As I've been stating since 2007/2008, Stepmania is NOT dead. It definitely got quieter in that period but at some point activity has picked up not only in simfile artistry but also in competitive rivalry.
Players like Dossar, Isaac, and leonid have been re-defining what a AAAable or even FCable file is. Getting scores that rival or beat Thaor or Wooke's best scores. (Almost There/Gigadelic/Superluminal approach AAAs and Counting Snow/Frictional Nevada for FCs respectively to name a couple)
Alexdest, Puppet, GundamDude, samurai, and I suppose I could include myself have been attaining midare or even Nima-like MA. See Puppet's 0x1311 14 perf or Alexdest's 11 perf Psicicite for that
Then there's Speed/Stamina Gods like Staiain and more recently kaiten whom I never knew ended up being a beast. Destroying Thaor's Blue Planet and getting insane rate scores/passes. The first group of players I listed should be included in this list as well.
The bs alarms aren't raised nearly as much anymore since making vids has become increasingly easy with the evolution of smartphones and such, most players are respected and have all been proven legit from multiple vids, some of which have met in person and played together.
Just to end this blab I will agree the influx in the quantity of stepfiles and packs have definitely increased. However, with the pool of simfiles growing ever larger, so does the number of simfiles that I would consider 'unappealing'. There are almost an infinite number of japanime files of the style that only Zaghurim or Kilga could have hoped to have popularized to this degree now and I don't care too much for them. That being said, many files ARE of high quality and innovation and shouldn't take away from the fact that stepping files is much more refined and mastered.
New techniques? I'm not sure, but there's definitely more stepping in solo (6 keys).
Simfile-wise, StepMania pretty much hit its peak with the release of Dark Chancellors Pack. The same stepping techniques have essentially been recycled in every pack released since then, excluding dumpfiles. Only techniques I can really think of that hasn't been done before would be wc's colour note association (Lord of the Dance in LCP3), my IOSYS vocal theory (Captain Murasa's Ass Anchor in SCP1/FFR & Donations Please in LCP3), and Kommisar's ITG roll usage in his recent files.
There was definitely a bigger emphasis on pre-existing yet unpopular techniques, such as colour note theory, which literally became a present day trend ever since moches and I started using it as part of our stepping styles during the Xoon 4~5 megapack period. People aren't afraid to play around with simfile colourization nowadays, in addition to hold/mine theories.
The biggest difference between present day and the Chancellor era would be the disintegration of elitism created by the Chancellors—simfile making is much more open-minded and friendly compared to before. Frankly, if I didn't disband the Light Chancellors and basically yell at everyone for being elitist douchebags, I think we'd still be carrying the elitist mentality to simfile making and even more people would be leaving the game, lol. Also, the concept of a "4key beginner pack" in StepMania is no longer a myth ever since I started forcing people to make easier charts for their files. It's a small step towards the right direction for problem-solving the real issue at hand, being that more people are leaving than starting the game.
With all due respect, I can wholeheartedly say that simfiles have improved in terms of both quality and quantity. Although, like Dynamo mentioned, there's been a larger influx of JaPaN oriented files ever since the Korean and Japanese StepMania communities (yes they exist) started to integrate themselves in our community. It never ceases to amaze me just how many simfiles I receive whenever I open a new megapack up for submissions, rofl.
Puppet's 0x1311 14 perf or Alexdest's 11 perf Psicicite
that's just nuts
also thanks for the thorough update
Originally posted by Emo_Saur_
wasn't ieat the first guy to AAA Demon Fire? iirc it was on the old "mirror" by rotating the screen and right after av-miss was released to subs only
i think rubix got it during testing but mine was the first to be publicly logged
ah...i remember ghetto mirror, it actually seemed better than normal mirror since it put the huge-ass combo text further away from the receptors
on that note, how's FFR development? since SM is still holding tight, i guess i can assume it's truckin along just fine
@gundam: thanks for the writeup, i find the simfile direction pretty interesting, was definitely more exclusive back then, though i suppose the community as a whole was as well haha
man it was so mindlessly elitist back then, especially the score scene...i still remember everyone would give the ol' shit gauntlet to any new challenger that posted good scores seemingly outta nowhere. rubix...dossar...you name em, we'd pretty much just discard evidence in the name of ego. pretty shit e-drama, looking back. i guess i owe an apology for any related contributions. sorry bros
TOML quad is sicknasty...who's oldcartoon? a new annihilator of all things pointy and colorful? or perhaps i just don't recall the name
EDIT: going to bed for now, nice talking to everyone again, cya in 2015 (j/k)
also obligatory psyduck.jpg (unfortunately i don't even have it anymore)
oldCaartoon is a Chilean SM Player who came out of nowhere sometime during 2010, posting quite some insane scores in the stamina/speed area. Around now, he's been posting some more with accuracy now. He just got back into playing again actually.
Hey ieat, you're dragon avatar that you had for years will always have a place in my heart.
Removed a .gif image so your total signature size isn't well over 1MB. Keep this in mind for the future.
5th Official FFR Tournament Scores (Division 5)
Round 1: Novo Mundo (AAA)
Round 2: 4 Chord Touhou (AAA)
Round 3: October (1.0.0.1)
Round 4: Silly Symphony (1.0.0.0)
Round 5: Hardkore Atomic (4.0.0.1)
Round 6:Blue Rose (2.0.0.0)
Round 7:La Dump (Eliminated for being lazy.)
Originally posted by smartdude1212
EA will wander into his house with twenty minutes remaining in the round, load up FFR, realize he needs to ****, go to do so, discover he's hungry, whip up a gourmet meal, return to FFR with five minutes to go, play la camp once, and missflag on the 2154th arrow because scythe of 13 is watching him
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