Chart grading standards:
11 - Flawless chart. Floors me nonstop beginning to end. Unlikely to ever be found.
10 - Exceptional chart. Displays technical excellence along with engaging, interesting and creative patterns throughout.
9 - Excellent chart. Displays strong technical expertise with a few nitpicks. Patterning is entertaining, but may have brief periods with room for improvement.
8 - Great chart.
7 - Good chart. Technical aspects are generally good with a few noticeable flaws. Patterning is generally entertaining, but may lack creativity or interest at times.
6 - Above average chart.
5 - Average chart. Technical aspects may have some noticeable flaws. Patterning remains fun enough to be worth playing, but may be overly predictable and have significant room for improvement.
4 - Below average chart.
3 - Poor chart. Technical aspects may have some significant flaws. Patterning is bland throughout, or actively un-fun in parts, to a degree that would discourage you from playing the chart.
2 - Bad chart.
1 - Awful chart. Technical aspects may have severe flaws. A chart that is not fun from beginning to end; an incoherent, rambling mess.
0 - Severe technical errors that make a chart unplayable.
Presentation: 2 / 5 is average. Extras and attention to detail move that up. For example, a 5 / 5 file might contain a full set of single and double charts, good art, a lyrics file and a CD title. A 0 / 5 file breaks several rules regarding minimum presentation standards.
Tilt: At my whim. Most files get 2 / 3 unless I really decide I want to tilt a file. Mostly, I use this to single out music I hate
Most files will score between a 15 and 18 overall; a really good file will crack 20.
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ITG B2.1
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Bloody Tears: 14 / 30
Challenge: 4 / 11
* There's a few big things working against you here. Namely, that song has obvious rhythms, that I've played the IIDX chart a bunch, and that I've seen other simfiles for it.
* The opening patterns are a bit dull. Most of the other 8th runs aren't much better.
* I like the one crossover step jump in measure 11, but I think the step jumps are better when they don't involve two feet moving.
* I could do without the speedup. (The slowdown and pause are good though.)
* I'm not sure about measure 28, but you could probably take it a few ways.
* Measures 30-37 have what the ITG players would call a "lack". The notes that are cut out feel like they've been removed for no reason.
* The jump patterns in 38-45 just feel random. For example, 40 and 44 have no body shifting at all; 42 has a dangling crossover.
* The run before the slowdown is an improvement.
* Nitpicky: for measure 55, I'd probably have gone with just two holds - one on the first beat and one on the third - and extended them over each other, as I there's not actually a note of the same prominence at the fourth beat. If you wanted to use that note, there's a 16th note run waiting instead.
* An oddly missing note in measure 57.
* For the slowdown, this is a Challenge, so consider using the 16th note stream.
* Not much point in the freeze at the end either, unless you're going to extend it past the pause.
* The end is like the middle again; unsurprising considering the song.
* Despite the bevy of comments, it's generally an OK file, but I've seen better to this song. I think the positioning could use a bit more thought, and I'd like to see a more thorough exploration of the rhythms in a Challenge chart.
Heavy: 6 / 11
* I think this is an improvement on Challenge. The simplified rhythms fit better here, and while I still think the patterning could stand to be more creative overall, I think that it was definitely more fun in places. I liked the half-speed Drop Out run in measures 20-25.
Presentation: 4 / 5
* Good art
* CD title
* 5 charts
* Sample could use some tweaking to loop cleanly
* Uncut IIDX song
* IIDX video
Tilt: 2 / 3
I don't feel like putting much effort into tilt, so 2 is the default unless I say otherwise.
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DJ, Take Me Away: 25 / 30
Challenge: 9 / 11
* I like the crossover in measure 5.
* The handplants are generally good, and in a good place in the song to use them. I'd recommend having less of the hands on Down though, as that usually requires contorting or turning away from the scren. Down's a better arrow for the foot to be on.
* I could do without the spins, and I also might advocate against the 16th not step jumps in a 16. And, well, I still hate short freezes.
