Merge branch 'master' into Gameplay/Accuracy

news/2024/2024-01-13-new-featured-artist-anubasu-anubasu.md

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+---
+layout: post
+title: "New Featured Artist: anubasu-anubasu"
+date: 2024-01-13 19:45:00 +0000
+---
+
+Send your warm welcomes to our first Featured Artist of the year: **anubasu-anubasu**!
+
+![](https://assets.ppy.sh/artists/397/header.jpg)
+
+Fusing trance, hardcore, and hardstyle in their own one-of-a-kind way, [**anubasu-anubasu**](https://osu.ppy.sh/beatmaps/artists/397) made a name for themselves in osu! through iconic maps like [Materialize Anything](https://osu.ppy.sh/beatmapsets/1847997) and [Mercury Prayer](https://osu.ppy.sh/beatmapsets/603755). And as of today, that name is officially part of our game forever!
+
+Pick your favourite of **7** outstanding songs from [**anubasu-anubasu**'s Featured Artist listing](https://osu.ppy.sh/beatmaps/artists/397) (or choose all 7 if your mapping urges are insatiable!).
+
+As you've heard a billion times by now, osu!(lazer) is in the final stages of preparing to support performance points. If you haven't started playing on the new client yet, here's a taste of what you're missing out on:
+
+<div align="center">
+    <video width="95%" controls>
+        <source src="https://assets.ppy.sh/artists/397/release_showcase.mp4?1" type="video/mp4" preload="none">
+    </video>
+</div>
+
+### anubasu-anubasu - Mercury Prayer (Extend Mix)
+
+Check out [the map from the video above](https://osu.ppy.sh/beatmapsets/603755) hosted by [\_MiaoFUuU\_](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/4299356)!
+
+<audio controls>
+    <source src="https://assets.ppy.sh/artists/397/Songs/anubasu-anubasu%20-%20Mercury%20Prayer.mp3">
+</audio>
+
+### anubasu-anubasu - Nemesis (pi/3's Remix)
+
+Experience [this Loved remix of a Nizikawa track](https://osu.ppy.sh/beatmapsets/159581), hosted by [Sp3ct3r_2k11](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/760838)!
+
+<audio controls>
+    <source src="https://assets.ppy.sh/artists/397/Songs/anubasu-anubasu%20-%20Nemesis%20(pi3s%20Remix).mp3">
+</audio>
+
+### anubasu-anubasu - Materialize Anything
+
+If piano smashing is your favourite pastime, we've got you covered:
+
+- Try [this 4K osu!mania map](https://osu.ppy.sh/beatmapsets/1948306) hosted by [homwu](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/18292810)!
+- Or try [this 7K osu!mania map](https://osu.ppy.sh/beatmapsets/1847997) hosted by [-NoName-](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/10400730)!
+
+<audio controls>
+    <source src="https://assets.ppy.sh/artists/397/Songs/anubasu-anubasu%20-%20Materialize%20Anything.mp3">
+</audio>
+
+---
+
+If you told me [**anubasu-anubasu**'s Featured Artist listing](https://osu.ppy.sh/beatmaps/artists/397) had pre-timed beatmap templates for all of **anubasu-anubasu**'s available songs, you'd be telling the truth. Thanks for the info, I guess.
+
+Next week's Featured Artist may or may not be an osu! player. Stay tuned.
+
+—pishifat

