Beatmania

[Rogie]

The US version is coming out next week, and I would love to get it, but I've never played it in the arcade (I've never seen the machine for it - Hip Hop something, right?). So, all you music-game fans out there who have played it: how is it? Is it easier than DDR, or harder? Is it fun? How are the tracks? Etc., etc.

I've been watching videos of people playing it on the net, and it looks insanely difficult, but then again, it also reminds me of Frequency and Amplitude, which I rock at. I'm much better with my hands than with feet. I stink at DDR, although I do love to play it.

Review away, please!

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Beatmania IIDX DEFINATELY much harder than DDR. You have like 5 or 7 buttons, and a mini turntable. Unlike DDR, where it has a song playing, you play the song for the most part with the buttons. So if you press the wrong keys, the song sounds off key. (Not all songs I believe)

I never played any US version of it, I've only played the Japanese ones (my friend has like all the styles) I believe they are called "Styles" like 8th style, 11th style, etc. But It is an incredibly fun game that's definately worth it. The problems I first encountered were hand-eye coordination. I'd always find myself hitting the wrong key that was probably one space away. There is also a pretty large gap from "easy" to "standard". If you are a big DDR player, you may recognize a fair number of the songs on Beatmania IIDX, as DDR likes to take songs from IIDX/Dancemania/Pop'nMusic, etc

I know that Sync would know more about it than I do, so lets await for his response.

A video of it is here
http://youtube.com/watch?v=xUQ44M2AX5E&search=IIDX%20beatmania

[Bobtheduck]

Wasn't Bemani before DDR? Isn't that what lead to DDR? I remember playing Bemani in the arcade like 8 years ago... I didn't get it back then...

[Sync]

Beatmania (5key) came out in 98, just months before the first DDR but the projects were running development at the same time. IIDX with 7 keys started in 2001 and is now up to 13th Style -DistorteD-.

Personally I'm going to wait a few months; I already have four Japanese games, and another one is coming out in May (IIDX RED) which is the console version of my (so far) favorite style. Also from the released songlist for BMUS isnt looking that great to me, about five or six songs are from 7th through 9th (2 each) and the rest are all much older, even stretching back into 7key versions of originally 5key songs. But dont get me wrong, I love a large majority of the music in the series, so I will be picking the game up eventually.
For a first US release though to it's looking solid, reduced difficulty on grading which is a great idea so new players aren't discouraged (and I can finally claim to have more than 1 AAA'd Hyper song!). The demo with OPM is kind of annoying because you cant hook up a true 7key controller so I cant get a good feel for how easy/difficult it is ("dualshocking" on IIDX is incredibly tedious). Pricing is absolutely perfect! it's normally $70 for a single Japanese game and upwards of $130 for a controller! I'd reccommend anyone who likes music games in general to at least give it a try.

A few final things, certain projection, LCD, DLP, and Plasma screen TVs operating in normal input mode will have a signal lag, if you look in the menus you may be able to find a "game" mode to help; this lag can completely screw up your timing to whether you need to be faster or slower than what you see. There's also likely going to be ghosting of notes (afterimages) as well, these issues are otherwise unfortunately unavoidable. Input connections! with the normal RCA inputs the colors are nowhere near as vivid as are meant to be, getting some component cables can really improve the visual quality, that is if your TV will support them; S-Video is the next step down.

[Bobtheduck]

Yet another reason to get CRT over Plasma...

[Sync]

Oddly enough though, at version 11 (RED) of the arcade releases, Konami started making any new machines with a 35" plasma display instead of the 42" Toshiba projector that had been used up until then. HDMI output from the PC hardware was also used to up output times.

[Rogie]

All hail Sync, official Beatmania expert! Thanks for the info. I think I'll pick it up as soon as it comes out next week, then, especially due to this comment:

For a first US release though to it's looking solid, reduced difficulty on grading which is a great idea so new players aren't discouraged (and I can finally claim to have more than 1 AAA'd Hyper song!).

I need an easy start, since the game scares me in all other videos I've seen on Google and YouTube. And it's nice to know the price is just right for the controller.