* That said, I thought the sixteenth runs were well used, varied, and not overwhelming. The whole song kept it fresh the whole way through. I see enough room for improvement to not give this a 10, but it's probably my favorite ITG file out of all of them (mine excluded
) It reminds me a lot of the ITG 10s I actually like.
Heavy: 10 / 11
* I would have liked to see a few more 16ths in measures 5 and 6.
* The middle and freeze parts were nice cut-downs from Challenge and retained the creativity without the difficulty.
* It keeps things mixed up throughout the end run very well too.
* I really have nothing bad to say about this one. The best chart in the competition so far
Presentation : 3 / 5
* OK art
* 5 charts
* Sample could use a few tweaks
Tilt: 3 / 3
For absolutely nailing it.
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End of World: 17 / 30
Challenge: 5 / 11
* You don't quite nail the chimes in measure 12.
* I'm a little confused about the positioning in measures 15 and 16.
* I'm not a fan of the mine parts. In most of them, you have to pick up a foot to avoid the mine, then move your planted foot to start the run. Doable, but probably ends up with the player hitting a phantom note or doing a high jump.
* I'm not sure about the freeze in measure 33 either, or the jump in 37.
* I also don't think the handplants fit.
* Measures 59 and 60 need to improve transition. The player will cross over at the end of 59 due to mines, but then have to go backwards into 60.
* I like ending the freezes to the last two notes. Clever.
* I don't mean to be so negative; it's not bad per se. But the rhythms are erratic (in how they line up with the song) and the patterning is just mediocre.
Heavy: 7 / 11
* I enjoyed the step jumps, but the two in measure 15 just come out of nowhere considering the steps on either side.
* I have the same concerns about the mines and the offbeats in 33 and 37 here as well.
* I generally think the patterning is better than Challenge, but it's still just too erratic for my tastes.
Presentation : 3 / 5
* Good art
* 5 charts
* Bad sample
* Uncut IIDX song
Tilt: 2 / 3
I don't feel like putting much effort into tilt, so 2 is the default unless I say otherwise.
Other thoughts:
Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love this song, but I don't think it steps well.
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Krazy Krokodile: 20 / 30
Challenge: 7 / 11
* A little surprised you left out a run at measure 18 - one with 24ths in it, no less! There's a few other places where runs could be added if you saw fit.
* Measure 58 could use a bit cleaner transition.
* I like the freeze-jump parts.
* Good use of turns and crossovers, although I think the patterning could use a bit more polish on occasion, especially towards the beginning.
* Feels a lot like a MAX-era Eurobeat chart, of all things.
Heavy: 7 / 11
* Measures 50 and 51 need a turn somewhere.
* Most of the runs are good, although there's a few transitions that are a little off.
* Overall, solid, but needs some polish.
Presentation : 4 / 5
* Good art
* 5 charts
* Good sample
Tilt: 2 / 3
I don't feel like putting much effort into tilt, so 2 is the default unless I say otherwise.
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Mental Meltdown: 19 / 30
Challenge: 8 / 11
* The patterning on this was really tough. It took me a few tries, but I always found a way through it.
* I'm not 100% sure about the rhythms in measures 12 through 14.
* This grew on me as I figured it out. It's pretty fun.
Heavy: 5 / 11
* The even measures in the opening should have the step on the third beat 1/16th later.
* Measures 7, 8 and 9 are identical. I think they need to be toned down for this difficulty, but they at least need to be original.
* The eighth runs and rhythms before the break are pretty fun.
* Same with measure 25. Good in a 12, way too hard for a 10.
* I don't think I agree with the rhythms after the pause though. It seems like the notes omitted are chosen at random.
* 43 to 46 are again too similar.
* This chart suffers from two related problems: too many concepts cribbed from the challenge, and inconsistent difficulty because of it. I'd much prefer to see new rhythms on Heavy applied to make a solid 9 rather than grabbing parts of Challenge to make a 10 (and the Afronovas are better suited to an 11 or 12).
Presentation : 4 / 5
* Good art
* 5 charts
* Good sample
Tilt: 2 / 3
I don't feel like putting much effort into tilt, so 2 is the default unless I say otherwise.
Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2010 8:39 pm