Book on Modern Tetris

[DarthDuck]

Tentative purpose: Why a novice should take up tetris and how to get to a decent level of competitive play.

Tentative idea on how the book will be divided: [spoiler]First two thirds of the book: will be aimed at the beginner (less ambitious for me as you pointed out). While aimed at the beginner, each section will still have little optional fun-facts in boxes here and there as teasers to more advanced play. This part will also have recourse to time-stamped tetris dreams and where in my progress I had them. I say I/me/my because no one has posted anything in the tetris dream thread yet  

Last third of the book: will be sort of an epilogue for the beginner. I will provide a glossary so I won't have to hold back on terminology, and I will do my best to go off the deep-end without any thought of saving something for a sequel. This will contain psychology, philosophy, and advanced tactics. It will also, deep breath, have a TGM section and guide for underrated single player modes. The introduction will make it clear that, for the beginner, the last part is skippable or should be saved for later.

This part will also have shoutouts to all of our top/active players and their signature styles. I will try not to leave anyone out who's active in the community, so poke me if you are concerned about being left out and would like to make sure you are included and in what way. As a whole, you define the cutting edge, and if I do my best to absorb everything in the forums and listen to everyone with an open mind, I think I can write a short and sweet section highlighting everyone's best ideas. Almost all feedback and ideas from Hard Drop will go in this last third. I think a novice would have fun skimming through this section to get a feel for just how deep the game can be and to have something to look forward too. [/spoiler]

[div align=\\\"center\\\"]psychology[/div]
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]overcoming the self/finding transcendental states[/div]

Sometimes when I'm playing tetris (esp. against other people) I find that as it starts to get more intense I'll suddenly have a few seconds where I just blank, and I can't see where my piece could fit anymore. Then after a little I'm fine again. I still kind of get the idea of what I'm supposed to be doing when it happens, it's just like my eyes swim for a moment or two or I just can't see the pattern or something. Does this happen to anyone else, and if so why/when?
And how do you overcome it?

Sometimes when you are just playing around, your fingers are looser and it lets you play faster. And then when you try to play faster your finger muscles get tighter and it makes you slower.

On playing fast: I can't really imagine the mental leap necessary to break past piece at a time play.

[div align=\\\"center\\\"]overcoming better players[/div]

Now whenever I play Blink or whoever that is strong, I play them the same way I would play an amateur-- my best. Do I think I can consistently beat Blink if I did my best with few misdrops? Of course not. But those are the losses that I can accept. It just means his best was better than my best at that time. But as long as I do my best, I can make any match competitive. It then doesn't become a test of speed or technique, it becomes a test of will. I have now played the best there is to offer. Now that I know the best there is is beatable, why should i be afraid anymore?

[div align=\\\"center\\\"]basic stuff[/div]

I think it'd be a lot better if you started off writing books on why Tetris is interesting, or at least dedicate a large portion to this rather than one section.

Also, I find that a lot of college students play Tetris casually, so if you wanted to market the book, that should definitely be your main audience.

You should focus a lot of your research on the people involved, obviously Alexey Pajitnov's story is interesting but Modern tetris can be created to the current pool of recognizable players.   I'd say John Tran has taken the game to new levels.  the competitive aspects of the game are still pretty underground but i'd say he's the closest thing we have to a commercial representative. Talking about the games mechanics are pretty limited, talking about the games originators and innovators leaves you with limitless topic potential.

For the non-pros, the interesting things are going to be the evolution of the game; how new mechanics came in and affected the way people play. Significant game types (Guideline, TGM, classic) and significant happenings and people in each type. Where those people came from, how they affected the game, etc. How their history influenced their present ability perhaps, and what they bring to the game better than anyone else...
The casual reader isn't going to really understand stacking technique and twists and all that, but there is plenty about Tetris that can be interesting to such a reader. The very fact that there are less than half a dozen TGM3 GMs in the world, for example, or the few people who have maxed out NEStris, or the effect of Tetrinet on multiplayer popularity, community, play style, and so on.

A book filled with reference material about each game would be a boring read -- that sounds like a wiki. A quick primer on what it takes to play other games and what sort of challenges they pose sounds like it could be an interesting section... A short section with general info may very well be of interest to players looking to broaden their single player horizons.
...
I would want to see some degree of coverage seeing as well-designed single player modes don't get much representation or appreciation.

How do people get good at something in the first place?... Is it just a matter of practicing a lot? If so, then why do some longterm players still suck? Is it a matter of practicing "right"? Is it a mixture of both? Is it due to some innate ability that only certain people have?.. Nowadays, I tend to pick up new skills quickly and I like to believe that I'm better now at zeroing in on aspects of such skills that lead to success. I believe I owe this to Tetris.

Maybe coz most Tetris players are mathematical computer geeks, they don't realize that if Nullpomino was super cute and good-looking, there would be a lot more players.

Keep a tetris "journal" so you can document your changes into tetris. Include things like dreaming about tetris and seeing falling blocks when you try to sleep. Create goals for youself and see if you are able to reach them. It might be interesting to share your frustrations and triumphs in tetris.

