Technical maps

Notice: For the purposes of this article, the term "tech map" will be treated as an umbrella term that includes all of these definitions.

Technical maps (often shortened to "tech map") is a term that does not have a clear, agreed-upon definition amongst the osu! community. Depending on the user, "tech map" can be as broad as a beatmap that simply contains non-generic beatmap patterns, or as specific as a beatmap that is dense in object count and contains many irregular slider shapes that quickly and drastically change speeds (often at high intensity).

Tech maps are most often associated with song genres that offer complex and fast-paced sounds (e.g., drum-and-bass, dubstep, and drumstep) as they often allow for the mapper to explore each and every individual sound in-detail to the beatmap's advantage. Although music of this type is not explicitly required.

Regardless of definition, many players claim that tech maps are unfair (in terms of skill) due to the main increase in difficulty deriving mostly or solely from the confusing patterns or irregular sliders. Likewise, this means that they are not very popular for gaining large amounts of pp at once due to the way the current system works and how it undervalues beatmaps of this nature.

Definitions

Due to the broad nature of the term "tech map," there are many different aspects that could describe the term. The lists below describe different definitions from popular "types" of players.

Broadest definition

Notice: The "broadest" definition only requires one or two of the aspects listed to be present in order to define a beatmap as tech.

• Non-generic or difficult-to-read beatmap patterns (example shown below)

  • A hard "flow" to the beatmap
• SV sliders

  • These may contain slider art
• Irregular slider shapes
• Quick and sharp changes in slider speed
• Overall high intensity

  • Extremely dense in object count throughout large parts of the map (excluding streams)

Non-generic beatmap pattern

Beatmap pattern with a hard flow

Good examples of tech maps that fit this definition are Silentroom - Nhelv (Nyxa) [iniquitatem] and RUMI - Densetsu no Matsuri (Net0) [Oni].

Most restrictive/specific definition

Notice: The "most restrictive/specific" definition requires all of the aspects listed to be present in order to define a beatmap as tech.

• Irregular slider shapes
• Quick and sharp changes in slider speed
• SV sliders
• Difficult-to-read beatmap patterns (often described as having a hard "flow") (example shown below)

Difficult-to-read pattern

Irregular slider shape (SV slider)

Good examples of tech maps that fit this definition are Camelia - Exit This Earth's Atomosphere (Camellia's "PLANETARY//200STEP" Remix) (ProfessionalBox) [Primordial Nucleosynthesis] and LeaF - MARENOL (Yugu) [Extra].