techmania-docs

Documentations of TECHMANIA projects, hosted in a repo so they can be localized.

Project maintained by techmania-team Hosted on GitHub Pages — Theme by mattgraham

Applies to version: 2.3

A ruleset is a collection of parameters that determine the difficulty of TECHMANIA. The game contains the following rulesets:

Standard: the default, intended ruleset
Legacy: a stricter ruleset inspired by a relic from the past
Custom: a fully customizable ruleset

You can switch ruleset from the options menu. Please note that records are tied to rulesets, so a record set using the standard ruleset will not appear when using the legacy ruleset, and vice versa. No record will be set when using the custom ruleset.

How to define custom ruleset

Make sure you have launched TECHMANIA and visited the options menu at least once.
In File Explorer, look for a folder called TECHMANIA in your documents folder. It’s usually located at C:\Users\<username>\OneDrive\Documents\TECHMANIA or C:\Users\<username>\Documents\TECHMANIA. You should see a file called options.json here.
Next to options.json, create a new file called ruleset.json.
Open ruleset.json with any text editor, paste in one of the two following rulesets as a starting point, and save:

Standard ruleset:

{
    "version": "3",

    "windowsAndDeltas": {
        "timeWindows": [0.04, 0.07, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2],
        "hpDeltaBasic": [3, 3, 3, 3, -50, -50],
        "hpDeltaChain": [3, 3, 3, 3, -50, -50],
        "hpDeltaHold": [3, 3, 3, 3, -50, -50],
        "hpDeltaDrag": [3, 3, 3, 3, -50, -50],
        "hpDeltaRepeat": [3, 3, 3, 3, -50, -50],
        "hpDeltaBasicDuringFever": [5, 5, 5, 5, -50, -50],
        "hpDeltaChainDuringFever": [5, 5, 5, 5, -50, -50],
        "hpDeltaHoldDuringFever": [5, 5, 5, 5, -50, -50],
        "hpDeltaDragDuringFever": [5, 5, 5, 5, -50, -50],
        "hpDeltaRepeatDuringFever": [5, 5, 5, 5, -50, -50]
    },
    "windowsAndDeltasSetlist": [
        {
            "timeWindows": [0.04, 0.07, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2],
            "hpDeltaBasic": [2, 2, 2, 2, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaChain": [2, 2, 2, 2, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaHold": [2, 2, 2, 2, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaDrag": [2, 2, 2, 2, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaRepeat": [2, 2, 2, 2, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaBasicDuringFever": [3, 3, 3, 3, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaChainDuringFever": [3, 3, 3, 3, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaHoldDuringFever": [3, 3, 3, 3, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaDragDuringFever": [3, 3, 3, 3, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaRepeatDuringFever": [3, 3, 3, 3, -30, -30]
        },
        {
            "timeWindows": [0.04, 0.07, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2],
            "hpDeltaBasic": [2, 2, 2, 2, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaChain": [2, 2, 2, 2, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaHold": [2, 2, 2, 2, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaDrag": [2, 2, 2, 2, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaRepeat": [2, 2, 2, 2, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaBasicDuringFever": [3, 3, 3, 3, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaChainDuringFever": [3, 3, 3, 3, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaHoldDuringFever": [3, 3, 3, 3, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaDragDuringFever": [3, 3, 3, 3, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaRepeatDuringFever": [3, 3, 3, 3, -30, -30]
        },
        {
            "timeWindows": [0.04, 0.07, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2],
            "hpDeltaBasic": [1, 1, 1, 1, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaChain": [1, 1, 1, 1, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaHold": [1, 1, 1, 1, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaDrag": [1, 1, 1, 1, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaRepeat": [1, 1, 1, 1, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaBasicDuringFever": [2, 2, 2, 2, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaChainDuringFever": [2, 2, 2, 2, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaHoldDuringFever": [2, 2, 2, 2, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaDragDuringFever": [2, 2, 2, 2, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaRepeatDuringFever": [2, 2, 2, 2, -30, -30]
        },
        {
            "timeWindows": [0.04, 0.07, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2],
            "hpDeltaBasic": [1, 1, 1, 1, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaChain": [1, 1, 1, 1, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaHold": [1, 1, 1, 1, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaDrag": [1, 1, 1, 1, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaRepeat": [1, 1, 1, 1, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaBasicDuringFever": [2, 2, 2, 2, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaChainDuringFever": [2, 2, 2, 2, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaHoldDuringFever": [2, 2, 2, 2, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaDragDuringFever": [2, 2, 2, 2, -30, -30],
            "hpDeltaRepeatDuringFever": [2, 2, 2, 2, -30, -30]
        }
    ],
    
