beatmania IIDX
Developer(s)	Konami
Publisher(s)	Konami
Release date(s)	February 26, 1999 (Arcade) November 2, 2000 (PlayStation 2)
Genre(s)	Music
Mode(s)	Up to 2 players simultaneously
Platform(s)	Arcade
Input	Turntable; Keyboard (7 keys)
Arcade cabinet	Custom
Arcade display	HDTV monitor (16:9)

beatmania IIDX (alternately beatmaniaIIDX or just IIDX, pronounced "two dee-ecks" or "two deluxe") is a series of rhythm video games introduced by Konami in 1999. It is the direct sequel to the beatmania game series, and part of the Bemani line of music games. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (480 × 640 pixel, file size: 116 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Beatmania IIDX Metadata... A video game developer is a software developer (a business or an individual) that creates video games. ... Konami Corporation ) (TYO: 9766 NYSE: KNM SGX: K20) is a leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines and video games. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Japan_(bordered). ... Konami Corporation ) (TYO: 9766 NYSE: KNM SGX: K20) is a leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines and video games. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Japan_(bordered). ... February 26 is the 57th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Japan_(bordered). ... November 2 is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 59 days remaining. ... 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The PlayStation 2 , abbreviated PS2) is Sonys second video game console, the successor to the PlayStation and the predecessor to the PlayStation 3. ... Video games are generally categorized into genres. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... Centipede by Atari is a typical example of a 1980s era arcade game. ... The platter is the part of a turntable on which a record rests when being played. ... The layout of a typical musical keyboard A musical keyboard is the set of adjacent depressible levers on a musical instrument which cause the instrument to produce sounds. ... This arcade cabinet, containing Centipede, is an upright. ... A computer display monitor, usually called simply a monitor when the meaning is clear from the context, is a piece of electrical equipment which displays viewable images generated by a computer without producing a permanent record. ... High-definition television (HDTV) means broadcast of television signals with a higher resolution than traditional formats (NTSC, SECAM, PAL) allow. ... A music video game, also commonly known as a music game, rhythm action game, or rhythm game, is a type of video game where the gameplay is oriented almost entirely around the players ability to follow a musical beat and stay with the rhythm of the games soundtrack. ... Konami Corporation ) (TYO: 9766 NYSE: KNM SGX: K20) is a leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines and video games. ... Year 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar). ... For the Playstation 2 North America beatmania release, based on beatmania IIDX, see beatmania (North America). ... Bemani (ビーマニ, biimani) is Konamis music video game division. ...

Cabinet information

beatmania IIDX controls consist two sets of seven keys on each player's side, along with two turntables. The turntable for the left player's side is to the left of the keys, while the one on the right player's side is to the right. A key is a small rectangular button on a musical instrument that is depressed to cause the instrument to create a sound of a particular pitch. ... The platter is the part of a turntable on which a record rests when being played. ...

Each set of keys is arranged in a pattern of four white keys beneath three black keys. The black keys are offset from the white keys so that each pair of adjacent white keys has a black key above and in between them. This arrangement mimics the F, F#, G, G#, A, A#, B keys on a musical keyboard, though beatmania keys, being about twice as long as they are wide, do not resemble piano keys. The keys are commonly numbered 1 through 7, from left to right. The four white keys are numbered 1, 3, 5, and 7; the three black keys are numbered 2, 4, 6. The layout of a typical musical keyboard A musical keyboard is the set of adjacent depressible levers on a musical instrument which cause the instrument to produce sounds. ... A short grand piano, with the top up. ...

Under the 16:9 wide display are the start button, the effector button, and effector sliders. The effector button and sliders control various sound volume levels within the game, and do not affect scoring or difficulty. The specific effector features available vary from version to version. The 16:9 aspect ratio (also known as widescreen) is an aspect ratio that is 16/9 or 1. ...

Modern machines (after beatmaniaIIDX 9th style) are equipped with card readers for e-AMUSEMENT cards. From 9th Style to HAPPY SKY, this was by way of a magnetic card and reader. From IIDX 13 DistorteD onwards the newer type Contactless smartcard Konami e-Amusement Pass system has been used. This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... Categories: | ... Smart card used for health insurance in France. ...

Different software versions of the game are referred to as 'styles', with higher numbers being the most recent releases of the software. The term 'style' was dropped with the release of IIDX11, though the colloquial term 'style' is still in use. Styles vary mainly in their songlists (with each new style containing dozens of new songs) and graphical interfaces.

The most recent version of the game is IIDX14: GOLD. It replaced the previous version of the game, IIDX13: DistorteD, on February 21st 2007.

