Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone! If you participated in the Secret Stepfile Santa this year, then just click on the banner to download the pack of songs, one of which is the one that you requested to be stepped. Just be sure to enter the username and password in the PM sent to you in order to download it. If you'd like to download the pack and did not get a PM from me (and you weren't one of the ones who didn't step their assigned song), then just ask me for it and I will send it right to you. Just don't give the username or password to anyone. It will be de-passworded after a few weeks.
I was nearly taken aback by the high quality files this year. Each year most of the files in the Secret Stepfile Santa pack are not so great, but this year the opposite is true. Most of the files in this pack are a ton of fun on the pad, and some of them are really, really good. Of course, maybe you'll like the ones I didn't and hate the ones I loved, but either way, you're sure to find stuff you like in this pack, even stuff apart from the song that you requested
Also, I apologize for the lack of gag prizes this year. But not only was I unfortunately ridiculously busy and barely able to get this whole thing together as it was, but I think the overall quality of the pack, along with DKHustlin's graphics made them not as necessary this year around. For everyone who made their own graphics, I added DKHustlin's works of art as alternative graphics, so be sure to check those out still, because they are truly amazing.
[Reveal] Spoiler: Who Did What For Whom and Reviews
Any Way You Choose It (by Patashu for Helvetica)
Not bad at all, but this still has some room for improvement I think. The gimmicks were mostly good, though the triplet slowdown in m26 and the offbeat stuff in m34 were a bit odd. m26 would have probably been fine as a 1/4 slowdown, and m34 might have been better with just an arrow or jump at beat 133 only. The ambiguous arrow patterns in m30 and 38 were also a bit off-putting, as were a lot of somewhat awkward patterns throughout the chart. Also, while what you did with the broken up 16ths was pretty cool, though I would have personally rather had continuous 16th runs whose patterns accented the warble sound. Still, this is something I wouldn't mind playing a few times.
Black and Gold (by PUMA.Hamtaro for kirbykid1)
This is far and away the best file I've seen from PUMA yet. Though not spectacular by any means, I was at least not afraid to do any of the crossovers that I saw throughout for fear of being tangled up in uncomfortable doublesteps soon after. Excellent job keeping everything straight here, especially with the little spin in m45. Of course, I'm not sure how called for those embellishments were by the music, but they certainly did break up the extreme repetitiveness fairly well. The hands in m40+ were a pretty good choice, though they did feel a bit out of nowhere. I also did feel as though I was facing the same direction a bit too long occasionally, but overall I could definitely see myself playing this if I really liked the song.
Blue State Riddim (by Derkomai for MacGravel)
Very nice steps and sightreadable gimmicks that went right along with the music. You could have done a lot more gimmicks throughout, though I think the ones you had were an excellent compromise between being straightforward and gimmicky. Since they followed the music so well though, they did end up being pretty repetitive, though all of the little details you accented with mines and freezes did help with that. I would have liked to have seen the "phone" sound accented in m43+, a lot more jumps throughout since you only have one and those drum hits could have been accented nicely by them, and the crossover in m35 stuck out really badly since it's the only one in the whole chart. Still, despite those small things, it's an overall very fun looking chart on the pad.
Bring That Beat Back (by NIQ9 for x0_000)
These are some of the most well-placed 16ths I've ever seen in a Doubles file. The arrows that follow the warbling sound in m13+ (and then again later in the song) are absolutely gorgeous. I loved how they stayed on two arrows, and then went into nearly tear-inducing beautiful crossovers that followed the music to a T. Absolutely amazing work. I also thought the jacks were extremely well placed, especially in m12 and 20 to accent the transitions between sections. Unfortunately there were a few things left unnaccented as well: the "go go go go" in m44, and all the little details in m45+ like the voice samples and that drum-esque sound. Just some mines or mini-freezes would have been sufficient. And although I would have loved to have seen some little gimmicks in m52+, the one you have at the end is pretty cool and makes up for it nicely. Overall, a chart that I would love to kill myself with over and over again, despite a few very small disappointments.
Bulletproof (by Ninevolt for Psychotik)
Not bad, but a little boring and repetitive. I felt like mines could have really spiced this file up a lot more, perhaps going along with the freezes you had at the beginning, and accenting sections like m37. The mines that you had toward the end felt pretty isolated from the rest of the song, so I'd either add those in to the beginning as well or keep them the same as the beginning. Otherwise, extremely solid, and I'm glad you stepped in the direction of complementing the music rather than following it exactly for the most part, which made it more interesting than it would have been otherwise.
Cellular Telephone (by Gloves for Chaoz)
Excellent steps. Though the song was pretty repetitive, the bits between the repeating sections made it very much bearable, so bearable in fact that it was enjoyable! I was a bit turned off by the isolated steps in places like m25+ that I thought could have been made into cooler patterns, but then when the crossover sections came in at m33+, I immediately changed my mind. Having those sections of isolated crossovers not only sets off those sections from the rest of the song, but the patterns themselves match the music perfectly. Added in with the unique use of hands, the rolls with mines throughout that look awesome, and the fact that the repetitiveness was toned down even more by the slowdown at the end, this becomes a really, really awesome file that looks like a blast on the pad.
Christmas Eve in Sarajevo (by x0_000 for NIQ9)
This is an example of a file with amazing arrow placement but that could have used so many more little things all over the place. From accenting the heavier bass hits in m12+ with jumps, to m29+ that was nothing but 8ths with fun patterns that could have been so much more, it was kind of disappointing throughout. Again however, the parts that were well done were really well done. The crossovers throughout were perfectly crafted, especially the ones going from two arrow sections to two arrow sections, and m21+ where you stayed on one pad or the other repeating patterns worked perfectly. Those things alone are reason enough for this to be padded repeatedly.
Dastardly Bomber's Machine (by Kyzentun for Kytsune)
Stuff like this not only makes me want to be able to play Doubles more often, but also makes me want to see more difficult stuff made by you Kyzentun. The Doubles Expert looks like a blast. The crossovers are just the right difficulty at that speed for an easier, fun 13, and the triplet bursts look fantastic. I was a bit disappointed by the Singles Expert since the crossovers disappeared for the most part, expect for the one part toward the end. Excellent job on the easier difficulties as well, especially with the rolls on Medium. Though pretty repetitive, you managed to make charts of all difficulties with personality that have stuff for everyone in them.
