DDR - Bracket 1.3 Reviews

[will-i-am]

I made Loca using Stepmania+ Redux, it seems to have a bug that when you save your stepfile, it will also create all those other additional charts. I never cared too much about it since it doesn't affect anything on the main file, but I must admit I completely overlooked that when submitting the file. You have to open the .sm and manually delete all the extra charts...way too annoying xD! I definitely need to upgrade to a better SM version, but the ones I've tried don't support rolls and that bothers me, since several of the newer files I have done use rolls. And I refuse to use SM4 and its GOD-AWFUL theme/arrows.

Oh, Corey, to prevent that, don't give your charts foot ratings inside StepMania's editor. Instead, manually rate the stepcharts by opening up the .sm and plugging in the foot rating by replacing the 0 that automatically shows up. I found this out after I started experiencing the same thing.

You can still save progress and everything in StepMania's editor without this happening. Just remember to manually plug in foot ratings in the .sm and this shouldn't happen.

[Loki]

Just get 3.95 CVS or get arrows for 4.0, i got itg for them, or use open itg 3 also

[Oni-91]

Is Stepmania redux the newest Stepmania release or am I thinking of something different?

Redux is basically just an addon for 3.9 that allows rolls (and lifts, I think). That's the main thing, but there's obviously going to be other stuff.

[MixMasterLar]

The thing about Sheep's Graphics is that I A) Didnt catch that rule at first and B) Didnt care when I realized it before I sent it off. I know that probably tisses a few of you off but eh, it was worth a shot.

As far as the steps go I thought that if it didnt repeat the patterns it would just seem kind of random--something alot of my older files had wrong.


Anyhow, thanks for the lolipop Timer!

[Skyline]

A Lifeless Ordinary - 17/30

-Presentation: 03/05
Like the BG. No artist name?
-Second Hardest Chart: 06/11
Fun little 7. Waay too technical to be a 5. The ending was incredibly awkward. Definitely not a song I'd play from a PA standpoint. Kudos for attempting to sync that part up, but it still felt early.
-Hardest Chart: 07/11
I'm a big fan of the style of jump patterns like in measure 36 onwards, even though I still have a bit of trouble doing them on a pad. ._.
Solid chart, lots of crossover nom. That ending though. Keeps this from being an 8.
Tilt: 01/03
Maybe it's more of this specific song's fault than your own, but it was honestly like it overstayed it's welcome. If a better cut can be made, do it, it'll help make this chart that much more playable.
That ending could have been done differently as well.


LOCA - 20/30

-Presentation: 04/05
Art does it's job.
-Second Hardest Chart: 07/11
Nothing really to say here, no complaints. Good solid 8.
-Hardest Chart: 07/11
Doesn't stray too far from the Heavy chart. Same ideas implemented. Chart's solid, but it was a little disappointing that you didn't take it in a different direction.
-Tilt: 02/03
I'd have a feeling that the Standard chart would be really enjoyable if this set were complete.


Maybe (Mikk Remix) - 24/30

-Presentation: 04/05
Balls are touching, bro :O
-Second Hardest Chart: 08/11
This is a very nice warmup chart for a day of arrow-stomp. (I am planning on taking the best files from this competition and putting them on Reno's Stepmania Arcade cabinet, btw :3)
-Hardest Chart: 09/11
Sometimes when people who make stepcharts use patterns that reverse, it looks a little sloppy and doesn't really fit well. This is not one of those cases. Very fun chart. It feels like it could have been a little bit harder.
-Tilt: 03/03
I'd like to give this 2.5, actually. The end cut sounded a little weird.


Sheep Grasslands - 15/30

-Presentation: 02/05
Something extra could have been done with the artwork, even a hint of a sketch filter. No artist name?
-Second Hardest Chart: 05/11
A bit too repetitive. Same patterns making encore appearances. Given the repetitive nature of this song, maybe this was a given. But there are always ways to work around these limitations.
-Hardest Chart: 07/11
More steps during fadeout?
Repetition issues from Standard chart somewhat addressed. Patterns were mixed up just enough to give some variation.
-Tilt: 01/03
Definitely some polishing up to do, beneath the sheep lies some potential.


STARSTRUKK - 17/30

-Presentation: 02/05
Artwork okay. Would have possibly benefitted from a different choice of font.
-Second Hardest Chart: 06/11
Dunno, really. No real complaints aside from it being a 6 at best.
-Hardest Chart: 07/11
I'm glad the pattern structure at measure 27 never came back, you did so much better with the chorus towards the end.
-Tilt: 02/03
You could do a lot with this song.

