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= Games =
= Games =
* [[SOUND VOLTEX BOOTH]] (released January 18th, 2012)
== Arcade Versions ==
* [[SOUND VOLTEX II -infinite infection-]] (released June 5th, 2013)
* [[AC SDVX|SOUND VOLTEX BOOTH]] (released January 18th, 2012)
* [[SOUND VOLTEX III GRAVITY WARS]] (released November 20th, 2014, '''current version''')
* [[AC SDVX II|SOUND VOLTEX II -infinite infection-]] (released June 5th, 2013)
* SOUND VOLTEX IV (release date TBA)
* [[AC SDVX III|SOUND VOLTEX III GRAVITY WARS]] (released November 20th, 2014)
* [[AC SDVX IV|SOUND VOLTEX IV HEAVENLY HAVEN]] (released December 21st, 2016, '''current version''')
 
== Home Version ==
* [[CS SDVX III|SOUND VOLTEX III GRAVITY WARS e-AMUSEMENT CLOUD]] (released October 4th, 2017)


= Summary =
= Summary =
SOUND VOLTEX is one of the most recent series of BEMANI music games, and the first one to utilize the [[eAMUSEMENT]] Participation system.<br>
SOUND VOLTEX is part of the [[BEMANI]] series of music games. The game series combines traditional button gameplay with the use of analog dials and sound effects, creating a unique sound and game experience.<br>
Sound director of the SOUND VOLTEX series is [[Hidenori Kotera|Cody]]. [[Yoshitaka Nishimura|DJ YOSHITAKA]] serves as the head producer.<br>  
[[Hidenori Kotera|Cody]] sounds directs the series, while [[Yoshitaka Nishimura|DJ YOSHITAKA]] serves as the head producer.<br>  
[[Sota Fujimori]] provides all of the games' background musics.
[[Sota Fujimori]] provides all of the games' background musics.


What makes SOUND VOLTEX different from the other game series is that regular BEMANI artists (either KONAMI in-house or commissioned ones) aren't involved in the song list, with a few exceptions. It, instead, involves artists renowned in the doujin and beatmania simulation scene, plus licensed [[EXIT TUNES]] songs and ''Touhou Project'' arrangements. There are also remixes of original KONAMI songs.<br>
What makes SOUND VOLTEX different from the other game series is that regular BEMANI artists (either KONAMI in-house or commissioned ones) are not prominent in the song list. Instead, artists renowned in the doujin and beatmania simulation scene are more common here, plus licensed [[EXIT TUNES]] songs and ''Touhou Project'' arrangements. There are also remixes of original KONAMI songs.<br>
While at first the song list mostly consisted of original songs or licenses involving VOCALOID, later in the life-cycle of the first game the artist selection greatly expanded thanks to what it is supposed to be the most important part of the series - the FLOOR section.
While at first the song list mostly consisted of original songs or licenses involving VOCALOID, later in the life-cycle of the first game the artist selection greatly expanded thanks to what it is supposed to be the most important pillar of the series - the FLOOR section.


''SOUND VOLTEX FLOOR'' refers to the group of competitions posted in its website where Japan-based artists can participate in, with a chance of their songs or remixes appearing in the games. Music contests have their own themes and rules, such as remixing a selection of an artist's songs or using synthesized vocals. There are also contests related to designing jackets for brand-new songs or to replace pre-existing ones in the game.<br>
''SOUND VOLTEX FLOOR'' refers to the group of competitions posted in its website where Japan-based artists can participate in, with a chance of their songs or remixes appearing in the games. Music contests have their own themes and rules, such as remixing a selection of an artist's songs or using synthesized vocals. There are also contests related to designing jackets for brand-new songs or to replace pre-existing ones in the game.<br>
Thanks to the FLOOR contests (and also to the presence of Touhou arrangements), the game quickly gained a lot of success, prompting the production team to focus as much as possible on these in the future. Also, contest winners may have a way to get involved in SOUND VOLTEX itself or in other BEMANI games (most notably, 5 of the 7 [[beatnation Records|beatnation RHYZE]] members debuted in BEMANI via SOUND VOLTEX FLOOR).
Thanks to the FLOOR contests (and also to the presence of Touhou Project arrangements), the game quickly gained a lot of success, prompting the production team to focus as much as possible on these in the future. Contest winners may also be invited to provide original songs in SOUND VOLTEX itself or in other BEMANI games (most notably, 5 of the 7 [[beatnation Records|beatnation RHYZE]] members debuted in BEMANI via SOUND VOLTEX FLOOR).


From April 16th, 2015 to May 15th, 2015, the first SOUND VOLTEX FLOOR contests (for original songs and appeal cards) exclusive to the rest of Asia were held. However, delays in communication between KONAMI, Korean distributor UNIANA and participating artists have resulted in the songs not being added to the game more than a year after it ended. Only as of May 27th, 2016, were all winning artists have been notified.
From April 16th to May 15th, 2015, the first SOUND VOLTEX FLOOR contests (for original songs and appeal cards) exclusive to the rest of Asia were held. However, delays in communication between KONAMI, Korean distributor UNIANA and participating artists have resulted in the songs and appeal cards not being added to the game more than a year after submissions ended. (On December 21st, 2016, UNIANA stated on Twitter that it has sent out confirmation emails to all winning artists.)


As seen in SOUND VOLTEX II -infinite infection-, new games of the series are released as huge online updates.
As first seen in SOUND VOLTEX II -infinite infection-, new games of the series are released as huge online updates.


