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Dance pad

October 21, 2023

A dance pad, also known as a dance mat or dance platform, is a flat electronic game controller used for input in dance games. Most dance pads are divided into a 3×3 matrix of square panels for the player to stand on, with some or all of the panels corresponding to directions or actions within the game. Some dance pads also have extra buttons outside the main stepping area, such as "Start" and "Select". Pairs of dance pads often are joined, side by side, for certain gameplay modes.

Dance platform for PlayStation version of DDR, with a hand controller in the lower left square for scale

Popular arcade games such as Dance Dance Revolution, In the Groove, Pump It Up, and StepManiaX use large steel dance platforms connected to the arcade cabinet, whereas versions for home consoles usually use smaller (often flexible) plastic pads. These home pads are specifically made for systems such as the GameCube, Wii, Dreamcast (Japan only), PlayStation, PlayStation 2 and Xbox, but can also be used in computer simulators such as StepMania through the use of special adapters.

Types Edit

Soft Edit

 
The 1987 Power Pad is a classic example of the soft pad.

"Soft" pads are thin and made of plastic. They generally cost $10–$20 USD. They are good for beginners to dance games or casual use, but they have a tendency to move around and wrinkle up during gameplay (unless "modded", such as by gluing or taping them to the top of a piece of plywood or the bottom of a transparent office chair mat[1]). They are not usually durable and may wear out easily, but for light use they are quite suitable. Manufacturers of soft pads include Konami, BNSUSA, RedOctane, Intec, Mad Catz (Beat Pad), MyMyBox, Naki International, and Nintendo (Action Pad).[2] OEM manufacturers include Topway (manufacturer of RedOctane pads), Futime, and many others.

Some soft pads contain stiff foam inserts of the dense or hard varieties to provide more stability and durability. The inserts usually ship as three or six puzzle pieces (to allow for a smaller box) which fit together using a dovetail joint and slide into the dance pad, which then zips closed around the foam. Certain brands of foam pads put raised plastic sections under the directional buttons to allow them to be more easily felt by a player's feet, so as to help keep them centered on the pad. These pads generally cost between $40 and $100.

It is also possible to modify a pad by attaching it to a hard surface and optionally covering it with clear material; this can increase pad life and keep it from slipping around.

Hard Edit

 
The arcade version of Dance Dance Revolution's two-player dance platform is an example of a hard pad.

"Hard" pads are usually constructed with metal (and sometimes wood) for durability, and usually come with a raised bar behind the player. Arcade machines use very durable metal pads that are designed for heavy use. Other hard pads can be purchased for home use with a video game system; the prices can be around US$100 to $350 ($200–$600 for double pads) - $700 to $1000+ online. Manufacturers of hard pads include DDRgame, Cobalt Flux, L-TEK, MyMyBox, Brown Box, RedOctane (ceased production as of February 2010 due to company termination) and Naki International.

Hard pads are used in all arcade versions of music games that employ dance pads, and often serve as the nec plus ultra for DIY Gamers that attempt to construct "Homebrew pads." Many Homebrew kits are ultimately instruction guides for converting soft pads into hard pads, although Homebrew hard pads often feature additional functions such as additional inputs (see below).

Solid State Edit

"Solid State" pads replace the usual mechanical switch and contact used in other hard pads. A proximity sensor is used to detect a player's steps on the pad. The advantages of a solid state design is that they do not require pressure to activate, eliminating moving parts that might break down and keeping dirt from getting into the mechanism.

Caveats Edit

Problems are often encountered when attempting to use a PlayStation pad with a computer simulator. Most PlayStation-PC adapters will not register Up and Down, or Left and Right, simultaneously initially, although they are common "jumps" in dance games. This is because normal PlayStation games do not require such input, and because D-pads are not usually designed to physically permit such input. StepMania's website has a section concerning adapter compatibility.[3] Although these devices may work on a PC, to date, the adapters will not work with consoles that have built in USB ports such as the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360.

Purchasers of home pads should be aware of the number and arrangement of active arrow panels that are required by the game(s) they want to play. Although most commercial pads have four arrow panels (DDR/In The Groove), some have five (Pump It Up), six (Dance Dance Revolution Solo 2000), eight (Dance:UK), (MC Groovz Dance Craze), or nine (Technomotion).

Homebrew pads Edit

 
Homebrew DDR pad

Not satisfied with the cost and/or reliability of factory assembled metal dance pads, many players construct their own dance pad. Using common materials (such as plywood, sheet metal, and acrylic glass or polycarbonate) found at local hardware stores, do-it-yourselfers are able to construct a pad that is often much more durable and more authentic-feeling than commercially built hard pads. Some homebrew pads have extra features such as additional arrows (for playing Pump It Up or DDR Solo), menu switches and pushbuttons, and bars. Furthermore, the homebrew pads are easier to repair because they use common parts, and are usually designed for easy disassembly.

