Pulsen

[TC_Halogen]

Obviously, people don't understand the purpose of this game. Yeah, it looks like SM5, and yes, you pay for content, which is something that typical SM players aren't used to. However, anyone who is saying it's a "ripoff" off of SM5 obviously isn't aware of the fact that Pulsen is developed by some of the same people who code SM5.

Also, for a person who is interested in a different experience of playing, Pulsen is the way to go too. Previous versions of SM didn't allow for usage of lift steps, in-song attacks (rather than coursing), fake steps (truly fake, without screwing up scoring), a stable unlock system, etc.

It obviously won't cater to anyone who plays really competitive ITG/DDR/PIU/etc., nor will it cater to players on FFR who are capable of playing the highest level files, but it definitely caters to the causal rhythm gamer looking for something new.

[ddr_f4n]

Originally Posted by TC_Halogen

Also, for a person who is interested in a different experience of playing, Pulsen is the way to go too. Previous versions of SM didn't allow for usage of lift steps, in-song attacks (rather than coursing), fake steps (truly fake, without screwing up scoring), a stable unlock system, etc.

I will be perfectly honest.

If new songs didn't require money to obtain, if the layout and especially noteskin looked a lot better (it's fugly, no offense), and if it had new features that SM5 didn't have related to gameplay itself, maybe I would try it out at least.

In-song attacks, fakes, etc are all in the current build of SM5, heck I'm using some of them for my new pack even (tricky mode though, regular difficulties remain the same for r21/r23/3.9 friendly players)

That's just my two cents, but regardless if it's made by the same people who made SM SSC, it just stands out too much as SSC with a new theme and fugly noteskin (are there other noteskins at least?)

[Saturn2888]

Originally Posted by Saturn2888

You are correct, scores currently don’t exist, there’s only a hit or miss points system in place. I’ve setup a scoring system in the dev builds of r0004, but we haven’t fully tested it out yet. I’ll see if I can’t finalize it tonight. The big bulk of the code overhaul to add it in was already done months ago so it shouldn’t pose too much of an issue by this point.

This screen was one of the last parts of the scoring system I needed to implement. Since it wasn't ever designed for the more-traditional scoring system, I spent all afternoon trying to figure out where I could fit it in and how without having to redesign the whole thing from scratch.

Hopefully you guys'll like what I came up with (see attached).

[Saturn2888]

Electrokinesis, did you ever try Holiday Hurricane? If you liked Stormy Weather, Nick N did something really unique in Holiday Hurricane which you'll definitely find surprising.

You said you preferred the Static noteskin. Any preference with the Emphin or Bolden version?

Originally Posted by ddr_f4n

are there other noteskins at least?

There are 7 of those Pulsen arrows and 4 based on shapes. The Souleye pack--currently unreleased--adds in 8 more. We are planning to have even more by the time it releases.

Noteskins are going to be added in over time; we just don't have them all yet since they take quite a while to make.

We're more than willing to take suggestions though; it's easier to prioritize when we know exactly what people are looking for.

[Oni-Paranoia]

Originally Posted by TC_Halogen

Obviously, people don't understand the purpose of this game. Yeah, it looks like SM5, and yes, you pay for content, which is something that typical SM players aren't used to.

You don't describe the purpose, so why point out everyone's pure ignorance?

Also, I'm 99% sure I can mimic most of what Pulsen has to offer with SM5, so I see where everyone is coming from when they complain about paying for something they can obtain for free.

[Jousway]

Originally Posted by Oni-Paranoia

You don't describe the purpose, so why point out everyone's pure ignorance?

Also, I'm 99% sure I can mimic most of what Pulsen has to offer with SM5, so I see where everyone is coming from when they complain about paying for something they can obtain for free.

I'm 99.99% sure

[rushyrulz]

ITT: we talk about an incomplete pay-to-play SM5 based rhythm game.

[Electrokinesis]

Originally Posted by Saturn2888

Electrokinesis, did you ever try Holiday Hurricane? If you liked Stormy Weather, Nick N did something really unique in Holiday Hurricane which you'll definitely find surprising.

I just unlocked all the songs (except whatever other secret charts there are... I got Steel Monster's [my GOD those trills...] and Finite's) but I did enjoy Holiday Hurricane. Took a few plays to start getting used to those fakes. Actually, are some of the bombs fake too? There were a few Bomb+Arrow notes that I hit on my first run that didn't explode or count at all. (this is the highest difficulty chart of the song I'm talking about, to be sure)

Even after having played every song, I keep coming back to Stormy Weather as the most fun, even though it's not the most difficult or anything, it's easily my favorite chart.

