Author Topic: Unnatural Phenomenon (Read 10794 times)

mew77 · « **on:** February 19, 2010, 07:35:22 AM »

Note: Has nothing to do with the spell card by the same name.

I was doing SA stage 4 today when I strange thing happened.

I was strangely effortlessly plowing through the second half of the stage. Not that I didn't dodge stuff, it's that I was dodging through beautiful cascades of cards but the whole ordeal felt like reflex. I'm pretty sure it was reflex but at the time it didn't feel like reflex.

Then when satori used kyoto dolls I was weaving the pattern strangely well, I'm sure it was probably relfex but it's weird that it didn't feel like reflex. It felt more like instinct. Like the instict you have in a fight or flight moment. But this is a video game.

Anyone else notice this phenomenon?

Toasty · « **Reply #1 on:** February 19, 2010, 07:41:32 AM »

Yuugi thought you could use the help.

Cadmas · « **Reply #2 on:** February 19, 2010, 07:43:10 AM »

This wouldn't have anything to do with Reimu's magic hit box now would it?

mew77 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 19, 2010, 07:58:54 AM »

I was using marisaA

and I have like 1 out of 9 on unnatural phenomenon

Sabino · « **Reply #4 on:** February 19, 2010, 08:19:02 AM »

It might be because you were dodging wave at a time, since those, like Hina's spell cards come in waves
so the trick is to dodge a wave at a time.
Please, tell me if you can do that during stage 5 since I always lose tons of lives there, but nowhere else.

(except maybe at Yugi's Phenomenon and Parsee's Green eyed monster)

mew77 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 19, 2010, 08:49:14 AM »

I guess I should explain my style when playing touhou
I call each batch of bullets a cascade and a patterened section a wave
I draw imaginary lines between bullets and move through with rapid short taps.

when there are patterns I call it weaving

where there isn't a pattern I call it spaz dodging.

Speaking of stage 5

the popcorn actually homed on me a little during some parts

I suggest moving in L patterns. stay bottom center and move up when you can.

I can hardly get past the next part of the stage but cat walk can be weaved

The phenomenon I speak of in the first post is when dodging no longer feels like a concious effort

it was a wierd feeling.

green eyed monster isn't as big a problem as tongue cut sparrow.

Unnatural phenomenon I only captured once and I think that one time was luck.

I ended up rage quitting on Stage 5 after countless deaths in the first part.

I still don't get why I find the second part of stage 5 easier than the first part.

Tengukami · « **Reply #6 on:** February 19, 2010, 10:33:15 AM »

It's a very natural phenomenon called 'flow' - a relaxed, almost detached state of being while working a complex task seemingly effort free. It can happen doing almost anything.

Solais · « **Reply #7 on:** February 19, 2010, 01:31:14 PM »

It happened to me when I watched Ruro's replay, and then I 1cc'd SA Normal for the first try and for the first time, after failing for months. After that Stage 5 became easy for me, very "flow-y". And I think it is instinct.

Helion · « **Reply #8 on:** February 19, 2010, 03:56:25 PM »

Quote from: Rain Lindwurm on February 19, 2010, 10:33:15 AM

It's a very natural phenomenon called 'flow' - a relaxed, almost detached state of being while working a complex task seemingly effort free. It can happen doing almost anything.

You beat me to this. The last time I entered the flow I cleared IN extra.

Garlyle · « **Reply #9 on:** February 20, 2010, 02:40:58 AM »

Quote from: Rain Lindwurm on February 19, 2010, 10:33:15 AM

It's a very natural phenomenon called 'flow' - a relaxed, almost detached state of being while working a complex task seemingly effort free. It can happen doing almost anything.

Yup. It happens from time to time. Just a complete clarity of mind and running on pure instinct, almost.

For me this kind of thing tends to happen more when I'm almost totally asleep. I've done it on Touhou and on other games. When I finished the final four or five songs I needed to five-star on Expert back in Guitar Hero 2, I hadn't slept for 24 hours straight. I'd tried them in the past and struggled my ass off. Then I sat down and picked up the guitar and did them all, effortlessly, literally all in a row with five stars.

Like I said, it usually seems to happen when I'm really tired... because my brain doesn't have time to think of anything else nor the energy to get panicked about anything. It just... does it.

Shiri · « **Reply #10 on:** February 20, 2010, 03:05:32 AM »

In the business we call this "the zone." Interesting phenomenon. Time slows down too!

