I played after making that statement and did noticed that there's only a cheering noise when you start your combo with a tetris ...
I brought the subject up because of the description of your video on youtube: "...Just build and build, and take as many combos as possible before level 300...."
You call that combo-whoring? I can think of at least one much more extreme example, which sadly isn't on YouTube...
Ive been playing a game or 10 today so far. The first was S1 and after that i started playing slow. Figuring out rotations and failing every time, rank 4 max. Then somehow i figured it out, some switch in my head said yes and this was the result: I'm feuled with adrenaline, thanks guys ...
Yay! Good good! You have passed the first step. The next step is the GM rank. It is time for 20G mode training. The code for 20G mode is: Down, Down, Down, Down, Down, Down, Down, Down (that is 8 times), and C, B, A. This is done at the title screen. 20G mode will appear in red text. Rotations and pyramid stack building is required to survive. Begin without using manual lock. Good luck, and report your progress. I.R.S. means everything!
I found that a decent way to train for TGM (and how I think I got my Gm) is to move up to TA Death, or the equivalent on Heboris/whatever, so that you can continue to make large improvements due to the higher difficulty. Then you can go back to TGM1 and it'll be a lot easier. Still, you should wait until you're around S5/S6 as your highest before you do that.
Currently my biggest problem is what to do with block i can't place. I try to do someting strategically with them. But when i think there can be a block flipped in the gap i made i don't know how to flip it in and then i'm to late creating an even worse gap. I get S1 and S2 almost every game now, though that S3 was a 1 timer so far ... I need some rest now.
A good feeling of what is possible or not will come as you play. It can take some time though, especially if you come from a SRS "button mashing to place the piece" environment. One general indication I can give you is to remember that the best place to put a tetramino is the one that leave you with the maximum number of possibilities. If you must overhang, consider a place where a lot of tetramino can be used to fill the hole. Example: Where should I put the Z piece ? That one should be avoided, because there is only one piece that can properly fit. You can still wait for it by placing the others into the left bowl (or by making a Tetris). That's pyramiding. Notice that you should avoid using a J on the left image (because of the need of another J), and that I don't like the O+L solution in the middle one at all. I'm ambivalent on this one. Filling the gap with a J (blue) is possible, but you'll need another one (or a I) to fill the subsequent hole, and it's bad. And it's very easy, especially in high speed, to make a bridge over the hole . Still, I like building thing that are mostly flat. And it is easier to DAS to the left than tapping to the left or right once or twice. Another piece of advice I can give you to familiarize yourself with ARS is to play Heboris/Lockjaw in 20G with an infinite lock delay. That way you can calmly build your stuff, try some wallkick, et cetera.
The example you give would've been done by me like this. Somehow i automatically place s or z pieces like that without reason. Code: Z XXZZ XXZ XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX Or Code: Z ZZ XX Z XX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX Since my 3 days tgm i expanded that to this possibility: Code: Z XX ZZ XX Z XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX But now i see there are indeed more possibility's. I'll fire up a few games of lockjaw today.
PetitPrince, I would actually be happiest with the first solution because you can happily stack on top of it while you wait for the L. Of the middle three, the first is poor when using J or T, because you would ideally need another right away to stack properly. The second and third are both awfully slow moves which are prone to error due to excessive tapping. The last solution is the one I would most likely use sub-20G (In 20G I would place it far left without rotation), but fixing it with the J is not a good idea. J in this particular field should be placed face up one from the right. This is perfectly fine too. Just be aware that you need to rotate a subsequent I 3 times (once during ARE) to get it past the nubbin on the right (in 20G at least). Don't do this. I assume you're looking for an elegant tetris only solution with this one but it's not a great idea in a game without a hold box.
I generally agree with Taratang here. Making a tuck spot for the L or J on the right is the best thing to do. Firtly, you only lose 1 column of build space so the risk of further holes/overhangs is reduced. Secondly, even if you mess up, you have created a hole on the side of the screen, near your tetris hole. It is very very easy to fix such a hole, even at high speed 20G.
Code: Z ZZ XX Z XX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX I like this solution very much for low G. It's a very flexible structure. In 20G, this placement would often work; but I tend to opt for these next placements to minimize risks, especially when there is only 1 preview and the expectation for a T/L or a JI is low. Note: this is not good for score. Code: XXZZ ZZ XX XX ZZ ZZ XX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX
yay i improved my S3 rank with almost a minute: http://www.pagedown.nl/files/TGM1-14.09.2007-19.06.jpg
I'm near it, I'm near it, I'M F**** NEAR IT ! S8 968 14:48:73 I changed my mind contrarily to my last record: I'm more focused at surviving rather than scoring. It seems it worked . But a stupid error killed me before the end .
Great. Improvements are always good. I still would wish you to get S3 a little bit earlier than around level 400. Try to get it around level 350, and you might get close to S4. S4 might seem far away, but if your stack is clean from errors at the time you hit S3, there might be easier than you think to hit S4.
My stack is clean when i hit S1 and sometimes i am able to hit S1 before the 200. Then i can keep up till i make more then 1 mistakes. My concentration is gone and a just try to clear as long as possible. I tried recording a game where i got to S3, but the program crashed ... i did got 12 seconds or so off my S3 time though
When I was in your situation, it was even worse. once I made a mistake, I couldn't repair it. The only solution was to start over. I had no original tetris experience. And I still don't! I have learned from TGM only.