Originally Posted by Saturn2888

You said you preferred the Static noteskin. Any preference with the Emphin or Bolden version?

Currently I like Emphin more. Honestly, if you want a simple suggestion for a noteskin, just one that more resembles the classic arrow we all know any love. Could just throw in Delta, but I'll let you guys come up with something. Honestly, I've gotten so used to the current noteskins that it doesn't matter much anymore though.

Originally Posted by i love you

@Salespeople/People who support etc: Feel free to bash me about it. I do not really care lmao

I respect your opinion. I just don't love you as much anymore. </3

Originally Posted by ninjaKIWI

Paying for a video game? Jesus christ that's SO OUT OF LINE.

I KNOW! It seems to be some strange, alien concept for the time before Internet.

Originally Posted by rushyrulz

ITT: we talk about an incomplete pay-to-play SM5 based rhythm game.

You, my friend, are a wealth of knowledge that we could not do without! Thank you for gracing our sensory receptors with your eternal wisdom!

[Choofers]

yo pulsen is pretty bad in terms of concept but Electrokinesis, keep posting

[Electrokinesis]

Originally Posted by Choofers

yo pulsen is pretty bad in terms of concept but Electrokinesis, keep posting

You've posted in this thread more than I have, but go ahead and call me out like that. It obviously means I doing something right. ;P

[Choofers]

i'm serious tho, keep posting the way you do

i am sure you will make internet friends ~_~

[Saturn2888]

Originally Posted by Electrokinesis

I just unlocked all the songs (except whatever other secret charts there are... I got Steel Monster's [my GOD those trills...] and Finite's) but I did enjoy Holiday Hurricane. Took a few plays to start getting used to those fakes. Actually, are some of the bombs fake too? There were a few Bomb+Arrow notes that I hit on my first run that didn't explode or count at all. (this is the highest difficulty chart of the song I'm talking about, to be sure)

Even after having played every song, I keep coming back to Stormy Weather as the most fun, even though it's not the most difficult or anything, it's easily my favorite chart.

Currently I like Emphin more. Honestly, if you want a simple suggestion for a noteskin, just one that more resembles the classic arrow we all know any love. Could just throw in Delta, but I'll let you guys come up with something. Honestly, I've gotten so used to the current noteskins that it doesn't matter much anymore though.

:: CHARTS ::

Those trills in Steel Monster were much-talked about in testing :P. I'm sure Jason would be pleased to hear you say that.

There are spots where there are mines inside of arrows which we refer to as traps. They will explode if you hit them.

Only on the Asteroid chart of Sky Destiny is there a part where mines aren't able to be hit. It's in the later part of the song; I'm sure you know where.

Those bonus charts are scattered around ;p. It's a little bonus to those able to get past the harder stuff.

:: NOTESKINS ::

We actually cannot use Delta; it doesn't work like that ;P. But we've got something in the works so you'll be able to use that one in the future.

Glad you enjoyed the Emphin style. When these were first being made, we decided to have two versions of each because there'd be people that would prefer either one. I personally switch between the two based on how I'm feeling, but I tend to use the shape-styles quite a bit also.

As Electrokinesis and some others requested, you can now save your modifiers even after closing the game. They save on a per-player basis so even if you play on 1 player normally, if you open up a 2 player game, the other player will still have his or her mods saved.

Anything else you guys want, please ask.

Here's a little bit of what you can expect in the next build:

Pulsen Developer Commentary #002

The Speed Mod Sets were made specifically with you guys in mind. Thanks to everyone here for their suggestions and feedback!


Most recent update here (2/19/12)

Magnus Pålsson (Souleye) joined in for the 3rd Pulsen Developer Commentary to talk about his Souleye pack coming out sometime early this year.

The video shows off his new songs in the game and noteskins based off of the characters from VVVVVV

Pulsen Developer Commentary #003

[rushyrulz]

I can understand why you might want to keep this thread alive, but a quadruple post over the course of a month is usually a tell-tale sign that this community is no longer interested in the thread. Also, a blatant forum rule infraction to the max.

[PriestREA]

Originally Posted by rushyrulz

I can understand why you might want to keep this thread alive, but a quadruple post over the course of a month is usually a tell-tale sign that this community is no longer interested in the thread. Also, a blatant forum rule infraction to the max.

