Frets on Fire
Encyclopedia
Frets on Fire is a free, open-source Finnish
music video game
created by Unreal Voodoo
. Players use the keyboard to play along with markers which appear on screen, with the aim to score points, achieve a high point multiplier, and complete a song. Frets on Fire was the winner of the Assembly
2006 game development competition.
The game is written in the Python
programming language, and is licensed under the GNU General Public License
, although the game incorporates other free and open-source code under other licenses. The game's included song files and some internal fonts are proprietary
, and their redistribution is not permitted outside of the Frets On Fire executable.
Frets on Fire is a video game that imitates the commercial game Guitar Hero
. It is playable on Windows, Linux and Mac OS X. The player presses buttons in time to coloured markers, which appear on-screen, the markers are matched with the rhythm of the music. Frets on Fire can be played by using a keyboard
by pressing the fret
buttons and pick buttons, although there is support for joystick
s, meaning that with the appropriate adapter and/or software, various guitar-type controllers can be used as well.
Coloured square-shaped markers appear on the player's screen, synchronized
with the song and are played by holding the fret buttons that correspond with the correct colour and pressing one of the pick button at the correct moment. Every ten correct hits increase the score multiplier, which multiplies the points for every hit by up to four times. The multiplier is reset when the player misses a note or strums at the wrong time.
and Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s
. The game also features a tutorial, which lets users unfamiliar with the gameplay get accustomed to the game. While the game contains a keyboard play mode, USB Joysticks can also be used. This allows regular joysticks and guitar controllers to be controllers for the game as well, helping to replicate the same feel that commercial guitar games provide.
Since version 1.2.438, the game features hammer-on
and pull-off
notes, commonly abbreviates to HOPO, although the game refers to them as "tappable notes". These notes allows the player to press only its fret button to play if the previous note was played correctly, emulating the feature of the Guitar Hero series. Bugs
were found in the new gameplay element, and version 1.2.451 fixed them, along with adding an option to disable HOPO notes. Frets On Fire lacks the ability to allow players to use the whammy bar
, while FoFiX has basic support for modulating the pitch of a track. This is referred to as either "Killswitch" or "Pitchbend." This was added in the 3.100 update for FoFiX.
Much like console guitar-style games, Frets on Fire comes with World Charts, an official online high score list. However, since the entire system is open source, players have the ability to host their own server as well.
developed from a series of mods
of version 1.2.451 of Frets on Fire. As well as having support for 4 players, this fork supports custom graphical themes (which enables users to create a Guitar Hero or Rock Band
look-alike), bass and drum tracks and preliminary support for lyrics. The latest stable version of FoFiX is 3.121 released on December 7, 2009. Currently in development for version 4.000 is the inclusion of Online-Multiplayer, Video Background Support, and support for both Guitar Hero and Rock Band styles of play among many others.
The University of Nevada developed a modified version of Frets on Fire called Blind Hero which uses a haptic glove to make this game accessible to players who are visually impaired.
A similar game has been developed as homebrew for the Nintendo Wii named Guitars On Fire, which uses Frets of Fire songs, and incorporates the use of the guitar controller.
".
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
music video game
Music video game
A music video game, also commonly known as a music game, is a video game where the gameplay is meaningfully and often almost entirely oriented around the player's interactions with a musical score or individual songs...
created by Unreal Voodoo
Unreal Voodoo
Unreal Voodoo is a Finnish demogroup. Unreal Voodoo was founded by Sami Kyöstilä and Iikku Mattila in December 1997. Unreal Voodoo develops projects on Linux/UNIX, DOS, and Windows.-Members:*Sami "hiteck" Kyöstilä...
. Players use the keyboard to play along with markers which appear on screen, with the aim to score points, achieve a high point multiplier, and complete a song. Frets on Fire was the winner of the Assembly
Assembly (demo party)
The Assembly demo party is a demoscene and gaming event in Finland. The main organizers of the event are Pekka Aakko and Jussi Laakkonen . The event takes place every year between late July and early August, and lasts three to four days...
2006 game development competition.
The game is written in the Python
Python (programming language)
Python is a general-purpose, high-level programming language whose design philosophy emphasizes code readability. Python claims to "[combine] remarkable power with very clear syntax", and its standard library is large and comprehensive...
programming language, and is licensed under the GNU General Public License
GNU General Public License
The GNU General Public License is the most widely used free software license, originally written by Richard Stallman for the GNU Project....
, although the game incorporates other free and open-source code under other licenses. The game's included song files and some internal fonts are proprietary
Proprietary software
Proprietary software is computer software licensed under exclusive legal right of the copyright holder. The licensee is given the right to use the software under certain conditions, while restricted from other uses, such as modification, further distribution, or reverse engineering.Complementary...
, and their redistribution is not permitted outside of the Frets On Fire executable.
Gameplay
Guitar Hero
Guitar Hero is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems and published by RedOctane for the PlayStation 2 video game console. It is the first entry in the Guitar Hero series. Guitar Hero was released on November 8, 2005 in North America, April 7, 2006 in Europe and June 15, 2006 in...
