I know my maps are not the most extraordinary and they have some issues, but why almost every map is so monotone and unordinary nowadays.

Unoriginality
This is very hard to explain. Almost every map feels indifferent to each other nowadays. There's nothing "bad" about the map, but there's nothing special. It's just meh. Occasionally you'll see something unique that's ranked, but even the once unique "technical" maps of 2014/2015 are not special anymore. The mapping style in every ranked map typically expresses music well, and maybe that's the whole point, but why does every map feel so ordinary? Maps in the earlier days of osu! felt so diffrent, almost as if every map had their own unique concept or "style". Plenty of maps "back then" didn't express music in the best way possible, however; almost all maps seemed so unique. People tried new concepts and put their mind to whatever they'd like to be in their map. Nowadays I assume due to norms and the lack of creativity promoted through the rank system mappers only map what's the norm. I'm not saying the ranking system does not promote creative maps, however; it's hard to get recognition espieceally as a new mapper, therefore; people choose the safest route.

Hitsounding.
I know hitsounding was by no means any better in the earlier days of osu!, but aside from the occasional keysounded or well hitsounded map almost every map does the bare minimum to pass qualification. I think this could be due to the under appreciation for hitsounding or everyone just using the "click-clack" hitsounds when playing.

I'm not gonna deny that there is plenty of new creative and unordinary maps out there, however; the vast majority of maps seem so indifferent. I can't go into to much detail and provide examples since that would be to much to write, but I'm sure someone has to agree with me that mapping has been at a stalemate for the last maybe four to five years. Does anyone else agree?

Hitsounding is a little irrelevant to this topic, but I like hitsounding and I think it be cool if more people put effort into it.

I am in no way knowledgeable about the topic since (1) I haven't kept up with the ranked maps progression at all, and (2) I stopped mapping about 1 and a half years ago and am only recently returning. So, I'm not really offering answers. If I say something which sounds like concrete data or fact-based opinions, it's at best the speculation of a salty no-ranked-map mapper. I'm just presenting explorable points from other mappers. I'll even hide the points to hopefully not seem condescending.

If that paragraph hasn't pointed it out, I hope that anyone who reads this takes it with a teaspoon of salt. I don't think it's reliable and I don't know if the points I bring up for thinking are related at all.

However, some thinking points came into mind when you brought the question up... maybe it will help in exploring the question in this time period of 2022? Idk

renzthegreat wrote:

I am in no way knowledgeable about the topic since (1) I haven't kept up with the ranked maps progression at all, and (2) I stopped mapping about 1 and a half years ago and am only recently returning. So, I'm not really offering answers. If I say something which sounds like concrete data or fact-based opinions, it's at best the speculation of a salty no-ranked-map mapper. I'm just presenting explorable points from other mappers. I'll even hide the points to hopefully not seem condescending.

If that paragraph hasn't pointed it out, I hope that anyone who reads this takes it with a teaspoon of salt. I don't think it's reliable and I don't know if the points I bring up for thinking are related at all.

However, some thinking points came into mind when you brought the question up... maybe it will help in exploring the question in this time period of 2022? Idk

(1) Another question

What do we all think about unranked maps right now?

With the niche group mapping songs from a certain artist which I constantly keep up with, I find a handful of mappers with really varied styles and putting effort into their maps, some even reaching into what I'd consider as rankable quality. Here, look at this mapper. I'd argue his single-diff maps are at rankable quality, and the way he executes some of them are pretty fun. But he's never ranked anything. He's only done GDs for so long, single diffs of GDs to add to that.

I have no idea what goes on among other groups of mappers, but maybe this will bring up a talking point. I do think all of us try to rank a map as an entry into mapping. But maybe, I don't know, (and this is my opinion for what I've seen) maybe we as a mapping community skipped that "ranking" part? Perhaps many of the mappers and maps you're looking for are stuck in graveyard for various reasons. Names of ranked mappers from before I stopped being active still often pop up in the first page of newly-ranked beatmaps. Where are the *new* "creative" mappers like you asked? Although to be honest, I don't really look at all those maps and mappers. Maybe I ignored a lot of maps, and in turn new mappers there.

(2) Digging up the past

qwt wrote:

...Almost every map feels indifferent to each other nowadays...
...but I'm sure someone has to agree with me that mapping has been at a stalemate for the last maybe four to five years. Does anyone else agree?...

