DIVA AC Tips

Decided to place this here because it is subjective by nature, while the wiki is meant to be objective.

First off, to be honest, I have stopped playing DIVA AC on a frequent basis since half a year ago (Sep 2011) due to increasing workload and the fact that no arcades near my home or workplace had the machines. Nowadays I only find time to play the contests. At the point when I stopped, I had cleared perfect trial for all songs below Extreme★7, including everything on Easy/Normal/Hard. I had scored perfect for every song except two: ぽっぴっぽーEX and フキゲンワルツEX. I still have 21,000 VP enough to buyout every remaining module and still have 6,000 leftover. At present I am at level 244 with a rank of パヴァーヌ (Pavane). So while I might not be the best player, I know enough to give a few tips.

I will assume most players will practice, maybe watch videos, or at least listen to the songs until they are familiar. So here are just a few things that I think people tend to miss out on, but which will improve the gaming experience greatly.

Hitting the Buttons

The most important thing any player (new or old) can do is to learn how to hit the buttons properly. The buttons are △□×○ from left to right with a gap of about a palm's width between each button. Let's look at a few common examples:
(pictures courtesy of Japanese wiki)

Normal

Most new players begin this way because it is simple and natural. Focus your strength on the outer joint of your fingers and not the palm. With all 4 fingers you have both control and speed, allowing you to keep fast rhythm. Even on higher difficulties this is the recommended way to hit for songs like Ievan Polkka EX due to the ease with which you can score COOL on the mini chains. Any player aspiring to higher difficulties has to master how to hit fast this way.

Twin

The thumbs hit × and □ while the outer two fingers hit ○ and △. This is the best way to hit sequential buttons (△□×○) or alternating buttons (×□×) because each side of the hand alternates hitting in rhythm. For playing on EX this is standard stance most players will adopt for the average song. The downside of this method is that you cannot hit a single button as fast as the Normal method so use that if you need to hit single-note fast chains.

The Chop

As can be imagined from the picture, hit the buttons like you're playing Taiko no Tatsujin. This method takes practice but can achieve speeds capable of matching the fast chains in フキゲンワルツEX or 孤独の果てEX. It is easy to underestimate your strength and end up being a Crasher so please, please take care not to cause damage to the machine.

Get-Two

Named after the sign that Japanese baseball players make to signal a double play. Similar to The Chop except that you use only the index and middle fingers, thereby reducing the strength output and improving control marginally. Conversely it becomes easy to overestimate your strength and end up not hitting the button so use at your own risk.

Takahashi Meijin

They are talking about this guy. Close up the index, middle, and ring finger and focus your strength on your thumb pressing down upon these three fingers. Lock your wrist and use your forearm muscles to provide power. The correct way to using this method is to jerk your forearm back and forth rapidly as though you are having a seizure. With correct usage and mastery, this method is by far the fastest possible way of hitting a button; more than sufficient for 孤独の果てEX. Use this method for the 18-note chain in フキゲンワルツEX (use your left hand for the final △). It takes a lot of practice to learn this method and to unlock its full potential, until then you will likely see many FINE. Even with sufficient practice it takes a lot of focus so it is not recommended that you use this for two songs in a row.

You can use any of these methods or find your own style. Personally I use the Twin method but with 3 fingers hitting the outer buttons. I also press the buttons not with the outer joints of the finger, but with the fingertips. I am fast enough that I can hit most mini chains with just the thumb or middle finger so I tend to stick to the Twin method, just so I can have a finger over each button. I use the Normal method for fast songs like SYMPHONIC DIVE EX (155bpm) at the triple beat 17-note chain or even with 孤独の果てEX. The Normal method affords me much more control than the Takahashi Meijin method. And I believe that with practice, most players will be able to hit as fast as me, which leads me to the second point...

