yesterday, i asked a mapper with about 15 ranked maps about their opinion on my recent maps. they told me something along the lines of, "people who try to be like sotarks/fiery die down after their first or second ranked map." and i realized that aesthetics do matter if i want to reach ranked. so that's what i tried to do: change my mapping style. i'm just caught up on flow and emphasis that i forgot aesthetics exist. and here is the map so far. i put way more effort into it, yet it still feels the same as my other maps. it feels unrankable imo, and i don't even know whether to put more effort into a map that isn't as good. like, i'll be honest, ashton is right about osu not being an art gallery, but i don't even know. some bns will rank hailie/uc style maps, but i don't even know whether i should try that at this point. so why am i trying to be another sotarks/fiery clone when i should try making something clean and rankable?

idk, maybe just map more often following a specific style then after you're more familiar with how it goes, then you can start experimenting until you can finally make your own style. I used to imitate jonathanlfj - kibbleru the first 3 months i started mapping. then rizia - karia - skystar then another mappers then experimented things and finally got my alternating style from messy to more aesthetic-based ones. till i personally realize that mapping should be more flexible and doesnt have to play well (just to please the masses) in every song.right now, im more in conceptual mapping more rather than playability. but that doesnt meann i totally threw it away completely, its just that i personally think that mapping should be more flexible and versatile. if the song is messy, then why should i map it similarly as how i mapped a song with a whole different genre. i should go for a style that would truly represent the song. i think of mapping as an art, i dont have to please the masses. if someone appreciate and understand my concept then thats it. im satisfied. im still gonna try to rank my maps with that mindset. i dont have ranked maps so i dont think this comment will help or anything, anyway best wishes.

compare these 3 of my gd
Typical playability, what the masses wants - Nanamori-chu*Gorakubu - Chochocho! Yuruyuri Kapuriccho!!
Aesthetic, the remedy for the eyes - ONE OK ROCK - 20/20
Messiness + Bad playability, the least likeable - Co shu Nie - Lamp

It really doesn't matter unless YOU care about how you present your maps and how BNs see your maps. That's why I experiment with stuff in the editor because mapping should be fun at the end of everything. If mapping like Sotarks is fun, then fine. I honestly believe worrying about style is kinda irrelevant.

from reading the posts, this is where stuff gets very opinionated and no one can draw the line. if you wamt, why not just go to the BNs who DO rank your so called sotarks style of maps. the ranking system should serve as the time capsule for all kinds of "refined maps," for what ome may interpret such a term as. therefore BNs should too. i think there is no problem in his style of mapping. most BNs think otherwise. then talk to the BNs who dont think otherwise. check the latest ranked maps for their BNs.

there's no such thing as sotarks style imo... meaning sotarks does not define the style. he is only famous for utilizing it. the problem after first and second ranked maps comes on over-relying on him or any other specific mapper themself to dictate how the style should follow. mapping doesnt need to be copies of ideas. its taking from the old and translating them into your own ideas (sure there are maps cpoying other mappers but thats momentary, the problem is for long term cases). if you consider the ideas usually seen in his maps to be yours, and you can really use them in your head as if they were naturally yours, then there shouldnt be a problem.

maybe they said that people trying to copy those styles die out eventually is because the style is really... boring and repetitive. meant for playing. what those mappers saw was the mappers themselves, how they might get bored. s i said already, if you consider those styles to be yours and naturally yours, then i dont think getting bored will happen for a while. maybe sometime, but not for now.

imo dont let the comments stop you. it shouldnt be really a thing to tell someone "dont map in this style since _____ (some profound reason like pp or generic)." thats the mappers idea. if he can defend it with good logic, then why not? if sotarks could rank all his "pp"ish maps, i think you could find a way too. if no BN would like to rank it, thats pretty unfortunate. darn.

The person who told you that shit is just gatekeeping. Mapping isn't exclusive to a few styles

What is true is that there are probably particular styles BN's favor more than others. I mean, we have instances all the times where BN's will disagree with what another BN deems acceptable. (At least we used to, before I went on a hiatus. Think about all the UC drama...)

You need to figure out what's right for you and what your goals are for mapping.

Tbh, if you didn't mention before quoting their opinion I literally think that they are just ignorant new mappers who hate Sotarks/Fieryrage tho...

If you are comfortable with the current style than go ahead, don't force yourself to make those "tech" aesthetic that you don't understand why it would be that way.

The main thing here is that as long as you can make something interesting along pp mapping concept then don't have to worry about BN rejects your but still make sure that you'll have something new to contribute to Ranked section.

r/showerthoughts btw

Do what you like
In my opinion that BN's advice is wrong.
If you want to map Sotarks style, then go ahead.
Everyone has their style of mapping. look at Mazzerin for example, He is a successful mapper but he only maps western metal maps, and only maps higher than 7 stars maps. but has ALOT of ranked maps

Zelzatter Zero wrote:

Tbh, if you didn't mention before quoting their opinion I literally think that they are just ignorant new mappers who hate Sotarks/Fieryrage tho...

they ranked 15 maps in a year, including 2 songs from rwby, uhhh other animes and stuff. i'm too tired to provide screenshots

MinNin wrote:

they ranked 15 maps in a year, including 2 songs from rwby, uhhh other animes and stuff. i'm too tired to provide screenshots

Wait is that browniec?