Revision as of 16:19, 16 July 2012

What is "Beatmaps"?

Beatmaps listing page: http://osu.ppy.sh/p/beatmaplist

Also called map for short, it is a game level in osu!, like each stage in the DS games. At their most basic form, beatmaps have a song and Hit Circles, Sliders, and/or Spinners placed according to the rhythm of the music, but they can also have a background image or video, or even a Storyboard. Creators of beatmaps are called beatmappers or mappers for short. Beatmaps are uploaded for everyone to see and play with using the BSS, and are then modded. If/Once a beatmap is deemed good enough, it is ranked or, in rare cases, approved.

What types of Beatmaps are there?

Ranked

Ranked beatmaps are beatmaps which either two BATs or one MAT and one BAT approved of. These beatmaps ideally fulfill all of the ranking criteria to ensure that every player can expect a certain kind of standard when playing them.

Ranked beatmaps can influence all the stats on a player's profile, which is what makes them different from approved, pending or graveyarded beatmaps.

Ranked Beatmaps have a heart icon on the thread and on the in-game song selection.

Approved

Approved Beatmaps have the difference in that their score doesn't count towards your ranked score, yet it still has a scoreboard with accuracy being counted as your profile. A map needs either 3 BAT members or a MAT member and 2 BAT members to get approved. It's different from ranked, pending or graveyarded beatmaps.

Approved Beatmaps have a flame icon on the thread and on the in-game song selection.

Beatmaps are approved in various reason like extremely long maps, very hard maps (including tag difficulties). It is possible that part of the map is approved while rest of it is ranked. Though 3 approval is required for all case of approval.

Beatmaps packs

Beatmaps packs, as the title suggests, are a .zip file containing Beatmaps. The name of the pack is based on what they contain (for example, "Approved Beatmap Pack #15" would only contain Approved Beatmaps). It is worth noting that the most packs are:

• Roughly ~100MB
• Always contain videos (if the Beatmap has one)
• Requires a program to open the .zip pack (like WinRAR, 7zip to name a few)
• The beatmaps are either in the form of .zip or .osz file

The files are hosted on an external file storage website, so you don't have to wait for the cool down you get if you download too many Beatmaps within a short period of time at osu! main website.

Beatmaps packs split into 4 categories:-

If you really want to fully complete your song list (not just downloading your favorite songs only), download all the (Approved/-) Beatmaps Packs in the Standard category and nothing else. The (Approved/-) Beatmaps Packs will contain all the songs in the other 3 categories.

The Beatmaps packs can be found and downloaded from:-

• osu! Beatmaps Packs page [1]
• Beatmaps Packs mirror hosted by nanashiRei. [2]

A rough estimation of how many hard disk space (and your connection quota) you will need is around 60-70 GB. (Until Beatmap Pack #478 [6/6/12] and Approved Beatmap Pack #17 [26/3/12])

Pending

Pending beatmaps are beatmaps that are usually complete but are awaiting rank/approval status. Mappers must seek out modding from the community and a MAT or BAT. Beatmaps will remain pending until they have been ranked, approved, or graveyarded, the latter automatically occurring after 4 weeks of inactivity on the corresponding beatmap thread. Pending beatmaps, like graveyarded beatmaps do not affect gameplay statistics.

Mod Requests

Mod Requests means that the mapper of the specific map is in need of help (from fixing the possible mistakes to requesting Guest Difficulties). While typically the song is still playable, the only reason you would scroll here if, and only if, you know what you are, and will be, doing and willing to mod the map for them. The maps is incomplete so be a considerate person and (if you had tried the map,) tell them what's wrong with the map (like the hit circles are off the beats).

Graveyard

Graveyarded beatmaps are maps in which have not been updated or it's thread posted in for at least 4 weeks. This kind of beatmap cannot be ranked until the mapper revives it by clicking the "Revive Beatmap" link in his/her own profile under the category 'Beatmaps'. Graveyarded beatmaps behave in the same way as Pending or WiP maps do in the aspect that they do not add to any stat of the player (Achievements, Accuracy, Score, etc.).

What should I do with the Beatmap(s) I had downloaded?

It is worth mentioning that you should save the files, not opening it with a program (yet). 

• Find where you keep the Beatmap (or Beatmaps packs) you downloaded. Usually, they would be founded at Users/Downloads folder.
  • If you still can't find it, use your "Search" and key in the Beatmap(/Beatmaps packs) name. Then, remember where the future Beatmap (/Beatmaps packs) would end up in every time you download.
• Drag the beatmaps (or extract the beatmaps in the Beatmaps pack) to your desktop.
  • If you can multi-task, you can opt to use two windows (Downloads and osu! program file) without dragging it out to desktop.
• Manually find osu! program file [C:\Program Files\osu!].
  • If you did not know, C: is the hard-disk location name that your computer understands. If you can't find it at C: and you have a different hard-disk location name (like D: or H:), then go there and find it.
  • If you know how to work your computer, make a shortcut link to the osu! folder by right-clicking osu! folder in the Program Files and press "Create Shortcut". If you did do this, it will save you the hassle and time needed. Just remember where you hide the shortcut in.
• Move the beatmap(s) (either in .osz or .zip) to the Songs file.
• Open your osu! and press a game mode. osu! will extract the data (may take a while) and your beatmaps can be played. Enjoy your beatmap(s).
  • Using "F5" is highly suggested especially when you are in a group in Multi mode. osu! will extract the data without leaving the group.

Questions

The beatmap is corrupted! What should I do?

• Re-download it again.
  • The file is corrupted because the data transfer (downloading) is not completed but you (intentionally/unintentionally) close the internet connection and/or your downloading browser, causing the beatmap to be incomplete during the process.

Why I can't download the beatmaps?

• You are not using an osu! account. The server treats you as a guest and beatmaps (except Beatmaps Packs that is) cannot be downloaded from the site until you log in.
• You download too much (like 3 songs) in one time. Cool down and come back (5-10 minutes) later.
  • Downloading from the site contributes to server cost. The server cost itself to sustain osu! is not cheap (say, roughly USD$5,000-USD$10,000+ a month) and further increasing it may cause updates and further improvement delayed due to the asset mostly used up by the server cost.

	Contents of osu! wiki	[+]
Getting Started Installation • Beginner's Guide • osu! Rules • Hit Objects • Game Interface • Options • Glossary • List of Guides • Shortcut Key Reference osu! Game Styles Basic explanation • osu! Standard • Taiko • Catch The Beat • osu!mania • Multi-play • External ports (osu!stream • osu!droid • T-Aiko) World of osu! Beatmaps • Beatmapping • Game Modifiers • Achievements • History of osu! • Performance Points • Play Styles • Score • Accuracy • Chat Console • BanchoBot (FAQ command list) Beatmap Editor Beat Snap Divisor • Custom Sample Overrides • Distance Snap • Kiai Time • Mapping Techniques • Skinning (Skin.ini) • Storyboarding • Storyboard Scripting Online Editing and Ranking Beatmap Approval • Getting Your Map Modded • How to Get Your Map Ranked • Kudosu • Modding • Ranking Criteria (For Standard • Taiko, Catch the Beat, osu!mania) • Star Priority • Submission • WIP People Administrators • Alumni • Beatmap Appreciation Team • Language Moderators • Internet Relay Chat • List of notable people • Mappers