It's another new year in mapping! It might already be a month into 2021, but we're not about to let technicalities stop us from delivering you all the latest news from the mapping and modding scene.
This month's issue of the Mappers' Report contains the following topics:
The ranking criteria continues to change, even in 2021. Here, we’ve gathered all changes that have happened so far.
All modes:
For osu!:
For osu!mania:
Another year, another wave of Beatmap Nominators! As with every issue, here's who has joined and who has left in the past little while:
Do you want to see your own name on this list? Do you like modding and helping other people with their beatmaps? If your answer to both of these questions is "yes", then you can also become a Beatmap Nominator! The applications are always open.
Head over to the Beatmap Nominator website and apply today!
Because we covered all the four game modes in the previous issues of the Mappers’ Report, this means our showcase for this month is for storyboards in general. Storyboarding is an often undersung art, so let's give a few up-and-coming storyboarders some praise for their work!
Thanks to Walavouchey for this month’s picks!
With increasingly refined storyboards this year, VenerableNyanta has shown their determination for improvement project after project! It's easy to tell they have an eye for design when the visuals fill the screen with nothing but pure eye candy!
Starting off with a brilliant entry to the ranked scene, the storyboard for ClariS - Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari (Cut Ver.) contains different sections with varying ideas fitting the bright music! Here you can find a blend of immersive backgrounds, visuals on every single note, as well as lots of stars and sparkles, all tied together with tasteful transitions!
What about slower, more... moody songs? Well, they had the right idea when going for Josh A & Jake Hill - Worst Mistakes (Cut Ver.), showing contrast between the more neon-coloured, intense section and the black and white quieter parts. The design work demonstrates an ever-improving understanding of what makes a picture look neat while establishing a memorable and unique identity.
The crazy visuals sure seem fitting in HiTECH NINJA - Modelista, capturing the energy of the song with rapid movement, exceptional design, even more neon colours, and a good bit of humour as well! If you decide to check out this graveyarded gem—as you absolutely should—you'll surely notice how VenerableNyanta must've had a good chuckle when creating it! As daunting and tedious of a process as storyboarding might seem, it's good to see there are people who do know how to have fun while at it.
A confident storyboarder for a couple of years now, TheDuckMask has shown expertise nowadays in more niche sides of storyboard design.
It isn't often that storyboarders take the term "storyboard" very literally, which is why TheDuckMask's take on Mrs. GREEN APPLE - Boku no Koto might come as a surprise to a lot of people. Telling stories is a rare skill, after all. Some of the most well-regarded storyboards use it in combination with spectacular visuals, but this one shows how it's possible to focus on one thing and do it really well!
Reflecting the mood of a song can be done with many techniques, as well as in many styles. The background visuals for Mitose Noriko - XaaaCi. demonstrate a rarer style involving a lot of sketching on paper. Whether you're an aspiring storyboarder or think you've got a solid tool belt already, do try this style out! It takes a certain level of artistic thinking to create something this well. Oh, and, while checking this storyboard out, be sure to turn on the accompanying beatmap skin!
Of course, storyboarding isn't so limiting as to only allow rough lines sketches. However, mixing and matching artwork requires more work to make them blend well. Even so, TheDuckMask's artistic vision on Eisyo-kobu - Oriental Blossom -Eika Shuuei- ends up in a seamless picturesque experience. This one gets livelier further in, just like the process of painting!
And that's about it for this time! Be sure to check out their future works—we certainly are looking forward to them!
Think you've got what it takes to become the next great storyboarder? No? Well, either way, if you want to learn more about storyboarding, seek advice and feedback for your own creations, or just want to keep up with the latest in the making, then we highly recommend to stop by at the osu! storyboarder banquet Discord server! You may be surprised at what people are brewing up...
A new year means more exciting mapping contests - this time with the 3rd season of the famous osu!mania challenge, MaMaChaCha!
Should you plan any contest in the future and would like to have it advertised in the Mappers’ Report, please contact Feerum with all the details about it!
Do you feel like your mapping is stale? Want to map outside of your comfort zone? Then the Mania Mapping Chance Challenge (MaMaChaCha) might be just for you!
This is a mania-specific mapping event where each mapper is given a restriction, be it artist, album, or theme, and are then given 3 weeks to do the best they can. After the 3 weeks, we bundle up all the maps for everyone to download and allow users to upload their own maps to show off to the world! Season 3 is currently underway and should last a few months throughout the year.
If you're interested, check out this thread then DM Parachor with an example of uniqueness in your mapping. The event is entirely run on Discord, so a Discord account is required as well.
Are you searching endlessly, wanting to know what’s going on in the mapping and modding community? Well search no more, friend, we’ll show you around! Everything related to the community, aside from the contests, are located right here in the Mappers' Report!
Once again, it’s time for the biggest voting of the year. The Community Choice 2020! Now it’s up to players to decide! For each game mode you play, you'll be able to vote for what you think the best beatmap of the year 2020 was.
As long as they were ranked within the last year, all of the beatmaps you played are listed mode by mode, and it’s in your hands to determine the best! Do you want to support your favourite mapper? Did you enjoy a beatmap a lot? Did the storyboard of a beatmap blow your mind? If so, do not lose any more time! Head over to the listing either for osu!, osu!taiko, osu!catch or osu!mania and vote for your favorite! But make sure to be quick, the voting lasts for only a few more months!
We’re excited to see who will be the community's favourite this time!
A long-awaited feature finally got added to osu! Now you can mark your beatmaps if they contain any explicit content.
osu! is an all-ages game, but not all music is suitable for all ages. In an effort to better protect our younger players while also offering mappers the capability of using more music in their work, a special explicit metadata marker has been added.
However, there is one important thing to mention. Having this feature enabled on your map does not mean that you are allowed to upload literally anything. Be sure that everything you upload to osu! abides by our community rules.
If you are unsure about whether or not the content you want to include in your beatmap line up with the rules, feel free to submit a content case on the Beatmap Nominator website.
And with that, we conclude the first issue of the Mappers’ Report for 2021. This one might be a little bit shorter than normal, but them's the punches, yo.
As always, should you have anything interesting mapping or modding related you would like to see being mentioned in the next issue, please do not hesitate to contact Feerum or drop by in the #mappers-report
channel on the osu! community Discord server!
Hope to see you there soon, thank you for reading and stay safe and healthy!
—Feerum, Hydria and Walavouchey
decease
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