Are you sure about your date? This is 2018, and if you're sure, then I think that's pretty interesting. I recently rewatched pishifat's video of him discussing a mapper influence connection database which he created with the help of some other mappers. This survey was conducted in 2018, which matches with your date.

I used to think of 2018 as a good time for mapping, where prominent maps and mappers could be named out easily and taken inspiration from. Maps were hyped in that time, after all, and they do reach the public. The database is another proof of it. I think it's safe to say maps were not indiferrent to each other back then. It's safe to also say I indirectly agree with you from the 2018 viewpoint, but I cannot tell for the 2022 viewpoint.

Four to five years later, and players like you have these completely opposite sentiments.

Does this prove your point, and can it bring discussion further at some direction?

(3) Indifference and inspirations

Personally, your mention of the word "indifference" hit me. It's like saying that we've stopped being inspired from each other's mapping unlike what the website I linked in number 2 implies with concrete data.
It reminds me of pishifat's interview series...

Yes okay sorry I'm bringing up pishi's videos again... but hear me out. I'm specifically talking about videos he made about OTHER prominent mappers, so it's more about those other mappers with varied styles and reasons for mapping like RLC, Hanzer, Sotarks, etc.

There's a mix of old and new mappers there. Maybe the content of the interviews can shed light on how inspiration in the years before 2018 worked, and maybe we might see how "inspiration" works differently for us now. Perhaps this is also related to (1) where I brought up the idea of unranked stuff? Again, idk. I just wish to expand on the question and potential related information, if they are at all.

Past opinions which I remembered

I remembered sentiments from 2018-2020 which say that creative mapping isn't dead. Can't say any more than that though.

Hope others can talk about these points too

(1) A viewpoint on ranked maps from 2020 onwards, which I lack knowledge of.
(2) A more comprehensive opinion of thoughts on the mapping stalemate sentiment, which I don't want to give because I think I can't do that reliably.
Really interested in the topic brought up. I don't really get the mapping community now. Hope it goes forward.

renzthegreat wrote:

I am in no way knowledgeable about the topic since (1) I haven't kept up with the ranked maps progression at all, and (2) I stopped mapping about 1 and a half years ago and am only recently returning. So, I'm not really offering answers. If I say something which sounds like concrete data or fact-based opinions, it's at best the speculation of a salty no-ranked-map mapper. I'm just presenting explorable points from other mappers. I'll even hide the points to hopefully not seem condescending.

If that paragraph hasn't pointed it out, I hope that anyone who reads this takes it with a teaspoon of salt. I don't think it's reliable and I don't know if the points I bring up for thinking are related at all.

However, some thinking points came into mind when you brought the question up... maybe it will help in exploring the question in this time period of 2022? Idk

(1) Another question

What do we all think about unranked maps right now?

With the niche group mapping songs from a certain artist which I constantly keep up with, I find a handful of mappers with really varied styles and putting effort into their maps, some even reaching into what I'd consider as rankable quality. Here, look at this mapper. I'd argue his single-diff maps are at rankable quality, and the way he executes some of them are pretty fun. But he's never ranked anything. He's only done GDs for so long, single diffs of GDs to add to that.

I have no idea what goes on among other groups of mappers, but maybe this will bring up a talking point. I do think all of us try to rank a map as an entry into mapping. But maybe, I don't know, (and this is my opinion for what I've seen) maybe we as a mapping community skipped that "ranking" part? Perhaps many of the mappers and maps you're looking for are stuck in graveyard for various reasons. Names of ranked mappers from before I stopped being active still often pop up in the first page of newly-ranked beatmaps. Where are the *new* "creative" mappers like you asked? Although to be honest, I don't really look at all those maps and mappers. Maybe I ignored a lot of maps, and in turn new mappers there.

(2) Digging up the past

qwt wrote:

...Almost every map feels indifferent to each other nowadays...
...but I'm sure someone has to agree with me that mapping has been at a stalemate for the last maybe four to five years. Does anyone else agree?...

Are you sure about your date? This is 2018, and if you're sure, then I think that's pretty interesting. I recently rewatched pishifat's video of him discussing a mapper influence connection database which he created with the help of some other mappers. This survey was conducted in 2018, which matches with your date.

