I took a long break from Stepmania around 2016-2017 because it was poorly optimized, and it literally took over a half hour to load the game every single time I wanted to play due to my 500 installed packs. I'd gotten into the habit of just closing the game because I wasn't in the mood when it finally loaded. When I decided to pick it up again later in 2017, I was made aware of The Etterna Project through FFR and tried it out. While it was rough around the edges, it was extremely compelling in all the places that mattered. The engine felt amazing, the scoring system was innovative, and the cache actually worked properly, along with powerful search options and QoL features that evoked the feelings I had back in early SMO days with online integration. I was thrilled, and had my interest for rhythm games rekindled in a way that made me excited to explore and experience new things for years to come.