    "timeWindowsInPulses": false,
    "longNoteGracePeriod": 0.15,
    "longNoteGracePeriodInPulses": false,

    "scanMarginTopBottom": [0.05, 0.05, 0.05],
    "scanMarginMiddle": [0.05, 0.05, 0.05],
    "scanMarginBeforeFirstBeat": 0.15,
    "scanMarginAfterLastBeat": 0.1,
    "hitboxWidth": 1.5,
    "hitboxHeight": 1,
    "chainHeadHitboxWidth": 1.5,
    "chainNodeHitboxWidth": 3,
    "dragHitboxWidth": 1.5,
    "dragHitboxHeight": 1,
    "ongoingDragHitboxWidth": 2,
    "ongoingDragHitboxHeight": 2,

    "maxHp": 1000,

    "comboBonus": false,

    "constantFeverCoefficient": false,
    "feverBonusOnMax": 1,
    "feverBonusOnCool": 1,
    "feverBonusOnGood": 0
}

Legacy ruleset:

{
    "version": "3",

    "windowsAndDeltas": {
        "timeWindows": [12.5, 37.5, 51.25, 65, 83.75],
        "hpDeltaBasic": [30, 30, 15, 0, -300, -600],
        "hpDeltaChain": [30, 30, 15, 0, -350, -500],
        "hpDeltaHold": [30, 30, 15, 0, -350, -500],
        "hpDeltaDrag": [30, 30, 15, 0, -350, -500],
        "hpDeltaRepeat": [30, 30, 15, 0, -350, -500],
        "hpDeltaBasicDuringFever": [30, 30, 30, 0, -300, -600],
        "hpDeltaChainDuringFever": [30, 30, 30, 0, -350, -500],
        "hpDeltaHoldDuringFever": [30, 30, 30, 0, -350, -500],
        "hpDeltaDragDuringFever": [30, 30, 30, 0, -350, -500],
        "hpDeltaRepeatDuringFever": [30, 30, 30, 0, -350, -500]
    },
    "windowsAndDeltasSetlist": [
        {
            "timeWindows": [12.5, 37.5, 51.25, 65, 83.75],
            "hpDeltaBasic": [15, 15, 0, 0, -200, -300],
            "hpDeltaChain": [15, 15, 0, 0, -200, -300],
            "hpDeltaHold": [7, 7, 0, 0, -200, -380],
            "hpDeltaDrag": [7, 7, 0, 0, -200, -380],
            "hpDeltaRepeat": [15, 15, 0, 0, -200, -300],
            "hpDeltaBasicDuringFever": [15, 15, 15, 0, -200, -300],
            "hpDeltaChainDuringFever": [15, 15, 15, 0, -200, -300],
            "hpDeltaHoldDuringFever": [7, 7, 7, 0, -200, -380],
            "hpDeltaDragDuringFever": [7, 7, 7, 0, -200, -380],
            "hpDeltaRepeatDuringFever": [15, 15, 15, 0, -200, -300]
        },
        {
            "timeWindows": [12.5, 37.5, 51.25, 65, 83.75],
            "hpDeltaBasic": [10, 10, 0, 0, -200, -400],
            "hpDeltaChain": [10, 10, 0, 0, -200, -400],
            "hpDeltaHold": [7, 7, 0, 0, -220, -460],
            "hpDeltaDrag": [7, 7, 0, 0, -220, -460],
            "hpDeltaRepeat": [10, 10, 0, 0, -200, -400],
            "hpDeltaBasicDuringFever": [10, 10, 10, 0, -200, -400],
            "hpDeltaChainDuringFever": [10, 10, 10, 0, -200, -400],
            "hpDeltaHoldDuringFever": [7, 7, 7, 0, -220, -460],
            "hpDeltaDragDuringFever": [7, 7, 7, 0, -220, -460],
            "hpDeltaRepeatDuringFever": [10, 10, 10, 0, -200, -400]
        },
        {
            "timeWindows": [12.5, 37.5, 51.25, 65, 83.75],
            "hpDeltaBasic": [7, 7, 0, 0, -200, -400],
            "hpDeltaChain": [7, 7, 0, 0, -200, -400],
            "hpDeltaHold": [7, 7, 0, 0, -220, -460],
            "hpDeltaDrag": [7, 7, 0, 0, -220, -460],
            "hpDeltaRepeat": [10, 10, 0, 0, -200, -400],
            "hpDeltaBasicDuringFever": [7, 7, 7, 0, -200, -400],
            "hpDeltaChainDuringFever": [7, 7, 7, 0, -200, -400],
            "hpDeltaHoldDuringFever": [7, 7, 7, 0, -220, -460],
            "hpDeltaDragDuringFever": [7, 7, 7, 0, -220, -460],
            "hpDeltaRepeatDuringFever": [10, 10, 10, 0, -200, -400]
        },
        {
            "timeWindows": [12.5, 37.5, 51.25, 65, 83.75],
            "hpDeltaBasic": [7, 7, 0, 0, -200, -400],
            "hpDeltaChain": [7, 7, 0, 0, -200, -400],
            "hpDeltaHold": [7, 7, 0, 0, -220, -460],
            "hpDeltaDrag": [7, 7, 0, 0, -220, -460],
            "hpDeltaRepeat": [7, 7, 0, 0, -200, -400],
            "hpDeltaBasicDuringFever": [7, 7, 7, 0, -200, -400],
            "hpDeltaChainDuringFever": [7, 7, 7, 0, -200, -400],
            "hpDeltaHoldDuringFever": [7, 7, 7, 0, -220, -460],
            "hpDeltaDragDuringFever": [7, 7, 7, 0, -220, -460],
            "hpDeltaRepeatDuringFever": [7, 7, 7, 0, -200, -400]
        }
    ],

