Sound Voltex

Sound Voltex (stylized as SOUND VOLTEX, often shortened as SDVX) is a series of music games by KONAMI. It was tested on various cities in Japan starting on August 26, 2011 until September 19, 2011.^[1] It was then released on January 18, 2012.

SOUND VOLTEX II - infinite infection - and SOUND VOLTEX III GRAVITY WARS are update versions for SOUND VOLTEX, with each released in June 5, 2013 and November 20, 2014.

SOUND VOLTEX in General

SOUND VOLTEX consists of two different parts that relate to each other; SOUND VOLTEX BOOTH and SOUND VOLTEX FLOOR. SOUND VOLTEX BOOTH is the main game, while SOUND VOLTEX FLOOR is a system where game content is created by Japanese artists and musicians. Content chosen from SOUND VOLTEX FLOOR will be inserted into SOUND VOLTEX BOOTH to be available in the game.

Unlike other rhythm arcades, SOUND VOLTEX does not require the players to "play the music correctly", but to "make various effects" on the existed music.

Gameplay

Control panel

Objects

Various objects come towards player on the course lane, which consists 6 columns of rails. The player is required to input corresponding commands when the object reaches the Critical Line at the bottom of the screen. The command required will differ, depending on the objects.

BT Object

White objects that come towards the player. Each BT object is one-column wide.

When the objects reach the Critical Line, hit the BT button corresponding to the rail where the object sits.

For chip objects, simply hit the buttons. For long objects, press and hold the buttons until the end of the object.

FX Object

Orange objects that come towards the player. Each FX object is two-column wide.

When the objects reach the Critical Line, hit the FX button corresponding to the rail where the object sits.

For chip objects, simply hit the buttons. For long objects, press and hold the buttons until the end of the object.

Analog Device

Blue and pink lines that flow from the inside to the outside of the course lane.

When the line reaches the Critical Line, turn the corresponding analog devices to make the Markers stay inside the Device line.

For oblique parts, turn the devices slowly. For right angle parts, turn the devices at a stretch.

Rate systems

As the players hit the objects, a judgment is received, from highest to lowest, CRITICAL, NEAR, and ERROR, depending on the timing of hitting the objects. (For long objects and Analog Devices, CRITICAL and ERROR only.) CRITICAL fills the rate gauge, while ERROR depletes it. (From II, NEAR also fills the gauge, but only 1/4 of the amount that CRITICAL fills.) The player is required to fill the rate gauge at the certain amount when the stage ends to clear it, otherwise fails it, and the play will be over. The amount required will differ, depending on the rate system the player is using.

Effective Rate

Default rate system. Initial value is 0%.

The player is required to fill 70% of the rate gauge when the stage ends to clear the stage.

When multiplayer matching, if at least one player clear the stage, then those who fail will instead be "SAVED", and they can continue the play.

The amount of the rate energy can affect the Clear Mark. Even the player is using other rate systems, this rate system will still work in background.

Excessive Rate

Rate system added from II. Initial value is 100%.

The player is required to finish the stage without letting the rate energy fall to 0%. If rate gauge is fully depleted before the stage ends, it's an instant TRACK CRASH.

The player receives a different clear medal when clearing a stage with this rate.

Since the player is instantly retired from the match when receiving TRACK CRASH, SAVED system is unavailable when using this rate.

Permissive Rate

Rate system used in Skill Analyzer mode. Initial value is 100%.

Blastive Rate

Rate system used for Blaster stages. Initial value is 100%.

Result Screen

After the stage ends, a result screen is shown, with following status included.

Clear Status

Track Complete

The player gets the status when clears a stage.

Track Crash

The player gets the status when fails a stage.

Saved

The player gets the status when fails a stage, but saved by other players in the match.

Ultimate Chain (UC)

The player gets the status when clears a stage without ERRORs.

Perfect Ultimate Chain (PUC, or simply Perfect)

The player gets the status when the player hit all objects with CRITICAL judgment, which will let the player gets the full score of 10,000,000.

Play Score

The score for the stage. The formula for score is Score = (Critical + Near/2) ÷ Total Chain × 10,000,000

Clear Mark

The grade for the stage, from highest to lowest, AAA, AA, A, B, C, and D, depending on the judgment value.

The formula for judgment value is Value = Score × 0.9 + Effective Rate % × 1,000,000

Grade	Judgment Value
AAA	Over 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	Under 6,999,999

If the player clears the stage with AAA for the first time, a special animation will be shown.

Clear Medal

The medal received will differ, depending on the clear status and rate systems.

Track Played (Dark Green C)

Usually received when the status is TRACK CRASH.

The stages played in Skill Analyzer mode will remain as this medal as well, unless UC or PUC status is received.

SAVED (Blue S)

Received when the status is SAVED, however the medal will remain as Track Played in Track Select screen.

Effective Complete (Green C)

Received when the player clears the stage with Effective Rate system.

Excessive Complete (Purple C)

Received when the player clears the stage with Excessive Rate system.

Ultimate Chain (Red U)

Received when the status is UC.

Perfect (Golden P)

Received when the status is Perfect.

Rate Energy

The amount of the energy left in the Rate gauge.

Judgment Counts

Number of CRITICAL, NEAR, and ERROR judgments.

For the NEAR counts, the system also show EARLY and LATE counts for the player, much similar to Beatmania IIDX.

Maximum Chain

Max Chain count acquired in the stage.

Achievement gauge

The achievement rate for 3 different objects. VOL for analog devices, LONG for FX objects, BTN for BT objects.

