Super Smash Bros: For Dummies

Episode 13: 10 things you must know to play Smash like me!
I wrote 10 different things you have to know to win at smash from most to least important(although they are all pretty important). At home and at college, I have been crushing everyone at smash, and I'd like some competition, so I wrote this to let you know how I play the game. I hope to add pictures to this soon too!

1. Learn how to Dodge Roll
This is the most important skill of all. Performing a dodge roll requires you to hold the 'R' button and push left or right depending on which way you want to roll. The reason this skill is so important is because you can't be hurt during a roll. Also you can dodge and opponants attacks, appear on the other side of them, and get a free smash attack in. You can even dodge some opponants Final Smash attacks(Link/Toon Link, Meta Knight, Marth, and Ike to name a few)! You can almost never dodge roll to much, you can even use it as an escape, making it much more likely for you to not take damage as you run. Rookies to the Dodge roll do tend to over do it though, and dodge roll when they should have taken that opportunity to attack. Just keep practicing with it though and you should be fine.

2. Be active but not involved
This is(to me) the 2nd most important skill you must learn for a non one-on-one match. People tend to attack whoever is closest to them no matter what. So your job, is to stay out. However, if they notice you're not doing anything, then they all tend to chase you. So you have to stay active. Charge something, or jump in and hit someone then jump out. Make yourself in the battle, but not annoying to make them attack you instead. You have to let them know your there, but they have to forget about you the second after you hit them. The good part is, if you are good and they do decide to chase you, you can get a good combo or 2 and they will usually decide not to mess with you now, making this strategy almost never fail.

3. Be Unpredictable
This is also imporant. Never do the same combos a lot, or people see them coming. Try all sorts of things, like dodge rolling away when they are prepared for you to dodge roll around them, or attack when they expect you to shield. This way, no one will be able to read you or pick up on your strategy and favorite combos; leaving the opponant surprized when you use them.

4. Know your opponant
Obviously. Know all there moves, and how they work to start. Then, pick up on what your opponant does with them a lot. For example, my friend Dave is always Meta Knight. And he always uses this combo where he does his little quick up sword('A' Up) attack to get me in the air, then jumps up to me and sends me flying with his 'B' Up attack. Since he does it so much, I'm ready for it everytime. His sword thing is fast, so I usually get hit by that, but then I hit 'R' in the air, making his attack miss, leaving him wide open for me to go get him.

5. Always think a move ahead
This is crucial, but pretty self-explanitory. Think about where your going next and where your opponant is going next. This is crucial for Snake; being able to determine where you think your opponant will go is excellent for mine placement. It also helps you determine when you need to dodge roll. Always try and pay attention to everyone, and your predictions can help you avoid damage or to know exactly when and how to attack.

6. Stay on the ground; Use 'R' in the air if nessicary.
My strong advice: stay on the ground as much as possible. You have so many better and destructive options while you are in the ground(your opponant will too, but if your better it wont matter). Pretty much only bad things happen in the air: your an easy target, you can get juggled, you can't dodge roll, sometimes its hard to find a good place to land, etc. So stay down. For these reasons, its probably also better to keep your opponant on the ground, unless your character has better attacks suited to that then the ones I use. Some characters have to be in the air though, like Snake. Hes always flying to drop mines on other people. So while your in the air, and an opponant is comeing after you, you MUST hit the 'R' button the split second there about to hit you. It will make you invincible for that split second, so your opponant will completely miss, and you will return safely to the ground. Since I wouldn't suggest attacking in the air, you can never use the 'R' button to much, infact I almost always use it when I'm in the air(and sometimes you can use it more then once) -- it's really important.

7. Use Smash Attacks!
This is self explanitory. Stop doing for favorite moves that just rack up really small amounts of damage and don't send anyone flying. A lot of my friends have the tendancy to do that. Trust me, if your getting annoyed that someone has high damage and isn't dying, use 'A' Up/Down/Left/Right or the C-Stick. Then they will die. Use them a lot!

8. Never chase anyone
This is just a bad idea. Chaseing someone is just like chaseing a smash ball. When you chase someone, you usually just end up killing yourself or have them hurt you while your trying to chase them. Just wait for them to calm down(basically, be patient). You will find the right moment to strike again.

