The Secret Shame of Game Design: Why Running Sucks

[@bulutcagdas1071]

You also have Doom 1/2 option. Hit caps lock and you are always forever running until you hit caps lock again. I guess its a toggle that actually works :D

[@pauldaly100]

This is basically the same as only having one speed

[@bulutcagdas1071]

@@pauldaly100 I wouldn't have it any other way with Doom

[@a6gittiworld]

gotta love that caps lock

[@theopenrift]

This wasn't in the original DOS release of the game, this was something that was added in more modern source ports of the game. In the DOS version, if you wanted to enable always run, you had to open up the config file and change a specific value, then you would always run. I think one of the first games to add an always-run key toggle was Rise of the Triad in 1994.

[@bulutcagdas1071]

@@theopenrift Hmm I'm not really sure, don't have the DOS copy to check unfortunately. But I'm 100% sure Duke 3D had the Caps Lock always run option. I honestly think this was a really neat solution to the problem. Not sure why it isn't used in modern games anymore. Yeah I want to always run 90% of the time, but I might want that finesse that comes with hold running occasionally during a hectic firefight.

[@mariocraft3067]

I like “sustained” because the run works until your forward movement is no longer “sustaining” your running state.

[@MamaTrixxieAsmr]

honestly doesnt sound like the thing itself is a problem, but rather the lack of consistency when you peel back the surface

[@MediaKitGaming]

You're not wrong, and that was part of my point. But in an action game, it's a bit of an ask to require players to remember every situation the sprint is canceled and when it's not. Especially when different games (with toggle or hold to sprint) will have different cancel triggers. All I'm asking is an *option* where hitting the sprint button (keyboard or gamepad) doesn't turn off the run. Because there are times I just want to hit it to *make sure* I'm running. And if I already am… I don't want to start walking just because I hit the run button a second time. Some games already do this… as I pointed out.

[@rarebeeph1783]

my preferred option would be "hold to not run" probably. but in most games i just rebind hold sprint to a thumb mouse button

[@kubistonek]

Would cause problems when you have to also hold ctrl to sneak

[@EugeneYunak]

do you have steaminput? if so, it is trivial to configure it that way, to have an unpressed button send a “pressed” key, and make it unpress the sprint when you hold the button. you can also address the crouch problem pointed out by @kubistonek by binding the crouch key to both unsprint and crouch. ptase the valve overlords, i constantly find ways to improve input experience even for controller-centric switch nintendo games on my steamdeck, and clunky pc games, especially old ones, practically require steaminput to not be annoying now even though i grew up playing them!

[@SaturninePlaces]

@@kubistonek no it wouldn't, you hold shift to walk or you hold ctrl to sneak. What possible situation or game would combine all three?

[@kubistonek]

@@SaturninePlaces hold ctrl and shift to not run while sneaking?

[@SaturninePlaces]

@@kubistonek What games have you run and sneak at the same time? Kinda defeats the purpose... But yeah you'd have to hold ctrl to sneak AND hold shift to not run, for the few games where that's an issue. Or it could invert the run behavior but that would be more annoying.

[@owencunningham5816]

Yeah I feel like “tap to run” is probably one of the best UI choices compared to Hold and Toggle, especially because letting off your movement keys for a moment to stop running is so intuitive

[@orhanefeunal1811]

yeah i agree

[@odinlindeberg4624]

I'd argue it wouldn't work with MGSV. But then, you could make a simple twist on it for that specific usecase: shift toggles running, but stopping always cancels it.

[@GamePhysics]

UI choices?

[@floofzykitty5072]

Surprised that horror games weren't mentioned. A few years ago if you loaded into a first person indie horror and there was no sprint key, you'd know it's probably a PT looping hallway """inspired""" game with no actual danger because it's just a jumpscare walking sim. If you can run in a horror game, you should be afraid because that means you will be chased.

[@mohammadalinejad728]

I think there are two other options that need being mentioned. Both of which I enjoy quite a lot. Dash to run: Basically you hvae a starting dash and if you hold it down you start running. I like this because it's the exact opposite of the "building up" issue you mentioned with MGS V. You immediately know you are running and it also doubles as not needing a dodge button. Double-tap: This usually comes hand-in-hand with above option (especially in fighting games) but I think this also eliminates the issue with needing to dedicate an entire button to running and making slides and such much easier, while also not causing confusion as whether you are running or not. Either way, great video! May your channel grow bigger so more people can appreciate your essays! :D

[@MediaKitGaming]

Thank you for your well wishes. Many other commenters are also fans of the double tap to sprint. The only thing I don't like about double-tap is there is a built in pause (however brief) while you lift you finger from the forward button.

[@NeuralSensei]

Warframe on PC has separate binds one for tap dodge and hold sprint, and the other 2 dedicated. As well as tap and hold crouch binds.

[@vladtepes1047]

I honestly thought this would be a discussion about how more games need traversal other than walking and running, but nah, just a rant about personal preference on sprint toggle.

[@hihowareyou717]

fr i thought the same, this video was unnecessary imo. Is holding the shift key really that tiring? i've never had issues like this person has playing a game

[@lukalaly]

@@hihowareyou717 it depends a lot on the type of game. if you're going to be sprinting for more than a minute or so straight it can start to hurt your fingers, especially if you've got arthritis or any other condition that affects your hands. its also just really uncomfortable, at least for me

[@grivalder9364]

I never noticed this problem in Horizon because I am one of those who crouches 80% of the time, collecting resources and prioritizing stealth. Separate mention, perhaps the lack of a stamina bar has something to do with this issue, I never felt a running failure in the Souls because they barely have the energy for it.

[@drewpreston6478]

As a lifelong holder, I noticed I was constantly pressing shift to sprint and turning *off* sprint, when playing dragon's dogma 2 using toggle, just as you pointed out.

[@leonfire99]

I typically expect toggle to just stay on forever even if i do something to interupt the run. Whether in combat or out. Essentially i want to toggle on walking instead. Or better yet make it "hold to walk".

[@MediaKitGaming]

That's been a popular sentiment. I can get on board with that.

[@dandyspacedandy]

i'm partial to "run at default, button to walk", if for no other reason than that its nice to take things slow and take a cinematic stroll. that or just having a good movement speed and no run option. in that instance, i enjoy games where you have a dash option instead, with a short boost of speed in a straight line. that may be annoying, as it then demabds you constantly tap the dash button to move at the highest speed, but i just like this becauee the games i see incorporate it usually encourage you to do all kinds of wacky stuff with their physics, like Ultrakill dash jumping and Celeste wave dashing, which may as well be like getting shot out of a cannon lol, very engaging.

[@MediaKitGaming]

I recently finished Aragami 2. That had a dash like you described. Combining that with a double jump and a grapple-dash (to ledges), it was a crazy fun game to traverse.

[@bearlyismyname]

This is a surprising take. You laid your points out well, and I can see why in certain instances the traditional toggle can be frustrating, but personally I find it INCREDIBLY annoying when pressing shift does not stop the character from running. If I want to slow down from a sprint and just walk, it feels awkward to have to come to a complete stop first.

[@MediaKitGaming]

Which is why I didn't advocate for the abolition of toggle or hold. I'm cognizant of the fact that gamers have different preferences. I just want to broaden the options for everyone.

[@Tiosedan]

I have no idea what's the problem with hold to run. Not only does my finger not get tired, but most good games either have another mechanic to get around or don't require minutes of pure running.

