Stepping Stones of Stepmania (Submissions Open!)

[mi40]

Welcome to Stepping Stones of Stepmania!



Necros and I heard the cries of the people.. we heard them praying to the gods of stepmania to make easier files so that more people can play files without having to quit out

So we decided to make the Stepping Stones of Stepmania Pack (temp name??)

We're hoping to make the pack not too big but medium-sized (looking for absolute maximum 75 files), and everyone is welcome to submit. Keep in mind that since easier songs have less notes, you will need to be extremely dedicated to your files since we believe that it is harder to make easy, memorable songs than harder songs.

Submissions will go on til probably mid July, depending on the submissions rate. Necros & I are also looking for a few judges (maybe just 1 or 2) to quickly approve & disapprove the charts during their spare time. Necros & I will help as well.


(Copied some rules from ODI3 rules, thanks GLoVE!)
Rules:
This is a keyboard pack.

Both unreleased files and released files can be accepted. But I won't accept any modifications to released files, so if you want your file in this pack it would not be a good idea to release it before it has been judged here.

A file can have as many stepcharts as you like,
basically if you wanna cater to more players: 2 charts+
if you wanna cater to intermed (or) newer players only: 1 chart

As long as we have an even balance of files, #-charts-required-rule won't be enforced!
If your file is accepted and you don't have graphics they will be made for you.


Submissions:
Send them to our pack email! quadbait@gmail.com

All submissions will be published and judged openly in this thread.

If you submit a bad file without potential, we will simply reject it without much feedback.
If you submit a sloppy file that has many obvious errors, we will very briefly point out what's wrong, and reject the file.
If you submit a good file we will thoroughly go through the file and give all types of criticism we can to potentially improve it more, and when it is as good as it gets, it will be accepted.


General guidelines:
Only easy files will be accepted. This doesn't mean that you should step files with 100 notes and files with notes every 8 seconds - but we're looking for files where you don't have to worry about passing. We're looking for files that everyone can enjoy but be challenged to potentially AAA & quad at the same time with enough practice.

Take your time and find a GOOD SONG for this. Don't focus on getting as many files as possible in the pack since we're looking for a maximum of 50 files anyways. I personally believe that in order to make easy songs memorable, song choice comes firsthand. Hard files may be remembered for their scoring antics, but easy files will be remembered for their unique & enjoyable experience that pertains to the song & steps.

Cut your songs if they are too long. For easy files, I believe having short and memorable files are better than having 5 minute songs that drag on. Of course, if it's a good file then it will prove itself during judging, but otherwise cutting songs would probably be better if it's too long. Use your own judgement! You can use programs like Goldwave & Audacity for this.

About mines & holds: utilize them to your best ability if needed, but don't overdo it!

A few things to keep in mind!
Be precise with your steps and patterns following the music, but don't forget to be creative. With easy files, it's even harder to make memorable files.


Sidenote: 75 files is the maximum but if we don't have that many files accepted by mid-July we'll probably release it regardless, seeing any amount between 30-75 seems good. (75 being the absolute upper end)

[mi40]

Pastebin with reviews
http://pastebin.com/38rnvdQg

Submitted Files:

5ive STAR (valor)
Across the Nightmare (ilikexd)
a broken heart can mend (mrtea)
Adept (Kommisar)
Always Yours (Kommisar)
Astro Teemo (ReikonKeiri)
Blah Blah Blah(moches)
boss the boss pt.1 (arksuki)
boss the boss pt.2 (arksuki)
Clumsy thoughts (bmah)
Cross Galaxy (rparty89)
Daybreak (Fission)
derezzed (arksuki)
Eclipse (rCaliberGX)
Faint (ilikexd)
Favorite Daughter (Lemm!!!)
Flower Flag (Kaneh)
For the Win (TheSilentLord)
forbidden tracks (rcalibergx)
GAIA (rparty89)
galactic encounter (arksuki)
Ganryu (Scintill)
green hill zone (arksuki)
Guren no Yumiya (TheSilentLord)
Halcyon (rCaliberGX)
Hajimari No Resolution (XelNya)
horizon variations (ilikexd)
I Don't Care (Reggae Mix) (moches)
Information Leak (danceguy)
Kirlian Voyager (rCaliberGX)
Light House (bmou)
Melody Circus (shenjoku)
Mirror Mirror (rCaliberGX)
Moneratsu Title Theme (d4u7211)
monkey island (prawnskunk)
Mysterious Exorcism Rod (PP)
Mystery Metropolis (Kaneh)
night time story (spookymagician)
Opening (XelNya)
Our Turn (MrTea)
Petite Feet (ilikexd)
Po Pi Po Kouka de Uchi no Miku wa Kyou mo Genki Desu (0)
Quartz Quadrant (Present - JP) (MrTea)
Rain (valor)
Roxas (James May)
Petite Feet (ilikexd)
Plastic Promises (ReikonKeiri)
Sacred Campaign (Kaneh)
sannin no dragon slayer (prawnskunk)
Shanghai Flight (skor)
Scream of [roki] (roundbox)
Symbolic (Kraezymann)
Shy Guys Toy Box (alloyus)
Taiyou Iwaku Moeyo Chaos (Kommisar)
Theme of Hawkeye (ferrari)
This is a Virus (Mollocephalus)
This Will Be the Day [James Landino Remix] (rCaliberGX)
Thousand Cherry Blossom (PP)
Try And Follow Me (moches)
Vertex Delta TRUE (rCaliberGX)
Virus (Live Launchpad Original) (CosmoVibe)
vision in crystal (arksuki)
up n down (rcalibergx)
Want U Back (moches)
Weed Circulation (ReikonKeiri)
yume wa nando mo umarekawaru (YTY)

Accepted Files: 36 as of 10/21/13 (Goal: 40 or so)

A Broken Heart Can Mend (MrTea)
Across the Nightmare (ilikexd)
Adept (Kommisar)
Always Yours (Kommisar) note to self, remove mines
Blah Blah Blah (moches)
Clumsy thoughts (bmah)
Daybreak (Fission)
Faint (ilikexd)
Favorite Daughter (Lemm!!!)
Forbidden Tracks (rCaliberGX)
Galactic Encounter (Arksuki)
Ganryu (Scintill)
Hajimari No Resolution (XelNya)
Horizon Variations (ilikexd)
I Don't Care (Reggae Mix) (moches)
Kirlian Voyager (rCaliberGX)
Melody Circus (shenjoku)
Mirror Mirror (rCaliberGX)
Moneratsu Title Theme (d4u7211)
Night Time Story (Spookymagician)
Mysterious Exorcism Rod (PP)
Our Turn (MrTea)
Petite Feet (ilikexd)
Plastic Promises (ReikonKeiri)
Quartz Quadrant (Present - JP) (MrTea)
Symbolic (Kraezymann)
Sacred Campaign (Kaneh)
Sannin No Dragon Slayer (PrawnSkunk)
Taiyou Iwaku Moeyo Chaos (Kommisar)
Theme of Hawkeye (ferrari)
This Will Be the Day [James Landino Remix] (rCaliberGX)
Thousand Cherry Blossom (PP)
Try and Follow Me (moches)
Vertex Delta TRUE (rCaliberGX)
Up 'N Down (rCaliberGX)
Want U Back v2 (moches)

[xVaLoRx]

submitting!!

edit: actually i have to edit some shit in my files so i will submit later

[alloyus]

Not sure if it's too hard but sending something

[mi40]

yissss

[Arntonach]

I have stuff for this.

[rCaliberGX]

What would be the definition for easy in this pack? I'm currently stepping a file that is 146 BPM jumpstream.

[mi40]

comparing to ffr, FMOs would be the absolute, absolute upper bound
VC & lower would be ideal

[kommisar]

fuck you

[moches]

awesomeness alert !!!

brb stepping something

[kommisar]

i think i have a file for this if srs

[rCaliberGX]

Originally Posted by mi40

comparing to ffr, FMOs would be the absolute, absolute upper bound
VC & lower would be ideal

And I'm just sitting here wondering what FMO and VC mean. Search doesn't bring up anything.

