Talk to me about DDR (Dance Dance Revolution)

That_Spoony_Bard

So if this belongs in G&T please move it.

So I want to get back into playing DDR, I liked it in the arcades and wasn't too bad at it...but that was several years ago. Now I want to play DDR at home instead of trekking down to the arcade and feed the machine 75 cents. However, I really don't like the plastic mats that come with the game. Looking online I saw hard foam pads and metal pads. I'm not too sure which one to really get and was hoping someone could point me into the right direction.

Oh, I have a PS2 and a Wii, not sure if there are dancepads that can switch between both.

pinenut_canary

I'm not sure about your PS2/Wii question, but all my friends (they're aZn) recommend the metal pads.

Cokebotle

My friends have been pretty big DDR players in the past and they bought and loved the hard pads. I've also played on them, and they are definitely worth it if you're serious about getting back into the game. Red Octane is the one my friends used, and they might have Wii/PS2 conversion stuff, but I don't know for certain.

So yeah, definitely get a hard pad. Also, if you have the money, you could look into importing/modding your PS2 and getting the Japanese mixes, as there's more with better songs.

ApexMirage

Alot depends on your skill level: if you're just a beginner you can probably do with a non-metal pad. I've seen people staple them to wood and lots of crazy stuff like that to keep them from slipping around. If you're playing at I'd say maybe 7 or more, you'll want a metal pad. If you're playing at 9-10+, you'll need a bar to support yourself with, which can be as simple as a chair, but those tend to be wobbly and unstable, at which point you'll have to get creative. I personally gave up and simply play at my local arcade though.

If you're really looking to save money though, get a USB pad and Stepmania

archonwarp

You don't need a bar for 9/10 footers. It makes it a bit easier, but it's by no means a requirement. Cobaltflux makes an awesome pad, but it's $Texas.

ApexMirage

I guess you dont really "need" it but some songs are practically trying to trip you, which gets worse if you're sightreading.

DVG

The plastic mats can become very nice, and economical, with a few simple mods.

You'll need:
Duct Tape
A sheet of particle board
A plastic cover of some sort, a clear plastic shower curtain folded over itself works as well as anything

Tape down the pad to the particle board, then tape the plastic over that. You'll now be able play with your shoes on and the pad will stand up to brutal punishment.

I used this for more than a year without any degradation.

As for which version, any version is as good as any other, but you might consider using Stepmania and a computer. Stepmania is an open source DDR sim, you can download home made songs for free from a few different places (Legality of course based on which songs are being used and the license rights associated with them, but the practice is not inherently illegal)

Just some things to consider.

Cokebotle

Just be careful with Stepmania. Many of those songs are NOT meant to be played with an actual pad...

Kealoha

RE: Particle board suggestion: That is a really, really shoddy version of this mod, which I have used and do use, it works well. If you go this route, make sure not to overdo it on the staples. It kind of defeats the purpose of being able to reuse the supplies if need be.

About hard pads: The problem with any DDR pad, really, is the lack of customer service provided. Red Octane could give two shits about DDR now that GH/RB peripherals are out and money is coming in from the games, too. Buy N Shop also used to have a really good pad, as do some other really obscure merchants, but they are very shoddy quality. This is due in part to the inherent flaws in the shipping method used, which has pads folded up compactly for months on end (unless they manufacture them for each person, which Cobalt Flux and other metal pads might). This leads to rips in the circuitry and possibly even the outer surface. If this happens, you can choose to continue using it until it dies, or try to send it back and communicate with near nonexistent customer service representatives.

I'm not trying to scare you away from Ignitions--they are a good pad if they work properly. But I'd say try to find one in a local store so you can return it easily.

As for metal pads, Cobalt Flux is the most preferred. There are other brands that are becoming popular but they aren't as solid as CFs. CF are either DOA or work for a long, long time and have a good warranty. These can also easily be modded to have arcade bars attached. Well, maybe not easily. But they are expensive as all hell, so if you're just starting I can't really recommend it.

If there are any questions, let me know. For recommended games, Konamix for the PSX is a fan favorite, DDRMAX2 (PS2) is a personal favorite. The newer stuff incorporates far too much mainstream, non-dance music for my tastes.

DarkSymphony

metal pads: Blue Shark MyMybox and Cobalt Flux.

Foam Pads: Ignitions and you can go to www.ddrnation.com (if the wedsite is still there).

foam pads will last a good while, you can get them pretty cheap (like 30 bucks) and without being on the hardest songs on the hardest difficulty you can easily get good scores.

the metal pads are fantastic but they are expensive as hell. They're well worth it, but really only if you intend on playing for a long time and getting to the point where you wanna ace all the 10's.

here's my personal list of what I feel are the best PS2 DDR's:

1) DDR Supernova 2
2) DDR Max 2
3) DDR Max 1
4) DDR Extreme 2
5) DDR Supernova

any of those would be a good buy, but I'd say if you're interested in Supernova 1, make sure the others aren't in stock elsewhere. It's decent, but it is the worst of the best.