[@abyssreborn4213]

And even if a game did require minutes of running, you could always switch the key bindings for jump and sprint, so sprint is on space and jump is on shift

[@Ostsol]

All that boils down to is a lack of consistency in games, coming from having a multitude of systems that may or may not implicitly disable running. Your solution is to have a singular condition that always causes running to stop - which is honestly akin to pulling one's finger off the run key/button. Consistency and simplicity is the key. The major issue with some of these games is that they are designed with a controller in mind, with its limited number of buttons. Some old PC games would have toggle-run as a key, rather than a menu option. Hold shift to run or press caps-lock to toggle. You can't always do something like that on a controller, but on the keyboard it's merely taking advantage of a key that is otherwise rarely used in games. This also has the advantage of having an indicator LED on the keyboard itself to tell you whether caps-lock is on. If caps-lock is on: always run. If you've come to a stop, start running when you move again - just like if you were holding the shift key. The only implementation problem comes from most games not actually looking at whether caps-lock is on and using an internally tracked state instead, which is reset when one loads a game. This causes the toggle state to be reversed when reloading a game if caps-lock is still on.

[@locke6066]

I think the word you want is "latch" instead of "persistent" maybe?

[@zerozeroone4424]

Side note. I hate when third person games don't let you rotate the camera around your character, to look at your front view or any alternative view other than behind the shoulder. I hate it when games do that. I like being able to see my character from any angle. Same with when i'm moving, if i hold S, which would in turn make the character run towards me or the screen, then i want them to turn around and walk toward me, not awkwardly do a back pedal at the speed of a snail

[@MediaKitGaming]

I like where your head's at. “God of War” and “Last of Us” both do the back-step when you hit S. I can live with it, but it's a little awkward. I've never played a third-person game where I couldn't orbit the camera around my character… that I can think of.

[@mrosskne]

you think you want that, but you don't

[@NeuralSensei]

It is annoying, I remember first playing San Andreas that was distinctly the first GTA that let us spin the camera at all times. Warframe has interesting solution, where out of run and combat state you can spin camera around but sprint or aim lock direction, and that also includes jump, but the problem is rolls are relative to your facing direction and it can easily not match the direction you expect to roll. It's a Frankenstein system evolved over many years and I don't think anyone will fix the flaws it has due to lack of consistent vision or diligence of the devs, they often rely on community feedback and therefore the game gets a lot of hot fixes and badly tested releases. But it's till my most favorite game, it's what I made my persona around.

[@StephenHarperRaptagon]

0:50 Oni spotted in the wild

[@squishyrat]

YES! LOL, Best comment on the internet! 😄

[@comradecatbug5289]

I think the problem isn't the controls, it's large and empty worlds/levels that have you running for 90 % of the gameplay. Make denser levels and suddenly holding down a button is no problem. Look at Sekiro for instance, I don't think you'll ever have to run for more than a couple of seconds straight. The levels have lots of encounters and are very vertical in nature, meaning you'll be constantly shifting between exploring combat, climbing, sneaking etc. It's never a straight empty plane.

[@Saurygiel]

I first noticed "persistent" running when playing COD on PC, and I wondered the same thing... why doesn't every game work like this?

[@retroinspect]

A persistent run makes sense for keyboards where the key state is a binary position, either up or down, but it's a real PITA on a controller where you're constantly touch-and-go depending on the dead zone set for the analog stick. It's particularly annoying in third person action games where characters have weight and momentum so if you accidentally reset that axis to 0 you stop sprinting. Even with shooters I've always mapped crouched to C because my pinky is too busy with shift and I just don't understand the ctrl crouchers lol But yeah agree it should be a consideration and it's not difficult to implement but it's also just not a priority for a lot of people.

[@MediaKitGaming]

Clearly not a priority. The reason why I map crouch to ctrl is because my index is busy turning right. With toggle to sprint, the pinky is free. When a game lets me have 2 options for crouch, C is often the 2nd choice.

[@toekneemart5597]

​@@MediaKitGaming what's your thumb doing?

[@MediaKitGaming]

@@toekneemart5597 usually jumping between ALT (dodge) & SPACE (jump). I admit I've never tired to hit the keys above with the thumb.

[@k96man]

​@@MediaKitGamingI used to use alt as a kid why has my hands grown it's easier for my thumbs to hit c,v or b

[@MediaKitGaming]

@@k96man I should honestly try it. It'll open up my options and give me some more keys to assign actions to.

[@indigofenix00]

I think what a lot of these games need is a clear and constant indicator of whether you are in running mode or not, independent of the character's animations.

[@MediaKitGaming]

I would still miss it. In 1st-person stealth games there is often a HUD indicator in the corner denoting wether you are crouched or standing. Even though it’s on my screen, I usually don’t see it. I’m focused on enemies and cover options etc. I imagine keeping track of a running/walking HUD icon would be even more difficult in a combat situation, when split second disisions are made.

[@indigofenix00]

@@MediaKitGaming I was thinking to put it somewhere on the character model itself. How intrusive this would be could vary by genre, but for instance a robot or magic character could have their feet glow while in sprint mode. A more realistic character would be trickier but if they had another meter floating next to them (like in Zelda games with a stamina meter) it could change color.

[@usernametaken017]

if the game has a crosshair on the hud then you could make it change colors or shape idk

[@635574]

Something warframe tries to do is fade out the crosshairs slightly when running, and there are multiple iteration and various guns wit their own crosshairs but generally you can tell if youre running when looking at it. Tho the meta playstyle is about comboing air jumps and rolls and ground slams, running is only used sometimes for short distance or wall running.

[@dumb214]

@@indigofenix00 maybe if a realistic character is stopped but in the sprinting state, they'd be either restless and seemingly ready to bolt at any moment (if standing) or leaning forward with feet braced as if against non-existent starting blocks (if crouching but not moving) also make them capable of crouch-running

[@EgonCom]

3:50 - that's not problem with toggle option. That's problem with horizon: if toggle option was truly implemented, game would keep character in "running" state regardless of player actions. What I see is bunch of game bugs.

[@hanzflackshnack1158]

Never played Horizon. The gameplay videos where people cycle through every mobility option 50 times a minute makes sense now 😅

[@MediaKitGaming]

Interesting observation. I tend to play not watch games so I didn't notice.

[@jamiek8123]

oh that's neat, its kinda like what I've been coding for my racing game so that we don't stall if you push the stick all the way to one side. see I use the vertical input for movement, and so if its zero we don't move, but to turn I use the horizontal movement, and this means if you're racing along and then do a sharp turn you'd stall as now there is no vertical input on the stick. so instead the code is looking for any vertical input past a certain threshold, and then a bool is set to true, we then only set it to false if both horizontal and vertical are near zero (I actual make a vector of the two values and check its magnitude) and so now once you start going you only stop if you let up on the whole stick, but you can still turn without moving by bringing the stick near zero and then to a side, its quite nice, and does seem to match that idea of 'persistent running' you mentioned which makes sense, its a racing game, of course you want to keep running (driving really) idk I just wanted to talk about my code I guess.

[@MediaKitGaming]

I think I followed that pretty well, thanks for sharing.

[@SneedFeedAndSeed]

Splinter Cell had a great running system. It had a 5-gear player speed that you could change with the scroll wheel. You can see your current speed on the hud. All the modes work both when crouching and walking and create varyingly loud footstep sounds.

[@TheCluelesshobo]

As a Warframe player. Suggesting hitting shift, and control is exhausting is laughable. I press those buttons in rapid succession all the time while playing to slide then jump for leaping movements. You do this by holding shift down and tilting your pinky downwards then press control down while still holding shift. Kind of like a rowing motion. This is a core key combo for movement in this game. Clearly I'm already accustomed to this esoteric pinky use and probably could beat a pinky wrestle.

[@MediaKitGaming]

If that's what I had to do I'd rebind CTRL to something else.

[@TheCluelesshobo]

@@MediaKitGaming Had to edit my original post, KZbin somehow botched my post edits and broke the grammar. Certain types of games are just designed in a way that totally breaks the idea of a persistent sprint. Like movement platformer games for example. Those games usually need your full control at all times. It does suck though it's not a standard in most games. You're right when you said persistent is very intuitive.

[@mr.t107]

As a console player, I never noticed that was a problem for games. Cool video

[@MediaKitGaming]

Have you played Forbidden West? I believe he toggle or hold to sprint presents a similar problem for console players too. Wondering if you have any insight?

