Constraining player actions

One important consideration to make when adding enhanced capabilities for the player is the impact that they have on both the challenge and feel of the game experience. Recall that we added the ability for the player to sprint in Chapter 6, Enhancing Player Abilities, by holding down the Shift key. As it currently stands, holding down the Shift key while moving provides a significant increase in the speed at which the player can move. Without constraints applied to this ability, such as an enforced waiting period between uses, there would be nothing discouraging the player from always holding down the Shift key as they move.

This goes against the goal we set out to accomplish by adding a sprint functionality, which was to provide more options to the player. If an option is so attractive that the player feels compelled to always utilize it, then it doesn't increase the number of interesting choices available to the player. From the player's perspective...