[RELEASE] FFR Community Pack 2025

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  • Lights
    Spooky Password: Demon6
    Community Manager
    Event Staff
    FFR Simfile Author
    Global Moderator
    • Jun 2020
    • 440

    #1

    [RELEASE] FFR Community Pack 2025







    Hey! woah! wow! Delayed no longer, the 2025 FFR Community Pack is here! Featuring 61 banger files from stepartists new and (very) old and spanning the full spectrum of difficulty, there should be something here for everyone to enjoy. Files are best played on the most recent version of Etterna, however most entries should also be able to be enjoyed through FFR's file browser as well.

    I want to give a big thank you to everyone involved with making this possible as well as everyone that waited patiently while i twiddled my thumbs for an entire year.

    Credits


    Graphics:
    Velocity & Zyxel

    Simfile QA:
    goldstinger, Velocity, Storn42, and like half a dozen others who gave me feedback along the way

    Stepartists:
    Elite Ninja, M0nkeyz, Xelnya, Storn42, gold stinger, Tru, Ambi, Velocity, Deamerai, Pizza69, basicdrummerman, Misrule, Zyxel, Lambdadelta, jh05013, TheTrueXfish, samurai7694, ositzxz369, Wind0ze, jacobvl39, Devonin, Creosm, EppuJoloZ, Jade5, choof, nobody_serenity, Kairon, and everyone else who submitted a file- even if it didn't end up making the cut
    Last edited by Lights; 10-24-2025, 07:01 PM.
  • Jade5_
    FFR Player
    • Apr 2022
    • 66

    #2
    Re: [RELEASE] FFR Community Pack 2025

    pack

    Comment

    • UnityBoi
      Mindblock Master
      • Jul 2021
      • 42

      #3
      Re: [RELEASE] FFR Community Pack 2025

      pack

      Comment

      • NotSpiralingEnough
        Minijacks Do Not Exist
        • Aug 2021
        • 160

        #4
        Re: [RELEASE] FFR Community Pack 2025

        paq

        Comment

        • RenaPlatinak2
          FFR Veteran
          • Jul 2022
          • 57

          #5
          Re: [RELEASE] FFR Community Pack 2025

          Pacote

          Comment

          • EppuJoloZ
            Resident Goat
            Event Staff
            FFR Simfile Author
            FFR Music Producer
            • Oct 2017
            • 287

            #6
            Re: [RELEASE] FFR Community Pack 2025

            paq
            ‎‎‎‎
            ㅤㅤ
            Originally posted by rayword45
            finland doesnt exist
            Originally posted by Dinglesberry
            I take your Dance Praise and raise it a Guitar Praise

            Comment

            • storn42
              RIP Storn D0-D0
              FFR Simfile Author
              • Jun 2012
              • 3473

              #7
              Re: [RELEASE] FFR Community Pack 2025

              paq
              Last edited by storn42; 10-21-2025, 08:18 AM. Reason: test


              Originally posted by Xiz
              "I think storn is town but he doesn't have a shirt on" - Roundbox
              Originally posted by the sun fan
              I have beat my meat to storn's posts no less than four times


              Originally posted by ShadoWolfe


              Comment

              • Zyxel
                Event Staff
                Event Staff
                • Feb 2023
                • 194

                #8
                Re: [RELEASE] FFR Community Pack 2025

                PAQ YAYYYYYY

                Making stuff, check it out https://linktr.ee/helious_creative



                Comment

                • jh05013
                  oh hi
                  Event Staff
                  FFR Simfile Author
                  • Nov 2013
                  • 290

                  #9
                  Re: [RELEASE] FFR Community Pack 2025

                  peak
                  mumei.sm: the minipack

                  Comment

                  • loftyb
                    Dump Judge
                    • Mar 2020
                    • 118

                    #10
                    Re: [RELEASE] FFR Community Pack 2025

                    FFR 2025
                    ~~Sexy~~Sassy~~Skilled~~

                    Comment

                    • Zeta
                      Substrata
                      FFR Simfile Author
                      • Aug 2020
                      • 21

                      #11
                      Re: [RELEASE] FFR Community Pack 2025

                      tl;dr: This release doesn't carry the spirit or quality of prior FFR Community Packs. The name promises a continuation of a highly respected series -- the restrictions, communication, QA, and presentation don't come close to earning it.

