So, I am pretty new to mapping, and I am working on my second beatmap for now. I have a couple quick questions as well as a little bit of context I will put at the end. I am doing Play by Thaehan. Mostly for practice, but I also have some ideas for visually representing the song that I don't see in any of the existing maps of the song, soo.
1. I am not sure if this pattern is too awkward or not? Or what level of difficulty it would be suited for? I was thinking a harder normal or easier hard type range, for now it's in my normal but If it is fine but seems a little bit too hard in playtesting I might move it to the hard?
upload imagesC: I know the movement is partially unnatural, but I reduced the spacing multiplier a bit to hopefully make up for that. (In a consistent way though.) I actually want it to be slightly awkward since this part of the song is different so I want to draw more attention to it. Without it being too hard of course.
It's a new pattern, but I will probably use it or a variation at least 3-4 times in the song based on my general listening. Which should mean that the spacing modification to make it a tad easier shouldn't result in an inconsistency element. (I also noted down the values so I can keep the same spacing if not the pattern for any different notes with the same timing.) It is technically already a simplicification of the notes here even though it isn't the most natural.
2. Question set 2: When is it okay to change the distance snap for spacing within a section? From what I heard it can be done if you are consistent with using a specific spacing to show a certain timing between two notes.
But, I am not sure when that would and would not violate time-distance equality? Like if when I have a lot of notes happening quickly so they would be touching, If I bring them closer together to have a closer overlap that is still readable, I expect that would be easier. But the relationship between time and distance isn't scaling linearly? Is that fine on a normal? What about an easy?(It is more mute of an issue on easy, since generally they don't have distinct clicked notes fast enough where making them overlap would actually make sense in most cases, I guess maybe it might happen more with a really big circle size? Also, how much of a spacing difference is readable when it comes to giving a different feel really? (I guess it might depend on how far appart the notes are as well?) And so smaller differences in spacing are a lot more visible when the objects are already far apart.
C: One of the things I have been trying to use as a key element other than the general aesthetic direction is working to use spacing more intentionally when using distance snap. I have been working to try varying the distance snap more strategically and in a consistent manner in this map. I realized after mapping a bit that I mis-identified the slowest point in the song. (Which I was thinking I would put the closest distance at.)
I also misread the ranking criteria and made my lowest distance 0.75 rather than 0.8 and my highest 1.25 rather than 1.3.
Not sure if I should redo it, or if maybe I should just bump this map to being my light hard maybe since I am going to go back for my normal and easy anyways. That isn't my main question here though. Since that is more of a subjective choice of how to spend my time rather than like a "how to map" like thing.
3. Does anyone have any recommendations for songs to practice beatmapping on. I have been looking through the featured artists and going for shorter songs since I know I can iterate on them quicker and finish with an idea in less time than something like 3-5 minutes. I couldn't find anything with english lyrics sub-1 minute. And the stuff in between 1-2 and 2-3 are pretty overwhelming. But I got a bunch of cool EDM and instrumental tracks that I could practice on. However, when I do get to longer ones, I expect that it would be a lot easier to figure out which instruments to prioritize and follow with a song with lyrics since I can follow them. And I can also use the words themselves as an additional source of inspiration when it comes to the aesthetics of the map.
C: I have watched most of Pishifats videos, and all on the main playlist, and a couple from some other people. But I have only been mapping like 2 weeks maybe? A little bit each day. My plan is to make some practice maps as if I was going for ranked and push some of them for Modding and such, but try to get 3-4 modded so I get good feedback to internalize before trying to polish one up completely for ranking. I am also thinking of trying to focus on a particular way of giving variation and a specific tool in the editor on each map so I can systematically learn each of them.
I am actually pretty new to OSU as well. (I think I have been playing maybe a month or so?) Hards still give me a bit of trouble in a lot of cases, but with determination I can usually at least get a C or D in most, and I can occassionally get no misses on one. I have completely a couple insane. But only easier ones. Although Ironically I have found some light insanes easier than a lot of hards, I am pretty good with fairly quick speeds, sliders, reading, and precise aiming. But I really struggle with streams. So a Hard map with a lot of even small streams might result in me barely passing in a lot of cases. Although, I did manage to get like my first B on a map with a decent number of streams like last week. I still missed a lot on it though.
So, I am thinking about trying to go for a 3-4 difficulty spread when I do go to rank: Easy, Normal, Easier hard(Advanced?), and then a harder hard.(Or maybe light insane that uses concepts I can play well, so lots of precise aiming and quick tempo but not so much that it has streams?)
Although, I might just go normal/hard or straight normal for some of my practice maps depending on how I feel about them.
Regardless I want to try to hit the general standards of difficulty at least even if the level of fun and other aspects of quality aren't enough to really be worth ranking for sure. Since my primary goal for now is learning.
I hope this isn't too long and that multiple questions are okay.
I don't Know what NC, OD, CS, or Chorus mean.
I think DS is Distance Snap but am not sure?
I assume Contrast and Emphasis are more metaphorical tools for showing that things are different or important.
You could emphasize something with spacing, slider velocity, less natural movement, a new combo, etc.