Difference between DDR and ITG Stepcharts

[ranatalus]

it seems more to me in ITG that how hard the song is on average is what is used to rate it. Like Destiny Expert. The beginning of the song and the long run in the middle/end area is what make it an 11. If the entire song was that way (like the end of delirium) it would be a 12. If the song was like everything else, it would be a 10. ITG also seems to take difficulty to PA into account.

DDR tends to go by how hard it is at the hardest point and how hard it is to pass on a sight read. Stuff like Cartoon Heroes is pretty easy to BS in comparison to the speed changes in Sakura (which is most likely why CH is a 9 and Sakura is a 10)

[Juub005]

Originally Posted by alphabet55

That would be so cool if that was true, but I don't think it is. I know of parts parts in several challenge songs where you are doing nothing but standing still (on a freeze, for example).

I may be wrong though, or maybe those parts don't count in the general rule?

Well I should've said 8 measures at random, because that would give you a better picture of what the chart is like. What ranatalus said above is basically what I meant.

[Eggman]

ITG goes very heavy on the jumps and step-jumps.

[John.XXIV]

Originally Posted by Eggman

ITG goes very heavy on the jumps and step-jumps.

Haha! I agree. Kind of odd too. The first time I played ITG, I got tired quickly because of the step-jumps.

[Dark Luke]

Technically, "ITG steps" is a superset of "DDR style" steps. All "DDR steps" are ITG style steps but not the other way around. It all depends on the individual stepper's style...

[taboo]

Afraid that last post's a bit over my head. Care to explain?

[Zounder]

Basically, all DDR steps can pass as ITG steps in some way shape or form. Some ITG heavy charts are very DDR-like (Da Roots comes mind, but I haven't played a lot of ITG). However, not all ITG steps can pass as DDR steps (mines, hands, etc.). At least, that was my interpretation of what he said. Makes sense.

[alphabet55]

I'm not sure if I agree with that. To me, DDR uses the same foot to tap two different arrows in a row a lot more than ITG does. DDR also doesn't care as much about the player always naturally facing foreward as ITG does.

[lrxevan]

Originally Posted by alphabet55

I'm not sure if I agree with that. To me, DDR uses the same foot to tap two different arrows in a row a lot more than ITG does. DDR also doesn't care as much about the player always naturally facing foreward as ITG does.

In a game with Up, Down, Left and Right as the four arrows, the only time you are facing forward is if your left foot is on left and your right foot is on right. If that chances, you're facing a different direction, even if it is only for a second.

ITG makes you face left a lot, not forward.

[Asymptote]

Originally Posted by lrxevan

ITG makes you face left a lot, not forward.

Oasis hard lol

[MazriM TaiM]

I'd argue that there are more charts in ITG that force you to flow a lot in order to play the charts. My favorite example of this is Funk Factory Expert...loads of fun to play, and you're pivoting a lot through, which I can't say many DDR songs force me to do much of.

To me, DDR charts usually ignore the music for the most part. You could plunk many stepcharts into other songs than the original one and for the most part it could pass. Stream is a huge thing in DDR, but ITG changes that with following the music much more closely, even in Easy/Medium charts. Some Medium charts follow the music a little too closely for my liking (Energizer and Summer in Belize come to mind simply because they're slightly watered down ideas of the harder charts, not new ideas for a stepchart).

This insistance to follow the music can hurt ITG, but in cases I love it. I'd say the variety of charts in ITG is more interesting to ME, but not everyone likes it. It also means that you can use the music to learn the chart quickly. At the same time there are charts where I wouldn't forsee the step patterns they throw at me (Holy Guacamole Expert is the first thing that came to my mind) Also, there are many charts that make you face left, but then again, people constantly point out the same songs when they talk about that. There are plenty that DON'T, either. I can point out many DDR songs that follow the same old "look at me I can have 40 notes of stream that randomly moves around the pad!", and I was getting tired of it. Maybe I'm weird because I mostly play songs like L'Amour, Tears, Gamelan, Xenon, and so forth on DDR. At the same time I'm down for Holic, Paranoia Survivor, Rhythm and Police, etc. Every song has its perks for certain styles of charts, but let's not overdo one style too much eh?

As for the comment about "looking at any 8 bars of an ITG chart can tell you the difficulty"...well, Determinator Expert would look like a 10 maybe for the most part. Not too much of it makes up the 12 foot portion.

If you play enough ITG, you get the idea of what an ITG chart would "feel" like for a song compared to if it was done for DDR, and it's not hard to pick out what it would best in. This is easy to do even for 7 foot charts.

[ranatalus]

long story short

if you don't understand the differences between the two

you're probably writing ITG steps

ITG steps tend to repeat the same pattern often, even to the point of copying a pattern, pasting it again, and using mirror, or switching two arrows (like up and down, or left and right)

DDR steps tend to create an additional percussion line for the song, while ITG tends to follow exactly what is there

[MazriM TaiM]

Originally Posted by ranatalus

ITG steps tend to repeat the same pattern often, even to the point of copying a pattern, pasting it again, and using mirror, or switching two arrows (like up and down, or left and right)

lol am-3p, holic, kick the can, etc etc

[Juub005]

Originally Posted by MazriM TaiM

lol am-3p, holic, kick the can, etc etc

I would argue that those are songs for which such repetition fits.

[Manator]

OK
Firstly, I am a DDR fan at heart

Here is my take on the differences between DDR and ITG

Besides the obvious of hands, mines, and rolls, you know, the gimmicks, ITG tends to have...more 'accurate' stepping. what I mean, they tend to use an excess of notes higher than the 8th note. They use stuff like 16s and 24s etc etc, as were DDR tends not to use AS many.

That to me, is the ONLY difference. Both games are fun, both have fun and challenging steps, but remember, ITG gears for the hardcore crowd, as were DDR favours to the casual gamer.

I like both, but I love DDR.