. It is playable on Windows, Linux and Mac OS X. The player presses buttons in time to coloured markers, which appear on-screen, the markers are matched with the rhythm of the music. Frets on Fire can be played by using a keyboard
Computer keyboard
In computing, a keyboard is a typewriter-style keyboard, which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys, to act as mechanical levers or electronic switches...
by pressing the fret
Fret
A fret is a raised portion on the neck of a stringed instrument, that extends generally across the full width of the neck. On most modern western instruments, frets are metal strips inserted into the fingerboard...
buttons and pick buttons, although there is support for joystick
Joystick
A joystick is an input device consisting of a stick that pivots on a base and reports its angle or direction to the device it is controlling. Joysticks, also known as 'control columns', are the principal control in the cockpit of many civilian and military aircraft, either as a center stick or...
s, meaning that with the appropriate adapter and/or software, various guitar-type controllers can be used as well.
Coloured square-shaped markers appear on the player's screen, synchronized
Synchronization
Synchronization is timekeeping which requires the coordination of events to operate a system in unison. The familiar conductor of an orchestra serves to keep the orchestra in time....
with the song and are played by holding the fret buttons that correspond with the correct colour and pressing one of the pick button at the correct moment. Every ten correct hits increase the score multiplier, which multiplies the points for every hit by up to four times. The multiplier is reset when the player misses a note or strums at the wrong time.
Features
Frets on Fire includes a built-in song editor (or "fretting" tool) that allows editing and creation of songs. This allows users to customise their own tracks. Other programs include EOF (EditorOnFire), dB (Feedback), and Freetar editors. Midi Editors like 'FlStudio' and 'Reaper' can also be used. The Frets on Fire Wiki has an extensive resource of custom song frets. There are also many other sites that have been created to provide songs and other resources for the game. Frets on Fire also allows users to import songs from other guitar games. These include Guitar Hero, Guitar Hero IIGuitar Hero II
Guitar Hero II is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems and published by RedOctane. It is the second installment in the Guitar Hero series and is the sequel to Guitar Hero...
and Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s
Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s
Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s is a music video game and the third installment in the popular Guitar Hero series...
. The game also features a tutorial, which lets users unfamiliar with the gameplay get accustomed to the game. While the game contains a keyboard play mode, USB Joysticks can also be used. This allows regular joysticks and guitar controllers to be controllers for the game as well, helping to replicate the same feel that commercial guitar games provide.
Since version 1.2.438, the game features hammer-on
Hammer-on
Hammer-on is a stringed instrument playing technique performed by sharply bringing a fretting-hand finger down on the fingerboard behind a fret, causing a note to sound. This technique is the opposite of the pull-off...
and pull-off
Pull-off
A pull-off is a stringed instrument technique performed by plucking a string by "pulling" the string off the fingerboard with one of the fingers being used to fret the note.-Performance and effect:...
notes, commonly abbreviates to HOPO, although the game refers to them as "tappable notes". These notes allows the player to press only its fret button to play if the previous note was played correctly, emulating the feature of the Guitar Hero series. Bugs
Software bug
A software bug is the common term used to describe an error, flaw, mistake, failure, or fault in a computer program or system that produces an incorrect or unexpected result, or causes it to behave in unintended ways. Most bugs arise from mistakes and errors made by people in either a program's...
were found in the new gameplay element, and version 1.2.451 fixed them, along with adding an option to disable HOPO notes. Frets On Fire lacks the ability to allow players to use the whammy bar
Tremolo arm
A whammy bar, tremolo arm/bar, or vibrato arm/bar is a component of a guitar, used to add vibrato to the sound by changing the tension of the strings, typically at the bridge or tailpiece...
, while FoFiX has basic support for modulating the pitch of a track. This is referred to as either "Killswitch" or "Pitchbend." This was added in the 3.100 update for FoFiX.
Much like console guitar-style games, Frets on Fire comes with World Charts, an official online high score list. However, since the entire system is open source, players have the ability to host their own server as well.
Development
Alternate versions
One popular version of the game is Frets on Fire X (commonly abbreviated FoFiX), a forkFork (software development)
In software engineering, a project fork happens when developers take a legal copy of source code from one software package and start independent development on it, creating a distinct piece of software...
developed from a series of mods
Mod (computer gaming)
Mod or modification is a term generally applied to personal computer games , especially first-person shooters, role-playing games and real-time strategy games. Mods are made by the general public or a developer, and can be entirely new games in themselves, but mods are not standalone software and...
of version 1.2.451 of Frets on Fire. As well as having support for 4 players, this fork supports custom graphical themes (which enables users to create a Guitar Hero or Rock Band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
look-alike), bass and drum tracks and preliminary support for lyrics. The latest stable version of FoFiX is 3.121 released on December 7, 2009. Currently in development for version 4.000 is the inclusion of Online-Multiplayer, Video Background Support, and support for both Guitar Hero and Rock Band styles of play among many others.
The University of Nevada developed a modified version of Frets on Fire called Blind Hero which uses a haptic glove to make this game accessible to players who are visually impaired.
A similar game has been developed as homebrew for the Nintendo Wii named Guitars On Fire, which uses Frets of Fire songs, and incorporates the use of the guitar controller.
Reception
Frets on Fire has received generally positive reviews in a variety of publications. Released for competition at Assembly, it won first place among its competition. As a free, open source game, it has not received as much attention from mainstream review sites, but many niche game sites as well as open source game review sites have discussed it, averaging between 7 and 8 out of 10. Gamespot's user ratings give the game an 8.1 as of November 2008; other sites such as Download.com average lower, around 3.5/5. However, because of the cross-platform nature of the game, it has garnered fans from both Linux and Mac gaming communities as well. Frets On Fire was included on the television show "ClickClick (TV series)
Click is a weekly BBC television programme covering news and recent developments in the world of consumer technology, presented by Spencer Kelly....
".