_  _      _                      __  __ _ _
| || |__ _| |_ ____  _ _ _  ___  |  \/  (_) |___  _
| __ / _` |  _(_-< || | ' \/ -_) | |\/| | | / / || |
|_||_\__,_|\__/__/\_,_|_||_\___| |_|  |_|_|_\_\\_,_|
 ___          _        _     ___ _____   ___     ___   ___         _
| _ \_ _ ___ (_)___ __| |_  |   \_ _\ \ / /_\   | __| |_  )_ _  __| |
|  _/ '_/ _ \| / -_) _|  _| | |) | | \ V / _ \  | _|   / /| ' \/ _` |
|_| |_| \___// \___\__|\__| |___/___| \_/_/ \_\ |_|   /___|_||_\__,_|
           |__/

Hatsune Miku Project DIVA F 2nd
Extreme Songs Guide

Copyright 2014 Grace (a.k.a. sushirin), for GameFAQs
Last updated 5/31/2014

E-mail questions to [email protected]

===============================================================================

Table of Contents

===============================================================================


       Intro

               [I01] Terms
               [I02] Controller Types
               [I03] Song List


       Tips and Tricks

               [T01] Using your controller
               [T02] Note-counting
               [T03] Dual-wiedling
                        Subcategory: Using the D-pad
               [T04] Use your ears

       Credits

               [C01] Resources
               [C02] People

===============================================================================

Intro

===============================================================================

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[I01] Terms

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Before doing anything in Project Diva F 2nd, I recommend completing the
tutorial. As of writing this guide, Project Diva F 2nd has not yet been
translated to English.

Here's a link to the English tutorial from Project Diva F:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3N4SBVrI25w

The terms below will help you understand this guide.

Note -
         A "note" is one (1) button push during a song. In this guide, I will
represent notes the following way:

^  = Triangle                (^) = Up
[] = Square                  (<) = Left
O  = Circle                  (>) = Right
X  = X                       (v) = Down

Arrow notes -
         With these notes, you must push the direction on the D-pad that the
arrow is pointing to, /in addition to/ its corresponding button. The following
directions and buttons correspond:

Up (^) + Triangle ^
Left (<) + Square []
Right (>) + Circle O
Down (v) + X

Scratch notes -
         Also known as "star notes," these notes are star-shaped. To hit
them, you must flick one of the analog sticks, swipe the touchscreen on the
Playstation Vita (you can change this to use the Vita's analog sticks), or
swipe the touchpad on certain arcade controllers.

Hold notes -
         These notes must be pushed at the right time like a regular note,
but then you must hold it for a set amount of time. Hold it until the colored
"tail" that comes down finishes with another note, then let go.

Hit -
         This is a term I use to describe pushing the button in time with the
note successfully to achieve a "FINE" or "COOL" rating.

Miss/Penalty -
         This is when you get a "SAFE," "SAD," or "WORST" rating when trying
to hit a note. It will break any combo you had. Once you get one of these
during a song, you cannot achieve a score of "Perfect" on that song.

Tempo -
         The speed at which notes are played, represented in beats per minute.
Each Project Diva song gives its tempo in the song selection screen, on the
right. The higher the beats per minute, the faster the song. Think of this
number as the song's "pulse."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[I02] Controller Types

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A variety of controller types are available for Project Diva F 2nd.

The four main types are:

- Dualshock 3 / PS3 controller
- Project Diva F Controller (touchpad and Mini/analog stick varities)
- Playstation Vita

Each type is talked about in more detail under "Using your controller."

~

For images and information on the arcade controllers, look below:



Project Diva F Controller -
                           A look at the hardware:
                http://www.starcreator.com/features/pjdfcon/

                           A video of it in action:
                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihJvDJTQSWs (pictured at 0:34)


Project Diva F Mini Controller -
                           A video of it in action:
                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lO9vVg36pY


Controllers for older Project Diva games, such as the Project Diva Dreamy
Theater 2nd controller, will function only if a help item is used to allow
scratch notes to be hit by other buttons.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[I03] Song List

