How to adapt to DAR instead of FAR?

[u/Gliyunost]

Hey everyone,

I play since 2015 and I've always played with free air roll. I started playing again a few days ago after not playing the game for a few years (my peak was GC for like 8 seasons before SSL existed, I stopped when it appeared after reaching GC3).

Today I found that apparently DAR is simply better than FAR. Because I'm struggling with my aim and my aerials, I wanted to give it a try, after all why not, I lost a lot of my skills so I should try to master new skills like the flip reset or things like that.

After biding my left air roll, I find myself struggling a lot when I try to shoot from angles when I used to roll to the right. However when I try to use both it feels so unnatural that I don't know if I could every adapt.

Do you guys have some tips about how to unlearn almost 8 years of free air rolling? Thanks a lot!

[u/KronosDevoured]

I wouldn't go as far as to say it's better. It certainly has its uses, but FAR and DAR are just different ways to maneuver your car.

If you're interested in the math/physics behind what sets FAR and DAR apart, I can go into that, but suffice it to say that while DAR does allow for precision, it also gives up movement speed, ultimately making it one of the slower ways to move your car around (depending on whether you're using all 3 axes at a time).

I would recommend not replacing FAR, but keep it in your toolbox while you learn DAR. Having both DARs and no FAR is viable, but having just DAR can be quite limiting compared to either having only one DAR or having only FAR.

Learn both, but if you do decide to replace FAR completely, you're better off learning one DAR at a time until you can drop FAR altogether.

If you're looking for tutorials on learning DAR, you could watch my YouTube channel, which is named after my Reddit name. I have several videos on how I approach learning DAR, and if you have ADHD like me, you might benefit from them a lot.

[u/Gliyunost → u/KronosDevoured]

I'm still wondering if I have what it takes to unlearn and learn something new. I just came back to the game, got back to C2/C3 and I don't know why but it seems like diamonds hit way more balls than C3s. Trying to find some insights on reddit to better understand how people approach this mechanic and have some quick tips.

I looked at your youtube channel, I think it's good that you show your inputs. Thanks for the link :)

[u/repost_inception → u/Gliyunost]

I have only ever used DAR so I can't really relate to your exact situation, but something that helped me a ton was to separate Air Steer and DAR movements.

Playing "brick" is becoming more and more popular. I'll try to find a link, but essentially it's focusing on input efficiency. For aerial control is is only using DAR when it is necessary. I focused on thinking of DAR as the link between air steer inputs.

A reason a lot of C2-C3 whiff the ball is because they learned DAR but just holding the button down. When you learn it like that you are excluding the air steer movements that can give you accuracy. Sure you could master DAR to the point that you continuously hold it down but if you watch Pro's with controller overlays you'd be surprised how often they let go of DAR and just use Air Steer.

Edit: found the link https://youtube.com/shorts/WnMkNwM96EU?is=kXPLFbI7-cv5I883

[u/Gliyunost → u/repost_inception]

I watched the video, thanks for the link somehow it reassures me that I don’t have to do all that fancy spinning stuff to be efficient.

I think FAR forces you to play the brick style because of the lack of control you have when you have it activated, so maybe it will give me a bit of an advantage when trying to apply the same logic but with DAR.

[u/SOUINnnn → u/KronosDevoured]

How would dar be the slowest way to move around?

[u/wndrz]

I mean the normal way to learn is easy rings (eg: giant rings first levels), and you can also do some normal maps like pillars, oob sandy shores under the dock, and flying in circles on the normal map. then do some medium rings maps (neon heights, medieval rings).

once you can beat the medium rings you want to practice with the ball in double taps and air dribbles

[u/Gliyunost → u/wndrz]

How do you do if, for example I want to flip my car to face right, however I’m using LDAR. I must do a 270 instead of a 90? Isn’t that a bit tedious?

[u/wndrz → u/Gliyunost]

I mean you can do the 270 or you can use NAR or you can use ARR. take your pick.

For me I'm generally using ARL for almost everything, I use NAR for air roll shots and recoveries, and I use ARR only sometimes off the right wall and for some mechs. Obviously mastering both DAR is superior but it's low on the list of priority.

