First, always make sure your map is timed properly. This should be the first thing you do before you even place a note down. If your map doesn't have the correct timing, you can't move forward with you map because everything will be off. I know it is hard for a lot of new mappers to time their map, but don't worry. It is completely ok to ask an experienced mapper for a timing check. Most of them wouldn't mind at all.
A new mapper should ONLY map what he/she can hear in the music. If you don't hear a triple in the music, don't add a triple. If you don't hear a stream, don't add a stream! You shouldn't get fancy with your maps until you fully understand the basics.
DON'T map with difficulty being your main goal. It is ok to try to make a challenging beatmap, but don't sacrifice the quality of your map just to make it difficult. I HIGHLY recommend making maps that suit your skill level at first, so you know what is fun and what isn't. Personally, I have always made maps around my skill level just naturally, because I just made maps that I found fun to play myself.
Don't expect to rank, or try to rank your first maps. Honestly, new mappers with the mindset of "omg i need to rank this" are just hindering their ability to grow as a mapper. As a new mapper, your only goal should be to improve as much as you can, and make your next beatmap better than your last one. I have seen new mappers spend months and months on the same map, trying to get it ranked, but they aren't even understanding the fundamentals of mapping yet, so it doesn't go anywhere. I can guarantee you that most experienced mappers did not rank their first map (unless they went back to it at a later time). I didn't rank a map until I made probably around 20 to 30 maps, over the course of about a year. Just remember, the ultimate goal should be to make fun maps, not to rank them.
Don't worry about creating your own "style." This is a common one I get from new mappers. When I ask the reason for why they did something in their map, they will say something like "its my style." (That isn't a legitimate excuse by the way) Again, you have to understand they basics, and have a lot of mapping under your belt before you start mapping with your own "style." A style isn't something that you can force, it's something that is developed over a long time of mapping.
Put thought into your map. I know that sounds obvious, but I see it over and over. New mappers just throw objects down randomly, with no thought of flow, or representing the music. You should put time and effort into every pattern you make.
Don't get fancy with sliders! At first, just use very simple slider shapes. I would say don't use any more than 2 to 3 slider anchors in any slider. Straight sliders, and simple curves are you friend. Most of the new mappers I see like to get super crazy with sliders for some reason, and the whole map just looks like a mess. I know I sound repetitive, but this is just so important: you need to understand the basics before you start getting fancy. I think the reason a lot of new mappers like to make crazy sliders is that search for a "Style" that I mentioned earlier. Please, just keep it simple.
Nothing is wrong with taking ideas from other mappers. That is how mapping evolves and gets better. Mappers work off of other mappers ideas. I would actually recommend studying your favorite mappers, look at their patterns, and try to find out why they are your favorite mapper.
Mod other maps. If you don't know what a mod is, look here. This is the advice that a lot of people don't like to hear, but modding other maps really improves your mapping sense, and will in turn improve your own maps.
Don't get discouraged! As long as you are improving on every map you make, you will get to where you want to be, I promise! It will just take a lot of practice.
A new mapper should ONLY map what he/she can hear in the music. If you don't hear a triple in the music, don't add a triple. If you don't hear a stream, don't add a stream! You shouldn't get fancy with your maps until you fully understand the basics.
DON'T map with difficulty being your main goal. It is ok to try to make a challenging beatmap, but don't sacrifice the quality of your map just to make it difficult. I HIGHLY recommend making maps that suit your skill level at first, so you know what is fun and what isn't. Personally, I have always made maps around my skill level just naturally, because I just made maps that I found fun to play myself.
Don't expect to rank, or try to rank your first maps. Honestly, new mappers with the mindset of "omg i need to rank this" are just hindering their ability to grow as a mapper. As a new mapper, your only goal should be to improve as much as you can, and make your next beatmap better than your last one. I have seen new mappers spend months and months on the same map, trying to get it ranked, but they aren't even understanding the fundamentals of mapping yet, so it doesn't go anywhere. I can guarantee you that most experienced mappers did not rank their first map (unless they went back to it at a later time). I didn't rank a map until I made probably around 20 to 30 maps, over the course of about a year. Just remember, the ultimate goal should be to make fun maps, not to rank them.
Don't worry about creating your own "style." This is a common one I get from new mappers. When I ask the reason for why they did something in their map, they will say something like "its my style." (That isn't a legitimate excuse by the way) Again, you have to understand they basics, and have a lot of mapping under your belt before you start mapping with your own "style." A style isn't something that you can force, it's something that is developed over a long time of mapping.
Put thought into your map. I know that sounds obvious, but I see it over and over. New mappers just throw objects down randomly, with no thought of flow, or representing the music. You should put time and effort into every pattern you make.
Don't get fancy with sliders! At first, just use very simple slider shapes. I would say don't use any more than 2 to 3 slider anchors in any slider. Straight sliders, and simple curves are you friend. Most of the new mappers I see like to get super crazy with sliders for some reason, and the whole map just looks like a mess. I know I sound repetitive, but this is just so important: you need to understand the basics before you start getting fancy. I think the reason a lot of new mappers like to make crazy sliders is that search for a "Style" that I mentioned earlier. Please, just keep it simple.
Nothing is wrong with taking ideas from other mappers. That is how mapping evolves and gets better. Mappers work off of other mappers ideas. I would actually recommend studying your favorite mappers, look at their patterns, and try to find out why they are your favorite mapper.
Mod other maps. If you don't know what a mod is, look here. This is the advice that a lot of people don't like to hear, but modding other maps really improves your mapping sense, and will in turn improve your own maps.
Don't get discouraged! As long as you are improving on every map you make, you will get to where you want to be, I promise! It will just take a lot of practice.
SkyWhales wrote:
I would also say to new mappers (like myself), don't underestimate good hitsounds, they can make any map much better, though don't use hitsounds so often that they're annoying. Use them to enhance the beat of the music itself. Also, playing with combo colours that match the background of your map will make your map much more visually appealing.
Electoz wrote:
Things would get much easier if you learn how to mod. Note that not only mapping will help you grow but modding as well. If you're feeling stuck at learning from mapping then you can try modding other maps and vice versa. You will learn even more from doing that.
If you really want to get better at modding/mapping, you have to be bold, and really consistent with your effort.
Also, always be nice to people and community in Osu!.
Kagari wrote:
being a mapper means taking almost 3rd quarter of your mapping time testplaying your maps over and over and over and over again. (I'm dead serious here). Doing testplays helps you a lot on getting the map flows smoothly so that you can get the gits of how fast/slow/smooth/jumpy your map can be as you map the song.
You need full understanding of the song that you choose to map so that you can get the idea on how you want to pattern your map based on your understanding. You may make some few jumpy or stream patterns but does it fit well with the song itself?
Also, don't afraid to ask the community for a testplay if they are willing to. Their opinions on your maps might be come in handy.
And important thing, every mod that you received for your map is very valuable and should take a look at it no matter what. You might be thinking "eww, this modder xxx doesnt like my pattern, that's why he/she want to nerf it", but these modders took their time to take a look at your mapsets, find some parts that are little bit off, and give some suggestion(s) to improve it. So, try to testplay that suggested part. If it's better than your previous pattern, apply the mod for that part. If it's not or you have a better way to create even better pattern than the suggested one, give some reasonable answer for declining that suggestion(s). This can help your mapping skills a lot.
One last thing, do not overmap.