Hitting Speed

The reason why players come up with so many hitting methods is because they are constantly trying to balance between control and speed. Everyone wants to hit COOL for every note, but to do so they first have to hit the note. If you don't want to sacrifice control for speed, one thing you can do is to increase your base speed. There are many ways of going about this, but I will tell you straight out what does not work: practicing on the PSP DIVA games. The reason is that on the PSP you are using your fingers' strength to hit fast. Even with strong fingers you will never have the stamina to endure a few games of DIVA AC. The trick to consistently hitting fast is to use your forearm muscles properly.

Similar to the Takahashi Meijin method above, you want to lock your fingers and wrist, instead using your forearm to provide power. The forearm however should be relaxed, at no point should you forcefully contract any of your muscles. To illustrate this, place your forearm horizontally in front of you on a flat surface (table) with your palms placed downwards. Softly try to push the table downwards with your entire forearm and palm. Your wrist should not move at all. You should be feeling something similar in the arcade if you are properly exerting effort. If you play drumming games like Taiko no Tatsujin (or the drums themselves), you are also using the same method to provide speed. Using your forearm properly also helps to prevent damage to your wrist.

The next tip is something very basic. After hitting a long or fast chain, many players tend to raise their hand; it is a natural reflex. I suggest learning to control this reflex because raising your hand increases the time your finger needs to press down again, which loses you some speed on the fast songs. Ironically sometimes it even causes you to misjudge the next note and you end up rushing for a SAFE. Ideally you always want your fingertips to be brushing the top of each button. For newer players, this also provides the assurance that they have a grasp on the buttons, and helps them avoid panicking when finding the buttons.

The last tip under this category is a caution. While you definitely need to exert forearm strength to achieve high speeds, you do not want to over-exert. This is one reason why your forearm should be relaxed at all times. Aside from tiring yourself out, over-exerting actually lowers your speed because more power is expended in releasing the button. You might also end up ruining the machine and getting banned. I usually use only enough power to press and not hit the buttons. On a well-maintained machine, the button springs are flexible enough that just pressing them is enough. Lesser players violently hitting the buttons means better-maintained machines, so more fun for all. Simply pressing the buttons also gives more control than wild hitting and further aids in controlling the reflex action of raising your hand after every chain.

 

From Newbie to Expert

When I first started playing DIVA AC I had already finished DIVA 1st completely and was full of confidence. While right off I was able to score Great for Normal songs, I managed only Standard for Hard and to my embarrassment I could not even complete the simplest EX songs (game over halfway on The Secret garden EX★6). That was in March 2011. By June I was getting Great for EX★8 and by August I had Perfect for most of the EX★9, except for ぽっぴっぽーEX and フキゲンワルツEX. Aside from learning to hit the buttons properly and increasing my speed (all that stuff above), I think choosing the right songs to practice on is very important.

This is something I compiled not just by my own gameplay experiences but also by observing a couple of friends playing. The only advice I ever gave them was on what songs to practice on. One started out on Normal just like me and now he is clearing the average EX★8 song with Great. The other started on Easy and now he is having fun completing EX★6 songs. The EX songs in DIVA AC build upon earlier difficulties so it is important to have the right foundations no matter what your current skill level is. The following will be my recommended list of songs to practice on. It contains some elements of the incomplete Song Difficulty Review on the wiki and stretches from practice songs for the complete Newbie who has never touched a rhythm game before, to the highest level of play for Experts in DIVA AC. Note that these are just songs to practice on, so please do play other songs to widen your repertoire and enjoy yourself.

E = EASY
N = NORMAL
H = HARD
EX = EXTREME

For queries on what terms like "mini chain" and "sequential button" mean, check the Glossary.

NEWBIE

愛言葉E
- The notechart cannot get more simple than this. This is a relatively slow song with evenly-paced notes for a completely new player to see how a rhythm game works. There are no overly-challenging spots. Use the Normal hitting method, learn the button layout and try to get used to hitting the correct button without having to look down at the console.

ココロE
- Similarly paced to 愛言葉 but the end of this song slows down significantly. This is your chance to learn to time each note by listening to the song properly and not just keeping a steady rhythm.