Watashi wa Watashi no Michi wo Iku - 17/30

-Presentation: 03/05
Would have benefitted from JP characters in the banner. The BG looked pretty good, and stylish in it's own right.
-Second Hardest Chart: 06/11
If this chart would have been made into a little harder of a 7, it would have helped.
-Hardest Chart: 06/11
Just can't shake the feeling that there is a lot missing here. Freezes, mostly. Lots of spots with dead air.
-Tilt: 02/03
Kind of struggled having fun with this chart. I know something's there, but it just wasn't happening. :/


Overall: An okay bracket. Some of these songs would probably grow on me after a while.
Maybe hit it dead on, though.

[The Period]

1.- A LIFELESS ORDINARY (NEED A LITTLE HELP) (20/30)
MEDIUM (8/11)
-Nice patterns but is too hard for a 5. Also I'm not sure about those 64ths at the end.
HEAVY (7/11)
-OK. Now I'm sure of those 64ths
-So many 16ths, your chart seems messy at 2x speed, but doesn't matter because is a 104BPM song, I feel kinda karaoke your builds with 16ths, I would prefered drums stepped in those parts.
-A BPM change would have enhanced your chart.
PRESENTATION (4/5)
Good graphics, no lyrics.
TILT(1/3)
-Nice Easy chart, but I don't think a novice could afford that 64th.


2.- LOCA (25/30)
HEAVY (11/11)
-This chart has not exceses, as an official DDR chart would make the day because completed that DDR feeling, you can compare with Coco's La Receta (LOca has better step placement) or Pitbull's I Know you Want Me (LOCA has more steps) and this chart is better, I didn't felt ITG style on any of those steps and the uses of 16ths fits DDR style at all. Sincerely I didn't expected that from CoreyBlaze.
CHALLENGE (9/11)
-Well this is OK, but those 16th this time felt ITG-ish and also makes the chart karaokey, that couple of 32th didn't felt good at all for me.
PRESENTATION (4/5)
Good graphics but it's vid as BG would be great.
TILT (1/3)
-I think you suffered from lack of time as me so we couldn't had enough time for more charts, I guess, however I enjoyed a lot your file.


3.- MAYBE (27/30)
MEDIUM (10/11)
-M53 doesn't feel good. Everything else is GREAT.
HEAVY (10/11)
-Steps seems too Karaoke on the slow BPM part. Everything else is EPIC.
MAYBE you would be on the top 3 this BM4.
PRESENTATION (4/5)
#Infinity's art is nice as usual. No lyrics.
TILT (3/3)
Your extra charts are sweet
I didn't expect that awesome file from you, I dislike almost all your files from the last Anything Goes.


4.- SHEEP GRASSLANDS (17/30)
MEDIUM (7/11)
-I believe it was funny until realize that you doubled the same structure at middle of the song.
-It was repetitive and freezes left something void on the flow.
-Was funny at all.
HARD (9/11)
-Way better. I realize why you didn't use more single taps while your standart' freezes.
-More variated.
-But more steps than Standart over song lenght let me thinking about it.
PRESENTATION (0/5)
-Rudimentary graphics with no Song title, No song artist on you banner.
-Does really the Artist who made the song is called "Tekken 6 Original SoundTrack"???
TILT (1/3)
-Easy chart convinced me that you should ended steps at M70.
-Too hard for a begginer.

5.- STARSTRUKK (23/30)
MEDIUM (9/11)
Nice build, is variate, is not solid and that's why is interesting.
Your freezes doesn't appeal to me at all.
HEAVY (8/11)
16ths at the middle of M8 fits the song but doesn't feel good nor bad I mean a little weird.
In M17 you break awfully the flow with karaoke stepping.
PRESENTATION (4/5)
Rare BG but OK. No lyrics.
TILT (2/3)
Easy chart is ok but nothing remarkable.


6.- WATASHI WA WATASHI MICHI WO IKU (13/30)
MEDIUM (5/11)
HARD (5/11)
Well, I won't point sth out for each chart, Ill write about the whole...
First of all, your level placement was misleading:
That Medium full of 16ths never in this world would be a Medium chart... DDR-ly speaking.
And also if we still trying to fit on DDR Style, that Heavy must be a Challenge, however that chart doesn't stuck with my definition of a DDR Challenge chart.
Your file has several 16ths that I hardly understand, but few stick with the song at all. This fact was annoying when play on pad and applies to both charts.
Heavy chart is the most disappointing from your file, it will never feel DDRish and was too karaoke stepped, those drawbacks killed your file.