Unlike other BEMANI games, regular soundtracks aren't released for the SOUND VOLTEX series. The only official albums released so far are:
Unlike other BEMANI games, regular soundtracks are not released for the SOUND VOLTEX series. Instead, soundtracks tend to focus on one or a few FLOOR contests. Listed below are soundtracks currently available:
* ''SOUND VOLTEX ULTIMATE TRACKS - 東方紅魔郷REMIX -'', released on July 30th, 2014. It was also released early on May 11th, 2014 at the ''Reitaisai 11'' doujin event. It contains all the songs from the [http://p.eagate.573.jp/game/sdvx/sv/p/floor/remix/04/index.html Touhou Project Embodiment of Scarlet Devil Remix Contest].
* ''SOUND VOLTEX ULTIMATE TRACKS - 東方紅魔郷REMIX -''
* ''SOUND VOLTEX ULTIMATE TRACKS -LEGEND OF KAC-'', released on March 4th, 2015. It contains songs from the first two [[KONAMI Arcade Championship]] contests.
** Released on July 30th, 2014 (released early on May 11th, 2014, at the ''Reitaisai 11'' doujin event)
* ''SOUND VOLTEX ULTIMATE TRACKS -FLOOR ANTHEM- EP.01'', released on February 24th, 2016. It contains several FLOOR songs from SOUND VOLTEX BOOTH and SOUND VOLTEX II -infinite infection- voted by the community.
** Contains all the songs from the [http://p.eagate.573.jp/game/sdvx/sv/p/floor/remix/04/index.html Touhou Project Embodiment of Scarlet Devil Remix Contest], plus 2 new arrangements.
* ''SOUND VOLTEX ULTIMATE TRACKS -東方妖々夢&輝針城REMIX-'', to be released in Autumn 2016. It will contain all the songs from the [http://p.eagate.573.jp/game/sdvx/sv/p/floor/remix/05/index.html Touhou Project Double Dealing Character] and [http://p.eagate.573.jp/game/sdvx/sv/p/floor/remix/07/index.html Perfect Cherry Blossom] remix contests.
* ''SOUND VOLTEX ULTIMATE TRACKS -LEGEND OF KAC-''
** Released on March 4th, 2015
** Contains songs from the first two [[KONAMI Arcade Championship]] contests (KAC 2012 and KAC 2013).
* ''SOUND VOLTEX ULTIMATE TRACKS -FLOOR ANTHEM- EP.01''
** Released on February 24th, 2016
** Contains selected FLOOR songs from SOUND VOLTEX BOOTH and SOUND VOLTEX II -infinite infection- as voted by the community, plus 5 new original songs.
* ''SOUND VOLTEX ULTIMATE TRACKS -東方妖々夢&輝針城REMIX-''
** Released on November 23rd, 2016 (released early on October 16th, 2016, at the ''Autumn Reitaisai 2016'' doujin event)
** Contains all the songs from the Touhou Project [http://p.eagate.573.jp/game/sdvx/sv/p/floor/remix/07/index.html Perfect Cherry Blossom] and [http://p.eagate.573.jp/game/sdvx/sv/p/floor/remix/05/index.html Double Dealing Character] remix contests, plus 3 new arrangements.
* ''SOUND VOLTEX ULTIMATE TRACKS BOOTH LEGACY - 壱 -'' and ''SOUND VOLTEX ULTIMATE TRACKS BOOTH LEGACY - 弐 -''
** Released on July 21st, 2017, only obtainable on select arcades for 800 VP each
** Both soundtracks contain almost every KONAMI original song/remix from SOUND VOLTEX BOOTH.


Recently, SOUND VOLTEX's sound direction has been increasingly focusing on KONAMI original songs made by the most popular FLOOR winners. SOUND VOLTEX has also become the first BEMANI game to have licensed BMS songs (BEMANI Simulation files).
Original SOUND VOLTEX songs do not have soundtracks of their own, but may appear in soundtracks for multi-game BEMANI events.
 
Recently, SOUND VOLTEX's sound direction has been increasingly focusing on KONAMI original songs made by the most popular FLOOR winners. SOUND VOLTEX also became the first BEMANI game series to have licensed BMS songs (BEMANI Simulation files), and with SOUND VOLTEX IV HEAVENLY HAVEN, it will also be getting songs from major doujin labels such as [[HARDCORE TANO*C]], [[S2TB Recording]], and ''C.H.S''.


= Gameplay =
= Gameplay =
SOUND VOLTEX's gameplay is similar to other rhythm games like beatmania IIDX and GuitarFreaks/DrumMania. When a note reaches the line in time with the beat, you press the corresponding button.<br>
''For simplicity, the games will be referred to by their subtitles (BOOTH, infinite infection, GRAVITY WARS, HEAVENLY HAVEN).''
The game interface has 4 SHORT BT note lanes, and 2 LONG FX note lanes that each occupy 2 SHORT note lanes. SHORT notes are white, while LONG notes are yellow/orange.<br>
 
In addition to the standard SHORT and LONG buttons, SOUND VOLTEX also has 2 analog dials, one on each side. When a blue trail (left side) and/or a pink trail (right side) appears, you have to turn the respective dial(s) to "follow" the trail(s). These are known as ANALOG CHAINS.<br>
SOUND VOLTEX's gameplay is similar to other rhythm games like beatmania IIDX and GuitarFreaks & DrumMania. When a note reaches the judgment line in time with the beat, you press the corresponding button or turn the corresponding dial.
The effects in the songs are game-related and are caused by LONG FX notes (distortion effects) and ANALOG CHAINS (woosh effects).
 
The game interface has 4 CHIP BT note lanes, and 2 LONG FX note lanes that each occupy 2 BT note lanes. BT notes are white and FX notes are yellow/orange.


SOUND VOLTEX II -infinite infection- introduced the following gameplay mechanics:
In addition to the standard SHORT and LONG buttons, SOUND VOLTEX also has 2 analog dials, one on each side. By default, when a blue trail (left side) and/or a pink trail (right side) appears, you have to turn the respective dial(s) to "follow" the trail(s). These are known as ANALOG CHAINS.<br>
* SHORT note lanes can now have hold notes, known as LONG BT notes.
The effects in the songs are game-related and are caused by LONG FX notes (distortion effects), ANALOG CHAINS (woosh effects), and special CHIP FX notes (added FX effects).
* LONG note lanes can now have short notes, known as CHIP FX notes.
 
infinite infection introduced the following gameplay mechanics:
* SHORT note lanes can now have hold notes, known as LONG BT notes. Conversely, LONG note lanes can now have short notes, known as CHIP FX notes.
* The HARD-gauge style EXCESSIVE RATE is added. Drop to 0% and the stage fails immediately.
* The HARD-gauge style EXCESSIVE RATE is added. Drop to 0% and the stage fails immediately.
* The INFINITE BLASTER unlock system/folder is added. This folder is only available if the BLASTER ENERGY gauge is at 100%. It unlocks most INFINITE and GRAVITY charts. Using the EXCESSIVE RATE gauge charges the BLASTER GAUGE by 6.67% a stage (15 plays will fill it).
* The INFINITE BLASTER unlock system/folder is added (since HEAVENLY HAVEN known as '''BLASTER GATE'''). It unlocks most game-specific special charts (e.g. INFINITE). This folder is only available if the BLASTER ENERGY gauge is at 100%. Using the EXCESSIVE RATE gauge charges the BLASTER ENERGY gauge by 6.67% a stage (15 plays will fill it).