9. Use "trash talking" or "character manipulation" to keep the pressure off
This is important. You might find it wack, but it's just human nature.
-Trash Talking: Make comments like "omg look how low Andy's damage is!" or "look, Andy still has 3 lives!" This wont always work, but more often then not it does. Because if they want to win, and someone is way out ahead, they are more likely to slow the leader down, giveing you a second to get back your game together.
-Character Manipulation: I've noticed that people tend to just attack the people closest to them, even when someone else is way ahead. So if you need a moment or want to be left alone, kick or grab and throw someone into someone elses attack. If successful, that person will now be tangled up with another fighter and not you.

10. Taunt after every kill.
Not nessicary or that important, but to me, its a must. There in the game for a reason, and it displays your power and skill when you can taunt and no one can do anything about it.

Whats left?

Episode 12: More Mr. Nice Guy
So even though things were going down they are looking up. Anything you thought you knew about me is now gone, and its about time you knew what I was about if you don't already know. Just recently I have been able to clear myself of the reputation I used to have(and wanted) after realizing how awful it was.

I wanted the reputation of being a pimp. One of those dudes that looked like he always got what I wanted. I got it, but it just made into somewhat of a creeper, allowing myself to believe that sex and being the best was "all another mini-game to me". But it's not true. I'm still a virgin. And to be honest its all good. People now understand(hopefully) that sex, etc. is not even close to the first thing I went after, because I have had offers before but declined them. My old personallity blinded them from that, giving them the feeling its all I wanted. Finally I'm not being represented by the name the old crew gave my van, the "shaggon-waggon" or that dude that talks about nasty stuff. I was kinda blind I guess, thinking that the bad boy life of the party attitude would get me what I wanted. Its nice, cause now all I have left is mysteriousness, being able to keep the "life of the party" dream alive and... one more thing. I'm still notorious for being the best at mini-games or anything Mario, which I'm ok with. But now that the "dude that just wanted any girl" personality is gone, leaving only that "one more thing" left, I am almost happy with who I am.

I've been told by so many people, girls and boys, that I'm such a nice guy and that there surprised not to see me with anyone. The problem is, girls don't want nice guys. And they need more value from me aside from just being well known. They need someone who plays a ton of sports, or someone who can play the guitar, or a badass. I mean I can still be interesting or sort-of-a badass or the life of the party, but its all converted back to this feeling of me just being a nice guy somehow. When I try really hard not be a nice guy, I can't do it, because my brain logically thinks that's wrong and girls don't want to be talked to that way. But they do. And I can't help but be a nice guy, but they always finish last don't they?
~Andy

Why are we here?

Episode 11: Purpose.
My friend Dave the Philosophy major is at it again. His discussion about our purpose being to find the "one truth" and have it revealed to you at death has got me thinking. I think slightly otherwise; I feel that everyone has a specific purpose in the material world, and depending on if you fulfill your purpose or not determines what type of the "one truth" you find in the afterlife. I also think we all have a purpose that affects someone’s life in such a way so that when the end of the world comes we will have all discovered the "one truth".

As farfetched as it seemed, I think even Hitler had a purpose. I think mine is to make others happy. I always feel an unknown sense of duty inside of to make sure my friends feel appreciated or be the one the shows up and let people know the party has begun. I don't mind the material world, but I think once I fulfill my purpose and discover the one truth, I will find out the hell that this - the material world - really is. Because the body is a prison for your soul, it always needs things such as food, and desire. The world outside of this one, where our body is just free flowing thoughts and discovers the "one truth", will provide more happiness then I can ever comprehend - so David says.

I like to believe that is true. I should try hard to make the best of the Material world, but should not give in to my prison. If I have the capacity to make everyone around me happy, but not to be good at math or get with a girl, then so be it. I will just use what I have, and that makes me happy. So if you criticize me for not getting desire or my body tries to do so, to hell with it. I will fulfill my purpose and find my one truth and be happier then anything can be here in the material world. If you decide to not fulfill your purpose or criticize me and prevent me from doing mine, then you can go to hell, where your "one truth" will be pain and despair.
~Andy

Attention is Good

Episode 10: Why Even Daniel has the Right Idea
I've come to realize that pretty much all attention is good. Even bad attention if you do it right. Look at Daniel, he's probably better known in his grade then you were Andrew/Dan/J9. Daniel has the possibility now of becoming great and having an awesome senior year. Because, its a mix of attention and reputation, and it's extremely difficult to have a good reputation among everyone if of people don't know who you are.