    "timeWindowsInPulses": true,
    "longNoteGracePeriod": 0.1,
    "longNoteGracePeriodInPulses": false,

    "scanMarginTopBottom": [0.05, 0.05, 0.05],
    "scanMarginMiddle": [0.05, 0.05, 0.05],
    "scanMarginBeforeFirstBeat": 0.157,
    "scanMarginAfterLastBeat": 0.093,
    "hitboxWidth": 1.25,
    "hitboxHeight": 1.15,
    "chainHeadHitboxWidth": 100,
    "chainNodeHitboxWidth": 100,
    "dragHitboxWidth": 3,
    "dragHitboxHeight": 1.15,
    "ongoingDragHitboxWidth": 3,
    "ongoingDragHitboxHeight": 1.15,

    "maxHp": 10000,

    "comboBonus": true,

    "constantFeverCoefficient": true,
    "feverBonusOnMax": 1,
    "feverBonusOnCool": 1,
    "feverBonusOnGood": 0
}

In TECHMANIA, go to the options menu and set “ruleset” to “custom”. If the game does not report an error, it means you have done the previous steps correctly.
Read about the parameters below and adjust them in ruleset.json to your liking. Make sure you write a comma after every line except the last parameter. If any parameter is missing, it will take the value from the standard ruleset.
Save ruleset.json and it will apply the next time you start a pattern, either from the main menu or from restarting/retrying. You do not need to restart TECHMANIA.

Parameters

Below are descriptions of each parameter in the ruleset.

Version

The ruleset format version. Must be “2”.

Windows and deltas

Short for time windows and HP deltas. These are the parameters that can be different whether you are playing individual patterns or a setlist; also different for each stage within a setlist. Time windows and HP deltas will be further explained in later sections.

windowsAndDeltas contains the windows and deltas when playing individual patterns; windowsAndDeltasSetlist is an array of 4 objects, each corresponding to one stage in a setlist. This means, the first set of windows and deltas under windowsAndDeltasSetlist will apply when you play the 1st pattern in a setlist, the second set applies on the 2nd pattern, and so on.

Time windows

timeWindows is an array of 5 numbers (referred to as timeWindows[0] through timeWindows[4]), corresponding to the time window of Rainbow MAX, MAX, COOL, GOOD and MISS, respectively. All time windows are in seconds by default, but if timeWindowsInPulses is true, then they are in pulses. A pulse is 1/240 of a beat.

When you play a note, the game will compare the current time and the note’s correct time, and reach a judgement as below.

A diagram illustrating how the game makes judgements.

If it’s timeWindows[4] or more before a note’s correct time, the game will ignore all input on the note. If it’s timeWindows[4] past a note’s correct time and the game still received no input on that note, it becomes a BREAK.

longNoteGracePeriod is a special window applied to long notes (hold, drag and repeat hold). It can also be in seconds or pulses, depending on longNoteGracePeriodInPulses. After a long note loses input, it will not cause a MISS until longNoteGracePeriod seconds or pulses has passed.

HP and HP delta

Watch out! HP-related parameters must be integers.

HP deltas are defined as 10 arrays (hpDeltaBasic etc.); each array contains 6 numbers, corresponding to Rainbow MAX, MAX, COOL, GOOD, MISS and BREAK, respectively.