SOUND VOLTEX III GRAVITY WARS added even more mechanics:
GRAVITY WARS added even more mechanics:
* Any combination of the BT and FX notes is now possible.
* Any combination of the BT and FX notes is now possible.
* ANALOG CHAINS may start from anywhere and go in any direction, and also extend beyond the chart lane.
* ANALOG CHAINS may start from anywhere and go in any direction, and also extend beyond the chart lane.
* New charts may include zooming and moving of the chart lane.
* New charts may include zooming, moving, and even disappearing of the chart lanes.
* Colors of the ANALOG CHAINS can now be changed. Two new colors are also available: yellow and green.
* Colors of the ANALOG CHAINS can now be changed. Two new colors are also available: yellow and green.
* Hi-SPEED values can be tuned to an exact BPM value. They can also be stored for easy Hi-SPEED changing.
* Hi-SPEED values can be tuned to an exact BPM value. They can also be stored for easy Hi-SPEED changing.
* EARLY/LATE indicators for NEARs can be shown in-game. They have 4 possible positions: LOWER, STANDARD (default), UPPER, and UPPER+.
* EARLY/LATE indicators for NEARs can be shown in-game. They have 4 possible positions: LOWER, STANDARD (default), UPPER, and UPPER+.
* Timing can be adjusted to be earlier or later by pressing 3 or 9 on the keypad, respectively. Values range from -8 to +8.
* Timing can be adjusted to be earlier or later by holding START and then pressing 3 or 9 on the keypad, respectively. Values range from -8 to +8. Increase this value if you are getting many EARLYs and decrease it if you are getting LATEs.
* The ALTERNATIVE RATE SYSTEM (ARS) is added. This gauge starts with and EXCEESSIVE RATE gauge, but when depleted (a TRACK CRASH normally), it will be switched to a EFFECTIVE RATE, at a level as if it were active. It is only available in GENERATOR START.
* The ALTERNATIVE RATE SYSTEM (ARS) is added. This gauge starts with and EXCESSIVE RATE gauge, but when depleted (a TRACK CRASH normally), it will be switched to a EFFECTIVE RATE, at a level as if it were active. It is only available in GENERATOR START.


In order to clear a song, your EFFECTIVE RATE must be 70% or higher (for all other gauges, never let the rate drop to zero). This does not affect charts rated Level 7 or below, however, as you will automatically be saved.
HEAVENLY HAVEN introduced the following mechanics:
* A new default difficulty, MAXIMUM, is added.
* MIRROR and RANDOM note options are added. MIRROR flips all input horizontally, while RANDOM makes all BT notes appear randomly (and sometimes mirrors FX notes). They cannot be used in SKILL ANALYZER.
* Special CHIP FX notes (colored yellow) produce added sound effects when hit. These vary from claps to bass drops.
 
To clear a song, your EFFECTIVE RATE must be 70% or higher (for all other gauges, never let the rate drop to zero). This does not affect charts rated Level 7 or below, however, as you will automatically be saved.


= Modes =
= Modes =
Initially, SOUND VOLTEX BOOTH only had two modes: ONLINE and FRIEND. SOUND VOLTEX II -infinite infection- added SKILL ANALYZER mode, and split all its modes to credit and [[PASELI]]/premium sub-modes when KONAMI further integrated PASELI into all its eAUMSEMENT games. SOUND VOLTEX III GRAVITY WARS, upon the launch of its SOUND VOLTEX GENERATOR -REAL MODEL-, added new GENERATOR-exclusive modes.
Initially, BOOTH only had two modes: ONLINE (single player) and FRIEND (local matching with 1-3 other players).
 
infinite infection added SKILL ANALYZER mode, that offers various 3-stage courses, most of which determines a player's Skill Level, and the rest being special commemerative courses. It also split all its modes to credit and [[PASELI]]/premium sub-modes when KONAMI further integrated PASELI into all its eAUMSEMENT games.
 
GRAVITY WARS, upon the launch of its SOUND VOLTEX GENERATOR -REAL MODEL-, added new GENERATOR-exclusive modes.
 
HEAVENLY HAVEN merged the SKILL ANALYZER mode into its main modes; now it can be selected while on your first stage. Normal and GENERATOR modes are now split into their individual sctions. GENERATOR BLASTER, a GENERATOR-exclusive BLASTER START mode, was added. It also removed the FRIEND modes, as local matching can now be accessed by waiting out a timer after selecting a mode, like jubeat's local matching system.