Ex.Human Invasion (by Psychotik for Ninevolt)
This is a really fun-looking metal 13, and I am not one to say that often since I typically cannot stand metal. Every bit of the music is matched by something in the chart, which was really awesome and very well done. I loved the crossovers in the beginning which were perfectly crafted and the rolls throughout that were very well placed. My only problem with the file is the abundance of ambiguous steps that cause problems in suddenly having to do 16th bursts crossed over, which is not the intention I'm sure. Almost all of the sections with freezes and jacks were pretty confusing, and I always ended up doing them crossed over half of the time and then outright missing whatever came after those sections. If that was the intention, then I apologize for misunderstanding, but that doesn't change the fact that it's really uncomfortable until you've figured out how to do them correctly
Factory (by Kommisar for Revolver)
For the fairly repetitive song you were given, you really did an amazing job here Kommisar. I love how you accented all of the tiny details with mini-freezes and mines, especially in the first half of the song, ensuring that not a single sound went by unstepped in some way. Mines were in fact used very well throughout, especially with the freezes in m26+, and after the single arrows in m50+. Excellent choice on the often tricky to use Tell-jump in m48 to accent the sudden change in intensity, with again good mine usage in m48-50. The only things that confused me a bit was the isolated crossover in m53 (I think you could have accented that change in music better), the 16ths that didn't really fit in m57, the mini rolls in the stream (I think 32nds would have fit nicely), and again the other isolated crossover in m60 (which I also think you could have accented better with something else). Of course, these are all tiny, tiny things, and they do not take away from the overall awesome at all, which is saying a lot since the song itself is pretty repetitive.
Fire Field (by joe#2 for Driving55)
You really did above and beyond with what you were given to step joe#2. While I can't say much good about the song which sounds like it was recorded off of computer speakers, your steps are really great, and it makes me wish you stepped stuff above 10's more often. The gimmicks at the beginning were perfect and the rolls throughout were an excellent touch. Still, it did get REALLY repetitive, which is again due to the song and not the steps, but some of the 16th runs I felt could have been toned down a bit as well. I'd happily play this once or twice, just for the pretty sweet steps.
Free (by MacGravel for Derkomai)
Though this file starts out with some infamous MacGravel jumps (jumps that are not flowed into by the previous arrows and do not flow into the following arrows), it gets better and better as it goes on. m37 was simply awesome with the small jacks and crossovers, and though the Endorphinmachine-esque steps in m53+ got pretty repetitive after a while, they look like they'd be fun to try and keep up with. The ending with the freezes and taps that lead into each other is awesome as well, and I'd love to give this thing a go on the pad.
Get On My Horse (by Professor Raine for Nickium)
This file started off pretty good, but then slipped into being a joke file after m60. Pre-m60 actually has some pretty good stuff though. I especially liked the crossovers that lead into crossover jumps with steps that comfortably brought you out of them afterward like around m15. The only problem was then that there were other places where the crossovers that didn't work out quite as well and you had to figure your own way out of them, which was a bit annoying. Still, good fun for the first 60 measures.
Ground (by Kystune for Kyzentun)
You did an excellent job with complementing the music rather than following it exactly throughout, which turned such a repetitive song into something that looks extremely enjoyable. My favorite was the slight variations of the pattern in m24+ that you had (the one with jacks in m31+ and then the gallops in m51+), and I would have liked to have seen more of those slight variations than ones like the hands in m27 that REALLY stuck out. Still, overall looks extremely enjoyable, which is saying something since it is a song I would typically never dance to.
Hardcore Faith (by RODD for dans mutilator)
These are some of the best steps I've seen by RODD. Excellent work! Though the song is not up my alley and pretty repetitive, the steps are so well crafted that I think I might take it for a whirl on the pad anyway. I loved the jacks and well broken up 16ths. A few more jumps accenting intensity would have been nice, especially to make it a more solid 12, but even as it is this is a really great-looking chart.
Harsh Like My Dog While Having Sex (by zimlord for Monst3rjoe)
This chart does what it does well, and what it does is be a mentally and physically taxing 15. Unlike some 15's that are just unnecessarily hard versions of 13's with extra jumps and difficult 16th patterns, this one is a 15 that pulls no punches. The 16th patterns are more than possible, the gimmicks are wonderfully straightforward and cool-looking, and the jumps are all perfectly called for. My only complaint is that the toned-down intensity that comes in at m81 is not accented by anything. While a slowdown or something would be out of the question, maybe some mines beforehand that then go away would work nicely. Still, this looks like a suicidal blast otherwise, and if you can make it past the first six seconds, then you will have quite the adventure for your feet in store for you.
Icicles (by Mootz for mute)
Though repetitive, this song has a lot of great stuff in it, with equally nice steps to match. Freeze and mine usage was top-notch, especially the three mines after each 16th burst like in m10. The sections between the repeating parts were extremely well-stepped as well, with the triplets and 16ths nearly jumping right out of the chart along with the music they matched so nicely. This looks like an absolute delight to pad.
Just Your Regular Beat Song (by Dark Luke for Blazing)
Very fun, very straightforward steps. While I felt there could have been a few more fun touches here and there with crossovers and such to spice up the overall repetitiveness, it still works nicely as you have it with nothing out of the ordinary. The mines are superb, as are the tiny jacks and jumps sprinkled throughout. The gimmick toward the beginning was also really cool, though I think having the right arrow as a freeze and maybe a mine or two inside the gimmick would have made it a lot more visually exciting.
Maiden of Virtue (by Jayce for Wyde)
While certainly nothing revolutionary, this chart is just as certainly a blast to play. Aside from the slightly off-putting gimmicks at the beginning, I think you did the absolute best you could with this song throughout. I loved your well-crafted 16ths, and the triplet death drills look like they'd be a ton of fun to try and full combo on the pad. Great work!
