BemaniaDX Semi-FAQ

Well a lot of people have asked for this(okay not 'a lot' ... sue me) so I thought I would create one for those people who want to try this game out: (I know I left out questions, I'll be updating this FAQ every now and then, as I also discover new things about this neat little simulator :)

NOTE: I'm not responsible for any bad engrish found in this program, I did NOT code it, ok? (Also, I'm not sure how to deal with error messages... it could be any number of things, your machine (no offense, but really, in some cases that may be it, what with all the different OSes, video/soundcard configurations, and so on) your OS, I don't know... ^_- (also you know use at your own risk, right?? although the program hasn't given me any problems as of yet, you never know...)

What's New?

October 22 - False alarm!

Okay, I was wrong, GEO FRONT is still in bemaniadx... set the gauge to 'expert' and play through 5 consecutive stages without failing to unlock this era-style tempochanger! (you can always use the shift+1 trick to unlock it more easily)

October 21 - 8th Style skin released!

There has been a release of an 8th Style skin for bemaniadx, looks just as sharp as the 7th Style skin below! (complete with 'mode' readout)

grab the skin here, and the GCA extracter here!! (you might need to drag and drop the files into the vision4 folder...)

September 28 - Improved version of 7th style bemaniadx skin!

I found a Japanese site which has a vastly improved version of the bemaniadx 7th style skin featured below. it doesn't have the effector light, but otherwise everything else is intact (including the 'mode' display on the latest version light 7/7 key/14 key/etc.)

Also I discovered some sites with more bms files, some of which include keysounds! See below for the links.

July 4th - More small updates/changes

Happy 4th, yadda yadda yadda... anyhow... I've been meaning to update this thing for ages, so I figure I may as well get it over with:

• Looks like the hidden track GEO FRONT has gone MIA, so I'm removing it from the hidden secrets section. Sorry.
• I'm going to figure out the mp3 thing once and for all (as well as the video compression thing)
• Still no sign of a new bemaniadx, how many months has it been? Since March? (okay, the end of March, but still...)

April 4th - BEMANIADX 6TH AND 7TH STYLE SKINS!:

6th Style - Starmine

7th Style - 5.1.1

Download them here! (just stick them into the vision folder of your choice! You might also want to back up your old skin(s), just incase.)

19, November - BM98 goes 7-Key! (for those of you who remember, bm98 was an old beatmania simulator for the PC, which wasn't half bad... and just today I discovered a new version that supports IIDX's 7-key layout :) I'm still debating whether or not to add more simulators to this page, because there's just *so* many good ones out there; BandJam (GF/DM session), DoremiMania (Keyboardmania), and a few others...

Q: What's bemaniaDX?
A: bemaniaDX is a simulator coded by the pop'n the breakdown project group. It simulates the beatmania IIDX line of arcade games by Konami. you could also try BM98 and Mixwaver, and others, too... but this FAQ only covers bmdx, sorry. (I'm simply mentioning them because they work the same way)

Q: So how does it work?
A: Simple! (well, simpler than it looks, actually :P) the object of the arcade version is to hit the descending notes as they reach the bottom of the screen, using a mockup seven-key keyboard and record-player style turntable. There are hundreds, heck, maybe thousands of songfiles ("bms files") created specifically for these simulators, some based on official Konami works, some fan-made (maybe based on anime (like for example I know of one for Lost Universe) or videogames (in addition to the official version of the MGS theme (which was from one of the 5-key beatmanias), there's a rendition of the original's music!) just home created), and using the keyboard, you try and hit the notes as best you can. fortunately there are diffrerent options you can switch on, like autoplay, to watch the game play out the notes, or 'scratch on' which lets you focus on just the keys... (more on those options below!)

Q: So what do I do first?
A: Go to IIDXStyle.net, and download the software, and then locate some bms music files (similar to ROM files in emulation) And, check out some of the following sites for bms's:

X = site has bms's from this version | -- = SIte doesn't have any bms's from this version

Notes:

1. Also features: beatmania, beatmania 2nd-6th Mix, Gotta, Core, and Complete Mix 1 and 2
2. Only has the extra songs from the PS2 'New Songs Collection'
3. Features a version of the supposed 'M' from beatmania IIDX 8th Style.

Q: What OS's does bemaniaDX run on?
A: I'm using Windows 98 (US), and it works, so I figure it'll also work on '95... someone else told me he was having problems with it on NT, so I don't think it will work on WinNT :\ (but said it would work on ME) I've also recently received confirmation that it works on Windows XP so, if you have it, you can play bemaniadx on it!

* (Of course, your mileage may vary, depending on your settings/OS too... it might not run in all instances, use with caution.)

Q: I click the 'bootbox' and it starts to load, but returns to windows, what gives?
A: Do you have any bms files? (if not get some from the url above) they need to be in their own folder underneath the directory that bmdx is:

C:\games\bemaniadx\
\Metalgear*
\b2u*
\Jive*
etc... (its just like the older bm98 simulator over at vintagegaming.com

* songs not included :)

NOTE: Usually when you first extract the bmdx simulator files, they end up in a 'bmdxv2' directory or something similar, you'll need to grab the files and move them up one level... or move your BMS folders into that folder to work...

General

Q: How does it work?
A: After launching the game you'll see a small window with the following options:

• Skin (Vision.0 / Vision.1 / Vision.2 / Vision.3 / Vision.4) - if you have each of these skins, you can modify the game to look like 2nd Style, 3rd Style, and so on...
• Color (256 Colors / 16bit Color / 24bit Color / 32bit Color / no change color) - changes the amount of colors displayed during play.
• Sound (44100hz stereo/mono 8/16bit 22050hz stereo/mono 8/16bit, 11025hz stereo mono 8/16bit) - Changes the sound quality (also affects performance)
• Joystick ID 1P/2P - say you have a pair of PSX-PC adapters and two bemani/IIDX controllers... this should help configure em

Click on the bootbox, (the small white area underneath) and you'll be presented with several options:

• Game Start - begin the game

Option menus:

Game Option:

• Game Level - difficulty
• Judge Level - presumably how many misses are allowed before your game is over
• Combo determines what notes build/break combos (good, great, Just great)
• Great Bomb - [Small/Large] the size of the 'Just Great' explosions
• Ignore Poor - A pretty useful feature, it ignores any 'Poor' notes you run into (usually lets you keep combos, too ;)
• Gauge Type - the different types of gauges, like 'Survival', or Normal
• Gauge Recovery - you can turn it off, or set it to a similar gauge to bm98
• Battle Type - not sure what the different types are, since I've never played the battle mode :\ (but according to IIDXpert (I'm gonna die for that one XD) djSyndrome, both players share the same notes, whereas in normal two-player mode the notes for each player differ, similar to one of the modes in DDR)
• BGA - Turns on/off the background animation
• Default BGA - changes what the default BGA is (if the song doesn't have it's own) or, if you can get it to work, you can get the original videos for each song, and further the IIDX experience one more step! Just read below for the instructions on setting up the videos! It's the 'movie' setting in the options, if you managed to set it up properly ^_^
• Video Viewtype - Changes the display around
• Default Sound - I noticed that with this 'on' it always makes a 'ding' sound when I strike the notes on-key... maybe that's it?
• Auto Select DP - on Double Play-enabled songs, automatically selects the DP option on the select screen
• Auto Sort - Sorts the songs by certain orders [A-Z / Z-A / # of stars]
• Value Position - where the 'GREAT' 'GOOD' and 'POOR' ratings appear on the screen during play.
• Line Unit - Helps discern the timing of the notes, like 1/4,1/8,etc.
• Default - Resets the options

Play Option:

• Scroll Speed - modifies the speed of the falling notes, just like the real IIDX! (see below for hispeed conversion chart)
• Screen Type - Normal/Hidden/Sudden/Stealth - For the experts, again just like IIDX!
• Tric Pattern - Normal/Random/Panic/Mirror - Changes the notes around randomly, another IIDX feature
• Auto Play - Off/Auto/Scratch/On - Plays the songs automatically when 'ON', takes over the scratch when 'scratch' is selected, and 'Auto ON' works similar to Delight Delight Reduplication (PC simulator for Dance Dance Revolution and beatmania IIDX), in that it plays the song automatically, until a game key is pressed, then it shuts off the autoplay and starts keeping score.
• Key Mode - [3/4/5/7] - 3 = computer controls the white keys / 4 = vice versa, the black keys / 5 = the standard 3x2 config from original beatmania / 7 = The full 4x3 beatmania IIDX setup
• Sound Speed - [33% / 66% / 100% / 133% / 166%] - modifies the overall game speed (just try and play on 166% I dare ya :P)
• Value Ref. Time - ????

HS/LS conversion:

System Option:

• Color - you can change this in-game, too
• Sound - And this
• BGM Volume - how loud do you want it?
• View - If you want the fullscreen, select WIDE (Need exp. & dim. system) ... as for the other options, I can't help you there :/
• Key config (Keyboard) - change the keyboard's keys
• Key config (Joystick) - change the joystick buttons
• Play result check *New!!* - This has to be the coolest new feature of bemaniadx! Turn this on, and as you play, the game will actually keep track of songs you've passed/failed; cleared songs in yellow, attempted and/or forfeited (escape in midgame) ones in dark gray. (bm98 has this feature too, cleared songs get a red star next to em :) )
• Dfficious Cancel - I dont know WHAT that means... but if you leave it off, you won't have to return to the song select screen to replay whatever song you originally selected (exit the song by pressing escape) just select 'ONCE MORE' and it'll start the song all over again, with all the key/hidden/speed settings you originally selected. Also good if your PC's ancient like mine and the songs have a nasty tendency to lag, this sometimes help eliminate the lag.
• Plug-in - again, I don't know
• LED Style - if you don't use the fullscreen option like I do, you can further emulate the IIDX experience by simulating the 'song title' that scrolls on an L.E.D. readout underneath the HDTV display!! or, have a clock or other options...
• Delay Tuning - ?
• MP3 Decode Graphic Equalizer - has its own seperate screen where you can adjust the MP3 settings.
• Also, the game keeps track of high scores on some songs! Just scroll to almost any song on the Song Select screen to view it's highest score... I'm not certain what you need to do to have a song's high score recorded, and it might not over-write either so...

Q: Are there any hidden/special songs or other secrets??
A: Someone told me the secret song GEOFRONT wasnt in the latest version of bemaniadx, but I still managed to uncover it, so that's still there! Set the gauge to 'expert' and play through 5 songs, afterward GEO FRONT should be unlocked!

And get this!! Select a song, start playing, and watch what happens when you hit shift+1 (not Shift+F1; that's the effector change) voila! full groove gauge!

One last thing; I was playing around with it trying to find something, anything, and I found something really interesting; if you highlight a song and press F4, the 'rank' option (just to the right of the 'player' option in orange near the bottom of the screen) will change between easy/normal/hard/very hard/???? (I don't know what it is, random maybe?)

Q: How do I change the effector settings??
A: Special thanks to ComputerChan who made the discovery; during gameplay, press Shift+F1. the "Effector" setting in the lower middle of the screen should change! (you probably won't notice it on all songs though) (and you won't be able to see it if you are using the 6th/7th/8th style skins (see above) so keep that in mind.)

Controller options:

Q: What do you recommend regarding the controller?
A: Well, if you have to use the keyboard, what I do is change it from the default setting as follows:

Right Handed: [shift] j|i|k|o|l|p|;
Left Handed: a|w|s|e|d|r|f [shift]

Q: Anything else?
A: I did discover a couple of things that might help, and at a fraction of the cost of a Japanese PS2 ($500~) and a controller ($100~)(and not to mention copies of 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th Style):

PSX to USB Adapter and a cheaper alternative to the official IIDX controller (I haven't tried it this way)

And last but not least, hit F1 at the song select screen for help.

Q: So how is it that you get videos working??
A: Well, if you don't like using the default 'pop'n the breakdown' video (there's one for vision.2, I dunno if there's any newer ones) then you have the option of using the real videos for each song!! first thing you'll need to do is hit up www.winmx.com for their Napster alternative, and use its video search capabilitiies for 'beatmania IIDX' after that, download the desired video. I was just informed of a new program that should do the job better than messing with LEAD/eXstream (since I think you needed both to get it to work, but anyway) check out www.mpeg-mediator.com and download the software. Convert the files, and after that, pick a name for the file and add the following line near the beginning of the song's bms:

#VIDEOFILE <aviname>.avi

And when the song plays, you'll have the added bonus of the video that goes with it! Oh yeah, an important note: the original mpeg will most likely have small black squares on the lower left and right-hand corners(unless you full-screened the video, see above); as you might guess... those are ripped from the arcade/PS2's DVD, and they cropped it specially to fit around the "Groove Gauge" percentage boxes, which is why it looks that way.

Q: How's your IIDX skills?
A: um... mine? erm... I kinda dont have any, sorry ^_- I mean I can pass 5.1.1, (and a handful of Light-7's) but here's what all the other songs look like: "POOR POOR POOR POOR POOR POOR POOR POOR STAGE FAILED...." (and you DON'T wanna know what they sound like :( Though I do think i'm improving ever so slightly...

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