Beatstream: A Touchscreen Rhythm Game

Introduction

• Touchscreen rhythm games gained popularity with the rise of smartphones.
• Early examples: Cytus 1 and Tap Tap Revenge.
• Touchscreen technology spread to various sectors, including arcade games.

Beatstream Overview

• Developed by Konami.
• 100% touchscreen rhythm game.
• Features innovative gameplay and unique aesthetics.

Gameplay Design

• Machine Design:
  • Two screens, with the top screen displaying background videos for spectators.
• Game Mechanics:
  • Central play area is an octagon where notes fly in from outside to center.
  • Note Types:
    • Tap, hold, and swipe notes.
    • Stream notes involve dragging arrows through multiple hit points.
  • Additional target areas around the screen for unique notes.

Aesthetic Features

• Mascot: Bisco, adding a cute and fun feel to the game.
• Background videos enhance the spectator experience.

Difficulty Levels

• Four difficulties: Light, Medium, Beast, Nightmare.
• Songs rated from 1 to 10.
• Special rating "Kami" introduced for the song "Chernobog."

Challenges and Design Flaws

• Major issue: Arms block the view of lower notes, creating gameplay challenges.
• Attempted solution: Arrow indicators for blocked notes, but not very effective.
• Difficulty above 9 becomes unmanageable due to visibility issues.

Game Reception and Legacy

• Initial success with appealing cabinet design.
• Second version: Beatstream Animtribe with new songs and features.
• Faced issues leading to eventual shutdown.
• Failed to receive an offline patch, making it unplayable after server shutdown.

Conclusion

• Beatstream is seen as a game with promising ideas hindered by design flaws.
• Ultimately, it was unsustainable and shut down.
• Some features were adopted by other games, but the core touchscreen elements were not carried over.

• Extras:
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