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[01] Ievan Polkka
[02] Melt {Meruto}
[03] Daybreak Arrival {Akatsuki Arrival}
[04] packaged
[05] Glory 3usi9
[06] Two Breaths Walking {Nisoku Hokou}
[07] Pair of Wintry Winds {Tsugai Kogarashi}
[08] Like, Dislike {Suki, Kirai}
[09] Clover Club {Kuroobaa Kurabu}
[10] Miracle Paint {Mirakuru Peinto}
[11] Pinky Promise {Yubikiri}
[12] Colorful x Melody {Karafuru x Merodii}
[13] Blackjack
[14] Clown's Trick {Puppet Clown / Karakuri Pierrot}
[15] A Thousand Year Solo {Sennen no Dokusou Ka}
[16] Genga Spoofing {Narisumashi Genga}
[17] Meltdown {Nuclear Fusion / Roshin Yuukai}
[18] Luka Luka Night Fever {Ruka Ruka Naito Fiibaa}
[19] Knife
[20] Rain of Cherry Blossoms {Sakura no Ame}
[21] This is the Happiness and Peace of Mind Committee
     {Kochira, Koufuku Anshin Iinkai Desu}
[22] Cantarella ~grace edition~ {Kantarera ~grace edition~}
[23] SPiCa -39's Giving Day Edition-
[24] Hello, Worker
[25] Romeo and Cinderella {Romio to Shinderera}
[26] I'll Miku-Miku You (For Reals)
     {Miku Miku ni Shite Ageru (Shiteyanyo)}
[27] Meteor {Meteo}
[28] Heart {Kokoro}
[29] Destroy, Destroy {Kowase, Kowase}
[30] Soundless Voice
[31] Hold, Release; Rakshasa and Carcasses
     {Musunde Hiraite Rasetsu to Mukuro}
[32] Erase or Zero
[33] Double Lariat {Daburu Rariatto}
[34] Paradichlorobenzene {Parajikurorobenzen}
[35] Heat Haze Daze {Kagerou Deizu}
[36] Two-Faced Lovers {Uraomote Rabazu}
[37] Envy Catwalk {Envikyattowoku}
[38] World is Mine {Warudo Izu Main}
[39] DECORATOR
[40] The Intense Singing of Hatsune Miku
     {Hatsune Miku no Gekishou}
[41] 2D Dream Fever {Nijigen Doriimu Fiibaa}

===============================================================================

Tips and Tricks

===============================================================================

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[T01] Using your controller

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Set yourself up for success. Holding your controller the right way or using a
certain kind of controller could make the difference between an excellent and
a perfect.

~

Dualshock 3 strategies:


//Don't rest the controller on your lap/table while playing.//

Hold it in the air. This allows you to make it so that instead of your thumb
hitting the button, you can 'rock' the controller back and forth to make the
controller move up and have the button hit your thumb.

This is especially useful in fast songs with many consecutive notes. You'll see
great Project Diva players moving the controller instead of their thumbs all
the time. Here are some good videos I found of this technique:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF1XMJaPG58 (Watch at 0:34)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLQDJ8JhZNM (Watch at 2:34)

This technique can be done in any song to help reduce fatigue, as well.


//You don't have to hit the button with the tip of your thumb.//

On lower difficulties, you may have ample time to move your thumb from one
button to the next in order to switch notes. In extreme mode, this isn't always
the case.

Try hitting buttons this way instead: When you need to hit triangle or square,
hit it with the tip of your thumb as always. But when you need to hit X or
circle, keep your thumb on the triangle or square button and use the inner
'knuckle' of your thumb to hit X or circle.

The following video demonstrates this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFuJdOJxYao (Watch at 2:47)


//It can be harder to hit arrow notes on the PS3 controller.//

This is due to the "squishiness" of the Dualshock 3's buttons. I don't have any
suggestions for making this easier other than getting either a Project Diva
arcade controller or playing the game on the PS Vita. There may be other third
party PS3 controllers that help this, as well.


//Set the right delay time.//

This is a concern especially when using the controller wirelessly. Try
different delay settings. The higher the delay setting number, the later you
will have to press the note. A negative number in the delay setting means you
must press the button sooner.

I personally have not found a need to change the delay setting when using the
PS Vita or Project Diva Mini Controller, it stays at 0. My Dualshock 3
controller, however, I keep at a delay of 30.

~

PS Vita strategies:


//Change settings so that scratch notes are hit by analog sticks.//

Using the touchscreen for scratch notes can be unreliable, and even if you
become very good at it, you're blocking part of the screen to hit the notes.

To change this setting, go to the Main Menu, then Settings (gear in green box
icon) > Select Option 1, you are taken to a new menu > Change this Option 1 to
the rightmost setting. Push the X button a few times to back out to the main
menu.

~

Arcade controller strategies:


//Find the sweet spot.//

It takes some time to get used to hitting the arcade buttons in the way they
"want" to be hit. I found that, although quite loud, applying enough pressure
when you hit the note is very important. You'll want to hit pretty hard, with
enough speed to get the timing of your notes right.

