I wish I had pictures of the janky pads I built at home. Essentially took a thick piece of plywood, stapled pads to it with heavy duty staples, and then built handrails with some plumbing pipes. It was serviceable enough, the pads stayed stationary and I could grip the rail for fast steps.
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RTTP: DDR Extreme
- Thread starter drtomoe123
- Start date
These are the same exact instructions I used about 15 years ago. I think I only needed a simple drill and screw driver as well as soldering iron. It cost me about $120 to build one ($250 doubles) back then. I actually built another doubles set before the one i have now and end up selling it on ebay for $750. Cobalt Flux came out shortly after that.
http://www.angelfire.com/d20/ddrhomepad/
StarCreator
Member
There's this weird thing where a lot of people automatically dismiss any DDR version older or newer than Extreme despite never having actually given any other version of DDR a try. I still don't understand this at all. I think Extreme was great for its time, but its time was 13 years ago - we've had it for so long that I don't really feel a need to replay it now. The series has made some huge strides forward in the intervening years and I think it's just a shame that almost no one outside Japan and Korea is really in a position to experience it.
We have DDR X3 vs 2nd Mix in the local arcade and I wouldn't trade it for anything except the current DDR in Japan (which has no version identifier).
We have DDR X3 vs 2nd Mix in the local arcade and I wouldn't trade it for anything except the current DDR in Japan (which has no version identifier).
Dreamwriter
Member
I've played the first Japanese DDR X at Gameworks in Seattle, wasn't really a fan of the music or the interface. And the US PS3 DDR was *horrible horrible horrible*. The US Wii "DDR 2" wasn't as bad, but its music sucked. I'm a fan of the Japanese Extreme just because I never had the chance to play that at home until now, and I loved the arcade version (the US home version wasn't anywhere near as good).
Dreamwriter
Member
Ack! I need $3000!
http://miami.craigslist.org/brw/vgm/5214291082.html
A DDR arcade machine somewhat near me!
http://miami.craigslist.org/brw/vgm/5214291082.html
A DDR arcade machine somewhat near me!
Each mix has at least a couple that I love that aren't on the others. Having to constantly change disks is a pain which Stepmania fixes but its not the same so its worth it in the end.
Here's my collection (I also have 2nd mix and Club mix on Dreamcast):
cj_iwakura
Member
I got to play it at a con. I thought it was pretty terrible. Hate the interface and most of the music except the IIDX crossovers.
perfect free
Member
I had that whole top row! (Plus JP Extreme and 5th Mix, which I got later and honestly didn't play as much--it was hard to go back to PS1. I had such a soft spot for 5th's tracklist, though.)
Man, I woulda kept playing at home, but I moved into an upstairs apartment with a very ornery landlord and I didn't want to get my ass thrown out. Now I have the space and the means, but I donated all my stuff a while ago. This thread is tempting me, though... back to the dark side...
StarCreator
Member
X was only the beginning of the series' revival in Japan - I thought X had some good stuff but X2, X3, and beyond are where the really great stuff came in. I doubt Gameworks had a Japanese cabinet though; the poorly made Raw Thrills cabinets were more common since that's what was marketed in the US.
The PS3 DDR has almost no relation to what arcade DDR had become at that point.
$3000 is way too much for an Extreme. I'd pay $1500 maximum for that particular cabinet; I usually see fair condition machines go for sub-$1000 recently. You probably have to be looking beyond your local region to get the best prices, but freight shipping is not really terrible.
There have been hundreds of songs added since Extreme. I'm surprised you had a chance to review all of them if your only exposure is during conventions.
RoryDropkick
Member
Ah man, San Antonio had a pretty decent DDR/Bemani scene back in the late 90's early 00's. CyberZone in Ingram Park Mall was the big place for it. DDR Extreme, 5th Mix, IIDX 8th and various other games showed up throughout it's time open there. My friend got especially good at Drummania there. He was also nutty enough to play doubles barefoot, I don't know how he ever managed that. As for myself, I got pretty decent at it, typically doing stuff on heavy 2x. Lots of memories there.
cj_iwakura
Member
I've played Supernova/2 and X/X2. It's X3+2nd I'm talking about.
thelatestmodel
Junior, please.
Extreme will always be the best mix of all time to me. It has everything, including So Deep, my absolute favourite song (and a real party piece to break out and full combo on Heavy).
It has particular significance for me because it came out at the absolute peak of my DDR interest, and I was one of the first to play on the first one imported to the UK at Namco Station (YouTube link)
It has the best overall song list of any mix, in my opinion. An almost totally complete summation of all the best years of DDR. If they had ended the series there, it would have gone out on a real high.