Mind Mapping (by Nickium for Professor Raine)
Now, I will be the first to admit I'm far from the greatest syncer in the world, and that I more often than not cannot tell when a file is offsync. However, considering that every other file in the pack was certainly playable on my setup, there was something wrong with this one. I'm pretty sure the BPM is wrong, since nothing feels on at all, and the degree to which everything feels off is different throughout. This is very unfortunate, considering the steps themselves don't look too bad at all, aside from just a few doublestep issues. However, as it is, this is unplayable, unless for some reason my stepmania just changes its global offset every time I open this song.
NESmas (by mute for Mootz)
Awesome song and great steps to match. I loved the "Twelve Days of NESmas" section. The mines and sprinkled-in crossovers were amazing, as were the excellently crafted 16ths. The "Little Drummer Boy" section was a little disappointing since you only followed the background and didn't follow the blaringly obvious other sounds with anything. I would have liked some mini-freezes there (like you had in other sections) to at least acknowledge them. Still, step-wise, very well done, and "God Rest You Merry Gentlemen" had some absolutely delicious rhythms. The ending "Joy to the World" section was probably my favorite, since it was a more intense version of "Twelve Days of NESmas," bringing back the crossovers and mines that made that first section so great, with a few tasty original parts of its own, like the well-crafted jumps and arrows that stayed on one side in m80. Overall, a ridiculously good and relevant song with steps that more than live up to the potential.
Our Furry Past Life (by dans mutilator for RODD)
Not a bad file at all, but there was so much going on in the song that the extremely straightforward steps came off as not quite living up to the song's potential. While it certainly shines as an easy straightforward file, I felt like it could have used a lot more stuff to match the multiple layers of music.
Over The Ocean (by DVogan11 for zimlord)
Considering I (don't think I) have ever played any files from you before, this file was even more of a pleasant surprise. Everything about it was really, really good, from the perfectly placed slowdowns and stops, to the excellent mine usage, to the wonderfully crafted 16ths that were the perfect mixture of fun and challenge. The triplet bursts were very well placed as well, crossovers were sprinkled in perfectly, and I loved how you threw in some seemingly complementary arrows in places like m45 to break up the somewhat repetitive sections. The only thing that was offputting about this chart was the hands. I am almost never a fan of down arrow hands with legs on left and right, so personally I would suggest moving them to up arrows. But either way, those don't detract at all from the overall awesome of the file.
Real As They Come (by Wastum for Kindan)
While the steps were pretty uninspired, I can't blame you since the song isn't my cup of tea either. Still, there was a lot more you could have done here, most obviously adding in jumps throughout the entire chart since you have none. Those would have been perfect to accent the heavier drum hits that go for the entire song. There were also a lot of vocal things that were left unaccented (which might have been good with some mines, since you didn't have any of those either), and though kind of cool, I'm not so sure that those quads were completely called for. Still, not terrible by any means, and I'm sure that if I was obsessed with this song I wouldn't mind this as a stepfile for it at all.
Roll To Me (by shadowobsessed for b4mv)
While this is certainly leaps and bounds ahead of the file you made last year shadowobsessed, it still has plenty of room for improvement. There was a lot of doublestepping throughout (m18 to 19, m39, m74, etc) which wasn't a huge deal since the song was fairly slow, but it was still a bit offputting since it required shuffling of feet when not called for by the music. Also a lot of the time it seemed like you were leading into crossover jumps (like at m43, 44, etc), but it was a result of ambiguous patterns instead. Watch out for putting in arrows (especially up and down ones) that can be hit by either foot, especially during faster/more complex sections. Lastly while a lot of your hands toward the end were good, I think the ones in m48 were just a bit too fast to be enjoyable. Also, why the extra 16th at m65? Still, despite those turnoffs, the highly applicable rolls were a very nice touch, and the section of mines and jumps in m56+ was awesome and extremely well crafted. Stuff like this makes me excited to see more stuff put out by you, so get to it!
Saga (by b4mv (and picked up by Wastum) for shadowobsessed)
Aside from the strange ending, this isn't too bad throughout. There are a lot of awkward step patterns (mostly involving jumps like in m48, etc), a few doublesteps (m14, etc), and some sections where I felt like I was facing one direction too long to be comfortable (m12-17, etc), but other than those technical errors, the stylistic choices throughout weren't too bad. The speedups with the jumps were pretty cool, and crossovers and the like were spread out enough through the chart to keep things interesting. m69+, though kind of neat due to its uniqueness, was in practice somewhat dull, and I think it would have been better to liven it up.
(Wastum's chart)
Unfortunately the speedups don't work at well with Wastum's chart, since he used 16ths instead of jumps, but modding on 2x still makes the entire thing perfectly readable. While the Hard chart may not have all the cool mines and such that the Challange has, it makes up for it in sheer solidity. This is one rock solid chart, with nothing out of the ordinary, but nothing too ordinary either, a stepping style which fit the song very well. The only thing I wasn't a fan of was the continued 16th drills in places like m42+. I think there was enough other stuff going on at those parts that you could have done something a bit more interesting. Otherwise, a great chart that looks very fun to pad.
Scat Megamix (by Kindan for Wastum)
Very nice job considering the song's quality was kind of hard to hear quite often. It was nice and varied, just like the song was, and I especially enjoyed the delicate gimmicks and crossovers sprinkled in, and the good usage of jumps throughout, especially in sections like m21+. The section of reverse walks in m29+ was really cool too. Though I'm not sure how called for they were, they look extremely fun nevertheless, and getting them uniform was quite a feat. My only complaint really (aside from the song quality) is that some sections were just a bit too plain and went on for a bit too long), such as m9-20 when nothing especially interesting happens. Still, looks like a blast to pad every now and then.
Space Space Shooter 8-Bit Remix (by kirbykid1 for PUMA.Hamtaro)
I can't really blame you for making uninspired steps to a song with such low potential, but that doesn't really change the fact that the final product doesn't look like very much fun to play. The repetition of identical rhythms and nearly identical steps got boring pretty quickly, and a lot of the steps look awkward (such as starting off with the 16th crossovers, the boxed-in feeling I get from m12+, the crossover jumps in m6 that don't work out, the crossover that doesn't work in m25, etc). The slowdowns and stop were pretty cool though, and I really liked the freeze on the penultimate arrow in the 16th bursts that you had (like in m3), which is something rarely seen. But still, I don't think I'd ever pad this.
