Link to original post: [drupal=599]Balancing The Grab System[/drupal]
The ability to do follow ups after grabs is one of the biggest identified sources of "imbalance" in Brawl.
While the grab release concerns are mainly specific problems that should be fixed within the characters of Ness, Lucas, and Wario, I think there is still a wider need to provide more control to the person being grabbed. With grab releases addressed on a character-specific level, we can focus on throws. (We don't need to eliminate all grab-release options, since for many characters like Yoshi or Bowser, they provide additional depth of options, like a secret fifth throw.)
Originally, I imagined a system in which characters could break out of grabs by pushing a specific input to build up an invisible meter of sorts; every X number of grabs, a character could escape. Different characters would escape from different numbers of grabs, and some grab-escapes would deal damage. While still potentially interesting, this would probably just add more information to memorize without really adding any additional choices to make.
The more recent idea is that a throw can be escaped by holding the opposite cardinal direction before they input the throw command. This adds the following considerations:
Grab-er:
"What throw does he think I will use?"
"Do I make my best throw for the situation, or do I pick another they might not predict?"
"...what is the second-best throw in this situation?"
"Do I pummel, or throw before they react and predict which throw I will do?"
"Do I pummel longer, since they can't struggle as much if they hold a direction..."
"How long dare I chainthrow? What are they expecting me to do?"
Grab-ee:
"Which throw are they going to do?"
"Do I struggle? Do I DI? Do I try to guess the throw?"
"Am I keeping track of which way my opponent throws in various situations?"
The following characters would be nerfed more than most by this change:
-Dedede
-G&W
-Falco
-DK
-Pikachu
-ICs
-Kirby
-Olimar
-Ness
-PT
It's most interesting for IC and Pikachu, who can still chaingrab as long as they can out-predict their victim every throw...
When I discuss specific characters and changes I would implement, I will do so assuming that this latter idea is in place. In other words, I will assume that the characters listed have already been significantly nerfed due to this change.
The ability to do follow ups after grabs is one of the biggest identified sources of "imbalance" in Brawl.
While the grab release concerns are mainly specific problems that should be fixed within the characters of Ness, Lucas, and Wario, I think there is still a wider need to provide more control to the person being grabbed. With grab releases addressed on a character-specific level, we can focus on throws. (We don't need to eliminate all grab-release options, since for many characters like Yoshi or Bowser, they provide additional depth of options, like a secret fifth throw.)
Originally, I imagined a system in which characters could break out of grabs by pushing a specific input to build up an invisible meter of sorts; every X number of grabs, a character could escape. Different characters would escape from different numbers of grabs, and some grab-escapes would deal damage. While still potentially interesting, this would probably just add more information to memorize without really adding any additional choices to make.
The more recent idea is that a throw can be escaped by holding the opposite cardinal direction before they input the throw command. This adds the following considerations:
Grab-er:
"What throw does he think I will use?"
"Do I make my best throw for the situation, or do I pick another they might not predict?"
"...what is the second-best throw in this situation?"
"Do I pummel, or throw before they react and predict which throw I will do?"
"Do I pummel longer, since they can't struggle as much if they hold a direction..."
"How long dare I chainthrow? What are they expecting me to do?"
Grab-ee:
"Which throw are they going to do?"
"Do I struggle? Do I DI? Do I try to guess the throw?"
"Am I keeping track of which way my opponent throws in various situations?"
The following characters would be nerfed more than most by this change:
-Dedede
-G&W
-Falco
-DK
-Pikachu
-ICs
-Kirby
-Olimar
-Ness
-PT
It's most interesting for IC and Pikachu, who can still chaingrab as long as they can out-predict their victim every throw...
When I discuss specific characters and changes I would implement, I will do so assuming that this latter idea is in place. In other words, I will assume that the characters listed have already been significantly nerfed due to this change.
. That's awesome that you're going into game design, best of luck to you there :O. I'm not heading that route (so far) myself, but the concept of game balance is one I find fascinating 
.