Indeed. If you wanted to make updates and developments regarding the game, a simple "EDIT:" would have sufficed. I'm sure, as Rushy said the community is no longer interested in the thread. Notwithstanding the forgoing, if there was interest in the thread, someone would have long ago noticed your edit.

For the sake of reading what this thread has had to offer, I was extremely disappointed with the concept of Pulsen. The design has mimicked SM5 all too closely and for that reason, will continue to hinder the development of this game. Sure, it does give starting players a different perspective on rhythm gaming, but so does SM. Simple songs and lower level charts aren't exclusive to pulsen, and I can assure you, there are hundreds of packs available for SM that can give lower level players (myself included) a good chance at developing better skills in the long run. For the more advanced players and the FFR "elite" community (D4 and up), Pulsen plateaus all too quickly at a set difficulty and does not push into more advanced and technical files (from what I've seen). It's just not a game that many players may be willing to invest into. SM has thousands upon thousands of packs ready for all skill levels, the solo, pump, double game modes (not sure if I've seen them in Pulsen, didn't pay much attention to that attribute) to enhance and make the game more difficult for those who want more.

Yes, charging for a video game is COMPLETELY understandable, but when the big competitors (FFR, SM and Thirdstyle) charge nothing to access their services, it puts Pulsen at a loss. Even ITG and DDR can be found free (their songs at least). Cabinets do cost anywhere between $3,000 to $7,000+, but you pay for the actual machine and work put into it. Paying money for addons is ridiculous in my opinion. Take Call of Duty for example, they charged $15 for useless map packs that didn't enhance the game. They also charged users $70 for MW2.5, which boasted "surreal gameplay" and "everlasting multiplayer experiences". Unfortunately, the users didn't agree, as the game suffered generally unfavorable ratings on Metacritic.

I apologize for the long and overdrawn post, but I found it necessary to bring the reality (as I see it) to light.

[psychoangel691]

Originally Posted by PriestREA

Indeed. If you wanted to make updates and developments regarding the game, a simple "EDIT:" would have sufficed. I'm sure, as Rushy said the community is no longer interested in the thread. Notwithstanding the forgoing, if there was interest in the thread, someone would have long ago noticed your edit.

As long as he's making relevant posts he's doing nothing wrong. Maybe you guys aren't interested but that doesn't mean there aren't others that are. Not everyone that reads things posts in threads make reply posts. There are TONS of people on FFR that never post. It's like the same few people you always see posting in the forums.

Also an edit wouldn't have been sufficient because no one would have known a new post was made.

[Mau5]

Just make a Pulsen theme
?

[Saturn2888]

Originally Posted by PriestREA

Indeed. If you wanted to make updates and developments regarding the game, a simple "EDIT:" would have sufficed. I'm sure, as Rushy said the community is no longer interested in the thread. Notwithstanding the forgoing, if there was interest in the thread, someone would have long ago noticed your edit.

For the sake of reading what this thread has had to offer, I was extremely disappointed with the concept of Pulsen. The design has mimicked SM5 all too closely and for that reason, will continue to hinder the development of this game. Sure, it does give starting players a different perspective on rhythm gaming, but so does SM. Simple songs and lower level charts aren't exclusive to pulsen, and I can assure you, there are hundreds of packs available for SM that can give lower level players (myself included) a good chance at developing better skills in the long run. For the more advanced players and the FFR "elite" community (D4 and up), Pulsen plateaus all too quickly at a set difficulty and does not push into more advanced and technical files (from what I've seen). It's just not a game that many players may be willing to invest into. SM has thousands upon thousands of packs ready for all skill levels, the solo, pump, double game modes (not sure if I've seen them in Pulsen, didn't pay much attention to that attribute) to enhance and make the game more difficult for those who want more.

Yes, charging for a video game is COMPLETELY understandable, but when the big competitors (FFR, SM and Thirdstyle) charge nothing to access their services, it puts Pulsen at a loss. Even ITG and DDR can be found free (their songs at least). Cabinets do cost anywhere between $3,000 to $7,000+, but you pay for the actual machine and work put into it. Paying money for addons is ridiculous in my opinion. Take Call of Duty for example, they charged $15 for useless map packs that didn't enhance the game. They also charged users $70 for MW2.5, which boasted "surreal gameplay" and "everlasting multiplayer experiences". Unfortunately, the users didn't agree, as the game suffered generally unfavorable ratings on Metacritic.

I apologize for the long and overdrawn post, but I found it necessary to bring the reality (as I see it) to light.

I appreciate your feedback regardless of the size!