The player starts with maxHp points of HP. On each judgement, the game looks up the HP delta value from the array matching the note type, Fever status and judgement, then adds the delta to the current HP. A positive delta will increase HP; A negative delta will decrease HP.

Hitbox sizes

Hitbox is the area where a note receives touches and clicks. Hitbox sizes are in multiples of a lane’s height. During gameplay in practice mode, you can press F12 to show/hide the hitboxes.

An example showing notes at different hitbox widths.

Notes that involve dragging (chain, drag) are harder to hit correctly than other notes, so they receive special rules. chainHeadHitboxWidth and chainNodeHitboxWidth define the hitbox width of chain heads and chain nodes, respectively. Drag notes’ hitbox sizes are dragHitboxWidth by dragHitboxHeight at rest, but once the player starts dragging, the hitbox sizes change to ongoingDragHitboxWidth by ongoingDragHitboxHeight.

Vertical scan margin

The game leaves a margin at the top and bottom of each scan to ensure notes don’t touch the play area’s border. The height of this margin is scanMarginTopBottom at the top of the top scan and the bottom of the bottom scan; scanMarginMiddle at the bottom of the top scan and the top of the bottom scan.

A diagram showing the meaning of scanMarginTopBottom and scanMarginMiddle

Furthermore, each parameter is an array of 3 elements, corresponding to 2-lane, 3-lane and 4-lane patterns, respectively.

All values are in multiples of a scan’s height. By default, all margins are 5% of a scan’s height, meaning the playable lanes take up a total of 90% of a scan’s height.

Horizontal scan margin

Likewise, the game leaves a margin before the first beat and after the last beat of each scan, to ensure notes don’t touch the screen’s border. The width of this margin is scanMarginBeforeFirstBeat before the first beat, and scanMarginAfterLastBeat after the last beat.

A diagram showing the meaning of scanMarginBeforeFirstBeat and scanMarginAfterLastBeat

All values are in multiples of the screen’s width. In the standard ruleset, the two margins are 15% and 10% of the screen’s width respectively; in the legacy ruleset, they are 15.7% and 9.3%.

Score and combo bonus

Each note adds to the score based on its judgement:

Judgement | Score
-------------------------------------------
R-MAX     | (R-MAX total) / number of notes
MAX       | R-MAX - 1
COOL      | R-MAX * 0.7
GOOD      | R-MAX * 0.4
MISS      | 0
BREAK     | 0

comboBonus can be set to true or false (no quotation marks), and defaults to false.

If comboBonus is true, R-MAX total is 290,000 points, and at the result screen the player will receive up to 10,000 points of Combo Bonus, calculated as follows:

If the player achieved a Perfect Play (no COOL, GOOD, MISS or BREAK), the Combo Bonus is 10,000 points.
Otherwise, Combo Bonus is (7,800 * mb + 9,800) * (t - mb) / (mb + 1) / t points, where t is the total number of notes, and mb is the sum of MISSes and BREAKs. This means a Full Combo gives 9,800 points, and Combo Bonus decreases with more MISSes and BREAKs.

If comboBonus is false, R-MAX total is 300,000 points, and there is no Combo Bonus.

In both cases, the maximum possible score is 300,000.

Fever accumulation

Each Rainbow MAX or MAX increases Fever by (Fever coefficient) / (number of notes). A full Fever bar corresponds to 1. The value of Fever coefficient depends on the constantFeverCoefficient parameter, which again can be true or false:

If constantFeverCoefficient is true, Fever coefficient is 8. This means a Perfect Play will fill up the Fever bar 8 times, regardless of track length.
If constantFeverCoefficient is false, Fever coefficient is (track length in seconds) / 12.5. This means a Perfect Play will fill up the Fever bar roughly every 12.5 seconds.

A MISS will decrease the current Fever by 25%; a BREAK by 50%.

Once activated, Fever lasts 10 seconds.

Fever bonus

When Fever is active, MAX, COOL and GOOD judgements will receive feverBonusOnMax, feverBonusOnCool, feverBonusOnGood points in Fever bonus, respectively.

Other parameters

The following parameters currently cannot be customized.

Combo

Ongoing long notes (hold, drag, repeat hold) add 1 combo each 60 pulses (1/4 beat).

Rank

At the result screen, the player will receive a rank based on their score as follows:

Score         | Rank
--------------------
Failed        | F
0-220000      | C
220001-260000 | B
260001-270000 | A
270001-280000 | A+
280001-285000 | A++
285001-290000 | S
290001-295000 | S+
295001-300000 | S++

For setlists, divide the score by 4 before using this table.