The Future of "Dance Dance Revolution"

[Wang]

I'd eventually like to see a compatibility with PS2 memory cards... and possibly even American PS2 memory cards. Although, the latter is pretty far-fetched, unfortunately.
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[Spike]

Memory cards don't really have a "region."

I have Japanese and American PS2 saved data on one memory card.
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[Flameboat]

[Regenesis]

Any new DDR should be a completely fresh start. Brand new hardware, brand new interface, brand new songs. Revamp the engineering for the stage; make it more reliable, less vulnerable to dust, debris, wear and tear, etc. Give it a bigger screen, possibly plasma. Give each song a complete video like in IIDX, not just random, recycled patterns over and over again. Reformat the interface so it's sleeker, more "computerized", less colorful. Allow arrow patterns that are based on timing in milliseconds, not just quarter/eighth/sixteenth notes (and you thought PA was hard before? ). Toss out all the old songs. Max tried it, but failed because there were only 40-some songs. The new DDR should have at least 150-200 brand new songs, new remixes of old songs, new Bemani crossovers. You want old stuff? That's the entire purpose of Extreme...go play it if you're nostalgic.

And honestly, I think this is what Konami is doing...maybe not all of my ideas, but probably a fair number of them.
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[ghostfiregames]

There was an interview with Konami a while back when they stated that DDR Extreme would be the last mix on the current hardware. I'd look for a new game to crop up sometime in the next year or two.

[Matrixman2040]

I'm surprised to hear that people didn't like the music on Extreme too much. I thought Sakura was one of the coolest songs I've heard in DDR! I'm all for the new stuff. I prefer things like Burning heat or Tsugaru over normal dance songs. They just seem so much more interesting to listen to, and you can put some cool steps in them that wouldn't normally work in dance music. Oh well, that's just my opinion. Anyone else who agrees with me, please post. I want to know how many people like the new variety.

[Baka-Naruto]

[Regenesis]

You honestly think DDR will last for a generation? Bah.
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[Yeehaw McKickass]

I had a conversation along these lines with my manager at the arcade I work at. Frankly, we both know that American arcades are a dying breed, barely being held up by Bemani and rip off redemption games.

The same goes for DDR. It's gotten stagnant, and in it's current configuration there isn't much more Konami can do with it.

Think about what the last major changes to the DDR engine. Freeze arrows and the groove radar. While the Radar and foot rating system compliment each other nicely, freeze arrows on some machines can be problematic (referring to the problem some upgraded machines have with properly reading them).

What were the major changes before this? Long versions in 5th mix. Those turned out to be huge stamina drainers, but fun...havnen't been seen since. 60 fps would be next, but that's more of an astethic change.

Solo is the only other "OMG earthshttering" change that's been made to the DDR formula, and that only applied on solo machines, so it does about squat to the majority of the DDR scene.

Musically, and this has been said, DDR has gone haywire. We have everything from Sakura, to the trip machines, to Door of Magic, to Speed Over Beethoven, and for some strange reason Naoki keeps making ballads. Granted, everything but the ballads usually has some sort of 'dancable' (and I use the term lightly) beat to it, but when the only thing you can really do between mixes is change songs and steps, it doesn't leave many places to go.

The only places I can see it going, with current hardware, are as follows:
1. Break the no more than two arrows at once rule. If PiU can handle having 3/4/5 steps being triggered simultaneously, DDR should be albe to handle 3 or 4.
2. Start adding stepmania like mods. Boomerang is a massive brain bender, drunk warps you slightly, and Flip would utterly destroy any ddr players ability to react properly (at least off the start).

All this leads to this: DDR in it's current arcade incarnation has a maximum of two years left. Realistically, it has less as DDR players either get sick of playing it alltogether, or move on to other Bemani/PiU.

The only way for it to survive further than the two-year prediction above, is for a massive hardware/cabinet change. Hopefully konami can do something with this (like allow versus six pannel or something to that effect).

[Udderdude]

Even if DDR manages to completely die out in the arcades, I'm sure there will still be home releases .. Konami can still make money selling soft pads

And there are plenty of good fan-made DWIs out there if you're looking for something new, but don't want to wait for Konami to make it.

[Mysterio]

I personnaly like the variety of songs on Extreme..."danceable" or not, they are cool songs. As for a new DDR, I don't think a "More Extreme" mix will work too well next time, a it seems virtually all of you feel that way as well.

