DDR: From Beginner to Pro

[N8!!]

I started a project a few days ago. The goal of this project was to make a guide that can take someone from beginner to expert and beyond.

The result is four sections:

How to Play DDR: Beginner to Intermediate

How to Play DDR: Intermediate to Advanced

How to Play DDR: Advanced to Pro

How to Play DDR: Pro

To view the full guide (instead of just one section), go here:

How to Play DDR: From Beginning to Expert

*note* This guide is VERY LONG (5000) words... this is why I divided it up.

-N8

[TC_Halogen]

I'll note with what I disagree with:

How to Play DDR: From Beginner to Intermediate:

Overall, a very nice tutorial. The one thing I disagree with is actually assigning a player a general pattern to follow--this gives players the impression that patterns continue like this, and something like this actually causes a player to not learn crossovers as quickly as they should. I would rather say to alternate feet in general.

How to Play DDR: From Intermediate to Advanced

The groove radar section is a bit misleading.

Originally Posted by Article

When you go to practice songs, keep the groove radar in mind. It will show you what a song has and lacks. So, if you want to practice a song with jumps, look for something with "air". Chaos will tell you how many blue notes there are. Stream will tell you how much stamina the song will require, and voltage will show you how "fast" you will need to move.

You actually had it listed properly when you separated it as a list, you should really explain it that way here. Since stream is the overall density of the steps, you can say that it's the general step count in proportion to the song. Voltage CAN tell you how fast you have to move, but for the most part, it measures one section's density. So you can actually say the overall chart's density is--even though it measures one area.

Originally Posted by Article

You can only see the BPM (Speed) of a song for ITG when you go to the options menu. This is important! Knowing the speed and using modifiers can help you find what speed modifier you are most comfortable with.

The only time that this holds true is if the step-chart has intentionally blocked off the BPM. There aren't any officials that do this, so I don't think this portion should stay in your article.

How to Play DDR: Advanced to Pro

Originally Posted by Article

A common way to play this is to try to double step it. I would not recommend this unless you have good foot speed.

This is my opinion, but NEVER tell a person that there is another option to cross-overs. They are tiring and take time to learn, but if you give a person an alternative, they will choose to use it and not bother to do any crossovers.

Originally Posted by Article

Realize that the steps in measure 2 are not actually crossovers.

Also, nice job explaining the freakish cross in Afronova, that one makes DDR players cry.

How to Play DDR: Pro

You said that you were going to mention how to do hands using only your feet, but I didn't see it there.

There should be more things that show how to conserve energy, proper technique, etc.

Overall, I think people who read this guide will learn a few things. Nice job! =D

[N8!!]

Yeah I missed the section about cheating the hands - I'll have to tidy that up and add that as well as the stamina conservation techniques, bracketing, how to use the bar, etc.

It's a living guide, so I do not expect to ever really be perfect or finished. So, input is certainly appreciated!

[Patashu]

Do you ever note that chords are judged when their last note is hit, therefore you can safely 'gallop' into jumps to hit them as perfects?

[N8!!]

That's true - same goes with hands.

[Patashu]

Yup - just want to make sure it's in the guide somewhere, it's a useful trick.

[N8!!]

I don't have it in there yet - but I definitely will add it.

I have been making modifications based on what people in forums have been saying about the articles.

*Note*

Added to Advanced Section

[DDRfreakDES.573]

You don't need tutorials. I got good through experience.

[N8!!]

You know, some people just naturally get good at this game. If that is you, then more power to ya. But not everyone fits your learning curve (or can learn like you).

Also, I am using tutorials to get more blood into the dance gaming arena... which is what we so desperately need if we want to hold any notably sized tournament.

Since you got so good, why don't you teach others how to play so we can get more people to competitive level and on arcade machines?