[@DraconicWealth]

I think the real problem is lack of feedback: most of your problems would be solved if you could just tell what Run State you were in, at which point you'd know whether to press again or not. Consistency also plays a role here: if sprint always breaks from every unusual action, you know you always have to turn it back on. Other commenters have mentioned Capslock for a toggle, and it's good for such a role... because keyboards sometimes show you if Capslock is on with a little light, giving you feedback on what your setting is without even cluttering up your screen. Of course, this requires a sprint that doesn't break, or feedback from the program to turn off Capslock (which may also be undesireable)

[@MediaKitGaming]

I'm the kind of player who will reload a gun after every kill, just to be sure I have a full mag. It's especially bad when I reload a gun with a massive magazine and a slow reload animation. (It's a problem. I'm working on it. It's not going well.) Re: sprinting… after performing an evade etc. I reflexively hit sprint because I want to be sure I'm sprinting for the next move... I just need it to NOT shut off.

[@pauldaly100]

Just make the character have only one speed! I get the idea behind a sprint of “a choice of moving faster but not being able to attack” but in practice players always want to move as fast as possible so they’ll always sprint when they can. Better to just have the default speed be the fastest. If you want forward moving to be faster than backpedaling or strafing you can just make the forward move speed faster, something many games already do. And what’s funny too is crouch is already the option to press a button to optionally slow down - crouch.

[@MediaKitGaming]

Yeah, it’s rare that I don’t use the fastest method.

[@darkgn0ll587]

MMO's use the classic solution of a toggleable WALK. Especially nice for RPGs or MMOs where the player might want to roleplay in towns and cities and not sprint everywhere, or for practicality sake inside of small houses! Always liked this.

[@pepe2011pley]

Make well put micro position imposible and if you Game is very animation depend It Will be force in one of two camps: very unresponsive to quick movement or a teloportfest in animations.

[@mdstevens0612]

This is not the solution you think it is. En Garde is actually the best example; The sprint is too fast for combat, the walk is too slow for traversal. Those speeds are tuned for their contexts. Are you going to perpetually crouch in combat? Are you going to slow walk through the environment? Split the difference so that both combat and traversal feel bad? The issue isn't the mechanic of different movement speeds, that is and has always been a good thing, movement should be tuned for the context it is used in. The issue is the implementation. It's not a game design issue, it's a UX issue. The half toggle/persistent run solution is elegant, but it shouldn't be the default. You should always have the option. Otherwise, design your environment for your character; On foot characters don't need wide open fields so you can remove some of that negative space. Cars don't need catwalks.

[@MediaKitGaming]

​@@mdstevens0612 I think we're 100% on the same page. I'm all on board with 2 or more traversal speeds (depending on context/situation). I just hate when I accidentally kill my sprint. Not noted in the video: En Garde!'s traversal is even more messed up than I shared. Even using the hold method, certain events will kill the run animation and the player will have to let off the sprint button and then re-hold it to resume sprinting. Like you said UX issue. But that wasn't part of my thesis so I left it out. Thanks for your input.

[@ScoutOW2]

Honestly as a game designer, im glad more people are finally talking about this. Less buttons the better. If you're running 90% of the time, does there reeeallly need to be a run button? If its not a stealth game, why add crouch? Legit if you can have run be automatic, either instant or gradually after walking for a second. And press to crouch while idle, or hold to slide while moving. If you neeed to have a sprint, while traveling, the map is probably too open and empty. Or just have a mount or something for traveling. Or alternatively, while in combat or a building you walk, when outside you sprint. Design around core gameplay, not what every other game does, even something as small as running, crouching and jumping.

[@MediaKitGaming]

Stealth is one of my favorite features in a game… so is running away. So many of the games I play will feature crouch, walk & run. Some even include prone. While the focus of my video was only on toggle vs Hold to sprint, the comments here have reminded me of the diverse methods games employ: • double tap to sprint • hold to walk (sprint is default) • always sprinting (no other speed) • capslock toggle to sprint (always sprinting when locked) These are some of the recurring favorites commenters have identified.

[@ScoutOW2]

@@MediaKitGaming Dont forget double tap movement direction like fighting games and Minecraft. Also spawning mounts like Elden Ring!

[@MediaKitGaming]

@@ScoutOW2 OK. Um… is a spawning mount a thing outside of Elden Ring? Is that common enough of a thing to label it a traversal mechanic across multiple games? Because Elden Ring is the only game I know of that uses it. Did any game employ it before?

[@ScoutOW2]

@@MediaKitGaming Doesn't Horizon do that? I know back when i played it, id instantly spawn a robo-raptor to ride. I believe its a skill tree perk but I still used it for half the game. I know thirdperson moba games tend to include it as a way to become defenseless as a tradeoff to get to the other side faster.

[@MediaKitGaming]

​@@ScoutOW2 Spawning mounts is common, yes. Examples: Metal Gear Solid V, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, Horizon Zero Dawn (if skill unlocked), Horizon Forbidden West (if mount wasn't killed), Witcher 3 (IDK 1&2), Watch Dogs (all 3) (cars count right?), Cyberpunk 2077, etc. But in all those games, the mount arrives and you need to mount it. Sometimes you have to go to where it spawned. Where I think Elden Ring is unique, is the mount doesn't even exist unless you're riding it. It spawns directly under your character. That's what I thought you meant by “spawning mount.” Other mounts are traversal methods, yes. But I don't consider them part of the walk/run/sprint family. But I think an exception could be made for Elden Ring. I'm just thinking out loud… I don't know.

[@ThePeterOverlord]

Minecrafts double tap to sprint is actually the best implementation imo, since it works like a persistent sprint toggle that doesnt require an extra key and its still controlled by the behaviours of the normal movement/walking key, so its way more intuitive than clicking an entire different key separated from the WASD group like some sort of vehicle gear stick

[@maxwellsterling]

Double-taps are kind of cursed because they require the game itself to have perfect inputs to not waste it. It's one of the reasons people instantly disable "dodge on double-tap" features in games, and it spawned from so many people doing fine movement that got misintepreted as "I want to dodge now". Worse even was if the player was doing a strafe dance too fast and the game thought it was a dodge request.

[@xlhooka666]

"games have been accused of screwing up flight" > Shows clip of Outer Wilds, the best Space flight simulation game ever created

[@MediaKitGaming]

Tell me there isn't a large conversation about the difficulty of ship control in Outer Wilds.

[@xlhooka666]

I've only had such a conversation one other time in my life. That player did not know about autopilot, landing assist, velocity matching. it's a proper Newtonian Physics simulation. Piloting a spaceship in this environment *should* take a little more consideration. This is why I don't agree with the framing, because it's not a problem, it's an asset. Movement in OW is engaging, and people who are used to games where you don't have to engage with the movement system are not used to this. The games people play condition them to approach new games in a certain way. Forward+A anyone? You have to take time to learn to use the tools the ship affords you and understand the consequences of the mechanics of space flight. Jamming forward always makes you ram into the planet at terminal velocity or go zooming past into the void. Players who are more used to "adjusting their habits" to new games will realize playing like that is a mistake in this game and stop doing that. Other players who have not exercised this muscle will fly past the planet every single time and then make a post about it! But, about the framing here and why it's got me so riled: Outer Wilds gives you movement options with a *skill arc*. Canonically, this is your characters first ever space flight in an absolute piece. Considering the game is *just moving around in space and using tools*, it's good that these aspects are actually engaging, rather than Forward+A. Considering any other game that boasts space flight that I've played or have seen discussed, they have far more fatal flaws comparatively -no seamless transitions (or worse, space "sections") -Fake rotation -feel too floaty -little or no consequence to collision But Outer Wilds is an example of "screwing up", because movement has a difficulty curve? That's whack

[@xlhooka666]

It's like saying "games have been accused of screwing up martial arts" over a clip of Sifu

[@MediaKitGaming]

​@@xlhooka666 I don't know. Have they said that about Sifu? Because the flight mechanics in Outer Wilds have definitely been a touchy point with gamers. That's not made up.