Originally, the game was named beatmania II. The beatmania II cabinet was similar to the beatmania cabinet, save for the presence of two extra keys (one white, one black) that form the familiar 7-key panel. A standard BeatmaniaII cabinet also has a shorter distance from the 7 keys to the turntable compared to the BeatmaniaIIDX cabinet. Konami had planned to develop and release two different versions of arcade cabinets: a standard beatmania II cabinet, and a 'deluxe' cabinet with a 'DX' suffix on the end of the name, hence "IIDX". Konami scrapped the standard cabinet after the release of 2nd Style, but the 'DX' suffix stuck and has remained throughout the series. Examples of the BeatmaniaII cabinet can be seen in the tatsujin videos included with BeatmaniaIIDX 6th Style CS, players LISU and AGOP recorded their videos on a BM2 cabinet.

The IIDX cabinet features a widescreen 16:9 display, more powerful speakers, and a bass platform that vibrates beneath the player's feet to the beat of the music being played.

Turntable control Beatmania IIDX Turntable ~ taken myself File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

Effector controls Beatmania IIDX Effectors ~ taken myself File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

Key controls Beatmania IIDX Buttons ~ taken myself File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

Home versions

Konami Official Controller(s)

Konami also releases home versions of IIDX for the PlayStation 2 console in Japan. The home versions are known as CS (consumer software or console) styles, while the arcade versions are known as AC (arcade) styles. The CS games can be played with a PS2 dualshock controller or with a special controller from Konami that recreates the arcade experience. Konami manufactures two forms of home controllers, which are known as Konami Official Controllers (KOC) and Arcade Style Controllers (ASC). The KOC, pictured above, is much cheaper than the ASC, but is smaller than the ASC. In addition, KOCs look very different from ASCs and have a smaller space between the turntable and the keys. Konami purports the ASCs to be "arcade-accurate," in that they both resemble and feel like a controller on an arcade machine. For example, the controller itself is much larger and has the turntable further away from the keys. Both styles have a detachable key panel that can be placed to the left or the right of the turntable as the player desires. Controller for beatmania IIDX Taken by PiaCarrot in Mar. ... Controller for beatmania IIDX Taken by PiaCarrot in Mar. ... The PlayStation 2 , abbreviated PS2) is Sonys second video game console, the successor to the PlayStation and the predecessor to the PlayStation 3. ... The PlayStation 2 , abbreviated PS2) is Sonys second video game console, the successor to the PlayStation and the predecessor to the PlayStation 3. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Dual Analog Controller. ...

Arcade Style Controller

Each CS style corresponds to an AC style of the game and contains every song that debuted on its respective AC style, with the exception of certain licensed songs on 1st-3rd AC (released collectively as 3rd CS) that Konami was unable to secure the rights to again. In addition, CS styles may feature a selection of "revivals" - songs that appeared on previous AC or CS styles, "preview songs" - songs that appear on AC styles that do not yet have corresponding CS styles, and "CS exclusive" songs that appear only on CS styles. To date, CS versions of 3rd Style through 12th (Happy Sky) have been released (note that 3rd CS contains songs from 1st through 3rd AC; thus, there are no 1st or 2nd style CS titles), with 13th (Distorted) CS recently being announced for a 2007 release. Image File history File links IIDX_ASC.jpg Summary beatmania IIDX Arcade Style Controller. ... Image File history File links IIDX_ASC.jpg Summary beatmania IIDX Arcade Style Controller. ...

As of March 2006, Konami has released an American home version of the game simply entitled beatmania. This release includes both 5-key (classic beatmania) and 7-key (beatmania IIDX) game modes and has a different set of songs for each mode. It also has modified scoring and a changed timing display. beatmania, also known colloquially as beatmania (US) to distinguish it from the original arcade game beatmania, will be the first version of the music video game beatmania IIDX to be released in the United States. ...

Gameplay

This video game-related article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards or The Video Games project's guidelines. Video game-related articles should adhere to the Manual of Style and should not contain unverifiable information nor should it have gameplay instructions. This article has been tagged since December 2006.

Controls for beatmania IIDX

The gameplay resembles that of beatmania, with the addition of two extra keys. The player begins by selecting a song, and any options he wishes to add, such as speed modifiers. Image File history File links Nuvola_apps_package_games. ... Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Namcos Pac-Man was a hit, and became a universal phenomenon. ... Gameplay includes all player experiences during the interaction with game systems, especially formal games. ... IIDX Gameplay ~ taken by ameltzer File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... IIDX Gameplay ~ taken by ameltzer File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

The main playfield consists of eight columns, each corresponding to one of the seven keys or the turntable. When the game begins, horizontal bars (known as "notes") fall through these columns, and the player must press the correct key (or spin the turntable) when the corresponding bar touches the bottom of the column. The correct timings for the notes follow the beat of the music, so the player has to have a very keen sense of rhythm.