Stream (picked up by Dark Luke and Kommisar and Mootz for Gloves)
Ridiculous props for stepping such a difficult song so well. While the steps did get a bit repetitive, it is no fault of the step artist at all. I think you did your best with adding mines, alternating rhythms, and sprinkling varieties of complex and simple patterns to keep it as interesting as possible throughout. Really the only thing that bugged me were several ambiguous patterns: the jump before m16 that I always crossed over, the ambiguous arrow after the jump at m32, the ambiguous 16th burst right before m43, etc. Still, besides those few sections, everything else is really solid and fun-looking.
(Kommisar's version)
This pretty much followed the music beat for beat, and did it very well. The only problem with the chart was the crossovers throughout. For the beginning half of the song, they all felt like the same pattern over and over again. While that kind of gave the file a cool sense of uniformity that went along with the music, it was also kind of tiresome as well, and I think some more varied patterns would have worked better. Also toward the end, the crossover 16th bursts felt kind of strange, since the only other crossover 16th was at m50. I couldn't tell if the crossover 16ths were accenting something different than the normal 16ths, but I don't think they were. Still, crossovers aside, excellently crafted file.
(Mootz's version)
This seems like it would be an awesome Hard chart to this song. While there were a few things that felt like they were missing throughout (like some 16ths in m11, etc), and that hand in m51 didn't seem to fit as well as the ones before it, the rest was really awesome. Great attention to detail with mines and jumps, and the lack of crossovers worked well to go along with the laid-back nature of the song.
Strings of Fire (by Blazing for Dark Luke)
This started off really awesome, but then after a few disappointing sections really started sinking into something pretty uninspired. Aside from the roll that kind of stuck out in m11, the beginning was really great. Then the long freezes in m17+ that left so much unstepped (or unaccented at least), followed by m21+ that left out so much cool little stuff that could have been stepped, and then the same thing with m42 all the way to the end which was little more than very uninspired 16th runs. While I'd feel bad for rating this too low, since it would probably make a good Hard chart to the song, I still can't rate it highly either since there's so much juicy stuff missing that could have been there.
Test Room (by Revolver for Kommisar)
This looks really fun on the pad. I loved the sections on two arrows that went perfectly to the music (like at m5 and throughout), the freezes that were used very nicely not only to accent but to break up sections, the crossovers in m28+ that accented the change in music nicely, and the 16ths and triplets throughout that were downright delectable. My only complaint is a few places that had some unstepped stuff (like m39, m44+, etc.), and a few places that I felt could have had small gimmicks added (like the freeze in m43, etc). Still, aside from those few small sections, this looks like an absolute blast, and I cannot wait to pad it again and again.
The First Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto (by AJAX the Insomniac for TEEX)
This is a really great chart with some awesome stuff in it, though I feel it could have used a little bit more polish as well. At the beginning, initially you use single-arrow freezes to accent the held piano note (ie: beat 54), but then right afterward you use jumps with a freeze to accent the same sound (ie: beat 57), and then in m19+ you don't use freezes. I would have liked to have seen uniformity there, preferably with using jumps and a freeze the entire time. For a song as non-repetitive as this, there's no need to vary it up like that. Still, awesome crossovers and jacks in the next section. The 16ths start off really well with the bursts, but the the stream in m38 feels a bit off. The patterns themselves could follow the music a bit better, but even more obvious is the scratching sound that goes by unnacented. Just putting some mines (safely!) within the stream would have been good to acknowledge them. But then the chart goes right back into awesome with those awesome little freezes that throw you around at just the right speed, and it keeps that high level of awesome consistent until the end.
The Last Dance (by Wyde for Jayce)
This is a fun, short song that has some really great little crossovers throughout. In fact, my one complaint is that there aren't enough crossovers. Since there are so many in some sections, it feels strange in other sections when there aren't as many, so it seems like you're trying to accent something, when I really can't tell what it is. I'd make sure you have at least one crossover every two measures in a song that is based on crossovers rather than "normal" steps. Other than that and the triplets in m22 and 24 that I didn't really understand, this looks like a blast on the pad.
Tsubaki No Hana (by Driving55 for joe#2)
Well the Expert is a bit ridiculous with those triplet runs, especially since what they're going to is in the background and they are so isolated from the rest of the song, but I'm glad you included the Hard chart, which is basically just the Expert without the death triplets. Hard still had a few issues, namely consistency (especially toward the end in m68+) and variation throughout, but it's not too bad at all. The single crossover in m27 feels a bit weird, as does the ambiguous pattern in m29 and 54. I must say I really did like the freezes in m44-45 though!
Variations 2 (by Monst3rjoe for NEMO)
Wonderfully varied steps to a wonderfully varied song. Everything was accented so nicely throughout, from the freezes at the beginning, to the rolls in m13+, to the mini freezes in the streams, to the stellar mine placement throughout, especially in m25+ which was a really cool decision. I really can't find much to criticize about this file since everything is so spot on, though I did feel that some of the hands were a bit too fast (like in m47 and 48). Other than that though, this looks like an absolute delight to play on the pad.
Walking On Sunshine (by TEEX for AJAX the Insomniac)
You did a good job of varying up the steps enough to such a repetitive song, but that exact variety in steps also gave the entire chart a feeling of disunity that left a bad aftertaste. The mines in m69+ also seemed pretty difficult, I would have probably moved them down an 8th. Not too bad a chart if you really like the song.
Walking The Dog (by zimlord for DVogan11)
There are some really, really cool little things throughout this chart. The unique rhythms it has alone are awesome with the mixed 16th and triplets, but then the mine section in m8, the hands into the quad like in m16 (which is the perfect speed for soemthing like that), and then the liberal usage of crossovers throughout to keep it interesting only make it even better. Aside from the cut at the end, this looks like an absolute delight on the pad.
Yellow Curves (by Helvetica for Patashu)
The rhythms themselves are what make this chart so interesting and cool, but it is the little embellishments here and there that really take it to another level and make it a ton of fun. The crossovers sprinkled throughout the entire thing, especially the reverse walks like in m13, were used just often enough to keep the chart extremely entertaining. Mine usage was spot on as well, and it was especially powerful in places like m32+ where it really got the player up in the air right along with the music. In some places, like m25+ for me, the arrows fit so well they nearly feel like they're melting right into the music. Looks like it would be a truly enjoyable experience on the pad.
