Estudo sobre Dance Dance Revolution

Como combinado, pesquisei sobre o gameplay e interface do jogo Dance Dance Revolution, bem como os motivos pelos quais ele é tão atraente para jogadores do munto inteiro. Encontrei um verdadeiro estudo sobre o assunto no site da ACM, em: http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?doid=1129006.1129019
Para quem não estiver no IC, basta acessar por SSH e usar wget para baixar o .pdf
São 30 páginas, mas vou colocar um exemplo da descrição da interface do jogo:

2. DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION: INTERFACE AND INTERACTION
The idea behind Dance Dance Revolution is fairly simple: it combines upbeat music,
stepping in rhythm, and physical exercise. The DDR set-up consists of a game pad or
platform with four arrows (up, right, down, and left), a screen, and loudspeakers as
shown in Figure 1 (left). The arcade machines have two pads side by side to allow twoplayer
gaming as well as a single player using two pads – a mode called double. A home
set-up, on the other hand, usually makes use of one or two pads attached to a gaming
console. The arcade machines also have a bar behind the player that can be used to ease
game-play.
There are four stationary arrows at the top of the screen, as well as arrows that scroll
upwards from the bottom of the screen and pass over the stationary arrows (Figure 1,
right). The aim of the game is to step on the corresponding arrow on the dance pad when
a scrolling arrow overlaps the stationary arrow. The more precise the timing, the better
the rating for that step. The ratings from best to worst are: perfect, great, good, boo, and
miss. However, the scale differs slightly among the different versions of the game. At the
end of the song, the player is given a final score based on the number of correct steps and
the timing accuracy of the steps. A performance of over 90% perfects will give a score of
“AA”. If every single step has the perfect rating, the final score is “AAA,” which is the
ultimate goal for most players.
Each DDR version contains a selection of songs that often feature a heavy beat. The
tempo of the songs ranges from slow to fast, and a song may even include changes in
tempo. Arrows fall on the beat of the song (1/4 notes) or exactly in between (1/8, 1/16,
and 1/32 notes). As the game is based on the precise timing of steps, it requires a good
sense of rhythm, as well as the ability to coordinate the movements of one’s body in
anticipation of rhythmic repetition and alteration.
Each game is based on a predetermined set of steps (Figure 1, right), i.e., the arrows
scroll at a set rate depending on the beat of the song and the level of difficulty determined
by the step pattern of a song, with a rating ranging from 1 to 10 feet. The lowest, 1-3 foot
patterns are meant for beginners, whereas the 9-10 footers require excellent physical
endurance, coordination of movement, and sense of rhythm as the step patterns become
more elaborate and faster.
The game set-up also consists of different modifiers that affect either the visibility of
the arrows (e.g., all arrows appear in the same color regardless of the beat); the direction
of the arrows’ movement (e.g., arrows scroll from top to bottom); or the orientation of the
arrows (e.g., arrows are rotated 180 degrees). Speed modifiers can be used to make sightreading
easier by speeding up or slowing down the arrows to n-times their normal speed.
Beginners usually stand in the middle of the pad and only use one foot at a time to
press the arrows, or return their feet to the middle of the pad after each step. However,
there is no penalty for pressing an arrow unnecessarily, which enables fluent movement
across the pad. Skillful players employ special techniques such as (to name a few):
crossovers (to hit the left-down-right arrow combination, the player does the steps left
right-left while simultaneously turning to the right); hand plants (player uses his hand to
hit a panel); and jumps (player jumps and presses two arrows simultaneously).
There are two main forms of playing DDR: (1) attacking, which aims for a perfect
timing of steps, i.e., highest scores or number of Perfects; and (2) freestyling/improvising,
where the aim of the player is to dance as expressively as possible, i.e., perform using a
personal style. Freestyling is based on a routine to perform during a song, while
improvising is based on making up a routine on the spot without prior practice.
Tournaments are held world-wide, and usually include a competition series for “Perfect
Attackers” (PA). Freestyling tournaments are less common. In addition to playing with
feet, many DDR players do so by tapping keyboard keys with their fingers.

Outras parte legal do artigo para ser lida é a que fala sobre os motivos iniciais e depois do primeiro contato com o jogo, que os jogadores têm para jogar.