History Main / DoNotRunWithAGun

->''[[AChristmasStory "You'll shoot your eye out, kid!"]]''

''Partly'' TruthInTelevision, as in real life, firing while on the move does limit the accuracy with which one can fire, particularly if that motion is faster than a slow walk. And it's indeed quite difficult to attack when you're being hit in the face. However, in reality a well-trained troop or law enforcement professional can maintain reasonable accuracy while moving at a brisk shuffle. And oftentimes; most people aren't trained like that.

Many newer games will simulate this with accuracy factors for weapons, where the shots travel somewhere within a cone that gets wider as the player moves faster (first popularized in Tom Clancy licenses, but now common). This has created a minor genre split between "tactical" shooters where players will slow down, [[CrouchAndProne crouch, or even go prone]] to increase accuracy, and "classic" shooters that concentrate on high mobility and fast aiming. Not really the same as IJustShotMarvinInTheFace

* Taken to an extreme in ''MirrorsEdge'': Since you are playing a 1,60m tall woman on the run from the police and SWAT units that chase you over rooftops and through side alleys. You can pick up and fire even [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill Machine Guns]], but running while just holding them is impossible. With a Glock in Hand, you can run and jump, but since you don't have any spare ammunition on you it's usually best to just throw them away to get your hands free to climb up drain pipes and jump fences.

** Though somewhat inverted in [=TRs=] 2 and 3 with Lara's M16 and [=MP5=] weapons, with which Lara had to stand still while shooting.
* The villain of ''VideoGame/{{Metroid}} Fusion'' is the SA-X, an alien wearing a copy of Samus's Power Suit at its best. (Samus, of course, has picked up the BagOfSpilling in the intro.) Its overwhelming power makes you appreciate any little flaw you can find -- one of which is that the SA-X can't run and shoot.

** Similarly, the low firing rates of ''VideoGame/{{Marathon}}'''s baddies made it possible to take out nearly any enemy by circle-strafing as you knock them to pieces with your fists... at least until you hit the higher difficulty levels.
*** Actually, this was still possible for a lot of the weaker enemies even on Total Carnage. Try it with Enforcers or Troopers though and you're bound to get a nasty surprise.

*** Averted in its spiritual successor, ''PerfectDark'': The enemies actually seem to be ''more'' accurate when they're walking towards you and spraying bullets.
** For ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'', Civil Protection, which you fight early in the game, stands still while firing, but the Combine soldiers and especially the Elites will quite often shoot while running to and from cover.
*** Mind you, said running is done in a quick "trotting" manner.

** In all ''Call of Duty'' games you're not allowed to shoot while you're sprinting, because your character lowers his weapon to do so. You can shoot while moving, but your crosshair gets bigger and bigger the faster you go. It also gets bigger longer you fire without pause. In practical terms, this means your shots have a ''much'' looser spread: not very good when you're aiming at an enemy any decent distance away. On the flip side, while aiming down the sights, your gun's accuracy is generally perfect for the ranges it is meant for (aside from shotguns), and while accuracy is technically not hindered if the player moves (at the very slow rate they're able to) while aiming, the gun itself will sway as they move to make pinpoint shots difficult.

** In ''Counter-Strike'', even having one of the heavier weapons ''out'' will reduce your movement speed. Runs into FridgeLogic when you realize that it ought to be still weighing you down when it's strapped to your back. This often leads to players running around with their knives most of the time, then quickly switching to their gun when they spot an enemy.

** Accuracy in these games is affected by a number of factors, most of which are controlled by the player - slow movement doesn't affect it much, while sprinting or turning makes the crosshair go wild. Firing for extended periods throws accuracy to hell, as does getting shot (hence why it's in your best interest to plan well enough that your team ''doesn't'' get shot).

--> Louis: "Run or shoot? '''Run or shoot!?!'''"
--> Bill: "Both!"

* The popular [[http://www.runestorm.com/page.php?2 Ballistic Weapons]] mod for ''VideoGame/UnrealTournament2004'' makes you move slowly when you're merely ''holding'' out heavier weapons; therefore, it is more preferable to switch to smaller firearms or melee weapons when merely crossing the maps. In addition, moving at all typically causes accuracy to suffer, especially with the aforementioned heavier weapons - the only guaranteed way to nail a hit is to stand still and aim down the sights.

* In ''RedOrchestra'' your avatar will actually uncock the hammer on the Tokarev when they sprint. The same goes for other weapons which can be similarly disengaged, otherwise, they'll be put down and be unusable.

* ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' mostly plays this straight, but Buggers and some Elites are an aversion, being able to run or fly while shooting—although they usually move more slowly and predictably when they do it. Most of the Elites that do it also [[GunsAkimbo dual wield]] plasma rifles.
* Subverted in ''MedalOfHonor'' series, while some enemies stop to shoot, others will run-n-gun with [[ImprobableAimingSkills no decrease in accuracy]]. Also, they continue firing at you while flinching/knocked back. Precision aiming (ie iron sights) in ''Frontline'' originally prevented you from moving, but the HD remake allows you to move while using the iron sights.

