3 Questions.

[justin_ator]

Okay, the first one is simple, and I was curious. Does anyone know why Dragonforce won't allow us to use their music?

2. Layering. Patashu, you could be a big help here. I suck at layering all in one chart. Would it be worth the trouble to step different things in different charts, then just transfer arrows manually into the final chart to make the whole thing? For example, stepping drums in one chart, guitar in another, and vocals/harmonics/etc. in another, then combining them manually? And to clean up the mess of the simfiles just save the .sm and .dwi elsewhere, remove the song, and then re-upload the song and move the .sm and .dwi into the song folder as the final copy? Is there an easier way outside of stepping the whole thing in one chart?

3. Offset. Assuming I would submit the file to Tass for FFR, should offset be set to a couple of extra seconds before the song, to give the READY! time to dissapear? Or should the offset keep the first beat with the start of the song? I'm sort of lost on this one.

Thanks anyone for your help!

Come on, I know you can help Jimerax...

[jimerax]

1. because they need royalty I guess.
2. you have to manually combine. step the main layer(instrument) first with some music relevant patterns, then add another layer without losing consistency in the same chart.
3. don't step the first 2 sec of the music for FFR sims.

[justin_ator]

What do you mean "add another layer"?

[Patashu]

the verb phrase 'adding a layer' refers to adding steps in a stepchart that follow a particular instrument, coinciding with the step patterns of any already existing layer.

So let's say I have two instruments, a bass drum every 4th and a melody playing 16ths. Layering them would produce patterns like this

xx..
..x.
...x
x...
.x.x
..x.
x...
.x..
x..x
..x.
.x..
..x.
xx..

etc

As for stepping things out in separate charts...well, you certainly can if you like. F5 and F6 are there to quickly switch. If you're not confident with your ability to track everything while layering, feel free to do that first. Another way you can try, the way I did it when I first started out layering, was to pick a column and step an instrument's arrows on only that column, then repeat for up to four instruments. It didn't allow for PR until after it was arranged but it was a very quick way to show the jump/triple press patterns a layering decision would produce.

[justin_ator]

Okay, thanks for the help guys.