Every time a key is pressed or the turntable is spun, a "keysound" is played. If the game is being played flawlessly, the sequence of keysounds produces a complete song. If the player makes errors, the song does not sound like it should. So, to hear the song correctly, the player must correctly time their presses.

The game displays a timing judgment rating on-screen every time a key is pressed. From best to worst, these ratings are "Just Great" ("Perfect" in the North American release), "Great," "Good," "Bad," and "Poor." The game will also judge a "Poor" for pressing unnecessary keys. Therefore, it is important to press only the keys that are required. "Just Greats" are displayed as "Great", but are differentiated from standard "Greats" in that "Just Greats" flash on-screen, hence the common term "flashing Great." beatmania, also known colloquially as beatmania (US) to distinguish it from the original arcade game beatmania, will be the first version of the music video game beatmania IIDX to be released in the United States. ...

The game judges your performance two ways. One is the "Groove Gauge," essentially a life bar. This bar depletes quickly and is difficult to refill. The emphasis is clearly on accuracy and on missing as few notes as possible. It measures performance at any given moment; at the end of the song, the gauge's movement is graphed and displayed for the player's perusal.

You are also given a grade, also provided at the end of the song. The grades, from best to worst, are: AAA, AA, A, B, C, D, E, and F. It measures your overall performance, and is a basis of comparison between players. Grades are determined by the player's "EX score." You receive two points for each flashing Great, and one for each Great. 8/9 of the total score yields a score of AAA, 7/9 or above a score of AA, and so on. Getting the maximum possible score on a song is generally considered an unrealistic goal, though some very good players have been known to do it on the easiest songs.

Unusually, the game uses the Groove gauge, not grade, to decide whether the player has passed a song or not; if it is not above 80% when the song ends, the game ends. This means that, if one maintains good form throughout but seizes up at the very last second, one can fail with an overall grade of A or higher. Thus, the ending of each song is arguably the most important part, and many songs have a sudden jump in difficulty at the end to cause the player to lose their crucial top 20%.

The difficulty of songs are measured in 'stars'; however, the system has not remained concrete. Newer versions (6th AC/CS and above) of the game do not display actual stars to represent difficulty, but the colloquial term still applies. See the section below on the game's history for more information on the evolution of the difficulty system.

beatmania IIDX has long been considered a 'cult' game because of the extreme learning curve of the game for new players, unlike other Bemani games like Dance Dance Revolution. The machine is often found in Japanese arcades, but they are rare in American arcades, with none at all in the United Kingdom. Bemani (ビーマニ, biimani) is Konamis music video game division. ... The main gameplay screen of Dance Dance Revolution EXTREME. Dance Dance Revolution, or DDR (known as Dancing Stage in Europe) is a music video game series produced by Konami. ...

Game modes

BEGINNER

Beginner makes easy note charts easily available to new players. The function of Beginner Mode varies greatly from version to version. In the home versions, Beginner gives an alternate note chart for nearly all songs, rated from 1-3. These alternative note charts are not available in the arcade.

STANDARD

Known as "Arcade Mode" at home, this is the standard play mode of three songs. Each song must be passed in order to play the next song. When a fixed condition is satisfied on the last song, you achieve an extra stage.

Songs can be played on their NORMAL, HYPER, or ANOTHER difficulties (Before HAPPY SKY was released, difficulty names were comprised from one of three difficulty terms and their matching key play styles. Single play difficulties were named LIGHT7, 7KEYS and ANOTHER(7) while double play difficulties were LIGHT14, 14KEYS and ANOTHER(14). 5KEYS was also an available option on some console releases. These difficulties were changed to the new format for the American version as well. )

5KEYS

Disables the two keys farthest to the right on the controller and automatically plays the notes that correspond to those keys. This allows players to play a game that simulates the original beatmania. The functionality of 5-Keys mode varies from version to version. Starting in beatmania IIDX 9th Style AC and beatmania IIDX 10th Style CS, this became a modifier, rather than a separate mode of play.

EXPERT

Expert mode allows the player to play a set of songs, known as a course, without stopping. The gauge begins at 100% and does not refill between songs. If the gauge drops to 0%, the game is over. The gauge is the same as that used in Hard mode in normal play, but drops at a much slower rate.