I do really expected lot more from you since that great Rosario to Vampire BM3 entry. That was a really DDR style simfile, if you would get better step placement that year you would get my vote last year for sure.

If you defined this entry-like as your simmer style approach I will understand, that's what freedom is all about, every simmer deserves it's rights to apply whatever approach we wanted in our simfiles.
Cheers.
PRESENTATION (2/5)
That girl is nice, Banner is too simple. It would be nice if that style for your title on BG would be the same for your banner.
TILT (1/3)
I can't say nothing for your beginner, but I also got disappointed for your Easy, I can't indetify any pattern in the whole song, it looks like you placed the steps randomly.


In few words:
1.- MAYBE (27/30): The strongest simfile I've been seen from Kewing.
2.- LOCA (25/30): The best 16th DDR-style friendly simfile I played in my life.
3.- STARSTRUKK (23/30): An interesting simfile
4.- A LIFELESS ORDINARY (NEED A LITTLE HELP) (20/30): Well also I coudn't see this song on a official DDR, however good file
5.- SHEEP GRASSLANDS (17/30): Today I realize that presentation makes the difference
6.- WATASHI WA WATASHI MICHI WO IKU (13/30): It does really hurt me a lot to write my vote. See you next BM.

[Miki]

STARSTRUKK - 17/30

-Presentation: 03/05
Artwork okay. Would have possibly benefitted from a different choice of font.
-Second Hardest Chart: 07/11
Dunno, really. No real complaints aside from it being a 6 at best.
-Hardest Chart: 07/11
I'm glad the pattern structure at measure 27 never came back, you did so much better with the chorus towards the end.
-Tilt: 02/03
You could do a lot with this song.

3 + 7 + 7 + 2 is 19 ._.

[will-i-am]

A Lifeless Ordinary - 17/30

-Presentation: 03/05
Like the BG. No artist name?

It's in the banner.

3.- MAYBE (27/30)
PRESENTATION (4/5)
#Infinity's art is nice as usual.

...HUH?!
*checks*
Oh wait...he did make them. o_o
And WHOOOOA that's what this is a remix of! I was wondering, too. Wow, read-me's really can be pretty informative.

[Skyline]

3 + 7 + 7 + 2 is 19 ._.

hahaha that's what happens when you try to use a copy+paste template for ease of use and muck things up, kids.

Scores from original .txt backup file updated.

[jammitch!]

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.

======================
DDR B3
======================

A Lifeless Ordinary: 22 / 30

Heavy: 9 / 11
* I'd back off the long step-jump patterns.
* For the most part, I liked the sixteenths, although I'd like to see a little more movement.
* Rather than trying to match the note timing to the slowing drums, change the BPM, since that's what's happening in the song.
* In general, I found this chart very fun.

Standard: 7 / 11
* A five, with crossovers and sixteenths like this? Not a chance, even at this speed.
* The opening rhythms are a bit dull. It picks up when the sixteenths show up, but that gets difficult quickly for a Standard. And that hits the difficult line to straddle for a song of this speed.
* I think it does a good job of straddling that line, but it's got enough parts to push it to a 6 for sure.
* Still not too bad for a Standard.

Presentation: 3 / 5
* Good graphics
* Good cut
* Three charts
* Short sample
* CD title
* I had to verify this was a pun and not a typo.

Tilt: 3 / 3
I liked the whole package pretty well, and it's not too bad of a song.

----------------------

Loca: 19 / 30

Challenge: 8 / 11
* I like the crossover freezes early.
* I would advise against having that blue note in measure 34; it's either a full spin or a melt and I wouldn't recommend either. The same pattern comes back in measure 43.
* There's a few places in the song where the player has to guess which way to take a 2-8 jump, and the wrong way is unpleasant; see measure 47.
* Measure 50 crosses over but never un-crosses, leaving the user in an awkward situation for the upcoming sixteenths.
* I found the first half very fun, but the flaws started to mount towards the end.

Heavy: 7 / 11
* Measures 33 and 34 are exactly duplicated across difficulties, and so is the end.
* For the parts that are different, I have about the same assessment as the challenge, as it plays very similar. But re-using patterns wholesale is just lazy.

