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[Discussion] Mapping Quality Threshold

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Topic Starter
Kibbleru
Do you think the quality standards for beatmaps are currently too high?

We all know that maybe 3 years ago things were quite relaxed, and many newer mappers are able to rank maps if they work hard enough (I believe it took me 3 months myself to be able to rank something).

But within the recent few years, the standards for mapping quality has shot so high that it often takes new mappers years of mapping experience to even rank something that can be considered mediocre. I personally know a few users who have been mapping for over 2 years and have not gotten anything ranked yet.

A high quality threshold itself, is not a bad idea, however what we are doing in turn, is cutting off the flow of newer generation mappers. Let me explain; A major milestone for any starting mapper is getting their first ranked map. With this milestone just becoming harder and harder to achieve, many potential mappers have given up on mapping sheerly because they feel like they are putting a lot of effort and getting no reward/recognition from it.

Part of the cause for this was majorly due to the BN score system that has been established 1~2 years ago. It only served to increase tension between the group, and many BNs ended up becoming scared to nominate anything with even the slightest questionability. With the QAT and BN score system gone, the major problem has been removed, however the community as a whole, seems to only be unable to lower their standards back again now that the barline has already been set so high.

So I'm starting this discussion because I believe something needs to be done about it.

I'm probably the biggest hypocrite by starting this discussion.
Natsu
I think the quality requirement is low tbh.

then again we are supposed to bring quality content to players or helping new mappers to rank low quality maps?, I guess the answer should be obviously, since is a rhythm game.

For what i have been seem for this 2 years in BAT/BN, the quality was higher before when we has a score, now all is really friendly, if you do a rankable map it will made it to the rank category. Instead of lowering the quality of mapping which will only hurt the game, teach them to map, make more friendly tutorials, etc. I dont know if is only me, but I find this new system really friendly for everyone and really easy for rank your own map, I remember the pain that was ranking a map like 3 years ago.
Sonnyc
I personally doubt if the quality standards are too high considering the overall quality of recent ranked beatmaps (100% subjective opinion).

But I have to partially agree that it is somewhat a bit high for new mappers. http://osu.ppy.sh/forum/p/5340645 Maybe it will be conflicting my words from here, but what I personally do for new mappers (with 0 ranked maps) is applying a little lower quality standards, and saying a go if things are done okayish enough. It will be a small damage for the overall quality in ranked map section in the short term, but considering they are the future generations, I think it to be a reasonable investment. The first experience of getting their stuff ranked normally gives them an idea of what to do, and what not to. All what they need to do then, is to constantly improving instead of just getting satisfied with their first ranked map.

Pushing new mappers for their full potential, and applying a little lower threshold for them? Could do.
Lowering the overall mapping quality threshold for ALL beatmaps for the sake of new mappers? Wouldn't be healthy.
Sonnyc
Adding Shiirn's opinion too.

Shiirn wrote:

The quality standard isn't the problem. It's that people expect all mapping to adhere to their individual standards of quality, namely in terms of aesthetics. This creates an oppresive atmosphere as every new mapper needs to learn all of these fairly inconsequential rules and still they face discord and disappointment.

Intrinsically, the main issue with mapping is making sure that it makes sense within itself. That is to say, that it is logically consistent within its own rules. A mapper will try to provide an experience for the player, ideally, with the end result being that the player has enjoyed the challenge or immersion the map provided.

This experience is largely unrelated to the actual aesthetic quality of the map, for better or worse. The obsession with map quality in the modern age has largely been misrepresented, what it actually is, is an obsession with map aesthetics. These can easily be confused, after all - they're both very similar at a glance. But the current setup of qualification, combined with an exploitable score system, has lead inevitably to the 'gaming' of both systems - and as such, a very specific style that is both highly efficient but produces the best results has become wildly prevalent for so long that any new mappers and modders start to believe that this is simply "how maps are meant to be". It's the same sort of educational system that is toxic without anyone even noticing it.

The fact that this style is aesthetically very neat and polished is probably an outright coincidence - large 1/2 spacing in "instinctive" jumping angles leaves maps being very easy to follow no matter what the bpm, and to an extent, no matter what the rhythm. But, as I'm sure everyone has realized at this point, this comes at the detriment of creative impressions of what the music is actually trying to do or say.

How can this be fixed? Well, I'm in no place to really place suggestions, but any sort of reasonable person would look at the source causes - The problem right now is that mapping quality is subjective and aesthetic demands are sometimes confusing, and, between different BN/QATs, wildly different. This means that the qualification phase is a time of tension and fear for both mappers and modders, as a sufficiently disgruntled individual (or portion of the community!) can utilize their own impressions to bring up enough issues to DQ a map. This has happened more in the past seven months i've been back than I care to count, and not just to me, I've done it myself to bring down maps that were of actually questionable quality but were not definitively unrankable.