[@MediaKitGaming]

@@xlhooka666 Yeah, but I didn't say that flight mechanics were bad. I connoted the flight mechanics were a turnoff for a significant number of players. Go on to any forum where someone expresses why they dumped out of the game early and the flight mechanics are almost always mentioned. Often it's mentioned first. Or let's look at the highlights from your comment above: ► “did not know about autopilot, landing assist, velocity matching” ► “Piloting a spaceship in this environment should take a little more consideration.” ► “people… are not used to this.” ► “take time to learn” ► “understand the consequences” ► “players… will fly past the planet every single time” ► “movement has a difficulty curve” You're trying to convince me the flight mechanics are good. But I never said they were bad. I said OTHER players are saying that and you did a great job of explaining why players *ARE* frustrated with the flight mechanics. You can defend the mechanics but you can't say they haven't had a negative impact on a lot of gamers. It's one of the main reasons players quit. Your task is not to convince me that the flight mechanics are good. It's to convince me that the flight mechanics ARE NOT a frequent subject of contention... • I specifically had some issues learning to fly the spaceship - *IGN* • The controls, at certain times, can be imprecise - *areajugones.sport.es* • simple movement and space flight in Outer Wilds are counter-intuitive - *gamespot.com* • powering your spaceship through the void isn’t always that easy - *gq-magazine.co.uk* • death is unavoidable - while adjusting to the harsh-but-consistent flight controls - *gamecritics.com* • Your spaceship is an unwieldy beast... There doesn’t seem to be any getting used to the controls either, or at least there wasn’t for me. I was still regularly crashing my spaceship a dozen hours in. Outer Wilds’ controls are easy enough to forgive early on when you’re still just poking around, but later on the game serves up some surprisingly demanding flying and platforming challenges - *wccftech.com* • Moreover, certain puzzles require precise navigation through dangerous spaces, which is a nightmare to pull off because of the convoluted complexity of the controls. Even supposedly helpful systems like autopilot have a habit of veering you into the path of giant space rocks. - *gameinformer.com* • Either way, it could have been more user-friendly, with better keyboard/mouse controls - *adventuregamers.com* • The controls are certainly one of the larger barriers to enjoyment, and lead to a lot of unnecessary frustration. - *EVERYTHING IS BAD FOR YOU* • unfortunate control scheme that hampered the game for me… why are the controls so wonky? - *nerds-feather.com* • controlling and landing the ship and suit is finicky and clunky - *gamingnexus.com*

[@clankfish]

what about "hold to walk"?

[@harochtc2002]

disgusting

[@MediaKitGaming]

I always set walk to toggle and then map to a part of the keyboard I'll never use. It's there if I want it… which is almost never.

[@bunnybreaker]

I appreciate when games have this. Just assume I always want to move at max speed and let me temporarily hold or toggle the option for slow mode.

[@samuelojedaedits]

bro bro bro, just wanted to say... this is a great channel, pls keep going

[@MediaKitGaming]

Thank you! Working on one right now.

[@Gnomable]

Not sure how it fits in here, but I like the "The longer you move forward, the faster you go" option too.

[@saparapatepete]

As long as you can stop as soon as you release without feeling rigid or slippery that's a great option

[@zeliph]

Mirrors Edge has that.

[@badideagenerator2315]

There's also minecraft's default sprint controls where you double tap and hold the same key that you use to move forwards, meaning that it's sort of like toggled sprinting but also like non-toggled sprinting.

[@Cri_Jackal]

Having a run in a game like Minecraft also makes exponentially more sense, running is for travelling long distances, not something you're always doing, in the actual meat of the game, whether it be mining or building, the standard walk speed is more than appropriate.

[@badideagenerator2315]

@@Cri_Jackal that's fair, although minecraft actually has a lot of different problems regarding mobility, with elytras and ice boats making all other modes of transportation obsolete.

[@MediaKitGaming]

My daughter was telling me that in addition to the double tap option, Minecraft uses the “Persistent-run”. There is a separate run key if you want to use it and hitting it a second time won't kill your character's run.

[@genericcatgirl]

The double tap run can be a bit janky though, sometimes it will turn off on slopes or when getting hit, so it's just more convenient to hold shift still. Or maybe I'm just really bad at moving lol

[@MediaKitGaming]

​@@genericcatgirl in En Garde!, the hold option isn't much better. Circumstances in gameplay will kill the character's sprint and the player will have to release the sprint key and depress it again or the character won't sprint.

[@Badeky]

1:46 you can lower your pinky from the "claw" position to hit the control with one of the phalanges, or you could also claw your hand even more and hit it with your palm near the wrist bone

[@MediaKitGaming]

The keyboard images shown are only examples and were shot just for the video. It's not even my hand. You're not wrong, but there's a difference between what's possible to do and what I'm willing to do. I'm not going to contort myself for a game. If I must, I'll rebind the key. Thanks for commenting.

[@TheEpicPancake]

Funny thing is, with a lot of older console games that have been ported to PC I see a solution that I think would be an even better one for a lot of these 3rd person games: A hold to walk. Since most analogue sticks are, y'know, analogue, they can walk just by not pushing the stick fully, but digital input doesn't get that luxury. Instead, they tend to opt for a button that allows that slower movement for more precise positioning when you need it and default to the fastest traveling speed otherwise. I notice a lot of games seem to have a sprint key for no discernible reason, though. Like, there's some theoretical benefits in contexts like multiplayer FPS to lock sprinting behind a specific action, as it normally puts away your weapons. An opportunity cost to access the increased mobility. That keeps people from going ham with movement mid firefight too freely, if you're a chump who thinks that's a bad thing (my personal bias is leaking, sorry). Most other genres I think lack that purpose for the mechanic, though. It's just there because it's a trope. It never made sense to me.

[@sandersystreams123]

I want sprinting to be on 100% of the time. I want there to be a 'hold to slow down' button, if anything. Which is what crouching usually is anyway.

[@Fefe-vp9yk]

Just design the game around running or walking. Minecraft used to be designed around walking, and it felt more a sandbox than a survival game, then running was added, along with an end, and the focus changed.

[@synmad3638]

I don't fully agree with you but your analysis was refreshingly (when compared to other YT videos) thorough. Nice!

[@MediaKitGaming]

Thanks. If I gave you something to think about, then my work here is done. Don't watch my Elden Ring video. It'll probably make you angry.

[@jaywalmoose9623]

Has anyone suggested a "hold to walk" option? Like you run by default and walk when pressing shift. This would work much better in a speed-focused game where you only occasionally need to slow down for precise positioning, or if you think it looks more dramatic or something

[@maxwellsterling]

Older games could sometimes have an autosprint toggle in the settings and that option turned the sprint key into a walk key. If anything, the option has already been suggested over 25 years ago and got replaced by pseudoimmersive nonsense.

[@jackthethinker]

Fallout New Vegas

[@noob_jr_2sjrkc]

I've seen some games with an option of "hold to walk", which is usually what I pick. I couldn't help but notice the 6-fingered hands at 8:30.

[@MediaKitGaming]

I used AI to generate an ancient greek praying to greek gods to avoid Christian and Muslim prayer imagery. If I had noticed the hands, I would have Photoshop-corrected it. You have a good eye.

[@Malbutorius]

One of my favorite options, especially in games like Red Dead Redemption and RDR 2 is *active* sprint, where sprinting requires mashing a button but running merely holding one, it gives the concept that running is *hard*, but not exactly difficult. Other games in the past like Bully did the same thing, but those games have so many traversal options that aren't walking around that they do great.

[@ComicaPaloozaStudios]

There's also, this probably used in a number of Side Scrollers, but what I'll attribute to Kirby games as the "Double Tap Run", which works like the Sustained run function, except instead of hitting a different button to start it, you quickly tap the forward button twice to start the run. Stopping movement stops your running, all the same. Of course, it's mostly a choice of input (press a specific run button, or double tap your normal forward movement), and situations might work for either, better or worse.

