Getting your character movement right starts with roblox starterplayer properties walkspeed, especially if you're tired of that default plodding pace. If you've ever spent five minutes walking across a massive baseplate in Roblox Studio, you know exactly what I'm talking about. The default movement speed is okay for some games, but it feels like you're stuck in mud if you're building a fast-paced shooter or a high-intensity obby.
Changing the walkspeed isn't just about making things go faster, though. It's about the "feel" of your game. When you tweak these settings, you're essentially deciding how the player interacts with your world. If they're too fast, your map feels tiny. If they're too slow, people get bored and leave. Luckily, messing with these settings is one of the easiest things you can do in Roblox Studio once you know where to look.
Finding the StarterPlayer settings
So, where is this setting hidden? If you're looking at your Explorer window on the right side of the screen, scroll down until you see a folder-like icon labeled StarterPlayer. This is basically the "master template" for every player that joins your game. It controls everything from how high they jump to whether they're forced into first-person mode.
Once you click on StarterPlayer, keep your eyes on the Properties window directly below it. If you don't see the Properties window, you can enable it under the "View" tab at the top of Studio. Inside those properties, you'll find a section dedicated to character movement. There it is: CharacterWalkSpeed.
By default, this value is set to 16. If you change it to 32, your players will suddenly feel like they've had five energy drinks. If you set it to 8, they'll crawl along like they're carrying a heavy backpack. The beauty of changing it here is that it applies to everyone instantly the moment they spawn into the game. No scripting is required for this part, which is a huge relief if you're just getting started.
Why 16 isn't always the magic number
You might wonder why Roblox chose 16 as the default. It's a middle-ground speed that works for most social hangouts and basic platformers. But let's be real—most modern games need something different.
If you're making a horror game, try dropping that roblox starterplayer properties walkspeed down to 12 or 13. It creates a sense of vulnerability. When a monster is chasing you and you can't quite outrun it easily, the tension through the roof. On the flip side, if you're making a "Speed Simulator," you might start the player at 20 or 25 just to make them feel powerful from the get-go.
One thing to keep in mind is that walkspeed affects how players jump. If a player is moving faster, their momentum will carry them further horizontally when they leap. If you've spent hours perfectly placing platforms in an obby and then you decide to double the walkspeed, you've probably just broken your entire level. Suddenly, players are overshooting every jump. Always test your levels after you mess with these values.
Going beyond the static property
While setting the speed in the StarterPlayer properties is great for a global setting, sometimes you want the speed to change while the person is actually playing. Maybe you want a "sprint" button, or maybe you want a power-up that makes them go supersonic for ten seconds.
For that, you'll need a tiny bit of Luau (Roblox's scripting language). You can't just change the StarterPlayer property mid-game and expect it to update a player who is already walking around. Why? Because StarterPlayer only acts as the instructions for new characters. Once a character exists in the workspace, they have their own individual "Humanoid" object that controls their speed.
If you want to change a specific player's speed via a script, you'd look for the Humanoid.WalkSpeed property. For example, if you wanted to make a player run fast when they touch a certain brick, you'd write a script that finds the character's Humanoid and sets the WalkSpeed directly. It's a bit more work than just typing a number into a property box, but it opens up so many more gameplay possibilities.
Dealing with the "Ice Skating" effect
One weird thing that happens when you crank up the roblox starterplayer properties walkspeed too high is what I like to call the ice skating effect. Have you ever played a game where you tap the "W" key for a split second and your character launches forward ten studs? It feels slippery and hard to control.
Roblox physics handles movement by applying forces to the character. If the speed is set to 50 or 100, the acceleration can feel a bit jarring. To fix this, you might need to look into other properties like Humanoid.HipHeight or even custom physical properties on the floor parts to give players more friction. Most of the time, though, just keeping your walkspeed within a reasonable range (usually under 40) keeps the movement feeling crisp and responsive.
Troubleshooting: Why isn't my speed changing?
Sometimes you'll change the number in StarterPlayer, hit the "Play" button, and nothing. You're still moving at that same old 16 speed. It's incredibly frustrating.
Usually, this happens because of one of two things. First, check if you have any scripts running in your game that might be overwriting the walkspeed. A lot of free models (like "Admin Commands" or "Regen Buttons") have hidden scripts that reset the player's speed to the default whenever they spawn or move.
Second, make sure you're actually changing the property on the StarterPlayer object and not just a random part in your game. It sounds silly, but when you have fifty things open in the Explorer, it's easy to click the wrong thing. Also, remember that changing the walkspeed in the "Properties" window while the game is already running (in Play mode) won't save. You have to stop the simulation, change the value, and then start it again for it to stick.
Balancing speed and map size
I've seen a lot of new developers make the mistake of building a tiny house and then setting the walkspeed to 30. The player ends up zooming from the kitchen to the bedroom in half a second. It makes the world feel like a toy.
When you're deciding on your roblox starterplayer properties walkspeed, look at your environment. Take a character model and walk from one end of a room to the other. If it feels too fast, don't just shrink the room—try lowering the speed. Managing the relationship between scale and velocity is what separates "okay" games from "great" games.
Also, consider mobile players. Moving at 50 speed is manageable with a keyboard and mouse, but on a tiny phone screen with a virtual joystick, it's a nightmare. If your game is meant to be cross-platform, keep that walkspeed at a level where someone with "fat thumbs" can still navigate your hallways without bumping into every single wall.
Final thoughts on movement
At the end of the day, the walkspeed is just a number, but it's probably the most important number in your game's configuration. It dictates the rhythm of your gameplay. Whether you're building a sprawling RPG where travel time matters or a chaotic minigame where everyone is zipping around, getting your roblox starterplayer properties walkspeed dialed in is the first step toward a polished experience.
Don't be afraid to experiment. Set it to something ridiculous just to see what happens, then dial it back until it feels "right." There's no perfect number, only the number that works for the specific fun you're trying to create. Happy building!