Not bad at all, but this still has some room for improvement I think. The gimmicks were mostly good, though the triplet slowdown in m26 and the offbeat stuff in m34 were a bit odd. m26 would have probably been fine as a 1/4 slowdown, and m34 might have been better with just an arrow or jump at beat 133 only. The ambiguous arrow patterns in m30 and 38 were also a bit off-putting, as were a lot of somewhat awkward patterns throughout the chart. Also, while what you did with the broken up 16ths was pretty cool, though I would have personally rather had continuous 16th runs whose patterns accented the warble sound. Still, this is something I wouldn't mind playing a few times.
Black and Gold (by PUMA.Hamtaro for kirbykid1)
This is far and away the best file I've seen from PUMA yet. Though not spectacular by any means, I was at least not afraid to do any of the crossovers that I saw throughout for fear of being tangled up in uncomfortable doublesteps soon after. Excellent job keeping everything straight here, especially with the little spin in m45. Of course, I'm not sure how called for those embellishments were by the music, but they certainly did break up the extreme repetitiveness fairly well. The hands in m40+ were a pretty good choice, though they did feel a bit out of nowhere. I also did feel as though I was facing the same direction a bit too long occasionally, but overall I could definitely see myself playing this if I really liked the song.
Blue State Riddim (by Derkomai for MacGravel)
Very nice steps and sightreadable gimmicks that went right along with the music. You could have done a lot more gimmicks throughout, though I think the ones you had were an excellent compromise between being straightforward and gimmicky. Since they followed the music so well though, they did end up being pretty repetitive, though all of the little details you accented with mines and freezes did help with that. I would have liked to have seen the "phone" sound accented in m43+, a lot more jumps throughout since you only have one and those drum hits could have been accented nicely by them, and the crossover in m35 stuck out really badly since it's the only one in the whole chart. Still, despite those small things, it's an overall very fun looking chart on the pad.
Bring That Beat Back (by NIQ9 for x0_000)
These are some of the most well-placed 16ths I've ever seen in a Doubles file. The arrows that follow the warbling sound in m13+ (and then again later in the song) are absolutely gorgeous. I loved how they stayed on two arrows, and then went into nearly tear-inducing beautiful crossovers that followed the music to a T. Absolutely amazing work. I also thought the jacks were extremely well placed, especially in m12 and 20 to accent the transitions between sections. Unfortunately there were a few things left unnaccented as well: the "go go go go" in m44, and all the little details in m45+ like the voice samples and that drum-esque sound. Just some mines or mini-freezes would have been sufficient. And although I would have loved to have seen some little gimmicks in m52+, the one you have at the end is pretty cool and makes up for it nicely. Overall, a chart that I would love to kill myself with over and over again, despite a few very small disappointments.
Bulletproof (by Ninevolt for Psychotik)
Not bad, but a little boring and repetitive. I felt like mines could have really spiced this file up a lot more, perhaps going along with the freezes you had at the beginning, and accenting sections like m37. The mines that you had toward the end felt pretty isolated from the rest of the song, so I'd either add those in to the beginning as well or keep them the same as the beginning. Otherwise, extremely solid, and I'm glad you stepped in the direction of complementing the music rather than following it exactly for the most part, which made it more interesting than it would have been otherwise.
Cellular Telephone (by Gloves for Chaoz)
Excellent steps. Though the song was pretty repetitive, the bits between the repeating sections made it very much bearable, so bearable in fact that it was enjoyable! I was a bit turned off by the isolated steps in places like m25+ that I thought could have been made into cooler patterns, but then when the crossover sections came in at m33+, I immediately changed my mind. Having those sections of isolated crossovers not only sets off those sections from the rest of the song, but the patterns themselves match the music perfectly. Added in with the unique use of hands, the rolls with mines throughout that look awesome, and the fact that the repetitiveness was toned down even more by the slowdown at the end, this becomes a really, really awesome file that looks like a blast on the pad.
Christmas Eve in Sarajevo (by x0_000 for NIQ9)
This is an example of a file with amazing arrow placement but that could have used so many more little things all over the place. From accenting the heavier bass hits in m12+ with jumps, to m29+ that was nothing but 8ths with fun patterns that could have been so much more, it was kind of disappointing throughout. Again however, the parts that were well done were really well done. The crossovers throughout were perfectly crafted, especially the ones going from two arrow sections to two arrow sections, and m21+ where you stayed on one pad or the other repeating patterns worked perfectly. Those things alone are reason enough for this to be padded repeatedly.
Dastardly Bomber's Machine (by Kyzentun for Kytsune)
Stuff like this not only makes me want to be able to play Doubles more often, but also makes me want to see more difficult stuff made by you Kyzentun. The Doubles Expert looks like a blast. The crossovers are just the right difficulty at that speed for an easier, fun 13, and the triplet bursts look fantastic. I was a bit disappointed by the Singles Expert since the crossovers disappeared for the most part, expect for the one part toward the end. Excellent job on the easier difficulties as well, especially with the rolls on Medium. Though pretty repetitive, you managed to make charts of all difficulties with personality that have stuff for everyone in them.
Ex.Human Invasion (by Psychotik for Ninevolt)
This is a really fun-looking metal 13, and I am not one to say that often since I typically cannot stand metal. Every bit of the music is matched by something in the chart, which was really awesome and very well done. I loved the crossovers in the beginning which were perfectly crafted and the rolls throughout that were very well placed. My only problem with the file is the abundance of ambiguous steps that cause problems in suddenly having to do 16th bursts crossed over, which is not the intention I'm sure. Almost all of the sections with freezes and jacks were pretty confusing, and I always ended up doing them crossed over half of the time and then outright missing whatever came after those sections. If that was the intention, then I apologize for misunderstanding, but that doesn't change the fact that it's really uncomfortable until you've figured out how to do them correctly
Factory (by Kommisar for Revolver)
For the fairly repetitive song you were given, you really did an amazing job here Kommisar. I love how you accented all of the tiny details with mini-freezes and mines, especially in the first half of the song, ensuring that not a single sound went by unstepped in some way. Mines were in fact used very well throughout, especially with the freezes in m26+, and after the single arrows in m50+. Excellent choice on the often tricky to use Tell-jump in m48 to accent the sudden change in intensity, with again good mine usage in m48-50. The only things that confused me a bit was the isolated crossover in m53 (I think you could have accented that change in music better), the 16ths that didn't really fit in m57, the mini rolls in the stream (I think 32nds would have fit nicely), and again the other isolated crossover in m60 (which I also think you could have accented better with something else). Of course, these are all tiny, tiny things, and they do not take away from the overall awesome at all, which is saying a lot since the song itself is pretty repetitive.
