NES Tetris Strategy Guide Book - Need Feedback

[Kitaru]

Regarding page 8 sliding -- maybe it should be changed to reflect the DAS/buffer method right away? If you hold left early (i.e., against the piece you're sliding under), then it'll immediately tuck under as soon as the piece falls to that height. In practice, there is no reason to ever attempt a timed slide, so you might as well just mention the buffered slide from the get-go.

The 2nd frame of the diagram could show the I-piece one row higher when the d-pad is held left, and the 3rd could be left as-is.

Also, I feel the section on T-Spins should be generalized to call them just "Spins" -- for example, the phrasing of "The T-Spin is not only limited to T pieces. You can do similiar moves with other pieces," might be better expressed as "Spinning is not only limited to T pieces. You can do similar moves with other pieces. Here is an example of an I-Spin: ..." or something of the sort. (Also, I just caught the typo "similiar" thanks to my browser spellcheck where I had glazed over it before. )

[ixbrian]

Regarding page 8 sliding -- maybe it should be changed to reflect the DAS/buffer method right away? If you hold left early (i.e., against the piece you're sliding under), then it'll immediately tuck under as soon as the piece falls to that height. In practice, there is no reason to ever attempt a timed slide, so you might as well just mention the buffered slide from the get-go.

The 2nd frame of the diagram could show the I-piece one row higher when the d-pad is held left, and the 3rd could be left as-is.

Also, I feel the section on T-Spins should be generalized to call them just "Spins" -- for example, the phrasing of "The T-Spin is not only limited to T pieces. You can do similiar moves with other pieces," might be better expressed as "Spinning is not only limited to T pieces. You can do similar moves with other pieces. Here is an example of an I-Spin: ..." or something of the sort. (Also, I just caught the typo "similiar" thanks to my browser spellcheck where I had glazed over it before. )

All great points.  I'll make the changes in the next revision.   Thanks!

[acorneli]

Thanks again for all the suggestions!  I've posted a new version at http://ixbrian.com/tetris/guide_060814.pdf with these corrections:

-Page 1: Added credits to Hard Drop forum and those who have helped out.
-Page 10: Added better example for screenshot #3
-Page 11: Added info about soft drop point limits
-Page 12: Fixed difficult transitions typo (28 to 29)
-Page 13: Added +20 Game Genie code
-Page 14: Added quote from Ben regarding playing 2 pieces ahead
-Page 16: Put new examples for downstacking, improved text, and added quote from Ben
-Page 17: Added text about most pieces starting slightly to the right
-Page 21: Added clarification that "I" piece wouldn't make it assuming there was no DAS charge
-Page 22: Fixed picture of "I" blurry trails being on wrong side, and added clarification about the 16 frame delay only being if your DAS charge starts at zero.  
-Page 29:  Added running total column to table

Here is my to do list for the suggestions I still need to add in.  Let me know if I missed anything.  And thanks again, all of your feedback is greatly appreciated.    

To Do:
-Page 15 - Figure out piece statistics or remove this section
-Add "Last Second/Extra Tap Technique"
-Add "Pole Vaulting"
-Add "Extended Tapping Technique"
-Add section on balancing conflicting options/techniques
-Add section about avoiding two cell gaps that only L/J can fit in
-Mention avoiding center spires

awesome job, Brian!

Yeah, you generally want to avoid making two cell gaps unless L/J/I is in the preview. It's the same principle as avoiding three-or-more cell gaps other than your main tetris channel -- you're limiting your placement options and banking on the appearance of specific pieces. In some cases, it can snowball into the formation of an even deeper chasm if you're stubborn about waiting.

The Basic Stacking section of J.O's TGM Guide has some good material to this end, as does Ryan Heise's stacking guide

I looked at these links and I think some of the advice given there only applies to TGM (?) just to warn Brian.  Pretty sure.  Anyway, it gets complicated, but basically, "not too flat, not too bumpy" is a good concept that could be given a brief treatment (sorry to keep adding more work!).

[XaeL]

[fumen]110@PdA3nbC3lbG3ibG3gbA3gbI3gbI3gbI3gbI3gbI3gb?I3qbKxHHdoUoboUobpU9cCFB[/fumen]
[fumen]110@PdA3nbC3lbG3ibG3gbA3gbI3gbI3gbI3gbI3gbI3gb?I3qbKxH7eFDQqRAOnF2DFMVTAS4FNEyoo2APBAAA8UqLA6o?o2ApN98AwmqCAvDqbAzoo2AtSirDzoo2AQsjhDs4mTASIsN?EyNdCANHqbA0oo2AtSirDzoo2AQsjhDs4mTASIsNEyNdCAu?DqbAqoo2AtSirDzoo2AQsjhDs4mTASIsNEyNdCAuTc[/fumen]
[fumen]110@PdA3nbC3lbG3ibG3gbA3gbI3gbI3gbI3gbI3gbI3gb?I3qbKxHHdoUoboUobpU9cCFB7eFyUqHAnnToDFrmAAzfcUe?cNcc2kcfec[/fumen]
Here's an example for page 10. If you try and "only get tetrises"/"Play perfect" then you will fuck up the field.
If you skim, the field returns to an ez-mode easy to play state.

