..no matter how long it's been, I always remember how to play.

I've been doing the same moves over and over again for at least 7 years now. Each time I play it takes me to my childhood and brings a lot of memories, like a nostalgia trip to the past where my mom always took care of me and anything I ever needed and I had no worries at all, except for what'll be on the next Pokemon episode on TV. I only wish the game was as fascinating to me as back then..

[17:17:14] *** spaceboy[si] left the game

[17:17:19] stripe: i had a friend that claimed she had forgotten

[17:17:28] stripe: how to ride a bike

hahahhahh Dan

I know how you might feel Spaceboy with that theory, but it probably works differently with different people. I was never a good player, but I once got to a skill level where I could beat average (and with much luck above average) players. This was when I was really active in this community and I played JJ2 everyday. Lately, during the bash probably, I opened up JJ2, joined a server... and got roasted like 10 times in a row by some noob. My skills aren't what they were before, even if they were only average. Maybe after warming up with some rather loose matches I'd regain my techniques, but IMO it's not like you don't ever forget the way of playing JJ.

For most people, learning something might take time and practice. Once learned, it will stay with you as long as it's of any use. If not, then it'll be 'forgotten' by long terms. Say for example, when you imagine you'd stop riding your bike for around 5 years, it might take a little practice again to get to the 'level' on the road you once were. The same thing counts for JJ2 (at least for me), as it took me a while to get used to JJ2's online gameplay and 'special moves' using clan training, yet at times I get active at the game, I do have to play a while to 'remember' everything I once learned.

This is just a literal point of few but haha.

I guess it depends on how good someone once was. The better someone was the more 'buffer' the player has and therefore the longer it takes for them to forget litterally everything?

I doubt a pro cyclist would forget how to cycle fast..

You won't forget the basics or some levels. More about detials. But after a week or so in practice.. you should be back on your skill.

Thats how it worked for me in most of the games atleast.

That kinda was my expression as well. The basics will always stay with you and they're easely 'obtained' again after any absence.

nice expression btw

The brain holds a special place for automatic functions, if I am not mistaken this is where bike riding goes.
Just as in any other game you'd play a lot (aka too much), the keys are well bound into your memory, and so are the moves, and other basics. Nostalgia's not a part of it, but it's another hard case symptom of wasting your time on a videogame.

For me, playing JJ2 is more like geometry. Sure, I'll remember the damned thing, but without a lot of practice and relearning I'm worthless.

But yah, this game caught nostalgia pretty hard. Dunno how it'd managed.

It is riding like a bike, indeed. All the skills, if you learned them 5 years ago, 10 or 1, it doesn't mather. You always can do them after learning.

A problem with this is that I learned to play Jj2 when I was little and had little hands, so I use the right shift, right control and the normal arrows. So eh ^^;. But it's still working fine to me.

The only key config I've ever switched in JJ2 was Space - Alt for shooting. But other than that, I've always played with the standard control scheme. And when I first played JJ2 (I was 8), I rarely ever used running in both SP and MP games haha.

So, should I find a way to re-install JJ2 again and start practicing? The fact is, some very old and over-aged friends are still hanging around here

Originally Posted by WhiteFang

So, should I find a way to re-install JJ2 again and start practicing? The fact is, some very old and over-aged friends are still hanging around here

Hah, margo! Thats a while ago.

Well, it's not likely that I have time hunter... Growing up means becoming horribly busy

But I saw the Facebook-page, and noticed JJ2 has became quite active again. With quite some old names.

But who knows, if I ever find a way to install the game again without CD-rom, I might find out wether it is like riding a bike.

Originally Posted by WhiteFang

Well, it's not likely that I have time hunter... Growing up means becoming horribly busy

But I saw the Facebook-page, and noticed JJ2 has became quite active again. With quite some old names.

But who knows, if I ever find a way to install the game again without CD-rom, I might find out wether it is like riding a bike.

Heya You're from the netherlands! (me2). Of course it's like riding a bike. I played it years ago, but still can play it after like 5 years.

EDIT: Oeeeee If you're my sis... Die xD. Nah xD she also played Jj2, but not like me xD

You're right - it is like riding a bike! I think when you play it from being young, it becomes very ingrained into your psyche - so picking it up and playing again isn't too difficult.

I feel so much healthier when I play JJ2.

Well if JJ2 is like riding a bike, then its taken me over 12 years to learn to ride and i still suck at it XD

It keeps striking me how this game's engine turned out to be a lot more complicated than the creators originally intended. Sure it's still quite limited and buggy as hell, but let's not forget this was supposed to be a game for kids.. just see how poor the SP is, even on hard mode. But within a few years, the community took it a few levels ahead.

I remember that in 2004 or so, before every important duel, I dug in levels trying to find little tactics that'd help me to win, and that was what it was all about. There was a lot of invention back then, and if you knew how to RF climb, you could've already beaten most players.. now of course it became one of the basics, and all those tactics I (among others) invented are just learnt quickly and used automatically by all players without much thinking.

