Improving your DDR skills

[Ace Of Hearts]

Thanks for the help. After a while of playing Tsugaru on Standard to learn the basics of galloping, I proceeded to play In the Navy on Heavy and beat the living daylights out of it (which made it the first 8-footer I've beaten, unless Kind Lady: Interlude was 8 feet; can't remember at the moment).

So you know, I do have Kakumei unlocked. In fact, I have everything unlocked. I played very very much the first week I got the game and unlocked everything within 3 days.

Also, I tried Long Train Runnin' on Heavy, and found out that some songs have deceiving foot ratings. That song is a seven-footer from HELL.

Anyhow, now that I've improved a bit and learned the all-important art of the gallop, what should my next step be? Just to improve and increase my overall stepping speed? Faster crossovers? Which seven- and eight-footers should I be playing that won't kick my butt up and down the street?

I'm striving to improve upon what skill I have for my next trip to Park City Mall this Friday or Saturday, so any advice would be helpful. Thanks in advance.
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The Ace Of Hearts Guide Collection || My LiveJournal

[Justinian...]

there is no secret to getting good you just play a lot

[dreamdancer]

Ok, i Suppose this is the thread to ask this question on how to improve my overall DDR skills.

At the moment I can pass every song except, MaxX Unlimited, The Legend of Max and Paranoia Survivor Max Heavy and Oni.

I used to rely on the bar for most songs for a long time but recently I have shifted to playing without the bar. I still use the bar for Max 300 and Paranoia Survivor, on heavy only.

For EVERY song I use speed modifiers, ranging from 5 speed for 90 BPM or below to 1.5 speed for songs above 200 BPM, 3 speed up to about 158 right now.

Here is my dilemma: Should I start playing without speed modifiers - that is go back to 1 speed and watch my PA taking a nose dive (I can AA a few 8 footers by now) just for the sake of learning to read songs better at 1 speed? Or should I continue to use speed modifiers, improve my PA and work on passing the final 4 10 footers?

Right now I am leaning towards the latter, I know that given my natural learning curve it will take me a long time to get used to 1 speed. And I don't really see the benefits... could somebody elaborate on what the benefits of being able to read 1 speed actually are?

Furthermore, I have noticed an enormous improvement when using 3 speed over 2 speed - IE Genom Screams, first ever attempt of that song on 3 speed, instant AA, 20 greats - before I had never gotten close to AAing it.

All of my experience points towards continued use of speed modifiers, however some senior players have advised me that I should start learning difficult patterns on 1 speed rather than relying on speed modifiers.

What do you say? Your EXPERT opinion would be greatly appreciated.

And please don't tell me "Just practice..." believe me, I DO!
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Click to see my NNR scores

[dreamdancer]

My very first double post
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Click to see my NNR scores

[DDRMasochist]

No matter how hard I try i cannot pass Paranoia Survivor Max on Heavy or Oni steps. It's the only song I cannot do and it is really starting to irritate me any advice would be great.

[Quik_Nero]

man, all you guys are good! The only 10 footer i can pass is sakura and I dont think its a 10 foot worthy song either... and the worst part is that I had DDR MAX for about 8 months, and I only started going to the arcades since October!! AiYa! (enough whining)

I can pass any songs that are up to level 7 with decent scores, I can pass level 8 with okay scores nad barely pass 9's. Where does that put me and what should i do?
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I can't help but feel attached
to the feelings I can't even match
with my face pressed up to the glass
wanting you...

[brie84]

I wish I could do 10 stepers...I'm still stuck on 4-6 stepers The thing that my friends taught me is never ever go back to the middle...it is evil I tells ya !
And also keep the beat...listen to the songs and see if you can keep up with it. And that helped....I use to go back to the middle but now I don't and my arrow reading is getting better...cause I listen and watch wooo go me !
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Brie
ブリー

[RevenG_2MB]

I would start out with hard songs but i tired myself out to fast.
sometimes i just start with CSFILSM and im dead beat. I take it slow now.
My GF gets scared when i play LOM. She thinks i'll die....



just cause it says Revenge.
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<--- Singing Rythmn & Police
http://thepillows.co.uk

[b-aki]

endurance is like a wallet. if you put too much, you cant fit anymore. but if you exchange them for a certain bill, you can fit more in. so, if you play that certain song that will tire you out or that you can AA many times, play the next footer then practice on that afterwards! ! i think breathing through your mouth is more recommended when playing 10 footers or songs that easily tires you out. i was able to almost AA psm oni 8 out of 15 and lost 2 times

[Justinian...]

endurence is really time and pacience just like everything else
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Behold the Fyre

[beebow]