CLASS / DAN / DAN'ININTEI (段位認定) / Step Rank Recognition

Similar to Expert mode, though each course has four songs, and only the HI-SPEED option may be selected. In Double play mode, each course has three songs. The purpose of this mode is to allow IIDX players to compare their skill with each other, as each Dan course is designed to be significantly harder than the one beneath. Players can compare themselves based on the highest Dan course they are able to complete.

FREE

Practice mode. The player will never fail a song, but gets one song less than STANDARD mode. In CS versions, Free mode allows the player to play as many songs as he or she wants without stopping.

Gameplay modifiers

Auto Scratch

The turntable is played automatically, not requiring player input. In home versions, scores are not recorded with this modifier activated, since it affects the EX Score requirements for each grade.

High Speed

The notes will scroll at a higher speed. It is important to point out that the actual notes do not have to be pressed any more quickly; the scroll speed is simply increased and the notes become further apart. Most beatmania IIDX players use High Speed to make the notes easier to read. Most versions of beatmania IIDX have more than one High Speed setting, differentiated by numbers (a higher number means a faster speed.) The High Speed modifier is traditionally abbreviated HS with the number immediately following. For example, High Speed 2 is abbreviated HS2. In styles from IIDX 13 - DistorteD AC and IIDX 11 - IIDX RED CS onward, the player is able to change High Speeds during actual gameplay. Starting on IIDX HAPPY SKY and 10th Style CS Hi-Speed options moved to .5 intervals ranging from no speed to Hi-Speed 4 or 5.

The actual scalar values for the high speed options vary between styles. This table shows the correlation between the high-speed index and actual speed increases on home versions of IIDX. The number after the "x" designates the factor by which the notes are spaced out, or compacted. Blanks indicate that that setting is not available on that particular version.

	3rd Style	4th Style	5th Style	6th Style	7th-9th Style	10th Style	IIDX RED, HAPPY SKY	Sakura (8th), PSM (9th)*
Low-Speed 2	x1/3	x1/3	x1/3
Low-Speed 1	x1/2	x1/2	x1/2	x1/2
Normal / HS0	x1	x1	x1	x1	x1	x1	x1	x1
Hi-Speed 0.5						x1.5	x1.5
Hi-Speed 1.0	x2	x2	x2	x2	x2	x2	x2	x1.5
Hi-Speed 1.5						x2.25	x2.25
Hi-Speed 2.0	x3	x2.75	x2.5	x2.5	x2.5	x2.5	x2.5	x2
Hi-Speed 2.5						x2.75	x2.75
Hi-Speed 3.0	x4	x3.5	x3	x3	x3	x3	x3	x2.5
Hi-Speed 3.5						x3.25	x3.25
Hi-Speed 4.0				x3.5	x3.5	x3.5	x3.5	x3
Hi-Speed 4.5							x3.75
Hi-Speed 5.0							x4.0

• Note: Special cases exist for such songs as 250bpm (4th Style), SAKURA (8th Style) and PARANOIA Survivor MAX (9th Style) in which the actual speeds are slightly reduced.

Easy

On Easy, the gauge does not decrease as quickly and rises faster than usual.

Hard

On hard, the gauge functions differently. It begins at 100%, and the song will immediately end if it reaches 0% (but on the other hand, you will pass if you simply reach the end of the song without failing partway). The gauge decreases very fast in this mode, as much as 10% for every missed note. Bads and extraneous hits cost 6%, as much as a missed note without Hard. However, the gauge rises by 0.16% for each Great or better, and stays unchanged for Goods. Ironically, the Hard modifier is known to make certain songs with difficult ending sections easier to clear. The Hard gauge was slightly altered in beatmania USA, 10th Style, and HAPPY SKY, to make the penalties less harsh when the gauge is below 30%.

Random

On Random, the song's notechart is temporarily altered. All the notes for each key are assigned to another key, picked at random. It should be noted that this is done on a per-key and not a per-note basis, so for instance an alternating sequence of two keys would still be on two keys (but probably not the same two keys as before). Random can make songs with many scale-type maneuvers easier. Note that only the keys are randomised; scratches are not affected.

Random+

Introduced in IIDX 11 - IIDX RED AC (8th CS). Random+ is like Random, except that the scratch column is included in the randomisation process, so the scratches usually end up assigned to a key, and a key gets assigned to the scratch. This modifier usually completely changes the character of the note chart, so scores obtained using this modifier are not recorded.

S-Random

Introduced in IIDX 12 - HAPPY SKY AC. S-Random is like Random, except that this is done on a per-note basis. S-Random has been available on CS versions since 10th CS (Where it had to be unlocked, on RED and later it's selectable by default), but scores were considered invalid and were not recorded until IIDX 12 HAPPY SKY CS.