The game currently has the following modes:
The game currently has the following modes:
; ONLINE (normal single player mode)
; Normal modes
* LIGHT START
* LIGHT START
:: Up to 3 stages. Normal gameplay; the game is over when a song is failed. Song level selection is limited by the player's current Skill Level in SKILL ANALYZER.
:- Up to 3 stages. Normal gameplay; the game is over when a song is failed. Song level selection is limited by the player's current Skill Level in SKILL ANALYZER.
* STANDARD START
* STANDARD START
:: At least 2 stages, up to 3. Same as LIGHT START, but offers a save for one stage, and has no level limit. The BLASTER ENERGY gauge also increases by an additional 1.33% per stage.
:- At least 2 stages, up to 3. Same as LIGHT START, but offers a save for one stage, and has no level limit. The BLASTER ENERGY gauge also increases by an additional 1.33% per stage.
* BLASTER START
* BLASTER START
:: 2 stages guaranteed. Accesses only the INFINITE BLASTER folder without having to fill the BLASTER ENERGY gauge.
:- 2 stages guaranteed. Accesses only the BLASTER GATE folder without having to fill the BLASTER ENERGY gauge.
; GENERATOR modes (Only on machines with a GENERATOR)
* GENERATOR LIGHT START
* GENERATOR LIGHT START
:: Up to 3 stages. Same as LIGHT START, and prints one Genesis Card. Only on machines with a GENERATOR.
:- Up to 3 stages. Same as LIGHT START, and prints one Genesis Card.
* GENERATOR START
* GENERATOR START
:: 3 stages guaranteed. Same as STANDARD START. ARS is available, and prints 1-5 Genesis card(s). Only on machines with a GENRATOR.
:- 3 stages guaranteed. Same as STANDARD START, ARS is available, and prints 1-5 Genesis card(s).
; FRIEND (local matching, 2-4 players)
* GENERATOR BLASTER
* LIGHT START
:- 2 stages guanranteed. Same as BLASTER START, and prints 1-5 Genesis card(s).
* STANDARD START
* GENERATOR LIGHT START
* GENERATOR START
; SKILL ANALYZER (single player ranked mode)
SKILL ANALYZER offers various 3-stage courses, not limited to rank classification ones.
* LIGHT START
* STANDARD START
:: BLASTER ENERGY gauge increases by 3.33% per stage played.


= Difficulty =
= Difficulty =
SOUND VOLTEX has three main difficulties: ''NOVICE'', ''ADVANCED'' and ''EXHAUST''.<br>
SOUND VOLTEX has four main difficulties: <span style="color: #800080;">'''NOVICE'''</span>, <span style="color: #cccc00;">'''ADVANCED'''</span>, <span style="color: #ff0000;">'''EXHAUST'''</span>, and '''MAXIMUM''' (the latter introduced in HEAVENLY HAVEN).
SOUND VOLTEX II -infinite infection- introduced a fourth difficulty: ''INFINITE''; subsequently, SOUND VOLTEX III GRAVITY WARS introduced an equivalent difficulty called ''GRAVITY''. These difficulties are very similar to the CHALLENGE one of DanceDanceRevolution and the MASTER one of GuitarFreaks & DrumMania, and are usually added to older songs. These charts often use the new gimmicks introduced in their respective games.
 
Since infinite infection, the new games also have their own "special" difficulty, each named after their subtitles:
* infinite infection added the <span style="color: #cc22aa;">'''INFINITE'''</span> difficulty, with a light purple hue (previously rainbow).
* GRAVITY WARS added <span style="color: #ffa500;">'''GRAVITY'''</span>, with an orange hue.
* HEAVENLY HAVEN added <span style="color: #00cfcf;">'''HEAVENLY'''</span>, with a cyan/blue hue.
These difficulties are equivalent to each other, and these charts are usually added to songs from previous versions, adding the respective games' new gimmicks to otherwise old and outdated songs.


Difficulty ranges from 1 (the easiest) to 16 (the hardest).  
Difficulty ranges from 1 (the easiest) to 20 (the hardest), since SOUND VOLTEX IV HEAVENLY HAVEN. Previously, it was 1 to 15 in BOOTH, and 1 to 16 in infinite infection and GRAVITY WARS.


As a major note, newly added songs (except for original songs) have the NOVICE chart always available by default. The other difficulty charts, most of the time, must be bought from the SDVX Station or unlocked through MISSION.
As a major note, newly added songs (except for original songs) have the NOVICE and ADVANCED charts always available by default. The other difficulty charts usually must be bought with BLOCKs. If not, they can be unlocked via BLASTER GATE, or through MISSIONs (in the case of GRAVITY WARS).


= Scoring =
= Scoring =
All notes are judged as CRITICAL (perfect), NEAR (good), or ERROR (miss). The maximum score in each stage or TRACK is 10,000,000 (10 million).<br>
All notes are judged as CRITICAL (perfect), NEAR (good; only for CHIP BT and CHIP FX notes), or ERROR (miss; breaks combo/chain). The maximum score of a TRACK is 10,000,000 (10 million).<br>
A chart can be rated from D (lowest) to AAA (highest).<br>
Each note, when hit with CRITICAL timing, is worth (10,000,000 / total chain) points. Each NEAR note is worth half of a CRITICAL note.
If a player hits all notes (i.e. a full combo), it is an ULTIMATE CHAIN (UC). If he/she hits all notes with a CRITICAL rating, it is a PERFECT (formerly PERFECT ULTIMATE CHAIN, or PUC).
 
== Chain ==
Every BT note is counted as 1 combo chain. Every analog right-angle turn or "slam" also counts as 1 combo chain.<br>
For LONG notes and analog chains, the combo chain starts counting after one beat from the start of the note/chain and ends one beat before. Each LONG note and analog chain counts as 4 combo chain per beat (2 per beat if the song's BPM is more than or equal to 256 at any time).


Fulfiling specific play conditions, like achieving an ULTIMATE CHAIN or an AA rank, can be requirements for buying certain charts for songs.
== Grade ==
From BOOTH to GRAVITY WARS, a chart can be rated from D (lowest) to AAA (highest). It was variable, so it depended on both score and EFFECTIVE RATE level (or its equivalent level). The calculation of the "grade score" was:<br>
<center>'''(TRACK score × 0.9) + (EFFECTIVE RATE level[%] × 1,000,000)'''</center><br>
The final grade then can be determined from this table:
{|class="wikitable" border="1px" style="background:#ccccee; font-size:90%; text-align: center; margin: 1em auto 1em auto"
|-
!style="background:#aaaaee; text-align: center;" width="60px"|Grade
!style="background:#aaaaee; text-align: center;" width="150px"|"Grade Score" Range
|-
| AAA || > 9,800,000
|-
| AA || 9,400,000 - 9,799,999
|-
| A || 8,900,000 - 9,399,999
|-
| B || 8,000,000 - 8,899,999
|-
| C || 7,000,000 - 7,999,999
|-
| D || < 7,000,000
|}
 
