Questions for stepartists

[ca25nada]

who has influenced your stepping style and why?
Leonid (since he retaught me the basics of stepping-), and possibly some influences from gundam-dude & longgone since I whore their simfiles way too often.

would you say you have your own style?
- Not really from a broader sense of view. (straightforward stepping, no color theory/gimmicks, etc.) However, there are little points here and there that define the files as my own.

how much has your stepping/style evolved since you started?
- Although "style-wise" I didn't really change much, I think I'm making a lot less technical errors now.

and 4key → 6key

[xferrarix]

would you say you have your own style?

to be completely honest in a way i do. i've seen reviews that tell me that i can be extremely simplistic, and sometimes my files feel like something anyone else could make. there's a FEW files that i'm pretty sure i stepped only one specific way no one else could of replicated (ie, take mind mapping, LEF, and red hot skull as examples) but all in all i have my own style. i'm not one of the simfile authors that anyone really looks up to or whatnot, but i'm like the velious of odi2 (he made like two files for it, but no one really cares nor remembers him that well)

i don't want to say i brought about a new style to the stepmania scene, but back at odipack2 (?) i can't remember exactly which pack it was since dcp and odi2 were both around a year's time. i made a file called gun rock that was, sadly, rejected by GLovE for being too simplistic. however back then it was different to see someone actually MAKE something decent (back in mid-07 to early-09 80% of people that stepped were not very good at it). the file had a few things that was different from what other people did, but i can't say it was that much different to stand out.

however if i was to say who influenced me i'd say blurk and toph. when i step a file i always do it in a way that seems really similar to what they used to do. some of my files i can say i had some inspiration by the way kil steps; none of my files feel a thing like this though. the only one i'd say that does is Criss Cross (i stepped everything from the beginning until the main chorus that plays in the preview). all in all i've always thought of blurk and toph was two of the best people to make simfiles (with zaghurim and kil in that mix).

how much has your stepping/style evolved since you started?

it hasn't changed much. i think that everyone else's perspectives of files have changed over time which in turn made my files seem much better than they are. i'm not saying that i step poorly or that i'm a better stepper than other people; i make my files for other's appeals. i feel that since everyone has drained down the whole technicality and elitist viewpoint on stepping, it's easier to get into stepping and want to get better at it. it's cool to see other stepmania players playing your simfile and enjoying it.

i don't care if you like my simfiles or not. overall i've made some small changes in the way i step to appeal to current times. all in all i've barely changed

[psychoangel691]

Who has influenced your stepping style and why?

I don't know if I'd say that they influenced my style per-say because I don't step anything like them but the people that helped me get into stepping and helped me learn the ropes would be Byron, Carlos and AJ. They were the ones that gave me the most guidance and encouragement when I first started out.

if you just started stepping who do you look up to?

I didn't just start but there are definitely people I look up to like bmah, Carlos, Wilson, AJ actually there's a lot of people that I really enjoy as stepartists.

would you say you have your own style?

I don't think I've really found my style, I still feel like I'm always trying to fit into this box of what everyone expects for a simfile. Which I really hate because I never had that mentality coming into it but when I realized how hard it was to get a chart into FFR I started losing that thinking of just doing it the way I feel.

how much has your stepping/style evolved since you started?

Well really at best I guess I can say I started doing other genres, otherwise I don't think it's changed that much.

[NeoMasterPie]

**** you pat lmao

anyways i think most of my inspiration comes from poopet and goddamn dude, with a hint of rog and carlos.............................

my philosophy is ez patterns that go to the music and that's pretty much it. if i think there's some cool way i can express a part of a song then i do that, whether it be through repetition or just contrasting the way the rest of the file is stepped, w/e (in that sense i do think simfile making is truly a form of art).

the more you step, the more you develop your own style, and i think that applies to everyone. i've tried to mimic both pat and puppet's styles (see: cirno's hot spring and a castle under siege respectively), although i learned my mistake with last regrets (way too many 192nd esp in the beginning lol); however more recently i've just been doing my own thing based on what i find fun, which is what stepping is all about: representing the song the way you find the most fun, even if that way is stepping every noise completely technically (patashu)

[LongGone]

Who has influenced your stepping style and why?

Hard to say. I learnt plenty from Kinx just from talking to him and collab-ing on a 6k file. I only stepped 4k seriously later on after having a deeper look into some files by Kommisar and Gundam-Dude, getting a better idea of what patterns flow and what doesn't.

Would you say you have your own style?

