VX'S DASH FEATURE

I don't think you should slow down the move speed to force the player to take in the scenario. I'll use Vision and Voices as an example of why.

In V&V more dungeons would be unlocked and more chests would spawn every time you rest. That gave me a reason to want to explore. The game also had two movement speeds. However, when I went looking for new things, I didn't use the slower speed, I ran at full speed and simple stopped if I wanted more time to look at something.

Now, imagine if V&V did not have the dash speed. This would have made exploring take much more time and to counter that, I would have explored less. Chance is I would have rested until the final day and then done all the exploring so I don't have to go trough anything multiple times. Considering how feats work, this would have been bad. Also V&V is fairly atmospheric. It's not the most atmospheric game I've played, but it does get the "something is wrong" feeling down just right. However, had the game forced me to move slowly, I would have spent the time being annoyed at the slow movement speed rather than taking in the atmosphere.

You can claim that what I said is just hypothetical since V&V does have the dash speed, but the negative reactions I claimed are reactions I had to other games which actually forces me to move slower. Moving slow makes me unwilling to stray of the main road since doing so takes to much time and the annoyance becomes like an atmosphere in itself.

Even if we factor out backtracking, I'm very skeptical to the idea that moving slow makes me notice more. When I see a crossroad, or something else that makes multiple objects on the map interesting, I will look at all points of interest. However, once I've decided on a path, my eyes will be focused on said path. There's even the chance that the slower I walk, the more focused I become at the main path since a mistake takes longer to repair.

I can give myself all the time I need to notice details and take in the atmosphere simple by letting go of the directional keys. Try to stimulate me into taking a look around instead of attempting to force me into doing so. When playing a game I'm supposed to struggle against the challenge the game provides me and not against the game itself.

If a player wants to run through beautiful scenery, that's his/her own damn fault. As a game designer you can't know what the player may or may not do and overly restrictive games in that area don't tend to be all that likable. So, open it up some, and let the player spoil whatever it is to him/herself.

Oblivion had quick-travel, and certain players did not like it stating it removes from the experience. Well, they didn't have to use it. Why do people assume that because a game offers something they are obligated to use it? Dashing, for one.

I agree with everything Crystalgate said, it's a very good analysis of the subject and I can't see any faults in it. I particularly have to agree that moving more slowly doesn't make me notice more.