So I'm one of those No-Life-Gamers, and while waiting for my mouse hand to recuperate from the countless hours of Standard play, I decided to type up my journey in Standard so far - and what I've learned from it.
Before I really got into Standard, I was hovering at about 270k~ ranking, mainly due to my own stubbornness. I could've progressed slowly and steadily, but instead of doing so, I kept insisting on playing songs that were too hard for me.
Why not? Because I was always so close to doing that one pattern, to getting that clear, etc. And I got really frustrated. Then I saw the MWC, and got into Mania. About three months later, I hit top 5k and I met my plateau. Since my only friends that played Osu... Well played Standard, I decided to give Standard another shot.
-Warning- Incoming wall of text.
Day 1: I decide to take things slow. Instead of aiming high, I stick with 2 star songs, maybe up to 2.5 star songs. Instead of being satisfied with 90% clears, I decided, you know what, let's go for Full Combo's. In one day I jump from 270k to just below 200k. Such was the power of learning how to control my mouse better, and the accuracy that came from Mania. I finally learned how big a thing AR was, and found out that AR7 was out of my reach - just barely. So I played everything other than AR7. Slow and steady seems to be the way go.
Day 2-3: I grind my way through AR7. Doll Play and Shinkai Shoujo being my two beatmaps of choice. I jump from 200k to 170k. I dip my feet a bit into the pool known as AR8. Still, slow and steady really is working.
After Day 3, unfortunately I had finals, and then a flight to Korea. Osu put on break.
Day 4-5:I don't play until about two weeks later, where I spend two days getting reused to how the mouse behaves on my laptop. I gain little pp in this time. Still, small jump from 170k to 160k. Could be worse. But given how long I've played during these two days, I can't help feel that I should've progressed more. Oh well.
Day 6: Another three day break while me and my family go on vacation. But when I come back, I've finally learned how to deal with AR8 - but not completely of course. Still, it's a huge break, and I jump from 160k to 130k.
Day 7-10: Trying to see how AR9 works. Jumps and streams have been introduced too suddenly, and I spend this time learning how to deal with all the new stuff that 3.5stars and above teaches. Learning takes too long. I tap too fast on streams. My mouse doesn't jump accurately enough. Still, I progress a bit enough to get from 130k to 125k.
Day 11: I decided, I aimed too high. Let's return to 3.2 stars and grind my way back up. Back to slow and steady. A few hundred plays later, I gain a few FC's, and I jump from 125k to 110k. 3.5 stars no longer seem so impossible
Day 12-14: I learn of Tillerino's bot thing. I try it. Decidedly don't like it. Songs weren't too my taste - not the fault of Tillerino. Oh well. I finally break the 3.5 star barrier and the 100k barrier as well. Things are looking up. Long, long ago, I promised my friend that I'd catch up to him. Now it finally looks like I can fulfill that promise. Another friend, I threatened that I'd pass him if he didn't return to the game. He kind of returned, but his interests lie elsewhere. I passed him. I felt both proud, and disappointed. He could've been so far if he kept playing.
Day 15: My mouse hand starts to go numb. I can't really make a fist. My pinky is the worst off. I think I'm gripping the mouse too hard. Oh well. I deal with it the way I dealt with carpal tunnel - ignore it and hope it goes away. It kind of does go away, in the sense that a numb hand doesn't feel pain anymore. Eh. Doesn't matter. I reach top 90k.
Day 16: Barely break 90k into 85k. I finally learned how to play AR9, but only enough to barely, barely pass some AR9 songs. Still, it's better than nothing. Okaerinasai is my map of choice to practice, but even then, I get tired too fast, my mouse kind of slipping out of my hands. A friend comes back and challenges me, asking "Let's see what your limits are now." His conclusions are that "You've definitely improved", and that "You've surpassed me now". It was fun. I only beat him once out of 4 maps, but was able to kind of hold my own on the other three maps. Considering at this point I had over a 100pp more than him, I was disappointed to feel that my abilities could only extend so far.
Day 17: 01/23/15. 83k. I really can't play much anymore. Easier songs are ok, but anything about 3.5 stars, and I start gripping the mouse too hard again. Probably nervous or something. Sometimes my mouse doesn't even move during the song. I think I burned out a bit. But 1000pp is so close. I can't help but keep playing. I'll probably take a small break for the day and come back later to see if my hand feels any better. If it doesn't, then I'll push on regardless. If I stop now, I don't think I can keep up the momentum ;-;
When will I catch up to my friend? He seems so lonely sitting up there, farming DT.
