DDR Uni3, DDRX, DDR HP2 officially announced! (56k Warning!)

[mequetrefe413]

[ddeeaallzz]

I hadn't realized that DDR X launched at $30 instead of the typical $40. Now there's an improvement we can all agree on...

[Pie~]

[koffan2]

[justoneuncle]

[Reenee]

[Uiru]

This is an anecdote post and I don't expect a single person to believe a word of it, but we were bored tonight and I went through the songlists for SN2 US and DDR X, and then Extreme 2. You might already know where this post is going. SN2 and DDR X got "mehs" all around, but nearly every song in Extreme 2 had at least one person excited for it. When I was done they actually rigged up the pad and played it, which I haven't seen these guys do in months. It appears I may have to dole out my fully unlocked save file a few more times, as the newmix guy, the 4th mix guy, even the 'lol didder' kid were getting into it.

The trick, as I mentioned before, appears to be as I mentioned earlier- a sensible mix of new and old, licenses and KOs, that aren't obvious trash. Well, other than Thuggie D. Good Extreme songs? Yes. Good Dancemania songs? Yes. Good new KOs and licenses? Surprisingly, yes.

I don't hate DDR X (as I don't have it completely unlocked yet) but I'm simply not feeling it from this game. Extreme 2 feels like DDR. I've heard DDR X compared to both Ultramix and ITG, and I can't decide which is more insulting.
~Uiru
_________________

Uiru's Stepfiles - Uiru vs ITG - Bemani on Wii?

"I just think everytime [Uiru] touches a keyboard, something epic comes out." ~Ω

[koffan2]

[Reenee]

[Pie~]

It's kind of funny how EX2 is so praised when I remember all the crap that was talked about it when it first came out. Not that it wasn't liked, but there was major crap-talking to be had.

"Ugh, MORE Konami Covers? And an I Will Survive one at that!"
"Sean Paul in DDR? These games get more American by the second!"
"Upswing mix? Where the hell is the original?"
"Make A Difference and Saturday Night Love are two of the gayest DDR songs ever"
"You HAVE to play Dance Master Mode? Ugh!"
"Where is Matsuri Japan FNSM, My Summer Love (Tommy's Love Mix), and Still in my Heart MOMO mix?"
"They included Sakura, PS, and PSM, but they didn't put in DDR or bag?!"
"Why isn't there an Extra Stage system!"
"PS and PSM cost way too much in the shop!"
"Injection of Love doesn't have the lyrics? What's the point of putting it in?!"
"They should have put in Oh Nick Please Not So Quick instead of In the Heat of the Night"
"MORE Paula Terry? Eww..."
"What's with these English banners?"
"They f-ed up Sakura's video!"

*months after EX2's release*
"What the Hell? Why didn't WE get iFuturelist and DoLL?"
"What's with the Japanese getting a bunch more Xbox songs?"
"Why couldn't they give US HEAVEN IS A PLACE ON EARTH (German Election Mix)?"
"They got vocals in their Injection of Love?!"
"They got the Max 300 remix AND a new oni chart, WTF!"


*A year after EX2's release*
"Where's the video for iFuturelist?!"

Aww...how times change!
_________________

YouTube

[Nightime]

GRR.

I still have yet to pick up X, though I fully intend to this weekend. I'm still curious to see if anybody's played the X-Mixes, or comparisons between old difficulty levels and new ones - or if there's *any* 19/20 charts in it, at all; and if so, what could possibly set them above Pluto Relinquish.

Any most favorite (new) songs? Least favorites? o.O

[violently average]

[koffan2]

[Mike R.]

For those of you who care, here are 3 more Universe 3 songs. Dummy by RAM, EtoSharu by oo39.com, and Dirty Digital by kors k.

Pic
_________________

[Shirogitsune]

Well, I've been into DDR since DDRMAX2 CS, but now the excitement's faded for me. I now find MAX2 to be nostalgic, Extreme to be the typical yet enjoyable oddball, Extreme 2 to be the zenith of DDR CS quality (not just in songs and stepcharts), Supernova to be a futuristic glimpse of what's to come in the next age of DDR, Supernova 2 to expand upon that glimpse, and now X.

I've sadly (or happily) been exposed to IIDX JP CS between SN2 and X, and the contrast in quality is astounding. Not just to X, but to many of the other CS DDR games the US got. Why does IIDX have so much more quality to its games than DDR when IIDX is most definitely not as well known (and probably not as widely played judging from that)? Is the US department of Konami really that apathetic? They've been trying to get new people into the game since when? Don't we have enough DDR games that were aimed to get new people into it already? Or is it just another excuse to keep recycling games with music most of the actual (long term) DDR community isn't going to play more than once? X is the same kind of disappointment I've expected since Supernova, the same game recycled with almost nothing extra, nothing anywhere near what quality Bemani games are capable of reaching.

tl;dr last time I'm ever going near an American DDR mix, k goin' back to IIDX and ITG, sorry if I generalized too much, but I'm feeling bitter and moderately frustrated. Happy 10th anniversary DDR and goodbye.

[koffan2]

Yay, I passed Horatio Expert . My 2.5th 10 (well, it's 15 now, which is equivalent of an easier 10) after PS and Sakura, which I passed when it was still a 10.
_________________

Blind Justice, Bloody Tears, Freedom, Pluto, Poseidon, and Pink Rose for DDR X CS! 1 down, 5 to go.

[Syncopation]

I think that DDR X is much better in the Double mode as opposed to the Single mode. Not everyone may have two dance mats, but turn off autofail and at least look at the Doubles stepcharts. I've noticed just a few good charts just from the initial song set...

Playa Expert - they are fun steps, although certainly not too hard, and someone who is just getting into Expert double could learn a few advanced techniques (crossing from 1P to 2P, crossing over in the middle of 1P and 2P) at a slower speed with these steps.

Tracers (4Beat Remix) - lots of stream and good use of both sides of the stage, fun steps that go well with the music, and could be challenging for those who don't read a lot of stream in Double mode all that well since the steps go several measures in a row before a change in rhythm occurs.

Dream Machine - lots of offbeat sixteenths in the middle of this stepchart plus lots of stage crossing, I'd think that's also a decent challenge while still avoiding BS steps.

XMix 1 (Midnight Dawn) - challenging steps across both sides of the stage involving several three orange-purple-blue (red-blue-yellow) ITG style patterns, plus there is one speed up about 2/3 through the song, along a couple of stops.

To me, it looks like DDR X was made to be a new type of DDR--familiar steps and song select interface, but with a bit of ITG style techno mixed with a bit of Flow: Urban Dance Uprising R&B/Hip Hop inspired music and graphics. Add to that, the shock arrows were also clearly inspired by ITG's mines, but were used in a much better way (all four arrows and on the beat) as opposed to ITG's splattering of mines all over the arrows in some of their Expert charts.

(My only real issue with the game is still the announcer, but turning Voice to off limits the announcer to song select screens and results screens.)

[Zonic]

Julio's story is quite interesting. See, each "mission" is a quiz. For example, the 1st question is "What is the name of this game? A.) DanceDanceRevolution X B.) DanceDanceRevolution Supernova 3 C.) DanceDanceRevolution Extreme 3" & then you "choose" your answer by getting that grade after playing a song (AA & AAA count as A). 2nd question was about the year DDR was 1st released & the 3rd is about the name of DDR in Europe (which is where Gus is from!). That is really cool. If I feel like it, I'll post all the questions.

[GERARDAMO]

[Nightime]