Fire Field (by joe#2 for Driving55)
You really did above and beyond with what you were given to step joe#2. While I can't say much good about the song which sounds like it was recorded off of computer speakers, your steps are really great, and it makes me wish you stepped stuff above 10's more often. The gimmicks at the beginning were perfect and the rolls throughout were an excellent touch. Still, it did get REALLY repetitive, which is again due to the song and not the steps, but some of the 16th runs I felt could have been toned down a bit as well. I'd happily play this once or twice, just for the pretty sweet steps.
Free (by MacGravel for Derkomai)
Though this file starts out with some infamous MacGravel jumps (jumps that are not flowed into by the previous arrows and do not flow into the following arrows), it gets better and better as it goes on. m37 was simply awesome with the small jacks and crossovers, and though the Endorphinmachine-esque steps in m53+ got pretty repetitive after a while, they look like they'd be fun to try and keep up with. The ending with the freezes and taps that lead into each other is awesome as well, and I'd love to give this thing a go on the pad.
Get On My Horse (by Professor Raine for Nickium)
This file started off pretty good, but then slipped into being a joke file after m60. Pre-m60 actually has some pretty good stuff though. I especially liked the crossovers that lead into crossover jumps with steps that comfortably brought you out of them afterward like around m15. The only problem was then that there were other places where the crossovers that didn't work out quite as well and you had to figure your own way out of them, which was a bit annoying. Still, good fun for the first 60 measures.
Ground (by Kystune for Kyzentun)
You did an excellent job with complementing the music rather than following it exactly throughout, which turned such a repetitive song into something that looks extremely enjoyable. My favorite was the slight variations of the pattern in m24+ that you had (the one with jacks in m31+ and then the gallops in m51+), and I would have liked to have seen more of those slight variations than ones like the hands in m27 that REALLY stuck out. Still, overall looks extremely enjoyable, which is saying something since it is a song I would typically never dance to.
Hardcore Faith (by RODD for dans mutilator)
These are some of the best steps I've seen by RODD. Excellent work! Though the song is not up my alley and pretty repetitive, the steps are so well crafted that I think I might take it for a whirl on the pad anyway. I loved the jacks and well broken up 16ths. A few more jumps accenting intensity would have been nice, especially to make it a more solid 12, but even as it is this is a really great-looking chart.
Harsh Like My Dog While Having Sex (by zimlord for Monst3rjoe)
This chart does what it does well, and what it does is be a mentally and physically taxing 15. Unlike some 15's that are just unnecessarily hard versions of 13's with extra jumps and difficult 16th patterns, this one is a 15 that pulls no punches. The 16th patterns are more than possible, the gimmicks are wonderfully straightforward and cool-looking, and the jumps are all perfectly called for. My only complaint is that the toned-down intensity that comes in at m81 is not accented by anything. While a slowdown or something would be out of the question, maybe some mines beforehand that then go away would work nicely. Still, this looks like a suicidal blast otherwise, and if you can make it past the first six seconds, then you will have quite the adventure for your feet in store for you.
Icicles (by Mootz for mute)
Though repetitive, this song has a lot of great stuff in it, with equally nice steps to match. Freeze and mine usage was top-notch, especially the three mines after each 16th burst like in m10. The sections between the repeating parts were extremely well-stepped as well, with the triplets and 16ths nearly jumping right out of the chart along with the music they matched so nicely. This looks like an absolute delight to pad.
Just Your Regular Beat Song (by Dark Luke for Blazing)
Very fun, very straightforward steps. While I felt there could have been a few more fun touches here and there with crossovers and such to spice up the overall repetitiveness, it still works nicely as you have it with nothing out of the ordinary. The mines are superb, as are the tiny jacks and jumps sprinkled throughout. The gimmick toward the beginning was also really cool, though I think having the right arrow as a freeze and maybe a mine or two inside the gimmick would have made it a lot more visually exciting.
Maiden of Virtue (by Jayce for Wyde)
While certainly nothing revolutionary, this chart is just as certainly a blast to play. Aside from the slightly off-putting gimmicks at the beginning, I think you did the absolute best you could with this song throughout. I loved your well-crafted 16ths, and the triplet death drills look like they'd be a ton of fun to try and full combo on the pad. Great work!
Mind Mapping (by Nickium for Professor Raine)
Now, I will be the first to admit I'm far from the greatest syncer in the world, and that I more often than not cannot tell when a file is offsync. However, considering that every other file in the pack was certainly playable on my setup, there was something wrong with this one. I'm pretty sure the BPM is wrong, since nothing feels on at all, and the degree to which everything feels off is different throughout. This is very unfortunate, considering the steps themselves don't look too bad at all, aside from just a few doublestep issues. However, as it is, this is unplayable, unless for some reason my stepmania just changes its global offset every time I open this song.
NESmas (by mute for Mootz)
Awesome song and great steps to match. I loved the "Twelve Days of NESmas" section. The mines and sprinkled-in crossovers were amazing, as were the excellently crafted 16ths. The "Little Drummer Boy" section was a little disappointing since you only followed the background and didn't follow the blaringly obvious other sounds with anything. I would have liked some mini-freezes there (like you had in other sections) to at least acknowledge them. Still, step-wise, very well done, and "God Rest You Merry Gentlemen" had some absolutely delicious rhythms. The ending "Joy to the World" section was probably my favorite, since it was a more intense version of "Twelve Days of NESmas," bringing back the crossovers and mines that made that first section so great, with a few tasty original parts of its own, like the well-crafted jumps and arrows that stayed on one side in m80. Overall, a ridiculously good and relevant song with steps that more than live up to the potential.