It's actually kinda surprising how this works. Lets take a look at both Daniel and myself. I attracted a lot of negitive attention coming into high school; the stalker thing, the LiveJournal thing, all bad. Daniel is a creeper, and has a reputation for asking anyone and anything out; also bad. That put me in the spotlight. Then as I got into 11th grade, people realized the accusations were false and realized that I was actually a funny guy. Daniel on the other hand, while his accusations are true, has chilled out on it quite a bit. Now that I had attention and reputation: I gained loads of friends, discovered new activities such as being in Drama, had to chill with many separate friend groups, and got the "Senior of the Year award"(1 of 3 major awards given out) at the choir banquet in which everyone thought it was well deserved. Now that Daniel is in the spotlight and has been boosting his reputation, I decided to check what Daniel has been up to these days. He now actually hangs out with some cool people, and a chick(that I was sort of friends with through Maggie) from the class of 09' actually has her profile picture of her smiling sitting on his lap! And this chick is pretty hot! You don’t even really see it comeing.

So I'm not trying to brag at all here or discredit anyone for not doing this - as much as it seems. I'm just saying that if you get your name out there you have a greater possibility of having an awesome life. Even though Daniel is having a shitty one, he is demonstrating the possibility to turn that around and it wouldn't surprise me if he had an amazing senior year like I did and didn't want to leave high school. Having good attention works just as well if not better, I'm just saying that the more attention you court, the higher possibility you have of making your life great.
~Andy

"It is easier to cope with a bad conscience than with a bad reputation."
-Friedrich Nietzsche, 1844-1900

Destiny.

Episode 9: Who Controls Your Future?
A lot of people say "If you have a dream, don't let anyone tell you no." We'll people can tell you no, and thats the people who are paying for college. My parents. I am currently a computer science major, and I can't do it. Programming 250 is already way to hard, and I don't understand my computer design class at all. I don't think anyone I know really would. You have to be dedicated - only 17% of people who start the major here actually finish it - and I'm not one of those people. My dad and I had a huge talk, in which I almost came to tears, about other options. Right now, I want to switch to a sociology major. The minds of other people have always fasinated me. My dad supports my decision to change, because he knows I'll actually do research to make sure which major is actually right for me this time. My mom doesn't support me. She doesn't think I can get a job or anything. This dissapoints me because I thought she always had my back. But now since I cant get a job as high paying as I would a computer science major, she changed her mind. But what pisses me off the most is that shes never been to college, and the best job she had was working in a shoe store. Yet, she stands here for critisizeing me for not working hard enough. Maybe I haven't, but she still doesn't know how hard it is. I don't mean to make fun of my mom cause I love her very much, but shes never had to have a job since marrying my dad.

Take my brother for example: He's been made fun off and critisized for everything in his life. His girlfriend, his college choice, his job choice, and his life choice. But he has never backed down, or done what people have told him. He wants to do what makes him happy, and now after all the smoke has cleared, it looks like he will actually be successful. I typed "Sociology Jobs" in google. The first thing that came up was a Rutgers site actually(lol) and it showed all types of jobs I could have with the right minor. Marriage/School Counselor, Welfare/Human Services, Market Research, Sales Rep, Department Investigator/Recruitment Specialist, etc. So I think I will be fine. The pay wont be as much, but I think I would love my job. I've just got to follow through with this and show them I will make something of myself. I am going to do what my Brother did, because when you do what makes you happy, then things generally turnout ok.
~Andy

"It is even more damaging for a minister to say foolish things than to do them."
-Cardinal de Retz, 1613-1679

New Years Marathon(Story)

Episode 1(Part 2 of 2):
We walked up to the starbucks door. I walked up thinking "Falcon Punch!" while trying to push it open. It opened and we walked in. Katie turned the lights on.
"Now what?" she asked.
"Why don't you make us some coffee, you used to work here right? Or actually I hate coffee, do you know how to hit up a hot chocolete?"
"Wait... how did you know that?"
"How did I know what? That you worked here? I don't know actually, you just look like the type of chick that would work here."
She went behind the counter, giving me a look that she was clearly not satisfied with my answer. What made me mad is that I truely don't know how I knew she used to work here. I guess I must have saw it on facebook or something. Thats probably what made her mad; I friend requested her twice and she rejected both times.
She made herself some kind of girly latee and my hot chocolete. She put them on the table and sat across from me, staring at the floor. Since no one else was here, she had no where to go, and my hot chololete was too hot to drink yet, I decided to make it as awkward as possible.
"So..... whats the deal. How come you don't like me at all and I don't even really know you? What have you heard?"
"Andy, theres no one here. We are the only people on earth and your intentions are to sit down and talk about our problems? I'm not doing it."
"We'll this is your end of the deal. I'm leaving if you don't answer, because I would never get the chance to ask this is in real life."
"Emily to- told me some things. And thats not true. I think you could have asked me in real life!" she rushed, hastily trying to change the subject. "And besides, I just don't like you, I'm sorry."
"What do you mean? Like Like? I think theres been a misunderstanding. I knew that along time ago. I just can't stand when people don't like me as a person for no reason. I've been trying to figure out why we just can't be friends!"
I reached my hand out and she shook it. Gosh it was cold.

