So hello there readers, if you are reading this , you are probably grinding in CTB. So for the start , this topic will be focused on CTB but some concepts, strategy and techniques may be also applied in Std.
If you are a player who just joined a minute ago you need to read this: https://osu.ppy.sh/wiki/Performance_Points and https://osu.ppy.sh/help/wiki/Welcome
If just a regular std, mania or taiko player and just want to pursue CTB then good for you!
First, why pursue playing osu!CTB?
let me enumerate my reasons of pursuing CTB:
1. stucked in osu!std or not improving
2. osu!ctb is underrated and there are few people playing it so it's easier to climb the rankings unlike osu!std
3. I can't play osu!std properly with regular rubber dome keyboard, so playing CTB without mech keyboard is not a problem
4. pp rewards in CTB is inflated unlike in STD
if your reason of playing CTB is not like mine, then I will assume you just want to play it to be versatile not not only focusing in a certain mode.
New CTB player?
so if you are a newbie and no idea how to play it then read:https://osu.ppy.sh/help/wiki/Game_Modes/osu!catch/
Let's skip the basics, now where do I start??
Step 1a. Download ranked CTB maps (I recommend to download all existing CTB maps)
use this to download: http://osusearch.com/ and filter maps by ranked and CTB. As of now, 300+ of individual mapset are with CTB.
Step 1b. You need a lot of beatmaps. Download beatmap packs: https://osu.ppy.sh/p/packlist I recommend to download the maps from latest to earliest because old maps is considered "low quality maps".
Step 2. choose your key that suits you , of course the default are left & right key , and L-Shift for dash, you can change it to what comforts you.
TIPS
1. always aim for 99~100% accuracy, in CTB accuracy has great impact in pp
2. Don't spam retry a certain map over and over again. I'm not saying to give up, if you think you can FC it, you may retry but don't waste time, be smart.
3. Always aim for top play, don't push yourself too hard to FC a map that will not give you pp.
NOW LETS PLAY AND IMPROVE!!!!
since starting from 1 star maps are easy , I suppose you can 1 try FC a certain map and get PP , and yes you can climb up to 5-digit rank in your first day of playing!
You will just play and play until thing getting slightly harder.
I reached 1k pp and everything is a lot harder
Yes, I also noticed that, after having 1k pp, lot of maps you played for pp is not 1st try FC, you need to use dash and hyperdash quite often and you must to learn to to play with that. Just PRACTICE.
Yay!! 2k pp club and also 4-digit in ranking!!!
Let's assume you already farmed 2k pp and there are things and questions in your mind.
Let's say you think:
1. OMG fuck this, it's already 1 week and I only increased 5pp!!
2. Why I can't catch that fruit? even with dash this catcher is very slow enough.
3. Are there CTB maps that gives a lot of pp like Daidai Genome in STD????
I know the feel of being stucked in the rank and let me give some advise:
1. In 2 star ~ 3 star maps, using dash is a must in every maps and that RED FRUIT also appears frequently. In this case, the playing mindset of reacting to when to use dash will changed into when not to use dash.
2. Also practicing to read AR=9 maps is a must because majority of beatmaps are AR=9.
3. If you can read AR=9 very well , then practing AR=9.1 to AR=9.5 is not a problem. DON'T PRACTICE AR=10 too soon because it is unreadable yet for you and may result epilepsy!!! LOL just kidding , just don't jump from AR=9 to AR=10.
4. Learn to catch the uncatchable: If someone in the score leaderboard can FC that map, then it is possible for you too. What makes the maps harder is how close the snapping between notes and you need a faster reflex to catch that beat.
5. Improving in playing in CTB and almost in all other osu!modes can be done with self-learning, practice and patience. There are many things in playing that is impossible to teach verbally and it is self-learned by the player.
Keep it up and play well!!!
YOU JUST NEED TO PLAY OVER AND OVER AGAIN!!!!!
If you aim to beat player like ExGon and Dusk, you need to play at least 1000 hours or more to be like them.
Now let's discuss the strat for improvement:
HERE IT IS HUNTING FOR PP.
