The start of a new era

Dear Trotters,

I never actually expected TrotMania to be this much of a success. We're still, in my opinion, not the biggest fan project in the brony community, but the fact that we've gotten this big is shocking.

So, about that "big announcement" I teased yesterday? Well, here it is...


Hold on to your hooves...

A special announcement is coming soon

To some, the news I am teasing may be our "worst-kept secret", but we are preparing for a massive change that will impact TrotMania as a whole.

No, it is not the release of TM III. It is something a lot bigger than that.

But what is it, you ask?

Stay tuned...

From the creator of TM...

No, this isn't TrotMania IV, or III for that matter (obviously), this is Obelisk. It's a separate project that I started on a whim because I really really really really really really really wanted to do a StepMania theme that wasn't overtly pony-related for once. The fact that its color scheme is a bit like Chrystalize is coincidence; and yes, unlike the Chrystalize theme, this actually does work correctly with the current StepMania 5 Beta 4 that TM III is being built around.

It's designed as a more "traditional"-looking theme with a minimal and "kinetic" aesthetic, while still incorporating modern amenities such as jacket support (which means yes, the TrotMania packs still look nice at home in here). The screenshots alone don't do it justice, so if you're looking for a little something to tide you over until TM III comes out for real, I invite you to give it a try.

Happy Nightmare Night!

Good news: it is now Halloween across roughly half of North America's time zones! It's time to dress like you're going to a comic con, walk up to other people's doors demanding free confectionery products ("Enough chit-chat! Time is candy!"), and, of course, party!

Unfortunately, when there's good news, there's always bad news. A series of complications, including us waiting for SM5 Beta 4 to come out (it did, but it also managed to break Swarm mode in the theme due to some strange bug me and Kyzentun helped uncover), and general busyness, has caused development of TM3 to lag a bit. I did, at some point, aim for a full-on release on October 31 (an appropriate date given the thematic of this version), but it has become clear that we're not going to reach that goal.

However, you are in luck; watch this space for a special Nightmare Night treat later tonight! What could it be? You'll have to wait and see. Also, one of the lead steppers for TrotMania has been working on another pony-related rhythm gaming project that you might like (it's also, however, another reason for the reduced level of work on TM3, but it's still good nonetheless), with an inital release set for November 1; we'll keep you posted on that too.

Or in simpler terms: you just want something to burn off the calories from that Nightmare Night candy, don't you? Just hold on a sec.

And we are also accepting new members of our stepping team too; if you think you have what it takes, inquire in the chat room. A staff member or two is usually lurking in it from time to time.

TM3 Preview: Into the Night(ly)

Would you like to peek into the future? Well, there are Princess Luna-approved "nightly" builds (i.e. built from the source code's current state every day) of StepMania 5, and I have begun testing the TrotMania III theme with it to ensure the highest quality ponified dance game experience.

While it may look the same at first glance, there have been quite a few changes of interest under the hood for developers and theme creators. In particular, thanks to its more stringent error reporting, I now have a better idea of where things are going wrong, and exactly how much duct tape I need to use to fix it. There are also some new APIs here and there too.

However, there is one big user-facing change that you might like:

Check out those speed mods: no more having to select from presets! Now you can specify custom speed modifiers in the Options menu in increments of 1 or .25 - technology is incredible!

And also, for the second year in a row, you can play a TrotMania rig at GalaCon this weekend. I do not specifically know if BronyCAN or BronyCon have anything similar (someone on Twitter told me they did have some type of dance game at the latter; might have TM songs maybe), but I do know for a fact that maybe, just maybe, you may be able to give TrotMania III's new look a spin for yourself at GalaCon.

TM3 Preview: Setting the Scene

So, here's what I've been working on lately, theme-wise. Okay, actually, what you see here only scratches the surface of what I've been working on lately. The real meat and potatoes are the stuff you are not seeing here, including Tesselode's awesome music (it sets the scene perfectly), some fit and finish tweaks to existing areas of the theme, and tailoring its appearance for certain states, such as extra stage mode and, dun dun daaaaah~

...course mode.

Aeternum Obscurum Preview: The Theme

So it's about time that I begin to show you what I have been working on, design-wise, for TrotMania III: Aeternum Obscurum. The design of TM III comes with influence from several concepts and themes that have, surprisingly, fit well together. Primarily, I'm trying to make this one be partly Luna/Nightmare Moon-themed; hence, it's at night, blues are the prevalent color scheme, and certain elements are designed to have a sort of "mythological" look to them. EDM and rave culture will also serve as an influence for TM III as a whole; hence there is quite a bit of neon, lasers, and sparkly stuff too. I'm also using more animated elements to make the design feel more "alive" too.

You may have also noticed the "black vines" from the most recent season premiere are part of the look here and there. It's an, ahem, unique combination, but I'm trying to make it work, because there's a reason for their presence (aside from the addition of teal to counter the blues). Plus, the vines aren't the only thing from S4/E1 and 2 that will be prominent here, just you wait!

Now, obviously, this is still a WIP,. Everything is subject to change. Check out the teaser images here, and if you have any comments, suggestions, ideas, etc., please let me know! Oh, and also, we will also be holding an art contest soon that will give you (yes you) a chance to have your characters featured in TM III (either on the menu screens, result screens, etc.). Stay tuned for more information

-Lirodon

I just don't know what went wrong!

(Epic Rage Time is pretty good, by the way)

I saw on Equestria Daily this morning
That news of Chrystalize Level 3 was posted, without warning

But then I saw our chat box
And the complaints of one led me into a shock

He said the download page was confusing
With doubts of whether the patches had been infusing

I talked with the man responsible for this plight
But even I was confused about this inaugural flight

After receiving a large amount of clarification
I journeyed down the path of restoration.

With what I've changed, it makes more sense
It's much better now; those are my two cents.

TrotMania at Everfree Northwest

Alongside My Little Karaoke (which has also recently been released), a StepMania setup (On Linux with Cobalt Fluxes too!) with Chrystalize was present at the recent Everfree Northwest convention, and it looked like it was quite a hit in the game room!

Thank you to SR Foxley for the pictures!

Chrystalize Preview: Try Extra Stage?

Do I spy Extra Stage mode?

I sure do!

(No, the Extra Stage song is not Ichigeki Hisshou, obviously.)

Diamonds...or Just Rough: Behind the Scenes of TrotMania: Rhythm is Magic

Obviously, when you develop a major project, you're going to go through several revisions before you are satisfied with something. With a group project, it's even more likely! Thus, with the first TrotMania, we ended up not using quite a few resources. Some were lost to the passage of time, but there are still a few saved!

Unused Banners

Unused Jackets

 

 

(Well, technically, there was no use intended for this one. I made it at the same time as the remix in the chance that the original might be stepped. Will it? Time will tell.)

Originally, I had both versions of Luna planned for TM1 (and I even had a jacket ready for the Alex S. Remix too). Somehow it got lost in Spike's hoard of gifts, and only Dream Mode got stepped (and we ended up deciding that we had too much Eurobeat Brony). Could it appear on TM2? Stay tuned... -Lirodon

Unused Backgrounds

 

(Note: The intention of this one was to have the tail and horn a glowy white. However, the background just generally stunk, so it was canned.)

Unused Base Data 

Also early mockups of the TM1 theme. Dear Princess Celestia, what I was I thinking...? (though the 2nd one ended up being closer to what I eventually used

I really like her tail.