Here for M4M
(ughhhh wrote another wall of crap sorry D: )
[General]
Normal is above 2 stars, which means the mapset as a whole is unrankable without an Easy. If you keep to 1/1 and 2/1 rhythms in Easy, getting below 2 stars should be a piece of cake.
Of course, you can do away with it if you can nerf Normal to below 2 stars. Changing some of the 1/2 notes to 1/1 and reducing the distance of jumps will help a lot.
[Normal]
00:12:888 - Not mapping the downbeat? A simple hitcircle will do.
00:15:388 (1,3) - Overlap looks meh
00:17:611 (1,2,3,4) - Completely horizontal is a bit boring. How about we rotate it 15 degrees? Rotate 00:17:611 (1,2,3) counterclockwise and 00:18:444 (4) clockwise.
00:21:777 - Add note to map the downbeat. Then change 00:22:055 (1,2,3) into a 1/2 beat repeating slider.
00:26:500 (5) - NC here instead of 00:27:333 (1)
00:34:555 (4,5) - Join with a slider, then blanket around 00:35:666 (1)
00:37:333 (2) - Change to 1/2 beat repeating slider, then remove 00:37:888 (3)
00:49:000 (2,3,4,5) - Spacing is kind of uneven here, should be more uniform
00:50:666 (6) - NC here instead of 00:51:222 (1)
00:52:055 (5,6) - Blanket can be improved. Look from 00:52:472
00:52:611 (6,1) - Whoa 2.0x DS in the easiest difficulty. Needs to be nerfed. I'd suggest just using the usual spacing, then curve 00:54:000 (1) to blanket around 00:55:111 (3)
00:55:111 (3) - Can form a better triangle here.
00:56:777 (4) - Big jump again. Would be more acceptable if you had an Easy, but since you don't you might want to cut down on these.
00:59:555 (5) - NC
01:01:222 (1) - Remove NC
01:02:611 (1) - ^
01:18:444 (3,4) - Curve so that there's a blanket
01:19:277 (4,1) - Blanket can be that little bit better. Look from 01:19:069
01:22:888 (3) - Change to 1 beat slider
01:30:944 (1) - 2.56x spacing :O
01:37:333 - Map this note
01:38:444 (1) - No need for NC here
01:40:666 (1) - ^
01:44:000 - Map this downbeat too
01:52:888 (3) - 2+ repeats are generally not recommended on easier diffs, but it's quite slow so change it if you want
02:03:444 - Map this note?
02:30:666 - Extend the break to this point.
How to do it, if you don't knowIf you look closely enough at the timeline on top, before the word "Break" there's this little less opaque break coloring. I'm not sure what exactly to call it, but it's a short time before the 'actual' break (when letterboxing and stuff happens).
Now if you move your cursor closer to the boundary between the more opaque and less opaque break regions, the cursor will become a double-ended horizontal cursor. Click and drag to change when the 'actual' break starts.
Tip: You can do this to make the 'actual' break end earlier too.
02:37:333 - Should map this
02:38:166 - ^
02:39:555 to 02:42:888 - You have to manually insert a break here. Hit the "Insert Break Time" button right below the Beat Snap Divisor.
02:44:000 (4,1) - Blanket can be improved. Look from 02:44:590
02:45:944 (1) - Avoid doing 2+ repeats on 1/2 sliders in Easy/Normal
02:48:166 (1,2,3) - Would be great if you could make these the same shape. Rotate each slider 120 degrees more than the previous one.
02:52:888 (1,2) -
Improve blanket scrap that. The spacing will get very messed up.
02:54:000 (3,4) - Blanket can be improved. Look from 02:54:416 or 02:54:486
02:55:111 - Map the downbeat, maybe by extending 02:54:833 (4) ?
03:01:222 - Map this
03:03:722 (5,1) - ahhh 3.18x :O :O
03:05:666 - Should map this
03:06:222 (2,3) - Can improve the blanket here.
03:12:610 - Should map to the same point as your Hard. It's in the Ranking Criteria guidelines.
Overall, I think this map could use more visually appealing patterns (e.g. symmetry and blankets).
It will be a very challenging map for new players with all those jumps. Try not to go above 1.5x DS.
[Hard]
00:03:999 (1,2) - Blanket can be better. Look from 00:04:451
00:05:944 (2,3) - ^ (I suggest just copy/paste and rotate 00:03:999 (1,2) after you've fixed the blanket there)
00:07:611 (5) - Point slider upwards instead of to the right.
00:10:388 (2,3) - Improve blanket. ctrl+C, ctrl+V, ctrl+G, ctrl+H (in order) 00:08:444 (1,2,3) since it's already a pretty good blanket.
00:12:888 - Map this note by changing 00:12:611 (3) into a 1/2 beat slider.
00:13:722 (1,2) - Doesn't flow well. Also the blanket can be better.
00:14:833 (3) - Use the shape of 00:15:944 (6) and rotate 180 degrees for better blanket
00:16:500 (1) - No need to have such a huge jump. Can also make a better flow with 00:17:055 (2) using 1.7x DS:
00:17:611 - Map this
00:22:611 (2) - ctrl+J for better flow to 00:23:166 (3) . Add ctrl+H for even better flow.
00:28:166 (4,1,2) - Doesn't flow well. Try making 00:28:722 (1) point to the right instead.
00:30:527 (1) - Start at 00:30:805 instead and add a note on 00:30:666
00:37:611 (2,1) - Doesn't flow well. ctrl+H on 00:38:444 (1) should help.