                      Calling this "FFR Community Pack 2025" insinuates continuity with a series known for tight curation, polished graphics, clean organization, and thoughtful presentation. That name sets a high bar, it tells people what kind of experience to expect. This feels disconnected from that legacy. The curation is scattered to absolute fuck, the visuals feel like placeholders, and the overall pack doesn't feel even in the slightest like a proper successor. If the intent was to do something different (lighter process, looser standards, quicker turnaround) then own that and pick a different name. This leaned on the reptuation of the earlier packs and delivered something that doesn't match what that label has historically meant.

                      The pack's organization is entirely unacceptable by any standard. Not just by the standard set by past FFRCPs, but by literally any other pack's baseline. There was no coherent structure, no clear ownership, and communication was ad-hoc at best. There have been shitpost packs in recent years that managed tighter coordination and clearer expectations. If these packs can keep a clean flow of information and files, a flagship "FFR Community Pack 2025" has absolutely no excuse.

                      That disorganization had real consequences. At least one chart that was intended to be pulled stayed in the release, and some charts that were meant to be included were accidentally omitted. This is not only an extraordinarily bad mistake, but I can't think of a single pack that has made either of those mistakes before. Worse, even after these issues were raised, no corrective patch with the proper songlist has been issued.

                      From the announcement: "Holds, Mines, etc. are allowed… [but] the pack is meant to be playable in its entirety through the FFR file loader."
                      For an Etterna release, doesn't it feel quite limited to narrow the creative space that usually makes these kinds of packs more interesting? Things like minedodge, x-mod, hold tech, fun gimmicks. The strange-but-fun stuff earlier FFRCPs didn't shy away from. If the target is FFR compatibility, then run a normal FFR batch and let an Etterna pack breathe. You can't claim "most fiffertastic pack in years" and then clip the wings that make packs like this interesting.

                      Similarly: "Only one difficulty per file is allowed."
                      Past community packs often had multiple difficulties because that's how you serve a broad playerbase and showcase multiple interpretations. The response I received when voicing this concern: "are you volunteering to go through the additional submissions?" misses the forest for the trees. If the scope is too big, scale it down, recruit more judges (which was done), or phase the release. Don't remove the parts that make community packs rich just to make shit easier for yourself.

                      Originally planned for January 1, 2025. There was a June update that moved the target to September 1, and then... nothing. No announcement that it would actually drop on October 20. If you hype something as "the most fiffertastic pack in years," you owe the community basic visibility: what changed, what you're doing about it. Radio silence disappoints, erodes trust and kills momentum. Even a short monthly post would've gone a long way toward keeping expectations calibrated.

                      Beyond the silence, the drop itself was out of literal nowhere -- no lead-up, no hype, nothing. It just appeared. That kind of release can maybe work for some concepts, but not for a pack that's meant to carry this label and rally the community.

                      Some chart inclusions are genuinely puzzling given the stated standards. Files that feel under-reviewed, or that plainly shipped with fixes still not addressed. That’s a quality control problem, not a taste disagreement. On presentation, templated per-file graphics read as "no graphics," and the overall look lands more like a WIP folder than a release.

                      There are good charts in here -- some people clearly put work in. But they're very unfortunately boxed into a rushed, undercooked release wearing a legacy title it doesn't match. As a successor to the earlier community packs, this is a complete letdown. As a proof of concept for "community energy," it undersells what the community can actually do.

                      What would have helped:
                      - Rename if it's not actually continuing the series.
                      - Allow multiple difficulties (or use some sort of pipeline that can handle it, unlike FFR).
                      - Regular, honest status updates during delays.
                      - Enforcing QA instead of lowering standards to get more charts accepted.
                      - Actual effort in presentation so charts feel finished, not like placeholders.