I used to think of 2018 as a good time for mapping, where prominent maps and mappers could be named out easily and taken inspiration from. Maps were hyped in that time, after all, and they do reach the public. The database is another proof of it. I think it's safe to say maps were not indiferrent to each other back then. It's safe to also say I indirectly agree with you from the 2018 viewpoint, but I cannot tell for the 2022 viewpoint.

Four to five years later, and players like you have these completely opposite sentiments.

Does this prove your point, and can it bring discussion further at some direction?

(3) Indifference and inspirations

Personally, your mention of the word "indifference" hit me. It's like saying that we've stopped being inspired from each other's mapping unlike what the website I linked in number 2 implies with concrete data.
It reminds me of pishifat's interview series...

Yes okay sorry I'm bringing up pishi's videos again... but hear me out. I'm specifically talking about videos he made about OTHER prominent mappers, so it's more about those other mappers with varied styles and reasons for mapping like RLC, Hanzer, Sotarks, etc.

There's a mix of old and new mappers there. Maybe the content of the interviews can shed light on how inspiration in the years before 2018 worked, and maybe we might see how "inspiration" works differently for us now. Perhaps this is also related to (1) where I brought up the idea of unranked stuff? Again, idk. I just wish to expand on the question and potential related information, if they are at all.

Past opinions which I remembered

I remembered sentiments from 2018-2020 which say that creative mapping isn't dead. Can't say any more than that though.

Hope others can talk about these points too

(1) A viewpoint on ranked maps from 2020 onwards, which I lack knowledge of.
(2) A more comprehensive opinion of thoughts on the mapping stalemate sentiment, which I don't want to give because I think I can't do that reliably.
Really interested in the topic brought up. I don't really get the mapping community now. Hope it goes forward.

this is so much text that I can't quote the quotes I want to reply to, but yea maybe 4 to 5 years was a strech.

for the most part I agree with what you're saying and there was some flaws with my opinion.

wait wait did I not clarify something www
let me clarify

I think your opinion is still valid despite the talking points I brought up; they only expand on the thought of mappers thinking mapping being at a stalemate. You feel it's stale, you're a mapper, so something has to be going on at some level for you to feel that way. I personally can't tell since, again, I just recently became active again.

I don't believe any of the sources I brought up implies that mapping doesn't feel stale in 2022; they only show that mapping didn't feel stale in 2018. Perhaps there have been changes over time. Except for (1) I guess, but that's unranked. For creativity to be happening in the unranked section in our time IF ANY, that should still be relevant to your concern since you talk about "uniqueness in the ranked section" specifically. If any, because I don't know if other mappers in other circles did "skip ranking" like I speculate.

(2)* comment: Not 4-5 years? Then idk. But I would agree that it was different in 2018. The community, at least

Other comment: just remove it manually if you wanna reply to a part

as far as i can tell, the ranked section is more varied than ever, partly because the requirements have relaxed quite a bit over the years, partly because the community has gotten more accepting of unconventional stuff, and partly because the general attitude towards enforcing standards has shifted. it's really hard to prevent something you dislike from getting ranked right now as long as someone else supports it.

numerically, though, there are also more maps that are super similar to each other than in the past, just cause there are more maps in general

honestly the OP just screams survivorship bias. most maps in every era have been and always will be safe and unimaginative, it's just harder to see that in past eras cause no one remembers the unmemorable maps

lewski wrote:

as far as i can tell, the ranked section is more varied than ever, partly because the requirements have relaxed quite a bit over the years, partly because the community has gotten more accepting of unconventional stuff, and partly because the general attitude towards enforcing standards has shifted. it's really hard to prevent something you dislike from getting ranked right now as long as someone else supports it.

numerically, though, there are also more maps that are super similar to each other than in the past, just cause there are more maps in general

honestly the OP just screams survivorship bias. most maps in every era have been and always will be safe and unimaginative, it's just harder to see that in past eras cause no one remembers the unmemorable maps

^this
i've tried/seen a ton of maps from 2016 and earlier and they usually looks really boring to me, even stuff from 2008 or earlier aka "the age of experimentation" that people talks about still follow a formula usually, not one of the modern day of course but it's a formula none the less