Discouraged.

[Ghakimx]

Hello everyone.

After playing Stepmania for almost 4 years now, I've reached an average skill level. However, my accuracy is pretty piss poor. I see a lot of people scoring AAAs and AAAAs however I have yet to achieve at least a single one of either in commonly played songs.

So to say the least, I'm just somewhat disheartened that I haven't improved my accuracy at all. I score as many Perfects as Marvelous sometimes my Greats is nothing to be proud of. It gives me that feeling that there's this barrier in front of me that I cannot overcome.

[leonid]

Play for 10+ years and then come back to complain

[Choofers]

Don't feel bad man, I've been playing for 7 years and I'm just now getting decent.

Make more solo files though ;~;

[Staiain]

Tempted to "release" my secret how to get better wall of text



nah really just play and have fun, that's what's important.

[Izzy]

Obviously you just have to tense up your anus.

[ilikexd]

Sounds like FFR might be the game for you.

but seriously just play very easy songs / easy pad songs and focus as hard as you can on pa/ma until you start noticing a change.

[TwistedPhoenix]

Originally Posted by ilikexd

focus as hard as you can on pa/ma until you start noticing a change.

Yep, just stay away from the files that require you to focus on hitting the patterns and instead go for ones that you can do easily and try hitting them on time. Should also look into your settings, since I know that some default values actually set your audio/video sync off.

[ilikexd]

Originally Posted by TwistedPhoenix

Should also look into your settings, since I know that some default values actually set your audio/video sync off.

oh yea this can be HUGE

wall of protips for performance and sync: http://staiain.net/bluexoon/showthread.php?tid=42

[i love you]

To be honest, I never see you post any of your SM scores which tells me that you do not play enough for me to know that you actually play the game often.

Perhaps post more and try to find people around your skill level to compare scores with. If you compare yourself with people WAY above your skill level then of course you will get discouraged. Almost every person who can get scores like that have been playing for much longer then 4 years. There are only a handful of players who was able to do that in a shorter amount of time.

Also, I made an improvement guideline to help further your skill level faster. PM me if you would like to have it. It's quite useful.

[Hakulyte]

Every time you get a good or mess up:

1. Ask yourself why it happened and what you can do to not mess up again.
2. Repeat song with new idea.
3. Repeat process until all perfects.

If it fails go back to step 2.
If it works congrats you improved at the game.

[dAnceguy117]

Originally Posted by Ghakimx

I score as many Perfects as Marvelous

That's a major issue. You may struggle to improve in other areas until you are more consistent in this one.

I would advise checking out the link posted by ilikexd. Perhaps you should try adjusting your scroll speed and see if you would be more comfortable with a slower or faster one. Finally, work on simfiles with basic rhythmic patterns (8th and 16th notes). Focus on playing along with the music.

Best advice:

Originally Posted by Staiain

just play and have fun, that's what's important.

[Gundam-Dude]

what I always used to do was play a whole bunch of really easy files to train myself on how to distinguish between what registers as a marvelous and what doesn't. it may or may not be helpful to take a look into the scale of timing windows if you want to be more TeCHNiCaLLY enlightened on where the numbers for judgments lie. listening to keytaps, assist tick, bumping your feet to the beat, whatever works for you to keep a consistent rhythm, do it. all in all, you really need a good ear for hearing to tell when you're on-beat and off-beat, especially for simfiles themselves—I can tell in an instant without assist tick when a file is off sync or becomes off sync, which also determines my ability to MA. I'd say focus on training your sense of hearing with really easy files as a starting point and once you see some marginal improvement, begin to up the ante with slightly harder files. but yeah, above all don't be discouraged and have fun.

[Xx{Midnight}xX]

Originally Posted by Ghakimx

So to say the least, I'm just somewhat disheartened that I haven't improved my accuracy at all. I score as many Perfects as Marvelous sometimes my Greats is nothing to be proud of. It gives me that feeling that there's this barrier in front of me that I cannot overcome.

This mental state is what holds you back. If you feel that you make no progress and are not proud of your capabilities, everything sits in a negative spiral which will eventually lead to you attempting to quit.

You need to change your mindset before you can improve at all. You need to realize that even in comparison to the greatest, you're nothing short of talented yourself. You're already ahead of where most casual players assimilate to, take pride in what you can do, and be satisfied knowing that progress will come if you keep putting in the effort.

I only feel comfortable saying this (despite not even being close to good at SM myself) because this is the mindset I've had for a long time, and still do. You get over that and you'll find you're already improving and just aren't taking notice of it.

PS: I forgot already who said it, but having fun is also important

[dAnceguy117]

Originally Posted by Xx{Midnight}xX

This mental state is what holds you back.

Mindset is important, for sure. If someone has played for years without a noticeable improvement in accuracy, though, I would bet that the root of the issue lies in the mechanics.

[Xx{Midnight}xX]

Originally Posted by dAnceguy117

Mindset is important, for sure. If someone has played for years without a noticeable improvement in accuracy, though, I would bet that the root of the issue lies in the mechanics.

I can't say there's no merit to that but the same argument can be made in reverse.

[ScylaX]

Playing easy files is the trick

[EzExZeRo7497]

Basically do what Stai says and read through this.

If it doesn't improve at all, it might be due to your keyboard. Some keyboards are TERRIBLE for Stepmania/FFR and it would definitely hinder your skill. Though I'm not sure how often you play SM, so I can't say much.

[Mike Weedmark]

I was like "wow, really, no one's mentioning keyboards? I CAN BE USEFUL."

Then, Ez goes and ruins it.

Take his advice seriously: I once had a really shitty, squishy keyboard with all kinds of varying latency and uneven response. The INSTANT I switched, I was rattling off AAAs on easy songs (on FFR, mind you) I used to derp like 40% goods on. If you've been playing for 4 years with no real MA/PA improvement, this is probably it.

It doesn't have to be a fantastical gaming one, just one with quick, even key response. I use a pretty basic USB Microsoft clunker that's at least capable of SM AAA's. Quads are something else. I was under the impression than no one aside from a few INSANE MAers on straightforward consistency files ever got any of those.

Also, this might be a REALLY stupid question, but you DID make sure you're not set to like, Judge 7 right?

[Garquillex]

Are you using a Windows 7 aero theme?

[Jimmymi1]

PS/2 keyboards is the key to life mang. On other notes, this shouldnt probably come from a noob like me but practise is also key to becoming better.