Gameplay Thread

[TweenDoriru]

RS LT LT RT RT X X RS
Input that during the stage select. You can switch the colors after that

Those backgrounds look so retina-burning bright on my TV...maybe I need to adjust the brightness setting a bit XD Thanks a ton.

[Katsuyuki-P]

Okay~ as a side project to the Ami/Mami and Miki duo, I decided sometime ago to work with Chihaya by herself.

And wow... her Tension really drops like a brick in water. More than I expected anyway. I've been getting away with 'Good Lessons' so far, but I just greeted her in the morning wrong once and the gauge dropped to borderline Yellow already. o_O

Before I continue of course, anyone got any particular tips for her? Also, I know one of her favorite songs is Aoi Tori, but what's the other one?

[Cael K.]

Okay~ as a side project to the Ami/Mami and Miki duo, I decided sometime ago to work with Chihaya by herself.

And wow... her Tension really drops like a brick in water. More than I expected anyway. I've been getting away with 'Good Lessons' so far, but I just greeted her in the morning wrong once and the gauge dropped to borderline Yellow already. o_O

Before I continue of course, anyone got any particular tips for her? Also, I know one of her favorite songs is Aoi Tori, but what's the other one?

Omoide wo Arigatou

Oh yeah, the lower your Tension in the XBox version, the better stat gains you get from lessons. Sometimes they'll randomly want an extra lesson if it's low enough. Sometimes they'll skip out on a norma if it's really high. A tradeoff, or a crutch from the Arcade version?

A-Ranking all 6 norma with your tension maxed will not give you a perfect.

[TweenDoriru]

Man, and to think I'm producing Chihaya with Haruka. It's really hard to forcefully lower your tension without giving yourself some sort of demerit (i.e. losing auditions = lose fans sometimes and lower your audition-win-percentage, waste a week. bad communication = taking away memories you can use in the final concert).

Even when I started producing Ritsuko and Miki, their tension started off pretty low, but then I gave them a day off (I want Kakusei Miki XD) and their tension has been in the orange since.

Maybe I'll try producing the Invincible Armada?

[Cael K.]

Man, and to think I'm producing Chihaya with Haruka. It's really hard to forcefully lower your tension without giving yourself some sort of demerit (i.e. losing auditions = lose fans sometimes and lower your audition-win-percentage, waste a week. bad communication = taking away memories you can use in the final concert).

Even when I started producing Ritsuko and Miki, their tension started off pretty low, but then I gave them a day off (I want Kakusei Miki XD) and their tension has been in the orange since.

Maybe I'll try producing the Invincible Armada?

I think you can totally fail a single norma in a lesson, and get a tension drop.

And... Invincible what?

[TweenDoriru]

I think you can totally fail a single norma in a lesson, and get a tension drop.

And... Invincible what?

The tension drop isn't very big, though... I've only failed sections in my Miki solo produce, that's probably not something to go by for this XDD

Invincible Armada = Chihaya, Ritsuko, and Iori. Hard to manage tension but really good stats (or so I hear).

There's an "opposite" group of Ami/Mami, Yukiho, and Yayoi (...Unit C rofl) that has the worst stats but easiest tension to manage. Sinkable Fleet, I think?

(read it in Kyo's FAQ a while ago...sorry if I got the names wrong XDD)

[zzZerozz]

Need some help here with the game.

I can't seem to be able to participate in the first season's audition because my image levels is too low?

I read the faqs and I can't find the answers.

So which month is good to start a new game?

Jan? Or just after the fourth's season?

Also what exactly makes you raise your image level?

[Katsuyuki-P]

Need some help here with the game.

I can't seem to be able to participate in the first season's audition because my image levels is too low?

I read the faqs and I can't find the answers.

So which month is good to start a new game?

Jan? Or just after the fourth's season?

Also what exactly makes you raise your image level?

Eh? You can't find the answers? That's odd. I can answer this though.

A 'good month'? Well, it kind of depends on you really. Though if you want the best chance to go through all of the Seasonal Auditions, January is your best bet. As for Image Level, it's basically based on your idol's stats.

