ddr fading away

Morganna Mode'Gone · Trick Member Joined: 18 Feb 2007 Location: Toxic Jungle

I personally have moved onto finger/hand-based rhythm games; As much as I like pushing myself to my physical limit, there comes a point where I just don't want to put out the energy just to exercise my mind. I mean sure, if I really wanted to put forth the effort I could build my stamina up and get ridiculous scores on ridiculous songs i.e. anything Dragonforce/All That Remains etc.. but I'd much rather push my mind much further than DDR/ITG can allow. Now I'm not saying that I don't play anymore; I'm still a fairly active member in the community, and I still have kept my skill at a very high level, but I would much rather play IIDX/Pop'n Music/DJ Max nowadays because I don't feel as if I'm going to puke out my lungs after doing something difficult hahaha. All in all, it basically boils down to this in my opinion:

DDR has gone to hell because Konami feels the need to sue every company making a music game, seeing as how they realize how terrible their products have become and are continuing to make them/care about them solely for the purpose of making more money, without any true reguard to actual playability and fun-factor.

ITG is perfect the way it is right now, except for the fact that once cabinets are gone.. they are gone for good. ITG3 would have been a major flop due to many different reasons(a topic on ITG Freak discussed all of the drama that occurred over this subject.. it may still be hiding somewhere but I will leave that up to you if you are that interested; it is a good read though not going to lie), and would have dragged the series down over time. R21 and hacked cabinets are the epitome of 4-panel dancing simulation games; allowing one to play virtually whatever they want whenever they want(granted nobody is in line before you lol). I love my machine and the community that surrounds it.. to an extent at least; but that's a different story >_>.

Now all we need is a new TechnoMotion mix with a brand new cabinet. Lol.
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social life ninja supreme · Trick Member Joined: 06 Apr 2006 Location: Memphis, TN

__ · Trick Member Joined: 28 Mar 2002

One word...

iDance.

pleasedon'thurtme · Trick Member Joined: 29 Jul 2008 Location: Earth

Moonbeam Funk · Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 7:44 pm Post subject:

Nothing's anywhere near what it apparently used to be like, but there are revivals in bursts. I know in MD, everyone's excited for FFA, and I guess that provided some inspiration... Gay Goblin is playing again, as are Flashfire (he wants to AAA the game, finally) and Dawgbowl... I'm trying to AAA Extreme even though I'm far from it, just to maybe be the first girl in the US to do it. Every so often there are big tournaments. Monster had a $660, BUT I heard from friends like MaxxParanoia and NekoSempai that you used to be able to win thousands of dollars. So not like before. But people still play... FFA should have at least 70 people. Fun.

There are a few new-gen players, and I'm definitely one of them (pre-SN, but still), and we're definitely different. I play a lot of ITG at school, even though I don't like it a lot, and it has turned me into even more of a high-speed bar player. Like 3x 170. I know my friends used to have 1x tournaments even when speed mods existed, so I'm guessing this is new-school.

I'm really just trying to bring back some old-gen players. I don't think it will ever be the same, but there will pretty much be people willing to compete in tournaments for years. I know I'm probably going to be playing until I AAA Extreme, get really bored of Extreme, or all the Extremes disappear. :3
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pleasedon'thurtme · Trick Member Joined: 29 Jul 2008 Location: Earth

Hm, what is the definition of a new generation player? September 2006 ws the first time I ever tried the game, and May 2006 was the first time I ever remember seeing it in action. What all have I missed? Should we focus on the new generation, or resparking the interest in older generations? All advice is greatly appreciated^^
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Suko · Trick Member Joined: 13 Jun 2003 Location: Lynnwood, WA

Moonbeam Funk · Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 1:20 pm Post subject:

I'm new-gen and my one of my favorite mixes ever is 4th Plus. Others are 3rd Korean, 7th, and Extreme. If you started in 2006 you'd be considered new-gen probably. I "started" in 2005 but I didn't PA until late 2007... Definitely new gen.

There actually are some old-gen players who are willing to play again if there is some revival to the scene, or if they have taken off enough time to not be frustrated with the game anymore. I know a lot of people left because getting the last few AAAs is the most annoying thing ever. Sometimes when they take a while off and then come back, it's not as annoying. It's like how DDR never frustrates me because I only play it for half of the year, and the other half I'm at school playing ITG.