I have found success in hitting each button with 4 fingers, moving my whole
hands as I need to switch. It's a lot less tiring to do certain songs this way
than when using my thumbs and the Dualshock 3.

However, you may even do well playing with just one hand!:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huaN1q71f9k


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[T02] Note-Counting

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is the act of quickly recognizing a pattern of upcoming notes before you
have to play them. By doing this, you can easily pass songs even if you've
never heard them before.

~

There are several patterns common in this game:

1. Group of three.

Shown in circles, looks like: X X OOO X X


2. Group of two.

Shown in circles, looks like: X X OO X X


3. Triplet. Three notes that overlap each other.

Shown in circles, looks like: X X ((() X X

The first and last notes of a triplet stay "on beat" with the
groups around them, and you're just adding in a note in between.

In faster songs, you may need to use dual wielding to hit these.
More info on dual wielding can be found in the next tip.


4. Grace note. Two notes that overlap each other.

Shown in circles, looks like: X X (() X X

This is like playing the first two notes of a triplet.

In faster songs, you may need to use dual wielding to hit these.
More info on dual wielding can be found in the next tip.


5. Roll. Many overlapping notes in a row.

Shown in circles, looks like: X X (((((((((() X X

In faster songs, you may need to use dual wielding to hit these.
More info on dual wielding can be found in the next tip.

It can be easiest to 'rock' the controller back and forth to hit
these, which I talk about under Dualshock 3 controller strategies
("Using your controller") above.

~

Watch a few videos of extreme difficulty songs and see if you can group the
oncoming notes into one of these categories. Most likely, you'll be seeing
all of these patterns in the song, in various combinations.

Once you've recognized the groups in a song, try seeing if you can count
along with the notes, starting over when you need to switch buttons.
Here's an example:

[] [] []  [[[]  O  O   X  X  X
1  2  3   123   1  2   1  2  3

At first, the number of different notes coming in might have been daunting.
But when you take a closer look, we can recognize:

A group of three, a triplet, a group of two, then a group of three.

To get the rhythm down, try first playing a song with a help item. A list of
the help items in this game can be found here:

https://projectdiva.wikispaces.com/List+of+Rhythm+Game+Items+%28F+2nd%29

Project Diva F had the help item "Simple Rhythm" which made all notes either
a circle, right arrow, or a scratch note, but unfortunately this item does
not make a return in F 2nd.

A lot of times the Hard difficulty of a song will have a simplified but
similar rhythm to the song on Extreme difficulty, this could be another good
way to practice.

~

There are a few things to consider when note-counting:


1. Tempo - In slower songs, you may be able to hit triplets or grace notes
without dual-wielding. In fact, dual-wielding can make you hit the notes too
fast by accident.

For an example of this, play the beginning of Clown's Trick, then Blackjack
on extreme. Compare how it is possible to hit the Clown's Trick grace notes
with one hand, while the Blackjack notes are so fast they require
dual-wielding.


2. Note placement - Even if a new note appears on the other side of the screen,
it could be the last note of a triplet you're playing now. The placement of
the note on the screen has nothing to do with its timing.


3. Notes on top of notes - Common in the song "Hold, Release; Rakshasa and
Carcasses," you'll play a note and then have a new note of the same type come
in on top of it. Watch not only the white outlines of notes on your screen, but
also the trails of new notes coming in.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[T03] Dual-wielding

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is a way of playing notes that takes advantage of the fact that a button
can also be played by its corresponding D-pad direction.

The D-pad directions play the following buttons:

Up (^) = Triangle ^
Left (<) = Square []
Right (>) = Circle O
Down (v) = X

This becomes the most useful in playing triplets. In the case of seeing (((),
instead of trying to push circle 3 times very quickly with your right thumb,
you can push circle with your right thumb, then right on the D-pad with your
left thumb, then circle again with your right thumb.

So, you play: O(>)O
The game registers it as: OOO

Now triplets and consecutive fast notes are no problem! Make sure to stay in
rhythm.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sub-category: Using the D-pad

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When notes are coming in at a high speed, it may not be possible for you to get
your right thumb to move in time to switch buttons.

Imagine trying to use one thumb to switch between the following notes at a high
speed:

XOXOXO ^[]^[]^[]^
(remember that ^ = triangle!)

This is where you can use a technique where you designate the right thumb to
play a certain button and the left thumb a certain direction on the D-pad.

For that example, you could then instead play the following:

X(>)X(>)X(>) ^(<)^(<)^(<)^

This way, instead of one thumb trying to play 12 notes right in a row, you
alternate so that both thumbs each play 6, and each thumb gets a longer time
between notes before you have to switch its position.


