Technical analysis
How rhythm games connect music, input and hit detection
How rhythm games connect audio tracks, charts, target times, inputs, hit detection and feedback, with a step-by-step approach to investigating visual and audio sync problems.
Rhythm design (7)
Understand charts, input, judgment and synchronization separately
Technical analysis
Note timing and audio latency: two different problems
How to compare display, audio and input clocks: their units and origins, music-position calculations, output timestamps and repeated timing measurements.
Rhythm analysis
Chart design: BPM, the first beat and target times
A two-bar example at 120 BPM shows how accents, rests and direction changes shape a chart. Includes a CSV and separates required inputs from the sounds played by each instrument.
Rhythm analysis
A ±80 ms timing window: boundaries and note selection
How to calculate timing error and define inclusive hit-window boundaries, with a comparison of note-selection rules when two windows overlap.
Rhythm analysis
Same BPM, different difficulty
Compare input density and minimum intervals at 120 BPM. Design examples separate direction changes, memory length and lead time.
Audio analysis
Rhythm-game calibration: mean, median and timing error
Seven hypothetical inputs show how a 45 ms median differs from a 61 ms mean. Covers correction signs, audio output conditions and variation between attempts.
Design analysis
Readable rhythm-game screens: color, direction and input areas
How to preserve action cues beyond color, assess essential-signal contrast and check actual touch areas, using WCAG 2.2 within its applicable scope.
