DDRMAX2: Dance Dance Revolution 7thMIX (Arcade)

DDRMAX2: Dance Dance Revolution 7thMIX undid many changes the original DDRMAX made, such as the removal of difficulties and reviving older Konami Original Songs. It also introduced Oni steps, though they could only be played in the also brand-new Nonstop Challenge mode, and their titles and graphics being hidden, showing the original song's graphics instead.

Unused Mode#

The Solo mode, which was a feature in some versions of Dance Dance Revolution 4thMIX and 4thMIX PLUS, is still in the game's coding, and can be enabled with the following MAME cheat:

    <cheat desc="Enable 6 Panel/Solo Mode">
        <script state="run">
            <action>maincpu.pd@8001bedc=34020001</action>
        </script>
        <script state="off">
            <action>maincpu.pd@8001bedc=00001021</action>
        </script>
    </cheat>

Unused Chart#

The step file for the Nonstop Challenge-exclusive song ECSTASY(midnight blue mix) contains an unused Double Heavy chart.
It is essentially an early version of its Double Challenge chart, with much easier rhythms.

Download ECSTASY(midnight blue mix) (unused chart) File: ddrmax2-ecst3.zip (907 B) (info)

Unused Graphics#

How To Play#

Inside of the folder data\lang\japa, which contains some interface graphics, are the assets from Dance Dance Revolution 5thMIX's How To Play screen, which are never displayed.

lhowt_25.cmt

showt_25.cmt

inst0_16.cmt

inst1_16.cmt

inst2_16.cmt

inst3_16.cmt

Songwheel#

Shoshinsha
A shoshinsha mark graphic, found within the graphics in data\gpct\select\mslob_25.cmt. It was possibly intended to be displayed in songs with a rating of 2 or lower in Basic, as is in Dance Dance Revolution 5thMIX and its home port.

Long Marker
Also within data\gpct\select\mslob_25.cmt is a "long" marker, meant to be used to denote Long Version songs, which are completely absent from this game.

Gameplay#

The unused Freeze! judgement returns here, found within the graphics in data\gpct\dance\gmob_25.cmt.

Old Staff Roll Graphics#

The folder data\gpct\demo, which mostly contains graphical assets seen in the game's attract sequence, also contains the graphics from DDRMAX's One More Extra Stage staff roll.

trend_25.cmt

trtnk_25.cmt

treaw_16.cmt

Ranking Screen#

data\gpct\demo\scrob_25.cmt, which contain assets for the Nonstop Course rankings seen in the game's attract sequence, has a placeholder label for a fourth course to be displayed, whereas only three are.

Naoki Portrait#

This portrait of composer Naoki Maeda, found in data\gpct\demo\btile_25.cmt, doesn't seem to be used, even in the game's operator menu.

Unused Videos#

Inside of the folder MOV are the game's background animation videos. Several of them go unused, some of them being leftovers from the previous game, while some others are new.
In addition, JAHASA.SBS, JDLSAA.SBS, JDRECA.SBS, JDTAKB.SBS and JTLIAA.SBS, five unused videos from DDRMAX, can also be found unused here.

DDRMAX Leftovers#

JAFBCA.SBS
Was used in FLASH IN THE NIGHT, which is absent from this release.

JAFBCB.SBS
Was used in FLASH IN THE NIGHT, which is absent from this release.

JAFBCC.SBS
Was used in FLASH IN THE NIGHT, which is absent from this release.

JAFBCD.SBS
Was used in FLASH IN THE NIGHT, which is absent from this release.

JAMMIA.SBS
Was used in FLASH IN THE NIGHT, which is absent from this release.

JARETA.SBS
Was used in FLASH IN THE NIGHT, which is absent from this release.

JARSTA.SBS
Was used in FLASH IN THE NIGHT, which is absent from this release.

JATSMA.SBS
Was used in FLASH IN THE NIGHT, which is absent from this release.

JDKKZA.SBS
Was used in Healing Vision ~Angelic mix~ and GHOSTS (VINCENT DE MOOR REMIX) in the previous game, though the former song uses a different video in this release and the latter is completely absent.

JDZOOA.SBS
Was used in HIGHS OFF U(Scorccio XY Mix), which uses a different video in this release.

JFITAA.SBS
Was used in The Centre Of The Heart (STONEBRIDGE CLUBMIX), which uses a different video in this release.

JKDRMA.SBS
Was used in true... (radio edit), which uses a different video in this release.

JKDRMB.SBS
Was used in true... (trance sunrise mix), which uses a different video in this release.

JPHRTA.SBS
Was used in COW GIRL, which uses a different video in this release.

JPSTRA.SBS
Was used in NORI NORI NORI, which uses a different video in this release.

JPTKRA.SBS
Was used in I'M IN THE MOOD FOR DANCING, which uses a different video in this release.

JTKIBA.SBS
Was used in TELEPHONE OPERATOR (Club MIX), which is absent from this release.

JTLADA.SBS
Was used in BYE BYE BABY BALLOON, which is absent from this release.

JTMCLA.SBS
Was used in BYE BYE BABY BALLOON, which is absent from this release.

JTTOPB.SBS
Was used in TELEPHONE OPERATOR (Club MIX), which is absent from this release.

New Movies#

JEFLGA.SBS
Depicts a series of cartoonish frogs. It is very similar in nature to JEPAIR.SBS, a video that appears in the script of THE WHISTLE SONG in this game. Would make appearances in Dancing Stage Fever's staff roll, as well as in DDR FESTIVAL.

