Idea for a new single files database

[Mollocephalus]

I was thinking of using MEGA's folder functionalities to set up a simfile database of all the major sim autors and packs until today. A place where you could download the entire folder, or just one file at a time, and each file is labeled as accurately as possible so who's browsing the database knows what's he or she downloading.

something similar to this:



https://mega.co.nz/#F!UdphkJRJ!E3cuYWa5XKE371okXqvg1A

[kommisar]

great idea, but who knows how long they'll be up. people were saying the same thing about megaupload

[Wayward Vagabond]

Worth a try. If it gets taken down then so be it

[lexis_is_icecold24]

Originally Posted by Mollocephalus

...and each file is labeled as accurately as possible so who's browsing the database knows what's he downloading.

Glad to see after so many years that all genders are getting equally recognized in this community ;-;

I like the idea very much, though. After my hard-drive swipe about five years ago, I never picked StepMania back up again because I was too lazy to restart my collection of simfiles. I have been getting in the swing of things lately and got the more major packs from the past through SMO, but another source couldn't hurt ^_^

[Mollocephalus]

Originally Posted by lexis_is_icecold24

Glad to see after so many years that all genders are getting equally recognized in this community ;-;

Would you believe me if i say when i made this post i actually thought about including "he or she" and then forgot about it in the hurry? Sorry about that

[angelheadedhpst]

There's something like this for pad packs. http://divinelegy.com/?portal=simfiles

It'd be nice if something like that existed for other kinds of charts, too!

[Mollocephalus]

I'm not talking about packs, we already have stepmania.net database for that, no? I want a detailed personal folder for each sim artist worth keeping. A lot of single releases are underplayed cause people don't bother downloading them- If you could download, with a single zip file, all of a certain author's files, or pick the ones you miss from an organized list, wouldn't it help?

[Dynam0]

This is an excellent idea but it would take tons of work from someone who knows a thing or two about note-charting (so not me unfortunately). I can see if someone compiled their own folders it would work flawlessly with no misconceptions but there are a lot of note-charters who's folder will be incomplete/under-represented. Even guys like Torrent are still looking for some of their files. This is why you would need someone who knows their shit about note-charting history/obscure files.

I run into this problem a lot when I try and make individual pages on SM wiki for specific charts. I get the majority of my info for these pages on SM song search so when I see stuff like this for instance, I get annoyed. wc's Beat It was released in three different packs with three different difficulties and with no indication of a v2 or edit etc. Unless I actually download each chart and compare them, I have no idea if they are the same or not; and we all know that some charts (mostly old ones) get released as multiple difficulties in different packs but they are the same exact chart. (Cynic's cold pizza, Duk's untitled gabber song etc.).

Then of course, there's the situation where someone releases a chart with the same gfx and even CD-title as another person but edits the actual steps. There's also a much more common thing with collaborative charts like mi40 + baq12's SSB for instance that you'd have to deal with. Obscure charts without a CD-title are an even bigger problem and there are hundreds of them on SM song search; all I can do is make a page like this which doesn't do the chart justice imo. (ps. didn't Rebirth step Endless Dream or..?)

Obviously I'm thinking a little too far ahead but that's the kind of knowledge/dedication you'll need to have to figure some of the more problematic things out. Either way this is a great idea and I'm for it 100%. I've always wished that there was a properly indexed simfile database with no holes/discrepancies in it.

[Mollocephalus]

I've thought about that too. For the time being, having just the major releases and the most proficient sim authors would be fine. Keeping a record of all the variations of a sim file, let alone finding all of its instances, is a ridiculously meticulous and time consuming work - and i wasn't thinking about that either, i personally don't care too much about dumpy unplayable charts from forever ago just for the sake of history. I prefer to have a simfile database with the best stuff available for players who care about playing more than collecting :P

[blindreper1179]

I like this, but I collect files. Mostly for such a reason as if someone is looking for their old charts. Like Dynamo's example above. Playable charts is opinion up to a point, so I think it would be wrong to justify if it should be hosted or not.

[kommisar]

would be even better if people could upload their own stuff to it.

on that topic though, jayce already has a great system like that for pad artists

http://divinelegy.com/?portal=simfiles

[angelheadedhpst]

Originally Posted by Mollocephalus

I want a detailed personal folder for each sim artist worth keeping.

Who's going to be the judge of that? Personal discretion, or use of community vote? Other?

You'll also need lots of input from others, unless you are completely knowledgeable about every simfile artist out there.

Good luck though, this can potentially be a large endeavor.

[Wafles]

I'm personally not a fan of single simfile databases for a few reasons.

1. Downloading single songs has a limited guarantee of quality control. The way you suggested it be organized helps a bit.

2. Inability to play single songs with other people online. This is why I will never download singles. There is no reason a good simfile should not be submitted to a pack in my opinion.

3. You can already search for individual simfiles in packs. You can use the pack search site or the SMO song search, either one works.

[lexis_is_icecold24]

Originally Posted by Mollocephalus

Would you believe me if i say when i made this post i actually thought about including "he or she" and then forgot about it in the hurry? Sorry about that

Haha I would believe because that's exactly what cross my mind when I read it. I only poked fun at it because I realized I notice when I use only 'he' instead of 'he or she', or 'they' for gender neutrality. No need to apologize, though, heheh. Political correctness is the cancer of the internets anyways >_<

[Wayward Vagabond]

Wtf why are there three different beat it? They are probably all the same unless someone changed the file and uploaded it with my cdtitle and gfx.

[blindreper1179]

I love singles. Exclusivemania!

[dAnceguy117]

I really like the idea of each author managing his/her own simfiles. No one person has to put in a ton of work that way, so if MEGA gets taken down in a year, starting over somewhere else wouldn't be too daunting.

[icontrolyourworld]

if we use passwords on rars it's a lot less likely to be taken down

[Arkuski]

Originally Posted by Wafles

I'm personally not a fan of single simfile databases for a few reasons.

1. Downloading single songs has a limited guarantee of quality control. The way you suggested it be organized helps a bit.

2. Inability to play single songs with other people online. This is why I will never download singles. There is no reason a good simfile should not be submitted to a pack in my opinion.

3. You can already search for individual simfiles in packs. You can use the pack search site or the SMO song search, either one works.

It's interesting how this mindset is vastly different than the mindset over at osu!. What would be nice is a central hub built for stepmania, preferably the stepmania website.

[James May]

Originally Posted by Wayward Vagabond

Wtf why are there three different beat it? They are probably all the same unless someone changed the file and uploaded it with my cdtitle and gfx.

Sorry Carlos (rain)

jk <3