Our Furry Past Life (by dans mutilator for RODD)
Not a bad file at all, but there was so much going on in the song that the extremely straightforward steps came off as not quite living up to the song's potential. While it certainly shines as an easy straightforward file, I felt like it could have used a lot more stuff to match the multiple layers of music.
Over The Ocean (by DVogan11 for zimlord)
Considering I (don't think I) have ever played any files from you before, this file was even more of a pleasant surprise. Everything about it was really, really good, from the perfectly placed slowdowns and stops, to the excellent mine usage, to the wonderfully crafted 16ths that were the perfect mixture of fun and challenge. The triplet bursts were very well placed as well, crossovers were sprinkled in perfectly, and I loved how you threw in some seemingly complementary arrows in places like m45 to break up the somewhat repetitive sections. The only thing that was offputting about this chart was the hands. I am almost never a fan of down arrow hands with legs on left and right, so personally I would suggest moving them to up arrows. But either way, those don't detract at all from the overall awesome of the file.
Real As They Come (by Wastum for Kindan)
While the steps were pretty uninspired, I can't blame you since the song isn't my cup of tea either. Still, there was a lot more you could have done here, most obviously adding in jumps throughout the entire chart since you have none. Those would have been perfect to accent the heavier drum hits that go for the entire song. There were also a lot of vocal things that were left unaccented (which might have been good with some mines, since you didn't have any of those either), and though kind of cool, I'm not so sure that those quads were completely called for. Still, not terrible by any means, and I'm sure that if I was obsessed with this song I wouldn't mind this as a stepfile for it at all.
Roll To Me (by shadowobsessed for b4mv)
While this is certainly leaps and bounds ahead of the file you made last year shadowobsessed, it still has plenty of room for improvement. There was a lot of doublestepping throughout (m18 to 19, m39, m74, etc) which wasn't a huge deal since the song was fairly slow, but it was still a bit offputting since it required shuffling of feet when not called for by the music. Also a lot of the time it seemed like you were leading into crossover jumps (like at m43, 44, etc), but it was a result of ambiguous patterns instead. Watch out for putting in arrows (especially up and down ones) that can be hit by either foot, especially during faster/more complex sections. Lastly while a lot of your hands toward the end were good, I think the ones in m48 were just a bit too fast to be enjoyable. Also, why the extra 16th at m65? Still, despite those turnoffs, the highly applicable rolls were a very nice touch, and the section of mines and jumps in m56+ was awesome and extremely well crafted. Stuff like this makes me excited to see more stuff put out by you, so get to it!
Saga (by b4mv (and picked up by Wastum) for shadowobsessed)
Aside from the strange ending, this isn't too bad throughout. There are a lot of awkward step patterns (mostly involving jumps like in m48, etc), a few doublesteps (m14, etc), and some sections where I felt like I was facing one direction too long to be comfortable (m12-17, etc), but other than those technical errors, the stylistic choices throughout weren't too bad. The speedups with the jumps were pretty cool, and crossovers and the like were spread out enough through the chart to keep things interesting. m69+, though kind of neat due to its uniqueness, was in practice somewhat dull, and I think it would have been better to liven it up.
(Wastum's chart)
Unfortunately the speedups don't work at well with Wastum's chart, since he used 16ths instead of jumps, but modding on 2x still makes the entire thing perfectly readable. While the Hard chart may not have all the cool mines and such that the Challange has, it makes up for it in sheer solidity. This is one rock solid chart, with nothing out of the ordinary, but nothing too ordinary either, a stepping style which fit the song very well. The only thing I wasn't a fan of was the continued 16th drills in places like m42+. I think there was enough other stuff going on at those parts that you could have done something a bit more interesting. Otherwise, a great chart that looks very fun to pad.
Scat Megamix (by Kindan for Wastum)
Very nice job considering the song's quality was kind of hard to hear quite often. It was nice and varied, just like the song was, and I especially enjoyed the delicate gimmicks and crossovers sprinkled in, and the good usage of jumps throughout, especially in sections like m21+. The section of reverse walks in m29+ was really cool too. Though I'm not sure how called for they were, they look extremely fun nevertheless, and getting them uniform was quite a feat. My only complaint really (aside from the song quality) is that some sections were just a bit too plain and went on for a bit too long), such as m9-20 when nothing especially interesting happens. Still, looks like a blast to pad every now and then.
Space Space Shooter 8-Bit Remix (by kirbykid1 for PUMA.Hamtaro)
I can't really blame you for making uninspired steps to a song with such low potential, but that doesn't really change the fact that the final product doesn't look like very much fun to play. The repetition of identical rhythms and nearly identical steps got boring pretty quickly, and a lot of the steps look awkward (such as starting off with the 16th crossovers, the boxed-in feeling I get from m12+, the crossover jumps in m6 that don't work out, the crossover that doesn't work in m25, etc). The slowdowns and stop were pretty cool though, and I really liked the freeze on the penultimate arrow in the 16th bursts that you had (like in m3), which is something rarely seen. But still, I don't think I'd ever pad this.
Stream (picked up by Dark Luke and Kommisar and Mootz for Gloves)
Ridiculous props for stepping such a difficult song so well. While the steps did get a bit repetitive, it is no fault of the step artist at all. I think you did your best with adding mines, alternating rhythms, and sprinkling varieties of complex and simple patterns to keep it as interesting as possible throughout. Really the only thing that bugged me were several ambiguous patterns: the jump before m16 that I always crossed over, the ambiguous arrow after the jump at m32, the ambiguous 16th burst right before m43, etc. Still, besides those few sections, everything else is really solid and fun-looking.
(Kommisar's version)
This pretty much followed the music beat for beat, and did it very well. The only problem with the chart was the crossovers throughout. For the beginning half of the song, they all felt like the same pattern over and over again. While that kind of gave the file a cool sense of uniformity that went along with the music, it was also kind of tiresome as well, and I think some more varied patterns would have worked better. Also toward the end, the crossover 16th bursts felt kind of strange, since the only other crossover 16th was at m50. I couldn't tell if the crossover 16ths were accenting something different than the normal 16ths, but I don't think they were. Still, crossovers aside, excellently crafted file.