00:38:444 (1) - NC not necessary here
00:39:555 (1) - Refer to 00:30:527 (1) three lines above
00:43:444 (1) - Blanket can be that little bit better. Using a higher grid level helps.
00:44:000 to 00:47:333 - Manually insert break
00:47:333 - Add note, stacked on 00:47:611 (1)
00:47:611 (1,2) - Improve flow
00:48:444 (1,2) - ^
00:49:833 (1,2) - Don't stack
00:50:388 (3) - Change to hitcircle + 1/2 beat slider to map 00:50:944
00:51:500 (2) - Point downwards to improve flow
00:52:055 (3,4,5) - Move (4) up to create a triangle
00:52:611 (5,6,7) - Sliders here are great, but you could use some finishing touches to make it perfect. 00:52:611 (5,6) can have a better parallel section.
SPOILERJust a rough idea, need to perfect the parallel with (5) and (6), and the blanket with (6) and (7)
00:57:611 (1,2,3,4,1) - ctrl+H to have a better flow from 00:57:055 (4)
00:59:555 (2,3) - Blanket can be better. Look from 00:59:972
01:00:666 (4) - Form a triangle with the tails of 00:59:555 (2,3)
01:00:944 (5) - ctrl+H, then move up for better flow
01:01:500 (1,2) - More blanket issues. Look from 01:02:125
01:03:722 (3,1) - ^
01:05:388 (2) - Point downwards for better flow
01:08:444 - Map this
01:09:555 (1) - NC not needed here if you already have one on 01:08:722 (1)
01:09:833 (2) - Point to the left
01:12:888 - Add hitcircle and blanket with 01:13:166 (1)
01:14:833 (4) - Use 01:14:277 (3) rotated 180 degrees
01:15:666 (2,3,4) - Improve blankets
01:16:777 (4) - Add a repeat to map the downbeat
01:17:611 (1) - If you did ^ that, move this around to maintain flow
01:21:500 (7) - Change to 1/2 beat slider
01:23:166 (3,4,5) - ctrl+< to flow better
01:28:305 - Add note
01:28:444 - ^ (make sure the spacing of the later notes is adjusted accordingly)
01:30:388 (5) - Change to 1/2 beat slider
01:37:611 (3,4) - Improve blanket
01:38:166 (4) - ctrl+H for better flow
01:39:277 (3,4) - Improve blanket
01:40:388 (1,2) - ^ look from 01:39:972
01:42:055 (1,2,3) - ^ look from 01:42:333
01:43:722 (2) - Point to the right to improve flow
01:44:833 - Map this
01:45:111 (1,2) - Blanket can be better. Look from 01:45:527
01:52:888 (1,1) - ^
01:53:722 (1) - Can remove the NC here
01:57:055 (5,1) - Blanket can be better. Look from 01:56:673
01:57:888 (2) - Stack it properly
01:58:444 (1) - Can remove NC
02:02:888 - Map the white tick
02:03:444 - ^
02:05:388 (5) - Point down for better flow
02:06:222 (2) - NC this and remove NC on 02:05:944 (1) and 02:06:638 (1)
02:10:388 (3) - Move this to the right of 02:09:277 (2) . Helps to flow better to 02:11:777 (1) and also makes an awesome readable crossover. Alternatively you can copy/paste and flip/reverse (2) or rework the entire thing to create
Krisom Criss-Crosses02:12:888 (5) - Change to 1/2 beat slider and move upwards to flow from 02:12:611 (4)
02:16:500 (4) - Rotate 180 degrees to flow better
02:24:000 - Map this
02:26:222 (1,2,3,4) - Love this pattern, looks great.
02:28:444 - Map this
02:28:722 (1,2) - Blanket?
02:30:666 - Add note
02:35:111 - ^
02:36:500 (1,2) - Blanket?
02:39:277 (3,1) - ^
02:42:888 - Map the white tick
02:43:444 - ^
02:47:055 (1) - Point downwards for better flow
02:47:055 (1) - Can remove NC here
02:48:166 (1,2,3) - Pretty sure you can cook up a better way to shape/arrange these sliders
02:54:555 (4) - Move to x=208, y=80
02:54:555 (4) - Add repeat to map the downbeat. Adjust 02:55:388 (1) accordingly.
02:57:333 (1,2,3,4) - Whole pattern can be done better
02:59:555 - Map this
03:00:111 (2,3) - Can be done better
03:06:222 (5,1) - ^
03:07:611 (3,4) - ^ look from 03:07:333 or 03:07:298
03:08:444 - Map this
03:12:333 (9) - Personally I would replace this with a 1/2 beat repeating slider, to map all the way to 03:12:888
[Thoughts]
Downbeats (the long white ticks) are a pretty strong component of the music. You should map to it more. Other than that, rhythm-wise there isn't much of a problem.
When I mention "Map this" or something like that, it means I can't really think of any good way to add the note offhand. So feel free to adjust some of the later notes just so that it flows well.
Flow is a really important aspect of mapping. Maps that have better flow are generally more fun to play than others, while antiflow is used occasionally to emphasize something. It's especially important in easier difficulties since it makes the map more intuitive for new players.
EDIT: whoops I didn't see that you were working on flow, in that case fell free to ignore the flow issues mentioned above
Having neat patterns is equally important. The
Mapping Techniques subforum can give you quite a few to get started (tip: scroll to the bottom of page 1 to start seeing relevant content). If you make more of these patterns and do them well, you'll have a solid map at your hands.
Good luck!