This video will be infinitely useful in learning this technique:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44oprjCTSdc

(You can practice just using your controller of choice, you don't need
Project Diva F!)

~

Other helpful D-pad related info:


- Regular notes, such as X, can be hit with no penalty by pushing its
corresponding D-pad direction and it together, such as X+(v).


- You can push a button or direction pre-emptively for arrow notes, as long as
the second button/direction you push is in time with the arrow note.

For example, if you're expecting an arrow note in 2 seconds, you can hold
X now, and then in 2 seconds when the note comes in, while still
holding X, push (v). It will be hit successfully.


Therefore, if you see a fast section with a combination of regular notes and
arrow notes, you can use a combination of the above techniques to avoid having
to quickly differentiate the regular notes from the arrow notes.

For example, if you see X(v)X(v)X(v)

You could just push (v) for the first note, then keep it held as you push X
for the remaining notes. Make sure to stay in time, especially on that first
directional push.

So, you push (v) for first note, then while holding it push X, X, X, X, X.


- You may see some patterns where you have a triplet of two regular notes, then
an arrow note. This happens frequently toward the end of "Hold, Release;
Rakshasa and Carcasses."

For example, you may see [[(<)
(This is two overlapping square notes, then a left arrow note.)

That's three notes we need to hit. A good way I've found to hit these quickly
is to push the regular button first (square in this case) for note #1, then the
corresponding direction (left in this case) for note #2 and HOLD THE
CORRESPONDING DIRECTION, then while still holding the corresponding direction
push the regular button (so you'll have pushed (<)+[]) for note #3.

So, you'll push [], push (<) and hold, push [] while (<) is still being held.

The game registers the first two button pushes as square and the last as an
arrow note. Think of it as a modified triplet. This is an excellent way to do
those odd patterns quickly!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[T04] Use your ears

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There's an easter egg in Project Diva F 2nd that can supplement your experience
with the game, in addition to possibly making Extreme difficulty songs easier.

To listen to an instrumental version of the song in the game, do the following:


1. From the song selection screen, determine which song you would like to
listen to.

2. Push the circle button once. You should be given 4 options at the bottom of
the screen.

3. Select the option that starts with "PV" and push circle again to confirm.

4. Hold the R button on your PS Vita or the R1 button on your Dualshock 3/
arcade controller.

5. Push the circle button to start the music video with instruments only.
(You may hear some harmonies of vocals, but the main singing track has been
removed.)


This trick can help you pick out rhythms that may have been hard to focus on
while playing the song normally. It also lets you tune in to what the
instruments are doing during a song. The X button toggles lyrics on and off.

~

Songs get a lot easier once you know how they go. YouTube and the Vocaloid
Wiki ( http://vocaloid.wikia.com/wiki/Vocaloid_Wiki ) are great resources
for finding music videos, lyrics to songs, slowed-down versions of songs,
and more.

~

Keep in mind that an incoming technical zone or chance time probably means
that the song's rhythm will change. This could be by changing the melody, or
perhaps the notes you need to hit will go in a different order or pattern than
they did before.

Just be aware of it, and don't take it too hard if you miss a note in a
technical zone or don't fill up the chance time star enough. It's better to
finish the song (even if you miss some notes) and learn from your mistakes
than to quit the song early and never learn later parts.

~

As my closing words, don't be afraid to play out of your comfort zone!
Challenge yourself and try songs that seem very difficult or that you can't
pass yet. In time, you'll amaze yourself with how well you can do.

Once you've mastered extreme difficulty, try some Project Diva F 2nd edits,
available below in my "Resources" section.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[C01] Resources

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Translations for some Project Diva F 2nd menus:

https://projectdiva.wikispaces.com/Main+Menu+%28F+2nd%29

~

Great site for looking up song lyrics and original music videos for songs:

http://vocaloid.wikia.com/wiki/Vocaloid_Wiki

~

Project Diva F 2nd edits, available in a playlist format:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmssHhYwlBRqP8AVHNfevLOGFV4vFESX8
(click the first video, tutorial, for details on downloading the edits)


Project Diva F edits (English) can be found here:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmssHhYwlBRouabHnFK0mlPuYq553WmcT

~

Also linked to in my dual-wielding section, Left Hand Practice Drills:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44oprjCTSdc

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[C02] People

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you very much to the people who allowed for this guide to be possible:

AureoluxHD
hisokeee
jujukazu
linuxducky
LittleVx3
StarCreator
tekejinn
zedamex

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Future Media.

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Crypton Future Media.

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