each separate track for phrases, samples, melodies or solos that stand out.

From there, the DJ will start to sketch out the mix. Sometimes the mix comes out just as discussed but sometimes it takes a totally different direction.

The trick is to give the DJs creative freedom and the space to make something really epic for our audience.   They come back with an amazing mix every time.

KY: Do you plan on releasing an official soundtrack?

FG: The soundtrack in DJ Hero is something we are incredibly proud of. In fact, it won the Spike TV’s Video Game Award for Best Soundtrack this year.  One of the reasons we’re so proud of our soundtrack is because of its exclusive nature. DJ Hero features unique music creations that can only be heard in the game and this is part of the mixes exclusivity – you can’t hear these mixes anywhere else. You can’t download them off iTunes, you can’t go into a record store and buy them.  The only place you can hear this fantastic content is by playing DJ Hero.

KY:There are a lot of mixes that use the same song (Disturbia, All eyes on Me, Satisfaction). Is there a reason why, such as a licensing issue?

FG: Re-using certain songs was a creative decision that allowed our DJ talent to showcase the potential of mixing and mashing up songs through turntablism. For example Rihanna’s “Disturbia” mixed with Kid Sister’s “Control” sounds completely different than when mixed with The Tramps’ “Disco Inferno.” One of the great things about DJing is how you can take a song that people are familiar with and mix it up in various ways to produce mashups that sound new, fresh and create very different experiences for the players.

KY: Are there more mixes in the works? If so can we get some exclusive information about it, for example the songs that are being mixed or by which DJ.

FG: We have many more mixes in the works for upcoming DLC releases. So far, we have released a David Guetta pack and an Extended Mix pack featuring 50 Cent, Queen, Gorillaz and Public Enemy.

KY: Do you plan on getting more top notch DJs to work on mixes for DJ Hero, such as DJ Revolution, DJ Q-Bert, etc.?

FG: Absolutely.

KY: On a smaller note, one of my personal favorite mixes in the game is the Mobb Deep and Gang Starr mix. I feel that it is the ultimate hip hop song on the entire track list. Two classic HIP-HOP songs mashed together. Can we expect more HIP HOP mixes?

FG: That’s a great pick and one of our favorite hip-hop mixes as well. DJ J Period produced that mix and it does an outstanding job of showcasing the strength of hip-hop mixes in DJ Hero. We consider the hip-hop genre to be a cornerstone of DJ culture and, therefore, fans can definitely expect more pure hip-hop mixes down the road.

KY: Is your team satisfied with the game overall?

FG: Everyone at Activision is ecstatic about how the game turned out. From the quality of the mixes to how the peripheral delivers on the DJ experience to graphical fidelity of the venues, the game exceeded everyone’s expectations in its ability to deliver a new “spin” on the music-gaming genre.

KY: There is no quick select option where I can play one song only. I have to go through the process of making a DJ set list to play one song. Is there a reason why you guys decided to do it like that?

FG: While the set list-style menus are an integral part to embracing the DJ culture represented in our game, we also wanted to give players the option to quickly jump into the game. Once a player enters a set list or the Quickplay menu (which lists all unlocked songs in one area), they can highlight a specific mix, press Start, select a difficulty, and then enter the game. This allows them to skip the process of picking an entire set list, selecting DJs, accessories, and venues.

KY: Do you intend on expanding online in the future with maybe an update or even in the next installment?

FG: Yes.

KY: Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. Overall I loved the game. I literally love all the mixes. This game is something I have been looking forward to since it was announced. I can’t wait to hear about the future of this game and hopefully its sequels.

I had a limit to how many questions I because I was told they moved on to other projects. I assume based on some of their answers it would be a sequel or a spin-off (like Guitar Hero Aerosmith) for DJ Hero. Either way we can expect something big coming up from them. Look out for it.

Presentation
The game is nothing special in terms of looks. It looks pretty much like the latest guitar hero game with flashing lights (lights lights lightsssss), and filters. Overall it is obvious that the graphics were not of primary concern. What the game did well in the presentation department is the audio. The audio was clear and perfect. I only came across some minor lag issues with audio or gameplay. I think it is because of my PS3 and not the game itself. Overall the audio is fabulous and everything sounds perfect in Dolby digital. If you hook it up to a real speaker system trust me in that it will shake the place.

