Introduction

Important Links

• 
  CtB Modding Manual - "How to mod CtB" by JBHyperion
  Basically the Bible for modding osu!catch maps. Even though it was made 3 years ago, this post has a wealth of information that basically every aspiring Beatmap Nominator should be aware of when looking to advance.
  
  osu!catch Modding & Mapping Hub Discord Server by Ascendance
  The largest congregation of osu!catch modders and mappers out there. The server features several places to ask questions, promote beatmaps, and integrate more into the community that you'll be serving as a Beatmap Nominator.
  
  Mapset Verifier by Naxess
  A recent program created by NAT member Naxess that scans the mapset and folder for blatantly unrankable issues. This should not be used as a replacement for modding a beatmap, but rather as a failsafe to catch anything that may have slipped by.
  
  General Ranking Criteria & osu!catch Ranking Criteria
  The rules of creating a rankable beatmap. As a modder, your entry into the Beatmap Nominators relies heavily on your knowledge of the Ranking Criteria.
  
  Modding and Mapping Code of Conduct by JBHyperion
  The CoC is an outline of how you should behave in the modding and mapping ecosystem. It's incredibly important to remember that being a Beatmap Nominator also means that you should be a good example to the community as an elevated user, and that your acceptance into the BNG relies in part on your ability to be that example.
  
  Beatmap Nominator Rules
  I mean this is literally what it says it is. As a Beatmap Nominator, you're held responsible for the knowledge of all information in this article. Some of this information is even quizzed on the exam, so it's important that you know it!

Traits of an Aspiring Beatmap Nominator

1. Being able to mod lower difficulties (Cup / Salad / Platter) just as well as higher ones (Rain / Overdose)
   We get it. Modding low difficulties is boring, tedious, and often times it's hard to find anything that isn't nitpicky. However, being able to mod low difficulties just as well as higher ones is critical to your success in the Beatmap Nominators. Mistakes are found more often than not in lower difficulties simply due to the amount of restrictions and rules on them.
2. Appropriate forum conduct and off-platform conduct
   One of the biggest internal conflicts we have is "Hey, this person said this on Twitter, should we count this against them?" And often times in response, we see "It's off-platform, there's not much we can do." However, I'm here to put this to rest. Your off-platform conduct, especially as a Beatmap Nominator is taken into account when confronted with serious behavioral problems or similarly inappropriate content. As long as you advertise yourself as "X from osu!" anywhere on there, you can get in trouble for it. Similarly, on forums and beatmap discussions, the Code of Conduct applies everywhere. Constantly being warned and silenced could lead to your rejection from the Beatmap Nominators.
3. Proficiency in finding unrankable issues that can't be detected by programs
   Things like timing and metadata can't be detected by something like Mapset Verifier or Modding Assistant, so it's up to you to confirm the validity of both issues. When it comes to these skillsets, people who can accurately find metadata like Noffy or provide precise timing like Hareimu can be invaluable when looking for a second opinion. However, it's important to at least learn the basics of timing and metadata yourself to avoid disqualifications for these reasons as a BN.
4. Capable of modding the mapset as a whole as well as individual difficulties
   One of the most important words in catch is "spread" and being able to identify key issues with spread is paramount to your success in the Beatmap Nominators. Many modders tend to not cross-check between difficulties to identify potential spread issues which could lead to potential disqualifications should the issues be severe enough. Basically, you should be checking for overarching issues within the mapset (rhythm, difficulty settings, etc) as well as modding individual difficulties as normal.
5. Being able to explain your points and give examples on how to fix them
   One of the most important things we look for in applicants is their ability to explain the reasoning behind their points and give potential fixes to these problems. As a modder, it is imperative that when you feel something is a problem, you explain it thoroughly and ensure that the mapper understands the intent behind why it's a problem.
6. BE ACTIVE
   DON'T JOIN BN IF YOU'RE JUST GOING TO DIE AFTER 2 WEEKS. The requirements are low and you have an incredibly handy mod score calculator on the BN website so please use it to check in advance how many mods you need per 30 days.
7. Don't write essays
   With the introduction of modding v2, things have become a much more streamlined process of individual and concise points rather than long walls of text. If your mods are an eyesore or a headache to read, there's probably a little too much there. If you have a lot to say, try splitting it up into separate points.
8. Don't force your opinions on mappers
   It really sucks seeing applicants try to shove their own style down a mapper's throat. Your job is to help promote quality content to the ranked category as a Beatmap Nominator, not recreate someone's map in your own image. You might be able to help solve something through your experience as a mapper, but in most scenarios, you should be looking to suggest things that correlate with the mapper's own image of their map.

Traits of a Beatmap Nominator

1. Learning how to say no
   One of the most requested things on this guide, learning how to simply say no to checking or modding a map is important to the longevity of your career as a BN. Fresh into the BNG, we get that you want to help as many people as possible, however, this often becomes unmanageable and leads to heavy burnout, sometimes even within the first month of becoming a BN.
2. Organizing yourself
   Organizing your modding activity (and nominating activity!) can help make life a lot easier as a BN. Not only does it help you keep track of what you've done or need to do, it also provides a way to point out mistakes that you've made in the past on certain maps (unrankables missed, wrong metadata, etc) and an indicator of what you could improve on moving forward. JBHyperion's CtB Modding Manual provides multiple organization examples.
3. Rechecking maps (over and over and over again)
   The amount of times I've seen BNs bubble, the bubble gets auto popped for an update and then rebubbled without a new check is astonishing. There are even times when a random AIMod error sneaks in and that can create several problems when it comes to BN Evaluations. Always recheck, check AIMod, check mapset verifier, and just play through all difficulties to ensure there's nothing you missed the first 20 times around. Constantly be covering for yourself in terms of spotting unrankables.
4. Dealing with situations you may be unsure about
   There will definitely come some times where you're unsure about certain elements of a map, whether it be something that's outside of your comfort zone or maybe even outside of your playing range. The most important thing in these cases is to learn when to walk away. Even if you love the rest of the map, if you and a mapper can't find an agreement on something, don't force yourself to continue the nomination process. It also helps substantially to get more opinions on things that you have trouble playing or understanding to see if maybe there's more support for it. If you decide to leave, make sure you communicate this to the mapper. A little communication goes a long way.
5. Be on your best behavior on all platforms
   Anywhere where you advertise yourself as "x from osu!", you'll be held accountable for the way you present yourself. While you aren't a staff member, you are an elevated user and are frequently in the spotlight when it comes to behavior when compared to that of an average user. Stay within the boundaries of osu!'s Community Rules and the Code of Conduct at all times!

Conclusion