I want to make a Hitomi joke but I guess that wouldn't be a good idea.
Less guessing is definitely not the best idea. Just guess right or stagger escape. The counter system is what makes this game what it is in the first place. I really don't understand what you're trying to change or why it would be a good idea.
I should of said less luck. Well, less of both. I want it to be more technical. I don't like that you can stun someone, then launch, without deepening the stun and working for that juggle. There are 3 different directions for launchers that you can use (for most characters), but you also have to worry about being high counter thrown, being put in a force tech setup, getting CB'd, put into a dangerzone, wall, knocked off a cliff. Someone might even charge a powerblow right in front of your face while you are stunned. We need less variables in this game.
I want adapting to your opponent to be more beneficial for you, also knowing their characters moves, what your opponent has to follow up with, and what you can stagger escape (which you can hardly stagger anything, unless they delay), to get your opponent to do a combo that you can't SE, so that you can predict and hold it. I want something like "ok, my opponent is in this stun, so I need to know which kind of stun I need to do next that'll make it last longer, instead of making them fall". Here's situation: Christie, Leifang, etc, use their wall throws on you and now you are in a state where you cannot use a rising kick. There's no solid way out of the predicament. They they could use the wall throw/offensive hold on you again, or stun you, or cause you to hit the wall for a combo. It's crazy. It's not even skill, it's just LUCK! I shouldn't have to explain this, you play the game, too; you know how this game works! Don't tell me that I need to adapt better. Your opponent is a living breathing human just like you, with a brain, and he will try to out predict you. The smarter play is not always the best move to make. Acting dumb gets you places in this game.
In VF, you don't have to worry about low jabs when you have a spec of health left. You can block low jabs with a standing guard. People say Rachel is broken, well, if offensive holds didn't track(because they are concentrating their power on catching your attack), and throws were breakable (not when when punishing an unsafe move, hold, or getting a counter throw), we wouldn't be so afraid of her when she has the advantage, because our quick reactions and paying attention would save us from being continually blendered by her from making one wrong guess.
I like the freedom we have to mix up our opponents that DOA gives us, but there is really no limit to how far you can go with it. Oh, wow, you can't stun with the same move in a row; BIG DEAL! Hitomi can stun with 9P, then do her jab, then 9P, then jab again. That doesn't even take away a direction. It's kinda pointless. And Christie players. They abuse that darn 4K she has. You can counter hit with it, then do it again to get a 91 point damaging combo. You dont' think that's too easy? I'd abuse the freak out of that. If you try to hold the kick, you might get thrown for massive damage. That's where my idea of less launching moves and getting little to no height off launchers unless you are in a critical stun level 3 or CB stun state.
All these ideas together would really make the game too difficult and convoluted. That's not my intention. I'm posting all these different ideas so that TN can have them at their disposal, to give them something to ponder on, a gateway to better balanced DOA. Other ideas: Guaranteed moves from sit down stuns will always knock your opponent on the floor, unless it is a launcher (because you do not have proper footing), and there cannot be any guaranteed critical bursts from sit-down stuns either (for the same reason with the footing). Faint stuns need to be nerfed somehow. That's like having another critical burst...
parries should not deflect every single move in that direction. Really heavy moves like Hitomi's 66H+K, 3H+K, and 4P+K should over power parries. I shouldn't be scared to be on the offensive. Leifang has too many ways to make up for her mistakes. Kasumi's teleport parries should be one for punches and one for kicks, not mid or high. Taking away all mid attacking options is absurd. There shouldn't be a wall bounce if that person was deep in stun when hitting it (critical stun level 3, maybe 2 as well). Tech rolling should be P+K+H, like in virtua fighter, so less skilled players won't be tech rolling all inconsistently, and actually, neither would good players kinda. Hitomi needs a damage, speed, and powerblow buff (I'm joking)