While some homebrew pads use custom electronics built from scratch, most homebrew pads make use a circuit board from a standard controller to simplify the process of interfacing the pad with a gaming system. The controller used depends on the system that the pad is intended to be played with (GameCube, PlayStation, Xbox, or PC).

Homebrew pads use a variety of technologies for designing the arrows that the player is supposed to step on. The most common design uses metal contacts that sandwich together when the player steps on the pad or arcade button switches but some novel ideas have been proposed such as the use of optical, pressure, vibration, or proximity sensors.[4][5]

Due to the amount of work needed to create a custom metal pad, some players instead opt to modify their existing soft pads. Most of the time, players will sometimes take plywood sheets, acrylic, or office chair floor protectors and staple it to their soft pads. This effectively cures wrinkling and makes the pad more durable to use while wearing shoes.[6]

Educational use Edit

A dance pad has been also used in experimental systems for navigating through virtual environments, such as those reproducing historical buildings.[7]

Other games Edit

Some games that can be played with dance pads do not involve pressing the arrow buttons on the pad to keep with the rhythm of a song:

References Edit

Byrne, Michelle. - An article about 'keep-fit' women buying dance pads to help with losing weight. Western Mail, 2004.

  1. ^ "Vitrazza - Best Office Chair Mat for Homes and Offices". Sociable Labs. Retrieved 2022-02-06.
  2. ^ "Nintendo Action Pad product page".
  3. ^ . Archived from the original on 2010-07-01. Retrieved 2017-06-25.
  4. ^ "Kotaku | Gaming Reviews, News, Tips and More".
  5. ^ "Capacitive Dance Pad - MEIN !!!". simon.derr.free.fr.
  6. ^ "DDR Freak - Home Modding". www.ddrfreak.com.
  7. ^ Fassbender, Eric; Richards, Debbie (2008). "Using a Dance Pad to Navigate through the Virtual Heritage Environment of Macquarie Lighthouse, Sydney". In Wyeld, Theodor G.; Kenderdine, Sarah; Docherty, Michael (eds.). Virtual Systems and Multimedia. p. 218. ISBN 978-3540785651. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  8. ^ "EECS 373: DDR-A-Mole!". www.spinnerdisc.com.
  9. ^ "Vectronom on Steam". store.steampowered.com. Retrieved 2019-09-08.

