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Creating Step Charts (StepMania Style)

Welcome to the world of "Step" mapping. Unlike Boxing or Flow, Step gameplay is entirely about Foot Placement and Weight Transfer.

If you are coming from StepMania or Dance Dance Revolution, you will feel right at home. The aerobeat-sdk-choreography-step is built to support standard 4-panel charting.

🛠️ The Step Studio

  • Tool: Step Choreography Studio
  • Grid: 4 Lanes (Left, Down, Up, Right).
  • Perspective: The editor defaults to a top-down "Receptor" view, similar to standard VSRGs (Vertical Scrolling Rhythm Games).

🦶 The Golden Rule: Alternation

The most fundamental rule of Step mapping is Flow. Unless you are creating a specific "Jack" (repeated tap) pattern, players should naturally alternate feet: Left -> Right -> Left -> Right

Common Patterns

  1. The Stream: A continuous run of notes (1/4, 1/8, or 1/16).
    • Good: L-D-U-R (Alternates feet naturally).
    • Bad: L-D-L-D (Forces the player to twist awkwardly or double-step).
  2. The Crossover (Candle): A pattern that forces the player to turn their body sideways.
    • Example: Left Foot on Left -> Right Foot on Up -> Left Foot on Right.
    • Result: The player is now facing Right.
  3. The Gallop: A rhythm pattern (1/16th triplet) that feels like a skip.
    • Timing: 1... a2... a3
  4. Jumps: Two arrows at once.
    • Constraint: Humans only have two feet. Never place 3 arrows at once (unless you intend for a "Hand" bracket, which is advanced tech).
    • Flow: Avoid placing a Jump immediately after a fast stream without a break.

🚀 Mapping Workflow

1. Setup

  1. Open aerobeat-sdk-choreography-step.
  2. Create an AeroChoreography resource.
  3. Load your song using our content-browser and sync the BPM (Use the Auto-Detect feature).

2. The Editor Grid

  • Lane 1 (Left): ⬅️
  • Lane 2 (Down): ⬇️
  • Lane 3 (Up): ⬆️
  • Lane 4 (Right): ➡️

3. Placing Notes

  • Tap (Arrow): Standard step.
  • Hold (Freeze): Click and drag to extend. Player must keep weight on the panel.
  • Mine (Shock): Player must avoid the panel. Use these to force foot placement (e.g., putting a mine on the Down arrow forces the player to keep their foot on Up).

📉 Difficulty Guidelines

Step charts are rated by "Feet" (Intensity).

Difficulty Mechanics Note Density
Easy (1-3) On-beat (1/4) only. No Jumps. No Crossovers. Low
Medium (4-6) Introduces 1/8th notes. Simple Jumps. Basic voltage. Moderate
Hard (7-9) Streams (1/8th). Crossovers. Short 1/16th bursts. High
Pro (10+) Chaos. 1/16th streams. Tech patterns. Stamina tests. Extreme

💡 Best Practices (From the Community)

  • Avoid "Double Stepping": Don't force a player to hit the same arrow twice in rapid succession with the same foot unless it matches a specific drum roll sound.
  • Respect the Center: Players naturally return to the center of the pad.
  • Facing Matters: If you use a Crossover to turn the player, give them a beat to untwist before the next pattern.
  • Mines are Spice: Use Mines sparingly. They should clarify the intended footing, not just annoy the player.