Since the difficulty system to me seems pretty old and busted, comparing old maps with new maps with the same difficulty name - insane. So I thought about adding another difficulty level: Extra. Beatmappers are already using this difficulty name to indicate that the difficulty is harder than just an insane(http://osu.ppy.sh/b/74200&m=0), and I don't really see why this shouldn't be implemented. Having to play a beatmap to know it's true difficulty is not a good way to do this. A beatmap's difficulty should be displayed on the beatmap's Scores/Beatmap Listing page. Using objects as an indicator only works in-game and needs experience playing maps of a similar difficulty to provide sufficient information.

The insane difficulty level is just too broad to fit all the maps: Many of the 200+ bpm beatmaps(http://osu.ppy.sh/b/119238&m=1) are in my opinion too hard to be considered on the same scale as the "introduction level" insanes(http://osu.ppy.sh/b/188819&m=0). Additionally, these <6 minute single-difficulty maps aren't even supposed to be allowed for ranking, which brings up another issue.

Since maps of this level is probably just by or beyond the border of overmapping, getting them ranked isn't very likely to happen. However, these maps can be challenging even for the best of the best, and can increase the competetiveness between the top players rather than showing who can SS DT/HD/HR most hard difficulties fastest. Additionally, it could also prevent players trying to learn insane level beatmaps from thinking they are terrible players because they can "only play the easy insanes", which is a term that shouldn't even exist, since personally I have never heard of "easy hards/difficult hards".


This icon is what comes to mind for the extra difficulty, taken from http://osu.ppy.sh/b/311082&m=0.

Please tell me what you think of this idea, and comment on changes you might feel are needed on this topic.

the idea was for it to go Easy, Normal, Hard, Insane, Expert. I'm not sure what happened to this idea though. doesn't look like there is an icon for mania though

This also includes perhaps not modifying the rules to allow single-difficulty beatmaps for ranking, but something like the old approval system, where the too-difficult-to-rank maps could still be included with online scores available. I'm certain more players than me would like to have something other than your own and your friends' screenshots/replay scores to compare with when playing pending beatmaps.


Furthermore, some beatmaps mysteriously bypass the ranking rules because they're "good enough" or something, likehttp://osu.ppy.sh/b/156905&m=0 andhttp://osu.ppy.sh/b/119238&m=1, which clearly shows even the BAT have people that support single-difficulty maps.

Difficulty Star Rating is being worked on, I'd recommend to wait until it's finished before wasting stars on Feature Requests that might be useless after that

for Ouendan maps, the 5th difficulty should be called Desperation. for EBA maps it should be called Rhythm Heaven! or somehing

Pellexplutt wrote:

Furthermore, some beatmaps mysteriously bypass the ranking rules because they're "good enough" or something, likehttp://osu.ppy.sh/b/156905&m=0 andhttp://osu.ppy.sh/b/119238&m=1, which clearly shows even the BAT have people that support single-difficulty maps.

please note that both of those are approved maps. i do believe there was a discussion about allowing single difficulty mapsets again, but i've lost it.


also before this thread goes any further, i'd like to hear what's happening with this "Expert" difficulty first. it's been some time since the idea was raised.

I support this, also: t/124644

This is definitely needed, the range of "insane" maps is huge. Though maybe not 'Extra' something like 'Extreme' might be better. (or maybe DIE like Diva PC )

OnosakiHito wrote:

I support this, also: t/124644

Your thread shows a good way to deal with how to add the difficulty in a simple way. Taking your idea and perhaps adding something from the other thread linked in your thread that will allow the BAT to deal with difficulty correction if the mapper is unsure how hard the beatmap is.

Zarerion wrote:

Difficulty Star Rating is being worked on, I'd recommend to wait until it's finished before wasting stars on Feature Requests that might be useless after that

I seem to have missed that the star rating system is being worked on and apologize for that. Perhaps what I wrote earlier might be one way to deal with it.


For now I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

if this is implemented, Ouendan 2 maps should be called Kami ni Ouen

Shouldn't I take your idea since we have already stars in the other thread?

Definitely Support~.... I see some Touhou Maps using "Extra" difficult, but still It's An Insane Map with higher OD, so Real Extra diff. is needed

Zarerion wrote:

Difficulty Star Rating is being worked on

Why there's A 5.10 Star Map, while every Maps Maximum Difficult Star only maxed until 5.00?

OnosakiHito wrote:

Shouldn't I take your idea since we have already stars in the other thread?

That works better I guess, dumping some stars for you!

The maximum difficulty level is not 5.00. It can be as high as 5.5 before overflowing and starting back at 0.0.

I've always wanted this. Please add it.

There is a possibility when an Insane difficulty can be harder than how Insane should be. So yes, this should be added.

And also, instead of naming it "Extra", how about naming it "Elite"?

Difficulty Star Rating is being worked on, I'd recommend to wait until it's finished before wasting stars on Feature Requests that might be useless after that

I think that if star rating gets reworked, new diff names will help anyway.

Besides, what kind of reworking it might be. The only thing ppy can do is to make it more harsh/ delete the 5,5 star glitch. It will still be unaccurate unless peppy finds a way to measure the REAL difficulty of the map (e.g. the way tp rank works) which would also change the way ranking works and all this is a very long (maybe unsuccessful) process.

For the time being I'm supporting the idea with all my heart.

It's not "Extra" But "Expert"
look at this :


"Expert" (oh wait some object end is not snapped)
i will support this.

AmaiHachimitsu wrote:

Besides, what kind of reworking it might be. The only thing ppy can do is to make it more harsh/ delete the 5,5 star glitch. It will still be unaccurate unless peppy finds a way to measure the REAL difficulty of the map (e.g. the way tp rank works) which would also change the way ranking works and all this is a very long (maybe unsuccessful) process.

Well, they are working on a completely new difficulty rating system, obviously glitches will be gone after that as well, but why would that affect ranking?
Do you really believe pp is based on Star Rating?

Anyway, what I wanted to say was, devs just might be already planning to include Extra as official difficulty along with new diff rating, so it would be a waste of stars using them here

Do you really believe pp is based on Star Rating?

If it's not based on star rating I shall say it's based on random number generator.

PPL say it's based on popularity and the high-ranked players you overtake. Then explain me why I got large amounts of pp from [Hard] which has like 2k scores in overall and no significant nickname in the scoreboard?

example: http://osu.ppy.sh/b/249863?m=0 - 20k plays in overall, 1753 scores, I'm the most known player in top which is already absurd.

Well, they are working on a completely new difficulty rating system, obviously glitches will be gone after that as well, but why would that affect ranking?

Ranking should be based MOSTLY on the difficulty rating, this is why. I know that difficulty rating won't be any good, this is why I said the new rating will still be unaccurate.

Added topic to t/124644
I will see if I'm able to merge the topics in a good way.

If it has been called Expert all this while than just stick with Expert, though Extra is a cool difficulty name.