The beauty of the vocaloid here is nothing short of chilling. Please enjoy this, everyone.

The long awaited trials are finally here. My hype has broken through every barrier it can: now, it's in the hands of my own efforts and determination.

Enough talk: let's get this show underway!



Round 1: ProtoDome - Fill Me Up With Snacky Happiness


(Something tells me this is going to be a fun file :3)

Attempt 1: AAA

EXCUSE ME, WHAT!?!

I... cannot believe I managed this first try. I'm shaking typing this...

As to the song, ah, jazz beats are always so fun to play out. (Could've done with the... voices, mind you, but then the saxophone balanced it all out)

I guess I was fortunate here; I'm kind of used to free-flowing, mixed-timing charts like this.

However, my fortune will be short-lived; the real intensity of D4 hasn't come yet, and when it does, I'll have to fight off a hurricane. I'll just need to push myself to the brink until that time comes, and do my very best.

...the very same thoughts that many of my D4 companions probably share right now...



Round 2: Fearofdark - Flame Repellent


(Note: Attempt 1 here was played right as the file was released, and is moreover a trial run than anything else.)

Attempt 1 (including an early reset): Booflag

...So much in that file scares me. There's the mixed tempos on semi-jacks, the sudden sub-streams... how I got a booflag is beyond me. Not to mention... DARN FINGER SLIDING OVER THE KEY, WHY ;_;

See the failed run here: http://www.flashflashrevolution.com/profile/Destroy2777/replay/292524/



Attempt 2: (Quit out, good hit)

...I'm so shaky when I'm playing this. Though, now that I'm off focus... this chiptune is HEAVENLY. Superb choice of song, PrawnSkunk. :)

At this point, sleep takes favor. Going to push for the AAA either tomorrow or Friday.

As to the fact that I'm doing oddly well thus far... I have no doubt that this is going to disintegrate. QUICKLY. Just wait until D4 hits a song that requires a high amount of speed and stamina... there begins the ordeal.

(...historical note that I just realized about attempt 1: this, I believe, is the first ever time I've gotten a booflag on any song. Lovely timing, that. :/)



Attempt 3: AAA (http://i.imgur.com/xv7MqgU.png)

YES. And I get scarhand as a little bonus. :)

So happy to see this, SO HAPPY. Suddenly, I can't wait for round 3.

Replay: http://www.flashflashrevolution.com/profile/Destroy2777/replay/292990/


(btw, going to start ignoring meaningless resets)


Round 3: Daisan - Plousia

Ok, so Daisan. Simply lovely artist. However, I saw the preview. Jumps. 16ths.

...

It begins.

(On a side note, D2, you got the most beautiful song...)



Attempt 1: 5-0-0-2

Several things I want to say here. First off, ARTCORE, I LOVE YOU. Next, I've figured myself out: starting out for the day, I'm terrible. However, I'm basically a wind-up... if I play for half an hour, then tackle these things, then I can see my peak strength.

What's more, it certainly feels like I can do better than this. I'm thoroughly enjoying it all: all the plays, and listening to this celestial melodies...

It's almost a blessing to have not AAA'd.

Lol, to think one would say something like that. :D



Attempt 2: 5-0-0-1

In honesty, this run should've been 2-0-0-1; I tripped over myself in the end sections.

But it doesn't sway me; I'm still smiling with overwhelming joy at this.

It's almost like a nirvana doing this.



Attempt 3: Well, this run didn't turn out so well. However, all my mistakes were, in my eyes, silly and preventable.

I feel like I can AAA at some point... and it would feel an honour to do so.



Attempt 4: Another run stopped due to silly mistakes. Again, I feel like I can get a AAA on this in due time. Perhaps another day will serve me better.

(I don't expect that day to be until at least the 19th; just imagine what a 24 hour programming competition, beginning at 7 PM, will do to your sleep schedule.)



Attempt 5: 2-0-1-1.

Darn it, why'd I have to miss? Oh well.

Just felt like attempting this a couple times after getting scores in for another tourney, given I was ready to play and all. I am a bit down when it comes to sleep, yet apparently I'm still in a sufficient state.

Also, when it comes to people mentioning that some of the arrows feel a bit iffy, I'm honestly starting to see a bit of their viewpoints. But, nothing that isn't manageable in terms of gameplay.

(A comment coming from Tuesday: Studying. I feel like I'm going to end up trying to better my score tomorrow just to assure that I make it into the next round. Don't you worry, folks.)