news/2024/2024-01-14-skin-of-the-year-2023.md

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+---
+layout: post
+title: "Skin of the Year 2023: Voting Open"
+date: 2024-01-14 11:00:00 +0000
+---
+
+Grab yourself a hot cup of cocoa, sit by the fireplace and pick your favourite skins of 2023.
+
+![](/wiki/shared/news/2024-01-14-skin-of-the-year-2023/banner.jpg)
+
+With the new year barely getting started, now is the perfect chance to look back at 2023 and choose the highlights of the year. Let's briefly put our focus on the skinning community and look back at skinning in 2023 — there were lots of interesting things that happened, such as the ["Icons of an Era" skinning contest](/wiki/Contests/Skinning_Contest/4), 2 new skinning GMT's being elected (congrats to [Roan](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/8214639) and [Redo_](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/7122165)!), and skinning changes were made to both osu!(stable) and osu!(lazer).
+
+Namely, [an osu!(stable) update](https://osu.ppy.sh/home/changelog/stable40/20231021.2) in late October added skinning support for some song select components, which are now being implemented in both new and older skins released during the year. Furthermore, osu!(lazer) received various new dynamic skinning elements throughout the year, a recent example being a [dynamic player name element](https://osu.ppy.sh/home/changelog/lazer/2023.1114.0) that changes depending on whether you are playing, spectating someone or watching a replay. A BBCode update also allowed for [imagemaps](/wiki/BBCode#imagemap) to easily be added across the website, which aided skinners in more easily creating clickable banners that are often used to showcase their skins on the forum.
+
+Now that we've had a brief glimpse into what's been happening over the past year, let's quickly go over the contest details.
+
+## Voting details
+
+All skins that have been released during 2023 and have been added to [the compendium](https://compendium.skinship.xyz/) are eligible to compete, **including contest and podium entries**. Everyone gets **15** votes each to cast, and you can spend as many or as few as you like.
+
+The top 3 entries will all receive a unique profile badge based on their entry along with 4, 3 and 2 months of osu!supporter respectively. Entries #4–10 will all receive a month of osu!supporter each.
+
+This year we had **269** skins that have been submitted to the [skinning forums](https://osu.ppy.sh/community/forums/15), **123** of them being added to the compendium. We highly suggest you get to some light browsing and check out the submitted skins, and you might find a new skin you will be able to call your "main".
+
+[**Click here to get involved and vote for 2023's Skin of the Year!**](https://osu.ppy.sh/community/contests/194)
+
+The voting will remain open for **14 days** after this post goes up, closing on the **28th**. Hopefully, that should be enough time to go through the catalogue and pick your favourites.
+
+Thanks to everyone who contributed to the compendium in 2023, and good luck!
+
+—skinship

news/2024/2024-01-15-osutaiko-osucatch-world-cup-staff-applications.md

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+---
+layout: post
+title: osu!taiko and osu!catch World Cup 2024 Staff Applications
+date: 2024-01-15 12:00:00 +0000
+---
+
+As the 2024 osu! World Cup kicks off with the osu!mania 7K World Cup, preparations for the next World Cups are already underway. Read on to find out how you can contribute!
+
+![](/wiki/shared/news/banners/OWC_Master_Logo.png)
+
+As with every year, we rely heavily on community members for help with many aspects of tournament production. This time, we're mainly looking for mappers and playtesters for the modes listed below.
+
+Mappers will be tasked with creating beatmaps (many times of tailor-made, yet-to-be-released [osu! originals](/wiki/osu!_originals)) based on a specification given by each mode's mappooling team. Mappers will be expected to incorporate feedback from the mappoolers and/or playtesters in an iterative process to refine the map until it is in a shippable state.
+
+Playtesters will be responsible for playing and giving feedback for a plethora of beatmaps (as requested by the mappooling team) to gauge aspects such as difficulty, suitability for a certain slot, and/or skill representativity among others (specific workflows vary for each team). Playtesters are generally expected to have considerable skill on their respective game mode.
+
+Please note that if you are accepted into either team, you will not be eligible to participate as a player in the corresponding tournament.
+
+## osu!taiko World Cup 2024
+
+The osu!taiko World Cup mappooling team headed by [Nurend](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/9905079) and [Raphalge](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/3918650) is looking for **mappers** and **playtesters**. To sign up, follow [this link](https://forms.gle/Z3nR1W8tcY4rCakf8). Player registrations for TWC 2024 are slated to open February 15.
+
+## osu!catch World Cup 2024
+
+The osu!catch World Cup mappooling team headed by [wwwww](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/8434466) and [Yoshi_green](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/1035891) is looking for **mappers**, **map modders**, and **playtesters**. To sign up, follow [this link](https://forms.gle/p3BVaqXx77S2DoET6). Player registrations for CWC 2024 are slated to open April 18.
+
+---
+
+Think you got what it takes to staff for some of the most prestigious tournament series of the game? Then don't waste a second, and submit a form to your preferred World Cup. The World Cup team will forever be grateful for your help with furthering the tournament scene's growth!
+
+—LeoFLT

