I have been thinking about picking this game up, but iv'e been wondering how good of a game...

Disregard the retards saying it isn't good for teaching you how to play. It's got tutorials, the same as what you'd find in a book or online, that teach you how to do everything. Once you get the basics down, it plays just like a Guitar Hero or Rock Band, just with more technicality involved.

At the risk of sounding like one of those testimonials on the box and of their ad campaign, I spent a few months with it and actually DID learn to play guitar. Took close to a month before I could actually complete a song 100% FC, but playing for 1-3 hours every day actually brought me to a proficiency level in bass and guitar that I thought I needed to spend actual money on lessons for.

Overall give it a shot. Don't be disheartened that you aren't progressing fast, because it's a fucking instrument, and that shit takes time. Give it a hearty 1-3 hours a day, and you'll be playing Smoke On The Water in no time.

I used to set the original Rocksmith to practice mode and use it(+ the 360 and TV) as an amp when my uncle would borrow my regular amp. It was really strange.

Like I said, it's great for getting your basics, but I seriously caution against using it past that. Training your ear is extremely important and Rocksmith does not do that.

OP sucks major trap dick, but this is pretty much the most accurate and technical video game to learn basic guitar, here's a vid on someone playing.

I can back up pretty much everything said here. If nothing else, it's a good place to get started learning to play some songs and if you can already play, it's a more in-depth Guitar Hero

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Most of that is on me for not stretching, but at least you kept your finger dexterity into your 30s.

I got it a couple of years back and can now play 8 songs out of 12 on my favourite album. It's good for learning shapes and getting some measure of feedback that's *not* someone telling you you're shit and charging you for the pleasure.

Learn how to stretch your right forearm before even getting going (Youtube for tennis and golfer's elbow as you'll feel at least one eventually) because mad strumming can temporarily cripple you after a little while and it makes you less inclined to go back to it just as you're getting the basics down.

Simplest song in the world is Blitzkrieg Bop that's where to start, I got up to legibly playing Nirvana tunes.

Pirating it is a good enough idea but then you need the RealTone cable or similar (Chunky audio out to USB) so source one of those for cheap if you've not already got one.

Any cheap suggestions?

Nevermind, you mean generic cables of that type.

I've also found that Yousician is really really good at teaching you how to play. It costs a lot more though, around $120 a year but considering getting a teacher can cost a lot more I would say it is alright. Especially since all of the songs are made by the company with a specific learning curve in mind.

Rocksmith is more of a game and Yousician is more of a teaching tool. Either way they are both great and I use them both. (Yousician also has support for other instruments)

Honestly OP, this isn't the game for learning how to play a guitar but more for those who played the guitar for a while. There's also a noticeable lag between your notes and the keys on screen unless you've memorized the notes before hand. If you really want to proceed, first get a guitar and play a while playing some easy riffs and then get the game once you feel you're used to handling the instrument.

You have exactly 5 seconds to tell me why people like John Petrucci and Billy Sheehan can still play at age 50 and up

They have willpower and I don't

I got pretty good for being self taught, but I should've picked an easier to transport instrument: I move around a lot so playing often is hard sometimes.
I urge all of you to pick up an instrument, video games aren't getting any better anytime soon.

Except it bases itself on reaching you the basics of a guitar which it does really well. Experienced guys won't find much help here other than tabs, but by playing it for about 3 weeks I was able to go from not knowing any guitar at all to hitting the opening of Roundabout. It's definitely worth pirating it and the DLC and getting a feeling for your guitar.

That can be fixed in game, I don't have lag. The only issue I've noticed is the game failing to tune a guitar sometimes and having to retune the guitar several times to get it right.

My cousin has it (so do I. I literally never tried it and I wasted 50 bucks on it), he said it sucks. Then again, he took lessons and practices every single day.

It will take years to sound decent.

Like I said, I didn't stretch my fingers before playing which is a death sentence for someone who's family has a history of arthritis.

If there's any lag your settings are off or your tv/monitor isn't playing nice. I'd never played a thing before trying it and it took me from spanner-handed chump to almost listenable.