Gameplay
This is where the game shines. The gameplay is similar to Guitar Hero in that it uses the note highway and has star power. That is just about it in the similarities. You have to use both hands intuitively. Crossfading properly is as much a skill as scratching properly. The game is about getting the highest score along with the longest note streaks. The rewind features adds to the dj element and allows you to extend that score. All you have to do is spin the the wheel backwards and you will rewind the track back. The only problem is you have to unlock it by playing hitting around a 50 note streak or higher. The game is in no way easy. Medium itself is very tough.

I had some friends who are insane at Guitar Hero play DJ Hero and they barely were able to get through medium. The learning curve is pretty steep. It will take some time to get used to the game, but when you do, the feeling of hitting every note as if it is almost second nature is amazing. This game catches the essence of DJing, but please don’t think that you can become a DJ playing this game. You might get that feeling though, but don’t think it is true. You might end up embarrassing yourself. Anyway, the game plays smooth once you get it down. I started to really get into the music. The mixes are just amazing. I mean nothing beats my reaction when I first heard Mobb Deep mixed with Gang Starr. That song alone showed the potential this game has. I mean this game will introduce gamers to some music they probably never heard. Dizzie Rascal, Gang Star, Mobb Deep, etc. This game could help introduce people to a different side of hip hop (not mainstream stuff). The gameplay is just pure bliss. You have more than 70 mixes and DLC. The list of DJs working on the game is phenomenal.

Here is one thing about gameplay that is a pretty bad. The online component. It is just lackluster and it seems as if they just threw it in there. It is just a simple two player match with nothing else. No rewind feature or anything. Real disappointment. Other than that everything is perfect.

Controls
The turntable works perfectly. Only one problem though…..scratching. I use my thumb, but no matter how they set it up, the turntable still feels awkward to scratch. Especially on some of the hardest songs in the game. My hands nearly fell off playing 8 songs on expert back to back. Crossfading is real easy, but the quick spikes are really tough to get down. The directional scratching is like an added game element. On medium you can just scratch however you want, but on expert the long scratching segments can be the most devastating. You have to scratch in a certain way and on top of that hit the red button or the blue button or even fade. If you mastered expert…then you are amazing…period.

Summary
Here is the deal. This game is something you have never played. This game captures the essence of DJing, but in no way does it mirror the real thing. It is just a game, so please don’t think it will teach you how to DJ. Regardless it makes a great game. It plays perfectly, and the music is top notch. Top notch DJs worked on the game, and there will be plenty of DLC to come in the future. If you like the music then support Activision in continuing the series. The learning curve is pretty steep in that it will take some time for one to master it. Once you master it, the feeling of kicking ass is just outstanding. The music and background environment real gets you into the music. The Turntable itself is great. The game requires concentration and rhythm to perfect.

If you love hip-hop, pop, and or rock, then this game is perfect for you. It costs 120 dollars, but it is well worth the investment. If you have guitar hero then you should buy this game. The guitar dj playlists are great and you get some extra worth out of your guitars. I would recommend this game to anyone looking for something more than just another rock and roll music game. This is a refreshing game to the music genre in video games.

A copy of DJ Hero has been sent to us and I have beat the game on medium and hard. Almost done with the game on expert. I played a few online matches and clocked in more than 50 hours.

What up guys! I’m back. Been out for a while. Here is a video I made for DJ Hero. Shoutout to Activision! They hooked me up with some HQ footage. Anyway, let me know what you think. The game is going to be crazy.

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According to the NY Post, a cousin of the rapper Common died after being knocked off his motorbike in a collision with a bicycle in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, on Friday night, cops said.

Ajile Turner, 38, was hit by the bicycle as it turned off Greene Avenue onto Washington Avenue.

The cyclist, Julian Miller, 45, who lived on Washington Avenue, also died.

“Ajile was a good guy,” said his friend, DJ JS-1. “Everybody liked him. He was a world traveler, he helped a lot of people out and he was everybody’s friend. That’s why this is such a shame.”

Turner, who lived on Cumberland Street, had been riding the Kawasaki bike east on Greene Avenue when the collision happened at 10:45 p.m., cops said.

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According to bossip.com, Ludacris brought joy and change to twenty people’s lives this weekend in Atlanta, GA. Normally when you think of an artist giving back, it’s either through a charity, food/clothes drive, scholarship or etc. Well, ATL native Ludacris changed the standard and gave away 20 veichles. By doing so Ludacris generous offer can help those individuals get to that job that they were about to take but couldn’t because it’s not on the bus line.