Samurai S-Random

Introduced in IIDX 12 - HAPPY SKY AC (IIDX 10th CS). Samurai S-Random is similar to S-Random in that notes are changed on a per-note basis, however "jackhammer" patterns (repeated presses on the same key) will not occur. The option is available to those players who have cleared 10th Dan on IIDX 12 HAPPY SKY, and unlocked in IIDX 10th CS by highlighting any song in the NEW MUSIC folder starting with the letter "S" then pressing select, any new song starting with the letter "R" then pressing select, then highlighting any new song starting with the letter "A" then pressing select, and finally highlighting any new song starting with the letter "N" then pressing select. The "new song" requirement is not present in versions following 10th CS. The song select sound clip and another sound clip from 1st Samurai should play signifying the option has been unlocked. The S-Random option will now be Samurai S-Random. Since Happy Sky CS does not have any songs that start with "N", songs with artist names starting with these letters must be used. This must be repeated after every time the game is shut down. As with the other special randoms, Samurai S-Random changes the character of the chart, so scores and clears obtained using it are not recorded.

Mirror

Mirror flips the note layout so, for example, all notes that would normally correspond to the extreme left-hand key now correspond to the extreme right-hand key, and so forth.

Mirror+

Introduced in 9th style CS. Mirror+ is like Mirror, except the scratch column is included. Like Random+, scores obtained using this modifier are not recorded.

Sudden

On Sudden, notes only become visible when they enter the lower portion of the screen. The visible portion is approximately a third of the screen.

Sudden+

Introduced in IIDX 12 - HAPPY SKY AC. Sudden+ is like Sudden, except configurable by the user. The user may hold down the Start button during play and spin the turntable to change the portion of the play field that is covered from the top down. From IIDX 13 - DistorteD AC and IIDX 11 - IIDX RED CS onward, the player may show and hide the portion of the screen covered by the Sudden+ modifier at any time during gameplay by tapping the start button twice.

Hidden

On Hidden, notes are only visible in the upper portion of the screen (again, approximately a third of the screen).

Hidden+

Introduced in IIDX 12 - HAPPY SKY AC. Hidden+ is like Hidden, except user configurable. The user may hold down the Start button during play and spin the turntable to change the portion of the play field that is covered from the bottom up. From IIDX 13 - DistorteD AC and IIDX 11 - IIDX RED CS onward, the player may show and hide the portion of the screen covered by the Hidden+ modifier at any time during gameplay by tapping the start button twice.

Sudden & Hidden

It is possible to enable both Sudden and Hidden at once. If this is done, notes are only visible for a very short time in the middle of the screen.

HIDSUD+

Introduced in IIDX 12 - HAPPY SKY AC. HIDSUD+ is like Sudden & Hidden, except user configurable. The user may hold down the Start button during play and spin the turntable to change the portion of the play field that is covered from both the top down and bottom up. From IIDX 13 - DistorteD AC and IIDX 11 - IIDX RED CS onward, the player may show and hide the portion of the screen covered by the HIDSUD+ modifier at any time during gameplay by tapping the start button twice.

2P FLIP/DP FLIP

Introduced in IIDX 13 - DistorteD AC. When 2P FLIP is activated, the notecharts for each player's side of the screen are swapped. DP FLIP is the same as 2P FLIP, except it is activated during doubles mode. This modifier is also available in CS versions since IIDX RED, although scores obtained with the modifier are saved only in HAPPY SKY CS.

5 Key

In 7th AC (9th CS), 5 Key became a selectable modifier in the main game, rather than a separate game mode. In this mode, the two rightmost keys are not used by the player and any notes that would correspond to those keys do not need to be played.

REGUL-SPEED

Introduced as a secret modifier in IIDX 14 GOLD, REGUL-SPEED negates the effect of tempo changes by setting the scroll speed to a constant 150 BPM. The player can then select an appropriate Hi-Speed mod accordingly. To enable this option, open the options menu by holding Start and press the keys "2-3-5-7-4-6". This constant scroll-speed setting is analogous to Stepmania's C-Mod, and standard gameplay settings in Guitar Freaks/Drum Mania as well as Guitar Hero. Scores obtained using this modifier are not recorded.

StepMania is a free/open source rhythm video game for Windows, Mac, and Linux created by Chris Danford. ... Guitar Hero series in general, see Guitar Hero (series). ...