[@TigraPolosatiy]

Meanwhile Warframe: [Shift] > [Ctrl] + [Space] > [Ctrl] + [Space] > [Ctrl] + [Space]...

[@melancholyentertainment]

Sounds like a KB+M issue not a mechanic issue. Controller on top. No amount of accuracy is worth sacrificing comfort and ease of use. Edit: this probably reads pretty condescendingly, so for a bit of actual substance I’ll add this: we forget that the keyboard and mouse were NOT designed for gaming, they were designed for doing computer work, typing and navigating interfaces. Having players stretch their fingers in awkward positions across a flat board with loads of keys was just a workaround to using already existing hardware for the emerging gaming scene. Controllers were designed with one purpose in mind, gaming. And they have been redesigned time and time again to be doing that ergonomically, comfortably, and easily. Of course keyboards are going to run into issues like this, they were simply never designed for it.

[@MediaKitGaming]

Yes, yes. “Gamepads are superior to KBM.” I hear this constantly. And yes, it sounds very condescending. It’s also unoriginal. You're not the first to assert that gamepads are superior under this video. But while *you* prefer a gamepad, others prefer KBM. When it comes to comfort and familiarity, there are other POVs besides yours. KBM gamers have made arguments that KBM is better. Gamepad users will roundly reject these arguments, just as I reject yours. Each input device has its advantages and disadvantages. But most importantly, the best controller is the one a gamer prefers. If you peruse the comments of this video gamers who have issues with various gamepad interfaces/control schemes. Just today I happened to encounter a Reddit user who couldn't play Horizon Forbidden West on PlayStation because they “couldn't get to grips with the controls” so now they're playing on PC. I deliberately included the bit in my video about the problems with En Garde! existing on gamepad as well as KBM, JUST for people like you. I'm glad you enjoy your controller. Please stop insisting it's the best way to play for everyone. Personally I dislike controllers, but you don't see me shoving it in the face of controller users. More games exist that are exclusive to KBM than are exclusive to gamepad. Controller users need aim assist. The thumbs can't operate the sticks and D-pad/face-buttons simultaneously. While my mouse can aim and operate 3 of the 10 buttons without moving a finger. I don't stretch my hands awkwardly over my keys. My configuration works very well for my gaming enjoyment. Toggle or hold to sprint is not a KBM specific problem. It’s a problem for any gamer who doesn’t want to hold down a sprint button for the duration of a sprint and any game where accidentally canceling a sprint interrupts the gameplay flow.

[@jollygrapefruit786]

I've always loved Quake style bhopping because it feels totally natural, is a skill based mechanic that actually becomes more effective as you improve at it, has endless application, and does so much more than just make you go faster. It can be used to dodge, take corners, clear gaps, chase, retreat, etc etc. It's also completely seamless, able to be accessed simply by jumping, and it can be done backwards! For being such a seamless, intuitive mechanic, it's no wonder that it was unintended.

[@woblewoble]

In Control, every time you land from your levitation ability you're back to your super slow walking mode and have to activate sprint again which I found super annoying. Glad someone is pointing out this annoying inconsistency in games.2

[@Tempus0]

Idempotent is the technically name for this type of behavior and I fully support including it in all games as it's the most intuitive option and that should be the main part of UX design.

[@MediaKitGaming]

That is, without a doubt, the most appropriate word to describe this kind of running! idempotent: denoting an element of a set which is unchanged in value when multiplied or otherwise operated on by itself. That’s a new word for me! Probably for everyone here! Are you a coder or a mathematician?

[@AbiShoukathAliA]

Oh now I know the reason why I'm a good with movement in cyberpunk 2077 but get bamboozled when playing en garde

[@TangledLion]

I actually like hold because i usually play with controlers. For my instincts, holding the thumbstick down makes sense and isnt painful over a long time.

[@MediaKitGaming]

I'm all about players having options.

[@BruceLeeBeatEmUp]

Can you tell me what are the games you use in the video,they look so good

[@MediaKitGaming]

what time codes are you looking at? I can tell you what game(s) are featured there.

[@BruceLeeBeatEmUp]

@@MediaKitGaming thank you for reply it is combat featured 0:10

[@MediaKitGaming]

​@@BruceLeeBeatEmUp at 10 seconds is “The Witcher 3”

[@NotSteel]

Minecraft's hold sprint works like when you hit sprint it runs until you stop, then it doesn't run it walks. The toggle just means it always runs. . . . . It's perfect

[@Spyblox007]

Great video, if I ever make a game, I'll make sure to include persistent sprinting. Honestly, it's incredibly easy to program, really is shameful that most games don't have it (surprised Cyberpunk does!) Also, don't discredit my boy Outer Wilds like that in the first few seconds! Yeah flight is difficult in the game, but that's part of the fun! The fact you have Omni-directional thrust at all is a godsend compared to games like Kerbal Space Program.

[@MediaKitGaming]

All I said was games have been accused of screwing up flight while showing Outer Wilds footage. It is an indisputable fact that Outer Wilds has taken heat for its flight mechanics. A person can argue for or against those mechanics (for, in your case), but you can't say it's not a point of contention. Difficult traversal is not always fun for players, especially when overcoming said traversal is secondary to the game's focus on exploration and unraveling the mysteries of the solar system. In my video, I took no position on Outer Wilds mechanics. I will, however, admit to crashing my ship to get the footage.

[@MediaKitGaming]

I assumed programming a persistent-run option would be easy. A pity, almost no one considers it. So how hard would it be to mod a game?

[@Spyblox007]

@MediaKitGaming yeah, it depends on the game, but mainly the developers too. If the data is not easily accessible or readable, then the time to mod that game would exponentially increase. Games with a lot of mods tend to be easier to mod, though it's generally easier to add assets to a game then to edit a game's base behavior. It would be much simpler for developers to just add the feature themselves alongside hold and toggle. Also I was half joking with the Outer Wilds bit. It's definitely difficult to people who haven't experienced flight like that before, and I've seen it cause many to quit.

[@MediaKitGaming]

​@@Spyblox007 Your language was clear enough. I could tell you were seriously offended at my potential slander of Outer Wilds. But I still wanted to defend my position (which was “no position”) because I'm aware of how passionate the Outer Wilds fans are.

[@weeschwee]

In Borderlands you sometimes dont stop sprinting if you let off forward and the press too soon. Its so frustrating. The best ive seen is Natural Selection 2. Both hold and toggle sprint work and letting go of forward ALWAYS stops sprinting. It just seems to work.

[@SmallFire0]

A game that does the run button really well imo is the 3D platformer 'Lunistice'. You run automatically, while the run button is replaced with a WALK button. It's a simple change, but I think it's perfect for the games genre, and I think many other games should do this as well

[@MediaKitGaming]

I just want players to have more options.

[@ltc7395]

You can have both modes simultaneously like the original [Prototype]. To hold a sprint during an intense moment use the shift key or for extended periods of running double tap any movement direction and Alex will maintain a run

[@billmore6486]

The horizon thing feels like a nitpick me. I dunno. Yeah its slighty annyoing but it wouldnt detract from my experience. But i am learning game design so this video highlighted something new for me. Its impossible to know what player wants, vs intended gameplay. The state changing on movment sounds like a headache to code lol

[@MediaKitGaming]

Developers in the comments of this video indicated it would be very easy to code. Re: Horizon. A friend experienced the same issues so he found himself not attempting slides for his whole gameplay. And a commenter said, “Never played Horizon. The gameplay videos where people cycle through every mobility option 50 times a minute makes sense now.”

[@ragnar7106]

Not only do you sprint constantly, but also can't be bothered with holding the key down. Meaning: you belong in a subgroup, within a subgroup. Using an input for sprint is a thing because most people prefer it that way. That's why autosprint "died", and a sprint key became the standard. According to most, it simply feels better

[@maxwellsterling]

"You belong in a subgroup within a subgroup" almost sounds like a pretentious way of reducing his opinion to "lmao you're just a nobody", like his arguments don't matter because he's "just one person".