I'm not sure it's completely like riding a bike. If that were true, I'd think I'd still be able to stand my ground against the best players like I could in the old days, instead of being a player who knows basics but is decidedly lower tier. But I suppose you never totally forget how the game works, partly because it's not exactly a complicated one.

You are right.. basically after I made this thread I became pretty active again and found out that I may never get back to how INSANE I was at playing this game (well a huge part of it is my connection but still).. even though I still have my shining moments every once in a while.

Yet on my less laggier days, I'm still able to stand against the best players even to this day. Just goes to prove that the peak some players have reached back in the day could never be rised above..

Originally Posted by Enigma

I'm not sure it's completely like riding a bike. If that were true, I'd think I'd still be able to stand my ground against the best players like I could in the old days, instead of being a player who knows basics but is decidedly lower tier. But I suppose you never totally forget how the game works, partly because it's not exactly a complicated one.

The problem is that the community advances. Sure, it's actually a good thing, but to look how the matches were played around 2002 when I started my clan and how they are now, it's understandable that back then I could be considered a good player, and now I have no chances with the higher leagues.

Originally Posted by spaceboy

Yet on my less laggier days, I'm still able to stand against the best players even to this day. Just goes to prove that the peak some players have reached back in the day could never be rised above..

Well, there are only so many ways you can camp the carrot in semi and hope not to get hit

Anyone who comes back from a few years' absence can tell you about the ass-kicking they received the first time they played 2v2 or 3v3, though. (Or so I would assume )

Originally Posted by IconGuy

The brain holds a special place for automatic functions, if I am not mistaken this is where bike riding goes.

this is good to now... that's why it's much harder to relearn something, after you learned it wrong.
In JJ2 and in riding a bike are things what are the same, like that, I wasn't able to ride a big(I mean normal sized bike) when I was 8-10 years old, I had a small bike, totally with the same sizes as a BMX(probably that's why I'm a BMX rider now...), but now, after 5 years, without a bike, I'm easyly riding a big bike,because now I'm doing much more with the small bike than 5 years before...(you are probably asking how this comes to JJ2). This happened the same with the Jazz Jackrabbit 2. I'm wasn't really good in it, but after a few years of not-playing, now I'm much better.

Originally Posted by Grytolle

Anyone who comes back from a few years' absence can tell you about the ass-kicking they received the first time they played 2v2 or 3v3, though. (Or so I would assume )

IDD

The little things mount up, and all the little mistakes in the end usually end up in a proper ass whoopin.
Happened to me playing epitome vs SR and Lithium (I think it was Lith) with Deathly. Got gpwnt badly. Thankfully our level was zaitox, where we managed to get 2 scores in a 3-2 game. So whereas I did get pwnt, the 2nd round of my 1st ladder could be dubbed "A New Hope" (rep for the Star Wars ref plz!).

Still the point I was trying to make is, that not only do strategies change every once and again, and not only do people figure out new tricks, but the fact of the matter is, although one never loses "the JJ2 touch" completely, small mistakes and imperfections can quickly add to the oppositions tally of scores, where a quick 5-0 loss is not something unexpectable. You will make the wrong decisions at crucial points in the game, people who with more routine will kill you or dodge your attacke when you will least expect it, and even when you will have a brilliant idea, you might fail to execute it properly. A good player might be able to pwn mediocre players even after years of absence, but should that player encounter above average players of the day, it is very likely that the rivers will run red

And it could hardly be said that the player has forgotten how to "ride the bike", it's just that it might takke a while before he can ride with the best again.

Such a player could encounter difficulties in reaching the very top again, if the gameplay has evolved too much in the time of his absence, so the player in question must be smart enough to realize, that sticking to the same patterns might not work like it has in the past. But we are talking of small adjustments in the gameplay. Incredibly, such small adjustments are often very hard to achieve, which begs to question, whether they are indeed so small. Thing is, in every competition, the differences are way smaller then people imagine them to be. People are, after all, pretty similar. If 2 different people train the same sport, their bodies will produce similar results. So a lot will depend on those minute differences in talent, in smart preparation, good tactics, psychological stability etc. On the surface there will be very few things distinguishing the two apart, yet come the time to perform, one might well squash the other in a spectacular display of strength and cunning. And that in spite of the fact that they are both the best of the best at what they do. But one of them managed to arrange all the pieces in such a fashion so as that all the events would culminate in his victory. He not only went through extensive preparation and general training, but it is very likely his preparation involved studying the opponent as well, knowing all the time, that his opponent is doing the same.

I know that if I feel like playing, I will always do good on Zeal Alpha. Sure if I'm there when the likes of Fawful play even semi seriously, I most likely won't have the best stats in the server, but I will definitely be up there with the best. Playing a 3v3, or god forbid, a 2v2 or a duel on Zeal Duels is a whole different matter altogether.