You know, the little thing in the upper right corner with the three colors? Basically, you raise those stats (Vocal, Dance, and Visual)  through Lessons, sometimes Auditions, and boost with Accessories and your Image Level will go up or down based on those. If you are good at the lesson mini-games, it is possible to boost your idol to Image Level 6 in time for the Spring Audition.

Spring has the lowest Image Level requirement while the Grand Prix (Winter) has the highest.

[Cael K.]

Okay.

Some auditions have an image level requirement. The season auditions are all like that, they might even have a Rank requirement, I'm not sure. I think, off the top of my head... Spring 7, Summer 8 or 9, Fall 10 or 11, Winter 12. Don't quote me on that. Look at the description, you'll see it.

If you want to get all the seasons done, you can start with Chihaya, Ritsuko, and Iori (if you can get trios). If not things get harder, but you still might be able to do it. If you start at January and make it to 7-ish by mid-March, then you'll be good. You'll have to audition a few times before then, I think... in SP, your stats decrease if you haven't auditioned in a while (6 weeks?), or if you haven't changed to a different genre song (13 weeks?). Remember that you're only in a preliminary. Once you pass, the real thing'll be a Promotion you can do. Takagi will tell you when (I think), then just... appeal every time you can.

Hit the lessons, get goods or perfects if you can (the lower your Tension, the higher return, XBox only though).

... A few seconds too late, I see. Oh well.

[TweenDoriru]

Takagi -does- tell you on the week of your Seasonal Audition performance. Just...if he says something different than his normal rattling (though, he also does mention "holidays"...like, "it's Golden Week!" or "it's Valentine's Day!"), hop over to Promotions rather than anything else

I heard the best month to start out, if Seasonal Auditions are what you're aiming for, is January. I don't think it matters otherwise, though.

Um...at least, for SP, I know the best time to change your song is 11 weeks. I believe the Xbox 360 limit is shorter (I read 9), but 11 weeks is still a good medium, I think. If you change your songs every 9 weeks, you'll have at least one of your songs for way longer than you should.

[Katsuyuki-P]

Hm, Azusa seemed pretty fine with changing the song every 11 weeks or so. Perhaps it also depends on the idol?

[TweenDoriru]

Hm, Azusa seemed pretty fine with changing the song every 11 weeks or so. Perhaps it also depends on the idol?

Well, I think it's a minimal stat drop after 9 weeks, starts to get drastic after 13...or something like that. I read it in the FAQ XD I always change my songs after 11 weeks due to SP habit.

[zzZerozz]

So the safest is to just start in January, keep sending them for lessons and then hope their image level goes up?

No auditions or promotions just to meet the requirements of the first season?

Also about the other achievements:

10 Idols (100) - If I produce a trio, do they count as 3 or 1 leader? Just checking.
100 Communications (100) - Is this the number of good promotions?

Also I only have yet to play Makoto and the Twins.
I don't have to pick both of the twins to get the 10 idols achievement coz that would be 11 idols right?

[TweenDoriru]

So the safest is to just start in January, keep sending them for lessons and then hope their image level goes up?

No auditions or promotions just to meet the requirements of the first season?

Also about the other achievements:

10 Idols (100) - If I produce a trio, do they count as 3 or 1 leader? Just checking.
100 Communications (100) - Is this the number of good promotions?

Also I only have yet to play Makoto and the Twins.
I don't have to pick both of the twins to get the 10 idols achievement coz that would be 11 idols right?

I don't have a strategy for Seasonal Auditions, I don't do them so I can't help you there...

As for the achievements...
The 10 idols achievement counts all idols you've produced in any way, I believe. (leader or not) Ami and Mami can't be selected separately, so Mami is included in Ami's count.

100 memories just requires getting 100 memories throughout all of your playthroughs. Not doing 100 communications. I recommend iCOMU-M@STER if you want to get it quickly.

[animagic4u]

100 memories I think is the easiest achievement. I got that one within just a few playthroughs.