Here's probably the best non-skim placement:
[fumen]115@DgA8HeC8FeG8CeG8AeA8AeI8AeI8AeI8AeI8AeI8Ae?I8Ke6uIvhGDDfEDfnDfNBf+Df6Uf6Uf[/fumen]

[Kitaru]

I looked at these links and I think some of the advice given there only applies to TGM (?) just to warn Brian.  Pretty sure.  Anyway, it gets complicated, but basically, "not too flat, not too bumpy" is a good concept that could be given a brief treatment (sorry to keep adding more work!).

The only part of the Basic Stacking chapter that is game-specific would be "learn the colors." Also, although I didn't mention it the first time, the Skimming and Recovery chapters are also perfectly general and worth a look.

[benmullen]

There is part in the first one that is fairly TGM specific... the whole lock delay stuff gives rise to an optimal shape that looks like a little hill, where the optimal shape here is a slope.  But both a re full of good stuff and I have enjoyed them.

[Sisu]

re: stacking guides, don't forget jujube's Memoryless randomizer - making tetrises

[wasmachstdugern]

this is epic! i dont have anything to add really but just wanted to support your hard work!

[Kitaru]

There is part in the first one that is fairly TGM specific... the whole lock delay stuff gives rise to an optimal shape that looks like a little hill, where the optimal shape here is a slope.  But both a re full of good stuff and I have enjoyed them.

The chapters I was pointing to (2, 3, & 4) don't bring lock delay into the picture and are general to all games. But yeah, the other stuff gets more targeted.

[ixbrian]

New page on Pole Vaulting:

[!--ImageUrlBegin--][a href=\\\"http://ixbrian.com/tbook/polevault.png\\\" target=\\\"_new\\\"][!--ImageUrlEBegin--][img width=\\\"400\\\" class=\\\"attach\\\" src=\\\"http://ixbrian.com/tbook/polevault.png\\\" border=\\\'0\\\' alt=\\\"IPB Image\\\" /][!--ImageUrlEnd--][/a][!--ImageUrlEEnd--]

[davyk]

This looks brilliant. Didn't know about the 2 player mode - pity Nintendo didn't finish it.

[ixbrian]

New page on the "Last Second Tap":

[!--ImageUrlBegin--][a href=\\\"http://ixbrian.com/tbook/lastsecond.png\\\" target=\\\"_new\\\"][!--ImageUrlEBegin--][img width=\\\"400\\\" class=\\\"attach\\\" src=\\\"http://ixbrian.com/tbook/lastsecond.png\\\" border=\\\'0\\\' alt=\\\"IPB Image\\\" /][!--ImageUrlEnd--][/a][!--ImageUrlEEnd--]

[Kitaru]

It depends on how you define things I guess, but it's probably more accurate to say the minimum number of frames for the extra tap would be 2 rather than 1. After the last DAS shift registers, input needs to be open for one frame so that you can register a tapped shift on the following frame rather than continuously held input.

To put it another way, you have to actually lift your thumb enough for the button to be "unheld," otherwise there was no tap to speak of.

[ixbrian]

It depends on how you define things I guess, but it's probably more accurate to say the minimum number of frames for the extra tap would be 2 rather than 1. After the last DAS shift registers, input needs to be open for one frame so that you can register a tapped shift on the following frame rather than continuously held input.

To put it another way, you have to actually lift your thumb enough for the button to be "unheld," otherwise there was no tap to speak of.

That is a really good point, thanks.  I updated the screenshot in my previous post to reflect that it would take a minimum of 2 frames, and I updated screenshot to actually show the arrow being released and then pressed again.

[ixbrian]

Updated version posted.

Changes since the last version:
-Updated sliding section to include info on DAS and when to start pressing the arrow button
-Updated page 10 example with suggested example from XaeL
-Added two pages on stacking pieces based on some best practices from Ryan Heise's site
-Renamed "T-Spin" section to just "Spins"
-Added "Avoid Center Spires" section
-Added "Pole Vaulting" section
-Added "Last Second Tap" section
-Added "Extended Tap" section
-Added section on avoiding two deep wells
-Added section on "Conflicting Advice"

I still need to have my wife edit the new stuff I've added for spelling/grammar so there might be some typo's in there.  

I think I've added in everything that has been suggested here in the thread so far.  Let me know if I missed anything, and thanks again for all the feedback!   I still need to figure out the piece randomness section and either update it or remove it.  Let me know if anyone else has any other suggestions, and thanks again