Mapper Profile: Ejiejidayo (英語・日本語版)

Today, we invited Ejiejidayo to talk about his work as a mapper. His work is revered by players from every corner of the globe, so we’re super happy to be able to present this interview in both English and Japanese!

今回はえじさんを招きして、マッパ( 譜面)ーとしての仕事の話をしていただきました。作品は世界中のプレイヤーから尊敬されているので、このインタビューを日本語と英語で公開できることをとても嬉しく思います!

マップ( 譜面)の数・ディフィクルティズ・マップ( 譜面)専門性・Beatsaverの平均評価


Q. What inspired you to start mapping?

マッピングをしようと思ったきっかけは?

I started to map when I often found myself wondering, “what kind of patterns could be fun to play?”. I also wanted to introduce more people to some of the wonderful songs I knew. 

「どんなブロックの配置がプレイして楽しいと思えるパターンなのだろう?」という疑問から譜面を作り始めました。

他にも、私が知っている素敵な曲を色んな人に知ってもらいたいからという理由もあります。

 

Q. What are your preferred genres of music to map?

どのようなジャンルの音楽をマッピングするのが一番好きですか?

I don’t have a particular preference, but I like to map songs that are used in other rhythm games.

特にこだわりはありません。他の音楽ゲームで使用された曲をマッピングすることが好きです。

 

Q. Which of your maps are you most proud of or is your favorite?

自信を持ってお気に入りだと言えるマップはどれですか?

Spell of Restoration (ふっかつのじゅもん、Fukkatsu No Jumon) is one of my favourite maps that I’ve done.

The notes are all arranged in a way that I believe really harmonizes well with the song, and the patterns themselves really force players to move their bodies with big motions, which I find super fun. 

By the way, my favourite map made by someone else is “Moves Like Jagger”, which was mapped by baxter395. I was really impressed with how the walls and notes were leading me into cool poses. That experience has really affected my mapping style ever since. 

Spell of Restoration (ふっかつのじゅもん) 

身体を大きく動かすように配置されたブロックは曲とマッチしていてとても楽しいと思います。

余談ですが、他人が作った譜面で一番のお気に入りはbaxter395がアップロードしたMoves Like Jaggerです。

クールにポージングをさせる壁とブロックの配置は、初めてプレイした時にとても衝撃を受けました。

この譜面をプレイしてから私のマッピングスタイルも大きく変わりました。

Q. If you went back in time to when you were a rookie mapper, what would you want to tell yourself?

もし時間を遡って新人マッパーだった自分と話すとしたら、一番言いたいことは何ですか?

When I’m mapping, I tend to refrain from using certain patterns – even though they might be my favourites –  in favour of making my maps more enjoyable for other players. Because of that mindset, there was a certain period in which I felt completely unable to make any map because I was so preoccupied with worrying about my maps’ playability for other people. 

I wish I could have kept that from happening by telling my past self, “prioritize YOUR OWN enjoyment first, rather than what other players want”. 

私はマッピングする時、できるだけ他のプレイヤーが快適なプレイができるように自分の好きなパターンを禁止している事があります。ですが、その事を気にしすぎてマッピングができなかった時期がありました。

そうならないために、「多くの人が楽しいと思ってもらえるような譜面を作る」という考えより先に、自分がプレイして楽しいと思えるかどうかを忘れずに優先しろと言いたい。

 

Q. Do you have a signature pattern that you use in all/most of your maps?

ほとんどの自作マップに使っている「えじ配置」というべきパターンはありますか?

I really try and use as many walls as possible, so that players are able to groove out with some great side-to-side motion. I also like to try and use notes in the final section of any given map to lead players into striking a cool pose as a finale. 

できるだけ壁を使い、左右に揺れながらプレイできるように配置されていることが多いです。

曲の最後に配置されているブロックも、綺麗にフィニッシュができるように工夫していたりします。

 

Q. What, in your opinion, is the single most challenging thing for a new mapper to master in order to be successful? 

あなたの考えでは、新人マッパーが成功するために最も頑張らなければいけないことは何だと思いますか?

Don’t make maps with ONLY the patterns you have in your head! I think it’s very important to know how to correctly place blocks, and at any rate, it’s good to know lots of different patterns, not just the ones you can come up with with on your own. You should play as many maps as feasibly possible; not only good ones, but also the ones that have been deemed bad, and incorporate the patterns you like into your own repertoire. If you happen across a pattern that you think is particularly interesting, use a mapping editor to take a closer look. It’s important to really analyse and consider what makes that pattern so enjoyable for you. 

自分の頭の中にある配置パターンだけで譜面を作らないでください。

とにかく様々なブロックの配置を知ることが大事だと思います。

良い譜面だけでなく悪い譜面も含めて沢山の譜面を遊び、自分が好きだと思ったパターンを自分の譜面にどんどん取り入れていきましょう。

興味深い譜面はマッピングツールでブロックの配置をじっくり見てみましょう。

 

Q. What style of maps do you enjoy when you play for fun?

遊びでプレイしている時は、どのようなスタイルの譜面がやっていて最も楽しいですか?

I enjoy almost every map that uses big, dramatic motions, particularly with walls, to make me move my body. 

主に壁を使って身体を大きく動かす譜面はどれも楽しいです。

Q. If you’ve mapped for rank or are on the ranking team, what would you encourage other mappers to consider while designing maps for ranked?

もしあなたの譜面がランク化された場合またランクチームになった場合、他のマッパー達によりランク化に励んでもらうために何を言いますか?

I would say that it’s important to not use an excessive amount of double directionals or sliders (this is including windows, etc.). Having said that, I don’t mean that they should never be used at all; they can be essential to being an excellent mapper and are used in very high-quality maps. I just think that using those aforementioned patterns ONLY to increase a map’s difficulty is nothing but inappropriate and irritating. 

