r21freak in 5 years (and Story Telling) (Poll)

[Slayer³]

I feel like the world of dance pad gaming is dying, making me wonder whether I should continue to make files or not (is anyone going to play them?)

I've played all the doubles ones except that 15 footer. I'll try that once I can handle 14s dx.


I joined this site after meeting Junkyarddog, and someone else (forgot his name) at the game room in front of Dave's machine at AB last year. I had a great time chatting with them. They had made try some of Insane Steve and Dark Luke's doubles charts.

I remember thinking, "wow people make doubles charts now, awesome".

When I got back I registered, saw there were no elitist assholes like in AIJ, and no l0k vs new england drama (although that was funny). On top of that I was impressed the quality and quantity of the charts here. So I stayed.


Dancing games will be around constantly. I'm a regular at funworld in Nashua, NH, US. Every few weeks I see new players and have referred several people here. The game continues to grow because it's just a great game. Listen to music + exercise without that monotone that is the gym.

I've been playing since 5th mix, way back in the day. I remember back when Max 300 came out. That song was considered impossible to beat. Then a video popped up with someone from Japan AAAing it using the bar? Ahh so there is a use for that. Then the 'bar + mods are cheating' war that came. Now we have 17 footers, lol.

I've noticed the only deterrent of new players are people who have an elitist attitude. There aren't many anymore but they do scare new players off. Being friendly and giving advice goes a long way.


Will I ever make charts? I would love to try my hand on it someday. Right now I have too many projects that need to be finished first. Outside of my regular work I am launching 2 businesses; a marketing + software company, an entertainment business, and I am writing a books series (which I have an agent for and a tentative meeting with a publisher later this year so I need to finish it ). Once the ball is rolling and I don't need to put as much worked into those I'll take up learning how to step

[Kommisar]

also it may be good to advertise some projects/packs you guys are working on to other places? stepmania.com is full of fresh meat to keep things going since there ARE new people that play all the time, even if it's only a fraction of 2004-2007


pad play will go on much longer than kb play that's for sure. I think as long as I'm able to make time, I'll keep playing. I always drag my friends out to play every fridays and as a social event it has stuck for over 5 years. Playing by yaself will get old after a few years...keep da game alive wit ya buds

[Revolver]

I joined this site after meeting Junkyarddog, and someone else (forgot his name) at the game room in front of Dave's machine at AB last year.

;_;

[SM MaxX]

I joined because all my ITG friends get all their files from r21freak, and so I figured I'd hope on the train as well (in the SM trolley of course though ).

To me this site is a lot more fun to post in than SM; people are down to earth, always have a joke up their sleeves, and Jesus there are thousands and thousands of simfiles here. SM has gotten a little hostile lately, and it seems like the only people who actually stay there are anyone who contributes to the Stepmania project (I help somewhat, with explaining how to put what where for novices, and releasing my courses). All of my good friends on there eventually vanished somehow (kuiy2005, MadGuns22, JC52236), and the only person left really is ILIKEWATER58. Everyone else it seems really don't like me, and if I get a fact wrong, I usually get patronized for it. The moderators have literally gone insane now with locking threads and blocking users, and the SM project is going quite slow compared to a few years ago.

Here though it seems there's always a new thread/new file/new funny pic, and I can speak my mind more freely here than on SM. I might of missed some good times here, but that doesn't mean that more good times aren't on the way. Who knows, maybe this will skyrocket again into something really big.

[zimlord]

I joined this site because I was interested in simfile creation, probably more than simply playing ITG. I was playing a lot of ITG in 2008, way more than I do now, but the whole simfile thing really appealed to my creative side, which has always been pretty strong. I loved the idea of picking songs and lending your own creative touch to them; throwing in your own graphics was the icing on the cake. Early keyboard packs played a big part in inspiring me (and diversifying my musical palette; they introduced me to artists like The Flashbulb, Venetian Snares, etc). Early r21freak packs like r2112 and r21Twins got me similarly excited. Also, my brother was doing big things with simfiles at the time and making waves here, so I figured I would try my hand at it (someone could probably get a sibling rivalry reading out of that, hah).

The community was really cool, welcoming, and tight-knit. sssmsm, Gloves, and the rest of the classic r21freak community (even NEMO) gave this place its own unique, fun atmosphere. sssmsm was always really involved in site activities and simfile discussion. I wasn't around in 2007, so I'm not "old-school" by any means, but I think there have been some big changes between now and 2007. Not that the changes are bad or anything; r21freak is still welcoming and still a great place to talk about simfiles. The same thing can be said for simfile artistry; there have been big changes between the days of sssmsm, Gloves, and Macgravel and the current era of mute, Mootz, myself, and others. This evolution can probably be said for a lot of things in the dance game community.

I voted "Somewhat Alive". As long as the site keeps getting paid for (I don't know who is doing this now) and people still create and play simfiles, then I assume this place will be around. There will undoubtedly be a different cast of characters running the show, partly or perhaps in whole, but I think the site will still exist. But maybe I'm wrong. Who knows.