(Mootz's version)
This seems like it would be an awesome Hard chart to this song. While there were a few things that felt like they were missing throughout (like some 16ths in m11, etc), and that hand in m51 didn't seem to fit as well as the ones before it, the rest was really awesome. Great attention to detail with mines and jumps, and the lack of crossovers worked well to go along with the laid-back nature of the song.
Strings of Fire (by Blazing for Dark Luke)
This started off really awesome, but then after a few disappointing sections really started sinking into something pretty uninspired. Aside from the roll that kind of stuck out in m11, the beginning was really great. Then the long freezes in m17+ that left so much unstepped (or unaccented at least), followed by m21+ that left out so much cool little stuff that could have been stepped, and then the same thing with m42 all the way to the end which was little more than very uninspired 16th runs. While I'd feel bad for rating this too low, since it would probably make a good Hard chart to the song, I still can't rate it highly either since there's so much juicy stuff missing that could have been there.
Test Room (by Revolver for Kommisar)
This looks really fun on the pad. I loved the sections on two arrows that went perfectly to the music (like at m5 and throughout), the freezes that were used very nicely not only to accent but to break up sections, the crossovers in m28+ that accented the change in music nicely, and the 16ths and triplets throughout that were downright delectable. My only complaint is a few places that had some unstepped stuff (like m39, m44+, etc.), and a few places that I felt could have had small gimmicks added (like the freeze in m43, etc). Still, aside from those few small sections, this looks like an absolute blast, and I cannot wait to pad it again and again.
The First Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto (by AJAX the Insomniac for TEEX)
This is a really great chart with some awesome stuff in it, though I feel it could have used a little bit more polish as well. At the beginning, initially you use single-arrow freezes to accent the held piano note (ie: beat 54), but then right afterward you use jumps with a freeze to accent the same sound (ie: beat 57), and then in m19+ you don't use freezes. I would have liked to have seen uniformity there, preferably with using jumps and a freeze the entire time. For a song as non-repetitive as this, there's no need to vary it up like that. Still, awesome crossovers and jacks in the next section. The 16ths start off really well with the bursts, but the the stream in m38 feels a bit off. The patterns themselves could follow the music a bit better, but even more obvious is the scratching sound that goes by unnacented. Just putting some mines (safely!) within the stream would have been good to acknowledge them. But then the chart goes right back into awesome with those awesome little freezes that throw you around at just the right speed, and it keeps that high level of awesome consistent until the end.
The Last Dance (by Wyde for Jayce)
This is a fun, short song that has some really great little crossovers throughout. In fact, my one complaint is that there aren't enough crossovers. Since there are so many in some sections, it feels strange in other sections when there aren't as many, so it seems like you're trying to accent something, when I really can't tell what it is. I'd make sure you have at least one crossover every two measures in a song that is based on crossovers rather than "normal" steps. Other than that and the triplets in m22 and 24 that I didn't really understand, this looks like a blast on the pad.
Tsubaki No Hana (by Driving55 for joe#2)
Well the Expert is a bit ridiculous with those triplet runs, especially since what they're going to is in the background and they are so isolated from the rest of the song, but I'm glad you included the Hard chart, which is basically just the Expert without the death triplets. Hard still had a few issues, namely consistency (especially toward the end in m68+) and variation throughout, but it's not too bad at all. The single crossover in m27 feels a bit weird, as does the ambiguous pattern in m29 and 54. I must say I really did like the freezes in m44-45 though!
Variations 2 (by Monst3rjoe for NEMO)
Wonderfully varied steps to a wonderfully varied song. Everything was accented so nicely throughout, from the freezes at the beginning, to the rolls in m13+, to the mini freezes in the streams, to the stellar mine placement throughout, especially in m25+ which was a really cool decision. I really can't find much to criticize about this file since everything is so spot on, though I did feel that some of the hands were a bit too fast (like in m47 and 48). Other than that though, this looks like an absolute delight to play on the pad.
Walking On Sunshine (by TEEX for AJAX the Insomniac)
You did a good job of varying up the steps enough to such a repetitive song, but that exact variety in steps also gave the entire chart a feeling of disunity that left a bad aftertaste. The mines in m69+ also seemed pretty difficult, I would have probably moved them down an 8th. Not too bad a chart if you really like the song.
Walking The Dog (by zimlord for DVogan11)
There are some really, really cool little things throughout this chart. The unique rhythms it has alone are awesome with the mixed 16th and triplets, but then the mine section in m8, the hands into the quad like in m16 (which is the perfect speed for soemthing like that), and then the liberal usage of crossovers throughout to keep it interesting only make it even better. Aside from the cut at the end, this looks like an absolute delight on the pad.
Yellow Curves (by Helvetica for Patashu)
The rhythms themselves are what make this chart so interesting and cool, but it is the little embellishments here and there that really take it to another level and make it a ton of fun. The crossovers sprinkled throughout the entire thing, especially the reverse walks like in m13, were used just often enough to keep the chart extremely entertaining. Mine usage was spot on as well, and it was especially powerful in places like m32+ where it really got the player up in the air right along with the music. In some places, like m25+ for me, the arrows fit so well they nearly feel like they're melting right into the music. Looks like it would be a truly enjoyable experience on the pad.
[Reveal] Spoiler: Gag Prizes
Congratulations to Gloves, for winning an award without even lifting a finger! While I have to thank everyone who stepped up and adopted an orphan file this year to make sure that everyone got a chart to the song they requested, I think it is particularly awesome that Gloves's song, which was originally unstepped, then got three awesome people to step it. They all put their own spins on it as well, and each chart is just as a delight to play as the other. So enjoy your charts gloves, you earned them sort of!
Professor Raine, who stepped the last several dozen measures to his assigned file as a joke of ridiculous jumps, and Nickium, who stepped the song given to him regardless of the fact that it was unplayably offsync. Such a perfect couple could only be brought together under the magic of a Christmas stepfile competition
I really have to congratulate shadowobsessed and PUMA, both of whom created nearly unplayable files last year, and yet this year created some pretty solid stuff. I really hope that both of them will not wait until next year to create their next files, because their stuff here, while still far from perfect, shows great potential for both of them that I cannot wait for them to start fulfilling.
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