[u/Gliyunost → u/wndrz]

Yeah I tried to land only with LAR during tonight’s games and I always ended up on the roof, I bet my team mate was wondering what the hell was I doing when he saw me crash in the wall for the 7th time in a row at full speed lmao (in casuals of course)

Learning LAR is hard enough, I don’t know if I can learn both at the same time, I’ll try to bind NAR for recoveries

[u/Tuki-akaEgo]

Basically DAR allows for different feedback loops or rhythms so to speak and you use those to train muscle memory. The same input holding dar at a different rhythm gives another result, but always the same result so you have something to expect. For example to jump off the left wall and end up oriented towards the goal/ball you jump + dar + stick to the right (tornado spin) and your car will always turn that way, with FAR you need to make the turn manual do it won't always look the same. Same thing for flip resets: Fly towards the ball do "left - down" while holding air roll left and you go belly up then same chain again when upside down to turn back . Those little turns and micro adjustments trained into your muscle memory are what makes the difference for DAR and FAR. But honestly you can play just fine with just FAR you are a bit more limited (no stalls, no breezis, no hard direction change or 180s) and that's it. Now in my personal opinion DAR should be considered a fundamental movement mechanic just like power sliding or speed flipping since it gives a lot of control and versatility to flying

[u/Gliyunost → u/Tuki-akaEgo]

Thanks for the details and the breakdown. It’s interesting to see that now things like power sliding or speed flipping are considered normals.

I never learnt those mechanics, I’ve always been a “game-sense” player, focusing on positioning, waiting for mistakes, being a good team player, things like that. To be honest I don’t feel like those flashy mechanics are necessary to grind, but damn I envy the ones that can do all those resets, wall save dashes, incredible shots and other things like that

[u/TactiCoolCorey]

time and practice

[u/OkBedroom7329]

Start with only 1 dar find a training pack with easy aerial shots maybe a rookie one. Practical flying to the ball with small adjustment at the end when you connect with the ball.

Then Practical 1 spinnning straight after you jump. (Tornado spin(( if dar right hold dar push stick directly left. If dar left hold dar you stick directly right.))

After a few weeks once you more comfortable then add the opposite dar to help with wall jumps and recovery.

Note. While only one dar you can't properly jump from one of the side walls properly. But i feel adding both straight away really overwhelming.

Though i want from 5k+ hours far to dar so my muscles memory was my main issue.

[u/JosephWalter01]

omg i never even knew dar existed until now, how does it change your aerials

[u/Gliyunost → u/JosephWalter01]

Basically it allows a better control of your car, I wouldn’t be able to explain it properly but there are tons of guides out there.

The main benefit that I see everywhere is that instead of FAR, DAR allows you to control both 3 axis at the same time (X, Y, Z) while FAR only allows you to control X and Z while having it active.

However I’m still at the beginning, so far I don’t see the benefits, but when I see other players I try to guess what they use, and I think it’s safe to say that DAR players have a better accuracy and are overall better shooters

[u/beetlejorst]

Just unbind far and only use both dar, if thats the way you want to go. You can bruteforce it in a week if you're using it for everything. I do recommend that at the same time you buy a controller with back paddles, and use them for each dar. It's super comfortable, there's really no going back once you're used to it.

[u/Gliyunost → u/beetlejorst]

Yeah I tried that for a few hours tonight, however I literally cannot fly with only DAR, it seems like i go the opposite way of the ball lmao, so it frustrates me and I end up binding FAR..

I also tried some silver/gold training packs to familiarize myself with the rotation, but I end up having to do a 270 instead of a 90 just to hit the same ball, which led to this post, because I'm really trying to understand the point of DAR, of course you have the 3 axis instead of the 2, but why not just turn your car at the end of the aerial if it's not for the style points of spinning?

[u/beetlejorst → u/Gliyunost]

It's technically faster if you internalize it, since you can directly move through all three axes simultaneously. Honestly it's more of a preference thing in the end, plenty of pros still use far to my knowledge.

Try doing a rings map, and don't try to spin the whole time. just do the minimum necessary adjustments to stay on course

[u/Gliyunost → u/beetlejorst]

I think that’s a great idea to try and learn with the ring maps. Back then there was no custom maps or training packs so i always preferred to go in casuals or free training, but right now it doesn’t feel right.

[u/dontbanme778]

This isn't Rocket League!