Music

9th Style AC song select wheel

Music is an integral part of the beatmania IIDX series. Featuring a wide selection of genres and artists, both licensed and in-house, the beatmania IIDX series is well-known for its original music. Konami produces an original soundtrack of each game, usually a few months after release, due to the appeal of the music. Konami also releases original albums by beatmania IIDX artists through its online store, Konamistyle. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x768, 251 KB) Summary Screen shot of the beatmania IIDX 9th style song select wheel. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x768, 251 KB) Summary Screen shot of the beatmania IIDX 9th style song select wheel. ... Musical genres are categories which contain music which share a certain style or which have certain elements in common. ... A musician is a person who plays or composes music. ... // In film formats, the sound track is the physical area of the film which records the synchronized sound. ...

Each new AC release typically features around 60 new songs, with a selection of songs returning from previous styles. The current release, beatmania IIDX14 GOLD, features a library of around 400 songs. CS releases feature all of the songs of their corresponding AC style, 5-10 CS exclusive songs, around 25 "revival" (returning) songs, and 1-3 preview songs, for a total of around 90 songs (however preview songs seem to have ceased from IIDX RED CS and onward). Note that AC styles have a much larger songlist since they are running off of a hard drive, rather than a DVD, and thus have more space in which to store data. Typical hard drives of the mid-1990s. ... DVD is an optical disc storage media format that is used for playback of movies with high video and sound quality and for storing data. ...

Scoring System

The scoring system used in IIDX has remained consistent throughout the series. In addition to EX Score, or Expert Score, the player can also accumulate up to 200,000 points for any song. This breaks down into 150,000 points for the individual notes and 50,000 awarded incrementally as a combo bonus.

Each note that is successfully hit (with a Good, Great, or Perfect/Just Great) awards points based on the following algorithm:

Let N = note count

Let B = 100000 / N

Let C = current combo including note

Let V = 50000 / (10 * N - 55)

Let S = Point total added to your cumulative score

If your combo is 10 or less:

GOOD: S = 0.2 * B + (C - 1) * V

GREAT: S = 1.0 * B + (C - 1) * V

JUST GREAT: S = 1.5 * B + (C - 1) * V

If your combo is 11 or more:

GOOD: S = 0.2 * B + 10 * V

GREAT: S = 1.0 * B + 10 * V

JUST GREAT: S = 1.5 * B + 10 * V

Extra Bonuses

• Border Bonus (Pass with exactly 80% without Hard modifier): 5,730 points
• Bonus for a full combo with zero goods: 3,110 points
• Bonus for a perfect score of 200,000: 4,620 points
• Bonus for a full combo with zero goods AND finishing with 80%: 11,900 points

During gameplay, the cumulative total is stored in floating-point format, but displayed as an integer. This is evident by the occasional rounding error in final scores, causing them to be one point short. Exact information regarding the format and rounding algorithm is not known currently. This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... The integers are commonly denoted by the above symbol. ... A round-off error is the difference between the calculated approximation of a number and its exact mathematical value. ...

Note: Due to a software bug, IIDX 7th Style CS awards the 4,620-point bonus for results which only qualify for the 3,110-point bonus.

History

Arcade

• beatmania IIDX was the first version of the game. It included three play modes: 7-keys, 5-keys (where the keys numbered 6 and 7 were played automatically), and 4-keys (where the three black keys were played automatically).

• beatmania IIDX substream had a different songlist and could be linked to a Dance Dance Revolution machine for simultaneous play. If either the Dance Dance Revolution player or IIDX player made mistakes, the other game became more difficult.

• beatmania IIDX 2nd Style saw the introduction of Battle Mode, Double (14-key) mode, and Hi-Speed settings.

• beatmania IIDX 3rd Style removed the 4-keys mode from the game and replaced it with a Light7 difficulty. This gave most songs a completely separate, easier notechart. In addition, 3rd Style introduced Free Mode and Extra Stage.

• beatmania IIDX 4th Style introduced the EASY modifier.

• beatmania IIDX 5th Style introduced auto-scratch, as well as two more Hi-Speed settings (HS2 and HS3.) 5th Style's songlist featured the first songs that would later become "flashing 7s", here differentiated from regular 7s with a kanji meaning "forbidden".

• beatmania IIDX 6th Style featured a newer, crisper graphical engine that made the game's interface smoother and sleeker. The new DVD-based hardware allowed for higher-quality background movies than the old VCD-based hardware. 6th Style introduced letter grades (AAA to F), as well as the HARD modifier.

• beatmania IIDX 7th Style introduced Daninintei (Class) mode for the first time. It also changed the 5-key mode from a distinct play mode to a modifier (which allowed Light7 and Another charts to be played on 5 keys). 7th Style also introduced a newer, more challenging method for obtaining the Extra Stage.

