Current Concepts For Next Event

Aeronautical Vigilante · 10-13-2006, 02:56 PM

First off, I decided on a tentative name for the next competition.

DDR Original Stepfile Contest 5.9 ~Beta of the new generation~

Why the long fancy subtitle? Basically, this contest, besides having a gimmack of some sort (see below), will feature the first use of the new ruleset.

The competition will be merged DDR and ITG brackets (i.e. open pad style), and separated Keyboard bracket. This will apply even if the final rules for the actual new contest series end up with separate DDR and ITG brackets. Part of this is that I expect entries to be much fewer.

Current possible gimmacks:
* Recreation - A list of OSC1-5 songs will be provided - it will not contain all of them. Basically, the Recreation theme would merge the Remakes Collection concept into a competition, encouraging everyone to remake classics and files that didn't go over so well the first time. This could serve as a jumpstart to actually doing the Remakes Collection, or stand on it's own.
* Other's Selections - When you enter, you write down three songs you'd like to see made. They need to be songs you would reasonably consider simming yourself, and just in case, I'll provide some myself. Then, you claim one song on someone else's list and sim it.
* Mash-Up Duel - You may only enter with self-made mashups of existing songs. At least one of these songs must be from a Bemani game or In The Groove, Pump It Up, or Guitar Hero (1 and 2).
* Neon FM style - the last contest featured Solo, why not make this one center around the 'beatmania key on the floor' layout of Neon FM? (Also, best of luck to the Neon FM team.)
* OUENDAAAAAAAAAAAN~ - AKA "You're gonna hate me for even suggesting this." All simfiles must have animations that tell a story about a squad of (typically male) cheerleaders helping some dude or dudes with the power of DANCE! (If you have ever played Osu! Takate! Ouendan!, you know the format) This does include having a fair break before the steps start to tell the story somewhat, and then having the story go on during the song, possibly with added sound effects to match.

For a video of this concept (as applied in the DS game, this is the hardest song in that game on the hardest difficulty): http://youtube.com/watch?v=qzizUcUGc1Q - note that the assumed animations would mix the top and bottom screens. (If some way to control when the Dancing Characters were on screen were available, that'd be perfect).

discovolante · 10-13-2006, 03:05 PM

I really like "Other's Selections," it has the most potential.
"Recreation" sounds kinda rehashy, although I know people could make good files out of older songs regardless.
"Mash-Up" just has me thinking "Xuxamonium" and saying "NO NO NO."
"OUENDAAAAAAAAAAAN~" doesn't seem like that bad of an idea, as long as someone is providing these ridiculous videos.

#Infinity · 10-13-2006, 03:36 PM

I'm actually quite excited for this event to happen. I've even already got my Recreation simfile made if we end up doing that:

Tunak Tunak Tun

.
The last one was obviously pretty cheesy, but Other Selections sounds awesome.

Patashu · 10-13-2006, 05:29 PM

Well, now I don't have to make two pad files.

The OUENDAAANNN! idea sounds wonderfully eccentric, haha. Love it.

Juub005 · 10-13-2006, 07:06 PM

So this is DDROSC 5.9 ~BONG~

edit: because we all know that the word "of" is capitalized in titles

sinh(Lily) · 10-13-2006, 07:37 PM

NeonFM's the most interesting IMO, as someone said before (forgot where), it'd be fair in the sense that since the layout is "new", we'd all be working out interesting patterns differently.

Mash-up duel will sound both great and stupid. Anyone willing to do that old MAX PINK DINOSAUR?

Xythar · 10-13-2006, 07:41 PM

Can't we just pick a song and step it :/

Well, otherwise I'd go for mashups so I can step SLAKIN' 31 or something.

cpubasic13 · 10-13-2006, 08:42 PM

Recreation - Hiryuu wants to remake Transanity so if you plan to do this recreation idea, make sure that is on there. This would be fun, too.

Other's Selections - Hmm... interesting.

Mash-up - I don't know how to make mash-ups.

Neon FM - Don't know how to make them, but it would be interesting.

Don't know about that last one... >_>

Azure Haights · 10-13-2006, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by discovolante

"OUENDAAAAAAAAAAAN~" doesn't seem like that bad of an idea, as long as someone is providing these ridiculous videos.

3.9, 4.0 or plain video format?

If it's either of the previous (hell, in any case) I won't participate unless the GO screens include j!'s "let's go!" screens from Work It.

