okay, here we go:

So what you're saying is that because certain moves limit you they should be removed?

there are ways to limit and lock your opponent without imbalanced things as inner grab or low grab.

you can lock opponent using shoulder or low grab.
result - opponent locked and can't move freely.

you can do same by locking opponents pecs and shoulders, by using your arms and pecs.
result - opponent locked and can't move freely.

as you can see you can get the very same result, but skill required to do it differs.
we both can agree that restricting opponent with shoulder or low grabs is easiler than doing the same by positioning your joints, right?


You can't be serious. That's what this game is about, you are on totally equal terms before the first turn-frame and how you decide to move after then on is down to you and you alone.

by this logic all we need is shovel. why bother coming up with something new? you just need to get a good opener and the one who shovel out faster wins

this is the very way you advocate right now.

now, let's prolong the equality you have on turn zero to the whole game, what you have is match that does not rely on who's first mostly, but who knows better.
if you can't disable opponent shoulder with grab - you need to find another way to immobilize him. locking with arms. and it require some skill and understanding what are you doing instead of opener, logical?

You cannot just remove things you don't like because you don't like them - there's no logic behind that.
i absolutely agree on this, however since we have grabs mechanics the way it is, there are no much alternatives.

if grabs were ball axis, so it would not be fixed but able to rotate and change angle, it would be way more dynamic, so joints would not deform on doublegrabs and allow more movement.
if grabs were breakable, you would not have to deal with noob hug for entire match, but be able to break out.

in this case there would not need any artificial restrictions to ensure that matches are not looking like 2 glued pieces of wood stuck together.
atm most matches without artificaial grab restrictions look exactly like that.

can we both agree that having ability to break up an not being deformed is better than being superglued?


Just because you're getting beaten by shovels, inside grabs and leg kicks doesn't mean that those kinds of moves are broken or unfair.

as i said earlier, we all can counter this, and even described what limited options we have to do it, but these things are obviously annoying. can we agree on that?
idk, compare kick lift replays to replays with throws and see the difference.

You removing grabs on the entirety of legs and shoulders & even restricting wrist movement is only testament to how far you'll go to avoid people beating you - not your skill level.
as i said earlier here, fix grabs and there would not need in any artificial restrictions. and there will be place skill instead of who shovel / low grab first.

Some people who are truly competitive will adapt & overcome to try and set a new meta, not change the mod completely to fit their own definition of "fair".
what new meta?.. for last couple of years all new meta i see is everyone advocating shovel, inside grab and nothing else

may be you managed to set new meta in aikido? please do share.

all adjustments i make is to favor meta which is different from get low grabs, stuck in one piece and try to lift opponent out

question to you: what is more enjoyable and what require more skill?

please, do answer this one as it's really important to continue the discussion

and as i said, i will waste a hour or so to make a picture showcasing average amount of joints required to be effective for both classic and let's say a7, when i'll get home,
so the difference will be more or less obvious

ah, almost forgot, in current meta shovel, contracted wrists, low grabs and lift kicks are lowest common dominator because of it's effectivity, what's wrong in raising the bar?
it's really amusing how much resistance you get when it comes to changing meta in a game where it can be done by anyone in a notepad, compared to games where only developers can adjust it (dark souls for example, and yet devs change it to make it more dynamic. if in ds1 mlg meta was circling around with shield up fishing for backstab, in ds2 you can't do it as effectively as it was anymore, guard break and less chain stabs)