** ''VideoGame/MegaManX'' can run while using his normal weapons, but {{Easter Egg}}s (like the ''StreetFighter'' moves he gets in a couple of games) are another story.
*** Zero is the one who really takes it on the chin here; in several of the ''X'' games, he puts away his Z-Saber after each attack or combo, and you can't move till he does this. (You also can't move till his ''ponytail finishes falling.'') However, in the PS1 ''X'' games, Zero can cancel his basic sword attacks at ANY moment by using a dash (default O button). This removes the recovery time allows you to keep moving or create a chain combo. The PS2 ''X'' games fix this by having him keep the saber out at all times, which looks silly but makes practical sense. In [[VideoGame/MegaManZero his own series]], Zero has a much smoother combat system that never pins him down.

* This is optional in ''VideoGame/GunstarHeroes''. At the start of the game, you can choose either "Free Shot" which lets you keep moving while firing, or "Fixed Shot" which makes you stand still while firing, allowing you to shoot at angles more accurately. For some reason, it also affects your hair color.
** The reason is is that they're different characters - Gunstar Red uses Free Shot by default, while Gunstar Blue uses Fixed Shot. The actual color of the character is determined by player order, though.

* Enforced in ''VideoGame/LANoire''-the "run" button is actually the same button you use to shoot when you have a weapon equipped.

** ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoViceCity'' decided what weapons you could and couldn't use while running based on whether they were one- or two-handed. Of course, there was a mod that made all the guns in the game single-handed. This removed the hassle of having to choose weapons based on the situation (a positive or negative feature depending on the point of view), but had the side effect of making the protagonist highly ridiculous as he ran around shooting a freaking ''[[GatlingGood minigun]]'' single-handed.
*** Or better said, ''[[{{MANLINESS}} over-the-top badass]].''

* Most (older) FPS games, such as ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'', ''VideoGame/{{Half-Life|1}}'', ''VideoGame/DukeNukem3D''... it is probably easier to list the exceptions.

** For ''VideoGame/{{Half-Life 2}}'', Civil Protection, which you fight early in the game, stands still while firing, but the Combine soldiers and especially the Elites will quite often shoot while running to and from cover.

** Notably, the original ''VideoGame/{{Half-Life|1}}'' managed to disguise this pretty well - lots of people never realized the Marines couldn't move and shoot at the same time without it being pointed out.

* For the same reason, ''VideoGame/{{Counter-Strike}}'' and ''VideoGame/AmericasArmy'' are FPS games that drastically reduce a weapon's accuracy if the player does not stop and brace himself.

* ''VideoGame/DeusEx'' has a targeting reticle that widens to indicate you'll shoot less accurately (moving, taking damage) and slowly tightens to indicate drawing a bead (standing still, crouching); your ability to rapidly aim at something increases with weapon proficiency. The same effect is visible in the tactics of [=NPCs=], where common grunts will almost always hold ground while firing at you, and have laughable accuracy when they move and shoot. Humans with 'upgrades' like the player character's, may actually strafe while firing heavy weapons, or run circles around you while firing a small assault rifle one handed ([[spoiler:e.g. Gunther Hermann/Walton Simons; Anna Navarre/Paul Denton]])

** All combat units in ''VideoGame/Outpost2'' can fire and move at the same time. This actually is used in strategy when units of the same class (and hence, move at the same speed) can outrun the enemy's gun range while laying fire.

** All combat units in ''OutPost 2'' can fire and move at the same time. This actually is used in strategy when units of the same class (and hence, move at the same speed) can outrun the enemy's gun range while laying fire.

** Units in ''CompanyOfHeroes'' will shoot while moving, possibly in an attempt to lay down suppressing fire. It's also possible for tanks to shoot either it's main cannon or auxiliary guns while moving.

* ''VideoGame/{{Castlevania}}'' heroes can rarely move while attacking. In games with many weapons available, it depends on which one you're using; certain weapons (such as the Blue Knuckles in ''Symphony of the Night'') are more valuable than they seem because they can be used on the go. Also handy is the backdash move, which will sometimes cancel attack animations early, returning control to the player (and letting you strike again faster than you're "supposed" to). {{Speed Run}}ners take these factors into account.
** One factor which makes the Crissaegrim a GameBreaker is the ability to attack without slowing down while using it. Later games in the series keep this ability (and its Japanese name: Valmanwe) but it's balanced by a much lower ATK stat.

