Incentivize Walking Over Running

[Nesano]

My characters seem to the the only ones running around like maniacs. I have them do it because there's no drawback, so it's better than walking, but it's a bit immersion-breaking to see my characters acting differently from everyone else in the game world like that.

It would make sense if running drained hunger faster and/or drained a stamina bar. However they would do it, I'd like to have a reason to walk instead of run during day-to-day activity.

[Vandala]

Untill you realize there is no downside to also always sneak. (except for speed but that is hardly ever an issue, plus at higher level you get your running speed back even when using stealth)

Even when you're in your own town have everyone always sneak, it raises the skill faster and helps with safety untill you can get some good armor.

Looks really silly of course but there are no downsides so... Just pretend you're a village of ninjas.

[Nesano]

That's another problem because my characters would go from maniacs to kids trying to be sneaky.

[Ocram]

Dunno how often you fight, or fight squads stronger than yours, but limbs take a lot to recover from -100+, you are forced to walk for days already, and it's not pretty in heavy swarmed areas. You can't run near certain packs too, or you get attacked. I get your needs, I would implement it in interiors for example, that makes sense, in towns maybe too, but I think is just adding/taking nothing having it or not, just slows things.

[Nesano]

The fast forward feature isn't that powerful, it already take a good bit of time for characters to move between towns. If they were walking it wouldn't make that much of a difference. Plus it's currently way too easy to level athletics, this would be a good way to balance that out.

[swillo]

Having running drain food faster wouldn't be a bad thing. Since hunger is functioning dually as food, water and rest.
For that matter sneaking should also drain it, as it's harder then just walking.
But it would have to be based on active running, not standing around with the movement speed set to run.
But it might be a "running through rain drops" type of thing. Do you use more food running to where you want to be, or walking and taking more time to get there.

As for immersive I don't see running from place to place as non immersive. This is a harsh world with no other transportation options. Those who can run survive longer, it's just a simple fact of life. The slower you are the easier a target you are. If you are a small squad with light packs and everyone is basically the same speed, then IMHO you should be running.

For my teams I generally use the "move at the pace of the slowest" option. As this feels like the most reasonable to me. If i'm walking from one place to another I want to make it there in the fastest time I can. to quote Mathew Quigly "Don't know where we're going but there's no sense being late."
But with this option I don't leave people behind ,we travel as a group and make the best time possible. That just seems reasonable.