Attempt 6: Inclusive of various resets, nothing of note. While these attempts were merely an anti-sniping matter, my head aches at the moment quite badly. However, with only half an hour left, and a 4-person buffer, I think I'll be safe to move on.



Round 4: ARM - Poinsettia

Just from the preview, I was afraid of this song and chart.

Attempt 1: 26-1-0-4

I honestly expected worse. About half of these goods came from being unable to realize some of the ending patterns; half the boos very silly freakouts at the end. Still, I've got a lot to traverse on this song if I'm going to progress.



Attempt 2: 9-0-2-5 (10/27/2014)

Today is a good playing day, apparently. This run is enough to get me out of the dead zone, but only for now. Those misses are quite the hamper on my score. I'm also still struggling on the latter dense section, it seems: my hits are twice as hard compared to everything else (physically and audibly). But I'm far from being truly safe. Let's keep going, shall we?



Attempt 3: 2-0-1-0

LOL

This was unexpected in every sense. See the attempt above this one? THIS WAS THE VERY NEXT TRY ON ANY SONG.

What's more, I got so excited at the 2 good result, I ended up forgetting to hit the last note. This is a highlight if I've ever seen one. XD I'm laughing too much to be mad at myself for this.

Want proof? Have a replay!

http://www.flashflashrevolution.com/profile/Destroy2777/replay/295732/

I'm just going to keep going for laughs at this point.

(never got to another attempt due to lethargy and a general lack of being able to get myself going. Excuses, yes, but there was also the fact that I got intimidated by...)



Round 5 - t + pazolite - Electric Butterfly

So many jumpstreams in the preview. Tack on high-speed streams as well.

1. Why is D4 jumpstream hell?
2. I'm probably going to die this round.

Welp, time to use osu!mania charts to grind jumpstreams for practice and pray: the ordeal is great. ;.;

(pardon the delay)

Attempt (HA) 1: 74-4-2-14

I don't know what I was expecting. Long jumpstreams are my bane, after all. Well, time to practice Sleep, MEPHISTO, and co. to sharpen up. I've got around a day to encompass a major gap... let's see if I can manage it.



Attempt 2: (several resets later) What is it with this song? Is it the pace? The offset? For whatever reason, I can't hone into the song's tempo. If I can't get a good run tonight, I'll just have to try it again tomorrow with a fresh mind.

(A couple test plays say: it might actually be the offset. I bumped up my offset by .25, and the first notes seem far more on pace. Now, if I can just fix my shaky hands... :/)



Attempt 3: Yeah, my play for today is pretty much over. I am going to put all my efforts into tomorrow's play, then.

D4, in case I pull some really idiotic stuff like I did last round, have your sniping shields on standby.



Attempt 4: (Accurate tracking is no longer possible due to the excessive amount of plays. Please stay tuned to the leaderboard for any possible developments. However, at this rate, I'm unsure if the miracle will blossom forth...)

*Grinding, please hold...*

So yeah, I'm dead now. Lol.

Can't say I'm surprised at this point: the song was packed full of long jumpstream patterns, which are one of my worst areas in play. So, I've just got to practice on them from now on.

This tournament actually managed to show me how much skill I actually had compared to how weak I still thought my play was; I'm now really able to enjoy the 70+ songs as both challenging and relaxing.

So, best of luck to the rest of d4. Except for jon, the taunting man who (per axith's comment) probably belongs in d5 now. I'll just write my support there up as an addition for Shouka. :P

http://www.flashflashrevolution.com/profile/Destroy2777/replay/285644/

The blackflag curse has, at long last, been lifted.

50-58 Blackflags before first 50-58 AAA:
-Brain of the Moon
-Exogenesis
-Nebula[Rushjet1]
-Synaxis Symphony
-On the Origin of Species (Evolution)

This song truly brought me to tears.

There they stood, luminescent
Heaven on Earth, there in my eyes
Simply kind people with their gentle words
Those to whom I could smile

Simple gazes upon me, soulless
A known being, right before them all
A memory of time past there with just soul
Who made them smile once before

Though, their stares were blind to see
What I was there to mean
Behind my opaque visage
Was the writhing one inside.

I, in silence, smiled at them
Yet secretly shuddered, no words to come
I wished for them to smile again
...To where has my voice disappeared?

They turn, beginning to walk away
I want to speak with them, another memory
Yet my soul turns dead, no emotion nor meaning
And then I collapse, heard and seen by none.

Some days again they pass by
Only to see my forever-affixed smile
Curse my outward lie, and my darkness inside
Why I can't I let myself be with them again?!