* In most ''[[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Zelda]]'' games swinging your sword freezes you in place, so that you cannot dodge attacks while swinging your sword. In Ocarina of Time the movement is a little more fluid but you still stand in place while you swing your sword. ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Twilight Princess]]'' added the ability to run and slash but SkywardSword took it out again.

* In ''{{Gungrave}}'', you could walk but not run while shooting, and could shoot faster while standing still, as holding down the fire button while still activates Burst Mode. In the sequel however, Grave, Juji, and Billy can run full tilt and shoot simultaneously.

** In ''VideoGame/OperationFlashpoint'', it is possible to fire while running, but it's so terribly inaccurate that hitting anything is akin to winning a lottery. Nevertheless, AI soldiers can sometimes be seen doing it. Firing while walking is somewhat more practical, but only at the closest of ranges.

* ''Danmaku'' game ''DonPachi'' had two weapons for all aircraft, a standard vulcan and the WaveMotionGun used as the ChargeAttack, when using the big beam gun, your attacks do more damage and can actually put a dent in bigger warships and slows you to a crawl but the standard rapid fire attack takes care of mook aircraft. It is a matter of knowing when to use which type of attack to use when facing them.

* ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' is likely one of the most popular subversions of this trope. The player is free to move, aim, and shoot to their heart's content. ''VideoGame/{{Halo 3}}'' added heavy weapons, and while movement speed is reduced, jump height and aiming speed are maintained, and ''VideoGame/HaloReach'' took a leaf out of the more realistic first-person shooters' book and included a sprint function that lowers your weapon.

** Vehicles similarly have firepower restrictions based on their speed. A stationary vehicle can fire all of its weaponswith normal accuracy, a vehicle that moves at "combat speed" can fire only a single weapon with accuracy while all others can only make highly-inaccurate "snap shots", while a vehicle moving at "cruising speed" can only fire snap shots. As with other units, certain types of vehicles have fewer restrictions.

* Tabletop ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' has varying levels of this trope depending on weapon types. "Rapid Fire" weapons can be fired twice on the move, but with short range. If a unit remains stationary Rapid Fire weapons can fire a single shot up to their maximum range. Heavy weapons cannot be fired at all on the move, while "Assault" weapons and pistols can be fired at full effect while on the move, even leaving the unit able to assault the same turn. Models with the "Relentless" special rule can ignore all of these restrictions due to acting as a stable firing platform.
** Vehicles similarly have firepower restrictions based on their speed. A stationary vehicle can fire all of its weapons, a vehicle that moves at "combat speed" can fire only a single weapon (plus anti-personnel "defensive weapons"), while a vehicle moving at "cruising speed" cannot fire any weapons at all. As with other units, certain types of vehicles have fewer restrictions.

** Similarly, in ''BattlefieldVietnam'', not only can tanks fire while moving, they can also fire while being airlifted by helicopters, causing the pilot huge frustration as he tries to compensate for the effect of a tank swinging wildly beneath his helicopter.
** In all VideoGame/CallOfDuty games you're not allowed to shoot while you're sprinting, because your character lowers his weapon to do so. You can shoot while moving, but your crosshair gets bigger and bigger the faster you go. It also gets bigger longer you fire without pause. In practical terms, this means your shots have a ''much'' looser spread: not very good when you're aiming at an enemy any decent distance away.
*** Although when aiming down the sights, your gun's accuracy is generally perfect for the ranges it is meant for (aside from shotguns), and it's hard to tell if moving affects your accuracy while aiming down the sights, as at ranges where your gun's inaccuracy is notable, you wouldn't be hitting them while not aiming down the sights at that range anyway.
**** The character moves much slower when aiming down the sights, so it is logical that the accuracy is not affected (or not affected as much).
* For the same reason, ''VideoGame/{{Counter-Strike}}'' and ''AmericasArmy'' are FPS games that drastically reduce a weapon's accuracy if the player does not stop and brace himself.

** In ''VideoGame/{{Counter-Strike}}'', even having one of the heavier weapons ''out'' will reduce your movement speed. Runs into FridgeLogic when you realize that it ought to be still weighing you down when it's strapped to your back. This often leads to players running around with their knives most of the time, then quickly switching to their gun when they spot an enemy.
** In ''OperationFlashpoint'', it is possible to fire while running, but it's so terribly inaccurate that hitting anything is akin to winning a lottery. Nevertheless, AI soldiers can sometimes be seen doing it. Firing while walking is somewhat more practical, but only at the closest of ranges.

* There are several exceptions in ''[[VideoGame/FirstEncounterAssaultRecon F.E.A.R.]]''; the clone troops can fire while running if they're holding a light weapon such as the submachine gun, although this makes them very inaccurate - otherwise they tend to kneel and provide covering fire for their moving comrades. The flying robots can keep firing lasers as they move, and the big stompy robot can fire missiles while it clomps around. The other characters, however, must remain stationary to fire.

