Nah, I'm not going out shoo'd like some dog:
As along time fighting game fan, and a rather good player at that, I have to completely agree with what Ben has been saying. Don't diminish the expected experience for the seasoned vets. I think Bleach DS did a pretty good job with this. The touch screen had shortcut buttons, however, it FORCED an EX use of the move you pressed the touchscreen button for as a draw back for being lazy. The supers had no drawbacks that I remember, so that was a little broken, but it did help a lot of my less skilled friends still compete reasonably. Some went on to actually learn the commands like I had, to get a better control over things. That was an acceptable 'easy mode' I thought. You could also enable auto guard too, but there was a few limitations if I recall correctly when using it. There was some technique you couldn't do when it was enabled. I think it was canceling into an attack or something. So it all sorta balanced out in its own way.
I did not particularly like MvC2's four button system. But I like the TvC three button system, since its a set of limb-ambiguous buttons, which works better for crossovers, especially anime. I think it worked VERY well in JoJo and MeltyBlood too.
I'm currently browsing the SRK forums, and they're just all up in arms "Oh it's gotta be six buttons or it won't be good." Frankly I think you can make a very diverse set of four (I dunno about three, though) buttons that have different time spans and some launch and be well off. But that's my experience (actually, if you spanned the hit-times out, that might help with balance and priority!).
As for an Easy Mode, I wouldn't rule it out, and since there is a way to do it, I think that the easy mode would have a time-to-execution penalty (and possibly a very negligible damage penalty on the higher damage specials).Right now, though, I feel like just taking out inputs altogether! Particularly when it's causing this level of grief!!!!!!!!
Fact of the matter is, TvC still didn't change the name of the game all that much. Looking at worldwide sales, as well as quotes from company personnel, it can be gleaned that it was not the Wii fanbase that really helped TvC throughout its two lifetimes. It really boiled down to players who more or less were PS360 fighting game fans, who happened to have a Wii in the household, as well. THEY were the majority that ended up helping the game.
And even there, the game itself couldn't last because it does not have the long-legs of some other fighters. "Casual appeal" not withstanding, it was also the makings of the game's downfall, when it came to longevity. You know some thing is not quite right when Famitsu, whose reviews' quality could always be called into question, stated that the game felt "flat" and that it really boiled down to how players can do the same Baroque combos over and over again. Lo and behold, that's EXACTLY the kind of things that even the most open-minded of FGers have said about the game.
So, honestly, that all said, the less MvC:FTW is like TvC, the better off the game may be already. Casual appeal is fine and good, but not if it sacrifices the game's long-lasting appeal in the process.
And this simplification is still part of the problem, NOT the solution.
For example, as inevitable as it may be, Ono (SF4 producer) getting his hands on a new Darkstalkers game is a source of worry for me and many. Doing what happened to SF4 is one thing, as SF has worldwide appeal that was waiting to be catered to. But what's the use of trying to "simplify" and "mass market" Darkstalkers, when such a series never had that kind of market share in the first place? No "Vampire" game ever had the appeal of a Street Fighter or MAHVEL game in the West. Udon's Darkstalkers comic run did not last long. Even in the midst of the fighting game resurgence of the last few years, as well as GGPO taking the scene to new heights, Darkstalkers has still been very much a niche thing, especially in the West.
Ono could try and "SF4-ify" Darkstalkers if that's what he REALLY wishes. But I'm thinking that the backlash from the old guard would be even worse than when it came from SF4. The fan-base demographic is much smaller than SF's, and the casual audience is NOT THERE. So, with that much stated, would there really be much that to benefit from trying to make a "casual push" for such a franchise? I say, definitely not.
Furthermore, not everybody believes in this "simplication" mantra, and still gets very positive results. Case in point: BLIZZARD.
Blizzard, as a rule, has always gone to say that they craft a game with the "hardcore" sect of their fanbase in mind, first and foremost. They say that, because they know that their hardcore fanbase is inevitably the hardest one to please, but also because the design model provides a game that will serve to have many levels of depth. This is why, especially, SC2 is the game it is, because as much as some people may not like that the game looks to be little more than a graphical facelift of a game from over a decade ago, the game will still serve to keep its fans happy.