By now, maybe. I'd consider myself as one of the "newer generation steppers". It is pretty much an amalgamation of different styles; used to be 192nds like GD did, teal 48ths that moches use frequently, occasionally Scylax-esque pattern and layering, etc.
(also considering that not as many people step for solo, I guess it stands out a little more prominently in the 6k field..)

How much has your stepping/style evolved since you started?
I'd say "Its packaged better now". Ultimately since my first few charts, there was barely any difference in terms of layering. However, pattern choice and accentuations using minifreezes, coloured notes (i.e. toned down now) and mine usage have slowly evolved over time making my charts at least more presentable now.

[Coolboyrulez0]

who has influenced your stepping style and why?

No one in particular -- more of an amalgamation of various older files (KB Megapacks / Community Packs)

if you just started stepping who do you look up to?

I can almost appreciate everyone's stepping style because they all bring something else to the table, just like a unique artwork.

would you say you have your own style?

Most definitely. You could call it neo-oldschool.

how much has your stepping/style evolved since you started?

Not too much, besides perhaps more dense layering and a larger focus on flow.

[skorpion9x]

who has influenced your stepping style and why?
I'm not sure if I have any major influences to my stepping style since I started when the community was still quite young. When I make steps I usually just try to make them fun for myself. I may subconsciously have some influences that I'm not aware of, from stepartists whose works I really liked, such as DJ Ren. I suppose BemaniRuler could be considered an influence as well, since he was the first one who started making really difficult stepfiles.

if you just started stepping who do you look up to?
N/A

for the vet stepartists

would you say you have your own style?
Since my primary play style is index, I'm quite limited on what I can do with steps that fit my play style, and so it's hard to be unique with such limitations. I do, however, often hear that I have my own style from other people. Of course, this could just be because most people play spread these days, and most stepfiles are made to cater to that style.

how much has your stepping/style evolved since you started?
Well from when I first started (like my very first horrible stepfiles), I'd say it evolved a lot, because those early ones were awful. But once I got a style down for making files, I don't think it's changed much. Recently, however, I've been trying a little bit to get into spread playstyle (though not with much success), and I'm trying to make steps to my forthcoming files which cater to that style (with triple/quad steps, etc).

[Elite Ninja]

who has influenced your stepping style and why?
My style is pretty much influenced by myself + the tips I've gotten from many other step artists out there.

would you say you have your own style?
From what I've heard I sometimes step old school, and that my files evenly use both hands.

how much has your stepping/style evolved since you started?
I've definetly improved over time. At first when I started I had trouble just trying to put notes to a song because I couldn't figure out how to add a song to SM lol. Thanks to bmah though I got everything to work and from there on I didn't know a thing about layering and PR and just stepped the way I felt the song should be stepped to me. Took tons of advice through my stepping journey and now I have improved in those areas and I can now make better and harder charts. I used to only be able to make easy charts like Very Difficult and Challenging files but now I'm starting to make VCs and close to FMOs now. I still have trouble making anything higher in difficulty than a low FMO but I think that's because anything higher doesn't appeal to me very much I guess.... I'm kinda making more colourful charts but I still suck at anything that isn't a constant BPM through the song.

[SKG_Scintill]

Who has influenced your stepping style and why?
I think Patashu, as his files are the only ones I remember. Although, I'm not aware of his influence.

Whom do you look up to?
WC because of his well-deserved arrogance. Patashu because he can step pretty much anything.

Would you say you have your own style?
Not really, hi19's stepping style I find quite similar, though I have odder song choice and a more hectic usage of colour.

How much has your stepping/style evolved since you started?
Well I don't know who it was, but someone told me to stop sending files to the ffr batch because they were always awful.
Now my files get good ratings. Yet, I'm still pretty much unknown and only appreciated by few.

[hi19hi19]

Who has influenced your stepping style and why?
Oldschool files. Especially Zagh, Blurk and Glove back in the days of Gigasweden were really interesting to me. I paid close attention to their files and tried to learn from them.
I LOVE nearly every file by Toph and I've been really inspired by his files, especially Beyond the Earth.
I'd like to say I was infulenced by Kil but in reality I still have no idea how his files work, Kil theory minijacks then again I haven't really stopped to analyze them like I did Toph and Sweden files.
I also have a lot of respect for NVLM. Guy was way ahead of his time, an true dump master~

Who do you look up to?
AJ, Carlos, Scintill, Patashu, Kommi, and those listed above. Those are who jump to mind immediately.