* A strange example of the variant in ''Rainbow Six''. Running into an enemy prevents him from shooting you because he is busy being pushed. So if you suddenly bump into a terrorist while reloading, don't run away from him, run into him.

*** ''VideoGame/{{StarCraft II}}'' keeps this for the most part, with the ability to "micro" unit that can't normally move and shoot being a very important part of high-level play. An extremely common tactic with a mostly ranged army is to "stutter step" which involves repeatedly ordering your army to move and stop so they fire as much as possible while still moving to minimize damage to themselves. If done particularly quickly, the firing animation persists as the units move, so it appears that they are firing while moving. A special few units, such as the Protoss Phoenix, actually have to ability to move and shoot at once.

* Similar in ''MassEffect''. There is an armor upgrade that improves accuracy while moving.
** Mass Effect2 and 3 take this a bit further by giving players the best accuracy when firing out of cover, which requires them to be fairly immobile. It's also not possible to run and fire weapons at the same time (or any other action for that matter). Finally, characters automatically walk slower while aiming their weapons.

* ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' has a few weapons that can't be used while running: the minigun, the sniper rifle (when zoomed in), and the Huntsman (with an arrow drawn). Using either one automatically slows the character down significantly. Contrasted by the Scout, which is designed to be attacking while running faster than any other class.

One specific variant rarely found in newer games also prevents enemies from performing any actions at all while being attacked (because their "flinch" animations interfered with their "firing" animations) or knocked off ledges, which allowed one to run up and wail on them using a melee weapon with impunity.

** Certain ''{{Starcraft}}'' units nearly avert this. Certain units (Terran Siege Tank, Goliaths, Zerg Mutalisks) have such a short firing animation that they can emulate the ability to fire while moving. Mutalisk micro in particular has been raised to a fine art among the professional scene, to the point where a team of Mutalisks can fire as fast as possible while flying in the ''opposite'' direction of what they're shooting at.

*** {{Starcraft2}} keeps this for the most part, with the ability to "micro" unit that can't normally move and shoot being a very important part of high-level play. An extremely common tactic with a mostly ranged army is to "stutter step" which involves repeatedly ordering your army to move and stop so they fire as much as possible while still moving to minimize damage to themselves. If done particularly quickly, the firing animation persists as the units move, so it appears that they are firing while moving. A special few units, such as the Protoss Phoenix, actually have to ability to move and shoot at once.

* ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' games were known for forcing you to either move or shoot, never both, to the point where the ability to tip-toe while aiming is considered so much of a groundbreaking feature that it's all over ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilOutbreak Outbreak File #2]]'''s case cover. ''Mercenaries 3D'', ''Revelations'' and ''6'' are the only other games in which the [[InformedAbility extremely well-trained and experienced]] main characters have half the fighting skill of the [[ActionSurvivor Average Joes]] from [[Franchise/SilentHill the series below]].

* The ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' games force you to either move or shoot. Somewhat logical, as hitting ''anything'' while moving and firing is difficult.
** Though less logically, you are unable to move with your knife drawn in VideoGame/ResidentEvil5 (or [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil4 4]], for that matter).
** An early exception being ''Outbreak File #2'', though your character can only walk slowly while aiming and firing. This is considered such a groundbreaking development that it is proudly trumpeted ''on the game's box.''
** ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilTheMercenaries3D'', ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilRevelations'', and ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil6'' all avert this, allowing considerable movement while handling weapons. Of course, that is "considerable" by the franchise's standards, as you can now move at your standard walk speed while maintaining your aim. You can use a combat dodge to drop to a prone firing position, and then crawl while maintaining aim, but during the roll your aim is broken. There is no run-and-gunning, and absolutely no Halo-esque jump-gunning. It is, however, still infinitely better compared to not being able to move at all when your gun is readied.
* Ditto for the ''Franchise/SilentHill'' series, where only the heaviest weapons require your character to stand in place to use.
** It's really rather weird that Harry, James, Heather, Henry...the entire Silent Hill protagonist group, basically, are able to walk and shoot; while the lead characters of the Resident Evil series - virtually all of whom are highly trained law enforcement officers - cannot. When you're being chased down a hallway by a pack of angry zombies, backpedaling three steps, then shooting, then backpedaling three more, then shooting again, becomes '''very''' aggravating, especially against the "molasses in January" zombies of the first three games. Then again, considering that "Highly Trained" in this case is [[IdiotPlot by Raccoon City standards]], it makes more sense.
* The ability to walk while aiming (and shooting) in ''Franchise/DeadSpace'' is considered to be one of the biggest differences between itself and the later games in the Franchise/ResidentEvil series, which are otherwise very similar in controls and genre. Interestingly, you're not even penalized for doing so; your shots are just as accurate either way. Technically this trope is played straight though, as you're able to sprint, but you can't aim or shoot while doing so.