IIDX Mini-FAQ: If you have newbie IIDX questions READ THIS!

Elektro Tal · Posted: Thu Oct 03, 2002 11:11 am Post subject:

For the record, i love popn music =)
and i never claimed to be good at IIDX, nor did i say i really enjoy the game. I was just responding to your comments.

Personally I prefer Beatmania III the Final append because the music is better, the UI is more refined, the machine is more comfortable to play, and its five key.

The only heat in my post came from indignation. I get reallly annoyed when people expect companies to cater to their specific demands. Konami didnt make IIDX for everyone. They made it for a specific group. Same with other niche games like Para Para. These games are for a specific audience who enjoy whatever the particular genre is. Personally, i'd prefer para para if it had more general dance music and less eurobeat. However, there are no game shark mods to allow that to happen. So what do i do? Stop playing it and move on.

I tried getting into IIDX, but found the learning curve was way too steep. Yeah, i can beat all the songs on beginner mode, and while thats enjoyable, passing 1-3 star songs really doesnt help much in the pursuit of L7/7 key songs. I'm sure if i actually owned the game and practiced i could get better, much as i did with DDR, having finally passed a few catas after 1.5 years of play, or with the various BM 5 key versions i have at home. Frankly, i find them much more accessible and fun.

And i wasnt trying to make you feel bad for sucking. It just happens that you are the type of gamer that fills me with unpleasantness. If you dont like it, play something else. But dont expect the game to change for you.

Cheez · Trick Member Joined: 08 Feb 2002 Location: Sumner, MI

Okay, I think I might qualify as an "IIDX rookie". I've had 6th Style for roughly 10 days now. Prior to this I had played BM 6th+Core, for about a week, so when it came time for IIDX, I was still pretty new.

When I started up, I started beginner mode, after failing a couple 1* songs (which I had expected to do, since I wasn't entirely familiar with using all 7-keys) I was able to pass a good number of 1* songs (DXY! should not be a 1* song). After a couple hours, I was able to pass most 2* and a good number of 3* songs.

By day 3, I was able to clear everything in beginner mode, so I made my leap to Light-7. Yeah, it was hard, I could pass probably a good 10 or so songs. But playing a couple hours a day, by day 5 I was finally able to clear the songs required to unlock everything (yeah, I'm a wimp)

Through just playing whatever songs I can't beat everyday, and a few I can, I've worked my way up. I now have all but 6 songs cleared on Light-7, and I've beat a good number of songs on 7-key, including a couple 6* (Romeo & Juliet, which, 4 days ago, I tried, and just laughed because it was impossible, I beat with relative ease today)

Every day that I play I find that there's usually at least 1 or 2 songs I can clear that I couldn't the previous day, and I increase my EX score on several songs every day, so I know I'm becoming better, it's a slow arduous process, but it's still fun.

High Speed definately helps, once you find your comfortable BPM range (I'm comfartable at about 350 right now) try to get close to it. If I'm not mistaken (please correct me if I'm wrong) HS1 = 1.5x, HS2 = 2x, HS3 = 3x, and HS4 = 4x. I've also been working on getting more comfortable playing at higher speeds.

Another incredibly useful thing I don't recall any mention of is Drill Mode. Drill Mode = Lesson mode from DDR. This has helped me immensely in learning to do certain patterns, and harder parts of some songs.

If you want to getting better at IIDX (or any bemani game for that matter) get used to seeing the Stage Failed screen (lord knows I've seen it enough). To get better, you have to be willing to try the harder songs, and fail them. I've found that the more I push myself, the better I get.

That's about as much stuff as I can think of for now.

Cheez

DKW · Trick Member Joined: 22 Mar 2002 Location: Pearl City, HI

[Yep, one more post...proof that one should never get into a heated discussion and expect to just walk away after a set amount of time. I'll try to be concise.]

Elektro Tal - I'm sorry...I had no idea that you actually liked Pop 'N Music (and it's a great series, no doubt) and didn't actually own IIDX. Now that we actually seem to be moving toward common ground, I'll give it one more try.

Yes, PPP (good, clean fun, great for relieving stress, and invariably dissed for all the wrong reasons) is a niche game...a niche game with a wide range of difficulties. (Don't anyone feed me that "super-easy" nonsense. Playing on a controller, maybe, definitely not stanidng up there and actually doing the paras.) Yes, Guitar Freaks caters to a specific type of music...and has a wide range of difficulties. Konami knows how to give equal weight to really easy, really hard, and everything in between...if they could do it with a 9-button game, doing the same for a 7-button, 1-record game shouldn't be that hard.

Do I have the right to demand this? I would think so. I'm a customer. They're after my money. If they expect to get it, they should accomodate me as well as the Internet Rankers (I do not expect them to cater only to my demands). They've already done this for at least THREE of their Bemani lines. Yes, they have the right to make IIDX as hard as they want. It still puzzles me as to why on earth they'd want to.

