Hottest Party 3 and Stepmania

I've run into issues trying to include the Hottest Party 3 Sim pack into Stepmania (v. 5.0a - I'll have to check on that):

- the folder for HP3 doesn't show up
- I can create new folders (ex: "new") with songs (ex: "song", not from HP3)
- if I include songs from HP3 (ex: "hp-song"): I still have "new" with "song", but "hp-song" doesn't appear
- [I didn't check this] I assume a folder with no-valid-songs doesn't show up in Stepmania.

- I checked HP3 files, they seem to agree with any of the other songs... .sm files, nothing special about the name.
- I don't think there are any issues with the folder options (it didn't look any different on glance)

Any help would be appreciated (pointing me to the right thread or even forum area - I assumed "Simfile Discussion" was appropriate) - and I did a general search from google for ["Hottest Party 3" Stepmania] without any equivalent results.

Check if the "Fast Load Songs" option is enabled.
I'm also using StepMania 5, so the option should be located:

More Options
> Advanced Options
>> Fast Load (towards the bottom)

---

"Fast Load Options" was enabled - I disabled it so it would check; however, it still does not show up. I discovered a "reload songs" thingummy in the Options menu, but the program still doesn't see the song files within HP3.

I'm pretty sure it has to do with the folders/files within HP3 (permissions?) since I can make new folders of old songs, rearrange, and whatnot; but I just can't see HP3's songs.

//confirmed that my stepmania is 5.0a: "Stepmania v5.0 alpha 1a"//

Check for graphics and audio. I get the feeling you got the video pack by mistake; it has the .sm file and .avi, but it needs the other files to work.

Covering some basics:

Make sure the folders are structured like so:
Songs\HOTTEST PARTY 3\*song folders from zip*

You can also try deleting your cache. if you don't see a folder called Cache in the StepMania folder, 5.0a stores cache here:
C:\Users\All Users\StepMania 5

That's for Windows 7 and Windows Vista, I assume that's what you're using since you haven't said. Just Recycle the entire contents of the folder and run StepMania again.

Also, this is kind of a stupid question but I noticed something while checking the HP3 download page... you did click Download Pack and not Download Video Pack because the video pack doesn't actually contain simfiles.

@DDR Addict:
> what other files are needed - I downloaded the HP3 pack from Zenius's list of packs of various arcades and consoles.

@AeronPeryton:
> as I said earlier, I've created and manipulated other folders within Stepmania
> that the HP3 song folders all contain ".sm" files
> I'm going to assume that cache isn't a problem because I am still able to add/remove files and Stepmania recognizes that when it starts/checks.
> (and I can't find that folder =P)

I have Windows 7.

Has anybody recently downloaded that pack and got it to work?

Yes, I downloaded it last night and installed it into my copy of alpha 1a without incident.

What I and DDR Addict are talking about is do you have ALL the files for each simfile. There are two packs for the HOTTEST PARTY 3 category. One contains working simfiles, the other only contains movies and .sm files. Do you also see the .mp3 music and graphics in your folders?

I see.

Thanks.