Hooray, I Didn't Suck!

[the_gneech]

Well, for my Valentine's Day prezzie, we got a pair of Red Octane Ignition 3.0 pads for DDR.

Wow, what a difference! At least now, when my score tanks, it's 'cause I sucked, not 'cause the controller did. ;)

We (well, mostly I) played for about 1/2 an hour. I managed to get a B on "Brick House" on Beginner, and a C on Light. I also got a B on "Baile La Samba" on Light -- which is actually much easier than Beginner. ("Baile La Samba" is too dang slow on Beginner!)

I tried to incorporate bauske's suggestion of stepping from pad to pad instead of returning to the middle (although you have to return to the middle for repeat steps, obviously).

I also tried "Baile La Samba" on Standard -- HOLY CRAP!!! I don't see how that's even physically possible, much less achievable by mere mortals.

My theory is that everyone who says they managed to finish any song on Standard, much less get a decent score, is a Big Fat Liar. And until I witness somebody do it with my own eyes, I'm keeping to that theory.

So anyway, now we've got a pair of wireless Datel pads to foist off on somebody. Anybody want 'em, cheap? ;P

-The Gneech

Comments

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Well, to lift one foot, the other's gotta be somewhere... :)

-TG

[confusedoo.livejournal.com]

Well, the other foot is simply where it was for the last arrow. And believe me, I know about getting caught with your weight on the wrong foot. Happens to me all the time. That's why you practice. ;) I'd like to have the pads, but then I don't think the people in the apartment below me would appreciate that. And I have no xbox. Come to think of it, I don't have a TV, either...

[paradisacorbasi.livejournal.com]

You've never been to the ddr community, have you?

Or seen cadhla go.

If we get her to Dragon*Con, we'll have to find DDR somewhere -- maybe in the gaming track.

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

I've done neither, I'm afraid -- but I still say it's all a rumor! ;)

-TG

[nekomimikun.livejournal.com]

Usually when I teach my friends how to play DDR, I tell them to never return their feet to the center, and I'll usually give them notice when they do. They usually find that it helps their accuracy and movement speed by a wide margin.

However, I don't really play DDR much these days.

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

I keep finding myself in a position where my weight is on the foot that needs to step next -- in which case I have to shift the weight to the other foot by stepping it to the middle.

I've got a lot of weight -- it doesn't shift quickly!

-The Gneech

[bauske.livejournal.com]

Hah! I used to think that EXACT same thing about standard songs back when I was playing on light. I thought, "this is IMPOSSIBLE! No one can do this!"

The best feeling in the world though is when you start doing what you once thought was impossible. Trust me, it'll happen.

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

It's a vicious rumor!

-TG

I might be coaxed into trying it in my own home...

[torakiyoshi.livejournal.com]

What console do you need to play with those?

Have the best

-=TK

Re: I might be coaxed into trying it in my own home...

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

X-Box.

-TG

Re: I might be coaxed into trying it in my own home...

[torakiyoshi.livejournal.com]

Oh. Icky. X-Box. Never mind! ;)

Have the best

-=TK

Re: I might be coaxed into trying it in my own home...

[mg4h.livejournal.com]

Or Playstation2, both have DDR mixes available. It's also possible to get pads that will work with both consoles, or have adapters to plug into both.

Re: I might be coaxed into trying it in my own home...

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Well, the pads I'm talking about getting rid of, only have X-Box plugs.

-TG

Re: I might be coaxed into trying it in my own home...

[mg4h.livejournal.com]

Ah, I misread the original comment. I thought he was only asking what console he'd need to play DDR. As for the pads - there are adapters for PS2-Xbox available, usually for a few bucks. My pads came with the adapters, so I could theoretically use them on an Xbox as well.

Re: I might be coaxed into trying it in my own home...

[d-l-leonine.livejournal.com]

it hasn't been mentioned yet, but in additing to XBOX and PS2 you can also play on a PC. I don't know of a DDR release for the PC but I'm playing on a knockoff called stepmania or I'm sure you could get a PS2 emulator and play that way.

[hbar98.livejournal.com]

Never played DDR. I know my feet. While I do not possess two of a certain side I do tend to think too much. You should see me with EyeToy Kinetic. Or better yet, don't. You'll go mad.

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Well, I look like Goliath on tippytoe. But I managed to do okay last night!

-TG

[onyx62is.livejournal.com]

What are you asking for them and what system are they for? We recently got DDR. Mainly because a friend has it and after reading about your exploits. I think it would be fun to have multiple pads.

onyx

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

They're for X-Box; I was thinking of something like $15 ea. plus a few bucks for shipping.

-TG

[the-lizard-rat.livejournal.com]

Hee Hee Hee. Max 300 will burn off pounds faster than the Bowflex, on any level ;)

One of my favorites to play that's nice and slow is Sana Morette; on Standard it's not that bad. Even a big fuzzy lion like you could do it :)

Lizard Rat out.
Really needing to get back to DDR in Albany NY

[mg4h.livejournal.com]

The problem I had with Sana Morette on standard was I kept trying to read ahead, and got confused. Once I learned to just read the next step, or the next two steps, and sight read the whole thing, it got better.

But it is a pretty song ;)

[mg4h.livejournal.com]

I weigh a considerable amount more than you do, and I tell you, it can be done. I've managed several standard songs now. If I wasn't hurt, I'd be doing a bunch right now ;)

It's just a matter of learning to sight read faster, and seeing patterns. I promise, you'll get it eventually. Sometimes it helps if you change the rate on the arrows, to spread them out a bit. Check under options when you start a song, it can be... interesting.

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

Your icon is playing "Badger, Badger, Badger" at me, and it hurts my brain. 0.o

Thanks for the advice re: DDR, tho. ;)

-TG

[mg4h.livejournal.com]

Is this icon any better?

;)

And yer welcome. I learned from my friends, who are scary-good at it. They gave me hope that it is possible. Assuming I can stop getting hurt.

[d-l-leonine.livejournal.com]

Glad to know the RedOctane pads are working for you. Also glad to hear that it sounds like I made the right investment choosing those as well....

I've never rested my feet in the middle. It wouldn't do me any good to do that anyway. I'm a size 13 and I have to stand diagonal on the center button to aviod contact with up or down (needless to say the land mines on stepmania are my toughest challenge). My home position is to rest on the left and right buttons and as most have noted. I tend to leave my paws where I last stepped. The weight shift issue was a problem for me when I 1st started playing and still gets me on occassion when playing a new song for the 1st time. Over time you will adapt. The only thing I'm not sure of is how difficult it might be for you if you get turned around. I can actually play with my back to the monitor if needed (although that's been very rare) and I think, for me, it comes from the fact that it's a LOT easier to look over my shoulder playing stepmania than it is trying to look behind when the puck is behind the net (my shoulderpads impeede my movement quite a bit).

I've been playing for about 3 weeks now and I'm to the point where I can pass about half of the standard songs on the 1st try (D's and C's mostly, but still passing) and I've even scored an A on Clear Blue Water at difficulty level 6 (all freezing and steping on 3 and 4 buttons at once)