The Current State Of DDR

Eckostyle · Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 6:01 am Post subject: The Current State Of DDR

I'm just curious.

I stopped playing the game offically in 2004, but I sure havent forgotten it, It's given me a good time. At the time I quit, DDR Extreme was precieved to be the final mix, and home versions were getting popular. The west coast was about to pull DDR's plug, the east coast was seeing it's golden years, and Japan was giving it it's funeral precession. With the introduction of ITG and the rise of other Bemani, I'm curious to hear how DDR is faring around the world, I was amazed to hear the home mixes are coming out more often and anohter arcade mix is in the works.

So, whats up?
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Wermo · Trick Member Joined: 24 Jun 2005 Location: Hamilton ON

I'd say the "dead" has a T-Virus and is still twitching. In fact, in my city it's only begun to get good since ExUS was released.

Before then I didn't even know about DDR (for home) because there were never any games on the shelf. Keep in mind that I browse game shelves on a weekly basis, and sometimes do so exhaustively.

Yes I knew of some arcade games but I had never tried it until about a month before the release of ExUS.

Now on the other hand, you can easily get fairly regularly off the shelf, Max1, Max2, ExUS, and Ex2 and even Konamix without issue. If that doesn't tell me it's gaining momentum in my area I don't know what would.

Just my 2 cents.
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Julie QQQ...? · Trick Member Joined: 07 Jun 2002 Location: Boston, MA

Most people who are still playing the game for competition have switched up to ITG because that's where the tournaments are nowadays. There are still DDR tournaments, but none of them really match up to the tournaments of the old days, and that's also dependent on your region.

New swarms of players are replacing those who "retire" DDR or move onto ITG and mingle with those who are left behind/still play both games with equal gusto. People are still improving rapidly, more rapidly than ever, perhaps. Still, with the amount of players improving, there's also an amount of players improving so fast that they get quite decent by playing for score and then finding the game boring and also either quit/move onto ITG primarily.

Basically what I'm trying to say is that the game is dead, but in social, fun situations/groups, it's still alive and well (especially thanks to the console releases). Competitively, there is a lull, however, and a big gaping hole where the competitive scene used to be.

This may or may not change when Supernova comes out, depending on whether or not a.) the game turns out to live to its hype, b.) the timing window stays close to or equivalent to past JP arcade mixes, to bring back a portion of said big, gaping competitive hole, c.) the game IS really dead and has no hope in swinging the competitive players back.

As much as the social players feed more money into the game by buying the (mostly) watered-down console releases, it's the competitive players that create the hype and generate enough interest that bestows itself on the community via some sort of trickle-down effect.

Iman · Trick Member Joined: 11 Nov 2002 Location: Dallas, TX

Dead. It's dead.

Maybe supernova will change that, but as of right now, it's dead.

(at least, in the arcade)
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eTom · Trick Member Joined: 26 Feb 2006

If that was true nobody would be playing, none of us would be here.
Wrong
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Travissssssssss · Trick Member Joined: 09 Apr 2005

Quad_killeR ^.^ · Trick Member Joined: 05 Jul 2005 Location: Da Nati

I think in Ohio it's been more alive than it has before. Currently I think a ceremonial passing of the torch is happening between the old DDR players and the new, so their is a lul in the activity. Itg was a big help. Now, more people are playing ITG making the competition harder on Konami creating this war where each will try to best each other with a new machine. It will get better from here because now that Supernova is coming out, this puts a lot of pressure on Roxor for ITG3; thus fueling the dancing game craze. In short DDR isn't dead and it never was: it's just a low point after hitting it's peak of popularity and will soon rise with the release of Supernova (if people don't take all the fun out of it by AAAing everythying before it's even released to the public

)

VIVA LA DDR!!!
I R TEH LAME!!!
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-dark-xuxa · Trick Member Joined: 30 Jun 2005 Location: illinois

ok like my arcade ahs supernova and its not great at all, its just a DDR extreme machine that looks diffrent, there is no pressure on roxor at all. no matter what roxor will pwn konami in whatever they try. ITG for life.

and DDR is dead
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Liquid Zero · Trick Member Joined: 11 Apr 2003

kaosskratchet · Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2006 9:47 am Post subject:

if your even on this forum, then is DDR dead? no.

the forum is called DDR freak, and the people who are begginers and just coming to this forum recieve the advice of some of us old timers before we move on to ITG or... *shudders*... a girl!
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Da-Risin-Smoke · Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2006 11:18 am Post subject:

Im not good enough to be bored of DDR; i still have a while.

ITG is still here.
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toady007 · Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2006 11:59 am Post subject:

I'm sure there are people posting a 70's disco thread somewhere on the internet, but that doesn't make disco any less dead.
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Cluny · Trick Member Joined: 22 Nov 2005

HAXUDE · Basic Member Joined: 20 Feb 2006

I wouldn't really call DDR "dead". It may not be as popular as it once was, but as others have said, Supernova can change things around. DDR is still gaining new players faster than experts move to ITG for challenge. Sure, people may be a bit too good for DDR competitions, AAA'ing anything that comes, but that doesn't mean DDR is dead.

Fallingwalls · Trick Member Joined: 23 Dec 2005 Location: Cleveland, OH

kahuna · Trick Member Joined: 04 Jan 2005

I just started playing DDR a little over a year ago, but when I first became aware of DDR around the turn of the century, there were huge lines to play the game every friday night at the local arcade.

Now we have 2 ITG2 machines and 1 DDREX in the area, but people hardly ever play them. Does this mean DDR is dead? No! Look at your other games in the local arcade. Do you see them getting worn out like they were 10 years ago? No again. Everything is about game consoles these days, DDR included.

Saying DDR is dead is like saying gaming is dead. It's not, it's only moved to gaming consoles.
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Coolkid27 · Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 7:36 am Post subject:

When people just blurt out "DDR IS DEAD", they are just basing this on their own opinion. DDR is obviously not DEAD at all and is still immensly popular if you look at it globally and not just from what is happening in your own town or your own home. Look at the facts. (no i dont want to list the facts) hehe

AFAD · Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 7:43 am Post subject:

surely, it wont be dead for me until i clear Road of Truth or Legend Road...which wont be long from now =D
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[Do V] muffin · Trick Member Joined: 16 May 2003 Location: New Britain, CT

The status of DDR varies a lot from location to location.

Here, in Syracuse, NY, it's DEAD. Most of the traditional players have pretty much given up on the game and there are almost no new players who have replaced them. No one has "moved to ITG" because there are no dedicabs within an hour's drive and the only non-dedicab is a Namco crap-o-cab.

Perhaps Supernova will revitalize the community; however, I don't expect any arcade around here to get Supernova until a few months after it comes out.
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The Lurker · Trick Member Joined: 18 Apr 2005 Location: St.Louis

Where I play, in Waldorf, and if you don't know of any Waldorf players, do a search for Footz, Maxx Paranoia, Gay Goblin, Xiayu and you will see some talent. As far as those guys go, Footz moved onto ITG, MP I rarely see him play anymore, Gay Goblin moved to jerzee, and last time I heard from him, he was playing Max2 AC, and Xiayu rarely plays anymore, as he moved onto IIDX, and just said the game is boring.

I got into it later, only been playing arcade for one year, and I played home version for maybe 6 months. I no longer play at home anymore, it is really really boring, timing windows are completely screwed up to what I have gotten used to, and plain and simple, not enough song's to play.

But I have noticed lately, it is even getting boring for me. I have NEVER play in a tourney yet, because I am just not that good yet. I have actually moved onto IIDX, ITG1/2, and Pump It Up.

In our area, it's absolutely dead!!