news/2024/2024-01-16-mappers-guild-more-priority-quests.md

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+---
+layout: post
+title: Mappers' Guild - More Priority Quests
+date: 2024-01-16 21:30:00 +0000
+---
+
+You've mastered the art of placing circles and sliders in the editor. Now it's time to put those skills to the test through this new batch of quests from the **Mappers' Guild**!
+
+![](/wiki/shared/news/banners/mappersguild.png)
+
+For those out of the loop, the [**Mappers' Guild**](/wiki/Community/Mappers_Guild) is an MMO-inspired mapping system surrounding osu!'s [Featured Artists](https://osu.ppy.sh/beatmaps/artists).
+
+Mappers can [earn rewards](/wiki/Community/Mappers_Guild#rewards) for completing mapping-related tasks, like ranking maps, participating in contests, and collaborating on [quests](/wiki/Community/Mappers_Guild#quests) (which is what this article is about!).
+
+The Mappers' Guild is open to mappers of any skill level, including those without Ranked maps! See [the system's website](https://mappersguild.com/) or the [osu! Discord server](https://discord.com/invite/ppy)'s `#mappers-guild` channel for details!
+
+## What are priority quests?
+
+[Just a few months ago](https://osu.ppy.sh/home/news/2023-08-29-changes-to-the-mappers-guild), the Mappers' Guild introduced a new way to get involved: [**priority quests**](https://mappersguild.com/missions). These are an alternative to [ordinary Mappers' Guild quests](https://mappersguild.com/quests) with a few key differences:
+
+- **Anyone can participate in priority quests.** Unlike normal quests, you don't need to claim priority quests in advance.
+- **Quests are tiered by difficulty:**
+  - Tier 1 ![bronze icon](/wiki/shared/news/2023-08-29-changes-to-the-mappers-guild/bronze-small.png) (easiest, most common, and lowest reward)
+  - Tier 2 ![silver icon](/wiki/shared/news/2023-08-29-changes-to-the-mappers-guild/silver-small.png)
+  - Tier 3 ![gold icon](/wiki/shared/news/2023-08-29-changes-to-the-mappers-guild/gold-small.png)
+  - Tier 4 ![platinum icon](/wiki/shared/news/2023-08-29-changes-to-the-mappers-guild/platinum-small.png) (hardest, least common, and highest reward)
+- Depending on the quest's completion conditions, **multiple users can earn prizes for the same quest**.
+- **Priority quests don't last forever.** Maps can be added to priority quests until a deadline is met or a beatmap completes the quest.
+
+By completing priority quests, you can earn some special rewards too:
+
+- All the usual [Mappers' Guild rewards](/wiki/Community/Mappers_Guild#rewards) for ranking beatmaps
+- A [**customised keychain**](/wiki/shared/news/2023-08-29-changes-to-the-mappers-guild/keychain.jpg) based on a pattern in your map
+- A profile badge upon completing 3 priority quests
+
+![Priority quest badge](/wiki/shared/news/2023-08-29-changes-to-the-mappers-guild/questbadge.png)
+
+## New priority quests
+
+**6** priority quests have been completed so far. Another **6** have just been added to the [priority quest listing](https://mappersguild.com/missions)!
+
+Unless otherwise stated, each quest ends on **April 30, 2024**.
+
+Here's a quick overview of each quest:
+
+### [Underappreciated Artists v2](https://mappersguild.com/missions?id=65a3451cf3b11461108e6fa7)
+
+Some of osu!'s Featured Artists haven't seen much love recently. Create and rank a map from any artist who hasn't received a Ranked map since their announcement on osu!. (Relevant artists are listed on [the quest page](https://mappersguild.com/missions?id=65a3451cf3b11461108e6fa7)!)
+
+### [Speedrank Specialist](https://mappersguild.com/missions?id=65a34492f3b11461108e6fa3)
+
+The most difficult part of mapping often isn't even the mapping. Your goal is to create a new map from any Featured Artist and rank it as quickly as possible.
+
+This quest is open for **3 weeks** (until February 6, 2024).
+
+### [From the Grave](https://mappersguild.com/missions?id=65a34956f3b11461108e6fc6)
+
+If you're an older mapper, this might be your chance to bring a map to the forefront of osu!.
+
+Your goal is to rank any beatmap that was submitted over 2 years ago!
+
+### [True Cooperation](https://mappersguild.com/missions?id=65a3376e48f36f2622ef2f44)
+
+The Mappers' Guild is built on collaboration. With this quest, you and a friend will be proof of that.
+