In your opinion, how is a resemblance to SM5 harmful to the project?

You’re right, Pulsen is definitely more pad- and introductory- focused than keyboard. The majority of people working on the game aren’t keyboard players or aren’t familiar with keyboard charts enough to make a high-quality keyboard pack.

Thanks to your post, I’m pushing that part of the project further. We’ve had plenty of people message eager to make keyboard charts for Pulsen, and we’ve already got someone working on it. All we have to do now is get more people and a pack can release fairly quickly.

Any sort of input you or anyone else on FFR can provide us on what keyboard-specific features you’d like to see in Pulsen would help us make a better game designed specifically for your needs.

Because of the online system, we haven’t released anything new for a while so I can definitely understand the speculation on the lack of Double and Story mode. In the meantime, the Pulsen Developer Commentary videos preview some of what we’re working on behind the scenes.

I agree, most DLC systems don’t work because they are overcharging or doing something shady like selling you the last chapter of the game for an extra $10 on the $60 you already paid. This isn’t what we’re after.

Our decision to not charge $50 for a game bundle and instead allow people to pick what they want from a free game was definitely a hard one. It took us quite a while to adjust to the notion that any code we put in we wouldn’t be making back on, but we’re happy with the choice we made and the possibilities it allows in terms of lower prices, more-specific releases, and personalization of the game as we release more packs.

Thanks for your feedback and I hope to hear more from this forum!,
-- Kevin G

[PriestREA]

Originally Posted by Saturn2888

I appreciate your feedback regardless of the size!

In your opinion, how is a resemblance to SM5 harmful to the project?

You’re right, Pulsen is definitely more pad- and introductory- focused than keyboard. The majority of people working on the game aren’t keyboard players or aren’t familiar with keyboard charts enough to make a high-quality keyboard pack.

Thanks to your post, I’m pushing that part of the project further. We’ve had plenty of people message eager to make keyboard charts for Pulsen, and we’ve already got someone working on it. All we have to do now is get more people and a pack can release fairly quickly.

Any sort of input you or anyone else on FFR can provide us on what keyboard-specific features you’d like to see in Pulsen would help us make a better game designed specifically for your needs.

Because of the online system, we haven’t released anything new for a while so I can definitely understand the speculation on the lack of Double and Story mode. In the meantime, the Pulsen Developer Commentary videos preview some of what we’re working on behind the scenes.

I agree, most DLC systems don’t work because they are overcharging or doing something shady like selling you the last chapter of the game for an extra $10 on the $60 you already paid. This isn’t what we’re after.

Our decision to not charge $50 for a game bundle and instead allow people to pick what they want from a free game was definitely a hard one. It took us quite a while to adjust to the notion that any code we put in we wouldn’t be making back on, but we’re happy with the choice we made and the possibilities it allows in terms of lower prices, more-specific releases, and personalization of the game as we release more packs.

Thanks for your feedback and I hope to hear more from this forum!,
-- Kevin G

Touching upon the topic of resemblance to SM5, people may think that the game is just another cheap copy (i.e. PIU vs. ITG or DDR). As much as rhythm games are set in stone about design (all dance games revolve around hitting arrows at the correct intervals), there may be something that distinguishes Pulsen from the competitors. For example, Stepmania's wide variety of themes and thousands of songs have branded it as a big fish in this genre. If I may bring other games into light: whenever I see games like Call of Duty come out, I find it a ripoff (based on the price). However, even though it's an FPS like many other games out there. But it's the fast paced, quick witted players that make the community (the nine-year-olds more or less; they make good trash material). This is the reason many people suck it up and pay the $15 for DLC, because they know Call of Duty is Call of Duty. Not many other FPS's are so fast paced. For example, Battlefield (another disappointing release), is a wide open game and focuses on the tactics required to be triumphant in battle vs. the rushing and "cheesing". The same goes for RTS's like Warcraft and SC.

I believe if you find a habitable niche for Pulsen to operate within, it could make a larger (and more positive) presence in the rhythm gaming community. Halogen made it clear that Pulsen really does utilize actual fake steps and lift steps in charts. I don't know what Pulsen can do that makes it unique, but everyone says when one door closes, another one opens. Surely there has to be something nobody has thought of yet. When you come across that unique idea, people will treat the DLC of Pulsen seriously.

I see you have thought of a story mode? That could be a wonderful introduction to Pulsen. The addition of some courses, just like SM could also be wonderful. But maybe add a few more modifiers, those little things could make a big difference. Stepmania truly has left a tough path to follow, but with a little time and brainstorming, Pulsen can be a big contender in rhythm gaming.