Would you say you have your own style?
Clearly so. I have very idiosyncratic ways of applying certain patterns to certain sounds... also because I step FFR-y files I almost never use BPM tricks, mines, or holds. So that's part of my style too.
I bet most people could pick a file stepped by me out of a crowd pretty reliably. I try to vary my style but there's no question I do certain things "my way" consistently.

How much has your stepping/style evolved since you started?
It's stopped sucking as much as it did when I started!
Gotten way better at PR (seeing as "PR" as a concept barely existed when I started) and I've stopped using nearly exclusively indexable patterns.
Since I have started to use DDReam my files are no longer shit synced haha (in fact these days I would say I'm one of the more anal and precise steppers when it comes to sync)
I've also opened up more recently to split rolls, something I used to NEVER use.

[TC_Halogen]

Originally Posted by hi19hi19

ve been really inspired by his files, especially Beyond the Earth.
I'd like to say I was infulenced by Kil but in reality I still have no idea how his files work, Kil theory minijacks

All the years that I've been charting and I still can't understand why Kil was looked up to so much, but I think it has to do with how different stepping styles/standards are now.

I've played a few Kil charts and there were some that just felt wrong to play in terms of the music (Biaxdent was absolutely terrible to me).

[hi19hi19]

In my mind, Kil is very hit or miss. I either love his files (Einhander files <3) or strongly dislike his pattern choice (Momiji Ranbu so awkward to me)

Someday I should go and look into why that's the case haha, never bothered to analyze Kil files...

[kommisar]

Kil's files were always ahead of their time. He wasn't afraid to experiment and really bring out the "visual art" in a file. He also basically started the whole concept of "step the song, not the notes" and stressed that instead of following all the 16th hi-hats and dumpstream patterns that you should accentuate what's present in the song and give it a better feel.

That's probably why people give such importance to him because I'd say most people follow some of his techniques today that he used 5-6 years ago. Some of his files are hit or miss, but he had his on distinct style that people have always praised.

[ddr_f4n]

Originally Posted by Wayward Vagabond

who has influenced your stepping style and why?

if you just started stepping who do you look up to?

for the vet stepartists

would you say you have your own style?

how much has your stepping/style evolved since you started?

1) Dunno if anyone has "influenced" my stepping style in terms of Keyboard. I've started somewhat playing keyboard files when I tried making them after hearing quite a few I felt was better suited for keyboard files more than pad charts.

In terms of pad files though, again can't say I've been influenced other than trying to mimic the official charts until I started playing more customs and r21freak files.

2) I look up more to Kommisar and GD I guess, mostly because I dunno I know them irl? Or at least met them lol. Other than that can't say really other than I enjoy files when I play em, because they're good, not because of who stepped it.

3) (Gonna try to answer this anyways for kb) I dunno, I'm super technical with what sounds come up with the file to match both intensity and accuracy of the song. So the more intense the file is, the more difficult and packed I feel should go into it. It's to fit the mood and feel just right. Though I'm sure others try to do this as well :V

I would say the same for pad, I am pretty technical, but I try not to abuse making to artificially difficult. But I guess people would recognize my style for pad a lot more.

4) Keyboard well...I learned a lot from the first 3 files I made especially in terms of what patterns are good for spread and all, thanks to people's reviews and all mostly from GD and Kommisar, thanks guys <3

For pad, it was moreso after playing more r21freak files that I start learning what's good and what's not. (except mini-freeze notes, hate those in pad files though)

[jimerax]

- Who has influenced your stepping style and why?

I don't have preference in particular simfile artists, occasionally I'm influenced by files I find interesting (recently mainly things like color notes, BPM gimmicks). In earlier stage, maybe people like kilga, aperson, reach, zaghurim if I note.

- would you say you have your own style?

Basically random for me, sometimes vocal/snare/base accented, or just extremely technical, etc. Recently only things I care is difficulty and song choice.

- how much has your stepping/style evolved since you started?

Like said my style always changes, but probably the answer is no sice I hate spending time/effort in stepping after like 2009, and I basically quit stepping now.

[AlexDest]

Now I'm making assumptions to Kil's stepping style but...

Originally Posted by TC_Halogen

I've played a few Kil charts and there were some that just felt wrong to play in terms of the music (Biaxdent was absolutely terrible to me).

Everyone has their perception on charting a song. With Kil, as Kommi said, his view was:

Originally Posted by kommisar

"step the song, not the notes"

His simfiles from back when were definitely ahead of their time (his simfiles have greatly improved in terms of expressiveness). I don't recall people bothering to experiment with stepping as much as he did. Personally, I found him as an influence as well with getting into jack theory and just stepping the song itself. His simfiles were quite peculiar to me but I enjoyed how he approached some elements of a song. Mostly he focuses on parts that would usually be avoided or ignored by most simfile artists. For example, a part of these 2 simfiles for Visitor by Virt, Kil's in comparison to Patashu's.

