DDR Help

Salamon

Hello People,

I need some help. My girlfriend and I just DDRed for the first time and it was awesome. So now I want to get a setup for home. I've noticed many different types of pads out there. Anyone have recommendations? I don't mind spending a bit of money for quality, but I don't want to go too expensive. Game system doesn't matter, I've got them all.

Thanks for any help,
mark

Jameskun

I personally have 2 RedOctane Ignition pads (I have one v2 and one v3 as shown, my other v2 developed a tear that caused the down arrow get stuck on). This is coupled with a ps2 and most of the DDR games that are available for it (max, max2 and extreme 2). I also have a modified PlayStation one and Japanese copies of 4th and 5th mix and a couple other DDR games, but due to the age of my PlayStation they don't always work so well (the music will cut out sometimes). I think this is basically the easiest setup.

First a note on purchasing the RedOctane pads... SHOP AROUND! They are expensive online, but local game stores and Best Buy will carry them as well. I picked up my replacement v3 pad at a local Game Stop for $50. You could just get the cheap pads, but they are hard to keep in one place without taping them to the floor. I find that they are tough on your feet if you don't have good carpet padding, and the tape can mess up the carpet (or in my case the hardwoods).

The RedOctane pads are also nice because they can connect to the PS2, xbox, or the PC through a USB port. I have not played any of the xbox mixes, but I will at some point in the future get Step Mania setup. Buying just the pads and getting Step Mania on a living room computer is another option.

I have not personally tried any of the other soft pads besides the red octane ones, so I can't comment on how they are. I am often tempted to buy hard pads but have thus far not wanted to fork over the $$$ for good ones.

rampant glee

In the past, I've bought Mad Catz Beat Pads and Konami dance pads. When my friends and I used to play almost every day, the pads would only last a few months. They're both very cheap, and they both break easily; as far as I could tell these brands are equal, so go for whatever is cheaper between the two. Still, they're good to start out with. If you're not playing on heavy mode and you don't stomp your feet, they'll probably last you much longer than that. I recommend these for now. Lots of people play a lot when they first get DDR but lose interest quickly and never play again. It would be a shame to make a big investment into good pads and then not use them. By the time the cheap pads break, you'll know whether or not you're going to want to spend the extra money on heavy pads.

I know people who have tried to make these last longer by making wooden bases for the cheap pads, but it seemed like wasted effort to me. It did stop things from sliding around, but their pads didn't seem to last any longer.

My boyfriend has some metal pads, which are my favorite to play on. They're fabulous. I've tried the heavy foam pads, but they still slip around; metal ones never move. We've used the pads for about a year not and they haven't broken yet. It feels just like the pads at the arcade. He spent about $150 for each... you could probably find some a little cheaper if you shopped around.

Salamon

Thank you for the comments so far. I have one additional question that I forgot to ask. Is it best to DDR on a carpeted surface or a hard surface. We have tile in the living room and carpet in the spare room. Is one better than the other?

thank you,
mark

Apreche

Thank you for the comments so far. I have one additional question that I forgot to ask. Is it best to DDR on a carpeted surface or a hard surface. We have tile in the living room and carpet in the spare room. Is one better than the other?

thank you,
mark

What matters more than surface is how stable the floor is. It is best to DDR in the basement because you won't shake the house or break the floor. When it comes to hard floor vs. carpet the deciding factor is friction. If there isn't enough friction, the pads will slip slide around everywhere. I suggest you put them on the hard surface, but duct tape them to the floor so they stay in once place while you dance.

Jameskun

I have used the Ignition pads on both carpet and hardwood floors. In both cases the pads do slide around a bit, but it has not been a problem for me (I just re-adjust the pad between songs). With the cheap thin pads, I have had trouble playing at all without taping them down since they slide around way too much.