Improving your DDR skills

[superduperblake]

[eyebrowsoffire]

[Ryudori]

I just started trying to pass MaxX Unlimited heavy (no bar) and I think I'm doing pretty good so far. The problem I'm having is I get to after the dead pause in the middle, I try to do the runs and my legs just give out. I physically cannot do it. Anyone know how I can get my feet to move fast enough?
_________________

My DDRecall. Drop me a challenge or something

[Shadow_Dragonz]

[[Team Conglom-o]XALAsToR]

Not sure if anyone suggested this, but I'm not reading through 35 pages to find out. Any problem in ddr could be solved but not playing at all! Sometimes I know that I play way too much in a week, which actually hinders my performance rather than excell it. This is mostly directed to all those people who are trying to AAA a ton of stuff. Sometimes you just have to stop and take a good few day or week break and start it up again. Hope that's helpful to anyone.

To Ryudori, on Maxx unlimited it is very difficult to move your feet that fast. Before attempting to pass it, play a lot of warm up songs to loosen up your legs. When you are playing the song, try to remain loose and relaxed and do not tense up. I always find this a problem for me most times. Just let your body and motions sway with the song in a sense. Try to remain rigid when you're playing the song as well to assure balance. Position your legs so your knees are slightly bent. The best advice of all is to continue practicing, or try other tens to get the positioning correct.

[Cubehead]

I wrote this up yesterday, hope it makes sense (PLEASE COMMENT KTHX)

Cubehead's DDR Technique Tutorial

Anchor Foot: This is present when one specific arrow as every other arrow in a stream (example: RURLRDRLRU). In this case, you can use one foot for R and twist yourself around that foot to get to the other parts of the stream. When you do this you are utilizing an anchor foot. Example Songs: Dream a Dream (heavy) and Cowgirl (heavy).

Stream: Stream is a quality of the song's step pattern in which there are several arrows (tend to be 8th notes) grouped together one after another. Practice makes perfect. Example Songs: Abyss (heavy) and Rhythm & Police (heavy).

Jackhammers: Jackhammers are any sequence of non fourth arrows that occur one after the other and are the same arrow (for example: DDDDD). Example Songs: Tsugaru (apple mix) (Heavy) and Can't Stop Falling in Love (Speed Mix) (heavy).

Gallops: Start by breaking down the gallop streams in cowgirl modularly. Look at the two arrows that are invariably the same as a directional indicator instead of attempting to read every arrow individually. Then practice the actual jump sequence. Jump up off of one arrow with that foot a trifle lower than your other foot, when you come back down hit the arrow you jump/hit off from and then bring down the other foot on the next arrow/dir. indicator, jumping off of that one and continuing the cycle. Your feet should sound like this "ba-dum ba-dum ba-dum..." Example Songs: In The Navy (heavy), Matsuri Japan (Heavy), Tsugaru (apple mix) (Heavy), Rhythm & Police (heavy) and Cowgirl (heavy).

MiniGallops: Minigallops are an isolated part of a gallop stream that only consists of the transition between two directional indicators. It consists generally of a fourth note and an immediate sixteenth. Use a similar method to that of gallops without the initial jump off. Example Songs: Matsuri Japan (Heavy), Can't Stop Falling in Love (Speed Mix) (heavy), and Kakumei (heavy).

Crossovers: Learn the concept of the anchor foot; these are called crossovers because you are crossing over the pad with one foot, twisting your body in the process. The most popular crossover I have seen is LDRDLDRDLDRDL. Notice that every other arrow is down? That will operate as your anchor foot, use one foot to hit L and your anchor foot to hit D, twist yourself across the pad around your D foot to hit R, almost as if you are running across the pad and back over and over again. Then again, if you aren't comfortable with this, there is always the more cumbersome but easier to pick up on concept of the shuffle. Example songs: Can't Stop Falling in Love (Speed Mix) (heavy) and Never Ending Story (standard). For crossover gallops, try out Rhythm & Police (heavy).

Shuffles: Instead of anchoring your D foot on LDRDLDRDL, Hit L with your left foot and then D with your right. Quickly use the right foot to hit R and the left to hit D again, continue as necessary. Sometimes you will have to shuffle instead of Crossover for complex patterns that include crossover type sequences. Example songs: Can't Stop Falling in Love (Speed Mix) (heavy) and Never Ending Story (standard).