+Pair up with another mapper to create a spread of at least **5 difficulties**, each of which is half mapped by you and half mapped by that other mapper! For extra clarity, this means there must only be **2 mappers** involved in this mapset — and one is you.
+
+The first 5 maps to be ranked will win. Both mappers per map will receive quest rewards in this case!
+
+### [Above and Beyond](https://mappersguild.com/missions?id=65a348b1f3b11461108e6fc2)
+
+It's time to show off your mapping endurance:
+
+Create a map with a song that is **over 1 minute** with **at least 10 difficulties**, or create a map with a song that is **over 5 minutes** with **at least 2 difficulties**.
+
+### [The Hurdle v2](https://mappersguild.com/missions?id=65a6e6a3fa448adc05ab6bc5)
+
+As any new mapper can attest, this might be the hardest quest of all.
+
+Create and rank your first beatmap.
+
+Good luck.
+
+## Other changes to the Mappers' Guild
+
+The **Mappers' Guild** is an ever-changing system. In addition to this big batch of quests, we have one major change to publicise:
+
+**Hitsounds can be separately added to Mappers' Guild beatmaps!**
+
+![](/wiki/shared/news/2024-01-16-mappers-guild-more-priority-quests/hitsounds.png)
+
+In the past, a map's host almost always created hitsounds, but trends have changed lately. Nowadays, more and more mappers ask other mappers to create hitsounds for their maps, sort of like [guest difficulties](/wiki/Beatmap/Guest_difficulty). 
+
+The Mappers' Guild is following this trend, allowing guest hitsounders to earn the rewards they deserve!
+
+---
+
+That's all for now! If you're still reading, you should really be [checking out the new priority quests](https://mappersguild.com/missions) instead.
+
+And of course, congrats to these folks for winning one of the previous priority quests: ::{ flag=TN }:: [Hivie](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/14102976), ::{ flag=ID }:: [Ucitysm](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/14768693), ::{ flag=AU }:: [fvrex](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/11863699), ::{ flag=IE }:: [HEAVENLY MOON](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/13681283), ::{ flag=US }:: [Nao Tomori](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/5364763), ::{ flag=IT }:: [zekk](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/9704802), ::{ flag=ID }:: [Ilham](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/3057154), ::{ flag=HK }:: [Cynplytholowazy](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/3901754), ::{ flag=UZ }:: [Shmiklak](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/5504231), ::{ flag=DE }:: [Stardust Prism](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/8525921), ::{ flag=HU }:: [Nytrocide_](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/11327918), ::{ flag=FI }:: [Antti](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/13281473), ::{ flag=US }:: [fieryrage](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/3533958), ::{ flag=BR }:: [AutotelicBrown](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/4238941), ::{ flag=ID }:: [Hinsvar](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/1249323), ::{ flag=PL }:: [Zelq](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/8953955), ::{ flag=DE }:: [Lasse](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/896613), ::{ flag=RU }:: [Daycore](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/5596337), ::{ flag=BE }:: [Sylas](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/3906405), ::{ flag=ES }:: [Deif](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/318565), ::{ flag=CA }:: [wwwww](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/8434466), ::{ flag=NO }:: [Chrisse](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/18382591), ::{ flag=CA }:: [Unlucky_w](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/4820793), ::{ flag=SG }:: [_gt](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/8301957), ::{ flag=PH }:: [Jemzuu](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/7890134), ::{ flag=CN }:: [iBell](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/4298072), ::{ flag=NL }:: [Saemitsu](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/14262789), ::{ flag=HK }:: [DraterTD](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/11671725), ::{ flag=FR }:: [Ventilo le vrai](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/13661408)
+
+Have fun mapping!
+
+—pishifat

