BioGamer Girl recently talked with Chad Koehler who is the VP of Business Development and Operations at Zivix. Read on to see what he had to say!
BIOGAMER GIRL: Zivix has developed several other Jam titles in recent years. So, where did the idea for JAM Live Music Arcade originate, and what will make this title so much different from previous Jam games?
Chad Koehler: The company was founded on the premise of making music more accessible for everyone, and we are pursuing multiple ways to make that happen. Currently Zivix has five patents on a finger sensing technology that is soon to be announced as a peripheral device (for any mobile device, computer or smart TV) to teach and have fun with music.
JAM was a by-product of our R&D on this technology when we created a simple piece of software that let you activate music loops via our peripheral. It became clear that we had something really special when we saw focus groups jump out of their seats when they could fire off guitar riffs, drum beats and be in control of the music in such a simple and intuitive manner. We followed closely the rise and fall of other music games feeling there was a call for something different. We felt confident we could design this new experience for use with all of those extra music controllers people have in their living rooms. The XBLA and PSN version is different in every way; from the palette of music, to the remix features, the visual response, the arcade challenge, the user generated content and the overall fun factor.
BIOGAMER GIRL: JAM Live Music Arcade won't be just another music game. Can you tell me about the different game modes featured in the game, and will there be any online or multiplayer features?
Chad Koehler: JAM sets itself apart by leveraging tons of user feedback which has been translated into an intuitive user interface that makes something complex accessible for all. We have included multiple game modes from the live JAM mode (musical sandbox) being the core and an arcade mode that has a more traditional game mechanic.
In JAM Mode, the player has a live platform to remix music on their own terms, where the reward is the result of your own creativity and actions. It is an amazing feeling to get a beat going, add a bass, fire off a solo guitar riff, free form a synth and feel in total control of the music from the comfort of your living room. We've disassembled songs into their basic parts, allowing everyone to jump in, participating instantly to reconstruct their own tune however they like. JAM shouldn’t be confused with a complicated music sequencing program either. It was built for simplicity and accessibility from the ground up; and literally anyone can get into the flow of music the moment they pick up the controller and activate that first guitar riff, synth, or bass line.
Arcade mode was included to serve multiple purposes. On one hand, we wanted to include a competitive mode for players coming over from traditional music game experiences; now they have a new and unique challenge. It also gives users a guided way to learn controls and play-techniques as they experience examples of well put together JAMs. It gave us a chance to showcase what is musically possible, and as it uses the same controls as JAM mode, this knowledge directly translates over to freeform play. Users can also save their recorded jams from JAM mode, and load them up in arcade mode to challenge a friend to recreate their performance.
BIOGAMER GIRL: JAM Live Music Arcade will contain 32 songs from highly popular artists across various genres. How difficult was it to convince these artists to sign on to be a part of your game, and how does your team decide which artists to add to your game?
Chad Koehler: We wanted to include a diverse set of genres to give players the most variety as possible. With 32 songs to choose from, there’s bound to be a little something for everyone. As we get feedback about what fans enjoy, we’ll release DLC contingent with that. As Zivix is based in Minneapolis, we started the search for music locally by licensing from some of the top artists around here, and as we gained momentum the search broadened and we were able to lock down some larger national and internationally renowned acts. The improvisational format of JAM can work well with any style of music, so we felt with the first release of the series, we should show off that versatility.
BIOGAMER GIRL: Zivix has been working on a new guitar peripheral that can be used to teach aspiring guitarists how to properly learn to play. What made your team pursue this type of technology, and what can this new technology offer that games like Rocksmith or other teaching tools can't?
Chad Koehler: Our founder has had a passion for teaching and playing music his entire life. Even before Guitar Hero, he wanted to bring the guitar experience into the digital age. Over the last five years, the technology has been in various forms of development. Today we have implemented a hardware and software technology that can precisely see your fingers. Over the last few years, we have imbedded our sensing system in to a guitar neck. A few major advantages to our system, you do not need to have your guitar in tune and it’s far more accurate than any other method on the market. We can see your fingers thus we can show them on the screen, which provides immediate feedback. We understand that the entry-level aspiring player does not necessarily know how to read music, how to tune their guitar, and can be easily intimidated. Thus our objective has been to make sure we provide an experience that is fun and rewarding. The experience needs to have ease of use, direct feedback and a tangible reward that provides results.
BIOGAMER GIRL: Music is one of the most important aspects of anyone’s life and is one of the most influential art forms ever created. How much of what Zivix does in the industry is based around the importance of teaching newer generations how to properly play instruments and create music across new mediums?
Chad Koehler: We agree 100% with your statement on the importance of music in everyone’s life, from music picking you up when you are down, to helping identify who you are. Music is one of the greatest art forms and multi-faceted expressions in the world. With JAM, one of the great aspects is having a non-musician immediately start to gain a deeper appreciation of how it feels to participate with an instrument, one track at a time and build up a song. We have seen so many smiles, wows and excitement throughout the development process. We hope JAM is the first step getting people excited to go further - maybe that’s deciding to take lessons, try their hand at producing, or in my case simply listening to music in a new way. Going forward with our upcoming sensing technology our number one goal is to provide a 21st century vehicle across multiple platforms that helps bring down the barriers to learn that instrument that so many have always desired.
BIOGAMER GIRL: Zivix is definitely an innovative developing company in numerous ways, as you guys are constantly pushing out new games. So, does Zivix have any other upcoming games or projects in development that you'd like to tell us about?
Chad Koehler: We are working on a number of really exiting products with hopes that by late 2012 there will be a new mobile peripheral working across multiple platforms with amazing content to teach and even have more fun with music. Paired with some amazing musical applications, the entire package should be pretty exciting.
To learn more about JAM Live Music Arcade then visit the official website. Also make sure to check out the Zivix website for the company's latest projects and news!