In HEAVENLY HAVEN, the grade range is expanded, adding the A+, AA+, AAA+, and S ranks. The rank requirements are also revamped, now basing it on score alone. See the following table:
{|class="wikitable" border="1px" style="background:#ccccee; font-size:90%; text-align: center; margin: 1em auto 1em auto"
|-
!style="background:#aaaaee; text-align: center;" width="60px"|Grade
!style="background:#aaaaee; text-align: center;" width="150px"|Score Range
|-
| S || > 9,900,000
|-
| AAA+ || 9,800,000 - 9,899,999
|-
| AAA || 9,700,000 - 9,799,999
|-
| AA+ || 9,500,000 - 9,699,999
|-
| AA || 9,300,000 - 9,499,999
|-
| A+ || 9,000,000 - 9,299,999
|-
| A || 8,700,000 - 8,999,999
|-
| B || 8,000,000 - 8,699,999
|-
| C || 7,000,000 - 7,999,999
|-
| D || < 7,000,000
|}
 
In addition, if a player hits all notes (i.e. a full combo), it is an ULTIMATE CHAIN (UC); and if they hit all notes with a CRITICAL rating, it is a PERFECT (formerly PERFECT ULTIMATE CHAIN, or PUC).
 
Fulfiling specific play conditions, like achieving an ULTIMATE CHAIN or a AA rank, can be requirements for buying certain charts for songs.


= SDVX Station =
= SDVX Station =
Line 99: Line 182:


Besides purchase costs, often there will be conditions that need to be fulfilled. These can range from clearing a certain number of songs to getting ULTIMATE CHAINS.
Besides purchase costs, often there will be conditions that need to be fulfilled. These can range from clearing a certain number of songs to getting ULTIMATE CHAINS.
Since HEAVENLY HAVEN, you can buy charts direct from the track select screen. As such, the SDVX Station will only have the Appeal Card generator and [[POLICY BREAK]] sections.


A list of purchasable charts can be found here:
A list of purchasable charts can be found here:
Line 110: Line 195:
'''IMPORTANT NOTE: The following section is obsolete due to the RANK system being removed in SOUND VOLTEX II -infinite infection-.'''
'''IMPORTANT NOTE: The following section is obsolete due to the RANK system being removed in SOUND VOLTEX II -infinite infection-.'''


<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">SOUND VOLTEX BOOTH Ranks
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">
The purpose of the RANK System in SOUND VOLTEX BOOTH is to limit what song charts players can buy from the SDVX Station. There are 20 ranks in total, and you can raise them by accumulating Rank Points (RP). To accumulate RP you need to play songs and clear songs (getting ULTIMATE CHAINS or PERFECT ULTIMATE CHAINS makes the process faster). Once you gain a new Rank, you need to accumulate a new amount of RP for the next one.
The purpose of the RANK System in SOUND VOLTEX BOOTH is to limit what song charts players can buy from the SDVX Station. There are 20 ranks in total, and you can raise them by accumulating Rank Points (RP). To accumulate RP you need to play songs and clear songs (getting ULTIMATE CHAINS or PERFECT ULTIMATE CHAINS makes the process faster). Once you gain a new Rank, you need to accumulate a new amount of RP for the next one.


Line 133: Line 220:
# Absolute Sky (400 RP)
# Absolute Sky (400 RP)
# Void (500 RP)
# Void (500 RP)
</div>
</div>


= Trivia =
= Trivia =
* A game size re-arrangement of the system BGM of SOUND VOLTEX BOOTH, titled [[VOLTEXES]], appears in [[REFLEC BEAT limelight]]. Similarly for SOUND VOLTEX II -infinite infection-, its system BGM, titled [[VOLTEXES II]], appears in [[REFLEC BEAT groovin'!!]].
* The SOUND VOLTEX series is the first to utilize the [[eAMUSEMENT]] Participation system, which requires game cabinets to always be connected to the eAMUSEMENT network.
* The BGM of SOUND VOLTEX III GRAVITY WARS, titled ''VOLTEX III'', was played at the ''EXIT TUNES DANCE PARTY ~beatnation RHYZE music council~'' by Sota Fujimori during his Expander act.
** It is also the second game overall (after TAITO's MUSIC GUNGUN series) to officially license Touhou Project arrangements from Team Shanghai Alice, developer and publisher of the Touhou Project series of games.
** It was later added to SOUND VOLTEX III GRAVITY WARS as [[VOLTEXES III]], although it is credited to his real name instead.
* Game size re-arrangements of the system BGMs of the SOUND VOLTEX games have always appeared as a playable song:
* SOUND VOLTEX II -infinite infection- is the first full BEMANI game to be released as an online update.
** BOOTH's BGM, titled [[VOLTEXES]], first appeared in [[REFLEC BEAT limelight]].
* SOUND VOLTEX II -infinite infection- is the first BEMANI game to have a location test in a doujin-related event (Reitaisai 10).
** infinite infection's BGM, titled [[VOLTEXES II]], first appeared in [[REFLEC BEAT groovin'!!]].
* The SOUND VOLTEX series had no removals until SOUND VOLTEX III GRAVITY WARS, with [[Cyber thunder cider|サイバーサンダーサイダー]] being removed on June 1st, 2016, due to its expired license.
** GRAVITY WARS Season 1's BGM, titled [[VOLTEXES III]], appears in SOUND VOLTEX III GRAVITY WARS.
*** Initially titled ''VOLTEX III'', it was played at the ''EXIT TUNES DANCE PARTY ~beatnation RHYZE music council~'' concert by Sota Fujimori during his Expander act. During the ''EXIT TUNES DANCE PARTY beatnation summit 2015'' concert, however, it was corrected to VOLTEXES III and credited to Sota Fujimori.
* infinite infection is the first full BEMANI game to be released as an online update.
* infinite infection is the first BEMANI game to have a location test in a doujin-related event (Reitaisai 10).
* The SOUND VOLTEX series had no removals until GRAVITY WARS, with [[Cyber thunder cider|サイバーサンダーサイダー]] being removed on June 1st, 2016, due to its expired license. The SKILL ANALYZER course containing the song, 6th B course for Skill LEVEL 06, was also removed.