I have to bring games like Guitar Hero and Rockband up now that I think of it. Guitar Hero came first, and although it's stil viewed as the best "band/music" game out there, Rockband still brought heat. The DLC, the revamped story mode, the new additions like customizing a character and managing a band's success is something Guitar Hero never made a reality.

That's all I can input right now, I've rambled on enough. I hope Pulsen really does turn out well, the criticism here is just so we don't see a game come to light and crash (see: Big Rigs off the Road Racing).

[Saturn2888]

Originally Posted by PriestREA

Touching upon the topic of resemblance to SM5, people may think that the game is just another cheap copy (i.e. PIU vs. ITG or DDR). As much as rhythm games are set in stone about design (all dance games revolve around hitting arrows at the correct intervals), there may be something that distinguishes Pulsen from the competitors. For example, Stepmania's wide variety of themes and thousands of songs have branded it as a big fish in this genre. If I may bring other games into light: whenever I see games like Call of Duty come out, I find it a ripoff (based on the price). However, even though it's an FPS like many other games out there. But it's the fast paced, quick witted players that make the community (the nine-year-olds more or less; they make good trash material). This is the reason many people suck it up and pay the $15 for DLC, because they know Call of Duty is Call of Duty. Not many other FPS's are so fast paced. For example, Battlefield (another disappointing release), is a wide open game and focuses on the tactics required to be triumphant in battle vs. the rushing and "cheesing". The same goes for RTS's like Warcraft and SC.

I believe if you find a habitable niche for Pulsen to operate within, it could make a larger (and more positive) presence in the rhythm gaming community. Halogen made it clear that Pulsen really does utilize actual fake steps and lift steps in charts. I don't know what Pulsen can do that makes it unique, but everyone says when one door closes, another one opens. Surely there has to be something nobody has thought of yet. When you come across that unique idea, people will treat the DLC of Pulsen seriously.

I see you have thought of a story mode? That could be a wonderful introduction to Pulsen. The addition of some courses, just like SM could also be wonderful. But maybe add a few more modifiers, those little things could make a big difference. Stepmania truly has left a tough path to follow, but with a little time and brainstorming, Pulsen can be a big contender in rhythm gaming.

I have to bring games like Guitar Hero and Rockband up now that I think of it. Guitar Hero came first, and although it's stil viewed as the best "band/music" game out there, Rockband still brought heat. The DLC, the revamped story mode, the new additions like customizing a character and managing a band's success is something Guitar Hero never made a reality.

That's all I can input right now, I've rambled on enough. I hope Pulsen really does turn out well, the criticism here is just so we don't see a game come to light and crash (see: Big Rigs off the Road Racing).

Thanks again for your comments!

Originally, Pulsen was going to use SM5 only for all changes to the codebase. Since around May 2011 we forked the code and have made hundreds of Pulsen-specific changes. Sadly, I’m not too good at remembering all of them like Jason, but we’ve practically re-coded most the game already.

When Story comes out, it’ll have a lot crazy features ^_^! Our original course idea for the Pulsen EX pack, was integrated into Story and a course mode was scrapped in favor of chart-specific effects.

The Nyan Cat charts are a bit special in Pulsen, but there’s more like that in Pulsen: Ultra I and in later packs like the upcoming Souleye one. If you wanna see some of those things, look at My Frank Soul in the Pulsen Developer Commentary #003 video.

One of the major differences in Pulsen is you can make a suggestion, and we’ll look at implementing it. I mean, sure I have my own list of things I’d like to put in the game, but what really matters is what players want. With the feedback we get, we can better-design the game for those playing it.

If you have any suggestions of your own, toss ‘em over!

I thought we had quite the list of modifiers because people are telling us we have too many. What kinds of mods would you like to see in that aren’t already there?

Because you asked about it, I would like to hear from everyone.
What would you like to see in a Pulsen keyboard pack?
- How many songs per pack?
- What kind of songs would you like to see? Would songs from Pulsen’s DLC packs work?
- How long would you like the songs or cuts of the songs?
- Around what difficulty are people looking for?
- Does it specifically matter who’s designing the charts?

[Saturn2888]

Some people noted they didn't like the arrow noteskins included in Pulsen.

From everything we've seen, all of the complaints stem from the shape itself and only the shape. Because of this, we began work on a new one which you'll be able to choose in-game in a later patch.

Right now we're in the design process and would like to hear what you think about these: