The 'Run for it' strategy.

[toquio3]

It happens once and a while. You want to play the game properly, take your time, snipe people, nice and tidy. But sometimes the game just gets bitchy and you decide, 'screw it' and just make a run for it through mobs, bullets, fire, dragons, whatever gets in the way.

The thing is, I never played a game that had a mechanic in place for just that strategy. Some games let you fight, sneak or talk your way in or out of situations, but what about the 'run for it' enthusiasts? What about the Tremors fans? Are we out of luck? We get no xp for killing, no clever dialog cutscenes, nothing.

Oh sure, there are the occasional moments where you run for it, but they only happen when the developers dont give you any other choice. 'Shit has hit the fan, now run!' appears on screen, and you run. No. I want 'run for it' to be a viable strategy just as much as combat is. You know, like in the Matrix.

I know quicktime events are pretty much despised in games, but I loved Shenmue, so to hell with the nay sayers. I wouldnt mind seeing more of them implemented in a mechanic like this one. And if quicktime is really out of the table, how about standard FPSs borrowing a mechanic or two from Mirror's Edge?

Thats all Im saying.

 

[Jedoro]

It'd take some tweaking to get right for a shooter, and I most likely wouldn't do it, but I'd like knowing the option was there.

 

[rockyoumonkeys]

Alan Wake has a bunch of "Run For It" moments. Your reward is that you survive. It's usually possible to kill all the enemies, but in a lot of cases the better strategy is to just run to the next light.

 

[Danceofmasks]

In sandbox games such as Saints Row 2 .. there are plenty of moments when the shit has hit the fan ... and fighting just makes it worse.

 

[the_pleasure_is_mine]

I liked Call of Dutys way of pressing A (360) to climb up surfaces... I can imagine it'd make for some pretty epic gameplay if they made it more fluid while sprinting. This is of course for the online.

I've seen several moments in singleplayer games when simply running for it is a perfectly good strategy, but not enough.

 

[Randomspike]

Games where you have no weapons or are weapons are pretty much useless tend to have sections where you have to run for it

Spoiler: for example in Penumbra: Overture...

there is a part where a giant worm creature is chasing you and you have not option but to run away

 

[Retal19]

'Run like Fuck' as I call it, has worked for me numerous times in various Games, mainly the likes of Fallout New Vegas, and... wait... shit, that's about it.

Yeah, I'd like to see the 'Run like Fuck' strategy implemented into games so that it's a viable option, rather than painstakingly fighting the same part over and over because you aren't good enough/don't have the right equipment/etc. and you aren't allowed to run.

 

[The Wooster]

As a minstrel in LOTRO I'm generally well... not the leader... more like the nanny of the group. I keep an eye on the battle, people's health, I call out what kind of fellowship maneuver we need and, on occassion, I scream "peg it" and bravely leader my troops away from the battle.

 

[Rock Beefchest]

Dead money had a part like this.

Edit: someone remind me how to do spoilers I have completely forgot.

 

[JRCB]

There were several moments in Battlefield: Bad Company where I had to run for it. Most of the entire last level, actually.

 

[Tony2077]

running not a plan running is what you do when a plan fails

 

[shootthebandit]

these are my FREEDOM moments. as im scottish i usually scream the word FREEDOM at my TV and charge in and kill everything

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

"Run like hell!"

It is a viable strategy in many situations. I use it frequently in The Streets of Simcity.

 

[Riobux]

"Run like hell!"

I wonder if the game named after that was named after the actual strategy...

 

[Hader]

Running is a great strategy. Especially running in the worst place possible.

For the short time I played Modern Warfare 2, I always played as a riot shield class and always had the infinite sprint perk with it. My strategy, going beyond calling it my trolling strategy at least, was to just run like hell to the first place that seemed like the worst place to run to, and see what the hell I could do there. Many times, not surprisingly, it got me killed easily. However, I had just as many moments of pure awesome, once or twice sneaking up on 3-4 enemies or a sniper and just taking them out of the equation. Turned the tide of the battle a few times. And to rub in my point, and just be kind of an asshole, anyone I snuck up on, I always bashed with my riot shield. No easy knife kills, I made a point that I had just slapped their ass dead with a pane of glass.

It's not an FPS, but in Amnesia Dark Descent, instead of hiding fro monsters and whatnot when I was supposed to, I just ran past them and tried to get somewhere safe (as in, the next loading screen). Worked for a while, at least.

 

[Frozen Donkey Wheel2]

Yeah, that's what I did for half of the last (Ezio) level of Assassin's Creed Brotherhood. Those fuckers still managed to break all my armor, though.

I've also employed it in quite a few Spec Ops missions in MW2.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Two Words.

Leeroy Jenkins.

 

[MegaManOfNumbers]

We're not running! We're advancing in the other direction!

 

[superstringz]

Run like hell is a very good strategy in Iji. Also nets you a more hopeful ending.

 

[s0m3th1ng]

I liked Call of Dutys way of pressing A (360) to climb up surfaces... I can imagine it'd make for some pretty epic gameplay if they made it more fluid while sprinting. This is of course for the online.

I've seen several moments in singleplayer games when simply running for it is a perfectly good strategy, but not enough.

Have you seen Brink gameplay commentary? It looks like a more open version of Mirror's Edge mechanics.
Does running because you are scared out of your fucking mind, trailing a stream of urine, and yelling count? (Amnesia)

Also, playing a Rogue in WoW afforded me a lot less deaths and repair bills. Both tanks down? CHEESE IT ! *Vanish*