(Keep in mind, when I say new, I mean less than ~1 hour.)

I was introduced (Watched a video of an old friend playing it.) to osu! A couple years ago, but didn't start playing until being reintroduced (opsu!) today (3/8/2018) on my friend's phone. I loved the game and downloaded it (osu!) for pc, and these are my first impressions with the game.

1. It's pretty hard, maybe because I don't have much of a sense of rhythm, at least with the songs I played, my reflexes being very rough around the edges, any number of things, probably because, like I said, so far maybe a bit less than 1hr of playtime. I will probably get used to the game with practice, but this is, as it says; first impressions.

2. It's lots of fun, but there are some mechanics I think could've either been made better or should've had a setting for: I REALLY don't like the approach circle.

Instead, things like hit circles would appear when needed and stick around for, maybe 1-2 seconds, fading slightly as their score value decreased.

Basically, the longer they stayed on screen the fewer the points, until the value reached 0, at which point it would disappear and give a miss marker.

It might sound like I'm talking about button mashing, but that's not it. Like I said before, they would appear to the rhythm, so things like regular hit circles, stacks of hit circles, etc, wouldn't appear all at once, they would show up one by one as they were needed.

(As I'm writing this, I was thinking. Having a setting like that would make it more of a game of reflexes, rather than rhythm, but either way, it would still be good. I would love for a setting like this to be made, if any devs might be reading.)

(Oh, and I would like the music player on the main menu to have a repeat function.)

Circles appearing at the same time they need to be pressed would make things extremely hard. The time interval between the moment you need to click the object (according to the music) and the latest you can press to make it count as a correct hit is ~13ms-106ms (depending on the map and mods), which is way lower than the reaction time of players (most experienced players need to be shown the notes about 400ms before they need to press, at least); you would never be able to press notes on time unless you memorized the map completely.

Even if the circles appeared early (so pressing them at the same time they appear would be earlier according to the music, but still in the range it counts as a correct press), the time you would have to react would be way too low. The least amount time you can make a note appear before needing to be clicked is around 300ms currently, and even then very few players are able to play like that (and even for players who can, they rely on memorization at least a little).

You can use the "Hidden" mod to disable approach circles, you can learn how to press notes on time without them. Try to press notes at the correct time, not as soon as you see them.

if u want to play whack a mole please go to your local arcade instead

Ezekies wrote:

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2. It's lots of fun, but there are some mechanics I think could've either been made better or should've had a setting for: I REALLY don't like the approach circle.
…

Erm, the approach circle was there since the very first Ouendan game (as well as Elite Beat Agents, which is technically Ouendan 1.5). If a new game in the series comes out, chances are that it's going to use it again. Having a setting to perma-disable the approach circle kinda defeats the purpose of osu! being a recreation of the series' mechanics.

You could use the Hidden modifier to remove the approach circles like Full Tablet said, but the circles themselves will fade away before the moment you're suppose to tap it. That, or use a skin that has blank approach circles.

coming soon™ to lazer 2023

winber1 wrote:

if u want to play whack a mole please go to your local arcade instead

No trolls thanks.

Full Tablet wrote:

Circles appearing at the same time they need to be pressed would make things extremely hard. The time interval between the moment you need to click the object (according to the music) and the latest you can press to make it count as a correct hit is ~13ms-106ms (depending on the map and mods), which is way lower than the reaction time of players (most experienced players need to be shown the notes about 400ms before they need to press, at least); you would never be able to press notes on time unless you memorized the map completely.

Even if the circles appeared early (so pressing them at the same time they appear would be earlier according to the music, but still in the range it counts as a correct press), the time you would have to react would be way too low. The least amount time you can make a note appear before needing to be clicked is around 300ms currently, and even then very few players are able to play like that (and even for players who can, they rely on memorization at least a little).

You can use the "Hidden" mod to disable approach circles, you can learn how to press notes on time without them. Try to press notes at the correct time, not as soon as you see them.

I've been since made aware of all sorts of mechanics like these. With more experience than when I posted the original post, I've gotten much better, and more used to the approach circles, and fine tuned my reflexes from going super quickly, to moving to the music. I've actually come to find some songs flow so well it's almost like dancing. I have lots of fun playing osu! and have been working at getting better at songs. The only songs I've really had trouble with was when I tried to do Resonance from Soul Eater... That one is hell, at least with my current skill level.

Ezekies wrote:

As I'm writing this, I was thinking. Having a setting like that would make it more of a game of reflexes, rather than rhythm

Great idea. Lets remove the rhythm aspect of this rhythm game :facepalm: