Hi Loctav. Thanks for the post.
I want to raise the question: "How can you tell if someone's qualified to judge a map properly?" Because I don't believe you need to be able to fc, or even pass the map to be able to judge the map's playability.
I've been involved with very difficult beatmaps for nearly a year now. I've both had experience mapping multiple 7+ star maps, and ranking multiple 7+ and even 8+ star maps. I'm sure there are other BN's out there who have done the same.
I think we're undervaluing people's ability to analyze difficult maps. Like other very difficult maps I've participated in, I'm confident that I know how it everything will play, the different angles (when playing vs. in editor), slider leniency, where players will likely abuse leniency, flow, where players are likely to singletap versus alternate, readability, etc...
Some of these jumps are simply very large. Perhaps the best example is: 02:55:471 (1,2,1,2,1,2,1,2,1,1,1) - . I can't actually land the jumps, but I can know how they will play. If I scaled it down, the angles would be exactly the same, as with other jumps. The flow as well. As well, the ratio between white > red tick jumps, and red > white ticks (emphasis, basically) is also scaled down. If a smaller version of this exact same jump was used in another map, no one would have questioned the BN's ability to judge the specific pattern. The difference here isn't the high bpm, the angles, the spacing, the emphasis ratio, or anything like that. Those can all be scaled down, and applied to other bpms, and you'd still be able to judge their playability. The only things that can't be applied elsewhere are whether the patterns fit the song at that exact moment, and whether the spacing of the jumps are uncomfortable (ie, too big relative to the rest of the map, or too small). Patterns like these have, of course, undergone extensive reworking based on testplays, replays, BN's and high-ranked players' suggestions.
What I am saying is, the vast majority of this map can in fact be judged by most BN's. Just because something is 8.3 stars, doesn't mean everything is 8.3 stars and therefore cannot be accurately judged. I'm sure I can judge at least 98% of the map accurately, and I think my BN's can too. However, I do acknowledge my shortcomings, as some of those jumps are beyond me. I can only judge that in theory, based on rhythm, spacing, emphasis, angles, structure etc... they will play well, and operate as how I envisioned them when I mapped them. I can't judge whether they fit, or whether they are just uncomfortable to play. But, I think everyone who's mapped difficult stuff is already aware of this. It's why when we ask for testplays, or when we spectate/watch replays, we look particularly at certain sections of the map that we don't feel confident in.
I will proceed with ranking my other maps in the meantime, but I want to come back to this map in the near future. I still have some mods I need to reply to, and the modders have spent a good chunk of their time writing them, so I want to at least give them feedback. I hope we can come to a mutual understanding.
I want to raise the question: "How can you tell if someone's qualified to judge a map properly?" Because I don't believe you need to be able to fc, or even pass the map to be able to judge the map's playability.
I've been involved with very difficult beatmaps for nearly a year now. I've both had experience mapping multiple 7+ star maps, and ranking multiple 7+ and even 8+ star maps. I'm sure there are other BN's out there who have done the same.
I think we're undervaluing people's ability to analyze difficult maps. Like other very difficult maps I've participated in, I'm confident that I know how it everything will play, the different angles (when playing vs. in editor), slider leniency, where players will likely abuse leniency, flow, where players are likely to singletap versus alternate, readability, etc...
Some of these jumps are simply very large. Perhaps the best example is: 02:55:471 (1,2,1,2,1,2,1,2,1,1,1) - . I can't actually land the jumps, but I can know how they will play. If I scaled it down, the angles would be exactly the same, as with other jumps. The flow as well. As well, the ratio between white > red tick jumps, and red > white ticks (emphasis, basically) is also scaled down. If a smaller version of this exact same jump was used in another map, no one would have questioned the BN's ability to judge the specific pattern. The difference here isn't the high bpm, the angles, the spacing, the emphasis ratio, or anything like that. Those can all be scaled down, and applied to other bpms, and you'd still be able to judge their playability. The only things that can't be applied elsewhere are whether the patterns fit the song at that exact moment, and whether the spacing of the jumps are uncomfortable (ie, too big relative to the rest of the map, or too small). Patterns like these have, of course, undergone extensive reworking based on testplays, replays, BN's and high-ranked players' suggestions.
What I am saying is, the vast majority of this map can in fact be judged by most BN's. Just because something is 8.3 stars, doesn't mean everything is 8.3 stars and therefore cannot be accurately judged. I'm sure I can judge at least 98% of the map accurately, and I think my BN's can too. However, I do acknowledge my shortcomings, as some of those jumps are beyond me. I can only judge that in theory, based on rhythm, spacing, emphasis, angles, structure etc... they will play well, and operate as how I envisioned them when I mapped them. I can't judge whether they fit, or whether they are just uncomfortable to play. But, I think everyone who's mapped difficult stuff is already aware of this. It's why when we ask for testplays, or when we spectate/watch replays, we look particularly at certain sections of the map that we don't feel confident in.
I will proceed with ranking my other maps in the meantime, but I want to come back to this map in the near future. I still have some mods I need to reply to, and the modders have spent a good chunk of their time writing them, so I want to at least give them feedback. I hope we can come to a mutual understanding.
)
