Bracket 1 - Discussion

[Super_Ray]

I don't mind double-stepping so long as it doesn't ruin the chart's flow or over-intensify the steps.

Same here. I don't really mind double stepping, unless it gets excessive and starts to annoy me.

[Wellian]

Fourtheded. I might not wait until the end of the contest to let rip though.

[Lilina]

As much as the bracket appears to be a nice mix of songs, we also have a nice(?) mix of simfile quality among the simfiles so far.

Fivededed. Doublestepping is only a problem if it doesn't go well with the style of the song, and/or if it just doesn't go plain well with the rest of the steps. (At least, IMO)

The reviews so far are also like the simfiles, some of them are of good quality... while others need to be clarified a little bit. Honestly, some of the reviewers need to justify their one-liners a little bit. Take your time-- there seems to be enough time for them anyway.

[jammitch!]

Doublestepping is only a problem if it doesn't go well with the style of the song, and/or if it just doesn't go plain well with the rest of the steps.

qfe. That said, most songs, and the majority of steps in all songs, should flow. There's a line between the end run of HVAM and the entirety of EOTC.

[Raf]

Dear Lisek,

lyric files are considered a bonus and are not required so don't deduct points for songs that don't have one. You do realize that DDR doesn't use lyric files anymore right? Jesus, how many of you people actually play DDR???

[BLueSS]

Edit: Maybe we can PM BlueSS with questions/comments for reviewers, and he can post them?

Sure, go ahead.

[Lisek]

Raf - of course, that they are bonus, I am not removing points for not having lyrics. I'm adding points when they are included. There are some songs that just need them (they are easy to make) or need something else like bg movies.

And yeah, I realize that Konami doesn't make lrcs anymore. But this doesn't mean that they are doing this good.

My scores aren't 100% final. Probably they will be changing a little until I will have all files tested.

[cpubasic13]

Jesus, how many of you people actually play DDR???

Well, considering these are supposed to be DDR steps I say a lot of us do.

And I dunno about you, but double stepping should be used as a last resort. Many of these sims, though, could have used more ideas and thought out their sims instead of making it go to the song and sticking to double stepping. THAT is the point I'm trying to get across. There are more patterns that I suggest looking into. Not trying to be mean, but looks like many of you don't like my reviews. My reviews aren't saying "lol this file sucks" but instead are offering my thoughts on the sim and what could have been done to improve it. If these files get redone I'm more than willing to re-review them and hope to see more goodness with them.

Also, does anyone else review Beginner-Standard? That is one reason why I gave Cafe Cafe its low rating. The beginner felt like Light, Light felt like Standard, Standard could have been its own Heavy. If it shifted it all like that then I'd probably actually give it a few more points, but unfortunately, that isn't the way it is.
We are judging a whole file, not just how Heavy works. If that were the case I'd see in the rules "Heavy is required. Other difficulties are not. Song choice doesn't matter as long as it is onsync to the song's instruments/vocals." I mean, seriously. There is more to making a good file than putting notes on a song's sounds.

That's just my two cents.

[tammie]

I believe in miracles: 5/6/8
La Senorita Virtual: 7/8/8
STOMP TO MY BEAT: 5/6/7/8

In the case of wish being too easy, DDR has easy songs too
HAVE YOU NEVER BEEN MELLOW: 1/2/5

[lrxevan]

Reviews that downplay the quality of files based on their difficulty, and reviews that give scores with little or no justification will be dealt with accordingly (read: "thrown out"). This goes for both public review and for judge review. We don't want anyone feeling like their file was treated unfairly due to reviewer bias to certain types of files.

There are other things we're watching for, too: "I don't like this song" clauses cleverly disguised as other things ("The singer's voice is annoying"), "lowbpm2ez," "your readme says this but the file is this 0/10," and a variety of other fun (read: silly) judgments people make when reviewing stepfiles.

General rule: this is a DDR contest. Easy charts are allowed. Tasteful double-stepping is allowed. Any combination of feet ratings is allowed. Boss songs are allowed, slow songs are allowed, fast songs are allowed. Songs you don't like are allowed. If at any point your reviews touch on things that are beyond the scope of this competition (Great steps and great presentation) they will likely not be considered.

[Hainaut]

I agree with that. If you look at my unfinished public review, you'll notice that I gave my highest rating so far to 'T Smidje, which certainly isn't a typial high-quality DDR simfile, but was somehow just really fun and entertaining to step to ultimately. Who cares that the song is some foreign track with a medieval kinda tone to it; the package itself was surprisingly enjoyable and addictive if you can appreciate it.

[k//eternal]

I note a lot of reviewers are obviously not checking the readme's, even when baffled by a choice made in the file.

I also see people hating on songs both for low and high difficulty. I think an easy file is a pretty daring choice for a simfile competition--take it for what it is, without saying "I think this song should have been (number)-foot instead", because these are often pretty good. Hard songs are much more variable in quality, but likewise shouldn't be simply blown off.

Similarly, songs with gimmicks often draw criticism because people can't figure them out within a single play. Again, these vary in quality, but can be done well and I'd like to see people give it a chance.

Of course, these tendencies have appeared in pretty much all other simfile contests I've been involved with, so I shouldn't have expected otherwise.

[BLueSS]

Of course, these tendencies have appeared in pretty much all other simfile contests I've been involved with, so I shouldn't have expected otherwise.

I need to compile a list of complaints from every tournament into one file that will be mandatory reading for anyone entering or judging.

If anyone has a well written contribution I'll put it in.

[BLueSS]

Here's the first anonymous PR feedback sent to me, and if you're one of the reviewers you should have some sort of answer for the questions, and if you don't then you should redo your review.

Spork!'s review of Good Bye:
"My only gripe was the anime girl in the background."
Why does he have a gripe with the anime girl in Good Bye's BG? And what exactly is that gripe? The anime girl in Good Bye's BG is OFFICIAL artwork from DJ Max!

Akira's review of Good Bye:
This song isn't from EZ2DJ, it's from DJ Max.

vjgyo didn't review je t'aime je t'aime
Accidentally skipped it, it looks like?

ranatalus: didn't review je t'aime je t'aime because of song length. It's only 2:36; 6 seconds less and it wouldn't have shown up as a long version but would've basically been almost the same file.

[ranatalus]

well, to argue against the "it's only 2:36" then it should've been pretty easy to say, cut out a second verse and make it closer to 2 minutes.