= External Links =
= SOUND VOLTEX Resources =
* [http://p.eagate.573.jp/game/sdvx/sv/p/index.html SOUND VOLTEX BOOTH Website]
* [http://p.eagate.573.jp/game/sdvx/ii/p/index.html SOUND VOLTEX II -infinite infection- Website]
* [http://p.eagate.573.jp/game/sdvx/iii/p/index.html SOUND VOLTEX III GRAVITY WARS Website]
* [http://p.eagate.573.jp/game/sdvx/sv/p/floor/index.html SOUND VOLTEX FLOOR Website]
* [http://p.eagate.573.jp/game/sdvx/sv/p/floor/index.html SOUND VOLTEX FLOOR Website]
* [http://thegemsbok.com/art-reviews-and-articles/mid-week-mission-sound-voltex-konami/ SOUND VOLTEX Beginner's Guide (article)]
* [http://thegemsbok.com/art-reviews-and-articles/mid-week-mission-sound-voltex-konami/ SOUND VOLTEX Beginner's Guide (article)]
* [http://bemaniwiki.com/index.php?SOUND%20VOLTEX%20II%20-infinite%20infection- BEMANIWiki 2nd page for SOUND VOLTEX II -infinite infection-]
* [http://bemaniwiki.com/index.php BEMANIWiki 2nd]
* [http://www.sdvx.in/ SDVX.in]
* [https://www18.atwiki.jp/sdvx/ SOUND VOLTEX @ wiki]


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Revision as of 14:29, 10 October 2017

Games

Arcade Versions

Home Version

Summary

SOUND VOLTEX is part of the BEMANI series of music games. The game series combines traditional button gameplay with the use of analog dials and sound effects, creating a unique sound and game experience.
Cody sounds directs the series, while DJ YOSHITAKA serves as the head producer.
Sota Fujimori provides all of the games' background musics.

What makes SOUND VOLTEX different from the other game series is that regular BEMANI artists (either KONAMI in-house or commissioned ones) are not prominent in the song list. Instead, artists renowned in the doujin and beatmania simulation scene are more common here, plus licensed EXIT TUNES songs and Touhou Project arrangements. There are also remixes of original KONAMI songs.
While at first the song list mostly consisted of original songs or licenses involving VOCALOID, later in the life-cycle of the first game the artist selection greatly expanded thanks to what it is supposed to be the most important pillar of the series - the FLOOR section.

SOUND VOLTEX FLOOR refers to the group of competitions posted in its website where Japan-based artists can participate in, with a chance of their songs or remixes appearing in the games. Music contests have their own themes and rules, such as remixing a selection of an artist's songs or using synthesized vocals. There are also contests related to designing jackets for brand-new songs or to replace pre-existing ones in the game.
Thanks to the FLOOR contests (and also to the presence of Touhou Project arrangements), the game quickly gained a lot of success, prompting the production team to focus as much as possible on these in the future. Contest winners may also be invited to provide original songs in SOUND VOLTEX itself or in other BEMANI games (most notably, 5 of the 7 beatnation RHYZE members debuted in BEMANI via SOUND VOLTEX FLOOR).

From April 16th to May 15th, 2015, the first SOUND VOLTEX FLOOR contests (for original songs and appeal cards) exclusive to the rest of Asia were held. However, delays in communication between KONAMI, Korean distributor UNIANA and participating artists have resulted in the songs and appeal cards not being added to the game more than a year after submissions ended. (On December 21st, 2016, UNIANA stated on Twitter that it has sent out confirmation emails to all winning artists.)

As first seen in SOUND VOLTEX II -infinite infection-, new games of the series are released as huge online updates.

Unlike other BEMANI games, regular soundtracks are not released for the SOUND VOLTEX series. Instead, soundtracks tend to focus on one or a few FLOOR contests. Listed below are soundtracks currently available:

  • SOUND VOLTEX ULTIMATE TRACKS - 東方紅魔郷REMIX -
  • SOUND VOLTEX ULTIMATE TRACKS -LEGEND OF KAC-
  • SOUND VOLTEX ULTIMATE TRACKS -FLOOR ANTHEM- EP.01
    • Released on February 24th, 2016
    • Contains selected FLOOR songs from SOUND VOLTEX BOOTH and SOUND VOLTEX II -infinite infection- as voted by the community, plus 5 new original songs.
  • SOUND VOLTEX ULTIMATE TRACKS -東方妖々夢&輝針城REMIX-
    • Released on November 23rd, 2016 (released early on October 16th, 2016, at the Autumn Reitaisai 2016 doujin event)
    • Contains all the songs from the Touhou Project Perfect Cherry Blossom and Double Dealing Character remix contests, plus 3 new arrangements.
  • SOUND VOLTEX ULTIMATE TRACKS BOOTH LEGACY - 壱 - and SOUND VOLTEX ULTIMATE TRACKS BOOTH LEGACY - 弐 -
    • Released on July 21st, 2017, only obtainable on select arcades for 800 VP each
    • Both soundtracks contain almost every KONAMI original song/remix from SOUND VOLTEX BOOTH.

Original SOUND VOLTEX songs do not have soundtracks of their own, but may appear in soundtracks for multi-game BEMANI events.

Recently, SOUND VOLTEX's sound direction has been increasingly focusing on KONAMI original songs made by the most popular FLOOR winners. SOUND VOLTEX also became the first BEMANI game series to have licensed BMS songs (BEMANI Simulation files), and with SOUND VOLTEX IV HEAVENLY HAVEN, it will also be getting songs from major doujin labels such as HARDCORE TANO*C, S2TB Recording, and C.H.S.

Gameplay

For simplicity, the games will be referred to by their subtitles (BOOTH, infinite infection, GRAVITY WARS, HEAVENLY HAVEN).

SOUND VOLTEX's gameplay is similar to other rhythm games like beatmania IIDX and GuitarFreaks & DrumMania. When a note reaches the judgment line in time with the beat, you press the corresponding button or turn the corresponding dial.

The game interface has 4 CHIP BT note lanes, and 2 LONG FX note lanes that each occupy 2 BT note lanes. BT notes are white and FX notes are yellow/orange.

