HolyForce
I will show you...
8wr has different uses. aside from acess to 8wrmoves.
step only beats moves that started before or atm of the moment of step, beats more moves.
8wr beats a move always, unless this move tracks direction of 8wr.
so for example if your opponent is closing on you 8wr is a good way to limit his options. Step is safer, some people just spam it b/c it helps to limit opponents options. but 8wr is very useful, you just have to know when and why.
Also just keep in mind that consecutive steps (8~G, 8~G, 8~G) are extremely bad against advancing opp. (but you can react to dash) b/c start up of step is 5 frames. so what happens with each 8~G = 5 frames of vulnerability, 6 frames of step, 1 frame of G. where 8wr is all frames = step.
In my gameplay, there has always been a huge difference between 8WR and step. To say "8WR all frames = step" is inaccurate. They are two different things, whereas, amounst other small details, true Step is much more effective in evading than run, which is obvious in the visable quick hitbox displacement.
As playing Raph as a main, it's quite clear that those who Step~G (not saying you should do that over and over, ever - if you do, you're being scrubby) do better than those who 8WR against me - by a huge margin.
That's my 2 cents but I'm broke so I'll have to pay you back later.