The opening stages of Starfield can be a little slow, with players forced to wait for Lin and Heller at numerous points while down in the mine. Thankfully, this section is a relatively short one and the pace picks up quite a bit not too long after it, thanks in large to players learning how to sprint in Starfield.
Figuring out how to run faster in Starfield can make a huge difference, with players able to achieve their objectives much more quickly by running instead of walking. However, sprinting isn't the only way to get around quickly in Starfield and there are also a few caveats that players will need to keep in mind whenever they do decide to sprint.
How to Run in Starfield
In order to run in Starfield, players will either need to push the left analog stick in (Xbox) or hold down the left shift key on their keyboard (PC) as they move around. Sprinting will deplete the player's oxygen levels, which can be seen in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen. If players run out of oxygen while wearing a helmet then CO2 will begin to build up, which can eventually lead to the playable character taking damage.
There are a few things that players can do to combat CO2 buildup, the simplest of which is to remove one's helmet, though depending on the player's location this may not always be an option. The Fitness skill can also come in useful here, as it not only increases the amount of oxygen available but also decreases the amount of oxygen used by sprinting once players have fully upgraded it.
Conversely, carrying around too much gear can increase the amount of oxygen that's used up by sprinting, so players may want to consider increasing their carrying capacity or offloading some of their gear to one of their ships or companions. Players will be able to tell if they're encumbered pretty easily, as a message will pop up in the top right-hand corner of the screen.
Other Ways to Get Around Quickly in Starfield
Generally speaking, the fastest way to get around in Starfield is via the fast-travel system, which can be used from just about anywhere as long as players aren't carrying too much gear in their inventory. Alternatively, players can make map traversal much quicker by getting their hands on a boost pack and unlocking the Boost Pack Training skill from the Tech skill tree.
Starfield is available now for PC and Xbox Series X|S.