5 days passed and everyday we would just do the same thing, eat, talk, check the TV and radio, and go to Reston Town Center for any sign of people. As everyday passed though, I would learn more and more about her, and fell in love with her again. Of course being a male I wanted to know when we were going to repopulate the earth. But her mind was on something more important. She wanted to find a way out of here. We went to RTC, and as usual, no one. As each day passed strange things happened. We would hear noises, seemingly bump into invisable objects, and Katie swore she saw a car drive itself around my culdesac while she was on the porch. But this time, it was out of control. She started talking about good this experence for her was, and things went crazy. There was no one on the ice skating rink, but we could hear the sounds of people on it and see lines in the ice be created. Cars were driving by with no one in them. Something tried to move my seat then moved another one. All the people were here, we just couldn't see them. Katie jumped out of her seat. I grabbed her and sat her back down.
"Now listen to me, I need you to finish what you were just talking about."
"Why? Is that all you care about? Us? What people think about you? I'm starting to think you created this whole situation."
"No. I didn't. I fucking didn't. I want to see my family again as much as you do. But everytime we've talked about each other and this experence, things have been returning to normal! Can't you see? Everyone is here, we just can't see them."
"Oh..." she said stuned at my anger.
"Well I was just going to say that I've really learned from this, I'm glad it happened, and I'm glad we are friends. Thats all..."
Just then everyone appeared.

In a speech Abraham Lincoln delivered at the height of the Civil War, he referred to the southerners as fellow human brings who were in error. An elderly lady chastised him for not calling them irreconcilable enemies who must be destoryed. "Why, madam," Lincoln replied, "do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?"

(1 month later)
I sat thinking to myself. We were gone for almost a week, but everyone acted as though we weren't gone at all. I think our body's were in the real world but our souls somewhere else. I wished it happened anytime I had a problem, it would be nice to talk about problems without your enemy being there everytime. Since Katie was now my friend, I was now friend with her friends, and actually became quite close with the enemy, Emily, who had told Katie all these bad things in the first place. But unfortunatly, the story does not end there. Katie got so jelious that her friends hung out with me she started telling people the bullshit stories she originally heard from Emily and made some up herself. Her friends went with her, so I am back where I started it seems. However, I'm not done there. I enlisted the help of Emily, who hadn't fully gone against me for some reason. I told her not about the 5 days, but about what we talked about and how we became friends. She apologized for saying what she said. Finally, thats what I wanted to hear. We teamed up and used what Emily new to make Katie look foolish. Of course after that, none of us were ever friends again. Katie was mad at us, Emily was mad at me because she regreatted talking shit about her friend. I actually didn't care this time. I lost two friends, but those focus was not on me, and getting more friends would be much easier from now on. But thinking about it, maybe tring to get everyone to be my friend isn't the best idea.

"Lord, protect me from my friends; I can take care of my enemies."
Voltaire, 1694-1778

~Andy(Didn't fix the spelling. Sorry, the spell check button isn't working)

Once I see it, I must have it!

Episode 8: Getting what you want...
"Once I see something I want, I must have it."
I'm sure you've heard that in your life more then once. Sadly, I realized as I was daydreaming last night that I have never said that before. And probably because I haven't done it either. I've only tried really hard in my life to get something I really want once. Every other time I have made an excuse or thought of a reason I shouldn't do something. So I purposely screw up or stop to satisfy those conditions. Don't do that to yourself!

I decided that since I have never really done this before, I am going to test it first. I believe it works on both objects and people. So, there is something or someone I really want. And instead of giving up due to reasons, I will try! And not let anything change my mind! For this to be a success, 4 conditions must be met. 3 of them can be met at college and 1 of them must be met in Herndon. In future posts I will hope to let you know on the status of those conditions because I truely believe that if you put your mind to something you can do it. I know a lot of people say that and sometimes doubt it, but I would choose to believe it. Because not doing it doesn't work.
~Andy