Why does stealth always slow you down in Games?

[Monoliith]

Any actual capable thief is aware that being stealthy isn't all about being slow in order to be quiet, you can be very silent and still move very quickly simultaneously; so why does that never seem to be the case in video games?

Is it just an Industry trope that hasn't been altered yet?

[Simulacrum]

To keep you from being in stealth permanently.

[Firebert]

Is it just an Industry trope that hasn't been altered yet?

You get the benefit of stealth; the speed reduction is the tradeoff for that power.

It's called balancing, and is why games aren't realistic.

[Stormspark]

Rogues in WOW (at least subtlety rogues) have talents that let them move *faster* in stealth than out of stealth. So that pretty much inverts it.

[Kuthe]

A. Because stealth would be op.
B. Because in a game, people are actively looking for stealthy people, therefore it'd be easier to spot them if they were moving faster.

[Monoliith]

I'm talking more about games like Thief or Styx where; for all intents and purposes, you spend the entire game in a stealth mode; and yet you are reduced to playing the game at half speed for the sake of a trade off of power?

Even Hitman does this to an extent and thats depressing

[Wolfbear]

Well if you sprint that usually makes noise as you're smashing your feet on the ground.

[Fencers]

Is it just an Industry trope that hasn't been altered yet?

Actions in video games exist as a metaphor for mechanics. Often the gameplay mechanic of "stealth" is just being used as dressing in the visual or conceptual wrapping of a dude sneaking about. Though all the game designer is trying to do is have a mechanism where one entity doesn't trigger the alert state of other entities with some tradeoff for avoidance- slowness, commonly.

It isn't the goal of video games to make you feel you are piloting a starship, firing a rocket launcher or sulking in the shadows. They are using those metaphors to express gameplay operation.

[Haven]

Because sneaking takes effort, duh.

[isuridedes]

Probably because 'stealth' is literally defined as "cautious and surreptitious action or movement" which lends itself to the notion of being slow, methodical, and careful.

As others have already said; for some games it is a matter of balancing, for others it is merely a trope.

[bmjclark]

It actually speeds you up as a rogue in WoW :P

[Very Tired]

Why would anyone do anything but be stealthed if it made you faster or the same speed?

[TEHPALLYTANK]

Not all floors are covered in carpet!

[Daita Tetsu]

there may be times when you could potentially move quickly but still be quiet. Like robbing a pillow factory.

But moving quietly is all about accommodating your motions to reduce noticeable noise. Any time this method of movement is different from moving quickly or moving efficiently, which it often would be, then you've found yourselve moving at some slower pace.

Moving across a floor covered in foam or pillows, yes you could probably move pretty swiftly without making any sound alerting nearby people/dogs/whatever, you would probably be moving very similar to normal

But crossing through old dried leaves? No matter how efficiently you maneuver your body/feet, those things are going to snap crackle and pop. You would compensate by moving slowly- while you would still be making "alot" of sound overall, by moving slowly and spreading that sound out carefully it could blend into the background noise and not alert detection.

So you may have a point, if game studios wanted to be super realistic about your stealth class being a badass, then based on the circumstances- enemy distance, terrain, background noise, they could have your movement penalty modifier for stealth vary. But ultimately it would still be there I think. Thats also alot of extra programming for a very small change that most people would not even notice/appreciate so its probably not a good choice of mechanic to spend programming time/money on.

Also by having variable stealth speed based on circumstances, your character's movements might become slightly less predictable to the player controlling them and cause some unintended detections/falling off cliffs ect, so thats one more reason not too

of course, if enemies are a fair distance away that sound would be inaudible, stealth at least for sound should have no speed reduction, but you can control that yourself by simply not being in stealth.


Thats only accounting for sound though, as for how we visually conceal ourselves standing right in front of the enemy.. well whether or not that would force you to move slower would depend on the games explanation of how exactly thats even possible. If there is no explanation, then we simply assume there is a reason because our character isnt an idiot.

Unless your character is an idiot, then you already know the reason :3

[Val the Moofia Boss]

You spend more time crouching along, looking over your back trying to avoid line of sight as opposed to actually running through the level.

[Valeron]

why is most stealth not really stealth but invisibility?

[ComputerNerd]

why is most stealth not really stealth but invisibility?

Because many of the mechanics and gameplay simply would not work were you simply "sneaking".

[Valeron]

Because many of the mechanics and gameplay simply would not work were you simply "sneaking".

I actually enjoyed how AoC did it (for an mmo). While it wasn't perfect, it still had more gameplay to it than just "invisibility"

[mickybrighteyes]

Why would anyone do anything but be stealthed if it made you faster or the same speed?

depends... what actions do you have available while stealthed?

movement alone isn't actually worth it since usually... opponents will know you're nearby (in any competition that matters and has balancing in mind) and with half a brain can figure where you will be.

[Deleted]

It doesn't. There are games where you aren't slowed down. But if it does slow you down it's because it's a trade off.