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Welcome to StepMania

StepMania is an advanced cross-platform rhythm game for home and arcade use. This guide will help you get started playing your first song.
If you haven’t installed StepMania yet, check out the Installation Guide first.

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First Launch

When you first launch StepMania, you’ll be greeted with the main menu. Here’s what to expect:
1

Launch StepMania

  • Navigate to your installation directory (default: C:\Program Files (x86)\Stepmania 5)
  • Double-click StepMania.exe to launch
2

Navigate the Main Menu

Use the arrow keys or dance pad to navigate:
  • Arrow Keys - Navigate menu options
  • Enter - Select an option
  • Escape - Go back to the previous screen
3

Select Game Mode

From the main menu, choose a game mode:
  • Solo - Single player mode
  • Versus - Two player competitive mode
  • Double - Play with two dance pads

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Playing Your First Song

1

Choose a Song

Browse through the available songs using the arrow keys:
  • Up/Down Arrows - Navigate through songs
  • Left/Right Arrows - Navigate between song groups
  • Enter - Select a song
2

Select Difficulty

Choose your difficulty level:
  • Beginner - For first-time players (3-5 arrows)
  • Easy - Simple patterns (5-7 arrows)
  • Medium - Moderate challenge (7-9 arrows)
  • Hard - Advanced patterns (9+ arrows)
  • Expert - Maximum difficulty (10+ arrows)
Start with Beginner or Easy difficulty if you’re new to rhythm games!
3

Play the Song

Once the song starts:
  • Watch the arrows scroll upward on the screen
  • Press the corresponding arrow key when the arrow reaches the target zone
  • Time your steps to the beat of the music
Basic Scoring:
  • Marvelous - Perfect timing
  • Perfect - Excellent timing
  • Great - Good timing
  • Good - Acceptable timing
  • Boo - Poor timing (breaks combo)
  • Miss - No input or too far off (breaks combo)
4

View Your Results

After completing the song, you’ll see:
  • Your grade (SSS, SS, S, A, B, C, D, or F)
  • Accuracy percentage
  • Max combo achieved
  • Detailed breakdown of your timing

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Command Line Options

StepMania supports various command line arguments for advanced configuration: 
# Join player(s) automatically
stepmania --player=1
stepmania --player=1 --player=2

# Set game mode
stepmania --mode=<mode>

# Connect to online server
stepmania --netip=localhost
All arguments use double dashes (--). For example: stepmania --version

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Default Controls

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Keyboard Controls (4-Panel Dance Mode)

ActionKey
Left ArrowLeft Arrow Key
Down ArrowDown Arrow Key
Up ArrowUp Arrow Key
Right ArrowRight Arrow Key
You can customize controls in the Options menu under Input Settings.

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Adding Custom Songs

StepMania supports custom song packs in various formats:
1

Download Song Packs

Download song packs from the StepMania community:
  • Files typically end in .smzip or are in folders
  • Ensure songs are in .sm or .ssc format
2

Install Song Packs

Install package files via command line:
stepmania moonlight.smzip
Or simply double-click the .smzip file if StepMania is set as the default handler.
3

Reload Songs

Press F2 while on the song selection screen to reload all songs.

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Tips for New Players

  • Slow down songs to practice difficult sections
  • Found in the modifiers menu before starting a song
  • Gradually increase speed as you improve
  • If arrows seem mistimed, you may need to calibrate
  • Go to Options → Calibrate Audio Sync
  • Follow the on-screen instructions
  • Focus on hitting notes at the right time, not just hitting them
  • Watch the judgment text (Marvelous, Perfect, etc.)
  • Aim for consistency over speed
  • Different life gauge types affect difficulty
  • Bar: Standard life bar (default)
  • Battery: Limited number of misses (challenge mode)
  • Time: Time-based survival

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Common Issues

  • Press F2 on the song selection screen to reload
  • Verify songs are in the correct directory
  • Check that song files include .sm or .ssc files
  • Calibrate your audio sync in Options
  • Some songs may have individual timing adjustments needed
  • Check your audio device settings in Options
  • Navigate to Options → Input Settings
  • Map your controller buttons
  • Test inputs before starting a song

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What’s Next?

Now that you’ve played your first song, here are some ways to enhance your experience:

Explore Themes

Customize the look and feel of StepMania with different themes

Join the Community

Connect with other players online and share scores

Create Content

Learn to create your own step charts and themes

Advanced Settings

Dive into the configuration options to fine-tune your experience

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Resources

Official Website

Visit the official StepMania website

Lua API Documentation

Learn to script and theme with Lua

GitHub Repository

View source code and report issues

IRC Chat

Join the developer community on IRC

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