What is the design intent of the sprint function?

I'm curious what the intent is behind the sprint mechanic.

Is it supposed to be a long distance travel mechanic? (essentially a base mount for all players)
- if this is the case, I think it should be changed to a stance toggle (I don't want to hold a button down for mins at a time)
- the animation should also be toned down.

Is it supposed to be a combat option, similar to a dodge roll?
- If this is the case, it should probably act similarly to a temporary buff skill.

Is it supposed to be used for short bursts of speed to move from mob to mob?
- I guess the current design is fine for this, but we should not be allowed to sprint indefinitely.

Depending on the intend of the mechanic, I think there are better alternatives to holding down a button.
Some options of the top of my head:
- stance toggle
- automatic speed increase after running for X seconds (aka: albion online's gallop)
- skill with cooldown that gives large speed, but shorter duration

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Comments

Goatrek

Fuck sprinting as a base mechanic. Get it out of there!

Cizmar

It's actually a really great feature that a lot of newer MMOs use. ESO is a good example. It's really nice.

Noaani

It's current iteration is most likely alpha specific.

George_Black

Sprint is just tedious in non single player games.
Some will argue that it takes "skill" to know when to sprint and when to save your resources. To that I reply, it's ez, and everyone knows how to do it right.

It's just tedious.

Now, use sprint as a unique class mechanic, for roque and archer and I am with you.
A unique strength that must be tactically used.

Dygz

Use Sprint or don't.

It should feel somewhat tedious so that people are jogging most of the time instead of sprinting most of the time.
Felt more immersive in previous builds where sprint was limited to a minute or two.

George_Black

Dygz wrote: »

Use Sprint or don't.

It should feel somewhat tedious so that people are jogging most of the time instead of sprinting most of the time.
Felt more immersive in previous builds where sprint was limited to a minute or two.

Only rpers wont sprint if the game has it.
There is no "use it or dont" when it comes to benefits. And speed has it's many benefits. So it's compulsory. Except for rp.

Dygz

The wind visual effect was useful and immersive when it had the "stamina-like" timer on it that only allowed you to sprint for a minute. It was a better indicator that you were no longer sprinting than the effects icon beneath the health and mana bars.
It was a nice and easy indication that sprint had worn off and that there would be a bit of a cooldown before you could use sprint again.

Infinite sprint was implemented Friday, so now the wind effect isn't particularly useful.
If you can't sprint now, it's probably because you are in combat and you can tell you're in combat because you're holding your weapon. So, the wind effect is currently superfluous.

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