I mean, compare two of their recent arcade titles, Terraburst and Racing Jam Chapter 2. The former, a ridiculously hard shooter (there were players on GameFAQs who could beat Silent Scope with one credit who had nothing but complaints about Terraburst's difficulty), flamed out faster than my groove bar on an "Another" song. The latter, a decidedly nonrealistic pedal-to-the-metal speedfast with bumps and skids and crashes aplenty, is still popular over four years after its initial release. Wide appeal is a good thing. They know this. There's no reason to ever not incorporate it.

As for my Gameshark...well, I could regale you with no end of tales about how I want total control and have rejected the ridiculous macho attitudes that have infested the computer gaming community etc. The simple truth is, if the company can't be bothered to make the game enjoyable, I use the 'Shark to do the job myself.

Why do I fill you with unpleasantness? Because I expect common sense in video game design? Because I always want my money's worth? Because I prefer fun to aggravation?

Anyway, just learned that PnM 7 is going to be a PS2 title, so it looks like I'm getting a modchip come hell or high water. If I can work out a IIDX 3rd Style "contingent ownership" deal, I'll give it a try. I'll have more to say then.

SamplingMasters PongAtari · Trick Member Joined: 31 Oct 2002 Location: Kakogawa, Japan

I don`t think they made a mistake in making IIDX so hard. Not sure when IIDX started, but it`s on 8th style now and it`s still going strong. Whenever I go to a game center, there`s always someone playing IIDX. Yes, it`s very difficult.. but it was made for Japan. When people decide they want to do something in Japan, they`re very serious about it. I don`t think I`ve ever seen anyone (other than myself) play anything easier than 7 key 7 star songs at a game center, and a lot of people play IIDX.

I understand your frustration though, DKW. The first time I played IIDX was in an arcade. I picked a 1 star song and failed (at that time I could pass almost any 4 star song on BM). Decided that I`d never get good in the arcade, so I had my IIDX controller shipped over (they`re hard to find in Japan) and picked up the cheapest IIDX I could find.. which happened to be 4th style! I had no idea until yesterday that it was the hardest one. I messed with it for a bit, but decided that it was impossible to work up any skills when there was only one 1 star and one 2 star song on light 7. A couple weeks later, I went to the game center and watched some guy kicking buttocks on IIDX, decided I wanted to work on it again, took note of the way he placed his hands, and sat down with training mode for a couple hours, and it was all uphill from there. Now I can pass the easier 4 star songs, Luv to Me Ucchie`s Mix (5 stars.. WHY??), and the Shining Polaris (soon!). Beginner mode.. that would`ve been real nice

!

OT: GT3 is easy.. no restrictions on horsepower! Race with TCS and ASM on and you barely have to think. Build yourself a 1000 HP Skyline and you`re set. Or if you have an buttocks of steel, just play the Super Speedway endurance race and get the F1 car. Even if you race fair it`s not all that hard...

DeskLaser · Trick Member Joined: 23 Apr 2002

Is 6th Style for PS2 on CD-ROM or DVD-ROM? I need to know because I'm thinking about modding my PS2 to play IIDX, but the only chip that's available in my area with an install service can only play backups of games, after you bought them, and I don't have a DVD-ROM drive.

Nitsuj · Basic Member Joined: 11 Nov 2002

DeskLaser sorry to tell ya but all the IIDX games are on DVDs so you cant play IIDX unless you burn them... which I hope you dont cuz you should support IIDX.

DeskLaser · Trick Member Joined: 23 Apr 2002

It's not that I want to burn them, I would buy the game first, and then make a backup of it so it would be playable with the mod chip. (The mod chip only plays backups of Japanese games)

zqfmbg · Trick Member Joined: 10 Mar 2002 Location: SVGL/MGL

(edit) Okay, I have no brain, and just noticed the arguing in this thread is more than a month old...

ME = STOOPID

G-Dragon · Trick Member Joined: 25 Jan 2002

(Ok this post doesnt have to do with anything really.. I'm TRYING to reply to DJW's posts. but it seems like a ramble on afterthought.)

I started beatmania with the Dual shock.

Best hits. I got my buttocks kicked. I hated beatmania, I thought the music sucked.

One day I went to my friends house and saw that he had 4th mix, which he let me borrow.. I thought may as well.

Hmm... I was starting to improve, and enjoy the music more. I went back to best hits and enjoyed the tracks immensly.

It was now I had no idea of IIDX.. I thought it was pronounced (EYE EYE DEE ECS) and I was wondering which 5 key game songs like DXY!, and I was the one came from.. on ddr 5th mix it said "FROM BEATMANIA" and I never knew of IIDX.

After a massive turn of events, I get a PS2 and 4th style. And I play 5 key because I dont think I will be able to handle the 2 new keys.

Eventually I learn that playing 5 key does nothing for unlocks and etc so I move to LIGHT 7. I get slaughtered.

The music is so catchy and well done that I can keep playing. And get slowly better.. but never good enough to beat all the light-7 songs.

