I'm a big proponent of the "jiggle it until it works" approach to troubleshooting. This applies to nearly everything in life, from mechanical stuff in my work to mechanical stuff in my games. Pump isn't starting? Jiggle it until it works. Combat feels a little slow? Jiggle it until it works. Change little things, bang on the hood, but most importantly: do it while you're doing it. Don't try to figure out everything before you start. Go for it, make mistakes, jiggle it until it works.