[div align=\\\"center\\\"]pro stuff[/div]

for the Tetris veterans, I think the primary interest will lie in 1) learning about new skills and 2) strategy. By new skills, I mean things like preview awareness, playing ahead, finesse, twisting, forecasting, rotation system knowledge, stacking methods - both what is commonly used by the best players and why, and how to learn to do it yourself. By strategy, I mean the same sorts of things but pertaining to specific contexts: 40 lines stacking techniques and required skills; Ultra stacking techniques and required skills; multiplayer techniques and required skills, etc.

you [are] going to have to master all spins theoretically, you will also have to research and subsequently master all downstack theory, stack theory, possible shapes for prophecies and multiple piece setups, and also deliver an overview on contested areas, with a masterful way of summing up the arguments of others.
...
Also, if it's on Modern Tetris, you may want to consider whether you'll do something on TGM

[On subbing 20] I reckon this is doable, as long as you play the whole game the speed you'd play the first 10 pieces. The difficulty is knowing tetris so inside out that you would be able to totally predict the run of pieces such that this would be doable. And therein lies the challenge.

[div align=\\\"center\\\"]logistics (not an actual section)[/div]

If you want the book to be widely accessible, or monetarily successful, I think you're better off devoting the majority of the content to stories and history/information that is accessible to anybody - and this section can double as an intro and technical primer for a smaller section about the highly detailed technical things.

For the record, I'd be happy to contribute what knowledge and writing ability I have should you want it. I can proofread both from a grammatical standpoint and a technical-knowledge standpoint on many Tetris-related topics  I'm sure there are others who would also happily contribute.

- Thanks for that!

Tetris can be tricky to write about because many of the strategies don't lend themselves very well to text. I think this explains why many of the best free guides to Tetris are so visuals-heavy.

spoilering my gibberish, just leaving suggestions in the OP:
[spoiler]
I decided to write a book on Tetris. This might take me a few years, but I want to do it right. I will probably just called it "Modern Tetris", but I tend to change my mind a lot and would be happy to hear any ideas for titles, as silly as you think they may be.

I know that Blink and Chopin had a project like this in the works, and I hope Chopin returns to us, but I realized that this is something I must do as well.

There apparently is only one book like this in existence, and so far it appears to be a failure that is only available on Kindle, but I will give it the benefit of the doubt since it was only published three months ago. I suspect its problem was that it was marketed too much toward the novice and it only skimmed over "professional topics" like tspin doubles.

Here is the Amazon editorial review for "Lines":

"
The greatest game ever invented now finally has a guide to match it. You don't need to speak Russian to be good at Tetris, but after working through Lines you'll be in Moscow in no time.
Lines walks you through the Tetris Essentials, including best practices for setting up your base for beginner, intermediate and expert players. You'll also be shown how and when to save great pieces for later as well as how to increase the speed you organize your stack. Advanced and intermediate tactics including setting up combinations through the use of two, three and four column tunnels will be shown before teaching you how to use professional tactics including T-Spin doubles and Perfect Clears.
"

About me, I am new to modern Tetris and still very slow as well as comically bad at multiplayer, but I seem to have an above-average fascination with some of the more theoretical aspects of the game. So I would like to try to share some of that passion and put it into writing, as well as justify massive blocks of time in the future dedicated to improving my game.

Please share anything that you think would be interesting to read and most importantly what would not be interesting. I want the book to appeal to everyone, but I want the majority of it to be helpful to Tetris pros. As long as I keep doing my research, I think I can accomplish that without becoming a pro myself.

Here are some issues I want to dabble in:

1. Why everyone should play Tetris. Such as how it boosts processing speed and spatial reasoning, and therefore your overall quality of life.

2. A BRIEF tutorial for beginners/intermediates to get caught up.

3. Cutting edge techniques, styles, and methods (the dominant part of the book).

4. Parallels with chess (I will keep this as brief as possible for the sake of non-chess-enthusiasts, but this is an important connection to me).

5. Philosophic connections (I was a philosophy major so this will be inevitable although I will also keep this part limited).

I am open to any suggestions on sections that you think should be included; I will acknowledge all contributions no matter how irrelevant you may think they are. Also, if the moderators allow it, I grant full license for trolling, sarcasm, blunt criticism, and even personal attacks as long as they are only on me. I want any negativities or reserverations that you may have on such a book to be surfaced, as I will need to face up to reality before developing a marketing plan and opening bids to publishers.

As far as feedback, ANYTHING will be received with gratitude and acknowledgments, but I need particular feedback on the following:

1. How to market this to as broad of an audience as possible while keeping the bulk of it interesting to a seasoned Nullpomino overlord.

2. What sections are needed and how to arrange or proportion them to make the book as interesting as possible.

3. Hooks that will attract naysayers, non-Tetris players, and general video-game haters, as well as people who are convinced that they don't have time for anything.