TRAINEE

Last Night, Good NightE or どうしてこうなったE
- Note marker speeds are significantly faster than other E songs. Learn to get used to the faster marker speeds.

恋スルVOC@LOIDE
- This will be your first taste of a relatively messy notechart. Stay calm. Pay attention during CHALLENGE TIME (CT) and when it ends, try not to miss the □ at the end of the chain of ○.

ココロN
- If you feel you need more exposure to long chains, this song has a chain of 11 △ during CT. You can also use the opportunity to practice hitting with your left hand because □ and △ will start to appear more often from here on.

愛言葉N
- Notice the 4-button hold note. You want to try to get a MAX HOLD BONUS for this note by using the Twin hitting method on both hands. If possible, play the entire song using the Twin hitting method.

NOVICE

カラフル×メロディE
- More practice for your ears with this OSTER project-related song. The rhythm is probably harder to grasp than what you've played up to now and it is also fast.

Dear cocoa girlsE
- Fast song with fast notes. You have to get even faster higher up the rank so this is a good song to start working on that.

あなたの歌姫N
- While this song is slow, the notes actually appear at double the listed bpm, and the markers move pretty quickly too. More practice for your eyes and ears.

InnocenceN
- During CT you will encounter mini-chain mixed into a regular chain and you should be focusing on getting the feel of hitting that properly. This experience is invaluable because on higher difficulties just about every song contains something similar.

INITIATE
This is where the going starts to get tougher.

愛言葉H
- You might be tired of playing this song, but it's still good practice. On HARD, you have to deal with the Electric Fan, a series of sequential buttons that will bring to mind its namesake. These notes are also hit in time to the BGM and not vocals, so you need to learn to focus on the BGM during such sequences. If this is your first HARD song you will likely fail but keep trying.

天鵞絨アラベスクH
- A slow song on HARD. You will encounter plenty of HOLD notes so get used to them, along with more chains and mini-chains for practice.

Starlite★LydianN
- Welcome to a song filled with chains. Some of the chains also have different beats to add to your misery. If you can pass this, then you are finally ready to take on the chains higher up.

REGULAR

さあ、どっち？H
- By this point you really need to master chains and mini-chains, and this song has plenty of that. While it is listed as 220bpm, the note markers actually appear at 110bpm, allowing you to focus purely on those chains.

マスターオブパペッツN
- This is a very fast song and note markers will be appearing from all directions. To top it off, the rhythm is also difficult if you are hearing it for the first time. But if you can't get used to this kind of speed, then you cannot proceed to higher difficulties.

恋は戦争H
- Almost the whole song consists of alternating buttons so you can practice how you want to hit them. I still recommend the Twin hitting method but you will have to practice a bit to get your eye-hand coordination right.

InnocenceEX
- You might want to play this on Finish Mode. While it is slow, it is still an EXTREME song. The chains will switch buttons without a pause which is very common in other EX songs, so you should take your time and practice this. There are also a few vertical multi notes which you will eventually learn to hate, but for now just do your best.

Far AwayEX
- Another slow EX song. You will have to hit sequential buttons often which will prepare you for the horrors ahead. You should figure out now how you want to hit sequential buttons without crossing your arms. For me I always recommend the Twin hitting method.

VETERAN

天鵞絨アラベスクEX
- Do not underestimate this slow song. There are many mini-chains combined with irregular sequential buttons; in addition the number of button changes might be overwhelming. You need to practice being able to hit all four buttons at will and at equal speeds and rhythm. The frequency of hold notes should not come as a surprise now.

初音ミクの消失N
- Even with all your preparations, you will probably still fail on your first try. The speed and frequency of notes resemble harder EX songs so it's about time to get used to hitting fast all the time. There is nothing much to say here. This song is purely to practice your speed.

フキゲンワルツH
- Songs with shuffling rhythm will start to trouble you soon so practice right now. Most songs with shuffling rhythms will have the note markers properly spaced out according to the beat, so take advantage of that.