If you are finding a map that will give EZ pp then these links are helpful for you:
https://grumd.github.io/osu-pps/
http://pp.ofmc.me/
these websites evaluates the overweightedness of a maps.
CTB pp calculator: https://pakachan.github.io/osustuff/ppcalculator.html
I recommend you to save this pp calculator as a html so you can use it offline.
If those websites that evaluated overweightedness of a map is not enough for you , then I recommend you to stalk someone's profile.
Stalk someone's profile that is slightly higher rank than you and check for his/her TOP PLAY. Download that map and there is possibility that it is very easy to FC that's why it is his/her TOP PLAY.
let me give you an example, this map: The Ghost Of 3.13 - Forgotten is TOP PLAY of many players because it is overweighted and EZ PP.
There are some player in CTB or even in STD who just play TV SIZE MAPS or MAPS like GRANAT.
Playing these kind of maps can be played by muscle memory and does not require too much reading and they just retry and retry until they FCed it.
I highly recommend you to also focus on long beatmaps and try to FC it. Being able to FC such long maps require sustained focus and it is makes you to improve. You may also notice that long beatmaps has easier patterns than TV SIZE maps. It is the nature of it, making the game balanced so in conclusion:
MAPS UNDER 1 MINUTE/ TV SIZE MAPS
pros: very short, can be memorized, can be retried until you FC
cons: harder patterns, , farther jumps, give slightly lower pp, 1 droplet miss can decrease the pp a lot
LONG MAPS 2-minutes and above
pros: easier pattern, gives slightly higher pp, can be passed with good accucary even with a lot of miss
cons: 1st try FC TOP PLAY is unlikely to happen, requires lot of focus and 1 single miss can result no pp at all, results in depression
That is why many players avoid to play LONG maps. But in reality, focusing in LONG maps makes you improve faster.
Don't stay in the same difficulty bracket. If 3-star is comfortable for you and FCed some of it, try to play slightly harder, difficulty that you can at least get a rank A. You need to learn a lot of patterns and play it over and over again.
Also using local offset is very helpful in CTB. Read more about it here: https://osu.ppy.sh/forum/t/516874
osu!choke
Choke is very different from misread. Misread is when you actually can't play that certain part
Yeah, everyone hates it, even if you can SS the maps, choke always appear.
1 slip of a hand results in wasted effort and makes negative emotions. We just hate it
Reasons of choking are:
1. osu!nerves - this is the shaky feeling of a hand when you are aware that either your play is good, you nearly FC the map, or you are aware that you are almost having a TOP PLAY. Also choke suddenly appears after the moment you beat your previous score. 90% active players also experience this.
2. EXTERNAL FORCES - For example, a mosquito bite. Anything that is disturbing you while in the middle of the game also results choke.
3. SYSTEM LAG - this happens if you have a Low-end PC sometimes it occurs. So you need to take action if this is your problem.
4. UNEXPECTED DIFFICULTY SPIKE - this always occur in kiai section of the map.
5. POST-SPINNER NOTES - this also happens when spinner(bananas) appeared in the ending, and let down your guard.
The tips I can give you to avoid this is to:
1. use SHIFT+TAB , hide entire UI while playing.
2. Don't look in your accuracy, except in breaks.
3. Always active and don't let down your guard as mentioned above, expect POST-SPINNER NOTES.
4. Don't blink your eye (if possible). Just blink your eye without choking.
EXTRAS
learning Hidden is optional and its possible for someone to get in the top 100 global without using it. But this it a great advantage for a player to be able to play hidden.
learning HardRock is self explanatory. smaller fruits and Higher AR. You need to be able to read up to AR=10 to do Hardrock. There are maps that gives a lot of pp with HR. Just practice.
learning Double Time is a must because everything is 1.5x faster. Like the catcher. There are maps that becomes overweighted with DT.
For example: Sonata Arctica - Black Sheep
Lastly, some maps designed for CTB is easier than STD maps. That's why you need to Download every existing CTB maps in osu!
There are many things in osu! you just need to play in order to discover these things. PLZ ENJOY GAME.