Presentation: 2 / 5
* Good graphics
* "Bonus" art, ugh
* Good cut
* Three (?) real charts, and a bunch of auto-gens for random gametypes why?
* Sample ends randomly

Tilt: 2 / 3
I don't feel like putting much effort into tilt, so 2 is the default unless I say otherwise.

----------------------

Maybe: 22 / 30

Heavy: 9 / 11
* I think you could have just started at measure 9 just fine.
* I also would have loved to see a gallop to the vocals in measure 28.
* I like this chart a lot though. I really like the use of short crossover bursts rather than the long death runs and jumpy sections typical of hardcore songs. I'm glad you dodged the trend with a breezy,

fun 8...
* But you labeled it a 9.

Standard: 6 / 11
* The flow on the opening is lacking somewhat. It's like you want the Standard player to play like a faster-footed beginner.
* During the slowdown, trying to simplify the rhtyhms by playing 8th notes that aren't there (when the 16ths are) doesn't fit.
* After the slowdown come some 8th note crossovers. Simple or not, that's hard for Standard. And then come the step-jumps, which are not only hard for Standard, but out of proportion with the rest of the

chart, as if to force a rating of 7 when a 6 is really deserved.
* I thought measures 57-73 were pretty strong, although I'd like to see a bit more turning in a few places.
* But the very end had a few more crossovers and another step-jump, as I already complained about.

Presentation: 4 / 5
* Good graphics
* Good cut
* Four charts
* Sample could be crisper
* CD title
* Challenge is named "Copied from"

Tilt: 3 / 3
I like this song for hardcore, even before this competition. I think it works well.

----------------------

Sheep Grasslands: 16 / 30

Heavy: 7 / 11
* The patterns are generally fun, but they're definitely a bit repetitive. It might be a good idea to pick a song with a bit more meat next time.
* There's a few parts that could use more flow, or are at least really obscure extended crossovers that will end up double-stepped in practice.
* Fadeout ending is weak. Give it a real cut, or at least fade out more strongly and don't step through it.

Standard: 4 / 11
* Remember what I said about repetitive? Now *this* is repetitive. Doing the same thing over and over again is not the right way to make something easier. The rhythms are fine, but the patterns are the same

thing over and over again, or they're awkward. I don't see a player learning good technique from this chart.

Presentation: 3 / 5
* Basic graphics
* Good cut
* Four charts
* Eternal, rambling sample
* Huge title

Tilt: 2 / 3
I don't feel like putting much effort into tilt, so 2 is the default unless I say otherwise.

Other thoughts:
* Jumpin' jack flash with the gas gas gas!

----------------------

Starstrukk: 20 / 30

Heavy: 7 / 11
* I think the best part is the crossovers at the end. Besides that, I found the patterns pretty plain. Passable, but plain.

Standard: 7 / 11
* I like the 824 826 freezes at the end.
* Again, the rest of the patterning is fine but plain.

Presentation: 4 / 5
* OK graphics
* Good cut
* Four 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.

----------------------

Watashi wa Watashi no Michi wo Iku: 18 / 30

Heavy: 6 / 11
* I think you should ease up on the sixteenths - not so much the quantity as the patterning. Not all runs are created equal. 482682 requires multiple swings of the foot fully across the pad; it'd be nicer at

this speed to stick with moving one foot to adjacent pads, like the 82462 pattern a two measures earlier.
* The long random jump section seems just that... random. The rhythms are fine, but the jumps just move about completely randomly, or repeat for no particular reason. I'd like to see some coherence to it.
* That end seems to repeat the exact same patterns forever.
* Ultimately, I find the patterning to be bland. Not awful, but it doesn't stand out to me.

Standard: 7 / 11
* I liked the simplified runs a lot better than the heavy for some reason. Generally, they had good movement and flow.
* Although at the end they devolved into walking back and forth in a few places.

Presentation: 4 / 5
* OK graphics
* Good cut
* Four charts
* Good sample
* CD title
* Could have included Japanese title

Tilt: 1 / 3
* This song makes me throw up in my mouth a little bit, so here's where I exact revenge.

[cpubasic13]

I definitely need to upgrade to a better SM version, but the ones I've tried don't support rolls and that bothers me, since several of the newer files I have done use rolls. And I refuse to use SM4 and its GOD-AWFUL theme/arrows.

Use sm-ssc then. It is SM4 based but has many noteskins (good ones) and is very freaking stable.

[BLueSS]

All scores counted. No more reviews for this sub-bracket will be scored.