DeathPrawn

You either want to get an expensive metal pad or buy a soft pad and mod it. In my experience, a modded soft pad works better and more consistently than an Ignition (foam) pad. If you have time to kill, you can build your own metal pad for considerably less than buying something like a CF. There are easy step-by-step instructions on the internet, and the woodworking and soldering skills required are simple enough that I was able to figure it out without any prior experience in either.

I'd also second the recommendation of StepMania. Buy yourself a PS2-USB adapter (~$5-10), download some songs, and you're good to go.

DarkSymphony

yeah if you can use stepmania I'd go with that, because you can DL a fuck ton of songs. Just make sure you get ones that specify keyboard or pad.

personally I used the PC version of ITG2. There was a period of time where the people who made ITG/ITG2 were offering it as a free download since they were sued and C&D from Konami.

Ecstasy

Get the foam ones from Red Octane. They're cheaper than the metal ones and more sensitive so if you weigh 120lbs you don't have to stop on it with extreme force to get it to register that you hit the button.

Also yeah Stepmania is nice although I could never get my mat to work with the computer but maybe you can.

xYUUBINKYOKUx

Ecstasy wrote: »

Get the foam ones from Red Octane. They're cheaper than the metal ones and more sensitive so if you weigh 120lbs you don't have to stop on it with extreme force to get it to register that you hit the button.

Also yeah Stepmania is nice although I could never get my mat to work with the computer but maybe you can.

I agree the Red Octane foam ones are really nice. As for the mixes DDR Max 2 is my favorite then 3rd Mix from the PS1 is my next favorite.

Entriech

My wife has a foam Red Octane pad. I've used it a few times, and while it's pleasant and fairly accurate, it also feels too small. Also the buttons butt right up against the edge of the pad, and there's been times where I've almost twisted an ankle as my foot slides off.

I'd been using hers because my modified pad has finally started to error out. However this is after many, many years of use. I can't reccomend doing a modified pad enough. Mine was simple, just the pad duct taped down to an appropriate cut of MDF, with carpet liner installed overtop using staples. Nice and heavy so it doesn't slide, large margin around the buttons at the edges, and accurate for many years. And the nice bit is, if you do it right, you can just peel up the carpet liner, pull off the pad, and put a fresh one in when you need to. For me it was definitely the right balance of money/effort to quality.

Madpanda

If you are going the ps2 connection pad -> pc for Stepmania route make sure you get a ps2->usb adapater that is on this list http://www.stepmania.com/wiki/USB_Adapters

Not all of them are created equal, getting a bad one can have such results as
1. Only 1 arrow press at a time can be registered, so no jumps
2. Bad delays, playing a game like this with a 1-2 second delay makes it pretty unplayable.
3. Will not work at all.


I defiantly recommend the modded softpad option if you are just getting passed the beginning stages.

Also for a lot more information and targeted discussion check our ddrfreak.com forums.

cj iwakura

My preference is the Red Octane Fusion(foam insert), since it's perfectly durable, and not nearly as costly as the metal ones. I've played ITG 10s on it, so it can definitely stand up to serious play.


As for console versions, MAX 2 is the best, followed by MAX, then Konamix(PS1), then Extreme. You could pick up In The Groove also, since it does have a few good songs, and it can't be beat for sheer insanity(at least as four arrow charts go).

IMO, everything after Extreme should be skipped, namely Supernova 2 and X. They have the occasional decent track, but the songlists are overall terrible, especially the arcade versions.

DarkSymphony

I think the only reason I liked Supernova 2 and Extreme 2 on PS2 is because of the extensive list of 10 footers they both had. I never really paid any attention to the other songs, so you could very well be right, I do agree though that Max 2 is incredible.

it's got twilight zone, So Deep (my favorite DDR song ever), MaxX Unlimited, and a bunch of other good ones.

cj iwakura

I bought Extreme just because BT's Somnambulist was on it. The game edit and steps were surprisingly good.
(Didn't stop me from making my own much harder steps in edit mode.)


And Supernova 2's 10 footers were just stupid to me, at least in the arcade. Impossible to predict tempo shifts don't make a chart difficult. I've never played the PS2 version.

DarkSymphony

I agree, the Pluto songs were plain stupid. That's why I hated Chaos. It was a neat concept when I first played it, but I very quickly realized that it is by no means a 10 footer by chart alone, it only becomes a true 10 because of the lame stop....go....stop.....go mechanic.