Also, fourth-ing this because it's true and very relevant:

You also have to keep this is mind: A lot of us joined the forum when we were in high school and whatnot. In 2007, I was a sophomore in high school and I had no job. I had plenty of time to post and make stepcharts. Now, I'm finishing my second year of college, and I work 30+ hours a week. If I still had the free time I had back then, I would be just as active. I think the biggest factor of the inactivity is people actually have lives now.

This, so grooving hard. I used to have a ton of free time.

Seconded (or thirded?). I've started coming up on college courses that actually demand some thought/time. Otherwise I would have already released another two 50 song packs since Gensokyo Voyage by now.

One last tidbit: people should probably try to not be mean. Always good advice, be it on the street or on a dancing game forum.

[MdX MaxX]

I can't really say. r21 itself hasn't even existed for five years.

I just hope this place doesn't end up like DDRFreak. The place was teeming with life when I joined back in 2005. In about 3 years' time it became an absolute ghost town. I doubt that'll happen here, though; r21freak's members seem more established and tightly knit.

All I know is this: In five years, I'll be 22, I'll still be playing ITG, and hopefully I'll still have a community with which to share this awesome game.

[Phaiyte]

Most people here don't make charts strictly for difficulty. It's honestly a terrible idea. Most of the community from maybe Bemani and FFR do that, but none of the amazing artists here do that. They simply go with the flow; it makes them more fun regardless of difficulty, no biggie. Most new players can get plenty good to begin playing good customs by simply playing a few officials over the span of like 2-3 weeks tops. As far as I know that's basically what just about everyone else did.

Although I honestly would like to see full charts posted every now n' then instead of strictly Expert charts. Even though just playing officials is plenty efficient, having those other options is still fantastic to have handy.

[Kommisar]

ffr's main community has been playing for years and years and are all at a very high level of play, therefore the files they make for themselves to play are usually quite hard. it's not just for the sake of being hard - if you take a look at any recent kb packs they're mostly aRtMaNiAs and easy MA files with a few token dumps.

[mudkyp]

One last tidbit: people should probably try to not be mean. Always good advice, be it on the street or on a dancing game forum.

In all seriousness, drama is a lot of what keeps these communities afloat. People want a good show, and I'm there to bring it to them. /snooki

[NotChaosUnown]

One last tidbit: people should probably try to not be mean. Always good advice, be it on the street or on a dancing game forum.

In all seriousness, drama is a lot of what keeps these communities afloat. People want a good show, and I'm there to bring it to them. /snooki

April fools.

[Slayer³]

I joined this site after meeting Junkyarddog, and someone else (forgot his name) at the game room in front of Dave's machine at AB last year.

;_;

Ahh it was you I take it. Sorry I'm pretty bad with names and such.
Are you going to be at AB again this year? I'll be there.


DDRFreak died because their web-hosting sucks and takes minutes or more to load.
They also had a mod who started multiple flame wars. (those were pretty lol though)

[T-Dog!]

ive noticed that the overall first timers pack releases have increased in quality. its like ppl are reading the faqs/guides on how to step/sync/cut songs, playing files released by the LOES, and trying pretty hard to emulate what they did, and also, ppl here still discuss about the quality of packs, as opposed to flaming/getting flamed outright if the pack sucked.

honestly, a lot of noob files here are starting to get better than the retired staff files, and they used to be the standard of good stepmania science back in '06/'07. if this is kept up, i dont see why this site or playing itg r21 would die anytime soon.

[NIQ9]

One last tidbit: people should probably try to not be mean. Always good advice, be it on the street or on a dancing game forum.

In all seriousness, drama is a lot of what keeps these communities afloat. People want a good show, and I'm there to bring it to them. /snooki

April fools.

Actually, this is true. Anything that can bring in readers will keep the site alive. The problem is, I've noticed, is you guys (not really charles, but other people) are being rude to new members. Drama with older members may bring people in and everyone can have a laugh, but it just drives new members away. Most of the people that post now were new 1-2 years ago. Remember when mute won the scholarship comp? We were all like "wat. who is this? >_>". Same thing for xynn, mootz, zimlord, etc. If the newer members are driven away, r21freak won't have a future.

[Helvetica]

One last tidbit: people should probably try to not be mean. Always good advice, be it on the street or on a dancing game forum.

In all seriousness, drama is a lot of what keeps these communities afloat. People want a good show, and I'm there to bring it to them. /snooki

April fools.

Actually, this is true. Anything that can bring in readers will keep the site alive. The problem is, I've noticed, is you guys (not really charles, but other people) are being rude to new members. Drama with older members may bring people in and everyone can have a laugh, but it just drives new members away. Most of the people that post now were new 1-2 years ago. Remember when mute won the scholarship comp? We were all like "wat. who is this? >_>". Same thing for xynn, mootz, zimlord, etc. If the newer members are driven away, r21freak won't have a future.

Agreed. It's true that one should be open to constructive criticism and that LOL YO FIEL SUUUUUX BRRAGRLWHAR isn't really something to get offended about, but I'm willing to bet there is more of a chance of a new member leaving after being told that their first file sucks ass and they should probably kill themselves than there is a chance of someone leaving because of how just unbearably nice everyone is.

[SM MaxX]

I'll sure be criticized once I release some courses (and maybe a song pack). As long as it's constructive though, I'll feel right at home.