Suko where did you get that Recall signature?
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Suko · Trick Member Joined: 13 Jun 2003 Location: Lynnwood, WA

pleasedon'thurtme · Trick Member Joined: 29 Jul 2008 Location: Earth

I would not mind playing third, fourth, or fifth mix -- they have nice songs. I live in West Virginia and have played three locations in Kentucky (one was a Pump It Up location) and two in Ohio in addition to four locations (one of which is no longer present) in my current home state. SuperNOVA, In The Groove 2, EXTREME, In The Groove, SuperNOVA 2, Pump It Up Exceed (the machine also has labels for GX, but the song selection and interface is just like the Pump It Up Exceed I have for Playstation 2), and Pump It Up New Xenesis are the only arcade machines I have played so far. MAX is the oldest console game I own (oldest in release date, not the time I have in my possession -- I purchased it only a year ago). Yes, playing arcade machines has given me a reason to want to travel more

I know this is probably more appropriate in the arcade forum, but what factors increase or decrease the likelihood of the the removal of an arcade machine from a location? Is the key in preserving our beloved hobby ito focus more on arcades, console releases, both equally, or something else (StepMania maybe?)?

Edit: At the time of the post, I didn't realize GX is a type of arcade cabinet version, not a Pump It Up game mix

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Moonbeam Funk · Posted: Fri Jan 23, 2009 9:20 am Post subject:

Suko · Trick Member Joined: 13 Jun 2003 Location: Lynnwood, WA

I have talked with many arcade owners regarding DDR and operating costs/profits/expectations. Almost universally they agree that DDR is one of their top 5 best-grossing games they own. This does not include redemption games, which make up 70-90% of an arcades business, but I was told that an arcade simply can't just have redemption games, they also need other games for the parents, siblings, or guardians to keep entertained with. Long story short, DDR has a staying profit power that is rarely seen with other arcade games, despite it's expensive price tag and semi-high maintenance costs.

And regarding DDR arcade vs home: pleasedon'thurtme is right. Many start (or at least get good) on the home version, but eventually many players desire the competition, challenge, camaraderie, and consistency of the DDR arcade experience. The vast majority of the serious players on this site and nationwide are all arcade players (myself included), and I don't see that changing. No matter how good of a home pad you get, it just can't beat playing on an arcade machine.
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ranatalus · Trick Member Joined: 26 Apr 2004

as much as the drive for top-tier scores helped expand the tournament scene back in like, 03-04, it seems to have totally killed the freestyle/"let's just have fun" groups

SN being as lackluster as it was certainly made a lot of people feel like DDR has lost it (SN2 was a huge improvement but X seems to be veering off in some other direction)

those coupled with the other points mentioned ("hey i AAAd max 300" "i got that like 2 years ago, old") has made the "serious" group kind of dwindle down

there are likely more home version players than ever now, but we don't ever see them or hear about them, and the occasional one that wanders into the arcade is likely so intimidated either by the skill level of players or the fact that most good players (myself included) are kind of assholes doesn't help expand the community

it also seems like new players don't really do any sort of recruiting/word of mouth advertising. i remember when i first started playing in high school and OH MY GOD everyone i was friends with got to hear about it. a lot of my friends started playing, and my brother still plays (although not as serious as i am). most new players seem almost ashamed of the fact that they play dance games and hide it from friends/people they are dating

also andamiro seems to be doing a better job of reaching out to fans than konami does these days

this post was way too long
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Nathan. · Trick Member Joined: 10 Jun 2008 Location: RI

pleasedon'thurtme · Trick Member Joined: 29 Jul 2008 Location: Earth

__ · Trick Member Joined: 28 Mar 2002

I started on a 3rd Mix Version Korean 2 machine.

You new gen players NEED to give that a run through if you ever find one... just to see what it was like to learn on that.

I spent at least a year on a 5th mix machine before we got Max 2.

Speed mods were a new and fascinating thing for me... and being able to put arrows on solo... man... new players learn faster cause they are spoiled lmfao.

Travelsonic · Trick Member Joined: 08 Oct 2005

Xanthros · Trick Member Joined: 12 Aug 2006

I disagree, I think ITG is even worse on a home pad. Dedicabs rule, plus unless you have ITG PC, you can only play ITG1 at home, and you can't play custom songs. Home pads just suck.

Anyway, I was at an arcade the other day and there were like 6 people there just playing DDR for hours, probably 10 people at any given time playing/waiting to play (there are 3 machines). The machines aren't in great condition, so none of the players were very good, but it was a healthy showing of midrange DDR players. The scene isn't dead yet!
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Suko · Trick Member Joined: 13 Jun 2003 Location: Lynnwood, WA