ITT, we talk about playing Tetris with our sticks. That's not what she said. So last night, I 4-wayed my FSTE and gave it another go. I seem to firm drop faster on it than on a keyboard, but some of the techniques I've adapted on a keyboard (such as initial firm drop followed by rotating and this hard-to-describe technique involving rotating whilst shifting sideways) don't translate so well to stick (yet). I can reach level 245-ish in Death on a stick, vs. my record of 335-ish on a keyboard. Shirase feels slower on a stick for some reason, though I still have my share of double locks. Special Ti / Grade Mania 3 is where my inexperience with a stick really shows. I can go fast enough to avoid REGRET!!s, but can't get a single COOL!! to save my life. My grade after a session of STi was 2. I was contemplating keeping my stick in 4-way for the whole winter break, but with the upcoming arrival of my copy of Mushihime-sama Futari, it looks like that may not be the case, especially since all of my other 360 controllers blow for 8-way input. Regardless, I have given this stick-using side of me a separate alias: TGM-R (as opposed to TGM-REI).
I think we need to design a different bottom for the stick that has a hinged door where the stick is so you can get in and switch the restrictor.
Too bad consumer sticks pretty much only cater to the fighter market... But yeah some sort of hinge would be awesome. When I want to change the guide on my actual arcade machine, it takes only 10 seconds.
Kitaru's homemade stick is made out of a winebox with a sliding bottom; maybe something like that? And no, I'm not making my stick go commando. Even sticks need modesty.
When I first got my stick it felt like crap. It was far too sensitive and I'd drop into the wrong column all the damn time. Now I much prefer playing stick, especially in master modes. My first section time in TAP master on stick is between 0:58 and 1:03, whereas I have a hard time breaking 1:04 on keyboard. The only mode I'm more confident in on keyboard is sudden Ti, probably because I play it so much at school. As for switching between 4- and 8-way, HRAPs are the absolute worst, because of the multiple layers of unscrewing one has to do. I wonder if there's a way you could change the nuts that hold down the top plate for screws that you could undo from the top.
It takes practice and a worn in stick. Enough practice will wear in the stick properly, and after that it's smooth sailing.
my stick is worn in i just have no motor skills when it comes to firm dropping this is probably because i equate non-20g play with witchcraft
After a year of nearly exclusive stick use it's really starting to feel natural for me. I've finally shed the regrets and can cool most the levels I clear consistently. That sanwa just feels good in my hand! I have never been able to play on a keyboard, it gives me sever pains . My special Ti is still only S3, and I usually top out around 500. Only in the last month have I gotten 0-500 in under 6:00 and now I'm at around 5:30. I feel 0-500 in 5:00 as my section records are all 54-59 (with 0-100 @ 1:04). I just need to stack better at 20G. If I play slow I can get into the 900's from time to time. On topic, playing with a stick is just fun!
I agree with both of these comments. I played keyboard anyways though, even got some good records, but I can honestly say I would have quit due to RSI long ago if I never switched to stick.
When i started playing with a stick it felt horrible - i misdropped about every second piece After several months im more consistent and accurate with it compared to keyboard, but still slow. I think my ST records in TAP for the first sections are about 1:15, no idea how people play sub-20g faster with an arcade stick.
it's really bad for me, two games of 40 lines and my shoulder gets whacked out. It'll take a week to recover. a gamepad is bad, but not as much. the pain with a gamepad sneaks in slowly and lasts for a couple weeks after I stop. Any button masher will do it to me, and it's the rotate that does it in tetris. I have to thank muf for suggesting the stick, it works! I've been pain free from tetris for a year now.
I had severe debilitating RSI pains and couldn't do ANYTHING without feeling pain--typing, clicking, mousing, using a stick, playing NDS, you name it. Turned out to be a case of Tension Myositis Syndrome, and my wrists were essentially fine. I had to cure it using "mindgames". May not be what others have, but f*ck, I almost lost my life and career due to this, and am now 100% better. Can't hurt to be well informed. On topic, sub-20g play is still horrendous with a stick for me xD. but my sub-20g play isn't that great in the first place anyways. My 20g play is fine until 300 at which point I can still do double-taps and triple-rotates on keyboard but can't do them using stick. blahhhh.
my issues are from scoliosis, I'll always have back problems. it carries over to my shoulder. certain things can trigger my shoulder to flare up, it's a chain reaction to my other issues.
I used a Ultimarc Mag-Stick Plus in the cabinet I built. Easily switches from 4-way to 8-way and vice versa.