So, like Popnmusic, I change the configuration of the dual shock to something my brain can grasp.

Typically the 5 key setup is as follows

LEFT ON D PAD = white key 1

Square = white key 2

X = White key 3

L1 = Blue key 1

R1 = Blue key 2

L2 = Turntable (I changed this immediately from triangle even when i began to play 5 key)

IIDX added these two keys =

Triangle = Blue key 3

Circle = White key 4

Which I felt was always retarded, but could never think of what to do with them. Until it just hit me..

The first 2 blue keys are on the L/R buttons on the controller.. so I put Blue key 3 on R2 so all 3 blue keys are on top of the controller.. much easier for my brain to remember and manage.

As for White key 4, i placed it on Circle AND triangle. So I always press circle for WK4, but if I had to press WK2 and WK4 at the same time, I can press Square with Triangle. Took a bit of getting used to, that did.

With time I beat all light 7 on 4th sytle. Then I got 3rd and 5th style and managed to beat all light 7 on them, with time. For 6th style I slaughered Light 7 with the exception of G2, which took many tries.

One of the major problems with the Dual shock is its very hard to accurately do drum rolls.

Anyways, 7 keys.. I always had TONS of problems. TONS. So many that I believed that I considered not playing anymore until I got an actual controller (which I am still in the process of buying =/)

However, the great music and the fact I slowly improved with each day kept me playing.

Just in this past week, I beat DXY!, Presto, Sync, and Colors (!!!) songs I thought I would never pass in my wildest dreams.

I also beat the Outphase expert course which consists of

Radical faith (98% left on bar)
Abyss (96% left on bar)
QQQ (94% left on bar)
V (32% left on bar)
Sync (22% left on bar)

The point is, if a poopy iidx player as myself can do that, with a DUAL SHOCk, then it certainly should be no problem with a person that has a IIDX controller.. where no planning is needed for your configuration... its all lined up, each key to each column.

Admitedly, Turntableism is easier with the dual shock.

And I will NEVER beat V in my life.. the Dual shock controller was not made for this.

and thats about it.

robbiej · Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2002 12:56 pm Post subject:

DKW · Trick Member Joined: 22 Mar 2002 Location: Pearl City, HI

Okay, since I actually have the console game now (see my "The Journey Begins" thread below), this'll be my last post. Just a couple of rudimentary questions I don't remember being asked here before.

1. How exactly is scoring set up? Is a Just Great still worth twice as much as a Great, and a Great 5x as much as a Good?

2. What is the exact requirement to get the extra stage? I've gotten it a few times, always after clearing one of the harder songs (which I've never done before now, BTW). One time I continued twice, beat Genom Screams, and got it.

Thanks. I almost can't believe how much I'm getting into this game now.

G-Dragon · Trick Member Joined: 25 Jan 2002

Sohcahtoa · Trick Member Joined: 24 Jan 2002 Location: Portland, OR

I sometimes say Two Dee Ecs and sometimes I say Two Deluxe.

-DJ
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Sonicfan22 · Trick Member Joined: 05 Oct 2002

rampage: on ur first post u made the notion that DDR can be picked up over night and it doesnt take practice....thats completely wrong!

i didnt get to be as good as i am now from over night! it took a long time to be able to go 9 and 10 foot level songs!

some of my friends that have been playin for about 4 weeks (not very long) and they can do (at best) level 5 songs and ur sayin that people can learn ddr overnight and be AWESOME at it...

i dont think so

rampage · Administrator Joined: 24 Jan 2002 Location: Redmond, WA

DKW · Trick Member Joined: 22 Mar 2002 Location: Pearl City, HI

Um...exact scoring breakdown and how to get the extra stage? I'm squared away on everything else, honest.

Fungi · Trick Member Joined: 21 Aug 2002

pop'n music was intended for little kids, i've seen plenty 10 year olds get all COOLs on enka remix extra -_-

Xiayu · Trick Member Joined: 10 Apr 2002 Location: Clinton, MD

IIDX was made hard and it should stay hard

. I suck at it but I'm a n00b anyway. Soon I will not suck and then it will all pay off.

I must admit though, just when I thought IIDX was the 'hardest' game I had ever played, I went back to my fighting games like CVS2, MVC2, and SF3:3S. Talk about HARD. I'm not talking about computer difficulty either gang. I'm talking about COMBOS. Just try to do some of the combos that some people can do, and you will find yourself just as frustrated, if not MORE frustrated than IIDX. the only difference is you have complete control over everything your doing in a fighting game, and that's why you may not get as stressed, because just when you reach that point, you may find yourself unleashing another fierce attack on your opponent, in which case you are venting and playing simultaineously.

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paranoia-dude98 · Trick Member Joined: 05 Feb 2002

I got a red octane triangle controller for christmas am I evil?
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When pads Die I cry :sigh:

Xiayu · Trick Member Joined: 10 Apr 2002 Location: Clinton, MD