Sure, 3s does have random parries into super, but every SF game has really stupid shit (roll super and RCs in CvS2, tick throws in ST, VC and infinites in A3…). Hell, in my opinion, JDs and air blocking are stupid because they’re so safe. It all depends on what kind of BS you personally have the most tolerance for.
Not all blue parries are random, just like not all guesses are random -there are educated guesses. Saying almost all blue parries are random is like saying almost all wake-ups are random, it’s not entirely true. The better you get, the less random parries are. Also note that DC 3s is more random than arcade 3s, which is the main reason why it sucks so much for serious matches, so if you’re stuck with it you’re unlucky. Also, I think I read that you play Makoto, and she’s is easily the most random character in the game. Don’t play her if you don’t enjoy guessing.
To me, parries are only annoying when playing scrubs that don’t care about the risk/reward ratio. And even then, you should get caught by it often at all if you pay attention to patterns. The best players are the ones who win consistently, and no one who parries into super regularly does that -they always end up losing really bad sooner or later. I don’t think players who regularly random parry into super are good at all. The Japanese very rarely lose to random parries into super because their offense is better and they know how to get around them. You don’t get better by random parrying. That’s the reason why I usually try to parry as little as possible, unless I have to and the risk/reward ratio is really good, or if someone is being really predictable.
But I’m not going to lie, random parries ARE frustrating sometimes when playing scrubs. When I get parried into super, I try to blame myself and not the game, because it’s an incentive to get better. I’m definitely doing something wrong if my opponent is able to predict exactly when and how I’m going to attack. Very often, people complain about parries being random and too good without realizing that they are actually being very predictable (like, attacking on every wake up when the opponent has meter). But instead of re-evaluating their offense they’d rather blame the game for their weaknesses, it’s easier and less painful for their ego.
I don’t think 3s would work very well without parries. It would be more fun in some ways, but some of the characters really need it as a tool to get around certain tactics, because the game was built around parries. I think a good way to make the game better would be to drastically reduce the length of the “pre-empt” parry window… It’s shorter than for clean parries, but it’s still too long imo. I’ll admit pre-empt parries are stupid in 3s.
And yes, randomness is what makes the game more fun in a way. I don’t think more people would play it if parries weren’t in, quite the opposite actually. Because of parries, anything can happen. That’s both good and bad, I guess.