[@ragnar7106]

@@maxwellsterling That wasn't my intention, but reading it again I see how it can be read that way. The intention was to point out that it's only a very small percentage of players that come from his point of view. Thusly, reverting to the classical setup would anger a much larger number of players who prefer it the way that it is. A poor argument could be: "Stop putting so much money into sound design, because a small chunk of the playerbase are deaf". His fix with the "persistent" option is a great one though. I strongly agree with adding options as long as it fits what the game is doing. Whilst also making sure the game can still be played as intented after having adjusted the option(s). In his video on Elden Ring UX he used some examples of ubisoft games where multiple HUD elements can be turned off. Without acknowledging that the game can't be played properly without them, because the game has been made in way that requires them. Which is a superb example of a horrible option - like a sprint toggle that doesn't work.

[@MediaKitGaming]

Re: Elden Ring… I believe I was talking about Horizon Zero Dawn's HUD options, which is a Guerrilla game. Saying that a game can't be played without it's HUD is pure opinion. Further, when I said all elements of Horizon Zero Dawn's HUD could be turned off, I meant individually, letting players hide or reveal all elements of the HUD individually to their preferences. If we're making comparisons, Elden Ring only has 2 options… the whole HUD is on or off.

[@ragnar7106]

@@MediaKitGaming My respone is a bit a late, but just wow... Have you ever tried playing those games without the HUD? It's not pure opinion - its a fact. They do not give you enough information about the task, the conversations doesn't give you clear directions, the world doesn't signpost you to the location or its objectives. You can't complete them without it. But for fun, let's do a dare - livestream your first playthrough of an upcoming ubisoft game where you have the HUD turned off. Looking forward to it, see you then!

[@Gedof]

A few games do a dash and then a sticky run. Like, if you press once, it's just a dash. If you hold, you start a sprint after the dash. Now, even if you release you'll keep sprinting until you stop moving forward. If you press the button again during the sprint you'll just do more dashes, but the sprint keeps going. I can think of 2 games like this from the top of my head: NieR: Automata and Genshin Impact (I guess the 2 Honkai games are also like this). The only downside to me is watching people spamming dash in videos when just holding it is usually the same or faster (at least in NieR).

[@hagoryopi2101]

I think there's more than just the controls to consider, but also what running means to the game. In a lot of games, running is just a "stance change" for your movement. You'll have access to a few different options in each mode, but it has little consequence outside of that. It limits you about as much as it enables you, so it can feel more like a chore than it needs to. One of my favorite games for handling sprinting is The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. You can map both hold to sprint, and toggle to sprint, to your keyboard: you'll want to map both (if you toggle running on, the hold walks instead). Running consumes "fatigue" (stamina), which determines the chance for your attacks to hit and your spells to cast. It even has an effect on the prices you get at stores, which makes sense because you're gonna be less influential trying to barter if you're sweaty and panting from just running all the way to the store. So it actively encourages you to conserve fatigue, or keep ways to restore it with you, or to rest before social interactions (you can make time pass automatically to emulate a quick rest), so you can perform at your best when it matters most. You start the game walking carefully through places you've never seen, so you don't get unexpectedly jumped by an enemy when you're most vulnerable. You'll want to toggle to walking in these wilds, but toggle to running default in safe towns. Then you get money and resources, run through familiar places more readily because you know what to expect, stock up on fatigue potions/spells, and improve your skills so your fatigue total matters less against lesser enemies. Then you build your stats up, letting you move faster and more efficiently, until you reach your ideal power fantasy. Running serves not just as a button to go fast, but yet another means by which the game communicates to you your progress in the role you play in game, which feels magical to me. I think if running was more engaging, more integrated into the total sum of the game rather than an afterthought developers only include because it's conventional, it adds an extra layer to the game which makes the debate of pure controls less relevant. But that's just my weird personal take.

[@Axelpvz2030]

An alternative I've seen that might be worse or better depending on the game and preference is just hitting forward twice to run instead of walk, it takes away the run button all together, but you need to build up the reflex to always hit the forward key twice when you want to move,and doesn't always works is running is a condition for other movement options

[@MediaKitGaming]

I've played a few games with double tap to sprint. I don't love it. But a lot of other commenters agree with you. They seem to like it. It's worth noting many games let the player sprint in all directions, meaning you'd have to implement double tap on all of the WASD keys. Do any games do this?

[@ghostyghast7858]

Its killing me that i forgot the game, but this game has a both option. Hold the key long enough and you have a hold mode, just tap it and its the toggle mode, sounds finicky but it actually works. Best of both worlds.

[@MediaKitGaming]

Really interesting. I’d love to try that.

[@635574]

The difference is peristent toggle(the usual when it works) and temporary toggle(the cyberpunk) I could imagine 4th option: a hold to temporary sprint vs tap to toggle jog for a game that has stamina(but if we want realism we would also slow down the more exhausted you get and thats too much animation complexity for most game designers)

[@Frizou]

I think three of my favorite implementations are: 1. Make run the default and walking the secondary option. Most of the time, you'll just want to be fast because you do not lose anything by doing so; walking only becomes important on slim ledges, more precise parkour sections, or if you want to be a bit more cinematic. At the very least adding this option along with the toggle/hold should be the standard in my opinion since it does not require particularly difficult implementation unless your game is a giant mess of spaghetti code (if so, you have bigger problems to worry about!) 2. Take inspiration from game like Minecraft which allow double-tapping to initiate a sprint, or alternatively by doing a dash if they don't have a cooldown (or an extremely short one.) You should still keep alternative options and allow these settings to be disabled as usual for extra convenience for the players which may dislike this method (here Minecraft is a good example of a good implementation that was somewhat poorly executed, as you cannot disabled or rebind the double tap.) 3. Just don't have running! Some games have great reasons to have separate movement speeds, but I notice that a good chunk of games with walking and running do not truly gain anything for it. Having a single consistent speed makes it simpler, saves a keybind/button or two for the player and prevents having to deal with the issue at all. Of course this cannot just be applied to any random game, but if you design your game in that in mind or can make a manageable amount of tweaks to combat and movement to accommodate for it, then this is likely a great, if not the best option for the game.

[@MediaKitGaming]

Horizon Forbidden West has an always-running option… but only for gamepad users. WTF! Why would you not give that option to KBM users?!

[@Narko_Marko]

I love when a game has no sprint but has ways to move faster if you learn how to do it for example slide jumping in ultrakill or ghostrunner, bunnyhopping in CS, dashing and using ballista in DOOM.

[@WholesomeDemonKastis_a_shlump]

My favorite option is what they do in Minecraft and most Kirby games, where you double tap the walk button to run

[@WholesomeDemonKastis_a_shlump]

and yeah second favorite would be what other people are saying about only having one speed. Hollow knight comes to mind. Also if you're not catering your game to be keyboard accessible, you can tie movement speed to input sensitivity

[@WholesomeDemonKastis_a_shlump]

Also Deltarune, which uses "hold to run" but also has a toggle to make you always run without holding the button

[@bananaboye3759]

I was having this problem and switched to using space to run instead. My thumb has never gotten tired, and jump is typically a key you hold down a lot less, even in games like Planetside where you have a jetpack. This makes it a fine key to put your pinky in charge of. But I get your overall point, and I do like your solution more than the existing options. My favorite solution, admittedly one that is dependent on your core gameplay mechanics, is to simply not have a sprint key. Mirror's Edge does this and it feels great; you just build up speed as you keep running, and you lose it if you attack or shoot a gun so there aren't balancing issues with moving too fast while fighting. The main purpose of a sprint mechanic is to give people a faster way to traverse distance without letting them move that fast while attacking, and this solution does that while freeing up a key. The downside is that you lose the potential for an end sprint delay that some games use to encourage players to move more tactically.

