How to be a great stepman/stepwoman!

[A2P]

Whether you're new, old, or somewhere in between, there are probably a lot of you that browse this board, click on a Dynam0/Halogen thread and think, "WOW THAT'S INSANE HOW DO YOU GET THAT GOOD!!!!" While I can't guarantee a skill boost quite that great, maybe I can help you at least be competitive in this game. The following list is a set of guidelines and tips to help you reach that goal.

STEP 1
Prepare yourself to dedicate time into Stepmania/FFR

Most of you have heard the expression "practice makes perfect." This is exactly what this game is - a game of practice and dedication. It takes TIME to become good at this game. No one here started off insane.

I remember back in 2006, Dynam0 posted scores, and no offense, but he was a noobie. He posted a score of an SDG on Reach's Halloween with average MA and thought that was his breaking point. Look where he is now. He's insane. But it took him YEARS to reach that level of greatness. He took time out of his life to become as good as he is.

You may start off as a noobie, but every score and gaming session is building up your skill and experience. Once again, practice makes perfect.

STEP 2
Try out various styles of play, and find out which one is right for you

There are various styles of play in Stepmania. The three main ones are spread, which is a 4-finger 2-handed style of play with a setup spread out throughout the keyboard (e.g., A S K L, Q W O P, etc.), index, a 2-finger 2-handed style used mainly on the arrow keys, and one-hand, which is only one hand using however many fingers you want to.

Everyone is different! Some players may not be so good at spread, but are incredible at one hand. Look at Bynary Fission. I don't know how he started off, or how he ended up choosing his style, but he's grown to be the most (not just "one of" - I mean THE MOST) insane one hander in the game, and I remember when Moogy and Kefit were playing. I, myself, started off on index, then gradually made the transition to spread, not solely because of the changing metagame, but more because I was curious to see what I could do.

Take some time and self-discovery to see what style you prefer, and if you feel like you excel at one style more than the other, stick with it.

STEP 3
Focus on your weaknesses, and build up from there

By weaknesses, I mean something that you might not be good at hitting them correctly. Most people, I've found, have trouble with non-primary-handed jacks. Some struggle with jumpstream. Others are weak at hitting rolls. Whatever your weakness is, work on it.

Find stepfiles that have plenty of patters that represent your weakness, and practice with them. Don't get discouraged! Remember that you're playing those files for a reason - to improve. You may get sub-par scores on those files in the beginning. Don't pay attention so much to the score. Focus on the journey - the journey to improvement. Over time, you will get better, and once you get better, you're one step ahead of the competition.

Do note that however much you improve, this is still going to be your main weakness. Don't let that discourage you though. Even though it may be your lifelong weakness, the improvement you gain from practice will reward you greatly.

STEP 4
Focus on your strengths even more

Once you work on your weakness, also don't forget about what you're -really- good at. Whatever you're good at, also take time to improve on it as well. If you can FC jacks just fine, work on trying to AAA them. If your PA/MA on jumpstream is above average, go for insane accuracy! Your strengths will define you as what will eventually make you into a great arrow smasher.

Alternate between your strengths and your weaknesses. Take a day to play files that you're not good at, but tomorrow, go back to improving on what you're great at. With this healthy combination in mind, you'll see improvements that will shock yourself, and you'll find the drive to keep moving forward.

STEP 5
Do NOT make Stepmania your life
Take a break every now and then

I emphasize that second sentence because it's very important. Let's say you've taken a decent amount of time practicing, and although you are improving, you feel like your skill boost is slowing down. This is NORMAL! You aren't improving at the rate you used to because it's something that you aren't used to. I'm not an expert on psychology - maybe eastsideman09 can help me out with this - but I do know that having something on your mind constantly can hinder progress, and that can create walls.

If you feel like you hit a wall, or about to plateau...take a break. Find something else to occupy your time, however long you need. It could be a week, it could be a month - in my case, it was 3 years. However long you decide, just relax. Slow down. Do something else, like play another video game, find another hobby, focus on your studies/work - whatever you need to do. When you feel you are ready, go back to playing the game.

You may be rusty from your break at first. Give it a few more days however, and not only will you reach the level that you used to be, but all of a sudden, that break will give you a sledgehammer that will crush that wall, and you'll improve even further. It's just a matter of rinse and repeat from here.

STEP 6
Don't ever get discouraged by other players

Some of you browse this board often, and you, by no fault of your own, happen to click on a Dynam0/Halogen thread. You might see these scores and think "Wow, they're good! I don't think I'll ever reach that level." Don't think that. Even though those two players are insane, don't get discouraged and think you'll never be a good player. Remember Step 1 - practice makes perfect.

It's normal to compare and contrast yourself to other players on here, and that's fine. Don't let that stop you from achieving your goals. Focus on building your own skill. Even though you read this step, you may still feel discouraged. I will admit - sometimes, I feel that way. There was once a player named midare. He had some of the sickest, wickedest MA you could imagine. One day, I saw a score of him getting a quad on a ridiculously hard file, and I thought "oh wow, should I even bother anymore?" That made me not want to play for the following 3 weeks. This was a mistake.

Don't succumb to that same error! Realize that although Stepmania is very competitive by nature, we're all just trying to improve. Don't fall into the trap of envy. Focus on YOU.

STEP 7
DO NOT EVER LIE ABOUT YOUR SCORES

Just don't. You might want some attention. You may just want some recognition. Do it honestly. Don't lie about your scores. In the end, you'll be caught, and you'll be shunned throughout the community.

Nima is a perfect example of this. In 2004-2006, he was highly regarded as the stepmania prodigy. He would post absolutely ridiculous scores that, even in this time, would still be insane. There was always a doubt, however, as to whether or not he was legitimate. In 2006, his BS caught on to him. He posted a poorly edited video of himself playing Vertex Gamma. Ever since that day, he has kept a low profile. It was a shock to the entire community, and even though he may still play to this day, there will always be shame and doubt associated with his name. Don't lie. Be honest about your improvement.

That's all the steps to becoming a great arrow smasher. Follow these rules, and you too, can become legend.