過剰なダブルノーツ(ウィンドウノーツ等も含める)やスライドノーツを使用しないように言いたいです。

使ってはいけないとは言っていません。これらは良い譜面を作るために必要不可欠なものです。

難易度を上げるためだけに配置された複数のノーツは不適切であり不快になるだけだと私は思っています。

 

Q. Do you believe that the mapping ‘meta’ is currently in a healthy state? If not, what do you feel would help to bring the ‘meta’ to a good place?

いまのマッピングで良しとされている基準(それ以外は認められづらい)が健全であるかどうか?

I think the meta is healthy. Generally speaking, maps currently have much more variation, and are better quality, than they ever were in the past. 

健全であると思います。

現在の譜面の傾向は昔に比べるとバリエーションも豊富で、とても良くなってきています。

 

Q. Is there a mapping practice that most mappers frown upon, that you happen to think can be used really well in the right hands?

多くのマッパーは眉をひそめるが、正しく使えばとても良い効果をもたらすと考えるマッピング方法(配置)はありますか?

I would love to know [of one]!! The mapping error checker in MMA2 (Double Directionals/Vision Blocks) helps to ensure quality to some extent. Maybe…

私も知りたいです!!

マッピングツールのチェック機能(Double same Directions / Vision Blocks)を活用すればある程度の品質は保証されるはずです。たぶん…

 

Q. Are there any practices from “Ye Olde Days” of mapping that you’d like to see make a reappearance? 

今ではもう見かけない配置で、もう一度見たいというものはありますか?

Nope. While I do admit that some old maps have interesting patterns, or other unique aspects in their own right, as a whole they are extremely difficult to accurately score well on. 

いいえ。昔の譜面ならではの面白さはありますが、どれも精度が出なくて難しい配置ばかりです。

 

Q. What does your mapping process look like? Do you use timing notes? Do you light first, or map? Be as detailed or as short as you’d like.

あなたのマッピングプロセスはどのようなものですか? タイミングノーツを使いますか? 先にライティングしますか、それともノーツ配置しますか。 詳しく書いても手短でもOKです。

I place timing notes first. Afterwards, I go through and allocate an even amount of red and blue to the notes so that the ratio of red:blue is almost completely 1.00, and both hands are seeing the same level of play. Once I’m done that, I’ll go through and do the walls. Lighting is my last step. 

タイミングノーツを置いたあと、右手と左手で斬るノーツの比率が同じぐらいになるように分けて配置します。

その後に壁を配置します。

ノーツの配置が終わったあとにライティングをします

 

Q. Are there any mappers with a similar style to yours that you would recommend?

えじさんのスタイルを持っているマッパーを紹介してもらえますか?

Kikae 🙂

Q. What was it like to represent Japan in the Beat Saber World Cup?

日本代表としてワールドカップに出場するのはどんな感じ?

I am really proud that I was able to play for Team Japan, but it was too difficult to break through the world’s top class teams. Help us, Taichi!

とても誇りに思います。しかし世界の壁は高すぎる。助けてTaichi!

 

Q. Is there anything else you’d like the Beat Saber community to know about you, your mapping style, or your thoughts on the game itself?

ビートセイバーコミュニティがあなたについて知ってほしいことは他にありますか? マッピングスタイル、このゲーム自体に対する考えなど。

If you’re a novice Beat Saber player, or you know a new player, please check out my maps. I’m sure you’ll enjoy them. I hope that we all continue to enjoy playing Beat Saber! 

初心者のビートセイバープレイヤーさんには、ぜひ私の譜面を紹介してください!

きっと楽しんでもらえるはずです。

ビートセイバーを遊ぶ時間が心地よいひと時でありますように


This interview was a collaborative effort in many ways. Thank you to everyone that helped to make this possible; especially Hibit for assisting me with the translation, and Eji for really giving this his all. We really hope you enjoyed being able to peer into the mind of such an esteemed mapper! We hope you check out Eji’s maps, as well as his Twitch and YouTube! However, we do ask that you respect that Eji is not fluent in English, and his streams and YouTube videos are in Japanese. Please keep that in mind while supporting him.

If you have any questions for Eji, please leave them below and we will do our best to get them to him!

今回のインタビューは様々な面で協力してくれた方々、特にえじさんとHibitさんに感謝します。Hibitさんには翻訳の一部を手伝っていただきましたが、えじさんはとても親切でした。お楽しみいただけましたら幸いです。応援してあげてください!

お気軽にご質問ください。

Comments (3)
  1. kazu says:

    I’d never heard of the Beat Saber, even wasn’t a gamer before but somewhat I happened to watch a Youtube video which was strangely recommended by Youtube. It was the “Glide 360” by Eji-san.
    It caught my interest immediately in two ways, the game play itself and technical side of the cute custom avatar (the Loli!). I got my play environment in March 2020. It’s so fun and have played the game everyday. Now I am challenging it, Glide 360. I’m enjoying Eji-san’s Recommended Playlists and really appreciate Eji-san to bring me this great opportunity. Thanks!! — kazu (“I Want You” is my favorite map!)

  2. Entropath says:

    There are some maps I like to play almost every time I start the game.
    Eji’s “World.Execute(me)” map was one of the first of those maps for me and it introduced me to Mili.
    I am a huge fan of both now, Mili’s music and Eji’s maps, as they feel very unique and creative.
    <3

  3. Mioki says:

    I am one of those new players — only 3 days beating sabers — and the best map I have player is Girly Cupid. Way different than many other songs I have tested. Those blocks makes you move your body in ways I no other mapper does.

    Please, keep creating these amazing maps, and do not forget always to include easier maps. It is disappointing to see most of the maps are Expert+, so we are far from enjoying them.

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