ssc/sm/dwi

[Ohaider]

Could someone explain to me how .ssc and .sm and .dwi files work exactly?

From what i understand, SM 3.9 runs .sm and .dwi but NOT .ssc files?

And SM 5 runs all of them

And when i create a file on SM 5, it's ALWAYS a .ssc, but it also includes a .sm file that's the notes, but the BPM is the default (60) and it's pretty much useless.

Can someone explain to me how dwi and sm work and how i can export a file from SM 5 as a .sm or .dwi, instead of a .ssc

Thanks!


Edit: The reason i'm wondering is for files i make, i want to be able to share them with all users of SM, not just the ones with sm 5

[MarioNintendo]

Re: ssc/sm/dwi

I have no idea how they work, to tell the truth, but there is no problem sharing files to users of sm3.9 if you use sm5. The only file that really matters is the .sm, and both engines can both read it and edit it. .dwi is somewhat important to convert charts for the flash player we have at FFR.

.ssc, though, I have no idea what it's for.

[Ohaider]

Re: ssc/sm/dwi

I have no idea how they work, to tell the truth, but there is no problem sharing files to users of sm3.9 if you use sm5. The only file that really matters is the .sm, and both engines can both read it and edit it. .dwi is somewhat important to convert charts for the flash player we have at FFR.

.ssc, though, I have no idea what it's for.

Thanks!! From what i think i remember choof saying, SM5 exports it as a .ssc when you include 196th notes, or change bpm, or warps, or do something that ONLY sm5 can do, that's what i remember atleast

[ddr_f4n]

Re: ssc/sm/dwi

The main differences with each files are the games/programs that read them. BUT you should know that these are what holds all the song info for the game to read, mostly steps too, but also song title, chart difficulty, BPM changes, etc.

.dwi was the format I BELIEVE was used for the old game, Dance With Intesity (hence DWI), which, back then, was the alternative for those with the weakest of computers. It was bare bones of a 4-panel rhythm game.

.sm is the GENERAL stepmania format. It was mostly for SM 3.9 onwards, so SM 5 can read it too. This is probably THE most essential file atm since it works for the old-school players sticking with 3.9, pad players using OpenITG, and SM5 players.

.ssc files are what SM SSC and SM5 uses now though. This is similar to .sm BUT the main difference is that it reads ALL the new features SM5/SSC has. THIS is essential for SM5 if you're adding lifts, difficulty-specific BPM changes, etc.

The BIG thing about .sm/.ssc files are that you can SPECIFICALLY EDIT EITHER in the SM5 editor, through the "Song" and "Step" Timing. Song timing edits .sm, while Step timing edits the .ssc file. This is why you can make seperate BPMs changes for each difficulties in step timing, but NOT song timing (also why the song timing is universal).

In all honesty, the .dwi file is completely useless and you don't need it anymore, since NO ONE ever uses dwi nowadays. Also, .old files are COMPLETELY unnecessary UNLESS you accidentally saved once over an old edit and you want to retrieve it back. It's the last save before the current p.much. But once you're done get rid of em, players don't want to see those. (creates problems with songs not ending immediately because of previous edits going beyond it).

So tl;dr, use .sm for everything, .ssc for SM5 usage, delete .old files and .dwi.

PS: You most likely NEED .sm for .ssc to work anyways.

PSS: ALmost forgot, warps work DIFFERENTLY between .sm and .ssc. Reason is before, warps were read with negative bpms, which is how it works on .sm, but SM5 changed it to work on its own, so if you edit warps in SM5, it'll save in .ssc, but .sm can't read it, but the other way around works, since SM5 can read negative bpms as they convert it to warps.

[MarioNintendo]

Re: ssc/sm/dwi

0_o Holy shit. After so many years, I learn the existence of Dance With Intensity. That actually explains a lot, damn!

[Ohaider]

Re: ssc/sm/dwi

The main differences with each files are the games/programs that read them. BUT you should know that these are what holds all the song info for the game to read, mostly steps too, but also song title, chart difficulty, BPM changes, etc.

.dwi was the format I BELIEVE was used for the old game, Dance With Intesity (hence DWI), which, back then, was the alternative for those with the weakest of computers. It was bare bones of a 4-panel rhythm game.

.sm is the GENERAL stepmania format. It was mostly for SM 3.9 onwards, so SM 5 can read it too. This is probably THE most essential file atm since it works for the old-school players sticking with 3.9, pad players using OpenITG, and SM5 players.

