Is the Game Changer official dead?

[DR5Guy]

I work in web based software development and I'm kind of thinking the best bet would be to create a final stand alone application (using the current web based app/plug-in as a base) that runs on both windows 7/10 and mac OSX up to High Sierra (forget about supporting ipads and iphones, they change every year). The logic being that the Win/Mac app will always work, via a virtual machine if needed, even 10 years from now.

I don't think it would cost too much money to make that happen as the application already exists and could be ported pretty easily. Users would then have a "final" physical app they can download and keep for when the browser version finally ceases to function due to browser updates etc. I understand there are costs involved, but it seems like the only logical solution for supporting the full range of this product and it's hardware moving forward. I'm honestly mostly concerned with the plugin potentially disappearing from chromes database over the next few years, otherwise if it sticks around you could likely use older browser emulation to get the app working.

I just picked a GC up from a sale last weekend, it was sitting in the store for about 5 years, I know because I've been eyeballing it the whole time... picked it up at a silly price tbh.

I doubt EBMM would put resources into creating a standalone app for a platform that is being phased out. A more realistic approach would be for EBMM to publish the GC API so open source folks could put together a community-supported solution.

 

[Cenobyte]

I doubt EBMM would put resources into creating a standalone app for a platform that is being phased out. A more realistic approach would be for EBMM to publish the GC API so open source folks could put together a community-supported solution.

This would absolutely work too, it was mentioned elsewhere in this thread I believe though I could be wrong as I didn't read through the whole thing again... I mean this is obviously a dead topic at this point, I have no issues with my GC and have only really screwed with the sounds via the app a few times, don't see it being a major issue, but perhaps once the chrome plug-in dies down the road something like this could help keep the deeper functionality of the guitar alive. Time will tell!

 

[jones4tone]

I've been intending to capture the USB traffic between the Chrome plugin and my GC using WireShark, and see if I could begin to figure out how the messages are formatted, but haven't had the time to dig into it just yet. No doubt it would be easier with a published spec, but I think it could be possible to reverse engineer the format.

I'd traded a couple of messages with the engineering staff about ways to get an alternative out that could have a longer useful life than a browser plugin might, but I recognize that they have higher priorities than a discontinued product.

 

[Cenobyte]

I've been intending to capture the USB traffic between the Chrome plugin and my GC using WireShark, and see if I could begin to figure out how the messages are formatted, but haven't had the time to dig into it just yet. No doubt it would be easier with a published spec, but I think it could be possible to reverse engineer the format.

I'd traded a couple of messages with the engineering staff about ways to get an alternative out that could have a longer useful life than a browser plugin might, but I recognize that they have higher priorities than a discontinued product.wi

Nice, well hey, if you ever get around to it... you know where to post!

 

[BUC]

Maybe EBMM could license a 3rd party to make and sell the app? No risk or money to EBMM? Keeps the GC alive.

A lot of keyboard manufactures do this with their desktop editors. Soundtower makes a lot of them for Kurzweil, Dave Smith, Moog and many others. Now...soundtower kinda sucks BUT it removes the risk to the manufacturers who are already straining in a very competitive marketplace to make expensive instruments for a niche market. Plus, when the editor doesn't work the way we want we have to bitch at Soundtower and not the instrument manufacturer!

I for one do not understand what is wrong with the guitar marketplace. The tech in this guitar is amazing. My GC reflex is the most indispensable guitar in my collection. If I could wave a magic wand and make people see the truth!

 

[Wahoonc]

Maybe EBMM could license a 3rd party to make and sell the app? No risk or money to EBMM? Keeps the GC alive.

manufacturer!

You are correct that the appeal and selling point of the guitar is the amazing tech inside. If they didn't insist on keeping it web-based, there are workable options, in my opinion. Most prominently a stand-alone app or open source code, as others have mentioned. It seems like there are a couple of tech savvy players in here who are willing to help. I don't have an immediate need, but I also do not like that at any moment my GC could lose pretty much all of its flexibility and be frozen with two programmed banks. It would still be a great guitar, but it wouldn't be the guitar we bought because the entire reason we bought the guitar would no longer exist.

I guess it would still be a great novelty/collector's guitar for the future, but it would be so much better if it the functionality continued.

 

[Oyster38]

This is really one of the most useful and unique guitar in recent guitar history. It is unfortunately that thee did not continue its production.

 

[KDude]

This is really one of the most useful and unique guitar in recent guitar history. It is unfortunately that thee did not continue its production.

It really is..and it'll always be useful and not go out of date like many software solutions. The weak link is the actual software app here, but luckily, that's trivial and isn't the bulk of the tech itself. This is why I stay away from amp modelers and such - they're fundamentally destined to go out of date sooner or later. The guitar world needs flexible solutions like this and mostly function on an analog level, and don't have a relentless "upgrade cycle" where you have 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, etc versions.

Hopefully they revive it one day. The good thing is that the bulk of the research is already done.