Need tips to help teach a class about DDR

[mrmariowario]

So, my dance teacher has asked me to teach my dance class how to play DDR, and I need to come up with some tips to give beginner and light players.

Can you guys help me come up with some good tips for them?

Thank you in advance!!!!

[pleasedon'thurtme]

I may not be the best person to offer advice, but I always like to give tips to less experienced players. One of my first thoughts was to make sure they realize Dance Dance Revolution is different from dancing. I am guessing the first thing you need to do is make sure they know how to play the game, so explain to them how the game is played -- the basics like the scores and step judgments. Familiarize them with basic terminology (I am not sure whether it is called the "step zone", "judgment zone" or what where we step the arrows). The tips I typically tell less experienced players include staying off the center, turning one's body to hit the back arrow as opposed to stepping back, and how the arrows flash along with the rhythm of the song as well as the fact there is no penalty for stepping when there are no arrows to step. Again, my advice may not be the best as I am a long shot from an expert at this game (my first time playing was September 2006 and my first arcade play was July 26, 2008). I hope someone else with better advice reads this to make sure I have not given bad/inaccurate information. I hope all goes well for you and the students.
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[Slowpoke]

[Haoie]

You really should take a PS2 or something into class, with a game, hook it up, and yeah.

How's that for hands on action?

Or rather, feet.
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Baby getting Higher, we're getting Higher
Open up your eyes, everyday is a surprise
You are the one, baby the only one
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[mrmariowario]

[pleasedon'thurtme]

If you start them out on X, just be sure to let them know about how the difficulty scale is different from older games. I do not know if you will need to explain how Max and Max 2 award AA's automatically for any full combo, but it is possible to AA without full combo, EXTREME and EXTREME 2 require full combo for AA and full combo will not guarntee AA, and SuperNOVA 2 and X allow less than perfects for AAA. Will you eventually introduce them to In The Groove?
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Hate only bad actions, never people themselves because they bear the potential to become the good people you want them to be.

www.stayonsync.com/forum

[That guy with the afro...]

How about this.

You have everyone play a round. Just have fun. Of course tell them what to step on and when. If they think they suck or are too embarrassed, tell them you were in their shoes and even the best players in the world fail songs sometimes. Once everyone is done assure them that no matter what grade they got anybody in the room has the chance to get to Expert level and some may make it before others, even if they failed.

Then you list the difficulties, starting with the MAX scale. When someone asks about the X difficulty rating, explain that afterwards. Describe the grades from E to AAA and what Perfect, Great, Good, Almost/Boo, and Boo/Miss mean (as well as OK and NG).

Then build them up by giving them tips like not returning to the middle of the pad because it is more efficient that way, why you shouldn't rely on double stepping your problems away (but don't call it double stepping yet), what is up with the freeze arrows, and tapping on beat will help you familiarize yourself with a song.

Explain the bar and tell those who want to play for the competition should learn how to play without it. Also, tell everyone that at one point in their "journey" or whatever you want to call it, that they'll realize how you got to move so fast and that it's not that hard, you just need to get the hang of it.

Don't mention speed modifications or how important it is. if someone asks, tell them that if they feel comfortable with it, use it, but don't encourage everyone to rely on it just because the better players do.
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frick YEAH BOAT!

[Slowpoke]

[__]

[mrmariowario]

[Slowpoke]

[Suko]

KISS: Keep It Simple Stupid

Seriously, I learned this game without hardly any feedback or input from a "pro", I'm sure most people only need the most basic, fundamental principles explained to them.

I agree with some previous posts and am going to reiterate what I feel are the most important "tips" for a beginner:

-You should tell them how the arrows work (i.e. how to "read" them and how to know when to step).
-You should probably tell them that you don't have to stand in the center, and that you don't "lose points" by standing on the panels when there are no arrows to hit. But don't tell them they can't play this way, because for a complete noob, this might be a preferable stance.
-Explain how to navigate the menu and explain the foot rating system.

This is all you need for the first class. Anything else is probably excessive. Let people play and mess around and try out different songs. In a later class I would suggest talking about mods and explaining them. However, until a player has made it to Trick/Standard difficulty, it is usually a mute point to use any speed mods. Then way later on I suggest you talk about different "techniques" such as crossovers, spins, gallops, etc.

Edit: It depends on the class, but I suggest you DON'T show off by playing Heavy songs and getting AAs unless this is a more advanced class. Those songs make regular people think: "That is crazy and impossible. I'll never be able to do that!" (I know this is how I felt when I first started playing). So unless you want to scare away a large chunk of your students, maybe show them a trick or standard difficulty song in the 5 foot range and freestyle a bit. It seems a little more "natural" to most people and not as crazy as beating Tsugaru or Afranova on Heavy.
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"Arcades have gone away but the culture is not gone."

DDRecall | Groovestats | Beatspace | UI Bemani Club | Suko's Shirt Shack

[__]

Yeah, you definitely don't want to beast in front of them yet.

If anything, play on their level.

[Haoie]

Good advice coming out of this.

Let everyone know how it goes.
_________________

Baby getting Higher, we're getting Higher
Open up your eyes, everyday is a surprise
You are the one, baby the only one
Tonight

[Marq(uistadorous)]

[__]

Are you actually going to be teaching a course on this or is it a project?

Give us some details - I think it's really interesting.

[rddr]

mrmariowario,

Do you have a local arcade with DDR? If so, which arcade version?
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Dance Dance Revolution versions owned:
Xbox:
1) DDR Ultramix 2) DDR Ultramix 2 3) DDR Ultramix 3 4) DDR Ultramix 4
Playstation 2:
1) DDR Supernova 2 2) DDR X