Is there any value in allowing characters to walk rather than run in an isometric RPG?

[RaggleFraggle]

I like having walk animations because otherwise it would look pretty strange if all the npcs and mobs in crpgs were constantly running all the time.

 

[King Crispy]

I'd also like to add that there is, or at least can be, in practice, a tactical advantage to "walking" in RPGs, especially when doing so in areas you're unfamiliar with -- in unexplored dungeons, for example.

If you're always "running", that, by definition, means your characters are moving on-screen at a much faster pace than otherwise. It is quite possible, and probable, that as such you're more likely to position your characters, especially in an isometric RPG, poorly, in relation to where your foes are currently positioned in whichever space you encounter them, and thus in a very disadvantageous way.

This certainly wouldn't matter much to the powergamer or munchkin or to ADHD hyperspazzes, because ffs just wipe them all out bro, but some of us actually crave the thoughtful, tactical, methodical approach to combat in RPGs. You know, the way that Gary Gygax originally intended in Dungeons & Dragons.

Right?

 

[mondblut]

I'd also like to add that there is, or at least can be, in practice, a tactical advantage to "walking" in RPGs, especially when doing so in areas you're unfamiliar with -- in unexplored dungeons, for example.

If you're always "running", that, by definition, means your characters are moving on-screen at a much faster pace than otherwise. It is quite possible, and probable, that as such you're more likely to position your characters, especially in an isometric RPG, poorly, in relation to where your foes are currently positioned in whichever space you encounter them, and thus in a very disadvantageous way.

That's why you run in short bursts, silly.

 

[luj1]

Ive only used walk to evade traps or aggro in densely populated dungeons. See no harm in having the walk option

 

[Salvo]

Rusty I agree with you on a lot of stuff but you're just being a sperg here lol

 

[Hace El Oso]

Not only is walking very important, but you should be able to sheathe/sling your weapons. I always find it comical to play a first person game where you can't lower your weapon, it's as though you're some kind of terrible monster that can only interact with the world by hacking/shooting it. Both at once is an overload of zoomer decline.

 

[Funposter]

Ive only used walk to evade traps or aggro in densely populated dungeons. See no harm in having the walk option

This is the main use and it actually contributes to gameplay instead of just being LARPer crap. Yes, you should be able to walk, and yes, that should sometimes be a necessity while exploring in order to avoid danger.

 

[buffalo bill]

I demand RPGs require you sit there and watch your character sleep for 8 hours in real time or else they are bad games.

WTH for? If they sleep, they sleep; if they walk 50 miles on the overland map, then fine—no need to depict it all, unless an encounter happens.

because characters need to sleep or else they can't function properly

yeah as it turns out modeling everything isn't fun, just like having characters that move slow isn't fun

NEO Scavenger and Cataclysm DDA are fun

 

[rusty_shackleford]

I demand RPGs require you sit there and watch your character sleep for 8 hours in real time or else they are bad games.

WTH for? If they sleep, they sleep; if they walk 50 miles on the overland map, then fine—no need to depict it all, unless an encounter happens.

because characters need to sleep or else they can't function properly

yeah as it turns out modeling everything isn't fun, just like having characters that move slow isn't fun

NEO Scavenger and Cataclysm DDA are fun

do you have to sit there for 8 hours and watch them sleep, or do you just skip right through it?

 

[buffalo bill]

I demand RPGs require you sit there and watch your character sleep for 8 hours in real time or else they are bad games.

WTH for? If they sleep, they sleep; if they walk 50 miles on the overland map, then fine—no need to depict it all, unless an encounter happens.

because characters need to sleep or else they can't function properly

yeah as it turns out modeling everything isn't fun, just like having characters that move slow isn't fun

NEO Scavenger and Cataclysm DDA are fun

do you have to sit there for 8 hours and watch them sleep, or do you just skip right through it?

I strongly prefer RPGs with no animations, so walking vs running is a non-issue in terms of how much player time is wasted (since they will take the same amount of player time, but different amounts of abstract in-game time—running in Doomrl is a good example)

and obviously same goes for sleeping

 

[rusty_shackleford]

I demand RPGs require you sit there and watch your character sleep for 8 hours in real time or else they are bad games.

WTH for? If they sleep, they sleep; if they walk 50 miles on the overland map, then fine—no need to depict it all, unless an encounter happens.

because characters need to sleep or else they can't function properly

yeah as it turns out modeling everything isn't fun, just like having characters that move slow isn't fun

NEO Scavenger and Cataclysm DDA are fun

do you have to sit there for 8 hours and watch them sleep, or do you just skip right through it?

I strongly prefer RPGs with no animations, so walking vs running is a non-issue in terms of how much player time is wasted (since they will take the same amount of player time, but different amounts of abstract in-game time—running in Doomrl is a good example)

and obviously same goes for sleeping

That means you support my side of the argument.

 

[buffalo bill]

i.e. this whole issue is a disagreement amongst degenerate gfx whores, from my perspective

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

This must be your favorite game:
The Longing

 

[Glop_dweller]

I strongly prefer RPGs with no animations, so walking vs running is a non-issue in terms of how much player time is wasted...

That means you support my side of the argument.

Unless the game describes the PC's actions.

• "...open's the ammo crate; it is empty"
• "...walks to the radio; turns it off"
• "...consumes a healing potion; gains 8 hitpoints"

 

[rusty_shackleford]

I strongly prefer RPGs with no animations, so walking vs running is a non-issue in terms of how much player time is wasted...

That means you support my side of the argument.

Unless the game describes the PC's actions.

