Controlling Gitaroo-Man

[slip81]

So I picked this game up at the local gamestop the other day, and so far it's excellent, even if it is kicking my ass.

Part of it is me not being fast enough, but I think the other problem likes with the dual shock controller. Is it just me, or is the analog stick not the best thing to use to try and follow the line.

The stick just doesn't feel responsive enough. Everytime I try to execute quick turns the stick just seems to jump from one position to the other, it never really seems to flow in a complete circle, and since so much of the game is about staying on track it's getting pretty annoying.

Does anyone here have an advice for alternate controlling methoods?

[SamuraiSmurfette]

I find that it's just a matter of the PS2 controller being *too* sensitive. I used a PS1 controller to play/beat the game.

[evil_genius]

I'm just not quick enough.

[Oobgarm]

I find that it's just a matter of the PS2 controller being *too* sensitive. I used a PS1 controller to play/beat the game.

That's a good thought. I might have to give that a try. I can remember getting pretty far into the game, but I had a lot of problems with the analog stick in the later levels.

[mario2butts]

I've been using a Sony brand PSone Dual Shock (one of the later ones with light gray buttons that actually says "PSone" rather than "Playstation") and I do sometimes have issues with steering the analog stick as it randomly jumps around sometimes but I've actually gotten better at keeping it on tack the more I've played the game. This makes me think that it's me and/or the game and not the controller.

I *think* that the issue may stem from the game trying to automatically "zero-in" on the line if you're close but not quite on it. There seems to a threshold where the game will position the pointer right on the line even if you're not exactly on it, but once you're a certain degree off target the pointer will "snap" off the line and point it exactly where you're telling it to go. So you may have tilted the stick so that it just barely is considered correct by the game, and thus the pointer shows you to be dead- on even if you're actually not.... then an imperceptible shifting of the stick on your part could make the pointer go off-kilter. This is especially frustrating on that one outer space level where all the notes are really long and loop like crazy, so if you get off track early, you're staring at a sad blue line for like 10 seconds....

Does this make any sense? I don't have proof of this but judging from my extensive playtime with the game it seems to be a rational explanation.

Still, pretty much the only flaw in an otherwise amazing game. I'd be playing it right now if my roomate weren't playing GTAIII on my PS2 LOL

[slip81]

I think I have an older psx dual shock laying around somewhere so I'll have to give that a try and see how I do.

If I still suck, thean at least I know it's just me :)

[-hellvin-]

Yes, this game is DEFENITELY jumpy when using a dualshock 2 controller. Sometimes when moving left or to the right, it will jerk back for a second and screw your playing. I was able to beat the game because I got pretty used keeping real steady and being fast, but it's tough. The original PSX dualshock controller would be a good idea like someone mentioned.

The thing that made the d2 so annoying for me were the tremelo parts in the song. Any time it did the wavering "tremelo" effect, the !@#$ing thing would always screw up.

[-hellvin-]

Does this make any sense? I don't have proof of this but judging from my extensive playtime with the game it seems to be a rational explanation.

Still, pretty much the only flaw in an otherwise amazing game. I'd be playing it right now if my roomate weren't playing GTAIII on my PS2 LOL

This is defenitely an excellent theory you wrote up. I know exactly what you mean by the "lock on". Sometimes it seems to figure you were close enough, and when you continue rotating to make it more direct, it jerks off the line. I know what you mean by the robot reagae song too. That was actually the last one I got "A" rank in, lol.