• beatmania IIDX 8th Style made it even more challenging to obtain the Extra Stage.

• beatmania IIDX 9th Style saw a radical revision to the game's hardware, replacing it with a PC-based architecture that runs on a version of Windows XP. This new hardware was universally blamed for timing issues. The new e-AMUSEMENT card reader on the machine allowed users to save scores and records of which songs were cleared, using a "Konami ID". The game also featured a simple Beginner's mode which restricted the songlist to only very easy songs. In addition, 9th Style extended the maximum length of the "DJ Names" for high scores from 4 to 6 characters.

• beatmania IIDX 10th Style was the first series to allow two players to select separate modifiers. Clear status was now saved to e-AMUSEMENT cards, differentiating between Failed, Cleared, Easy Clear, Hard Clear, and Full Combo. The game used a new "DJ Points" system to determine a player's overall skill. In addition, the difficulty meter was extended to a 1-8 scale, and songs rated "Level 7+" were now considered "Level 8's."

• beatmania IIDX 11 - IIDX RED added a few new statistical features, showing a graph on the unused portion of the screen that compares your score to your best score and the machine's best score. It also shows a "clear rate" on the Song Select screen that gives an idea of how often a song has been cleared. The first IIDX series to have a specific theme on the gametitle instead of by "style." IIDX RED was the first machine to use the e-AMUSEMENT network for unlocking new songs, and a mobile phone application could allow e-AMUSEMENT users to customize the game's graphical interface. It also featured a new Beginner's Mode which gave every song a difficulty of 1 and made it impossible to fail. The game introduced the Random+ modifier, as well as a new level of difficulty (Level 8+).

• beatmania IIDX 12 - HAPPY SKY marked a new era for the series. The entire difficulty system was rescaled from a 1-8+ scale to a 1-12 scale. Every song was re-assigned new difficulties on this meter. Light7/Light14 modes were renamed NORMAL, and 7Keys/14Keys modes were renamed HYPER. ANOTHER charts were given their own difficulty ratings, instead of (inaccurately) keeping the difficulties of the HYPER charts. Hi-Speed settings go from 0.5 to 4.0 at .5 step intervals. Hard Clear was made a status for clears above Full Combo. HAPPY SKY also introduced the HIDDEN+, SUDDEN+, HIDSUD+ and S-RANDOM modifiers.

• beatmania IIDX 13 - DistorteD added more improvements to the series. Hi-Speed settings now go from 0.5 to 5.0 at .5 step intervals. The game also introduced 2P FLIP in which both players switch notepatterns (DP FLIP on Doubles in which the entire notepatterns switch sides). In addition, Hi-Speed modifications can now be changed during the song itself by holding the appropriate start button and pressing a black key to increase the speed, or a white key to decrease the speed. The game features the first new logo for the series (the old logo dates back to 1998 and the release of the original beatmania), and many more new songs and crossovers from other Bemani games, such as "Samba de Janeiro" and "Concertino in Blue" from DDR Solo 2000 and Guitar Freaks/Drummania respectively. The theme for DistorteD is silver. For e-AMUSEMENT only, a new method of obtaining the Extra Stage is called the CARDINAL GATE based on the Four Symbols (Chinese constellation).

• beatmania IIDX 14 - GOLD is the newest addition to the beatmania IIDX series. The first series to have separate difficulties for both players before selecting a song (e.g.: Player1 plays HYPER difficulty while Player2 plays ANOTHER). This is also the first game to have a dedicated version for the US market. IIDX14: GOLD introduced ways to earn points for revived songs from old versions and new hidden songs. GOLD's VIP Room system makes it the second iteration of the game to have multiple "boss" Extra Stages (DistorteD's CARDINAL GATE system was the first instance of this feature). However, GOLD is the first to have more than one One More Extra Stage: Fascination MAXX for normal gameplay, and Sense 2007, accessible by progressing through the VIP Rooms. It is the first in the series to support 720p resolution; previous versions only allowed for 480i/480p resolutions.

