Zero. Event Introduction and Preface
MALODY OF NEXT-GEN FIGHTERS, abbreviated as MONF, is a non-profit competition based on Malody, aimed at newcomers to the fields of music production and chart creation. In this event, music producers and chart creators form teams to produce original songs and charts for Malody, upload autoplay recordings to Bilibili, and are ranked according to player scores.
The purpose of organizing MONF is to allow newcomers to more easily enjoy the fun of rhythm game competitions, the joy of creation, and the pleasure of interaction. We hope that new composers and charters can use MONF as a platform for growth, gain progress, and become better creators.
MONF2025 marks the seventh edition of MONF. This year’s competition features significant rule changes—please make sure to read through the following updates carefully:
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1. Changes in Scoring System
Unlike the previous percentage-based scoring system, this year's competition adopts a maximum 5-point scale. This change was made after considering multiple factors.
It should be noted that when using a 5-point scale, we assume a basic premise: scorers have already established a general benchmark in their minds after reviewing all entries.
While a 5-point scale might seem coarse for evaluating individual works longitudinally—it cannot distinguish subtle differences between works or fully reflect personal preferences—it offers unique advantages when scorers need to rank many works horizontally within a short time frame. If you encounter difficulties while scoring, feel free to review other entries first to help establish your own scoring benchmark.
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2. Comment Length Requirements
We noticed that disputes often arose in previous editions due to vote-padding or unclear comment standards. To address this, we are implementing comment length requirements:
- Scores of 3, 4, or 5 require comments of at least 10 characters.
- Scores of 1 or 2 require comments of at least 25 characters.
If you intend to give a low score, please provide sufficient explanation to avoid unnecessary conflicts.
We encourage diverse and personalized feedback. Before giving a final score, consider whether the work has redeeming qualities, aspects worth improving, or anything you'd like to say to the author. Please take some time to evaluate thoughtfully before submitting your final score and comment. Creators would love to hear your thoughts!
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3. Compilation Album Submission - "MINDFLOW"
The compilation album "MINDFLOW" is calling for submissions from all tracks entered in this year and last year’s contests. The album will be released via official distribution channels on major streaming platforms. For specific rules, please refer to this article:
https://www.bilibili.com/opus/1073689442622898177/?from=readlist
Additionally, minor grammatical simplifications and modifications have been made without altering the original meaning of the rules.
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P.S.
If you're interested in MONF, please join our official QQ group: 742073055. Members of the group are ready to offer enthusiastic support to anyone who wants to participate!
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I. Competition Principles
MONF promotes a healthy and harmonious online environment.
MONF values the process over results, progress over skill level, and collaboration over competition.
MONF encourages new creators to participate, supports communication and improvement, and does not discriminate based on skill level or style.
MONF advocates for objective and fair evaluations of musical works, focusing solely on the work itself and not being influenced by visual elements such as illustrations or background animations (BGA).
II. Theme
MONF2025 – 未来回忆
This year’s theme is 未来回忆/ Memoria Futura.
Participants are encouraged to draw inspiration from the theme, but they are also free to create without strictly adhering to it.
The degree to which a work aligns with the theme does not affect scoring.
III. Competition Schedule
- Submission Opens: July 15, 00:00
- Deadline / Scoring Begins: August 20, 20:00
- Scoring Ends: September 7, 20:00
IV. Participation Rules
1. General Principles
Both participants and players must agree with the competition’s principles.
All participants and players must thoroughly understand the full set of rules.
All participants must strictly adhere to the event schedule.
2. Competition Process
1. Announcement Phase: The organizers release competition rules and announce submission opening dates. Participants may begin preparing their works.
2. Submission Open Phase: Teams may submit works during this period. Players and participants can preview submitted entries. *(July 15 – August 20)*
3. Scoring Phase: Scoring begins. Players and participants can rate entries on the MUGHome platform. *(August 20 – September 7)*
4. Result Announcement Phase: Results will be published. Organizers will handle appeals, distribute prizes, compile albums, and create event retrospectives until the next competition.
*(See above for exact schedule details.)*
3. Team Rules
A team refers to an individual or group responsible for creating and submitting contest entries.
- There is no limit to team size (minimum 1 person), and one person can join multiple teams with no upper limit.
- Each team must submit at least one piece of music, multiple charts, and optionally additional content such as BGA, gameplay footage, etc.
- Only individuals directly involved in the creation of a specific entry should be listed in the team member section of the submission information.
4. Music Regulations
Allowed types of music:
- Original compositions created within the past two years.
- Remixes of works released within the past two years (must obtain permission from the original creator).
- New original or remix tracks specifically prepared for the competition (requires original creator’s permission).
- Previously used tracks from past MONF events are not allowed, but sequels or remixes of them are permitted if sufficiently distinct and with original creator’s permission.
Music duration should be between 1 and 10 minutes, suitable for uploading to the Malody platform. Recommended duration is 1.5–2.5 minutes, though not mandatory.
Submissions violating these regulations will face penalties, and any resulting disputes will not involve the event organizers.
5. Chart Regulations
- All charts must be uploaded to the Malody gaming platform.
- Each entry must include at least two charts (not necessarily of the same mode). All difficulty levels fall under evaluation criteria.
