Hello. Here for M4M from my queue. Hope this helps!
I mention pacing, and you probably have a good notion of this, but in case you're looking for more context or if you want to see an interesting video, here's a video that goes into greater detail:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LScL4CWe5E&t=0m19s [Xtra]
00:56:615 (2) – The claps mark a transition to a new section, but then you abandon the claps. Try finding a good hitsounding pattern to include them until here 01:01:787 (1) - , where you can then add more of a kick to go with the rising bass.
01:04:546 (1) – These whistles feel like they belong more in traditional japanese music. See if you can find a different custom hitsound that fits the style of music a little better.
01:29:460 (2,4) – This overlap doesn't look good, try not overlapping here.
01:32:391 (2,4) – I'm not sure if this is your style of overlap. To me I like overlapping when you're very bold about it, but otherwise avoid it or stack. These tiny ones don't appeal to me. For example, 01:33:856 (2,3) – is a much stronger overlap that I'm more satisfied with (though it could be centered more like so:
http://puu.sh/k62Dk/e2d77e535b.jpg )
01:55:408 (9,1) – (1) falls on a kind of strong note. An increase in spacing would compliment this and the flow change with the slider (which is kind of at an awkward angle as is, so a jump in a slightly different direction could help it)
02:30:063 (1,2,3,4,5,6) – The angle change from (1) to (2) is a little odd, and the big change of curvature at (6) is too. See if you can make this whole curve have a more consistent curvature.
02:42:219 (6) – Be careful about stuff like this (especially 04:12:219 (2) - ) since some people like me don't like the sliders that resemble
Burai Sliders (which are unrankable). Just one opinion though.
02:42:650 (2,3,4,5) – There's a lot of design ideas that might help improve the aesthetic of this pattern.
Overlap: these could be stacked instead 02:42:650 (2,5) -
Structure: the slider ends/ heads of 02:42:736 (3,4,5) – could form a geometric shape (trapezoid or square). See if making the distance between (5) and (3) the same as the distance between (3) and (4) can help you accomplish a geometric structure.
Symmetry/curvature: 02:42:736 (3,4) – yes, these have horizontal symmetry, but see if you can get it so that these form a circle to create radial symmetry. Also having sliders not have such sharp curvatures like these might look nicer. Perhaps getting 02:43:253 (5) – involved in the circle could work?
The spacing/rhythm probably doesn't allow for all of these, but see if focusing on one or two of these improves the look for you.
02:46:184 (5,6) – you can make this blanket better without disrupting whatever triangle structure you were going for on the slider end's of 02:46:012 (4,5,6) – by selecting (6), hitting ctrl+G, rotating anti-clockwise by it's selection center until the blanket looks good, then doing Ctrl + G to reset its direction
02:47:477 (5,1) – not the best overlap, imo. Maybe blanket (5)'s elbow or go for more of a half-overlap?
03:04:029 (7,8,9) – is there a reason you reduce the DS here? I think it might be nice to have this at 1.5x spacing.
03:46:098 (2) – Even though this has faded a little, try moving this to 300, 201 so that it is equidistant from these two notes 03:46:615 (6,7) - . See if that design looks nice, and maybe you could do something similar so that the distance at 03:46:787 (7,8) – and 03:46:787 (7,9) – are the same.
03:48:684 (1,4,5,6,7,8,10) – (1) and (10) could be blanketed by the stream?
04:39:719 (1,2,3,4,5,6) – You've used a lot of counterclockwise flow before this, so maybe going clockwise here (or maybe sometime before this) could break it up (ex: 04:39:719 (1,2,3,4,5,6) - )
My interpretation of pacing:
00:01:098 (1) – until 00:56:270 (1) - . You take a few rests like at 00:09:374 (1) - and 00:20:408 (1) - , but other than that the intensity level is kind of flat throughout this which makes it easy to get lost and kind of fall out of listening to the song. One thing you could to do counteract this is to create intensity by taking big rests (which makes the player pay attention to the change in pacing) by slowing down with the singer. You kind of do that at 00:49:374 (1) - , but I think you can reinforce this elsewhere. Take a look at
https://osu.ppy.sh/b/720590 which I think is a good example of this concept with the long jagged sliders drawing back the player into the song after a kind of repetitive start. Maybe this can be used here maybe it can't.
From 02:35:581 (1) - until 02:54:891 (1) - . I know you're going for the wub effect and I think you do a good job of it, but you're pacing is very flat due to the lack of spacing and rhythm changes and again it's easy to kind of get lost in a monotony. Try including a few 5-note streams or something at areas like 02:38:684 (3,4) – to liven up some areas and include some spacing changes like a jump into 02:46:615 (1) – to compliment the finish. I'm not asking you to ditch the wub effect, I'm asking to diversify it. The same ideas can be applied to the sections at 01:29:374 (1) - and 04:03:856 (1) - , but make it so you add more lively effects to the section at 04:03:856 (1) - and not so many at 01:29:374 (1) – for pacing reasons and to let the wub impact you more when it's fresh and new in the map.
Overall impression: A generally fun map with a very fluid core that has a few pacing and design issues I'm not as on board with. Good luck!