WEll ive been playing for a little over a month now and i just did my first 9 footer today, which was kakumei (i heard it was easy) and also managed a B so i was really happy! But i have the same problem that the previous poster had, my endurance totally sucks. I get tired like halfway through CSFILSM (heavy) and i fail for that reason only...

also i still have trouble with figuring out how to do 1/16 steps properly. like i mean i can manage the easy ones eg in kakumei and just do a easy gallop for songs like cowgirl, but its when the 1/16 steps come irreuglarly that i have trouble...any help on that available?

also i was wondering how long most of u great ddr players out there have played for? i just wanna know how well im progressing

btw, i can do max 300 on trick fairly easily, but i cant on heavy...i seriously dont think i can physically hit all the steps fast enough. I have enuf trouble gettin the steps on standard but the steps on heavy are a lot faster and a lot more condensed. again...any tips?

Yes im a new member to the board so HI EVERYONE! Thanks in advance for any help given ^_________________^

[stardf29]

I suggest singling out the middle slow section in era (nostalmix), if possible. The rest of that song is a stamina drainer, but if you don't have a home version with era, you're pretty much stuck doing the whole thing at the arcade... what home versions do you have?
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News Flash!
Piano Concerto No. 1 "Scorpion Fire" rivals Kakumei as Best Bemani Song Ever!

[LET ME SHOW YOU THEM]

[>Dee]

I have a question for PA players

I went to the tourney in Phoenix and all the good people were like playing flat footed with skateboarding shoes

Does it help playing flat footed?
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What, your mom buy you a 'Puter for Christmas?

[DDR Fr33styler]

I have played about 4 total hours in the past 5-days, 2 hours sunday and two this tuesday. And right now i can pass most 3's and lower, but my question is, is this good for playing only 4 hours? I play 5th mix and i can easily beat Healing Vision, Shake Your Booty, Test my Best, and Orion.78 on basic level. I've been working on Dam Dariram and Dynamite Rave though, I tried dynamite rave but i got really uncorrdinated which was probably becuase i had played 5 songs right before it and was fatigued.
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CATA's Passed: 8 "more but i forget lol"
Level: Heavy 8-9 footers
AAA's: 0
AA's: 43
A's: too many to count
Recent Acomplishment: Can't Stop Fallin In Love Speed Mix (CSFILSM) Heavy/Grade: B and Witch Doctor Heavy/Grade: C

[kif]

PLAY DANCE WITH INTENSITY ALOT, especialy before you go to the arcade, this got from 90 greats a song down to about 40-10 in 2 weeks!
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The Chinese
Sdgs in arcade: 7
AAA's in arcade: 0

clerk sells the animal with three conditions, which are:
1 never get him wet
2 Never feed him after midnight
3 Never expose him to direct sunlight, as it will kill him
HOP STEP!

[Justinian...]

yeah i guess it will make ur reading skills better
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Behold the Fyre

[beebow]

thanx for the help so far. i have another question

with afronova, i always seem to fail right at the begining with the run of arrows. even though i know exactly where to step i must be doing it wrong somehow. I use the turning method and for the begining of the run (which i pretty basic) i dont have to turn much. but the second part of the run forces me to turn to my left, (or right - its the same either way) and do the steps in this fashion. At this point i always seem to fail. and it is only this section that i fail the song on bcos for the rest im fine.

i was wondering if most ppl turn or double step for the harder part of the run? and if u turn - how to make sure u hit the steps w/o tripping lol, and if u double step - how the hell u move ur foot so fast!!

oh and i lied abt being cool for the rest of the song. i cant seem to get the end part with the 1/32 steps. again i know where to step, but i just cant keep up with the pace. any tips on either of my problems? the first problem with the double stepping is probably more important if u need to prioritise. thanxks

[LET ME SHOW YOU THEM]

beebow: with afronova and those runs, I know quite a few people who have taken the time to memorize the entire run, and then they essentially turn their back on the screen and do the run (because facing that way makes it less double steppy or something)..the ending jumps are just gross..try maxX standard and LoM standard for practice on those...

dee_acid_burn: Flat-footing uses less energy and you also hit more of the arrow with your foot when you do it...I know quite a few REALLY good PAers that do it, and I'm in the process of learning it...

dreamdancer: speed mods don't bite..use them and let them take you to new heights unless every tourney around you is 1x only...*shudders at that thought* just mod stuff to comfortable speeds and go for it, you'd be surprised how fast you'll get used to them (ie. i've gotten my best scores on some high 160s and 170 bpm songs on 3x...meaning i'm reading about 500 bpm right now ) don't push it too far too fast or you'll just be like O.O

[[DMB]dman.exe]