In addition to the standard SHORT and LONG buttons, SOUND VOLTEX also has 2 analog dials, one on each side. By default, when a blue trail (left side) and/or a pink trail (right side) appears, you have to turn the respective dial(s) to "follow" the trail(s). These are known as ANALOG CHAINS.
The effects in the songs are game-related and are caused by LONG FX notes (distortion effects), ANALOG CHAINS (woosh effects), and special CHIP FX notes (added FX effects).

infinite infection introduced the following gameplay mechanics:

  • SHORT note lanes can now have hold notes, known as LONG BT notes. Conversely, LONG note lanes can now have short notes, known as CHIP FX notes.
  • The HARD-gauge style EXCESSIVE RATE is added. Drop to 0% and the stage fails immediately.
  • The INFINITE BLASTER unlock system/folder is added (since HEAVENLY HAVEN known as BLASTER GATE). It unlocks most game-specific special charts (e.g. INFINITE). This folder is only available if the BLASTER ENERGY gauge is at 100%. Using the EXCESSIVE RATE gauge charges the BLASTER ENERGY gauge by 6.67% a stage (15 plays will fill it).

GRAVITY WARS added even more mechanics:

  • Any combination of the BT and FX notes is now possible.
  • ANALOG CHAINS may start from anywhere and go in any direction, and also extend beyond the chart lane.
  • New charts may include zooming, moving, and even disappearing of the chart lanes.
  • Colors of the ANALOG CHAINS can now be changed. Two new colors are also available: yellow and green.
  • Hi-SPEED values can be tuned to an exact BPM value. They can also be stored for easy Hi-SPEED changing.
  • EARLY/LATE indicators for NEARs can be shown in-game. They have 4 possible positions: LOWER, STANDARD (default), UPPER, and UPPER+.
  • Timing can be adjusted to be earlier or later by holding START and then pressing 3 or 9 on the keypad, respectively. Values range from -8 to +8. Increase this value if you are getting many EARLYs and decrease it if you are getting LATEs.
  • The ALTERNATIVE RATE SYSTEM (ARS) is added. This gauge starts with and EXCESSIVE RATE gauge, but when depleted (a TRACK CRASH normally), it will be switched to a EFFECTIVE RATE, at a level as if it were active. It is only available in GENERATOR START.

HEAVENLY HAVEN introduced the following mechanics:

  • A new default difficulty, MAXIMUM, is added.
  • MIRROR and RANDOM note options are added. MIRROR flips all input horizontally, while RANDOM makes all BT notes appear randomly (and sometimes mirrors FX notes). They cannot be used in SKILL ANALYZER.
  • Special CHIP FX notes (colored yellow) produce added sound effects when hit. These vary from claps to bass drops.

To clear a song, your EFFECTIVE RATE must be 70% or higher (for all other gauges, never let the rate drop to zero). This does not affect charts rated Level 7 or below, however, as you will automatically be saved.

Modes

Initially, BOOTH only had two modes: ONLINE (single player) and FRIEND (local matching with 1-3 other players).

infinite infection added SKILL ANALYZER mode, that offers various 3-stage courses, most of which determines a player's Skill Level, and the rest being special commemerative courses. It also split all its modes to credit and PASELI/premium sub-modes when KONAMI further integrated PASELI into all its eAUMSEMENT games.

GRAVITY WARS, upon the launch of its SOUND VOLTEX GENERATOR -REAL MODEL-, added new GENERATOR-exclusive modes.

HEAVENLY HAVEN merged the SKILL ANALYZER mode into its main modes; now it can be selected while on your first stage. Normal and GENERATOR modes are now split into their individual sctions. GENERATOR BLASTER, a GENERATOR-exclusive BLASTER START mode, was added. It also removed the FRIEND modes, as local matching can now be accessed by waiting out a timer after selecting a mode, like jubeat's local matching system.

The game currently has the following modes:

Normal modes
  • LIGHT START
- Up to 3 stages. Normal gameplay; the game is over when a song is failed. Song level selection is limited by the player's current Skill Level in SKILL ANALYZER.
  • STANDARD START
- At least 2 stages, up to 3. Same as LIGHT START, but offers a save for one stage, and has no level limit. The BLASTER ENERGY gauge also increases by an additional 1.33% per stage.
  • BLASTER START
- 2 stages guaranteed. Accesses only the BLASTER GATE folder without having to fill the BLASTER ENERGY gauge.
GENERATOR modes (Only on machines with a GENERATOR)
  • GENERATOR LIGHT START
- Up to 3 stages. Same as LIGHT START, and prints one Genesis Card.
  • GENERATOR START
- 3 stages guaranteed. Same as STANDARD START, ARS is available, and prints 1-5 Genesis card(s).
  • GENERATOR BLASTER
- 2 stages guanranteed. Same as BLASTER START, and prints 1-5 Genesis card(s).

Difficulty

SOUND VOLTEX has four main difficulties: NOVICE, ADVANCED, EXHAUST, and MAXIMUM (the latter introduced in HEAVENLY HAVEN).

Since infinite infection, the new games also have their own "special" difficulty, each named after their subtitles:

  • infinite infection added the INFINITE difficulty, with a light purple hue (previously rainbow).
  • GRAVITY WARS added GRAVITY, with an orange hue.
  • HEAVENLY HAVEN added HEAVENLY, with a cyan/blue hue.

These difficulties are equivalent to each other, and these charts are usually added to songs from previous versions, adding the respective games' new gimmicks to otherwise old and outdated songs.

Difficulty ranges from 1 (the easiest) to 20 (the hardest), since SOUND VOLTEX IV HEAVENLY HAVEN. Previously, it was 1 to 15 in BOOTH, and 1 to 16 in infinite infection and GRAVITY WARS.

As a major note, newly added songs (except for original songs) have the NOVICE and ADVANCED charts always available by default. The other difficulty charts usually must be bought with BLOCKs. If not, they can be unlocked via BLASTER GATE, or through MISSIONs (in the case of GRAVITY WARS).

Scoring

All notes are judged as CRITICAL (perfect), NEAR (good; only for CHIP BT and CHIP FX notes), or ERROR (miss; breaks combo/chain). The maximum score of a TRACK is 10,000,000 (10 million).
Each note, when hit with CRITICAL timing, is worth (10,000,000 / total chain) points. Each NEAR note is worth half of a CRITICAL note.

