Movement Overhaul Suggestion

[Caiman]

The TLDR version:

Stop animations and stamina depletion from ending sprint mode, remove the stamina cost for sprinting (and reduce max stamina to compensate), and make everyone except Loki sprint faster.

It'll be happy fun times for everyone.

 

Before you criticize, please read the full post, where I actually go into detail and give concrete reasoning :<

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The proposed changes:

1. Make sprinting cost no stamina. To compensate, halve (or otherwise reduce) base stamina capacity, which is still used for wallruns, melee slide and other such acrobatics.

2. Fix the Toggle Sprint effect - as in, once you toggle sprint on, you actually stay in sprint mode until you toggle it off. Right now, stamina depletion, aiming or firing your weapon, melee combos, and odd movements will end sprint, forcing you to keep toggling it back on.

3. Add a config option to make sprint's default toggle state at mission start be "on"

4. Change the hold-to-sprint key's behavior to temporarily toggle sprint state while held (so if you toggled sprint on, it's hold-to-walk, and if you toggle sprint off, it's hold-to-spring)

5. Increase base sprint speed for all frames (except Loki and maybe Ash) by 5-10%.

 

These simple changes will:

1. Make gameplay buttery smooth by eliminating the need to hold, press and re-press the sprint key all the time just to maintain a decent running speed.

2. Eliminate break-ups in gameplay caused by forcing players to pause to recover stamina just so they can run at a decent speed.

3. Simplify key/controller bindings for many players since you can just set sprint to default and never toggle it off.

4. Make sprinting more viable for long-distance travel, and make long-distance travel less of a chore even if you don't wallrun off every available surface.

5. Encourage exploration, since you can run around a large room or backtrack without constantly getting hampered by stamina depletion.

6. Promote usage of wallruns and other "basic" game mechanics for increased mobility, since sprinting will no longer require constant attention on the player's part.

7. Reduce the need/desire for movement techniques that exploit the slide/melee-slide and other speed boosts, as one of their main advantages is stamina efficiency.

 

And no, it won't encourage rushing any more than before, because rushers don't rely on sprint (if anything, my suggestion includes a reduction of the speed gap between, say, Loki and Frost). The biggest reason "rushers" get ahead of others is that they simply ignore some or all of the containers and enemies. If you don't ignore them, you're standing still when the other player's moving. You will fall behind regardless of how fast either of you can move, and stay behind because you can't go faster than someone modded for speed (unless you're just better at the game). If you're on a far end of the rusher/explorer spectrum, just find someone to play with that has similar attitudes towards containers and enemies, because tweaks to the movement mechanics won't make your play-style any less annoying for others.

Edited June 11, 2013 by Caiman

[Aizeol]

This sounds good in theory. I've wondered why stamina is in this game. We're space ninjas, not space marines or even normal marines. We have technology that people can't even fathom now, but we have to stop every 100 ft to catch our breath...

This could also free up a data value that can be used for things like "tenno-vision" or any effect that isn't over powered, but should use a rebounding "energy-bar"

Full approval.

[Marcoso]

I actually agree with this. I feel like the Tenno should be going at a sprint all the time because they are indeed space ninjas and it fits in with that theme. They're supposed to be fast, right? Even the heavier frames. I like the idea.