What will Konami do, if anything, for the next DDR? How revolutionary will the next revolution be? I guess we'll just wait and see...

Also:

[Nomi]

All the talk of new hardware improvements and 'final releases' by all the much-loved Konami artists seems a little wishful, sad to say. The days of extreme veterans and the legendary routines are slowly fading away, and the arcade scene is not helping DDR's fighting cause. In America right now, arcades are not generating the business they used to for the most part. Certain locations prosper, yes, though as a general statement many are falling out of business, their DDR machines along with it. Konami may still be standing strong, but the DDR industry is heading towards a grave.

New songs, new machines with wild innovations... I'm almost afraid to hope. I think DDR is doomed for mediocre home-releases with a decreasing level of the classics.

:: hums Butterfly :: I think DDR's on it's last great race, everyone.

[penguin334]

There was somethingspecial about the 1st-3rd mix songs. Songs that just made it better. i dont know how to explain it, but im sure you understand what i mean. I would much rather play butterfly (upswing mix, of coarse ) than sakura (i havent played it, but i heard it) There is something about butterfly that other songs dont have. I wish they would bring back songs like that.

-yoshi

[Regenesis]

[W1Ck3D]

konami should just redo the machine like what was said b4. but keep it 4 arrows. its the original way and it is more fun that way. 8 arrows IMO is garbage. ive played it on technomotion and the 8 arrows on the top of the screen take up the majority of the game screen by itself. and when it's on 2 players it looks like space mode on stepmania. all and all

new songs , new look , but 4 arrows

[Belfast]

I wouldn't call it quits for DDR yet. Like other people in this thread have indicated, I think DDR is about to head in a IIDX-like direction. Just about every other Bemani series changes its cabinet slightly with every iteration.

DDR has stayed the same since the very beginning. This isn't just an issue of looking archaic, but also the fact that a lot of the machines are starting to break (mostly the pads). There are a lot of 3rd mix/US machines which keep getting upgraded, but maintain the same pads, and they're starting to go kaput. Even if the sensors are replaced or they're cleaned, sooner or later they need total replacement.

WE NEED a new cabinet design with a higher-quality display and sound sytem. It DOES need to be less flashy and more sleek. DDR in its current form is like the cars of the 60's: colorful and flashy, but it needs to be more like the cars of today: stream-lined, sleek, and attention-grabbing. Once again, most of the other Bemani series have moved in this direction, IIDX being the most notable.

Give me that and I think I'll still have fun even if its only 4 arrows.

But I agree that I think it would be cool to just leave the old songlists behind. Leave out the baggage, let's just start over. I'd love a crap load of songs, but even just around 100 is ok. At least its better than 40.

[radicalfaith360]

I have a theory if you care to read this:

For a while now, there has been much talk that DDR EXTREME was the last one in the series because it's dying in Japan. But, then again, it's getting HUGE here in the U.S. This theory applies to what they did with the anime "Big O." It died out in Japan but it's loved in the U.S so we begged the Japanese to make the series exclusive for the United States.
So in conclusion, Konami may or may not be rethinking their strategy and might make 2 more mixes before it's FINALLY over due to DDR's wild success in the U.S. Nothing has been confirmed as far as I know, but it's a possibility.

[Pyroblaze]

I honestly don't see why DDR doesn't have a bunch of mods. A simple mod like Stepmania CVS's Quick or Big would increase the replayablity for tons of playings by making all the songs into the 9 - 10 footer catagory.
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[Quazar]

I just want the next DDR to have more Dancemania music. More songs like Dam Dariram, Captain Jack, In the Navy, Operator, El Ritmo Tropical, Dub-I-Dub, In the Heat of the Night, Music.... it's those kind of songs that made me like the game in the first place back in the 3rd and 4th Mix days. I like trance and IIDX music, but it shouldn't REPLACE Dancemania music. We should get lots of both.

I have always wanted to see "If the Rain Falls" by Right on Time on DDR. It's on my Dancemania Delux4 CD. I bought the CD on my first trip to Japan, when I first saw and played DDR, back in June 2000. That song NEEDS to be on DDR, along with a lot of other great Dancemania songs that are 50 times better than the crap they put on DDREX. Cartoon Heroes, I Do I Do I Do, Crash!? Gimmie a break...

Quazar
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[Max's Period]