Chain

Every BT note is counted as 1 combo chain. Every analog right-angle turn or "slam" also counts as 1 combo chain.
For LONG notes and analog chains, the combo chain starts counting after one beat from the start of the note/chain and ends one beat before. Each LONG note and analog chain counts as 4 combo chain per beat (2 per beat if the song's BPM is more than or equal to 256 at any time).

Grade

From BOOTH to GRAVITY WARS, a chart can be rated from D (lowest) to AAA (highest). It was variable, so it depended on both score and EFFECTIVE RATE level (or its equivalent level). The calculation of the "grade score" was:

(TRACK score × 0.9) + (EFFECTIVE RATE level[%] × 1,000,000)


The final grade then can be determined from this table:

Grade "Grade Score" Range
AAA > 9,800,000
AA 9,400,000 - 9,799,999
A 8,900,000 - 9,399,999
B 8,000,000 - 8,899,999
C 7,000,000 - 7,999,999
D < 7,000,000

In HEAVENLY HAVEN, the grade range is expanded, adding the A+, AA+, AAA+, and S ranks. The rank requirements are also revamped, now basing it on score alone. See the following table:

Grade Score Range
S > 9,900,000
AAA+ 9,800,000 - 9,899,999
AAA 9,700,000 - 9,799,999
AA+ 9,500,000 - 9,699,999
AA 9,300,000 - 9,499,999
A+ 9,000,000 - 9,299,999
A 8,700,000 - 8,999,999
B 8,000,000 - 8,699,999
C 7,000,000 - 7,999,999
D < 7,000,000

In addition, if a player hits all notes (i.e. a full combo), it is an ULTIMATE CHAIN (UC); and if they hit all notes with a CRITICAL rating, it is a PERFECT (formerly PERFECT ULTIMATE CHAIN, or PUC).

Fulfiling specific play conditions, like achieving an ULTIMATE CHAIN or a AA rank, can be requirements for buying certain charts for songs.

SDVX Station

SDVX Station is the section of the game where you can buy in-game items using Blocks or Packets. You gain Blocks and Packets by playing the game. Blocks (Blc) are used to purchase song charts, while Packets (Pc) are used to purchase Appeal Cards.

Since NOVICE charts are always unlocked, you will only buy ADVANCED, EXHAUST and INFINITE ones. In SOUND VOLTEX BOOTH, you could buy single charts; in the sequel, you can choose to buy only the ADVANCED chart for a song, or all of them (except INFINITE) at once. Another difference between the two games is the absence of RANK requirements in SOUND VOLTEX II -infinite infection-.

Besides purchase costs, often there will be conditions that need to be fulfilled. These can range from clearing a certain number of songs to getting ULTIMATE CHAINS.

Since HEAVENLY HAVEN, you can buy charts direct from the track select screen. As such, the SDVX Station will only have the Appeal Card generator and POLICY BREAK sections.

A list of purchasable charts can be found here:

Note that when playing new game versions, older charts must still be bought if you haven't done so before, similar to how locked songs in jubeat and REFLEC BEAT remain locked.

RANK System

IMPORTANT NOTE: The following section is obsolete due to the RANK system being removed in SOUND VOLTEX II -infinite infection-.

SOUND VOLTEX BOOTH Ranks

The purpose of the RANK System in SOUND VOLTEX BOOTH is to limit what song charts players can buy from the SDVX Station. There are 20 ranks in total, and you can raise them by accumulating Rank Points (RP). To accumulate RP you need to play songs and clear songs (getting ULTIMATE CHAINS or PERFECT ULTIMATE CHAINS makes the process faster). Once you gain a new Rank, you need to accumulate a new amount of RP for the next one.

The RANKS are:

  1. Nameless Grass (0 RP)
  2. Young Bud (30 RP)
  3. Tree Leaf (70 RP)
  4. Verdure (80 RP)
  5. Cherry-blossom (80 RP)
  6. Water Lily (150 RP)
  7. Chinese Bellflower (250 RP)
  8. Setsugekka (250 RP)
  9. Small Drizzle (250 RP)
  10. Fog Drizzle (400 RP)
  11. Murasame (500 RP)
  12. Drizzle (600 RP)
  13. Iridescent Clouds (550 RP)
  14. Purple Clouds (550 RP)
  15. Gyoun (550 RP)
  16. Kong Cloud (550 RP)
  17. Blue Sky (350 RP)
  18. Sky (350 RP)
  19. Absolute Sky (400 RP)
  20. Void (500 RP)

Trivia

  • The SOUND VOLTEX series is the first to utilize the eAMUSEMENT Participation system, which requires game cabinets to always be connected to the eAMUSEMENT network.
    • It is also the second game overall (after TAITO's MUSIC GUNGUN series) to officially license Touhou Project arrangements from Team Shanghai Alice, developer and publisher of the Touhou Project series of games.
  • Game size re-arrangements of the system BGMs of the SOUND VOLTEX games have always appeared as a playable song:
    • BOOTH's BGM, titled VOLTEXES, first appeared in REFLEC BEAT limelight.
    • infinite infection's BGM, titled VOLTEXES II, first appeared in REFLEC BEAT groovin'!!.
    • GRAVITY WARS Season 1's BGM, titled VOLTEXES III, appears in SOUND VOLTEX III GRAVITY WARS.
      • Initially titled VOLTEX III, it was played at the EXIT TUNES DANCE PARTY ~beatnation RHYZE music council~ concert by Sota Fujimori during his Expander act. During the EXIT TUNES DANCE PARTY beatnation summit 2015 concert, however, it was corrected to VOLTEXES III and credited to Sota Fujimori.
  • infinite infection is the first full BEMANI game to be released as an online update.
  • infinite infection is the first BEMANI game to have a location test in a doujin-related event (Reitaisai 10).
  • The SOUND VOLTEX series had no removals until GRAVITY WARS, with サイバーサンダーサイダー being removed on June 1st, 2016, due to its expired license. The SKILL ANALYZER course containing the song, 6th B course for Skill LEVEL 06, was also removed.

SOUND VOLTEX Resources

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