While I have the time, I suppose I'll compose an actual answer to your query, john!. The problem with actually answering such things is that I end up spending more time typing out answers to the never ending stream of questions than I do actually working on the game.
i'm sure this has been discussed before, but could you please explain or link me to an explanation of why you're needlessly increasing the learning curve for a new game that you hope gains a large audience? a simple "no" to aerial lag reduction just doesn't cut it for me, sorry.
From the FAQ:
What is the goal of Project M?
Project M hopes to achieve a game similar to Super Smash Bros. Melee in many respects. It does not, however, intend to be a 1:1 Melee clone. The following is a list of the main aspects of Super Smash Bros. Melee that inspired and have carried over into Project M:
1) A fast-paced game
2) with flowing, organic movement
3) where the player has a great degree of control over his character due to the technical skill that he's achieved.
4) The balance of offense and defense changes depending on the exact matchup and playstyle, but overall tends to favor offense slightly.
5) Offstage edgeguarding is risky but rewarding, while on-stage edgeguarding is safer but less rewarding due to ledge techs.
6) Recoveries generally require great skill to use, with the advantage usually being with the edgeguarding player, with some exceptions.
7) The combos are challenging and spontaneous, with anything longer than 2-3 hits requiring a knowledge of both characters' options and some degree of prediction and/or a deep understanding of the mental aspect of the game.
Aerial Lag Reduction would help with goals 1, 2, and 4.
Manual L-Canceling help us to achieve goals 1-4 and 7.
One might argue that Manual L-Canceling is arbitrary, that there is never a reason not to L-Cancel. This is a true statement, and yet does little to argue against the idea of Manual L-Canceling. We don't want there to be a reason not to L-Cancel. Consider the following query:
Is there ever a reason not to Jump-Cancel grab?
No, there isn't. Does that matter? No. Universal Advanced Techniques in general add depth to the game competitively. Players can be punished due to error in execution in Project M; if Aerial Lag Reduction was included instead of Manual L-Canceling, there would be much fewer cases of this.
In order for a technically demanding competitive game to thrive, players
need to be separated by technical skill. It doesn't matter how intelligently Billy Bob Joe plays if he doesn't L-Cancel properly, because Magic Sandwich can win by SHFFLing nairs with Fox in a semi-intelligent manner to punish the laggy aerials that Billy Bob Joe will eventually need to perform.
Now, technical skill is obviously not the only factor separating players. Character knowledge, stage knowledge, prediction, smart play, etc. all play into a player's skill. Technical demand is one aspect, however, that needs to remain at a high level in comparison to competitive Melee.
Earlier you mentioned that L-Canceling is a 1-player technique. The same can be said about Dash-Dancing and Wavedashing, and yet they had a huge amount of depth to the game. Should those be automated, as well?
You say that Manual-L-Canceling arbitrarily increases the learning curve and technical demand of the game. In what other ways do you propose the learning curve and technical demand of the game be increased, then? Perhaps the Back Room would be more receptive to the idea of Aerial Lag Reduction if there were other ways in which the technical demand/learning curve would be increased.
Then again, perhaps not. Manual L-Canceling is a huge part of Melee, and this
is Project
M. Our target audience is primarily competitive Melee players, do keep in mind.
The only idea that was flat-out rejected was the Cucco one, and that's because this isn't Brawl-, and is near impossible to code in the first place.
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