Stage Reward

The player is awarded with Packets and Blocks, according to the performance.

Skill Analyzer

Skill Analyzer mode is a mode added in SDVX II, which can let player test the Skill Level. The player first select the course to play, and the course will immediately begin after selection. The course is harder as the Skill Level is higher. Each Skill Level contains 3 different courses for the player to select.

The Skill Level (in SDVX III) is listed below:

• Lv.01 岳翔 (Bronze)
• Lv.02 流星 (Blue)
• Lv.03 月衡 (Yellow)
• Lv.04 瞬光 (White)
• Lv.05 天極 (Water Blue)
• Lv.06 烈風 (Emerald Green)
• Lv.07 雷電 (Red)
• Lv.08 麗華 (Pink)
• Lv.09 魔騎士 (Silver)
• Lv.10 剛力羅 (Gold)
• Lv.11 或帝滅斗 (Crimson)
• Lv.∞ 暴龍天 (Purple)

When playing in Skill Analyzer mode, the rate system will be locked in Permissive Rate system. Started with the initial value of 100%, the player is required to finish the course without letting the rate energy fall to 0%. The rate energy left in previous stage will be brought to the next stage. If the rate gauge is fully deplted before the course ends, it's an instant TRACK CRASH.

The result screen for each stage will still be shown, and the player can still receive the reward. However, the clear medal will remain as Track Played, unless an UC or a PUC status is acquired.

After the course is over, the achievement rate and the course result will be shown.

• If the player received TRACK CRASH, the course result will be ANALYZING FAILURE (分析失敗), and the achievement rate will be the percentage of the finished course.
  (i.e. A player completed 2 stages and received TRACK CRASH in the middle (50%) of the 3rd stage, then the achievement rate will be 2.5 ÷ 3 × 100% = 83%)
• If the player completed the course, the course result will be ANALYZING SUCCESS (分析成功), and the formula for the achievement rate will be Achievement Rate = (Average Score for 3 stages - 9,000,000) ÷ 1,000,000 × 100% + 100%. However, if the average score is below 9,000,000 then the rate will be 100%. Also, the player can get the plate for the Skill Level and corresponding titles, as well as extra Packets and Blocks reward.

Infinite Blaster (Since SDVX II)

Each track usually contains three types of effects, from easiest to hardest, NOVICE, ADVANCED and EXHAUST. However, there are also GRAVITY or INFINITE effect for some tracks. These effects are harder than EXHAUST and/or at the same level but completely different from EXHAUST. The player cannot simply unlock them in SOUND VOLTEX STATION, and instead they can only be unlocked by playing Blaster stages.

To unlock GRAVITY or INFINITE types for the track, the following is required:

1. Charge the Infinite Blaster

   The player can charge the Infinite Blaster by simply playing the stages with Excessive Rate system.

   Once the Infinite Blaster gauge is full, Blaster stages are available.

2. Select the Blaster stage

   The player then opens up the Blaster stage category, and select the effect they want to unlock.

   Each effect contains a Barrier Track, which is the stage the player will play.

   Full gauge of Blaster energy is consumed per Blaster stage played.

3. Play the Blaster stage

   The rate system is locked in Blaster Rate system. Like the Excessive Rate, the player is required to complete the stage without letting the rate energy fall to 0%.

   Each Barrier Track contains Target Life, which will be damaged according to the performance. The better the performance, the higher the damage.

Repeat this cycle until the Target Life is reduced to 0, and the player can get the effect. The player can also play the Blaster stages by simply starts a play with Blaster Start, regardless of the Blaster energy.

Unlocks

Like all of the BEMANI games, SOUND VOLTEX BOOTH also have their own unlocks. SOUND VOLTEX STATION is the main unlocking system in the game. Each time players play SOUND VOLTEX BOOTH, they will receive a certain amount of Blocks and Packets. Blocks are required to unlock music and Packets are used to unlock Appeal Cards, which is basically an Avatar. One of the unlocking methods is the APPEND TRAVEL event, where players clear songs from jubeat, save the results and gameplays in an e-Amusement card and play other BEMANI games with the card inserted. APPEND TRAVEL has the song candii unlocked, as well as Appeal Cards.

Music

SOUND VOLTEX's music is mainly produced by independent artists; mostly VOCALOID producers. Song jackets are also created by independent artists, and some songs may have different jackets for different difficulties, like EZ2DJ.

Hardware

The specification^[2] of SOUND VOLTEX BOOTH is listed below.

• CPU: Intel Celeron M 440 1.86 GHz
• GPU: ATI Radeon HD 2400
• RAM: DDR2 533 2GB Dual Channel
• DISK: Intel SSD 320 Series 80GB SSDSA2CW080G3
• OS: KONAMI Windows XP Embedded System ver6.13
• Display: Runs in 720 x 1280
• BIOS: Phoenix AwardBIOS

Sound Voltex floor

Sound VOLTEX FLOOR is a series of contests where players compete to make audio or visual content for inclusion in SOUND VOLTEX BOOTH^[3] Contests being held range from making original songs, remixing a BEMANI song, or designing a CD jacket to designing an APPEAL CARD. The participants that are allowed to compete are Japanese residents. New contests will be announced periodically, each with its own theme.

References

External links

• SOUND VOLTEX Official Website (in Japanese).
• SOUND VOLTEX Songlist on BEMANIWiki 2nd (in Japanese).
• SOUND VOLTEX Forum on Zenius-I-vanisher.com.