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[Video] Roux as a Beginner Method

So, I'm considering where to take this series from here. The two directions I'm considering:

1. Create follow ups for each video in the series, explaining how to transition from beginner style into actual Roux.

I guess this never happened? Really enjoyed the tutorial.. I'm 3 weeks in of never having even picked up a cube before, so just being able to solve it at all on my own is a pretty big step for me. I'm now just under a 120sec solver (lethargic, I know), but starting from scratch, the dexterity alone has been the biggest hurdle. Being 42 also makes the challenge a bit more acute. ;)

Take this as encouragement to get started as I'm looking forward to your transition video!
 
43 here, I know what you mean. I started with Deedubb's tutorials and have since moved on to regular Roux primarily using Waffle's page here:
http://wafflelikescubes.webs.com

Here's what you'll need to do:
1. The order of steps is slightly different: http://wafflelikescubes.webs.com/rouxmethod.htm

2. There is a small set of algorithms to learn here, and you already know Sune:
http://wafflelikescubes.webs.com/2lookcmll.htm

Basically what you're doing is replacing your Sune/Nicklas cycling algorithms with seven direct-solve algorithms and learning to recognize the seven different cases so you know which to apply.


Later on (and I'm not there yet either), you can learn better ways to fix your bad edges here:
http://wafflelikescubes.webs.com/orientation.htm

And better ways for doing the final permutation here:
http://wafflelikescubes.webs.com/rouxmethod.htm

Until you're ready, you can continue to use a cycling method at the end which works fine, it's just not the fastest.

Something else, Waffle presents two corner permutation algorithms for the top layer:
Adj Swap / J-Perm / A2 - R' U L' U2 R U' R' U2 L2 x
Diag Swap/NOT N-Perm/A6 R' U L' U2 R U' x' U L' U2 R U' R x'

1. You can do the adjacent swap twice at first before you learn the diagonal swap. Everything in steps...
2. You don't have to use these algorithms, there are TONS of different ones you can choose from.

For instance, I am using these:
J-Perm (4/6): Headlights in front
(R' U L' U2 R U') R' U2 L R
N-Perm (1/6): Any orientation
(R' U L' U2 R U' L)2

This page lists like a bajillion possible algorithms you can browse through if you're interested:
https://www.speedsolving.com/wiki/index.php/PLL

It's educational just to see how many options you have and consider the tradeoffs. Like, this one is 1 move shorter but maybe it has rotations which you don't like, or it uses a weird move like an E-slice that's awkward, etc...

The ones you'll want to be looking at are "Permutations of corners and edges". You're allowed to use algorithms that affect edges because you haven't solved those yet in Roux. The more things your algorithms doesn't have to preserve, the shorter they can be so this is good. For an adjacent perm, you can use anything showing an arrow between two adjacent corners. For diagonal perm, anything with a diagonal arrow between corners. I chose my two based in part on being easy to learn as they are very similar to each other. I'm sure if I eventually get really fast I'll probably revisit this page and shop for new faster ones though based on criteria I have only a poor understanding of today :)

As far as practicing, what I've mainly been doing is drilling the first two blocks. I just do blocks, re-scramble without finishing the solve, and do it again. I still do the whole solve when I'm doing casual solves and not drilling though. You'll also want to practice the new algorithms over and over to learn those of course.
 
dboeren, ur post is a little huge and would clutter stuff if I quoted.

Most people prefer J perm (R U R' F' R U R' U' R' F R2 U' R') for adjacent swap and Y perm (F R U' R' U' R U R' F' R U R' U' R' F R F') for diag swap. Theyre both faster than the other Jperm you're using and the N perm.
 
For instance, I am using these:
J-Perm (4/6): Headlights in front
(R' U L' U2 R U') R' U2 L R
N-Perm (1/6): Any orientation
(R' U L' U2 R U' L)2
I'm also using that N-Perm, but I'm not sure if I like it (I think I chose it because it was short and easy to remember), I may try another... what other ones people use (apart from that Y perm of PenguinsDontFly)?

For the adjacent swap i use this one (J-permutation b):
R U2 R' U' R U2 L' U R' U' L

I also started from scratch with DeeDubb videos and I'm also (a bit) old.
 
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I'm also using that N-Perm, but I'm not sure if I like it (I think I chose it because it was short and easy to remember), I may try another... what other ones people use (apart from that Y perm of PenguinsDontFly)?

For the adjacent swap i use this one (J-permutation b):
R U2 R' U' R U2 L' U R' U' L

instead of y perm, you could do an E perm. Ryan can do E perms a little faster than my Y perms, so it might be faster, but it requires a rotation.
 
Yeah, I realize it's not necessarily the fastest/best algorithm. That's part of why I specifically mentioned that ease-of-learning was a significant factor. As a noob with very limited time to practice between job and kids, even a small number of algorithms is significant work. Also, I specifically avoided any algorithms with rotations as candidates. I didn't feel comfortable with these at my level and I was concerned it might mess with my lookahead too.

Likely once I get down to 30 seconds I may want to do a reevaluation of algorithms, and I'm keeping your recommendations noted down for that time, thanks!
 
Yeah, I realize it's not necessarily the fastest/best algorithm. That's part of why I specifically mentioned that ease-of-learning was a significant factor. As a noob with very limited time to practice between job and kids, even a small number of algorithms is significant work. Also, I specifically avoided any algorithms with rotations as candidates. I didn't feel comfortable with these at my level and I was concerned it might mess with my lookahead too.

Likely once I get down to 30 seconds I may want to do a reevaluation of algorithms, and I'm keeping your recommendations noted down for that time, thanks!

IMO, its better to learn the best algs from the start. I learned a lot of really easy algs, and replacing them with better ones took longer than it would have taken to just learn the right algs from the start. I actually have a cmll thingy in my sig if you're interested in learning full CMLL.
 
I actually have a cmll thingy in my sig if you're interested in learning full CMLL.

I appreciate it, and will check it out. It's probably more than I can bite off just now but I'll put it on the list for later.

Right now I think my priorities are:
1. Practice block building (still a weak spot I think)
2. Work on my inspection, trying to pre-solve a little further before the clock starts
3. Work on learning the "bad edges" algorithms (rather than cycling with M' U M') and "permutation of the rest"/4c algorithms
edit: I should actually say "the rest of the 4c algorithms" since I already know dots and half-dots.
4. Get better at 4x4, which right now means learning a "real" edge pairing algorithm and practicing the parity algorithms more

Once I get all that stuff in order I think I'll be ready to look more into full CMLL. Oh, and probably by that time I'll want to learn to solve a 5x5 too :)
 
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