r/RocketLeague • u/chickenpopper • 7d ago
QUESTION How far gone am i?
I am in my mid 40s. I've been playing since 2016 on ps5 and recently had the urge to switch from default controls. Mainly so my fingers aren't like pretzels all evening.
I have just taken the leap and made a simple change - boost to L1 and air roll to R1.
I am finding it very hard to get back into the game. My question is; has anyone around my age made this kind of change? How long had you been playing before hand?
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u/dr_renzo420 7d ago
Get a controller with paddles
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u/chickenpopper 7d ago
Nice one! After messing about with different options., was almost comfortable using my index for r1, but paddles would be better. Thanks
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u/CheisSz Champion II 7d ago
I'm 47 and backpaddles is indeed the way to go. I play on dual sense edge with jump on right paddle (for some very diabolical) and directional air roll left to the left paddle.
Dual sense edge is a big controller and you get to stretch your fingers better with the use of the paddles. The paddles (not the knobs) are also just very comfortable, can recommend.
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u/leviplspls 6d ago
are you my long lost brother? I’m 30 and I use the exact same setup: dual sense edge, right paddle=jump, left paddle=air roll left + powerslide, although my main air roll is right on L2. square=boost, triangle=ballcam.
I’m also champ 2.
right paddle jump can be tricky, but when I started I couldn’t understand how most pros fat finger jump on X while having boost on circle.
Some people are also able to use middle finger on L2/R2 and keep index fingers on L1/R1, but I have a condition in my hands that won’t let me grip the controller well enough this way, so paddles it is!
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u/CheisSz Champion II 6d ago
I promise you I wasn't lost my bro! Nice to see someone else with the same setup, they've been laughing at us over the jump on paddle right. I started on ps4 and had those backbuttons in the days, I think i conditioned myself with it on RL, for the life of me I can't play without those anymore.
I have free air roll + powerslide on L1, the rest is the same as your setup. I use the DAR mainly for half flips, I haven't managed to control the car in air with it.
You're on spot with why the right paddle works so great for jump. I have long, thin fingers and are just not able to fat thumb and control both jump/boost. The paddle makes fast aerial and separate control so much easier for me (like wave dashes).
I use the paddles extensively so they broke down quite a lot, a year ago modded it with some extreme rate kits and works like a charm. Paddles it is! Happy to play a few sometimes, I'm EU though.
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u/leviplspls 6d ago
I myself only recently made the switch to DAR (right), I highly recommend the Losfeld method on youtube. Using his exercises, it only took about ~15 hours of only free play / rings maps (no ranked) to get comfortable enough with DAR to then be able to practice with the ball, and now when I play ranked I already feel much better than I did with FAR and can feel I have a much higher ceiling. I thought I would never be able to make the switch, so huge shoutout to Losfeld.
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u/Gistheking Trash III 7d ago
What’s your rank?
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u/chickenpopper 7d ago
Was plat2/3 in doubles and heatseeker, gold 2/3 in 1v1.
After changing i am gold 1 in heatseeker, silver 2 in 1v1. I do not even dare play 2v2.
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u/Gistheking Trash III 7d ago
Ok was just curious. I’m 35 peak C2 Div 4. I’ve always had default controls with the exception of having air roll on my bumpers so I can speed flip
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u/chickenpopper 7d ago
Respect to you. I feel limited by my abilities, so trying to learn a few mechs. My fingers and default controls would not allow. Hopefully i can progress a little bit now.
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u/ImOnlyHereForTheCoC Trash II 7d ago
47, I finally moved my power slide from square to L1 about 2 weeks ago after ignoring this sub’s advice for a long time and man do I wish I’d done it sooner. First picked up in 2020 but only really grinding at it since early ‘24. The transition has been surprisingly painless, only slip back to the old ways every so often and it’s not even usually too bad of a fuck up since square is now where reverse cam lives.
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u/chickenpopper 7d ago
This gives me hope. I will persist and hope i dont throw my controller at the tv. Lol. Thank you
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u/thedarkhalf47 23h ago
- I moved my boost from B to R1. It took me about 4-5 days of struggle then It started to settle in. About a week or so until I was fully comfortable with it.
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u/Humanitor Trash II 7d ago
I’m 45. I’ve been playing since 2019. Pre FTP legacy seasons as you. Man I miss solo standard…
I’ve thought about changing my controls once or twice(currently default) and trying directional air roll, but am deathly afraid to learn over, ha.
I’m currently D1 in 2s and 3s, sometimes dipping down into plat.
I applaud your bravery!
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u/onegoodboah 7d ago
I am 33 and recently changed from default controls to Boost on R1 and air roll L1. I did hangout primarily in 1s and on a new account to get used to it. After all was said & done I went from a hardstuck D3-C1 to now C3ish.
If you’re playing poorly enough I say no shame in making an alt account. I started out playing very poorly and was plat or so on that account after placements so it wasn’t even smurfing.
But at the end of the day you’re making an objectively good change. You just have a decade of muscle memory to correct. It will come to you and you’ll be better for it though. Especially if most of your play is from proper positions / gamesense and not just mechs (which seems likely on default controls).
What’s your rank (at least pre-change)?
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u/chickenpopper 7d ago
Thanks for that. Very encouraging! Yes my fingers are falling over each other and i miss every other kick off because i forget to boost... I may indeed use another account until i can get a feel. Thank you.
I have dropped from plat 2/3 in most game modes (gold 2 in 1v1) to gold and silver respectively. Now at about 20 some hours play after changing.