- Charts can be in any mode, do not need to cut sounds, and must be in `.mc` or `.tja` format.
- Any naming convention for difficulty levels is acceptable.
- While there are no strict limits on chart difficulty, we recommend moderate difficulty settings to ensure fair judgment. Unreasonably difficult configurations may negatively impact player perception of the work.
6. AI Usage Policy
AI-generated music or charts are strictly prohibited from competing. However, AI usage in other areas such as illustrations or BGA is generally unrestricted.
If AI-generated materials are used in any part of the work (music, charts, or otherwise), this must be clearly stated in the submission description.
7. How to Participate
Teams must upload videos to Bilibili and follow the format to post on the MUGHome forum’s competition venue to be considered valid entries. Submissions that fail to meet the requirements will not be recognized as official contest entries.
Bilibili Submission Requirements
1. Add the tag “MONF参赛作品” (without quotes).
2. Title format: `【MONF2025】Song Title - Team Name`
3. Description must include:
- Song title, team name, list of members (name + role)
- Member UIDs (used to award virtual prizes; optional if no Malody account, but missing UID means no reward)
- Chart SID
- Additional content, such as song introduction or creator reflections.
Example Format:
```
//曲名：xxxx
队名：xxxx
队员：名称（职位）、名称（职位）……
队员UID：123456、114514……
谱面SID:XXXXX
额外内容……
```//
4. Video Content:
- At least two difficulty levels of autoplay demonstration videos (uploaded as separate parts).
- Videos can use Malody's default skin, MONF official skin, community-made skins, or custom skins made specifically for the chart. Orientation (horizontal/vertical) is unrestricted. When using non-official skins, credit the skin designer and material sources.
- Other content (e.g., BGA, fan fiction, project files) should be added as separate parts or posted in the comments section.
5. Covers and thumbnails are not required unless specified.
Note: Non-contest works should not use the “MONF参赛作品” tag to avoid confusion in topic discussions.
Please try to submit your video at least three days before the deadline to avoid missing the cutoff due to Bilibili’s review processing time.
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MUGHome Forum Submission Requirements
Log in to the MUGHome website (forum.mughome.top) → Click the “MONF2025作品投稿” button in the top right corner → Fill out the required information and submit your contest entry.
Sample Submission Interface (2023):
In the “歌曲SID” field, only enter the numeric portion of the SID.
8. Player Rules
During the submission open phase, players can download and view works on Bilibili, the Malody store, and the competition venue. They can interact with contestants, leave ratings, or provide suggestions.
Players must register and log in to the MUGHome website (forum.mughome.top) → Click “MONF2025” in the top left of the homepage → Enter the competition venue → View individual entries and click “Rate/Comment” to score or comment.
Each entry receives two scores from players: music score and chart score, both integers ranging from 0 to 5.
When scoring, players must leave comments of at least 10 or 25 characters, depending on the score given. Comments deemed too casual may be deleted as spam.
Please rate responsibly. Malicious rating behaviors such as intentionally inflating or deflating scores, or soliciting votes, will result in removal. Severe cases may lead to account suspension on either MUGHome or Malody platforms.
9. Ranking Method
Final Score = Average Chart Score + Average Music Score
Contestants are ranked from highest to lowest based on final scores.
10. Prohibited Activities
You will be penalized if your work or evaluation falls into any of the following categories:
- Creating works that violate laws or public order and good customs.
- Producing works containing personal attacks or inflammatory content.
- Deliberately impersonating others or using someone else’s nickname to create or evaluate works.
- Offering bribes to evaluators or creators (regardless of monetary value or reputation).
- Making comments that violate laws or public order and good customs.
- Posting comments containing personal attacks or inflammatory content.
- Engaging in activities that compromise fairness, such as voting with multiple accounts.
- Any other behavior deemed inappropriate by the organizers.
V. Prizes
- One puzzle in Malody
- One achievement
- A certain amount of in-game coins
As long as you follow the rules and complete the contest participation steps, you will receive a prize. Prize quantity is unrelated to your ranking.
VI. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. I can’t upload or download Malody charts. What should I do?
Answer: If none of the team members have activated a Malody account, or if you’re unable to upload charts to the Malody platform due to personal reasons, please package the chart files (.mcz) along with your submission details and send them to the organizers' email: monfcontest@outlook.com or QQ: 2080408304. All submitted charts will be transferred to official accounts for display.
Additionally, since Malody 4.3.7 has not been updated for eight years, it may no longer be compatible with current server architecture, potentially causing delays or errors when uploading/downloading data. In case of obvious server issues, try switching to Malody V for resolution.
2. Can I participate alone or join multiple teams?
Answer: Refer to the Team Rules section. There is no limit to team size (minimum 1), and one person can join multiple teams with no restrictions.
3. I’m having trouble uploading multi-part videos on Bilibili. What should I do?
Answer: Both the web version and mobile app of Bilibili currently support multi-part uploads. Please check if your application is up to date.
4. I still have questions. Who can help me?
Answer: If you have any further questions, feel free to join our official QQ group: 742073055. Friendly members or administrators will be happy to assist you!
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Wishing everyone a great time participating!