ふねん1 · « **Reply #11 on:** February 20, 2010, 04:10:42 AM »

I would also indeed call this "the zone", a concept of concentration that even I don't fully understand at this point (for Touhou at least). But regarding the "time slowing down" part, I'm willing to credit this to adrenaline (naturally produced, of course) or something similar, where such improvements in reaction time are meant as biological "survival" traits. I imagine that's not the whole story, but I'm not enough of an expert on the subject to say much else.

Solais · « **Reply #12 on:** February 20, 2010, 01:17:44 PM »

I used to do Touhou runs when I was tired or I just woke up, because I was better that way than when I'm awake.

Netwarrior · « **Reply #13 on:** February 23, 2010, 06:00:18 PM »

This "flow" thing happened to me a few time ago. I was playing UNL and I wanted to know how the Sanae's Theme music was in the MoF. So I just opened MoF and played without using Continue until Aya kills me... I insisted and made it to Sanae. I have never been to a Stage 5 before that.

This "flow" thing used to happen to me when playing other games, like Grand Chase and Naruto Ultimate Ninja. But this is the first time it happens when playing Touhou.

Drake · « **Reply #14 on:** February 23, 2010, 06:12:06 PM »

Is this a joke thread because I'm really not sure.

Netwarrior · « **Reply #15 on:** February 23, 2010, 06:15:54 PM »

This is not a joke, I suppose

Snaka · « **Reply #16 on:** February 23, 2010, 07:46:10 PM »

Unfortunately you soon realise you are in the flow and start thinking again which breaks you out of it. =/

Drake · « **Reply #17 on:** February 23, 2010, 08:26:44 PM »

That's more like it. You start thinking and realizing what you're thinking, essentially talking to yourself. Pulls away concentration and nails you hard.

mew77 · « **Reply #18 on:** February 23, 2010, 11:27:32 PM »

This tends to only happen to me when playing touhou though.

oh wait there's a few legend of zelda bosses that have a similar effect on me.but otherwise just touhou

Nyyl · « **Reply #19 on:** February 25, 2010, 06:23:59 AM »

I tend to have certain thoughts associated with certain parts of a game. For example the first time I got to Cursed Sprite "Zombie Fairy", I was thinking about how tiny and slow the bullets are. The thought that goes through my head every time I get to that spell is "It's like ZUN is making fun of you for hitting such a small, slow projectile"
It's not some psychological trick I play on myself or anything, my mind just sort of does it on its own. A weird habit I have, but it occupies my brain and helps keep me in "the zone" or "flow" or whatever you call it. I just call it "not over-concentrating" :V

Esoterica · « **Reply #20 on:** February 25, 2010, 10:03:28 PM »

Quote from: Snaka on February 23, 2010, 07:46:10 PM

Unfortunately you soon realise you are in the flow and start thinking again which breaks you out of it. =/

Unfortunately, this happens to me nearly instantly.

Helion · « **Reply #21 on:** February 25, 2010, 10:07:04 PM »

Quote from: Drake on February 23, 2010, 08:26:44 PM

That's more like it. You start thinking and realizing what you're thinking, essentially talking to yourself. Pulls away concentration and nails you hard.

"hey i'm doing really we-"
"you know what happened last time you thought that"
"k not talking this time"
"still, i'm doing really well here, i've never died so few times or deathbombed so well"
*death + downward spiral*

Inner monologue that goes on whenever i'm playing. And no, I'm not joking.

Nat Tea · « **Reply #22 on:** February 25, 2010, 10:19:51 PM »

don't think, feel

Spoiler:

You could also call it a natural high, but that's controversal.

Tengukami · « **Reply #23 on:** February 25, 2010, 11:15:15 PM »

Quote from: Van Helion on February 25, 2010, 10:07:04 PM

"hey i'm doing really we-"
"you know what happened last time you thought that"
"k not talking this time"

This is exactly what was jabbering in my head as I proceeded to snap up four extends in UFO (using Marisa B, no less) in a no-bomb run before hitting Stage 4. And then having Popeye there spank me down to one life before meeting tigerbitch. I mean come on.

c l e a r · « **Reply #24 on:** February 26, 2010, 02:04:20 AM »

I'm calling on instinct...

After practicing Stage 6 UFO with Byakuren's Shiki clip bullets, Miracle Fruit in SA Extra just made sense to me, though I can still whiff it.

mew77 · « **Reply #25 on:** March 02, 2010, 12:52:20 AM »

I whiff all sorts of stuff when I play...

I think I'll wait till number 13 before trying to beat another touhou game.

Author Topic: Unnatural Phenomenon (Read 10794 times)

Toasty