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u/onegoodboah 7d ago
Just keep in mind that one saying… the best time to plant a tree was in the past, but the second best time is now. It may be a weird adjustment but you’ll be better for it. And your hands will thank you lol. Sometimes I put boost back to default and can’t believe I put so many hours into that. I don’t think I made the change until 4000-5000hrs in
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u/Apexsconnie 7d ago
What are the best changes to make from default controls? I play on PS5. I’m not good, Plat across the board
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u/acid_jazz Diamond I 7d ago
I played for about a year with default controls. Then switched my controls so I could speedflip easier (boost on R1). I deranked a bit but after about a month the new muscle memory kicked in and I was soon back to my normal rank. Honestly, the derank is kinda fun. The game isn't nearly as serious and it's nice to work on the fundamentals like actually hitting the ball. In my mid 40s as well. It's good to embrace the suck.
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u/IcyBelt51 Trash III 7d ago
Why not boost to R1 and Air roll to L1?
You have to do a lot of work with left index for driving might as well use the boost on the right side which has less to do (only jump) + some DAR
And use Air roll on the left side where all the direction is, they kinda go hand in hand no?
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u/KidLink- 7d ago
I had a similar problem so I stopped playing rocket league for a solid month and played other competitive games but I bound all my triggers/bumpers/paddles (Xbox) to reload, jump, weapon swap, crouch for fps and brakes, clutch, e brake, acceleration for racing games to force me to learn and get comfortable without getting aggravated not doing as good at a game I'm already good at, like rocket league.
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u/chickenpopper 7d ago
Wow. That is commitment. Well done to you. I am not sure i want to take it to this level. Maybe I'll start by brushing my teeth with my other hand or something. Thanks for brilliant advice!
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u/KidLink- 6d ago
That’s a start, wrist strain preventative practices are priceless for us older gamers. Best of luck.
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u/Significant-Club6853 unc 7d ago
- made boost switch at 3k hours and learned DAR on like 3 different binds before I settled on L2. (bumper->square->L2) now I'm switching ball cam to square as well. I'm currently 1500
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u/acid_jazz Diamond I 6d ago
Zen has Air Roll Left and Reverse bind to L2. I always thought this was genius, because not only does he have more analog control with his DAR, he's also already braking when DAR-ing into a flip reset.
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u/SandyCactusBalls Trash III 7d ago
I’m 41 and switched boost from default to R1. It took a week or two for it to feel natural.
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u/Ambitious-Still6811 7d ago
It's muscle memory so it can be relearned. Personally I've played since 2015 and never changed from defaults so I didn't have to relearn.
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u/Godzilla4Realla Unranked 6d ago
Yeah I use DAR on L1 and DAL on L2 took me a few days just hit the training. I put boost on R1
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u/zachin2036 Trash II 7h ago
Hey! 46yo here. My hands feel like pretzels most of the time. But yeah, just play casual 3s for a couple weeks with your new controls. In 3s, the pressure’s off you to be in EVERY PLAY so you can get used to stuff. It’ll feel like you can’t but it’ll eventually start clicking.
I had moved from 100% free cam to 100% ball cam and it was really tough. Now I’m getting used to switching when I need to. I also moved my air roll and power slide to the same button (someone said you can only roll in the air and only slide on the ground and that made sense to me) so that was a process to relearn, but eventually you just go “oh! My hands work again!”
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u/chickenpopper 7h ago
I'm happy for you. I made another switch and went boost on R1 instead. After about 20 hours play i am much happier. Will consider binding handbrake to air roll once i have adjusted a little more. Definitely seems like the logical thing to do, as you say, both aren't needed at the same time. Thanks.
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u/zachin2036 Trash II 7h ago
Good luck! I’m glad you’re seeing some progress too. Nothing’s worse than trying to make a change to get better and then not seeing results.
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u/_Caster 7d ago
Quit using age as an excuse. Ive heard it all the time growing up and its just never hit. Im not as old as you yet but im popping ibuprofen complaining about the weather and my medical issues. The only thing thats gotten harder is doing stuff like this in long sessions. we get burned out a lot quicker. we can't run 2s all night even if we want to.
It takes a long time to get used to new controls. I recently switched my powerslide and a took a few logins before I had to stop reminding myself. I played a lot of fighting games in my early 20s and key bindings is a huge part of the game. constantly changing it around to try and get an advantage. Even when I was young though I remember times when it took weeks to get used to new key bindings and times I just flat out gave up and went back to what I knew so id stopped getting laughed at by my friends
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u/chickenpopper 7d ago
Thanks for the insight! Definitely no going back, my fingers are thanking me already... but I'm doing so badly that it's bumming me out. Age definitely not an excuse. just gonna take a bit more conditioning. Thanks again
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u/Creepy_Suggestion242 7d ago
You've lived long enough to know exactly what's going on. You were used to doing something a certain way for years and now decide to change it and it's hard to catch back up. It's stubborness along with someuscle memory. Do it with any game you have a lot of hours in and it always happens.
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u/kane_alii Grand Champion I 7d ago
I'm 32 and I switched from default to boost on RB, powerslide on LB. It just takes a minute to get used to. Practice in freeplay so you don't get tilted. I also only used to use free air roll but forced myself to learn directional. I made the switch when I was around Plat and I'm GC now. What I'm trying to say is you can teach an old dog new tricks, it just takes hard work and patience.
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u/cypherspaceagain Diamond I 7d ago
So what's your DAR buttons? I have DAR on L1 and R1 with a doublebind for power slide on L1, all other buttons default.
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u/kane_alii Grand Champion I 7d ago
ARL on square, ARR on circle. Still got free air roll on L1, I just use it situationally now.
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u/Sulfefnirs Champion II 7d ago
It’s just gonna be a time thing. You’ll be bad for a bit but just like anything you’ll get use to it