Reading arrows

[Garquillex]

I'm starting the Difficult songs, where it starts getting harder to make that 'linear' picture of the arrows in your head. I was wondering if some of the players who can play the VD's+ can just look at the screen and play the arrows or if you read the screen as two sides, one for each hand. I was thinking of practicing the latter.

[awein999]

I just look at the screen and play the arrows...I think it's just another difficulty jump to get used to.

[meno_rocks123]

You eventually recognize patterns instead of individual notes, which makes reading the harder songs a lot easier.

[Gilly G]

This game is filled with patterns, as meno_rock stated. You will learn to recognise them sooner or later. Give it time and practice.

I don't recommend looking at the screen on two sides. Look at it as a whole, that way you can see the patterns. This will more or less come to you naturally as you keep on playing more and more.

I now often get mind blocks on old songs, so at this moment, it's better to look at the screen as two individual sides, or even all arrows individually, but that's only when you're having trouble on a specific spot. :3

[DJAirWave]

I speed up the arrows just a bit so it's easier to read them. I don't at arrows as a pattern (except those cute zigzaggy lines). To pass VD's and above, all you need to do is improve your reflexes and hand-eye coordination, no secret behind being good at FFR.

[Breakdown16]

I read arrows by the patterns, similarly to how Meno_rocks put it. For streams and jumpstreams that seem more random, I try to "feel" the beat of the sixteenth notes.

[Patashu]

Given that there are only four columns, barring -very- weird note intervals or polyrhythms there are only a limited number of pattern permutations that a song can throw at you. Sooner or later you'll get them all.

[Bluearrowll]

Originally Posted by DJAirWave

I speed up the arrows just a bit so it's easier to read them. I don't at arrows as a pattern (except those cute zigzaggy lines). To pass VD's and above, all you need to do is improve your reflexes and hand-eye coordination, no secret behind being good at FFR.

There's a difference between just hitting arrows and hitting arrows accurately.

[EgomaniaCircus]

You guys are crazy o.O reading arrow patterns? I read by density lulz, i.e., the patterns between the arrows.

[Infernova]

To be honest, I don't quite know if it's the best way of attempting to learn to play, but just playing the same song over and over again until you get used to the patterns will benefit you on practically every other song.

You'll learn the timings sub-consciously over time, so don't worry about that part. PA should come naturally once you start FC'ing songs of around Difficult and Tricky, anyway.

Personally, I also believe that playing something out of your depth makes you better at easier songs when you go back to them because you'll have adapted to something far harder, that maybe you can't even pass or whatever, but it's going to force you to improve dramatically anyway.

That's been the case for every rhythm game I've played so far, except that IIDX punishes you the most for playing something harder than you can manage. ;O;'

[dore]

I read everything as patterns. I see the shapes of the arrows in front of me and the different shapes correspond to what my hands should be doing.

[Xx{Midnight}xX]

I just hit buttons as they come, I don't look for patterns till the time I think i can AAA it comes.

[Nightfirecat]

Yeah, once you get to the higher difficulties, you start to read the arrows as little blobs of color more than actual arrows, and you recognize patterns at fast speed and your fingers just follow what your brain quickly processes.

[hi19hi19]

protip: when the arrows get to the receptors you hit the corresponding button

[Patashu]

Originally Posted by hi19hi19

protip: when the arrows get to the receptors you hit the corresponding button

this post has aids stay away from it

[AerobicRobot]

Originally Posted by garquillex

I'm starting the Difficult songs, where it starts getting harder to make that 'linear' picture of the arrows in your head. I was wondering if some of the players who can play the VD's+ can just look at the screen and play the arrows or if you read the screen as two sides, one for each hand. I was thinking of practicing the latter.

I play on ASKL but I only view the receptors as one four receptor bunch, not two two receptor bunches. Usually when I see a pattern appear my muscle memory automatically hits the right keys, so I view the stepfile one screenfull at a time. Just keep on playing and your body will do the work for you. (Unless you play mash files, where the only way to beat them is to smash the keyboard with a hammer multiple times.)

[AerobicRobot]

Originally Posted by hi19hi19

protip: when the arrows get to the receptors you hit the corresponding button

Post of the millennium.

[Patashu]

Originally Posted by AerobicRobot

I play on ASKL but I only view the receptors as one four receptor bunch, not two two receptor bunches. Usually when I see a pattern appear my muscle memory automatically hits the right keys, so I view the stepfile one screenfull at a time. Just keep on playing and your body will do the work for you. (Unless you play mash files, where the only way to beat them is to smash the keyboard with a hammer multiple times.)

Even mash files have skill associated with them; less so on ffr, where you just have to be hitting faster than the notes are coming, but on sm you get combo breakers for hitting but inaccurately, so even if it's too fast to read properly, you still have to mash at the rough density the notes are coming at.

[lumphoboextreme]

yeah i just kinda zone out and stare into the middle of the screen. xD

[AerobicRobot]

My SUPER SECRET TECHNIQUE is to take benedryl or any other drowsy allergy pills. It helps me relax (I once FCed Shind Bad because of it).