You explicitly want the game to waste time or else the player is put at a disadvantage.

 

[buffalo bill]

I demand RPGs require you sit there and watch your character sleep for 8 hours in real time or else they are bad games.

WTH for? If they sleep, they sleep; if they walk 50 miles on the overland map, then fine—no need to depict it all, unless an encounter happens.

because characters need to sleep or else they can't function properly

yeah as it turns out modeling everything isn't fun, just like having characters that move slow isn't fun

NEO Scavenger and Cataclysm DDA are fun

do you have to sit there for 8 hours and watch them sleep, or do you just skip right through it?

I strongly prefer RPGs with no animations, so walking vs running is a non-issue in terms of how much player time is wasted (since they will take the same amount of player time, but different amounts of abstract in-game time—running in Doomrl is a good example)

and obviously same goes for sleeping

That means you support my side of the argument.

if your side of the argument is that we should entirely eliminate animations from RPGs, then yes I agree with you. If your side is that we should eliminate different movement speeds and things like sleeping and eating from RPGs, then I disagree with you

 

[Glop_dweller]

You explicitly want the game to waste time or else the player is put at a disadvantage.

What waste? Do you remember the line in Fallout, "If you sleep on this [decrepit and infested bed], you won't sleep alone."; descriptive texts.

You were responding to a post that preferred no animations at all, and assumed they agreed and supported your position, but games can describe player character actions without supportive animations.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

You explicitly want the game to waste time or else the player is put at a disadvantage.

What waste? Do you remember the line in Fallout, "If you sleep on this [decrepit and infested bed], you won't sleep alone."; descriptive texts.

You were responding to a post that preferred no animations at all, and assumed they agreed and supported your position; but games can describe player actions without animations.

You explicitly stated that either you move slow(and therefore waste the player's time) or else you will miss content.

 

[buffalo bill]

I strongly prefer RPGs with no animations, so walking vs running is a non-issue in terms of how much player time is wasted...

That means you support my side of the argument.

Unless the game describes the PC's actions.

• "...open's the ammo crate; it is empty"
• "...walks to the radio; turns it off"
• "...consumes a healing potion; gains 8 hitpoints"

I'm not sure I understand your point—shouldn't all games give the player relevant information, either in language or images? It seems relevant that the ammo crate would be empty or the radio gets turned off or that the player gains 8 hitpoints. Not telling the player this information (unless it is somehow communicated some other way, e.g. you ALWAYS gain EXACTLY 8 hitpoints when using a healing potion, and this is somehow known by the player or it is intentionally information that the player cannot know) just seems like bad game design.

 

[IHaveHugeNick]

Is there any value in allowing characters to run? Everything should be like Underrail where game a size of broom closet is artificially made 3x bigger simply by making you walk at snail pace.

 

[King Crispy]

Knock off the pyramid quoting.

 

[mediocrepoet]

Not only is walking very important, but you should be able to sheathe/sling your weapons. I always find it comical to play a first person game where you can't lower your weapon, it's as though you're some kind of terrible monster that can only interact with the world by hacking/shooting it. Both at once is an overload of zoomer decline.

I hate not being able to sheathe weapons in any even remotely RPG game, especially if it's third person or isometric. Talking to people like you're a terrorist or thug shaking them down.

 

[Glop_dweller]

You explicitly stated that either you move slow(and therefore waste the player's time) or else you will miss content.

That is subjective (as far as it being a waste). It is not a waste for everyone, just the impatient, and/or those who do not savor the RPG's atmosphere. As for missing out on obscured content—yeah, of course. If they rush past it, they would probably not see it. There are many RPGs where the PC misses out if they pass by in a hurry; it only makes sense. It would make no sense if the PC sprints through a room, and registers every minor detail of it.
[Theoretically even jotting it all down in a journal or auto-map.]

______________
I seem to recall Pool of Radiance 2 getting flack for having plausibly slow undead, and them releasing a patch that turned the zombies into Olympic class sprinters—ruining the atmosphere of the title; though it was already ruined by limiting the sneaking thief to just a meter or two ahead of the party (with clanking armored fighters in tow). Beautiful, but absurd game.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

You explicitly stated that either you move slow(and therefore waste the player's time) or else you will miss content.

That is subjective. It is not a waste for everyone, just the impatient, and/or those who do not savor the RPG's atmosphere.

I seem to recall Pool of Radiance 2 getting flack for having plausibly slow undead, and them releasing a patch that turned the zombies into Olympic class sprinters—ruining the atmosphere of the title; though it was already ruined by limiting the sneaking thief to just a meter or two ahead of the party (with clanking armored fighters in tow). Beautiful, but absurd game.

It's not subjective. Is this Styg's alt account?

 

[Glop_dweller]

I'm not sure I understand your point—shouldn't all games give the player relevant information...

In this case, the post was about an hypothetical game with no animations using text to describe the player actions with no visual depiction.

It's not subjective. Is this Styg's alt account?

In fact it is, simply because I myself enjoy it. In Fallout, I loved the Regulator fight; in Fallout 2, I loved starting three way gang wars in New Reno. In Planescape I would acquire the zombie costume for Nameless, and enjoyed him carefully walking around using it, rather than ruining it by running.

____________

Let me ask you this: Are you the type who disdains a game that implies a location that is never shown in the game? A place spoken or written of, but does not actually exist in the game's asset files; never depicted? Does that place not exist for you? (Even though it exists for the NPCs and for your character.) Do you consider it a waste of the player's time to be told of it, or to read about it?

Is this Styg's alt account?

No, but the name gave me a fun memory:

Spoiler