Let's talk about throws.
First, I'll say that I like them and think they're important. Throws should be damaging and quick to activate. Those things are important because having great throws forces you to push buttons, and pushes a game towards a footsie-oriented style. Good throws help you open the other guy up, basically. I think games with bad throws have some apparent problems. Offense is usually worse, and doing nothing is a better option. There's a lot of games where holding down back is pretty great, and those games do not appeal to me at all.
I prefer two button throws over one button throws in almost ever instance, for two reasons. First should be obvious - most games with a 1 button throw have built in option selects. For instance, in SF2 standing fierce and throw are the same thing. This makes some characters kind of brain dead (ST Chun standing fierce/throw OS) and some characters really goddamn awful (ST Vega wall dive into guessing game claw/throw OS nonsense). Throw should be an action you take on purpose in all instances.
The second reason I prefer a two button throw is because of whiff throws. In a game where throws are good, there needs to be a way to deal with it. If you can predict a throw attempt in 3s for example, you can backdash then cancel a move into super with most characters. In a lot of other games as well, you can bait out whiffed throws and then punish with something. This only helps the footsie game stay interesting.
And finally, let's talk about how you tech throws. I'll just say straight up that I think Capcom-style OS crouching tech throw is the dumbest thing ever and shouldn't exist. It's only bearable in 3s because if you predict it you can parry then punish for massive damage. I'm fine with being able to tech throws while crouching, but that action needs to force standing throw attempt. That way, if you guess correctly, you tech the throw. If not, you just did a whiff throw and can now be punished. That is very much preferable to hitting crouching throw and having the game choose the best option for you depending on what the other guy did. That's dumb defense and can only make the game less interesting.
Anyway this wall of text was inspired by some dudes discussing FG design on the SRK boards. I'd love to hear any thoughts you have, even if its "shut up bob you're so dumb."
--
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npHDxSvwCE0