October 21, 2023
dance, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, march, 2008, learn, . This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Dance pad news newspapers books scholar JSTOR March 2008 Learn how and when to remove this template message A dance pad also known as a dance mat or dance platform is a flat electronic game controller used for input in dance games Most dance pads are divided into a 3 3 matrix of square panels for the player to stand on with some or all of the panels corresponding to directions or actions within the game Some dance pads also have extra buttons outside the main stepping area such as Start and Select Pairs of dance pads often are joined side by side for certain gameplay modes Dance platform for PlayStation version of DDR with a hand controller in the lower left square for scalePopular arcade games such as Dance Dance Revolution In the Groove Pump It Up and StepManiaX use large steel dance platforms connected to the arcade cabinet whereas versions for home consoles usually use smaller often flexible plastic pads These home pads are specifically made for systems such as the GameCube Wii Dreamcast Japan only PlayStation PlayStation 2 and Xbox but can also be used in computer simulators such as StepMania through the use of special adapters Contents 1 Types 1 1 Soft 1 2 Hard 1 3 Solid State 1 4 Caveats 2 Homebrew pads 3 Educational use 4 Other games 5 ReferencesTypes EditSoft Edit nbsp The 1987 Power Pad is a classic example of the soft pad Soft pads are thin and made of plastic They generally cost 10 20 USD They are good for beginners to dance games or casual use but they have a tendency to move around and wrinkle up during gameplay unless modded such as by gluing or taping them to the top of a piece of plywood or the bottom of a transparent office chair mat 1 They are not usually durable and may wear out easily but for light use they are quite suitable Manufacturers of soft pads include Konami BNSUSA RedOctane Intec Mad Catz Beat Pad MyMyBox Naki International and Nintendo Action Pad 2 OEM manufacturers include Topway manufacturer of RedOctane pads Futime and many others Some soft pads contain stiff foam inserts of the dense or hard varieties to provide more stability and durability The inserts usually ship as three or six puzzle pieces to allow for a smaller box which fit together using a dovetail joint and slide into the dance pad which then zips closed around the foam Certain brands of foam pads put raised plastic sections under the directional buttons to allow them to be more easily felt by a player s feet so as to help keep them centered on the pad These pads generally cost between 40 and 100 It is also possible to modify a pad by attaching it to a hard surface and optionally covering it with clear material this can increase pad life and keep it from slipping around Hard Edit nbsp The arcade version of Dance Dance Revolution s two player dance platform is an example of a hard pad Hard pads are usually constructed with metal and sometimes wood for durability and usually come with a raised bar behind the player Arcade machines use very durable metal pads that are designed for heavy use Other hard pads can be purchased for home use with a video game system the prices can be around US 100 to 350 200 600 for double pads 700 to 1000 online Manufacturers of hard pads include DDRgame Cobalt Flux L TEK MyMyBox Brown Box RedOctane ceased production as of February 2010 due to company termination and Naki International Hard pads are used in all arcade versions of music games that employ dance pads and often serve as the nec plus ultra for DIY Gamers that attempt to construct Homebrew pads Many Homebrew kits are ultimately instruction guides for converting soft pads into hard pads although Homebrew hard pads often feature additional functions such as additional inputs see below Solid State Edit Solid State pads replace the usual mechanical switch and contact used in other hard pads A proximity sensor is used to detect a player s steps on the pad The advantages of a solid state design is that they do not require pressure to activate eliminating moving parts that might break down and keeping dirt from getting into the mechanism Caveats Edit Problems are often encountered when attempting to use a PlayStation pad with a computer simulator Most PlayStation PC adapters will not register Up and Down or Left and Right simultaneously initially although they are common jumps in dance games This is because normal PlayStation games do not require such input and because D pads are not usually designed to physically permit such input StepMania s website has a section concerning adapter compatibility 3 Although these devices may work on a PC to date the adapters will not work with consoles that have built in USB ports such as the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360 Purchasers of home pads should be aware of the number and arrangement of active arrow panels that are required by the game s they want to play Although most commercial pads have four arrow panels DDR In The Groove some have five Pump It Up six Dance Dance Revolution Solo 2000 eight Dance UK MC Groovz Dance Craze or nine Technomotion Homebrew pads Edit nbsp Homebrew DDR padNot satisfied with the cost and or reliability of factory assembled metal dance pads many players construct their own dance pad Using common materials such as plywood sheet metal and acrylic glass or polycarbonate found at local hardware stores do it yourselfers are able to construct a pad that is often much more durable and more authentic feeling than commercially built hard pads Some homebrew pads have extra features such as additional arrows for playing Pump It Up or DDR Solo menu switches and pushbuttons and bars Furthermore the homebrew pads are easier to repair because they use common parts and are usually designed for easy disassembly While some homebrew pads use custom electronics built from scratch most homebrew pads make use a circuit board from a standard controller to simplify the process of interfacing the pad with a gaming system The controller used depends on the system that the pad is intended to be played with GameCube PlayStation Xbox or PC Homebrew pads use a variety of technologies for designing the arrows that the player is supposed to step on The most common design uses metal contacts that sandwich together when the player steps on the pad or arcade button switches but some novel ideas have been proposed such as the use of optical pressure vibration or proximity sensors 4 5 Due to the amount of work needed to create a custom metal pad some players instead opt to modify their existing soft pads Most of the time players will sometimes take plywood sheets acrylic or office chair floor protectors and staple it to their soft pads This effectively cures wrinkling and makes the pad more durable to use while wearing shoes 6 Educational use EditA dance pad has been also used in experimental systems for navigating through virtual environments such as those reproducing historical buildings 7 Other games EditSome games that can be played with dance pads do not involve pressing the arrow buttons on the pad to keep with the rhythm of a song Many games developed for the NES Power Pad Breakthrough Gaming Presents Axel The minigames of Dance Dance Revolution Mario Mix Gamecube Active Life series for Wii Active Life Outdoor Challenge Active Life Explorer Active Life Extreme Challenge Active Life Magical Carnival Kraft Rocking the Boat Kraft Soccer Striker Kraft Virtual Dojo Exult using Dance Pad Walking controller mod DDR A Mole a game similar to Whac A Mole 8 Various mini games in Dance Praise 2 The ReMix DanceTris a Tetris simulator is included The 2014 rogue like rhythm game Crypt of the NecroDancer and some other games on Steam like The Metronomicon Slay the Dance Floor RPG elements in addition to dancing and Vectronom 9 Indie games with dance pad support on Itch ioReferences EditByrne Michelle Console players win on their points An article about keep fit women buying dance pads to help with losing weight Western Mail 2004 Vitrazza Best Office Chair Mat for Homes and Offices Sociable Labs Retrieved 2022 02 06 Nintendo Action Pad product page USB Adapters Archived from the original on 2010 07 01 Retrieved 2017 06 25 Kotaku Gaming Reviews News Tips and More Capacitive Dance Pad MEIN simon derr free fr DDR Freak Home Modding www ddrfreak com Fassbender Eric Richards Debbie 2008 Using a Dance Pad to Navigate through the Virtual Heritage Environment of Macquarie Lighthouse Sydney In Wyeld Theodor G Kenderdine Sarah Docherty Michael eds Virtual Systems and Multimedia p 218 ISBN 978 3540785651 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a work ignored help EECS 373 DDR A Mole www spinnerdisc com Vectronom on Steam store steampowered com Retrieved 2019 09 08 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dance pad amp oldid 1148079398, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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