Improving your DDR skills

Emporer Z · Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2005 1:17 pm Post subject:

Well....it could be because SM is for hand-eye coordination/recognizing arrow patterns, and the arcade is for foot-eye coordination/stamina/recognizing arrow patterns.

Anyhow, your case is not uncommon at all. It happens. I think what happens is that people kick a$$ on SM, getting single digit greats and AAAs on songs they can't even pass in the arcade. So, when they actually get to the arcade with their artificial confidence in place from SM, they don't do well and lose confidence. Some people say SM ruins your PA, and the only way to learn is to play in public, on the pads. IMO, SM helps with arrow recognition (ex: if you want to overcome the combo busting step-jump-step patterns of MaxX Unlimited Heavy).
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Emorgasm · Trick Member Joined: 15 Jan 2005

I think that SM is great for arrow-reading skills (it taught me to do eight-streams over 200 bpm,) but the most important thing is to not get out of balance. My friend downloaded stepmania and played it for a few weeks, and then assumed that he could do songs that were way above his level. On the other hand, I try to use it as a tool to develop rhythm and stream reading skills. All in all, if you don't substitute it for DDR, it can only help.

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It's all about the sesh.

Walked · Trick Member Joined: 10 Feb 2005

Any tips for getting 1/16 notes down?

I've been playing for about a week now, and I can nail Holic on Heavy, however, anything of a similar challenge (B4U heavy) which has 1/16 notes, I completley frick up on.

Any good suggestions? B4U is the one I'm trying to get down right now. That and Abyss on heavy.

Slowpoke · Trick Member Joined: 28 Oct 2003

Walked · Trick Member Joined: 10 Feb 2005

Emorgasm · Trick Member Joined: 15 Jan 2005

Practice helps. Just remeber that 16th's aren't just really really fast, they're on time to the beat. All you need is time.
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It's all about the sesh.

Tondog · Trick Member Joined: 06 Mar 2004

Alright, I've been playing DDR for a full year now (DDRMAX2 for PS2), and I can do most 5 footers, like 3 6 footers, and 1 7 footer. So, I need some serious help right now. I need help with following things...

-Speed
-Jumps (how to make them quicker and less draining)
-Stamina
-Crossovers
-Gallops

I can read the arrows just fine because I can pass a lot of catas when I use the controller, so it's just my feet that are giving me problems.

Oh, I am using a rather crappy pad I picked up for $20 when I first bought the game. Maybe I should consider getting one of those RedOctane pads now. I have a feeling that my scores will jump if I get one of those.

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!
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antimony · Trick Member Joined: 16 Dec 2003

Tondog: I got stuck at this point for a while. I bought an ignition pad a while back, but I actually still play mostly on my modded softpads, though they need replacing now. Not sure why, but I just like them better.

First: Speed and Stamina -- this will just come with time. Perhaps you might put together a nonstop course of all the songs that you can consistently pass but make you out of breath for a workout course. (Or play the premade nonstops, but then you'll probably get very tired of a bunch of songs that seem to be repeated on all the long nonstops -- Heaven, anyone?) I'd suggest tying together songs like Breakdown standard (4 feet), In the Navy Standard (also 4) with whatever energetic 5s you like, and top it off with something like Dream A Dream (which I'd bet you can pass, as it was one of my first 6s). Maybe put some of the easier songs on shuffle, too, so that they might add weird patterns.

Check the groove radar and only play songs with a lot of air when you're fresh -- trying to do jumps when tired is, IMHO, just frustrating and likely to lead to injury. Also, the better you are at a particular song, the less draining it is, because you don't have to scramble to make it to a step. Just relax into it.

Second if you have two pads, you might try doubles, just for a change of pace, and it will get you more comfortable with crossovers.

Third: go watch people who are better than you play. I couldn't figure out Tsugaru standard (could pass it by building up life on the easier bits, and then screwing around on the hard parts) until I played it side-by-side with a friend who was mostly a heavy player, but not up to catas, yet. Watching someone pass In the Navy will tell you all you need to know about normal gallops.

Fourth: Go back to songs you can pass with ease, and try to monkey around with crossovers and other weird patterns on them. (There's lots of songs with 1/4 note patterns that you can cross over, even though it's a little silly to do so.)

Slowpoke · Trick Member Joined: 28 Oct 2003

D*D*R · Trick Member Joined: 20 Jan 2005 Location: Minneapolis

Play workout mode heavy songs constantly playing harder and harder ones. when you get to 20k calories burned, you are now good. (took me 10 days) :-D
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Darkicarus · Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2005 12:15 pm Post subject: Re: Improving your DDR skills

xainxodik · Trick Member Joined: 19 Jan 2005

does anybody else find some songs harder on SM than with your feet?

I get so used to crossing over, that my fingers get confused when playing songs i know on ddr already (i play with indexes). I just thought that was kind of funny.
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millia + dustloop = broken ;(

the_lone_psycho · Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2005 7:14 am Post subject:

I find it is much easier to clear songs or get a full combo in stepmania than on real DDR, but I reckon it is harder to get AAA on stepmania since it is much easier to keep rhythm with your feet...
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If a man AAA's Paranoia Survivor Max (Oni) and nobody is around, does he make a sound?

Captain Canada · Trick Member Joined: 24 Jan 2002 Location: yes

BaritoneTC42 · Trick Member Joined: 04 Jan 2005

i need help with 4 arrows that are very close like in jet world or measure 12 of Don't clock me any help?

chugg · Basic Member Joined: 20 Feb 2005

just do it with the music of the song

i have left some idea's in my sig so read up if you like
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The One and Only....CHUGG!!!
1.here is a hint stay on the balls of your feet
2.plan your moves ahead(if possible)
3.The middle of the pad is a black hole don't go there
4. practice practice, PRACTICE

Tsunami Forever · Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2005 5:13 pm Post subject:

bet · Basic Member Joined: 11 Jan 2005

Can anyone tell me how to turn off the eighth and sixteenth notes on DDR max 2?
Thanks,
Bet

Slowpoke · Trick Member Joined: 28 Oct 2003

itrnottehpwnagetech? · Basic Member Joined: 22 Feb 2005

I have been playing standard for a little while now. I can consitantly get B's on almost any song I play. I even get A's on some

haha. I normally play 7 footers. I just started to play Ska A Go Go and other 8 footers. My friend told me that it will help if I move up to heavy 8 footers. Do you think this would help any?
Also concerning Ska A Go Go on standard. Is it better to have ghost steps almost through out the entire song (mostly the begining) or everywhere cept the streams at the end?
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