.ssc files are what SM SSC and SM5 uses now though. This is similar to .sm BUT the main difference is that it reads ALL the new features SM5/SSC has. THIS is essential for SM5 if you're adding lifts, difficulty-specific BPM changes, etc.

The BIG thing about .sm/.ssc files are that you can SPECIFICALLY EDIT EITHER in the SM5 editor, through the "Song" and "Step" Timing. Song timing edits .sm, while Step timing edits the .ssc file. This is why you can make seperate BPMs changes for each difficulties in step timing, but NOT song timing (also why the song timing is universal).

In all honesty, the .dwi file is completely useless and you don't need it anymore, since NO ONE ever uses dwi nowadays. Also, .old files are COMPLETELY unnecessary UNLESS you accidentally saved once over an old edit and you want to retrieve it back. It's the last save before the current p.much. But once you're done get rid of em, players don't want to see those. (creates problems with songs not ending immediately because of previous edits going beyond it).

So tl;dr, use .sm for everything, .ssc for SM5 usage, delete .old files and .dwi.

PS: You most likely NEED .sm for .ssc to work anyways.

PSS: ALmost forgot, warps work DIFFERENTLY between .sm and .ssc. Reason is before, warps were read with negative bpms, which is how it works on .sm, but SM5 changed it to work on its own, so if you edit warps in SM5, it'll save in .ssc, but .sm can't read it, but the other way around works, since SM5 can read negative bpms as they convert it to warps.

You are jesus.

Thanks for explaining it all!
The reason i brought this thread up was because i finished a file with a .ssc file and a .sm, and the .ssc was perfectly fine and worked well, but when i took it out and ran it all on the .sm, the BPM was changed back to 60 and it was un synced.

So i just ran it all through 3.9 and got a good .sm, but like you said, save it as a .sm and not .ssc through "song" timing and not "step" timing, how can i do this? I want to be able to have a stable .sm instead of .ssc with the correct syncing and bpm without having to run it through 3.9

[Ohaider]

Re: ssc/sm/dwi

Sorry for double but on SM5 i have it perfectly in sync and working great, off of the .SM

Now, when i load the SAME .SM in 3.9, this happens



Why does the offset change on it's own? It's like it can't be in sync on both 3.9 and 5, i have to have two seperate .SM's containing both the offsets as the same or they'll change on their own. Dafuqing fuq

[ddr_f4n]

Re: ssc/sm/dwi

It's better to use song timing, you do this by pressing T in the editor in SM5. There are plenty OpenITG and SM3.9 users out there, and it's necessary since a lot of packs still stick with it and not the new features of SM5 (yet).

Fun fact, if you start with song timing, and don't play around with step timing first, it'll save it all under step timing too. But if the game starts reading step timing over song timing, just delete the .ssc file and you'll be fine :P

EDIT: Just saw your new post. Yeah it's because you play with step timing after song timing. SM5 tends to read step timing changes OVER song timing changes (if you check song timing you will see it'll be the same offset as in SM3.9)

Once again, just delete the .ssc file, and change it in Song timing.

[Ohaider]

Re: ssc/sm/dwi

God you're a life saver dude, thanks a bunch

SM should be a little more clear about that haha, was clueless!
Thanks loads

[ddr_f4n]

Re: ssc/sm/dwi

After almost a year of SM5, I just started learning it all myself. Honestly I was just as confused when I started, so many features xD

Remember, practice will always help. I still feel like I'm always learning things myself with SM5

[nois-or-e]

Re: ssc/sm/dwi

0_o Holy shit. After so many years, I learn the existence of Dance With Intensity. That actually explains a lot, damn!

You should try stepping a chart with x-step sometime then. (ancient dwi stepping 'software')

[Charlo]

Re: ssc/sm/dwi

You should try stepping a chart with x-step sometime then. (ancient dwi stepping 'software')

I remember XStep! It sucked! But I actually used DWI before switching to SM, though. No idea why.

[skorpion9x]

Re: ssc/sm/dwi

Try stepping a chart in notepad (.dwi)!

[Ohaider]

Re: ssc/sm/dwi

Just downloaded Xstep and what in the..



Download here http://www.tomscott.com/xstep/

[MarioNintendo]

Re: ssc/sm/dwi

Try stepping a chart in notepad (.dwi)!

Always wondered how to do that, actually, but I'm scared to ask I do not want to derail this thread x)