---

If I missed anything, tell me.
_________________

Kissy Kissy Makes Me Happy

[boss matsumoto]

[superduperblake]

[Cubehead]

[boss matsumoto]

that info was helpful, i just keep gettin better thanks to these forums I just recently got DDRMAX and it totally kicks my a$$. its way harder than MAX2 or extreme.
_________________

I suck, but I am in Team Phunk!

[Mingan29]

Those damn 1/16th beats really fsck my shi7 up...other than that, I'd be a Standanrd-Heavy player instead of a Light-Standard player.

Cause I can hit the arrows and read them. Just not make them all

[ropeadope]

Anyone have some get good quick tips? I havent read any in a long time - Infact, the only tip that's actually ever helped me was "don't return to the middle too much". Anyone got a big juicy DDR tip for me?

[[ES] GARYsurvivor]

[jihnsius]

[ropeadope]

[lol its evan]

[JBurn]

I don't know if this has been said or not but PLAY STEPMANIA or DANCE WITH INTENSITY ON YOUR PC. Yeah, you might be playing the songs with your fingers....but play songs you can't pass on your feet or have trouble with. By doing this, you FAMILIARIZE yourself with the step patterns and whatnot of the song. Then you go to the arcade and play those songs you've been practicing on the PC. Your scores will improve, mine did. When you are familiar with the steps in a song you have trouble passing or getting a decent score on normally, you definetly do better. Trust me, it works!
_________________

Passed two 10s so far, but increasing soon: Paranoia Survivor/Sakura, both with Bs

[Emporer Z]

I can't over emphasize the importance of technique in clearing 10 footers. All too often, I hear people saying, "Man, I just don't have the stamina," or "That song just kills!" Sorry friend, the song doesn't kill; you do. 99% of the time, the way such individuals play is wild, erratic and lacks form. In other words, they move too much, and this movement lacks control. What I recommend is an analysis of playing styles I have witnessed in my 3 and 1/2 years of DDR experience. Believe me, I have seen 'em all.

1) The first style is the most common. It is typically exhibited by beginners and some individuals on Standard mode attempting a 10 footer in hopes of somehow passing. The player looks somewhat tense, and their arms or hands usually perform some weird action during play, such as folding onto the chest like a retard, or simply flailing like a whip. Or, their fingers will curl up in a strange fashion. This style is just plain inexperience; stay on beginner, Light, or standard until you can "flow."

2) The second form is exhibited by people who have been on Heavy mode from 3 to 6 months, and have yet to clear a 10 footer, or have barely cleared one with their life bar almost gone. Such players are usually good at keeping their arms to their side to a degree. This helps minimize the turn radius and conserves stamina. Don't believe me? Watch how a figure skater speeds up when they draw in their arms during spinning. One commonality among this type of player is that usually, they play on their tip-toes and stomp randomly at the 300+ bpm onlsaughts. First of all, playing on one's tip-toes wreaks havoc on the calves and you get that "burn" that kills your legs (unless you use the bar, discussed later). Stamina is also a huge issue with people at this level, as the endurance and mental concentration required to perform well at 10 footers is still developing.

3) The 3rd form is the bar form. Many call it "bar-raping." Although generally frowned upon, many players use it and many national level players are very good at utilizing the bar into their forms. (Yasu, etc.) Generally, only Heavy players are seen use the bar extensively. This technique drastically conserves stamina and endurance; it also allows the user to sort of "sit back" and plan the next move. It is the second most common technique for 10 footers.

4) Last is a well-known technique exhibited by players who have alot of DDR experience. It is called flat-footing. It is a widely known technique, but oddly enough, very little is known about it. Personally, I use it, and it is amazing at how much stamina is conserved during 10 footers. When the user gains enough profficieny at this technique, it will appear as if they are gliding over the arrows as opposed to simply stomping. Flatfooting is performed by using the same foot to hit say, a "Right Down Right Up" sequence of arrows, alternating between forefoot and heel to hit the arrows. At this level, the player has perfect control over their body and conserves as much energy as possible during play. The back is ramrod straight and somewhat leaned forward for balance. The arms stay mainly at the sides but may sway slightly for balance issues. The player looks to be in total control of the game and generally has enough experience to attain a considerable "Perfect Attack" in the process. Another variation of this technique is to stay centered on the middle square and use the outside edges of the soles of your feet to hit the inside sensors of the arrows. Using this technique, it will appear as if the user is hardly even moving at all, just twitching.

There you have it, an anaylsis of DDR styles for 10 footers. I hope it proves useful.
_________________

[boss matsumoto]

[{GA}Crabmasta Quizzle-->]