About Bombsite Studios and the Rock Band Network
1. Who is Bombsite Studios?
2. What experience does Bombsite Studios have?
3. What is the Rock Band Network?
4. What can Bombsite Studios do for me?
5. How much will this cost?
6. How much can I earn from this?

About BombsiteStudios.com
1. I love this site! Got a great way for me to tell others about you?
2. I have accounts on Twitter and Facebook, do I need to make a new account here?
3. Whats this I hear about voting?
4. What is that barcode thing in the lower right corner of every page here?

About Bombsite Studios and the Rock Band Network

1. Who is Bombsite Studios?

Bombsite Studios was started in April of 2009 after the announcement of 3rd party development opportunities for Rock Band 2 DLC (downloadable content).

After spending many years in the game industry, I saw an incredible opportunity to work with the creators of Rock Band (Harmonix, MTV Networks) to get more music – from local bands and labels, to big names and major players; in short, anyone into Rock Band 2.

2. What experience does Bombsite Studios have?

The Rock Band Network started at the end of 2009. I have spent hours upon hours perfecting the process of creating charts for new music in Rock Band 2.

Comprised of a single creative individual with years of experience in video game production as well as music, animation, lighting, pipeline development, debugging, web design, and rawking out, Bombsite Studios is the perfect choice to chart your original music for the Rock Band Network.

3. What is the Rock Band Network?

From a press release issued July 17, 2009:

Harmonix Music Systems and MTV Games, a part of Viacom’s MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), today announced the Rock Band Network, a ground-breaking initiative that gives musicians and record labels the ability to author their own original recordings into gameplay files and sell their music as playable Rock Band tracks through the newly-created Rock Band Network Music Store. The introduction of the Rock Band Network marks a fundamental shift in the exposure music games can give emerging and established artists through innovative technologies that will open new revenue streams and promotional avenues.

“Our goal with Rock Band has always been to go beyond making music games and create a true music platform,”

said Alex Rigopulos, CEO and co-founder of Harmonix.

“With the Rock Band Network, we’ve evolved the platform to its next logical step, giving players access to an incredible amount of new music by putting the professional tools we use in the hands of the artists themselves.”

“The Rock Band Network enables songwriters and musicians – at any stage of their careers – to create their own paths through the interactive music realm,”

said Paul DeGooyer, Senior Vice President, Electronic Games and Music, MTV Networks Music Group.

“Our download store has been an extraordinary success, and it’s exciting for us to provide access to our platform through this uniquely elegant solution.”

The Rock Band Network will launch as an open beta in late August 2009 in the U.S. and provide a sophisticated toolset, with detailed documentation on how bands can begin the process of authoring songs into Rock Band gameplay files. Authors will be able to submit tracks for playtesting and peer review via a specialized Web site, Creators.RockBand.com. Potential publishers will need a membership to Microsoft’s XNA Creators Club Online in order to test and publish game content. The service will only be available to those who purchase a premium membership to Microsoft’s XNA Creators Club Online, which can be purchased for four months at $49.99 or for a year at $99.99.

“The proven strength and stability of Microsoft’s game development tools, technologies and services allowed Harmonix to focus on making an easy-to-use experience for authors without needing to reinvent the wheel,”

said Dave Mitchell, product unit manager, XNA publishing platform.

“Rock Band Network is a model example of integration with XNA Creators Club Online.”

Once tracks are approved, they will be transferred to the Rock Band Network Store, an in-game music marketplace where millions of Rock Band fans will be able to demo samples of the songs for free before they purchase. Songs will debut exclusively on Xbox 360 for 30 days. Artists featured in the store will be able to choose from multiple pricing tiers for individual tracks and will be compensated via a simple payment system that provides automated accounting and regular royalty payments.

Tracks for the Rock Band Network will be made available later in the fall on the Xbox 360® video game entertainment system from Microsoft. Stand out tracks will follow on the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Wii™ console. Joining the more than 750 tracks available to date, the Rock Band Network Store will greatly increase the amount of music available through the Rock Band music platform and further confirm MTV Games and Harmonix’s position as the leading provider of downloadable content for music-based video games.

4. What can Bombsite Studios do for me?

You make the music – Bombsite will make the magic.

Issue me stems from your original tracks. From there, I chart your music into Rock Band 2 using the same professional tools that Harmonix uses to create their gameplay files. Not only will I ensure your music is charted to the highest of standards, but I will also enhance your music with custom animations and virtual lighting setups to make your songs a complete package – giving your fans the best experience possible each time they play along with your music!

Interact with your fans through your own bio-page on BombsiteStudios.com, showcasing your stories and albums. Fans will be able to listen to music, check out lyrics, participate in online polls, and leave comments. You can also participate with your fans by posting news and upcoming events. Everyone who has their music charted by us will have accounts on the site to add to the interactivity and fun!

Inform your fans through BombsiteStudios.com’s Events page. Your account will include access to the events calendar where you can add upcoming gigs and tours which will in turn be displayed on our Events page. The latest shows will also appear on Bombsite’s home page. We will also promote your music through Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter!

5. How much will this cost?

Nothing. Unless otherwise negotiated, I charge nothing upfront. I will chart your music for free, shouldering all the costs for the initial workload, website upkeep, and any promotion I do for your music. I will just take a portion of the proceeds from the downloads.

6. How much can I earn from this?

Most often the breakdown is as follows:

Once your music passes the review process and is available for download in the Rock Band Network, Harmonix will give Bombsite Studios 30% of the profit for each download. Prices for each download can vary; you can choose one of three price points: 80, 160 or 240 Microsoft Points ($1, $2 or $3).

The 30% that Bombsite Studios receives will then be split 50/50 with you. So 15% to you, 15% to me.

About BombsiteStudios.com

1. I love this site! Got a great way for me to tell others about you?

Below each post on Bombsite Studios, you will see icons under the words “Share this:”. Clicking on the icon of your choice will alow you to share the post with others. There is also a “More” section you can click on to see more bookmark and sharing options. Try it out!

2. I have accounts on Twitter and Facebook, do I need to make a new account here?

Anyone who uses Twitter or Facebook can use their account to sign in and comment on posts here at Bombsite Studios! No need to have to set up a whole new account at this site. Just click any “comment” link, and at the bottom, you will see log-in buttons for Twitter and Facebook. Your profile avatar pictures will show up in your comments as well!

3. Whats this I hear about voting?

Everytime you click a post on Bombsite Studios to read more, or to comment, you will see a row of stars under the words “Rate This:”. Mouse over the stars and rate the post, or song by clicking on the star of your choice. The stars are arranged in order from 1 to 5, with 5 being the best. This will alow you to share some quick feedback with everyone, and as the site grows, we will be highlighting the 5 star content. So when you see something you like, make sure you vote it up. Try it out!

4. What is that barcode thing in the lower right corner of every page here?

Read and share Bombsite Studios on your phone! The site will automagically adjust for mobile browsers. Plus, when browsing from a desktop, on the bottom right of each page you will see a special barcode. This is a 2D-barcode containing the address of each page it appears on. If your mobile has a barcode reader, simply snap this bar code with the camera to launch the site on your phone.

Many companies provide barcode readers that you can install on your mobile, and all of the following are compatible with this format:

Active Print
BeeTagg
Google
i-nigma
Kaywa
Nokia
QuickMark
UpCode

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