The most aggravating problem with the
Rock Band Stage Kit has to be the fact that it has to take up a slot as a controller. For one thing, the controls on the controller are not the best. Secondly, the shape of the device is not optimal for using as a controller. Finally, the LED Multi-Colored light should be in front of the band, pointing at the band or behind the band and pointing into the smoke made by the fog machine, but not sitting easily within the vocalist's reach. This makes it quite a bother when the vocalist has to select their difficulty for the next song or anything else that requires that the vocalist use a controller. I tried to use the
Stage Kit with a full band worth of players (two guitarists, a drummer and a vocalist) and it wouldn't sync up with an additional controller. When I forced it to sync with a wireless controller, it bumped the
Stage Kit off, so it wasn't communicating with the 360 anymore. This isn't an issue if you only have three or fewer local players, but if you're going all stage-performance, you're probably wanting to rock out with a full house, so this is definitely an issue for your majorly rocking parties.
The second most aggravating thing about the fogger is the lack of controls. There appears to be no way to increase or decrease the amount of fog, either in thickness or frequency, other than simply turning it off or on. Kudos on letting us use the fog machine optionally, while still using the lighting features regardless, but we really should have some sort of control over the amount of fog released. Additionally, since it is a fogger, it would have been nice to have some sort of control that allows it to be used as just a fogger, without playing Rock Band, such as for Halloween festivities or what-not. All we would need is a little more accessible control over the thing. (Mind you, you can probably write something to control the fogger and the lights using a PC, since it has a USB connection, but only if you're into hacking things.)
My third gripe would be that the cord length of the cord connecting the fog machine to the LED unit is way too short at merely three feet; especially in light of the fact that the vocalist almost has to carry the LED unit in his hand to use it as a controller. Now, this cord looks like some standard type of connection, so it might be possible to get a longer cord from some third party, but I can't be sure, because there is no real documentation on this product, which brings me to my next gripe...
No manual? Am I to assume, then, that the Rock Band Stage Kit works pretty much like every other videogame console stage kit I've ever used? Because, maybe it's just me, but I've never had a Stage Kit for another videogame, so it seems like they ought to have a whole lot of information to convey, such as how to use the fogger by itself... if that's possible. Or how to use the Stage Kit with four players, including a normal wireless controller. Or what type of cable is used to connect the LED light unit to the fogger, so that I can go purchase a longer one. I feel like there should be a long section of "do's" and "don'ts" - possibly with unintelligible pictures that only the Chinese can make, involving a fog machine that has somehow come to life and has become very sad, with an empty bottle of fog solution next to it, or perhaps the same fogger holding his hands to the sides of his head (which, in reality, is the entire device, but in a very anime way, the head is conveyed), while he appears to be on fire, with a picture of gasoline, lighter fluid and something that looks like possibly a soy-based cola being poured into the fog solution reservoir. I don't mind if I have to try to figure out what the instructions say, so much... but it would be nice if there was something included to give me some general guidance. As it was, I found myself using the "Connector 'A'looks like it might fit into port 'B'" method of assembly as well as using a heavy dose of comparing what I had in my hands to the pictures on the box and reading the marketing blurbs on the box and trying to determine what information I might glean out of those carefully chosen words that could help me use the device.
Don't get me wrong, despite all of the above gripes, this device definitely takes the game up a level and draws attention from crowds. I recently hosted a game night with around thirty attendees and there was a lot more love shown to Rock Band 2 with the Stage Kit than Guitar Hero World Tour. We had enough equipment for four players on each, but while Rock Band 2 with the Stage Kit was the last thing to be turned off and had four players throughout the entire night, Guitar Hero World Tour would have as few as two players at different times throughout the night. The most common word used to describe the setup was "awesome," at least as far as I heard. So, yeah... it's a great addition to your Rock Band or Rock Band 2 experience, but it does have several drawbacks that have to be worked around. Sadly, it seems that these could have been easily fixed with a little more research and development or a little more effort, in the case of the documentation. If you're the local party guy when it comes to Rock Band and you want to have the latest and most out there thing, I would highly recommend the Rock Band Stage Kit, with the understanding that if they come out with a second version of the Stage Kit that solves these issues, you're prepared to run out and pick that up to replace this.