It has particular significance for me because it came out at the absolute peak of my DDR interest, and I was one of the first to play on the first one imported to the UK at Namco Station (YouTube link)
It has the best overall song list of any mix, in my opinion. An almost totally complete summation of all the best years of DDR. If they had ended the series there, it would have gone out on a real high.
DDR 2015 had a location test on Round 1 and they're having a test on Dave and Busters
Also, look at this insanity, and the FC that FEFEMZ (DDR World Champ, from Korea) made.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDggyBe-yuo
Also, look at this insanity, and the FC that FEFEMZ (DDR World Champ, from Korea) made.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDggyBe-yuo
About a year ago I picked up a metal Ion pad and the Stepmania DDR Extreme clone. Loaded it up with every DDR song released up to that era (including console exclusives). Hands-Down, the best DDR experience you can have. Also have a SuperNOVA version for all songs after Extreme (including some customs).
cj_iwakura
Member
I imagine the electric bill for powering one of those must be a nightmare.
StarCreator
Member
Not really? About the same as the equivalent size CRT television and game console. The fluorescent lights add a bit but they're not on all the time.
A friend was able to run two DDR machines simultaneously on a 15A breaker in his garage once. (And just told me he could have run up to five on the same. Works out to a maximum draw of about 330 watts per machine.)
DeadlyBunny
Member
I built some about 10 years ago also using similar instructions
heyy those are pretty sweet! I don't think i could get the metal to form properly around the edges like yours did, so i copped out and went with laminate wood
digging through my closet i found my first attempt at a custom pad. jokingly dubbed the "meat pad", it was made from a hodgepodge of materials and rebuilt at least 4 times. 50% of the time it worked 100% of the time!
drtomoe123
Member
heyy those are pretty sweet! I don't think i could get the metal to form properly around the edges like yours did, so i copped out and went with laminate wood
digging through my closet i found my first attempt at a custom pad. jokingly dubbed the "meat pad", it was made from a hodgepodge of materials and rebuilt at least 4 times. 50% of the time it worked 100% of the time!
LOL this is great! I'm sure you've got plennnnty of memories with that one haha
I started playing around with US DDRMAX2 and forgot how much I loved the mix, especially with songs like Burning Heat.
I also forgot just how good So Deep is. I've been able to pass most of the 9 footers I've come across over the past week but I just don't have the stamina for this one right now!.
drtomoe123
Member
I just hit the wall with Max 300. I was never able to pass any of the 10 footers (aside from Sakura and Bag) back when I originally played, but Max 300 has been demolishing me. I made it to the last big slowdown and totally lost control after that.
Anyone have any tips? I figured I might just try slowing it down in Training mode and work on my stamina while I'm at it.
Anyone have any tips? I figured I might just try slowing it down in Training mode and work on my stamina while I'm at it.
cj_iwakura
Member
It's all stamina, and lots of drills. Try it on Standard for a while, it helps.
Haha! That "custom" pad is amazing! Brings back lots of memories. I did something similar back around '03 by taping a soft pad to one of those hard plastic office chair pads. Worked pretty well until the tape started to roll up and make everything disgustingly sticky. For a while though, it was awesome.
I did something similar back around '03 by taping a soft pad to one of those hard plastic office chair pads. Worked pretty well until the tape started to roll up and make everything disgustingly sticky. For a while though, it was awesome. I've been playing dance games consistently since 2001. Never stopped. I really really hope Round 1 gets DDR 2015 beyond a location test here in the US. Game is incredible.
You bring me back to fond memories OP.
DDR Extreme will be far and beyond my favorite mix since it's the one I played the most in the arcades.
Used to live in colorado and play at Family Sports Center on their machine which was amazing for the longest time. 50 cents for 5 songs!
Omg the first time I AAA'd Legend of MAX. Holy shit the HYPE.
Now-a-days I try to play a bit of everything, but its been hard with DDR since here in WA most machines have gone to shit and we dont have access to anything modern beyond bootleg X3.
Thank god for friends having private ITG2 dedicabs. Right now I'm trying to push into 17's in ITG. Keep on pushing OP!
You bring me back to fond memories OP.
DDR Extreme will be far and beyond my favorite mix since it's the one I played the most in the arcades.
Used to live in colorado and play at Family Sports Center on their machine which was amazing for the longest time. 50 cents for 5 songs!
Omg the first time I AAA'd Legend of MAX. Holy shit the HYPE.
Now-a-days I try to play a bit of everything, but its been hard with DDR since here in WA most machines have gone to shit and we dont have access to anything modern beyond bootleg X3.
Thank god for friends having private ITG2 dedicabs.
Right now I'm trying to push into 17's in ITG. Keep on pushing OP!
drtomoe123
Member
I've been playing dance games consistently since 2001. Never stopped. I really really hope Round 1 gets DDR 2015 beyond a location test here in the US. Game is incredible.
You bring me back to fond memories OP.