[@PauLtus_B]

What I fnd quite is how many games have a run button to begin with. For most of them holding will just be the default anyway. Especially on a game pad where after several decades of a control stick existing it's questionable why a dedicated run button exists for many games.

[@gabrielflores318]

"persistent" is how running works in Minecraft since I first played it in... 2012? they added the "hold" and "toggle" options much much later... it's awesome how a game from 15 years ago already knew how to make running feels good (not sure when exactly they implemented sprinting) great video btw

[@Zulk_RS]

I don't know how it would work in a 3D game but for 2D games, I like the movement system of Castlevania: Circle of the Moon. You walk normally and it's quite slow. But if you double tap then you start running in the direction until you either change directions or let go of the button to move. It won't be any more tiring than the hold option because you would have held down the button anyway to move but you have a greater degree of control for when to run and when to walk. The only drawbacks I think of this system would be if the game is laggy this would cause a problem and I don't know how well this system would work in a 3D environment. Also the movement would take a bit to get used to.

[@MediaKitGaming]

Oni (2001) used double-tap to sprint. It was a 3rd person 3D game. A lot of commenters are expressing their fondness for the double-tap mechanic.

[@radio5637]

The Outer Wilds flight mechanics are so freaking good man, i dont know why anyone would complain about them

[@MediaKitGaming]

LOL, love you. I reinstalled Outer Wilds just to get that footage.

[@ThemightyTelevision]

That's why i much prefer the way a 3D fighting game implemented this via double tap to dash, when you dask you automatically started to run and i really loved it back then because it felt really satisfying and precise in my opinion.

[@MediaKitGaming]

*Oni* (2001) & *Minecraft* are the only games I know of that use double tap to sprint. What other games use it?

[@ThemightyTelevision]

@@MediaKitGaming the ones I've seen that best use it are Roblox games unironically, it's not that popular of an input method I guess, "soulshatters" being the oldest one that i know of to use it like that and the rest being fan games/remakes of that one, i didn't really think about it that much until it suddenly got revived lately and this video popped up, and it always felt great to to use, you could use it to dodge attacks, run after people, and use it to mix people, jumping over them after dashing to get them confused, dashing at someone making them block and then dash away, it always felt intuitive to me and never did it on accident, felt comfortable despite me not liking to play with keyboards that much.

[@FabioCapela]

What I prefer, and that some games use, is a combination of the two. You have running and walking, and then two keys, one (usually Caps Lock) alternates which speed you use by default and persists across any and everything (with Caps Lock being a particularly good choice because you have a physical indicator on your keyboard so you don't need to remember if you were walking or running); and a second key (usually Shift) that alternates the speed too but only as long as it's held. This gives you the benefits of both systems. Though, truth be told, unless there's some gameplay advantage to walking then I tend to just run everywhere.

[@MediaKitGaming]

Most of us DO run everywhere. I believe Assassin's Creed Odyssey was run by default and hold-to-walk

[@soloshottie]

that section about Horizon sounds like 2 different problems than the one you said. first, sounds like the devs problem for not making it more consistent across Aloy's moveset, and second, sounds like a you problem for not adapting in one of the easiest ways video games ask you to adapt also I like being able to toggle sprint off while sprinting, especially as a controller user, so as long as there's proper coding causing running to consistently end when I do other actions, I'll take toggle. sustained is good too, but not my oreference if the game is consistent, which most of the games I play are. this is literally just an alternative, not a "best feature" and yoy make it sound so impactful when it really isnt, and I'm a huge supporter of the little details mattering a ton

[@Soulessblur]

Not something I've ever considered before, as gamepad is usually my method of choice, but it's always fun to see somebody's personal nitpick. I think this frankly falls under the giant umbrella of "more options are almost always better". Personally? When playing keyboard, I'm actually partial to the "double tap to spring" option. I'd rather have my left pinky do as little gaming as possible when I'm playing, so getting rid of the extra button input entirely is preferential, and it makes sense to my brain that you have to start walking before you can run. I think a decent compromise, if a game dev didn't want to have a persistent option, would be to have 2 separate idle animations for when sprint is toggled on or off. Might be hard to pull of smoothly between multiple other animations such as combat or ledges, but if pulled off well, that might help remove the cognitive dissonance you have where you aren't sure if you're going to run or not.

[@MediaKitGaming]

This isn't strictly a keyboard issue. Different games handle running in different ways for gamepads too. Some are better than others. I'm sure you know the bad ones better than I do.

[@Soulessblur]

@@MediaKitGaming Oh for sure it can still be problematic, but less so. Holding a face button with your right thumb is more comfortable than holding down shift for sprinting. And if a game uses toggle, the crouch and sprint inputs are usually seperate and use different fingers, so sliding isn't tedious to perform. One problem pretty unique to gamepad though is the dreaded claw grip, since you can't easily move the camera while holding a sprint button. Not really an issue with general exploration, but similar to toggle woes, it can make running from enemies an utter pain to deal with when it's so hard to look behind you.

[@MediaKitGaming]

​@@Soulessblur Thanks for sharing. Not every gamer maps sprint & crouch to SHIFT & CTRL as I do. But that's where I'm comfortable. Already the “my key-map is better” bros and “my controller is better bros” are coming out of the woodwork. I have no use for any of them. Not only are gamepads unfamiliar to me… tried them. Don't like them. I also hate how I can't press the left stick and D-pad simultaneously or the right stick and right buttons simultaneously. Yes, yes, I'm sure pad users have workarounds. But on my 9-button mouse, I can aim and hit about 3 simultaneous buttons without repositioning a finger. I'm not saying it's better. I'm not saying anyone should adopt my gaming prefs. But it's how I like gaming.

[@Soulessblur]

@@MediaKitGaming Didn't you know? Anytime you have an issue, it's because you're not playing like ___ person! Yeah, gaming inputs can be complicated. I still wish there was some sort of official one-handed controller that was designed to be used in tandem with a mouse or a keyboard, so that you can better mix and match your preferences for a specific game. I certainly empathize with your stick issue and finger placements when it comes to gamepads. Personally - I despise being limited to 8 directional inputs for movement when playing with WASD. I've considered investing in one of those keypads that comes with a thumb stick, but they're pricy.

[@Selrisitai]

I feel like "persistent" should go to the "toggle," and your version should be called "toggle," because yours involves constantly toggling it, while what's presently the "toggle" option turns running on indefinitely, except in special situations.

[@vancemacewen4319]

I say this often but casual gamers generally want sprint/slide these days after that expectation has been set. Sprint just becomes the new baseline and a new repetitive motion issue with your keybinds. I prefer having default speed be run, and a keybind for walk, which you rarely need to do. Vermintide 2 has the best combat today and no sprint. Darktide has sprint and crouch-slide, and my pinky hates it. Both games have ways to move really fast and matches that last about 20mins. Not having sprint does NOT mean accepting a slow pace.

[@Proud_Knight]

Come to think of it, even in games where I'm stuck with toggle sprint I end up letting off the movement key/stick for a second to reset my sprint, it's like second nature. I'm hoping to get into game dev so I'll definitely remember this for my own games, that will be my default option.

[@MediaKitGaming]

“it's like second nature” Right?

[@baitposter]

I only map crouch to CTRL when it's a hold; for toggled crouch, I map that to C I also favor chiclet keyboards, so there's spacing between flush keys, harder for me to fumble accidentally when going for a sprint

[@maxkore278]

1: personally i use ESDF, as opposed to WASD, its just logical when you think about it, it's the natural typing position, so really WASD is the anomaly 2: beyond that i use pinky on A = sprint toggle, thumb on Alt = crouch, i can thus always perform crouch slides with ease 3: also i use slim keys, not those hideous outdated chunky things, slim keys are superior in every way, and ESDF is apparently more comfortable on slim keys

[@michaeljburt]

Note to self: One-shot-latch RUNNING STATE = hit the shift key One-shot-unlatch RUNNING STATE = no input vector on WASD

[@BasementMinions]

Excellent points! Would love a persistent run as the standard

[@Ehtis1]

Such amazing video quality and not even 1k subscribers yet? I hope you reach that milestone soon, you've got my support 🙏

[@MediaKitGaming]

I get a comment like this at least once per video. Thank you. Check out my others if you haven’t. I think you’ll find them equally engaging. Again, thanks.

