chapter4

"So this is the evolution of the Revolution." Eric typed on ICQ.
"It is surely a revolution on gaming industry. The gameplay of DDR is so unique."
"I agree. Before I begin, let me ask you a question. Do you know BeatMania?"
"I tried it once."
"So that's it. Those music games are grouped in a series called Bemani."

I knew that BeatMania (BM), along with other music games like DDR, Guitar Freak (GF), DrumMania (DM), KeyboardMania(KM), DanceMania X (DMX) and Pop 'n Music are all published by Konami. Konami named their music games into a group called Bemani. Also included is another dance game Para Para Paradise, which was not released at that time yet.

"I heard about Bemani, so what's going on." I asked.

"Let me tell you, but this takes a while.
"The music game genre was created when Parappa the Rapper came out, which I forgot when. I guess it was a success [Note: This game is a mega-seller] because I heard that Konami made BeatMania because of the success on this game. BeatMania finally came out in June 1998 and it eventually gained enough popularity when Konami decided to design the next Bemani game. Guess what it is?"
"Dance Dance Revolution?"
"That's right. DDR." Eric typed. "Sigh, this game is indeed popular. Konami signed a contract with Toshiba EMI so that Konami can use songs under its license. DDR was released in Japan in November 1998 and arrived in Hong Kong for trial run one month later.
"There were not many songs in the original DDR. Nine, if my memory is correct.
"This game became popular among those arcade people, like me. I remembered those days when we literally lived with the machine. We followed DDR wherever it went. Then, Playstation version of DDR came out in April, 1999. To tell the truth, not many people would ever imagine a day when this game would be published on Playstation, and many people wondered how this game can be played on Playstation. DDR would not be DDR if it had to be played by controller because it is not dancing.
"Konami made a solution -- dancepad. Then the revolution began."
"So this is how the revolution began?" I said.
"Well." Eric responded with a "You-should-had-guess-it" attitude. "Konami did some serious promotion. Like, in Hong Kong, Konami had an outdoor party at Times Square in Causeway Bay. There were a lot of people there. Later, the whole city were in the craze of the Revolution."
"So were there any organization being set up?" I asked.
"Surely there was. Even when BeatMania came out there was a club called something like i611. However, I don't know much about it since I don't play BeatMania. When DDR came out, another large game club formed, the HK DDR Club. I am a member of this club. But, there were actually way too many people for the club to function efficiently, and as a result, internal disagreement caused the club to break apart. Maybe as a freelancer, not belonging to any club, is more suitable for me."
"Oh, I heard the DDR Club before, but I don't know that you are in that club."
"If I were you, I would not let my classmates know." Eric remarked. "Although most people know how to play DDR, only a few a the true maniacs like me. It made me feel like a Martian if they ever knew that I am a master of DDR. Ha, to speak of Martian, we had a group of DDR vocabulary that only we would understand and ironically, they are called Martian."
"Like 'yellow feet' (Basic difficulty)?" I said.
"Not those. It is too generalized."
"Then never mind."
"Any DDR organizations in North America?" Eric asked.
"I don't know as I am new to DDR. But it is possible to have some because I know that places like California is plagued with import arcade machines." I replied.
"Maybe I should come to Toronto and see the DDR scene." Eric said. Please don't.

"There are other Bemani clubs, like HK D(rum)M(ania) Club, KeyboardMania Club, etc. It is getting late for me, talk to you later, Kenny Mouse." Eric said.
"See ya, and don't call me Mouse, Eric Dog."