JEFLOC.SBS
Depicts a dance floor with many flashing lights. It is very similar to two used movies, JEFLOA.SBS and JEFLOB.SBS. Would only make an appearance in Dancing Stage Fever's Christmas staff roll.

JSEDCA.SBS
Depicts a series of rotating eggs. Never used by any songs in this release, and in any following games, both arcade and console-wise.

JSCVBA.SBS
Depicts rotating hearts over a colorful background. Would later appear in the next release.

JSERTA.SBS
Depict a series of rotating purple cubes. Would only make a proper appearance in Dance Dance Revolution Ultramix.

Overdump Data#

Throughout CARD.DAT are several unreferenced graphical and stepchart files that are leftovers from earlier versions of this game. Note that some of these have been partially overwritten.

Graphics#

BREAK DOWN!
{|class=wikitable style="margin: auto; text-align: center;" !Unused !Final |- style="vertical-align: bottom;" |Offset: 0x8EB000
| |}

Spin the disc
{|class=wikitable style="margin: auto; text-align: center;" !Unused !Final |- style="vertical-align: bottom;" |Offset: 0x95C800
| |}

TRANCE DE JANEIRO (SAMBA DE JANEIRO 2002 Epic Vocal Remix)
{|class=wikitable style="margin: auto; text-align: center;" !Unused !Final |- |Offset: 0x96B800

Offset: 0x96E800
| |- style="vertical-align: bottom;" |Offset: 0x96D000
| |- style="vertical-align: bottom;" |Offset: 0x96F000
| |- style="vertical-align: bottom;" |Offset: 0x975000
| |}

MORE THAN I NEEDED TO KNOW
{|class=wikitable style="margin: auto; text-align: center;" !Unused !Final |- style="vertical-align: bottom;" |Offset: 0x998000
| |}

Kakumei
{|class=wikitable style="margin: auto; text-align: center;" !Unused !Final |- style="vertical-align: bottom;" |Offset: 0x9C4040
| |}

Charts#

TRANCE DE JANEIRO (SAMBA DE JANEIRO 2002 Epic Vocal Remix)#

Offset - 0x96C800
Both Single and Double Standard charts sport many differences compared to their final counterparts. Its BPM sync is slightly different as well.
Note that the data for both Heavy charts was overwritten, and, as such, they could not be properly analysed.

Download TRANCE DE JANEIRO (overdump charts) File: ddrmax2-tran.zip (1,38 KB) (info)

MORE THAN I NEEDED TO KNOW#

Offset - 0x996000
Single Standard is the only chart that contains differences, the most notable of them being during the chorus (measure 33 onwards), which contains more repeated arrow patterns. The BPM sync is just slightly different as well.
Note that the Double Heavy chart data was overwritten, and, as such, it could not be properly analysed.

Download MORE THAN I NEEDED TO KNOW (overdump charts) File: ddrmax2-than.zip (1,66 KB) (info)

DROP OUT(FROM NONSTOP MEGAMIX)#

Offset - 0x9EF000
Both charts are much easier than their final counterparts, not having any 16th notes. The sync is different as well.

Download DROP OUT(FROM NONSTOP MEGAMIX) (overdump charts) File: ddrmax2-drop3.zip (1,00 KB) (info)

MATSURI JAPAN(FROM NONSTOP MEGAMIX)#

Offset - 0x9F3800
Both Single and Double charts are very similar to their final counterparts, though there are some slight differences:

• Measures 5 and 9 use different patterns, the final ones following the chime sounds more closely.

Single
Unused (Measure 5)

Double
Unused

• Measure 31 also uses different patterns in both charts. In the case of the Single chart, it's a repeated 4th note sequence rather than a pattern that loosely follows the taiko in the background. While the Double chart already followed that, the pattern in the early chart is completely done in the left pad, rather than "transitioning" halfway through.

Unused	Final
Single
Double

SEXY PLANET(FROM NONSTOP MEGAMIX)#

Offset - 0x9F5000
There is a single difference in the Double chart, that being of a slight pattern change in measures 55 and 56.

Unused	Final

STILL IN MY HEART(MOMO MIX)#

Offset - 0x9F8000
There are two minor differences within the Single chart. In addition, there is no proper Double chart, and the sync is slightly different as well.

• There's an additional left arrow at measure 12, which is not present in the final chart.

Unused	Final

• The right arrow at measure 61, just before the end of the song, was originally not a freeze arrow.

Unused	Final

BURNIN' THE FLOOR(BLUE FIRE mix)#

Offset - 0x9FC800
Both Single and Double charts use different, easier patterns during the second verse (measures 17 to 24) and pre-chorus (measure 33 to 42). The latter also has a slight difference in the ending section (measures 58 and 59). The sync is different as well.

Download BURNIN' THE FLOOR(BLUE FIRE mix) (overdump charts) File: ddrmax2-burn3.zip (1,11 KB) (info)

ECSTASY(midnight blue mix)#

Offset - 0x9FE000
Contains a completely different Single chart, which has simpler rhythms. The Double Challenge chart is also a perfect match to the unused Double Heavy chart which can be found unused in this song's used stepchart file. The sync is different as well.

Download ECSTASY(midnight blue mix) (overdump charts) File: ddrmax2-ecst3OD.zip (1,46 KB) (info)

Unused Sounds#

A huge number of announcer lines from 3rdMIX and 4thMIX are present in CARD.DAT, sandwiching the announcer files that are actually used in this game.