East's Guide to Wavethinking, Intelligence Cancelling, and Logic Dashing
After seeing the large amount of disarray in this newly created topic, I've been doing a good bit of work with the aforementioned techniques, and I think that I'm able to demystify exactly how they work, and how you, the competitive smasher, can put these items to work to make you an overall better player.
Wavethinking
Wavethinking is possibly the most difficult of the three techniques to master. This is only because it's difficulty to learn varies from person to person. It draws from a mix of intelligence, level of ignorance, as well as the desire to create the holy technique that will break brawl and make the creator a hero among the competitive masses; in which their name will be recorded in the book of the gods right their along with Zeus, Allah, and Melee Falco's Downspike.
Before I continue I feel to completely fully understand wavethinking one should know the difference between a normal technique and an advanced technique. A normal technique is something that the games is able to do, by possibly inputting buttons in a special way, such that they produce a result that aids the player; meaning if I input button 1 and 2 the result is 3 [also mathematically defined as 1+2=3] Examples of this are as simple as a reverse aerial rush.
An advanced technique on the other hand seems to be defined by the smash community here as a technique that when inputed, takes advantage of the games physics in such a way that is more than likely [not always however] breaks them. We input button's 1 and 2 resulting in 42 [also known as the answer to life, the universe, and everything] [mathematically defined as 1+2=wtf?!] Examples of this are wavedashing and possibly L-cancelling from Melee.
Wavethinking can be defined as a player's ability to differentiate a normal technique from an "advanced technique". A good way i've learned to do practice it is to play with pretty much any character, on a basic level such as final destination. when you appear, tap the jump button very lightly, almost as if you were flicking it. You should witness your character jump a very small distance in the air. Now try this again, except slam your finger on the jump button or control stick to jump, and you'll realize that you jump higher. The steps so far aren't the actual wavethink, what comes next is. Depending on who you are and what kind of person you are, after witnessing yourself jump at two different heights, you should feel a tendency to run and post it up on smashboards, expecting praise from your fellow members, only to find that they're just a little pissed because you told them something they already know. The wavethink happens at the point in which you short-hop out of your chair, and before you hit the ground to run to your computer to post, you think about what you're doing, and decide to sit back down and continue playing the game.
With a little bit of practice and a whole lot of common sense, you'll be on your way to wavethinking in no time, thereby reducing "NEW AT THAT COULD POSSIBLY CHANGE BRAWL AS WE KNOW IT!!!!" posts.
Intelligence Cancelling
Intelligence Cancelling is probably the easiest of the three techniques, because it' doesn't require much meticulous input as wavethinking. Intelligence cancelling can only take place when your opponent, or any person for that matter, fails to wavethink in time and posts up what they think is an advanced technique, but is really just them pressing buttons faster than normal. This is the point where you come in and simply reply to their thread:
"Not an AT. You've just been Intelligence Cancelled"
and that's it. If you want to practice, just pop into the tactics discussion forums and I'm sure you'll find a few techniques that need to be Intelligence Cancelled already. Remember, Practice makes perfect!
Logic Dashing
Logic Dashing is to brawl as Wavedashing was to melee. In melee if you ever felt you messed up something, a simple, well-placed wavedash would set you straight. In Brawl, if you ever get to the point in which you are running to your computer to post what you think is an AT
meaning that you did not Wavethink first, all you simply need to do is think about what your doing while dashing to post up your false "advanced technique". The input is a little quick however; you'll need to realize that you were a dumb *** in the beginning and that your technique [if truly crappy] will not change the face of brawl. As soon as you come to this realization, you'll have to plant both your feet firmly on the ground to stop your dash immediately, turn around, and go sit back down and continue handing your friends or internet acquaintances their own @$$es. With that said, logic dashing will set you straight when you forget to Wavethink first, so that you won't look like a fool on the boards.
Conclusion
With all of the three techniques posted above, I would like to remind everyone, that not every technique is bad and not need be posted. If you truly feel, after careful thought and consideration, that you have found something truly interesting, please by all means post it up.
For everyone else on the other hand, please wavethink. And if you forget to do that, try and catch yourself with a logicdash, because if you don't, just know that you'll probably be intelligence cancelled.
If you have any questions feel free to pm them to me. Comments are appreciated as well.
-East
