[dAnceguy117]

Thanks for posting this topic! Those are really interesting ideas. I'll just list some of my own thoughts concerning particular details.

Originally Posted by Arch0wl

If you wanted to make Stepmania popular again, here is what you'd have to do:

1. Make a new game entirely.

Is that a valid statement? We might be going more in the direction of "how to make a commercially viable StepMania-like game." Certainly, though, the best way to establish an expansive audience would be to start from the ground up.

Originally Posted by Arch0wl

3. The Arch0wlmania website has a defined style guide for how stepfiles are to be made.

You might be interested in reading a guide written by stargroup. The guide isn't coming from a "centralized SM authority," to be sure, but the idea seems to be similar.

Originally Posted by Arch0wl

The "official" mode (that is, the preferred tournament mode) is 10 key.

Do you think the learning curve would be adequate for a wide range of players? I know some other modes are there, but I feel like the "official" mode would hoard everyone's attention. IIDX didn't gain much traction (at least, in the States) due to the insane amount of time required for most players to reach a decent skill level, as far as I'm aware. I imagine 10-key would face a similar problem.

Originally Posted by Arch0wl

- You enter the options mode and you're able to select the number of keys you want to play for your game mode (ranging from 4 to 10). If you select 5 or under, you specify if you want to two-hand or one-hand. If you specify one-hand, you'll be able to select left-hand or right-hand and map your thumb key, which will be a visually larger in-game note than the rest of the keys. If you select two-hand, you'll specify if you want thumb key(s) or not.

Would each mode have its own set of charts? That sounds like a ton of work.

Originally Posted by Arch0wl

- You are able to switch between the number of keys at the song select screen, as if sorting through difficulty. This is in contrast to switching between the number of keys as a "game mode."

SM5 has implemented this feature. (Thank heavens.)

Originally Posted by Arch0wl

- Stepfiles would have a connection to the database they are uploaded to. So if you get a score on that file, it uploads your score to the database with information on how you played the file, and if you change the file, that score is no longer valid.

I believe stepmaniaonline.net satisfies all of those criteria.

To me, there are other factors which prevent SM and similar rhythm games from reaching high levels of popularity.

Platform - SM requires users to become familiar with a bunch of directories and different types of files. FFR, KBO, and Thirdstyle all utilize(d) arguably dated Flash technology. The hassle of initial configuration can drive away many potential players. I want to say the most popular rhythm games today are developed for mobile devices.

Exposure - How the hell would people discover any of these games? Back in the day, most of the fresh blood came from either "free DDR" web searches or word of mouth. Serious advertising campaigns might be the only way to gain an initial popularity boost, which would hopefully lead to people talking about these games again.



Pondering these ideas can be a lot of fun. Personally, though, I'm mostly content with playing SM and FFR for what they are now.