news/2024/2024-01-20-new-featured-artist-sparxe.md

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+---
+layout: post
+title: "New Featured Artist: Sparxe"
+date: 2024-01-20 19:30:00 +0000
+---
+
+Homegrown musician **Sparxe** makes their way from osu!'s leaderboards to osu!'s Featured Artist listing!
+
+![](https://assets.ppy.sh/artists/398/header.jpg)
+
+**Sparxe**'s music has been at the forefront of the competitive side of osu!taiko for years. From [the former highest osu!taiko pp score](https://osu.ppy.sh/scores/taiko/173764399) to 17 [osu! originals](/wiki/osu!_originals) (most of which were for various tournaments), practically everyone invested in osu!taiko knows **Sparxe**.
+
+**6** of those tunes are at your fingertips (assuming you touch your screen after heading to [**Sparxe**'s Featured Artist listing](https://osu.ppy.sh/beatmaps/artists/398)).
+
+**Sparxe** specialises in an interpretive mix of ZUN's *Touhou* themes and Camellia's... Camellia-ness. Hear what that sounds like for yourself through this video of *Zinnober* and the rest of these previews:
+
+<div align="center">
+    <video width="85%" controls>
+        <source src="https://assets.ppy.sh/artists/398/release_showcase.mp4?1" type="video/mp4" preload="none">
+    </video>
+</div>
+
+### Sparxe - Zinnober
+
+Check out these maps from the video above:
+
+- [osu!taiko map](https://osu.ppy.sh/beatmapsets/1754903) hosted by [Gamelan4](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/9856910)
+- [osu! map](https://osu.ppy.sh/beatmapsets/1904860) hosted by [Nozuchi](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/5858447)
+
+<audio controls>
+    <source src="https://assets.ppy.sh/artists/398/Songs/Sparxe - Zinnober.mp3">
+</audio>
+
+### Sparxe - Comma, ~ Imi to Kouzou no Bunri
+
+Or try [the map that led to a broken pp record](https://osu.ppy.sh/beatmapsets/1785711) hosted by [HomieLove](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/8693851)!
+
+<audio controls>
+    <source src="https://assets.ppy.sh/artists/398/Songs/Sparxe - Comma, ~ Imi to Kouzou no Bunri.mp3">
+</audio>
+
+### Sparxe - Dream Elevator
+
+Experience [this map](https://osu.ppy.sh/beatmapsets/1837865) from [EGTS 2022](/wiki/Tournaments/GTS/EGTS_2022) hosted by [Cynplytholowazy](https://osu.ppy.sh/users/3901754)!
+
+<audio controls>
+    <source src="https://assets.ppy.sh/artists/398/Songs/Sparxe - Dream Elevator.mp3">
+</audio>
+
+---
+
+Packed with pre-timed beatmap templates for every song above (and more), [**Sparxe**'s Featured Artist listing](https://osu.ppy.sh/beatmaps/artists/398) is only one click away! If you want to get more clicks out of it, you can head to the navigation bar above, hover "beatmaps", click "featured artists", then find **Sparxe** in the list. Have fun with that.
+
+Stay tuned for another artist reveal next week!
+
+—pishifat