Every part of a song is ambiguous and can be approached in multiple different ways and Kil really has proven such a thing with his charts. A lot of other simfile artists are more direct than he is, and he actually took the time to experiment a bunch. His simfiles I will always enjoy because he offers a feel for the song to act as you're playing it yourself.

[Roar176]

who has influenced your stepping style and why?

I started stepping without any knowledge and I learned about layering and pitch revealancy on ODI wiki then I built everything from there.
I get mostly influenced by players. That's how it started at least.
I make files then I give them to a bunch of guyze then I adjust from the feedbacks. I think my submissions to TG09 made everything because I have a lot of respect for aciiiii and making files that he likes made me feel that I was doing the thing right. Then a buncha good players kept telling me that I'm their favourite step artist so I really felt like there was nothing to change in the way I step files. Therefore these guys influenced my style the most.
I got a minor influences from step artists of course. I did the multiple holds that doesn't stop at the same spot because I found it sexy when stargroup did it in Chords All Night.
I recently started to step "drum bursts" as one note (situationally) like it's done in IIDX notecharts.
Also I got a lot of respect for GLoVE, Toph and dondon151. But I don't think I got influenced by anyone here jaja I really built up my style myself.

if you just started stepping who do you look up to?

moches: his layer choices are top tier
BUT DON'T USE MINES LIKE HIM PL0X JAJA

would you say you have your own style?

yes
I think I'm an outstanding stepper for sure because people can easily guess what I step simply by looking at the way it's stepped
However people say I'm just a technical stepper but my stepping style goes beyond that

how much has your stepping/style evolved since you started?

A lot ... a f*uck lot lOL
I learned a lot of things in the last 4 years
I learned tricks and I also learned to step solo files and I fell in love with solo
I also have a different mindset when stepping a song
Sometimes I'm scared that people dislike my "evolved" stepping style

[DossarLX ODI]

Who has influenced your stepping style and why?

kaiten123, midare, NVLM_ZK, Arch0wl, and other steppers who have stepped "dumps". qqwref has also allowed me to put in color notes in my files without having to offset 192nds with his recolorizer program -- problem is that it results in the file having a million BPM changes.

Would you say you have your own style?

Oh boy, another "style" question. Honestly there are a ton of things you can say that nobody has a unique style since it's just placing arrows, other steppers playtesting their files, or something similarly retarded.

However, putting all that crap aside, I can say that I like to recolorize files when necessary. When I'm syncing files and some notes are slightly offsetted for sync purposes, I go use the recolorizer to make them look like standard rhythms (4ths, 8ths, 16ths, etc) this was certainly the situation with files like Breakbeat Acid, Case Closed, Keep on Driving, and so on. I also play every part of my file to see if I can do it. I use a hands-on approach when I step files, so this is why I usually tend to have files that have less awkward dense burst usage technicality but still can have rough patterns.

tl;dr I care more about the player when I step my serious files. Some files I make however require a lot of speed to manage. I also have this reputation of people hating my files because they have "dossar feel".

How much has your stepping/style evolved since you started?

With use of the recolorizer I'm able to add some color theory to my files, but I try not to abuse it. I also see if any recolorizing is necessary if I'm stepping offsetted notes for syncing purposes. Back in 2008 and 2009 my files had terrible pattern usage and showed a heavy vibrating influence. Now I've cut down on that.

[Hateandhatred]

who has influenced your stepping style and why?
No one to be honest. Just experimenting. Things that left a mark on me were mostly files I consider good rather than actual stepartists.

if you just started stepping who do you look up to?
Most of the modern stepartists on here, like hi19, kjw, Wilson, bmah (I actually love his "awkward" files), etc.

[Choofers]

who has influenced your stepping style and why?

I don't think anyone has really directly influenced my style of stepping. If I had to pick someone, it would be aperson. He's stepped a ton of interesting music, and I enjoy playing files with interesting music. Sure, anime files/generic EDM files are fun, but they only hold my attention for so long. I enjoy stepping something challenging (and not just hard from a player standpoint, I mean hard from a simfile artist standpoint as well).

if you just started stepping who do you look up to?

I look up to anyone who steps outside the box.

would you say you have your own style?
Kind of. I step unique music, which requires unique steps.

how much has your stepping/style evolved since you started?
Compare Comfort Betrays to Vortex.