                      I wanted this pack to land. The concept was solid, the execution was not.
                      Last edited by Zeta; 10-22-2025, 05:18 PM.

                      Comment

                      • Wind0ze
                        ÿþ
                        FFR Simfile Author
                        • Sep 2016
                        • 97

                        #12
                        Re: [RELEASE] FFR Community Pack 2025

                        I'll drop my quick two cents here too.

                        Quality of the pack compared to previous FFR pack releases aside, the pack's organization/communication was poor by any pack standard and resulted in some severe mistakes that could have been easily avoided. As Zeta said, there was no updates in the past 4+ months. Not even a release date. I had already released an updated version of my "Kono Hoshi de..." chart in another pack because I assumed this one was dead after all of the radio silence and constant delays, and would have formally pulled it if I knew it was going to actually release.

                        When I let Lights know about this, all I got in response was a skull emoji. I think it's reasonable to interpret that as an indicator that this wasn't taken seriously as an issue, even though it's an unprecedented mistake for a pack as Zeta said. I can only imagine that the charts missing from the pack that I've heard about have been treated with the same apathy. Hopefully there's a change in perspective and the pack gets a post-release fix with the proper charts.
                        Last edited by Wind0ze; 10-22-2025, 06:50 PM. Reason: Tried to be a bit less negative while still getting my point across about the communication issues.
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                        Comment

                        • Coolboyrulez0
                          VICES
                          FFR Simfile Author
                          FFR Music Producer
                          • Aug 2006
                          • 10042

                          #13
                          Re: [RELEASE] FFR Community Pack 2025

                          You guys bring up serious concerns, and I think they come across as empathetic and sincere.
                          Unfortunately, I will skull emoji react you. Good day.
                          https://soundcloud.com/cbrbreakcore
                          https://cbrrecords.bandcamp.com/

                          Comment

                          • Lights
                            Spooky Password: Demon6
                            Community Manager
                            Event Staff
                            FFR Simfile Author
                            Global Moderator
                            • Jun 2020
                            • 440

                            #14
                            Re: [RELEASE] FFR Community Pack 2025

                            Originally posted by Zeta
                            tl;dr: This release doesn't carry the spirit or quality of prior FFR Community Packs. The name promises a continuation of a highly respected series -- the restrictions, communication, QA, and presentation don't come close to earning it.

                            Calling this "FFR Community Pack 2025" insinuates continuity with a series known for tight curation, polished graphics, clean organization, and thoughtful presentation. That name sets a high bar, it tells people what kind of experience to expect. This feels disconnected from that legacy. The curation is scattered to absolute fuck, the visuals feel like placeholders, and the overall pack doesn't feel even in the slightest like a proper successor. If the intent was to do something different (lighter process, looser standards, quicker turnaround) then own that and pick a different name. This leaned on the reptuation of the earlier packs and delivered something that doesn't match what that label has historically meant.

                            The pack's organization is entirely unacceptable by any standard. Not just by the standard set by past FFRCPs, but by literally any other pack's baseline. There was no coherent structure, no clear ownership, and communication was ad-hoc at best. There have been shitpost packs in recent years that managed tighter coordination and clearer expectations. If these packs can keep a clean flow of information and files, a flagship "FFR Community Pack 2025" has absolutely no excuse.

                            That disorganization had real consequences. At least one chart that was intended to be pulled stayed in the release, and some charts that were meant to be included were accidentally omitted. This is not only an extraordinarily bad mistake, but I can't think of a single pack that has made either of those mistakes before. Worse, even after these issues were raised, no corrective patch with the proper songlist has been issued.

                            From the announcement: "Holds, Mines, etc. are allowed… [but] the pack is meant to be playable in its entirety through the FFR file loader."
                            For an Etterna release, doesn't it feel quite limited to narrow the creative space that usually makes these kinds of packs more interesting? Things like minedodge, x-mod, hold tech, fun gimmicks. The strange-but-fun stuff earlier FFRCPs didn't shy away from. If the target is FFR compatibility, then run a normal FFR batch and let an Etterna pack breathe. You can't claim "most fiffertastic pack in years" and then clip the wings that make packs like this interesting.