In layman's terms, the current qualification system encourages people to "throw the book" at them.

Letting up aesthetic demands in favor of actual playability or consistency concerns (because, to an extent, consistency IS important! but aesthetic consistency is not, just click and relative spacing consistency) can eventually solve the problem on its own, as new mappers learn to not take the oppressive atmosphere as being "normal".
HappyRocket88
This is only my opinion but I don't think they're too high, but not too low. I think that getting a mapset ranked at today's standard isn't too hard since the requirements aren't too strict, so mapping safely according to the beats, placing good flows/transitions and aiming to create a wise-difficulty can increase the chances to rank any beatmap accordingly to what the RC suggests.

Nonetheless, with this new system everyone is allowed to voice their opinion to increase the quality of the map. While we as BNs are at it to improve significantly the quality, anyone is entitled to highlight issues that will raise the playability of the map since mapsets' main target are the players of the game.
Topic Starter
Kibbleru
posting for xexxar

Xexxar wrote:

The problem isn't the quality we demand out of new mappers, but the lack of resources for them to improve to meet it. Specifically, there needs to be more capability for them to check if what they're doing is sufficient, and if not, how they can improve. Right now, most BNs aren't going to bother checking someone's first map if it isn't quite up to par simply because of the time required to help them improve not only the map, but their sense of mapping as a whole.

In terms of solutions, having better written rules and possible video tutorials for new mappers to improve their ability and compare with would allow for quicker development. Of course, they're still going to need one-on-one's with skilled mappers to learn from, but this would at least somewhat alleviate the problem. Specifically, things like aesthetics need much more explanation as to what is "correct".

In regards to what Shiirn said, I agree that the inconsistency in aesthetic standards is a problem, but i personally believe that instead of not caring about them, there should be more universal rules on the standard of quality. Things should make sense geometrically and have their position justified by the location of other notes. In other words, if a map obey's this then aesthetically it should be acceptable.

And obviously, adding ways to motivate BNs to check noobs maps and uhh... oh yeah adding more BNs would also be an effective way to support new mappers!
Monstrata
Yea. With all the mapping theory built up throughout the years, it's becoming harder and harder to pick up mapping.

I think map quality should be proportional to the mapper. I try to give newer mappers the benefit of ranking "okay-ish" maps since they're new and etc... (Sonnyc's done a great job explaining the idea). However, I think we should hold more experienced mappers accountable to a higher quality standard too. I kinda realized that after trying to qualify ALIEN. I still think its a good map, but it's made me more aware that because of my position, people do expect a higher quality of map from me. Thus, I think it's fair to push experienced mappers to a higher standard of quality, but also, to be more lenient with newer mapper's mapping quality.

However, probably the biggest problem really is the learning curve. Not learning whats rankable/unrankable, but what's good, and what's not so good.There's an absence of guidance to newer mappers. This is partly to do with BN's being too overloaded to even accept regular mappers' requests, let alone help new mappers (which will take even longer). Additionally, the pinnacle of mapping/modding knowledge, the QAT's, are pretty much removed from the community. There really aren't a lot of ways for mappers to receive professional feedback.
Sonnyc
New mappers should know that they can bother any experienced mapper/modders for a general advice on their map. The problem starts when they are willing to blindly "rank" their creation and just asking for a mod, rather than willing to "improve" in mapping in order to potentially get something ranked.
DakeDekaane
I do think demanding newbie mappers to make their best for their first ranked mapset is a good idea. So they can value all the hard work they've put on that and apply it for their future works. This doesn't mean we should lower the quality threshold for them, but instead judging ourselves if that's the best the mapper can do for the map and it isn't some half-assed effort. This can be done easily by reading the map thread.

Lowering the bar for them wouldn't be benefitial for the system, as it'll make people used to be okay with mediocre/just rankable mapsets.

If something needs to be done, it's more demanding and open BNs. I do feel some doesn't bother to check newbie maps due being scared of spend a lot of time modding without even taking a single look at their maps. For those who are afraid of this: you don't need to mod maps, you are not a modding machine, but have this in mind: even a small advice, even a single line of feedback, even a single word from you can be very valuable to them, It shouldn't take you much time to do this. Don't insta-reject people's requests because they're new.

Also, you're not forced to bubble/qualify their maps, if they rant about you not doing it but you have a legitimate reason, it's up to them, not you. As Sonnyc said above.
Stefan
it's rather the difficulty for the newer mapper to get in. I honestly have no doubt that new mappers can do rankable, and even good beatmaps in early state but to come that far to the point of getting mods, a bubble or the rankability of their mapset is what takes long. Of course, we have for every little thing tutorials, guides and very accurate descriptions for them but most of the users either do not understand them due lack of english skills, being "very stubborn" to read or to follow them at all.

About the actual question of the thread: They aren't too low but *some* people do not take enough care to hold the quality on a reasonable level. This includes both, mapper and the one nominating the map.
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