This Mental Trick Changed The Way I Play DDR

[@Nifterific]

I started doing this a couple months ago and it’s helped me with timing so much. Focusing on the targets I can still use my peripheral vision just like you were talking about to see the patterns as they come up and the judgment/combo color. I’ve started PFCing 11s and under more consistently, snagged a few 12s that felt just so slightly out of reach, and got my first 16 AA+ even so it’s helped across the board. It can be hard to explain but focusing on the targets I’m just more likely to take things one note at a time instead of thinking in terms of the patterns coming up and I have the experience for my feet to handle the patterns without having to plan them out in advance like I had been doing. Think less, Marvelous more.

[@chiptrippyfox6106]

I would be curious to see some gameplay of top level players while also utilizing an eye tracker to see how different it may be

[@drdvids]

Fwiw, I don't play like this

[@Cirnology]

DR D PLEASE MAKE A RESPONSE VIDEO AS TO HOW YOU PLAY

[@fnscomedycrew]

@@drdvids how do ya???

[@meadowsz5390]

I'd always wondered about this. I think this will really improve my play! Thank you for uploading this!🎉

[@iloveeatingpaste909]

“aim where they’re going to be, not where they are”

[@Realshnazzy]

I’m running on limited data here cause I’ve only played twice since watching this video but I did get some massive upscores across the 14 and 15 folder (ddr scale) employing watching just below the judgement lines. Above 15s it did less for me but cmon I’ve played twice, I’m sure this will take some getting used to and some adjustment at the higher level. Timing has always been my weakness. Excited to put this to the test a few more times and see if it clicks. Really appreciate the video!

[@TonyTheTGR]

One thing I used to do is use the outsides of the arrows/targets, because they have significantly less overlap. It's an easier technique to use on familiar charts after you've got memorization/muscle memory in place, though.

[@CaveyMoth]

Holy crap, I've been playing DDR for 20 years, and I never knew that the flash of the arrow was a different color depending on the score. I've always been looking at practically the bottom of the screen so that I can know what's coming ahead of time. Maybe I should start looking at the goal column...but I fear that my reaction time might be insufficient for that.

[@DDRaHolic]

Of course I'm not half as good as you, but I've been trying this since you posted this, and I've noticed some improvement. Especially on easier songs where you tend to "zone out" and start to drift and get Perfects. It also really helps on songs like DDR Megamix where you need to read slow for part of it. As Leishen said, just keep practicing. Of course it will seem foreign at first but I think it can help everyone!

[@sean12444]

this is actually how i read in osu mania, i play upscroll and reading the receptors just felt more comfortable and natural, but ive noticed it helps me get good accuracy because visual cue is a great indicator of whether youre hitting early or late

[@iDrKx]

I never played ddr but I'm playing osu!mania atm, I think I agree on the "horizontal peripheral reading" since if I read patterns I might simply get locked out and miss when I encounter new ones, only thing is I can't read on judgement line because scroll speed is too high, but I should probably focus on staying consistently focus on horizontal reading; btw fun tip I'll sub anyway ♡

[@anthonydargan1459]

@@iDrKx I know this is old but since osu! has bigger timing windows and way more notes, you have to read so fast it’s probably best to look at the middle. Also ddr has a whole lot of sync issues where other games aren’t as bad so you can just time with the music

[@itspim-tk8ow]

What the hell I just got an 70,000 point upscore doing this!

[@Mawntee]

oh no... I'm starting to think playing NotITG as my first dance game was a bad idea I've pretty much trained myself to look at the arrows individually as soon as they appear on screen, then play them in time with the song haha

[@lei]

that's understandable given the nature of NotITG having so many moving elements

[@dionysuzx]

the button layout is asymmetrical? would love to see a video on that / expand upon what you mean! thanks for sharing this tip, will incorporate this into my play.

[@TheKarateKidd]

Agreed. Never heard this discussed before.

[@brendangrbcich2259]

I’m not anywhere near good as you or Chris, but since I started playing I’ve always read this way, and it’s worked out really great for me, I find it especially helpful when the song is off sync!

[@anthonydargan1459]

The entire time I’ve played ddr I’ve kept my eyes around the middle of the screen I should probably read slower and try this

[@XeronosKuro]

Interesting playstyle! I'll have to give this a shot the next time I do play Tho I am curious about the asymmetrical layout 👀

[@Spherehead123]

So let clarify this, I read the judgement zone and/or just a few mm below it. Then read the color arrows below via peripheral vision (or layman's, pattern read a blur) Did I get that right?

[@Owen2131_]

I do this a lot, but i seem to kinda stare under the arrows, i also do this alot for 4K games like EZ2ON and DJMAX, where i stare directly in the middle of a blank spot or a bit under that so i can get the notes, its helped me get a lot of good fc’s

[@rogerclarkonline]

I do this, but specifically I just stare at the up arrow target. it's the hardest arrow and the one i need to give the most attention to

[@lei]

the up arrow, everybody's nemesis

[@SecretaryEle]

I noticed you mentioned IIDX and I'm kinda curious to give horizontal reading a shot in SDVX, which is currently my main rhythm game. It's probably tricker to keep eyesight from drifting since there's a lot of playfield tilting involved, but the current combo (chain) does stay in place and I'm definitely willing to give it a shot, since I'm currently trying to overcome a huge wall. Thanks for the video :>

[@lei]

it really helped me break apart certain patterns like alternating key rolls in uncomfortable hand positions while other things are happening, they become just really fast chords

[@Willster419]

I'd love to know what you mean by directional bias and asymmetrical layout

[@ariaminamoto5087]

It's kind of like sniping in an fps. You let the head go into the cross hairs and click/press/squeeze.

[@kevonn5622]

can I ask where you found the chris4life 2019 post? is it still up?

[@lei]

the pastebin he posted is in the description, and here's the tweet he made linking to it x.com/CHRS4LFE/status/1134260768549920768

[@kevonn5622]

@@lei thank you!

[@llovebeats3749]

Thats so hard and unusual that it might just work. I mean me personally can already parse patterns in DDR extremely well since they dont ever get too complicated ever so why wouldnt one just look at the judgement line.

[@user-hx7zz7xe2o]

I tried this today and kind of had a terrible time keeping my eyes trained on the step zone... how long did you practice this before you saw timing improvements?

[@lei]

it took me several months to get accustomed to it, I practiced with straightforward charts that I'm familiar with to cut out the element of surprise before diving into more dense charts

[@user-hx7zz7xe2o]

@@lei I'm still working on this, but visual timing did help me clean up NGO's slowdown and close out an AAA, so I'm starting to see some results :)

[@TerraVods]

Is there a sound desync here? Should I just not look at your mouth?

[@pm41224]

I don't play DDR on Expert or Challenge, since I'm still a beginner. That said, I'll have to think about trying out the "horizontal peripheral reading" trick and train myself to use it when I do play Expert or Challenge charts. Even then, everyone plays DDR differently.

[@Hopecaster]

I kinda apply the opposite I feel. I'm a reverse player, and upscroll always feels like there's less room to parse things in my peripheral. When I play reverse, I'm looking about where the combo is (notes going over the combo) at my normal reading speed (~550-570) but as the scroll gets slower I look closer to the receptors. Completely counterintuitive to the strat cuz I'm changing where I look but how would I apply the receptor approach to fast reading and my peripheral reading to playing slow scroll?

[@Cirnology]

W video leishen let's hear about the bias

[@GoPDemon]

I feel like I did this but isn't it just visual timing? But I'm not good.

[@lei]

I also time visually, but I used to have to scan the whole screen following the arrows and didn't focus on one particular spot. I think most people tend to do this