awp wrote:
Gemi wrote:
* Most maps should have a very easy difficulty level. A very easy map is quick to do and quick to mod, so time is not a valid point against this.
Easy maps are not actually all that quick to do. They're quick to mod, but in order to make an Easy map enjoyable, unique, and not repetitive, it actually takes quite a bit of patience. Easy maps typically take longer to do than Normal maps. Because you have less to work with, you need to be more careful with how you use it.
But apart from that, the point does stand on its own.
The point here being, beginner maps don't need to be "unique". Actually, making a "unique" beginner map would be quite hard since there is so little to work with, as you only have a note now and then. Actually, making a "unique" map would probably mean that it's not an easy map at all. The point is that these maps need to be easy and teach the basics, they shouldn't have special tricks and hart parts. So basically, if you take a lot of time doing an easy map then you're doing it wrong, or you are too perfectionist and I wonder how you get any more difficult maps done at all.
And yes, beginner/easy maps should still follow the actual music track that the map is made to, but you since you can basically just follow the main beat, it's fast to do. Following any weird rhythms just makes the map too hard for players new to rhythm games.
Let's use my "beginner" map for Rainspark as a reference point, since that is a map that I recall well. I actually think that this map would be more of an "easy" map and not a "beginner" one since it isn't so easy afterall.
* The time between notes could be doubled, effectively removing every other note.
* In the middle there is a part where the notes are actually middle beat, which is too hard for rhythm game noobs.
* There are no spinners, which is a good thing.
* There are sliders which are pretty slow, but long enough so that the player has time to notice that he needs to keep the mouse button pressed during the hold. This is good. A slower bpm song would be better in this case since it's easier to do longer but slower sliders.
Anyway, we agree on the major parts and I think that the easy difficulties should definitely get some love and attention starting from now. We all want osu! to grow, right?