Aeronautical Vigilante · 10-14-2006, 01:48 AM

Azure: They could be. Part of the idea is that people would be making their own animations - the only rule is that it has to tell a story. Idiosyncratic appearances and such would fit. (Also, keep in mind it's usually not "go!" - that's actually unique to Insane mode, as are the female cheerleaders.)

I'd say 4.0 animation format just so that there's one format followed.

Also, as a random aside, if anyone can get Macho Man remade for the 4.0 animation format, that'd be awesome.

All five ideas have gotten their supporters and several their naysayers... My analysis:
* Recreation's entire point is 'out with the new, in with the old', as well as 'fix me!'. Unlike some similar past contests (OSC3+), it'd be OSC only BTW, and not all of it. I'm thinking like half of each contest. The disavantage is kinda obvious; nothing really new can be kind of a damper.
* Other's Selections doesn't seem to have particular opposition, though I am afraid of people intentionally choosing songs that are really damned hard to imagine good steps for.
* Mash-Up duel... Well the ideas I've seen so far sound like ear-bleeding. If I get this one, I will so introduce a temporary rules change, not judge, and enter with a remade Healing Vision 300. :P
* Neon FM style would be interesting to say the least. I like the idea of using alternative modes of thinking. The problem is, this mode would inherently limit us to Keyboard or IIDX controllers since only the Neon FM team (IIRC) has Neon FM format pads.
* If it weren't for the fact that we'd need to have a dedicated animations creation team for it probably to help everyone, I would love to do the Ouendan theme. Just, love it. Obviously there'd need to be major major changes from how it looks in Ouendan, but still... The problem however, comes in the animations creation team. It becomes two separate issues. :|

Xythar · 10-14-2006, 03:57 AM

Well, my opinions...

* Recreation: Well, there's a fairly wide range of songs to choose from, but the fact remains that you're doing stuff that people have already seen. Honestly, I don't like remake projects. Part of the reason I participate in stepfile competitions is because I like hearing new music, and a competition composed entirely of rehashes from previous comps probably isn't going to interest me very much.

* Other's Selections is okay, but if I'm going to pick three songs I feel would be good for steps, I'm probably already going to have a predecided notion of how I feel the steps for those songs should go. I think this would add to people's bias when rating them. If I'd pick songs it'd be because I wanted to step them, not because I want some other guy to step them. I'd rather just make sims for the 3 songs and release them normally.

* Mashups could be okay, and I have some good songs to use, but I have plenty of non-mashups that'd make much better files. Add to this that mashups tend to be horrible if you're not experienced in making them - to enter, you'd need to be experienced in stepfile making and audio editing, not just stepfile making. Also, I would say a problem with stepping mashups is that it's difficult sometimes to do without just following one of the songs or making a mess.

* Neon FM would be ok, but gimmicky. We could just shadow them on the floor, but at the same time it's basically the challenge round from OSC5 again. Doesn't feel like a full competition.

* Ouendan would be nice, but it's not feasible at all. Some of the entrants to OSC have a hard enough time just making a banner and BG for themselves, there's no way they'll be able to do animations. Even people who are decent at Photoshop might have some trouble if they can't actually draw. I don't see you getting a lot of takers for this unfortunately.

So yeah, I'm not really all that thrilled about any of them. Personally I'd prefer it if we could just enter stuff, or failing that some kind of general theme that doesn't restrict our choices as much as these, much like DDREx's contest themes.

TakeWalker · 10-14-2006, 07:42 AM

I can really only give my backing to the first two ideas, and I've got to say, Other's Selections really has merit and makes me excited (whereas the Recreation thing is just, "Eh, I wouldn't hate it.") But seeing as I'm no good with graphics, song editing or Neon FM... ing, I'd really hate for one of the others to be chosen. Others really sounds like the best choice.

Sakura Guy · 10-14-2006, 08:43 PM

Yeah Neon FM, Mash-Ups and Ouendan are uunfair to people who are horrible at making animations audio editing and Neom FM-ing

**jammitch!** · 10-14-2006, 10:06 PM

No one's any good at NFM steps - or at least no one has any experience. That's what makes it inherently pretty fair.

sanchny · 10-14-2006, 10:50 PM

I'd only consider entering the first two. I can't do mash-ups, animations and a storyline would be too much work, and Neon FM wouldn't be any fun for me.