Simfile Competition #1 Discussion

[ddrXero64]

Any questions, opinions, or complaints leave here.

[Midigami]

This contest will be interesting. Though I'm not much of a fan of setting time limits to the submission @.@ Is it to prevent others from creating a short, dumpy song or a 17-minute instrumental song (TGWP...)?

[ddrXero64]

yea. we're not sure how many simfiles we are expecting, so it's kinda hard to have so many simfiles to be entered that may be long. But you are allowed to submit 2 simfiles.

[Torrent]

The judges. Who are they? I have been playing stepmania for around 5 years now, and I have never seen an "oscarface92," nor have I heard of a "ReMaXeD." Are these new alias? Did you guys come from different stepmania communities? I've been a part of SMG, RF, FFR, ODI, BX, KBO, BMS, and SS (when it was simulationstyle, not doujinstyle). I'm a bit anxious about sending files that I work hard on to a group of people that I have never heard of, especially if I don't know whether they will be biased towards Dragonforce-esque music.

Another question that doesn't pertain to judges. Graphics. The average simfile artist most likely doesn't know much outside of going to Google, searching for something, and making that the banner and background. Are you going to find people that can make at least decent graphics is a file is submitted without them? As a simfile artist of 4 years, I have found the trend that nice looking graphics can (and do) make or break a file. It can be the most amazing file in the universe, but the banner is a poorly-cropped, bad quality picture of a duck eating a slice of bread, I'm not playing it unless someone specifically asks, "Yo Torrent, I made a pretty good file for this song, can you check it out?" Also, cdtitles. Yes or no?

Thanks for your time.

[ddrXero64]

Torrent - I am an index player and have been with the site way before it became the main server. It was ReMaXeD and I who thought of starting this contest. I honestly can't say I've been playing stepmania nearly as long as you have, and I understand that the judges aren't "elite" simfile makers. We do have a variety of judges with a variety of playing styles, genre preference and skill levels. We are trying to provide enough variety as to reduce any bias in the judging. As judges our job is to sort out the simfiles and choose which ones are playable and interesting. In no way do we intend to choose the actual winners but we do want to filter those simfiles that don't follow the rules. We will post the top choices (how many choices aren't determined at the moment) and the community will choose the rest. Please take into consideration that the stepmaniaonline.eu site has been the main site for only a few months, and is still growing. As the community grows so will our staff. It is posted in the stepmaniaonline.com page that pops up "If you were a major part of the SMO community that I would recognize and would like to apply to be a moderator at StepManiaOnline.eu and would like a letter of recommendation from me, feel free to contact me directly" from Charles Lohr. As far as I know, no one has applied from the main site through cnlohr. So in essence, we are like a completely different server and have completely different people. We chose judges that we thought would reduce bias, and we're aiming to be as fair as possible. I hope this answers your question. If you have any questions on the individual judges themselves, feel free to send them a message.
As for your second question, I'm not completely sure what you are asking. "Are you going to find people that can make at least decent graphics is a file is submitted without them?" Do you mean are we going to have a biased opinion on simfiles entered without graphics? Please rephrase or specify what you are asking.

Thank you. - ddrXero64

[oscarface92]

well i've only played for almost one and a half year so that would explain why you haven't heard of me before.
And as the rules say, we judges won't be deciding the winner simfile.

[Torrent]

Ah, got it. Guess I missed that part.

@DDRXero: To be honest, I wasn't worried much about you as a judge since I'm in no way an index player and as a general rule, my files will end up being not index-friendly. Glad you cleared up the first question.

Second question though, I can elaborate on. Say I send in a Dream Theater file (which is likely since I have an idea for a file). I can't make graphics at all. Are you going to set up a team that will make graphics for the file I send in?

[ddrXero64]

We won't be editing the submitted simfiles in any way. We will play them and judge them on steps only. But if you were to make it into the top choices, the community would most likely judge your simfile on steps and presentation. So it's better to have the graphics, though it's not assumed every simfile will have some. We don't want amazing graphics, something simple will do, that's why we chose not to have videos. That way we get simfiles that are about the simfile, not about the video or graphics. But if you're aiming to win, it's better to have them (graphics only).

[oscarface92]

And of course you can always get another person to make gfx for you. Actually Hawke is going to make a banner for the songpack that will be made out of all the simfiles that get's approved.
This pack will be released after the end of the contest ^^

[Torrent]

Didn't know HawkE made graphics. Hmm.

One last question. Do electronic genres pertain to the electronic rule?

[ddrXero64]

Which rule? As long as there are no vocals or anything that resembles vocals it's all valid.

[oscarface92]

well yeah about that
we've decided that vocaloid songs are NOT allowed in this contest. that goes for similar things.
basically no voice either human or machine that utilizes lyrics. it shouldn't be to hard to find something within that criteria

[redleaf]

So basically as long as there is no vocals it is fair game?
Cause I have a few ideas but they are hardly what you would conventionally call "instrumental" (although I do have a few instrumental specific songs).
For example one song I am thinking about heavily uses synthesizers. Considering that a synthesizer is an instrument of sorts, yet kind of isn't, would this be okay?

Just trying to clarify

[oscarface92]

thats ok

[redleaf]

Another question: Does the song itself have to be 1-3 minutes? Or just the file we send? I have a few 6 minute songs I can cut down (stupid question probably).

Also, is there any prize other than bragging rights? Will the better files be put into a pack or anything like that?

Also, also, I kinda have to agree with the idea that a good graphic can determine the win or fail of a fail regardless of the file itself. I know a lot of people don't necessarily know people experienced with making good graphics. Some of the other submissions I've witnessed had people assigned simply for making graphics.
So should we even bother with graphics at all. I mean I do know it is the chart that counts but graphics do play a big role whether we'd like to admit it or not.