Star StoryEX
- You will encounter many horizontal multi notes here which are harder to hit than vertical ones, because they are spaced out wider and might conceal other notes. The ones here come in many patterns and you should be busy getting ready for even more bizarre layouts on harder songs.

EXPERT

雨のちSweet*DropsEX
- Hopefully you practiced a lot on chains because you will encounter a number of fast chains here. Note that fast chains do not refer to chains on songs that are fast. They are defined as chains that are hit to twelve- or sixteen-beat, which means you need to keep proper time and rhythm (and number of notes). This song is slow which allows you to practice the fast chains somewhat more safely.

崩壊歌姫 -disruptive diva-EX
- Here you have to deal with multi note chains. It is still relatively simple compared to later on but you also have to make do with the high bpm and chains all over the song. But focus on the multi note chains because they are the hardest notes in DIVA AC.

Ievan PolkkaEX
- This is where you prove that you have mastered the single note chains. The entire song is made of regular chains, mini-chains, and fast chains - some of which approach the speed of a regular chain in 消失. If you are aspiring to EX★9 then you should have at least a Great here.

ハイスクール Days - DIVA EDITEX
- The rhythm is very easy so you can focus on what's important: vertical multi notes with many button changes, including a short vertical multi note chain during the interlude. Near the end you will encounter chains of vertical multi notes consisting of 3 buttons which might shock you. These 3-button vertical multi notes always appear in the △□×○ order with △ at the top and ○ at the bottom, and a gap where the unused button is. Get used to them asap because they appear frequently on EX★9.

MASTER
You probably want to play most of the other EX★8 songs first for experience before you come here. This section covers EX★9.
As a general rule of thumb, most EX★9 songs will completely destroy you on the first time you play it without having checked any videos or watched other players.

金の聖夜霜雪に朽ちてEX
- While Magical Sound Shower is easier, I feel that it does not make for good practice. On the other hand, this song is very good practice. The total note count is 656, one of the highest in the game, so you need to train your focus. The first verse consists mostly of chains and mini-chains. The △ middle segment is harder than on PSP. Thereafter you will have to deal with an onslaught of vertical multi note chains, which is where most players get a game over on their first step into EX★9. Do your best and practice hitting the vertical multi note chains because you will be seeing it frequently from now on. Interestingly enough, most Japanese players consider this song to be easier than ロミオとシンデレラEX★8. For me, a couple of weeks ago, I was able to get a Perfect on my first play of this song after 4 months' of not touching DIVA AC. So, you should probably aim to score above 90% on this entry-level EX★9 song if you have plans to challenge the other EX★9 songs.

サイハテEX
- You will also be practicing vertical multi notes here. However, the focus will not solely be on vertical multi note chains, but the patterns the vertical multi notes appear in. You will have to switch between vertical multi notes of 2, 3 or 4 buttons, and the buttons themselves change between each multi note. When chained together the mass of notes take on interesting shapes that have been given nicknames like "pyramid" or "Mt. Fuji" by players. Your job is to train your fingers to press the right button at the right time. This is considered one of the top 5 hardest songs.

ALIEN
Most of the other EX★9 songs are just harder versions of what you trained for earlier, but more complex. While they do not make for good practice, you should still play them for experience before you attempt the following...

初音ミクの激唱EX
- If you can perfect this, you should be teaching me how to play, not the other way round.

CONCLUSION

I repeat, these songs are selected because they give the player lots of breathing room for practice, not merely because they are hard. With good practice and proper technique, anyone can improve their game. I hope this helps to raise the standard of play among non-Japanese-speaking players.

 

Believe it or not, the Japanese like using "unique" Engrish abbreviations. AC actually means Arcade Computer. This is also recorded in the Glossary :)

 

Actually I forgot the correct term too. After not seeing the Glossary for a while I thought AC meant Arcade too, until I happened to recheck the Glossary :D