Rock Band is probably my favorite game, at least for the moment.  After all, it is the game I spent the most money on, spend the most time playing, and have spent a sizable amount of time modifying to increase the enjoyment of my playing experience.

Apparently, I am not alone.  A number of manufacturers have been producing accessories for the game, and new ones seem to pop up everyday.  One can now buy new Rock Band logo drum sticks, new guitar straps, and even appliqués to decorate your guitar.  But at what point does Rock Band accessory shopping go too far and become a ridiculous obsession.

I spent $5 to modify my drums with quiet drum pad mod that seems to have garnered some popularity.  I spent another dollar to modify my drum pedal, and even an additional $16 to buy pads to deaden the drum noise.  But all of these purchases were to ensure I did not upset my neighbors.  After all, I love the game, but a place to live seems to take precedence.

Additionally, I had planned to buy myself a drum stool for my set.  People thought I was a little nutty, but Amazon had a few for approximately $30 – a small price to play, I felt, to play in comfort.  Of course, my girlfriend beat me to the punch and bought me a very expensive drum stool for Christmas.  I would never have bought the item for myself, as I’m fairly certain its purchase price was more than the Rock Band: Special Edition (the package that included the instruments), but I love it nonetheless.

I thought Lone was a little goofy when he bought a boom microphone stand for around $30, and then modified it with a rubber mic clip for an additional $10.  But, in his defense, he is now able to play an instrument and sing (a feat I previously thought only achievable by females, as my girlfriend was the only person able to “hold” the mic and play guitar simultaneously).  He brought the stand over to my house one night, and we all gave musical multi-tasking a shot.  My daughter was able to emulate the skill of Phil Collins by drumming and singing in the 95%+ range.  (Okay, not quite, but she was damn good.)

In the same category, you can lump in the various carrying cases: guitar bags, guitar cases, and drum bags.  To some, these purchases seem like a waste of money,  but seem reasonable to others.  The point is I can understand the appeal of nearly all of these ancillary items in certain situations.

In contrast, I was browsing one of my local GameStop stores the other day (there are three within a 3-mile radius of the GG offices), when I stumbled across the epitome of ridiculous accessories: the Rock Band Stage Kit.

Made by Performance Designed Products (AKA Pelican), the officially licensed Rock Band Stage Kit, which includes a smoke machine and two lights, allows gamers to “transform their jam session into a full-on rock show”.  Retailing for $99.99, the kit is set for a summer 2008 release.

A hundred dollars: this is an item that crosses the line between reasonable and just plain silly.  At nearly 60% of the cost of Rock Band: Special Edition, this product is not only silly for gamers aged 12 through 99, but also overpriced.  I understand that game interactivity comes at a cost, but seriously, who is going to buy this?

Maybe I’m over reacting, simply trying to justify my expensive drum stool, and my love of this game, but I just don’t think so.

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