PlayStation 2

• beatmania IIDX 3rd Style: The first of the Playstation 2 games in the IIDX series. This combines select songs from styles 1, 2, and 3. Some songs remain arcade-exclusive.
• beatmania IIDX 4th Style: PS2 port of the arcade version, plus preview songs from 5th Style, as well as new songs, and some revivals from previous versions.
• beatmania IIDX 5th Style: PS2 port of the arcade version, plus preview songs from 6th and 7th Style, as well as new songs, and some revivals from previous versions.
• beatmania IIDX 6th Style: PS2 port of the arcade version, plus preview songs from 8th Style, as well as new songs, and some revivals.
• beatmania IIDX 7th Style: PS2 port of the arcade version, with two preview songs from 8th and 9th Style, as well as some revivals.
• beatmania IIDX 8th Style: PS2 port of the arcade version, with two preview songs from IIDX RED, as well as new songs, and some revivals.
• beatmania IIDX 9th Style: PS2 port of the arcade version, with one preview song from 10th Style, as well as new songs, and some revivals.
• beatmania IIDX 10th Style: PS2 port of the arcade version, with two preview songs from HAPPY SKY, as well as new songs, and some revivals.
• beatmania IIDX 11 IIDX RED: PS2 port of the arcade version, with new songs, and revival songs.
• beatmania IIDX 12 HAPPY SKY: PS2 port of the arcade version, with new songs, and revival songs.
• beatmania (US Release): A collection of songs from both the beatmania (5key) and beatmania IIDX (7key) series prior to beatmania IIDX 9th style. It uses a re-skinned version of the beatmania IIDX 9th Style interface, and was released exclusively in North America. It is sold by itself, as well as bundled with a modified controller.

The main gameplay screen of Dance Dance Revolution EXTREME. Dance Dance Revolution, or DDR (known as Dancing Stage in Europe) is a music video game series produced by Konami. ... Windows XP is a line of proprietary operating systems developed by Microsoft for use on general-purpose computer systems, including home and business desktops, notebook computers, and media centers. ... The Four Symbols (Chinese: ; pinyin: Sì Xiàng) are four guardian beasts from Chinese mythology, also known as the Shishin (四神) or Shijin in the Japanese tradition of onmyodo. ... The PlayStation 2 , abbreviated PS2) is Sonys second video game console, the successor to the PlayStation and the predecessor to the PlayStation 3. ...

Release Schedule

Arcade versions:

• beatmania IIDX: February 26, 1999
• beatmania IIDX substream: July 27, 1999
• beatmania IIDX 2nd style: September 30, 1999
• beatmania IIDX 3rd style: February 25, 2000
• beatmania IIDX 4th style: September 28, 2000
• beatmania IIDX 5th style: March 2001
• beatmania IIDX 6th style: September 2001
• beatmania IIDX 7th style: March 2002
• beatmania IIDX 8th style: September 27, 2002
• beatmania IIDX 9th style: June 25, 2003
• beatmania IIDX 10th style: February 16, 2004
• beatmania IIDX11 IIDX RED: October 28, 2004
• beatmania IIDX12 HAPPY SKY: July 13, 2005
• beatmania IIDX13 DistorteD: March 15, 2006
• beatmania IIDX14 GOLD: February 21, 2007 (US version location test; March 5-19, 2007 - Naperville Brunzwick Zone)

Home versions:

• beatmania IIDX 3rd style: 2 November 2000
• beatmania IIDX 4th style -new songs collection-: 29 March 2001
• beatmania IIDX 5th style -new songs collection-: 30 August 2001
• beatmania IIDX 6th style -new songs collection-: 18 July 2002
• beatmania IIDX 7th style: 13 May 2004
• beatmania IIDX 8th style: 18 November 2004
• beatmania IIDX 9th style: 24 March 2005
• beatmania IIDX 10th style: 17 November 2005
• beatmania IIDX11 IIDX RED: 18 May 2006
• beatmania IIDX12 HAPPY SKY: 14 December 2006
• beatmania IIDX13 DistorteD: TBA
• beatmania (US release): 28 March 2006

See also

• beatmania
• Bemani
• Dance Dance Revolution
• Pop'n Music

For the Playstation 2 North America beatmania release, based on beatmania IIDX, see beatmania (North America). ... Bemani (ビーマニ, biimani) is Konamis music video game division. ... The main gameplay screen of Dance Dance Revolution EXTREME. Dance Dance Revolution, or DDR (known as Dancing Stage in Europe) is a music video game series produced by Konami. ... Popn Music 7 arcade machine Popn Music (ポップンミュージック), commonly shortened to Popn or PNM), is a music video game in Konamis Bemani series. ...

Notes

External links

• (Japanese) beatmania IIDX GATEWAY – official website
• (English) Beatmania IIDX at the Killer List of Videogames
• (English) Outphase.com – The #1 IIDX Site for news about upcoming games and IIDX simulation
• (English) VJ Army – US-centralized scorekeeping site for home version of beatmania IIDX
• (Japanese) IIDX Notecharts