Another question, and forgive me, since I've never imported: If I decided to import Beatmania games from Japan, will the US controller that's coming out with the game next week work for those, as well? Of course, I'd have to figure out the whole import thing before I did that, but this is a question for future reference.

[Sync]

Fairly sure the new controllers will, they're changing them a bit to have a rounded edge on the turntable and spring loaded keys unlike the rubber "plungers" on the Japanese ones to prevent sticking; I have heard of the Start/Select buttons being switched but cant confirm that. I'll definitely know in the next few days of course.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Just curious, why are there 5 key and 7 key controllers? Wouldnt most people just play with 7 to be awesome?

[Kkun]

Just curious, why are there 5 key and 7 key controllers? Wouldnt most people just play with 7 to be awesome?

From my understanding, 5 key Beatmania was introduced first and 7 key was added later. There are just two kinds of controllers because they added more keys later, so the 5 key controllers you would use with old Beatmania and the 7 key, you would use with IIDX, I guess.

[Rogie]

I did read somewhere that in the US version, you can play the game on either 5 keys or 7 keys. Again, good news for this noob, since I'm sure 5 keys will help get me started.

[Rogie]

Well, I picked up the game today, after EB finally got it in-stock. I'm enjoying it thus far, but I have to say, it is one of the most difficult games to wrap your mind around. The learning curve is definitely steep. I failed the third practice round, for Pete's sake!

But I am noticing that if I practice a song over and over, I'm memorizing certain parts and am able to pull off combos over time. I've played a little piano in the past, and it's somewhat similar, but often too similar. The black keys are too far from the white ones to make combos smooth like playing on a piano.

Anyway, one thing that irks me about the US version thus far: None of the songs feature previews from the menu. You actually have to play a song before you hear any of it. I much prefer DDR's previews from the menu screen.

And finally, I despise the fact that they included a Britney Spears song - "Toxic." Can't stand her music. Oddly, she's not listed as the artist, but I played the song (and failed), and it sounded just like her voice. Not that it's a hard voice to mimic. A good remix, though; the Britney aspect just irks me.

[Tommy]

[quote="Rogie"]And finally, I despise the fact that they included a Britney Spears song - "Toxic." Can't stand her music. Oddly, she's not listed as the artist, but I played the song (and failed), and it sounded just like her voice. Not that it's a hard voice to mimic. ]

*pats a crying Rogie on the back*

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Rogie, are you playing with 5 keys or 7?

[Rogie]

Rogie, are you playing with 5 keys or 7?

Well, that's a good question. I've been playing on 5 keys all day and it takes me a while but I get the hang of it and start doing well. But I decided to switch over to 7 keys just to see what it's like, and... it's easier, somehow. It just makes more sense in my brain to have 7 keys going (don't ask why), and in 7 keys, I know that I can use the full keyboard. In 5 keys, I keep drifting over to those 2 extra right keys and hitting them, completely messing me up.

So I'm liking 7 keys for now. But after 10 practices, I'm totally nailing 5-key "Funkytown." Won't you take me to.. ner-ne-ner.. Funkytown... ner-ne-ner. I never thought I'd get something out of that song.

*pats a crying Rogie on the back*

Thanks for your support, Tom.

[Sync]

Have you been using Original or Arcade as the display/screen setup? (if it's even called that anymore) Original gives a lot more viewing area by removing the second player side while Arcade is as normal in the arcade with both sides. Also try moving the Judgement display position (your current combo number & grade of thelast notes) to get a better view of the notes as you need hit them.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Man... now I wanna get Beatmania IIDX. Of course I'd also want to get a fliptop... I have this odd dislike of US versions of rhythm games.

[Rogie]

Have you been using Original or Arcade as the display/screen setup? (if it's even called that anymore) Original gives a lot more viewing area by removing the second player side while Arcade is as normal in the arcade with both sides. Also try moving the Judgement display position (your current combo number & grade of thelast notes) to get a better view of the notes as you need hit them.

I haven't seen options for those settings yet, but I'll check into it. The judgments don't normally bother me until I'm in the middle of a complicated combo.

I'll let y'all know what I can find out about it.

Oh, and "Celebration" is one of the 7-key songs. Easy, yet fun to sing along with while beating out the notes.