[@ZarHakkar]

*Hold Sprint and Toggle Sprint:* 😴🤧 *Mash Forward to Sprint:* 😈

[@pugnippelz69]

I'd like to make a DIShonorable mention in sprinting. GTA. You mash A to sprint. You stop mashing, you stop sprinting. And then you're stuck in the Grand Senora Desert, with no vehicle and none nearby. Or you're in the Epsilon Program mission line, in which one mission entails sprinting a lap around the whole Grand Senora Desert. All roughly 4 miles of it, as the slowest playable character. And then you go outside and wipe a whole invading army just by thrusting your thumb in their foreheads.

[@CoriSparx]

I was LITERALLY thinking about this EXACT topic yesterday and then this video just shows up on my front page 🤣

[@MediaKitGaming]

The algorithm always knows… I’m listening… why were you thinking about it?

[@wildseedtheron]

Analog stick solution I prefer like in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: The game uses analog stick input to control Link's movement, allowing for variable walking and running speeds depending on how far the stick is tilted.

[@MediaKitGaming]

Yeah, I've never become comfortable with gamepads but I can't ignore some of the benefits... Like variable speeds with the analog stick.

[@itwsntme]

This is as old as Mario 64 and proof that mouse+keyboard aren't the best for all scenarios

[@MediaKitGaming]

I don’t think Nintendo games were ever intended to be played on anything other than Nintendo controllers. And I never said mouse and keyboard were the best for anything. I don’t think anyone did. I recognize that controllers and MKB each have their advantages and disadvantages. I use MKB because it’s how my hands are trained. It's just what I like to use.

[@wildseedtheron]

I don't think I have see a game do this, but you could use similar controls that racing games use on PC for "analog" acceleration to a sprint.

[@itwsntme]

@@MediaKitGaming I know you didn't, but that's a common position of master rrrace types (not accusing you of being one BTW) which I find quite silly. I think you're playing these games sub optimally for no reason I can understand. All that I'm saying, is give pads a chance (pun intended), they're absolutely natural for this. That'd be like me complaining about pads in FPS'. I would not play racing games without a wheel, rhythm games without a guitar controller or any fighting game I'm serious about without a stick. Heck, even motion controllers have their place (which is VR). Have to admit I didn't watch your video through the end since I find this to be a non issue, but I think developers have made compromises to make up for the less than optimal control device. Just like when FPS' are adjusted to play reasonably well, albeit compromised, with pads (sorry to keep bringing this one up, its just the best example)

[@DTPandemonium]

Depends on momentum slow/gain animations. Some of them just lock you out of moving properly for way too long. I thought you would talk about those when I first clicked.

[@guilhermerafaelzimermann4196]

Meanwhile minecraft only has persistent run, but you can also do it by just tapping then holding the forward key, which is what i do because i lack the coordination to hit the dedicated sprint key

[@Mineral4r7s]

i cant believe someone used my favourite childhood game oni as a showcase for something ❤

[@MediaKitGaming]

I dedicated a whole video to the game’s combat. Check out my other videos. It’s among the first I ever made for this channel.

[@Asijantuntia]

That's a good idea! Though I must say the persistent mode would be really annoying in many adventure games. When moving in a dense environment, I want to be able to quickly switch between running and walking, to be able to adjust to my surroundings better. Having to stop every time would feel extremely clunky. The persistent mode might work fine for people who just run all the time, like you apparently do. But if you want to soak in the environment slowly, you're probably switching between them quite often.

[@MediaKitGaming]

Which is why it should be an option. I'm not pushing for the abolition of toggle & hold.

[@Asijantuntia]

@@MediaKitGaming Yeah totally agree! Just felt like sharing some good aspects of the other modes, as I got the impression that the video portrayed them as objectively inferior and almost useless. Definitely should be an option though, for those that prefer it.

[@MediaKitGaming]

​@@Asijantuntia You're right. I did portray them as objectively inferior and almost useless. When I make a video I also have a stance, position, perspective… and my goal (through argument) is to convince viewers of my POV… OR give them something to think about… encouraging them to explore WHY they disagree. This video had a slightly negative spin. Others I have made have a more positive spin. I try to alternate between the two. Either way, commenters always agree and disagree with my takes. All of them. Toggle and hold are essentially useless to me if there is a “persistent-run” option. And I believe many players would agree if I made them think about it. But I would never encourage denying a player the freedom to play how they want or in a way that works best for them.

[@amaryllis0]

It's a little unconventional, but the Persistent mode would suit having a dedicated "walk" button, equivalent to the "run" button.

[@MediaKitGaming]

​@@amaryllis0 Like I said in the video, a lot of FPS games already do it. I didn't just make up a new mechanic. Perhaps I didn't explain it well in the video. In Cyberpunk 2077, if you stop moving and then restart, you're back in walk mode until you hit the run button again (unless there was a setting I missed). But hitting the run button again doesn't toggle you back to walk. That's a good thing. So if you want to walk, just let off the forward button for a microsecond, then move forward again. I think it's a perfect system. IMO. I don't think Cyberpunk 2077 needs a dedicated walk button… If it has one, I didn't use it.​

[@vvolfbelorven7084]

Awesome videos man. Liked and subscribed. Keep em coming!

[@golovkaanna8757]

What's the problem with pressing shift+ctrl with same finger? I literally finished dishonored 2 like that

[@MediaKitGaming]

If it works for you, great. The contortion necessary to pull that off is unnatural to how I hold my hand. No one is bashing your playstyle.

[@KryyssTV]

Maping crouch to L Alt fixes all issues with mobility since you'll never need both jump and crouch at the same time, but mapping them like this allows for very easy jump to crouch. You can also sprint and crouch without finger gymnastics.

[@MediaKitGaming]

left ALT is my go-to dodge key. And I couldn't switch it to CTRL because I hit it a lot in combat. L-CTRL is too far out of the way for a combat key… for me. But you present a good argument for making L-ALT crouch.

[@KryyssTV]

@@MediaKitGaming Ahh I see yes. Fair point. I personally use a mouse thumb button for dodge/rolls ect.

[@MediaKitGaming]

​@@KryyssTV ​ I think I did that on my first playthrough of Horizon Zero Dawn (dodge with thumb). I assume you have 2 thumb buttons as I do. Depending on the game I could assign the thumb buttons to anything. But in games with light and heavy melee that also have ranged weapons, where each can be used immediately (Kena: Bridge of Spirits, Horizon Forbidden West) Right-click is “raise ranged weapon”, left click is light attack, and the thumb button is heavy attack. Some games, like Fallout 4, require a weapon switch between ranged and melee… which is one of the reasons why I didn't like it (there are many reasons). I try to keep character movement on the left hand and aiming & attacks on the right. I really didn't like Kena: Bridge of Spirits until I found a key-map that clicked for me.

[@Yesytsucks]

Best running option is in stardew valley. Your character is always at the top speed, shift key acts as a slow down button instead. There's never really a need for someone to move at mediocre pace in games, so just give players 2 speeds and make a toggle/hold key, but for the slower one.

[@Leartin]

Any game which would be played by constantly running is flawed to begin with, and if you don't run constantly, hold is fine. Anyway: Run while key is pressed, after the key was pressed turn run on, and only turn run off with a small tap. Thus, in any situation where you are uncertain whether you are in running mode, just press the key down for a moment, and you certainly are, but you never need to hold it for minutes while crossing empty landscape.

[@TehAntares]

Why am I running is video games on every occassion anyway? I wouldn't be running like that in real life EVER.