                            Similarly: "Only one difficulty per file is allowed."
                            Past community packs often had multiple difficulties because that's how you serve a broad playerbase and showcase multiple interpretations. The response I received when voicing this concern: "are you volunteering to go through the additional submissions?" misses the forest for the trees. If the scope is too big, scale it down, recruit more judges (which was done), or phase the release. Don't remove the parts that make community packs rich just to make shit easier for yourself.

                            Originally planned for January 1, 2025. There was a June update that moved the target to September 1, and then... nothing. No announcement that it would actually drop on October 20. If you hype something as "the most fiffertastic pack in years," you owe the community basic visibility: what changed, what you're doing about it. Radio silence disappoints, erodes trust and kills momentum. Even a short monthly post would've gone a long way toward keeping expectations calibrated.

                            Beyond the silence, the drop itself was out of literal nowhere -- no lead-up, no hype, nothing. It just appeared. That kind of release can maybe work for some concepts, but not for a pack that's meant to carry this label and rally the community.

                            Some chart inclusions are genuinely puzzling given the stated standards. Files that feel under-reviewed, or that plainly shipped with fixes still not addressed. That’s a quality control problem, not a taste disagreement. On presentation, templated per-file graphics read as "no graphics," and the overall look lands more like a WIP folder than a release.

                            There are good charts in here -- some people clearly put work in. But they're very unfortunately boxed into a rushed, undercooked release wearing a legacy title it doesn't match. As a successor to the earlier community packs, this is a complete letdown. As a proof of concept for "community energy," it undersells what the community can actually do.

                            What would have helped:
                            - Rename if it's not actually continuing the series.
                            - Allow multiple difficulties (or use some sort of pipeline that can handle it, unlike FFR).
                            - Regular, honest status updates during delays.
                            - Enforcing QA instead of lowering standards to get more charts accepted.
                            - Actual effort in presentation so charts feel finished, not like placeholders.

                            I wanted this pack to land. The concept was solid, the execution was not.
                            Your feedback has been read, noted, and will be taken into account for future, sorry you're left feeling disappointed with the finished product.

                            Originally posted by Wind0ze
                            I'll drop my quick two cents here too.

                            Quality of the pack compared to previous FFR pack releases aside, the pack's organization/communication was poor by any pack standard and resulted in some severe mistakes that could have been easily avoided. As Zeta said, there was no updates in the past 4+ months. Not even a release date. I had already released an updated version of my "Kono Hoshi de..." chart in another pack because I assumed this one was dead after all of the radio silence and constant delays, and would have formally pulled it if I knew it was going to actually release.

                            When I let Lights know about this, all I got in response was a skull emoji. I think it's reasonable to interpret that as an indicator that this wasn't taken seriously as an issue, even though it's an unprecedented mistake for a pack as Zeta said. I can only imagine that the charts missing from the pack that I've heard about have been treated with the same apathy. Hopefully there's a change in perspective and the pack gets a post-release fix with the proper charts.
                            You, at no point, communicated to me that you wished to pull your file. Communication goes both ways. A revision is being done for the pack within the next few days, your chart will be pulled.

                            Comment

                            • Wind0ze
                              ÿþ
                              FFR Simfile Author
                              • Sep 2016
                              • 97

                              #15
                              Re: [RELEASE] FFR Community Pack 2025

                              Originally posted by Lights
                              You, at no point, communicated to me that you wished to pull your file. Communication goes both ways. A revision is being done for the pack within the next few days, your chart will be pulled.
                              This is true, though I didn't communicate this because I thought it was unnecessary to officially pull a file from a pack that was, as far as I could tell, dead. If I knew the pack was going to release I would have communicated this. I'm glad a revision is being done though.
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