[Gundam-Dude]

Suggestion: Get actual casuals (as in people who just started playing this game) to play test the files to get the absolute most out of what you're aiming for. If you don't get feedback from your target demographic, what is the point of making a pack that's supposed to cater to them in the first place?

A panel of judges is fine for accepting submissions and all, but you should still have a select few people who aren't all that great at arrow smash games to play the pack's files before release and let them leave their commentary/feedback. Having any "veteran" players and simfile authors play testing files prior to release should be absolutely out of the question considering your target demographic.

[igotrhythm]

Originally Posted by rCaliberGX

And I'm just sitting here wondering what FMO and VC mean. Search doesn't bring up anything.

Before the 99-point difficulty scale, FFR rated files on a scale from 1 to 12. Difficulty level 10 was called Very Challenging or VC, while difficulty 11 was "For Masters Only" or FMO.

In modern times, VC would be around the 55-65 range. Anything more would definitely be pushing it for this pack.

[Gundam-Dude]

Also to add, you should absolutely encourage multiple difficulties for a pack like this. Even for files that we as active players in this community deem "easy" can be really difficult to people who have never touched this game or play very infrequently and just simply don't have the mindset to improve like the majority of us here do—the more charts, the better, especially considering your target demographic.

P.S. Even consider renaming your pack in itself. Calling it "quadbait" is discouraging if you're trying to appeal to people that aren't even up to par with the community's average skill. If I was completely new to this game, I would just be baffled as to why this pack is called "quadbait" when I'd be struggling to pass shit that is supposedly "really easy".

You guys should think much more broadly in terms of people outside of our niche little home here. There's an entire world of casual players out there, which in fact do make up the majority of SM players—we as FFR/SM peeps are the elitist minority. Should you appeal to us or the majority?

[dAnceguy117]

submitted. revved up & ready 2 revise (hopefully)

Originally Posted by Gundam-Dude

Suggestion: Get actual casuals (as in people who just started playing this game) to play test the files to get the absolute most out of what you're aiming for. If you don't get feedback from your target demographic, what is the point of making a pack that's supposed to cater to them in the first place?

I wanna say casual players aren't the target audience, though. sounds more like "players outside of the top 50 in the world." let's get some clarification from Anna Rue.

Originally Posted by Gundam-Dude

Also to add, you should absolutely encourage multiple difficulties for a pack like this.

completely agreed

[rCaliberGX]

Originally Posted by igotrhythm

Before the 99-point difficulty scale, FFR rated files on a scale from 1 to 12. Difficulty level 10 was called Very Challenging or VC, while difficulty 11 was "For Masters Only" or FMO.

In modern times, VC would be around the 55-65 range. Anything more would definitely be pushing it for this pack.

Thanks.

I'm guessing this pack is going to try and bridge the gap between easy pad songs and hardpain packs?

[mi40]

i was actually having a really hard time coming up with a pack name and the pack name isnt really concrete yet

i've been asking around on what to name the pack so if any of you have suggestions for the pack, that would be great


but yes, we're trying to bridge the gap between something like easy DDR songs and the easy files of let's say.. DCP & KBCMPs
i don't think the pack will be for absolutely new players because the completely new players probably won't be able to reach this pack (unless they actively search for new beginner packs)
anyhow the pack's target difficulty range is preferably below VC (ffr difficulty) and above DDR charts




oh and about the new players actually playtesting the files, i have a couple irl friends who have been interested in ffr/sm for a long time but never got good at it because they were busy playing sc2/league, hopefully these guys will help me gauge how friendly the files are, one of em plays spread one of em plays one handed

[mi40]

changed rules to this following gd's suggestion, not too harsh but should help

A file can have as many stepcharts as you like, but a minimum of 2 charts for each song is required - they don't have to be vastly different but preferably one should target the completely new-player demographic and one should target the rookie demographic!

[Ohaider]

Diggin the idea