DDR Extreme will be far and beyond my favorite mix since it's the one I played the most in the arcades.
Used to live in colorado and play at Family Sports Center on their machine which was amazing for the longest time. 50 cents for 5 songs!
Omg the first time I AAA'd Legend of MAX. Holy shit the HYPE.
Now-a-days I try to play a bit of everything, but its been hard with DDR since here in WA most machines have gone to shit and we dont have access to anything modern beyond bootleg X3.
Thank god for friends having private ITG2 dedicabs.
It turns out a local bowling alley has a pretty good ITG2 cab, so I went ahead and tried out the PS2 version. Oh man! I totally suck! People weren't joking about ITG being harder. I tried my first song with mines and sucked it up, lol.
Thanks for the advice! I started rotating it in on Standard and started playing other songs with drills like Across the Nightmare Oni and this finally happened...
Managed to pass it twice in a row! Failed out the third time haha.
cj_iwakura
Member
It turns out a local bowling alley has a pretty good ITG2 cab, so I went ahead and tried out the PS2 version. Oh man! I totally suck! People weren't joking about ITG being harder. I tried my first song with mines and sucked it up, lol.
Thanks for the advice! I started rotating it in on Standard and started playing other songs with drills like Across the Nightmare Oni and this finally happened...
Managed to pass it twice in a row! Failed out the third time haha.
Congrats!
Fun fact: the JP version was 'It's New Record!', which wasn't just Engrish; a subtle reference to the announcer going 'It's New!' when you'd get to a new song.
Secret Character
Member
It's been a while since I was actively involved with Bemani games, but some of the best memories of my life come from DDR. I used to be a pretty good chart maker for Stepmania, too. Had a website and everything...
I'm still kicking myself over a $400 machine I missed out on last week. I need to start playing again.
I'm still kicking myself over a $400 machine I missed out on last week. I need to start playing again.
StarCreator
Member
Do you have a source for this? The "It's new" sound clip dates back to 4th Mix, way before Extreme and from a totally different announcer. I don't recall if he ever says "it's new", but at that screen the announcer used between DDRMAX and SuperNOVA 2 actually does say "It's a new record".
cj_iwakura
Member
A source for which? I guarantee it used to say 'It's new record' at one point.
StarCreator
Member
A source that it's anything but a simple Engrish mistake. Making it out to be a nod to a sound clip from four games past seems a bit of a stretch to me.
cj_iwakura
Member
Well, if you want to be a kill-joy about it...
My local arcade has an Extreme machine that gets a lot of play and it's one of my favorite mixes. Plus the thing is on freeplay so you can get your dance dance on until you pass out. I still miss the old 3rd mix machines and the console versions never seem to live up to the arcade set lists.
DDR 100% changed my life. I made new friends 12 years ago that are still my friends and even best friends to this day. I lost a lot of weight, I met my girlfriend due to the weight loss and the new found confidence. I actually own my own DDR machine.
have posted this pic before, but that's when I first got it and was repairing/restoring it. Unfortunately it doesnt get much use. I did what I could on my balky knees and was able to rack up quite a few AAAs, but really DDR destroyed my joints unfortunately.
edit- DDR extreme JP on ps2 is absolutely on par with the arcade mixes BTW. I used to play all day on my red octane ignition pad. Upgraded to the cobalt flux and AAAd every single song except for PSMO and Max Period, that includes Legend of Max, Maxx Unlimited, max 300, etc. oh yeah and for some reason couldn't AAA colors oni.
have posted this pic before, but that's when I first got it and was repairing/restoring it. Unfortunately it doesnt get much use
. I did what I could on my balky knees and was able to rack up quite a few AAAs, but really DDR destroyed my joints unfortunately.edit- DDR extreme JP on ps2 is absolutely on par with the arcade mixes BTW. I used to play all day on my red octane ignition pad. Upgraded to the cobalt flux and AAAd every single song except for PSMO and Max Period, that includes Legend of Max, Maxx Unlimited, max 300, etc. oh yeah and for some reason couldn't AAA colors oni.
drtomoe123
Member
Very nice machine! I totally understand the lack of use though. While I was struggling with Max 300, I found myself losing steam and not playing as often. I guess I'm lucky considering I took a 10 year break because the game seems so new again. I'm interested in seeing if I'm still playing a year from now.
I completely agree with you about the JP version of Extreme PS2 -- it's fantastic. Songs like Daikenkai, Twinbee, and Jet World are some of my series favorites. Having most of my favorite 9 footers (Paranoia Rebirth, Cartoon Heroes, CSFILSM, and HVAM) on one mix is great, although I wish it had So Deep. Luckily, there's a lot of stuff I missed out on, so there's a lot to help keep it fresh. I've been revisiting MAX and MAX2 while starting to play Supernova JP and a bit of ITG.