Question about the gameplay..

[irn00b]

I have been playing StepMania for about 2 days or so and I can beat pretty much every standard song on Heavy and 2x or 3x speed but I struggle with songs that seem to have a high "voltage" level. So I would like to know what voltage means in the game.

For example, from the StepMix contest the song ViennaCore (song can be found here) I struggle on Heavy and I practically score nothing at the "voltage" part.. As you can see:

Click

Also, I seem to find songs easier when they are speed up. I think this is because there is more space between the arrows so that I can see which ones I have to press first (reactions aren't really a problem).

Then I wanted to download some other songs and I downloaded Quasar, PacMan and Hellbeat and I couldn't last any longer than 3-4 seconds or so.

So my next question is: is it possible to play a song like Hellbeat/Quasar/PacMan without key memorization? Because it seems pretty much impossible to me.

Thanks in advance.

[JKPolk]

Re: Question about the gameplay..

Answer to your last question is: yes.
I haven't mem'd Quasar, it's mostly still sightreading to me, but I've pulled an A on Oni.

[TheRapingDragon]

Re: Question about the gameplay..

Actually, I think Voltage is based on the most dense part of the song.

In other words, if you have a song with nothing but easy steps the whole time, but then a quick 3 seconds of 64th notes, the voltage would be all the way up, while everything else wouldn't.

There is your answer.

Also, yes, it is possible to do songs like hellbeat and quasar, I've AAA'd quasar heavy and AA'd Challenge. I don't play FFR but Shash can probably FC hellbeat.

[irn00b]

Re: Question about the gameplay..

Wow.. You must have some really gosu skillz to play such songs solely by reading the arrows.. Well, I guess I'll find it out eventually because I do notice some songs I found impossible at first (I remember seeing Super Trouper as impossible on heavy, now it is AAA'd with zero key memorization).

[Shashakiro]

Re: Question about the gameplay..

I FC'd Hellbeat, yeah.

And no one really ever memorizes everything...it's all from reading.

[irn00b]

Re: Question about the gameplay..

Click

You cannot possibly tell me he "reads" this?

[TheRapingDragon]

Re: Question about the gameplay..

Yes, he is reading it. There are faster things than that.

[Afrobean]

Re: Question about the gameplay..

Click

You cannot possibly tell me he "reads" this?

That's about the equivalent to ~240 BPM 16ths. Difficult to read, I'm sure, but not impossible.

Also, those patterns are just about the easiest patterns to stream.

[Patashu]

Re: Question about the gameplay..

That's about the equivalent to ~240 BPM 16ths. Difficult to read, I'm sure, but not impossible.

Also, those patterns are just about the easiest patterns to stream.

It's actually only 225 BPM.

And while songs like this can be done without memorization, you will be required to be familiar; that is, knowing roughly when and where certain things happen, but not exactly how the entire song looks. Knowing density of steps, when gallops/triplets/streams/air pop up, etc

[irn00b]

Re: Question about the gameplay..

And while songs like this can be done without memorization, you will be required to be familiar; that is, knowing roughly when and where certain things happen, but not exactly how the entire song looks. Knowing density of steps, when gallops/triplets/streams/air pop up, etc

Yeh familiar is ok but I thought it was needed to remember every single key etc.

Anyway, that's awesome xD

[Afrobean]

Re: Question about the gameplay..

It's actually only 225 BPM.

155*1.5=232.5

I rounded the BPM up to 160 in my previous estimate.