That's the thing that I wish Capcom would get, as well. You can craft a game that can still be hardcore oriented, yet still has various levels that can cater to so many different people, as well. This "streamlining" process may lower the skill threshold required for their games, but it also kills the game's possible livelihood in the process.
I mean, honestly, how many times are Capcom going to allow the continuing of this insanity of "dumbing down" perfectly fine games, and expect a different result?
How can you call TvsC good? I can't even do that. It was only on the Wii, had a brand new team that even fewer people were familiar with, a different control style, and felt flat? Not that that's uncommon; most games feel static these days.
At some point, the hardcore crowd was new. Okay? Learning everything. Still has to pick up on new features and frame-timings each installment too, at the very minimum!
Now consider what all we've discussed so far.
Got that?
Okay, now keep in mind that there are people that have trouble with SMB1.
...yeah. Give a marginal benefit for the input crowd, but don't slap new fans in the face for not being "hardcore" right off the [hard knuckle]ing bat.
Or for people, like me, who could probably learn all the strings and combos, and probably do them very well, but really just don't want to bother with that level of headache! Same went for Snaking! Same went for Brawl (which I'll touch on here in a minute)! Same for Guitar Hero!
There's a lot of people and potential buys and even future greats that say "Eh, I dunno" because they see conversations like this, and all the lingo, and all the overcomplication.
And I say, if you're going to value a set of button inputs over just having fun getting together with people, you need to get a life or devote your energies to something actually productive to society. How about that ****?
LoL, the END OF THE WORLD? I think you are being a tad bit dramatic here.
Also, you keep bringing up Smash Bros. Keep in mind, I don't play competitively with Smash, nor do I have any intention too. However, Smash Bros. is definitely not Marvel vs. Capcom in any way. MvC, like all the VS series games are still pretty traditional FG's, just a little bit more flashy. They still require Combo systems. Now, Brawl has combos as well, but not on the level of real FGs, plus with the Items, Slipping, Smash Balls, etc., it adds a level of craziness, randomness, and silliness that makes the game not a traditional fighter.
There are people who like to play Smash like a competitive fighting game, and that's their right. I simply don't play those people, cause I don't find it fun. But it seems to me that your problem is that people, I'm guessing like Jericho & I, tend to get so good in the game that it becomes un-fun for you, as judged by this comment here...
What you call tricks is really just our specific style of playing a character. I play Marth differently than Jericho does (I like to call it....Not-As-Good Marth), just like he plays Capt. Falcon differently than I do (cept for the PANCH, because PANCHING is universal. ALSO, PICK YOUR OWN COSTUME, JELLY!). These are just how we develop and learn with specific characters. From what I remember of playing your Falco, you pretty much just Blaster spammed and smashed (I could be confusing you with someone else, so I apologize if I am). If this is the case, then I can see why you think Falco was nerfed. Falco was NOT nerfed, in ANY way whatsoever. If anything, he either kept his Melee awesomicity, or he was improved. Jigglypuff was nerfed (I STILL cannot understand why Rest was weakened), Fox was nerfed, Sheik was nerfed, but Falco is easily one of the best characters in the game. But again, you're only judging based on one-on-one play, because like I said, when 3 to 4 people are playing, anything goes.
MvC may be a mash-up of characters, but it's still a FG and thus the same rules of how one plays a FG still apply. Listen, I suck at fighting games. I have little to no chance against people like Lou, or my friend Joshmack, because they've been playing fighting games all their life. TatsuCap is the only one I stand somewhat of a chance in because it's simple enough where I can do some combos, and plus both Lou & Joshmack don't practice as much. So either I can get better and try to learn how to truly play and do combos, or simply play for fun and lose. But to nerf the game so that I have a chance to win is kinda silly. It's why I think MvC2 is such an awful game. Any game in which I can pick a certain 3-5 characters and even come close or beat people like Lou or Joshmack means there is something wrong with the game, cause it's CERTAINLY not my skill level. I hope they fix this in MvC3.
Personally though, I hope MvC3 is more like TatsuCap than MvC2, just in regards to no Cable, Sentinel, misc. 