4. I need to be prepared, so use your imagination to come up with the most fiery and ignorant remarks that I might encounter while dealing with a morally decadent crowd such as the YouTube community  

5. Your favorite Tetris moves or what you like most about Tetris.

As far as the legal aspect of it, I wouldn't mind giving permission for the book to be torrented or fully available on Google books. I like the spread of free knowledge but need to find out how not to anger my publisher at the same time. I will probably learn about that in law school, which I will be doing while writing this.

Much thanks in advance to all contributions and attacks!
[/spoiler]

[Lucho]

Wow, you are really into it. I hope people here helps you, since there are a lot of good players with high knowledge about tetris

[Paul676]

You will need to be a pro on a technical level. Not only are you going to have to master all spins theoretically, you will also have to research and subsequently master all downstack theory (which is barely starting on a theoretical level), stack theory, possible shapes for prophecies and multiple piece setups, and also deliver an overview on contested areas, with a masterful way of summing up the arguments of others. I'm glad you know it'll take years. By 5 years' time, you will be very very good at tetris if you play consistently anyway.

Also, if it's on Modern Tetris, you may want to consider whether you'll do something on TGM - that's a whole other area you need masterful theory on, but it is at least more accepted what the optimal theory is.

To neglect the basics is to not bring everyone up to speed. You need a beginners' section for it to be in any way popular - something which doesn't take much time to make, but is essential not to neglect.

General youtube user comment when they see a pro tetris player: "your a sad virgin"

Mistake of grammar on purpose.

[DarthDuck]

Also, if it's on Modern Tetris, you may want to consider whether you'll do something on TGM - that's a whole other area you need masterful theory on, but it is at least more accepted what the optimal theory is.

Great point here. I haven't even tried TGM. I have however done every single entry in the wiki in a multiplayer environment, so am at least familiar with all of our wiki moves. But I'm sure "the cutting edge" goes waaay deeper than the contents of our wiki, which in turn should be updated as I come across them.

[Paul676]

the forum is a better indicator than the wiki of current trends/theory

[Anonymous]

you will also have to research and subsequently master all downstack theory

Hello c:

Anyways, I think it'd be a lot better if you started off writing books on why Tetris is interesting, or at least dedicate a large portion to this rather than one section.

Also, I find that a lot of college students play Tetris casually, so if you wanted to market the book, that should definitely be your main audience.

[Magnanimous]

I approve!

Since your target market sounds like "People who don't know that competitive Tetris is a thing", you might want to research some similar books. I read Masters of Doom a few months ago, which talks about the story behind Doom and how influential it actually was... The book didn't talk about strategy very much, just the game's impact, but it might give you some ideas for writing style. Or there's Play Money, Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks, and The Ultimate History of Video Games. I have a big Amazon wishlist...

[DarthDuck]

Since your target market sounds like "People who don't know that competitive Tetris is a thing", you might want to research some similar books.

I will research those books, thank you. But my personal goal is to create something that would benefit the Nullpomino overlords.

Since these people are so far off the bell curve that they have their own satellite curve, I must realistically target the mainstream for the sake of attracting a publisher. And I would find satisfaction in raising some public awareness on how Tetris is actually quite hard and a top candidate for pushing the mind. That way I also target the academic elite

[Paradox]

Well Idk what about tetris you can make into a book but good luck to ya.

[EnFuego]

This does sound like a big and exciting project!

My suggestion would be to keep a tetris "journal" so you can document your changes into tetris. Include things like dreaming about tetris and seeing falling blocks when you try to sleep. Create goals for youself and see if you are able to reach them. It might be interesting to share your frustrations and triumphs in tetris.

[DarthDuck]

My suggestion would be to keep a tetris "journal" so you can document your changes into tetris. Include things like dreaming about tetris and seeing falling blocks when you try to sleep. Create goals for youself and see if you are able to reach them. It might be interesting to share your frustrations and triumphs in tetris.

haha I have like three of these but they are for drawing stuff so I don't die of boredom in class. Keeping track of dreams is a great idea though. And so is tracking timelines like sub min 40L, sub 45sec etc. It annoys me when I see my old ideas scribbled down years later and it's impossible to track down when/where I came up with them.

edit: I already started this project, and think it would be a fun interlude in the book to have a summary of a tetris dream from every night. Going to start a Tetris dream thread so other people can share theirs in place of my more boring ones.

[ohitsstef]

i think it'd be cooler to write about your progression in playing tetris, how you've experienced the tetris community and the players you've interacted with....

but to write a guide about tetris itself is a really ambitious goal especially when you aren't that knowledgeable

[Paradox]

[!--quoteo--][div class=\\\'quotetop\\\']QUOTE[/div][div class=\\\'quotemain\\\'][!--quotec--] but to write a guide about tetris itself is a really ambitious goal especially when you aren't that knowledgeable [/quote]

my initial thoughts as well.

[Chopin]

Maybe coz most Tetris players are mathematical computer geeks, they don't realize that if Nullpomino was super cute and good-looking, there would be a lot more players.

[Kitaru]

You realize that the presentation doesn't come out of thin air, right? We need someone to help contribute art assets and to do design work or else it's just going to keep on looking how it is looking.