Lessons Learned:
Before I really got into Standard, I was hovering at about 270k~ ranking, mainly due to my own stubbornness. I could've progressed slowly and steadily, but instead of doing so, I kept insisting on playing songs that were too hard for me.
Why not? Because I was always so close to doing that one pattern, to getting that clear, etc. And I got really frustrated. Then I saw the MWC, and got into Mania. About three months later, I hit top 5k and I met my plateau. Since my only friends that played Osu... Well played Standard, I decided to give Standard another shot.
-Warning- Incoming wall of text.
Day 1: I decide to take things slow. Instead of aiming high, I stick with 2 star songs, maybe up to 2.5 star songs. Instead of being satisfied with 90% clears, I decided, you know what, let's go for Full Combo's. In one day I jump from 270k to just below 200k. Such was the power of learning how to control my mouse better, and the accuracy that came from Mania. I finally learned how big a thing AR was, and found out that AR7 was out of my reach - just barely. So I played everything other than AR7. Slow and steady seems to be the way go.
Day 2-3: I grind my way through AR7. Doll Play and Shinkai Shoujo being my two beatmaps of choice. I jump from 200k to 170k. I dip my feet a bit into the pool known as AR8. Still, slow and steady really is working.
After Day 3, unfortunately I had finals, and then a flight to Korea. Osu put on break.
Day 4-5:I don't play until about two weeks later, where I spend two days getting reused to how the mouse behaves on my laptop. I gain little pp in this time. Still, small jump from 170k to 160k. Could be worse. But given how long I've played during these two days, I can't help feel that I should've progressed more. Oh well.
Day 6: Another three day break while me and my family go on vacation. But when I come back, I've finally learned how to deal with AR8 - but not completely of course. Still, it's a huge break, and I jump from 160k to 130k.
Day 7-10: Trying to see how AR9 works. Jumps and streams have been introduced too suddenly, and I spend this time learning how to deal with all the new stuff that 3.5stars and above teaches. Learning takes too long. I tap too fast on streams. My mouse doesn't jump accurately enough. Still, I progress a bit enough to get from 130k to 125k.
Day 11: I decided, I aimed too high. Let's return to 3.2 stars and grind my way back up. Back to slow and steady. A few hundred plays later, I gain a few FC's, and I jump from 125k to 110k. 3.5 stars no longer seem so impossible
Day 12-14: I learn of Tillerino's bot thing. I try it. Decidedly don't like it. Songs weren't too my taste - not the fault of Tillerino. Oh well. I finally break the 3.5 star barrier and the 100k barrier as well. Things are looking up. Long, long ago, I promised my friend that I'd catch up to him. Now it finally looks like I can fulfill that promise. Another friend, I threatened that I'd pass him if he didn't return to the game. He kind of returned, but his interests lie elsewhere. I passed him. I felt both proud, and disappointed. He could've been so far if he kept playing.
Day 15: My mouse hand starts to go numb. I can't really make a fist. My pinky is the worst off. I think I'm gripping the mouse too hard. Oh well. I deal with it the way I dealt with carpal tunnel - ignore it and hope it goes away. It kind of does go away, in the sense that a numb hand doesn't feel pain anymore. Eh. Doesn't matter. I reach top 90k.
Day 16: Barely break 90k into 85k. I finally learned how to play AR9, but only enough to barely, barely pass some AR9 songs. Still, it's better than nothing. Okaerinasai is my map of choice to practice, but even then, I get tired too fast, my mouse kind of slipping out of my hands. A friend comes back and challenges me, asking "Let's see what your limits are now." His conclusions are that "You've definitely improved", and that "You've surpassed me now". It was fun. I only beat him once out of 4 maps, but was able to kind of hold my own on the other three maps. Considering at this point I had over a 100pp more than him, I was disappointed to feel that my abilities could only extend so far.
Day 17: 01/23/15. 83k. I really can't play much anymore. Easier songs are ok, but anything about 3.5 stars, and I start gripping the mouse too hard again. Probably nervous or something. Sometimes my mouse doesn't even move during the song. I think I burned out a bit. But 1000pp is so close. I can't help but keep playing. I'll probably take a small break for the day and come back later to see if my hand feels any better. If it doesn't, then I'll push on regardless. If I stop now, I don't think I can keep up the momentum ;-;
When will I catch up to my friend? He seems so lonely sitting up there, farming DT.
Lessons Learned:
- Stick to songs your level. Aiming high is ok on occassion, but ends up frustrating you more than doing any real good.
- Full combo's are frustrating. But in terms of ranks gained, nothing is better.
- Don't tap too fast. ;-;
- Enjoy Osu. Stressing means time to play LoL and throw your frustrations into a game that actually deserves your frustrations.