Of course it sounds dramatic, but the point is, the series may have a bunch of hardcore fans, but those are likely half to less of the current buying market. And appealing to the same market, basic business logic, they're going to eventually fade and disappear, then what?
This isn't a sponsored sport; it's a video game. It's software. It's gotta be purchased by the same mass public as...well, I'm not gonna get into that topic.
So, the game needs to be as didactic as it is hardcore, up-to-snuff, balanced, etc.
Because that's all I could get a lag-ridden Falco to do! You probably also saw me do some really "WTF?" stuff, too; I got rid of Brawl because the online component was constantly serving to be an unknown variable in trying to judge my performance or change in tactics, MUCH LESS trying to deal with a nerfed Dair. That's right, that spike's timing was nerfed. In Melee? If you ran into that thing, you were going down. Brawl? Pfft, nah, you MIGHT get hit with it at just the right time. Other than that, Falco's severely outgunned trying to deal with a Marth; Marth's sword gets ALL SORTS of priority over Falco's Standard, Strong, and Air attacks. Smashes are all you can do! That and projectile spam. Especially in a lag setting, whereas Marth can fairly well do whatever and get a wide, sweeping strike (see: all his Aerials, FFS). If I lost IRL, eh, I might be a little upset that I'm not doing better, but true, I don't spend a lot of time on any game. I'll gladly admit that, because I'm just in it for fun, not to mention I've got work, workout, dating, MBA, and tons of other things to do.
That's why I had to pick Pikachu, and you know what? I was doing pretty good. See if Marth or Capitan can get near me when I DSmash!
But! It wasn't who I wanted to be.
Is it silly to nerf a game? In a competitive setting, obviously. Pro golfers and tennis players don't bloody use handicaps or get to use the lanes. But that's a perfect example of where I'm going with this; especially online, FG's don't offer at least the control fluidity to every player. I think some sort of simplification is in order, then, IF a player learns the inputs, they're rewarded with the competitive edge of extra timing or damage, whatever Capcom (or any dev) decides on.
PB, we have more in common than I thought! ^_^ All very valid points.
As I see it, it all depends on how you play the character. For instance, my ALLSMASH main (meaning I use him in all 3 Smash Bros) is Kirby. And I play Kirby smart; I don't commit Kirbicide (HEY I'LL EAT YOU AND JUMP OFF A CLIFF!), I use his abilities wisely. When one power ceases to be effective, I lose it and try getting another. It all depends on how one plays the character; no one character is inherently better than another. The true strength of a character lies within the cunning and strategies of the player. Even the character with the weakest attacks can become a true monster in the right hands.
What I'm trying to say here is, even if the characters are unbalanced or there's too many to keep a consistent level of quality, it doesn't matter. Any character has the potential to be deadly if the person playing them has the right strategy.
Not true in all cases, Green. You can evade and guard or just generally run like heck as weaker characters, and then wait for openings and start wailing.
But that goes for any character. That's one of the most basic (and not surprisingly, effective) combat tactics. It still does not account for rampant overlaps in priority or timing when it comes to matching up characters.
I still love playing video games, always will. But my business mind and empathy for the public is starting to clash with the fanbases. Can't count how many topics and times I've dreaded coming to the Gaming sub-forum to have to argue with Hypershell, HokutoNoBen, or whoever. I want to appreciate games, and make them accessible to more people so that there can be more shared passion for it. But that clashes with the people that are already playing.
Done conflicting. Done arguing. Not what I'm here to do. I'm here to wonder at distant galaxies with head-shaped planets, puzzle my brain with falling blocks, and be the funny, timeless hero when I can't myself. And if I get shell-shocked? Grab some pizza, and get back to making the party cuh-raz-uh.
And I want you guys to as well.
So, I'm just going on ahead and logging out.
Been a good run, eh? I don't guess I ever really fit in, but you're a great bunch, really. The fact that you're and your own individual selves instead of blindly following what's fed to you really says something for each and every one of ya, and I'm gonna miss that about this place.
Hey, there's only one stylish way to go about this.
HyperSonic.EXELogout