Scoring...

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offrhodes
Posts: 17

Post by offrhodes »

Hi,
this only as constructive observation while I'm using the program. I'm not playing for score so it makes no difference to me but it might really send people into the wrong direction if they read too much into it.

The "score" on practice-the-melody mode is IMHO really confusing and might send people who don't know better into a dead end. The problem is, you can get an artificially high score by playing at arbitrarily low speed. But this has nothing to do with making music.
Specifically, I was toying around with FNAF1 about one week ago. The scoreboard is dominated by entries such as (28 % speed, 21 errors, 9845 points). Today I'm playing quite fluently, with some transitions still to be worked out (65 % speed, 22 errors) barely beat this with 9854 points, and most likely this was mainly for holding the final note. Three times as fast, a musical performance vs an artificial note picking exercise, same score.

I could imagine what situations this could lead to, like "beat your little sister" when she's effectively cheating :)

I agree that the scoring system should not motivate sloppy playing for speed, but right now it's discouraging to bring a song to speed, which is a necessary (and early) step of the learning process to bring in rhythm.
Also, the over-emphasis on error counting is the enemy of relaxation...
Nicholas
Posts: 13135

Post by Nicholas »

I agree that there is a lot of weakness in the current scoring system. I've been saving up lots of change in that area to do all at once and that's scheduled for Synthesia 12. (I try my best to avoid inducing "change fatigue" in Synthesia's users by doing things a little at a time over several updates. I'd rather tear the whole thing out and replace it with something better all at once, especially because this will be touching on something people have spent lots of time and energy earning.)

The new system will track things down at the measure level and gather "evidence" from all of your playing (even, from multiple times through a loop) using any combination of hands. (Another feature slated for 12 is being able to change hands at will without interrupting the song.)
Angelos58
Posts: 47

Post by Angelos58 »

Synthesia 12?

But ... it's not yet ready Synthesia 11!

I hoped in a giant step with Synthesia 11 and all we need is score, score score.
Nicholas
Posts: 13135

Post by Nicholas »

Angelos58 wrote:... all we need is score, score score.
Over the years, the most repeated lesson I've learned is that every feature is the most important feature to someone. :D

Synthesia 11 is about improving the sheet music, which is quite a few users' most important feature. :lol:
Angelos58
Posts: 47

Post by Angelos58 »

then ... sheet sheet sheet sheet!
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jimhenry
Posts: 1899

Post by jimhenry »

Sheet happens! Or will soon.
Jim Henry
Author of the Miditzer, a free virtual theatre pipe organ
http://www.Miditzer.org/
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