Even the T-800 could run if he wanted to. Why do they choose to advance menacingly when a mad dash could net them their victory?
Even the T-800 could run if he wanted to. Why do they choose to advance menacingly when a mad dash could net them their victory?
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In many cases Terminators use ranged weapons, from pistols to machine guns and plasma rifles. There is no need to rush forward, and moving just enough to make sure that the target cannot evade makes it easier for the targeting software and gyro-joints to compensate for movements to ensure a hit.
While it is often stated that the energy cell of a T800 can last 120 years, that is only true for a low-energy state, aka very limited movements. For Terminators on extended missions (like being sent to the past) this means an automatic activation of a energy saving protocol. “Only expend energy when it is necessary for the mission. Nothing more, nothing less”
My guess is they just didn’t have the ability to, they comment in the movie the T-800 is the most advanced model. The terminators we see are more like the robots of today, walking yes, but use small almost shuffle like movements.
They usually use firearms which can be less accurate and prone to damage if you move around while shooting. Even the best terminator can’t compensate for a loose internal part and recoil while moving. Better to take the most accurate kill shot possible than risk missing. But if you’re already that close to one that they could reach you with a sprint you’re likely already about to die. They don’t leave things to chance and won’t start killing until they’re sure they’re going to get the target(s) or their cover is blown and mass casualties are acceptable.
They are built to mimic humans, moving casually is less suspicious. Somewhere in their programming ‘moving like a human’ is a higher priority than finishing off their target, probably because stealth is safer.
Also, in the movie, it is more dramatic to draw out the tension.
Same reason humans would just sorta jog after antelope;
It can stroll leisurely for much longer than you can run. You’re gonna be completely out of breath and heart pounding, and it’ll still be strolling.
It’ll catch up eventually.
Maybe they see it as a waste of energy, if only a small one. A terminator has far more endurance than any human, to the point it might as well be infinite, so they’re going to catch you eventually when you get tired. Maybe they’ve calculated that the extra energy it takes to accelerate to running speed isn’t worth the effort. Also as others have said, they can do a lot with ranged weapons, and moving slower does make it easier to keep a gun stabilized and allow them to hit their target on the first shot
Playing to their strengths.
Say a human runs for 10 minutes- the human is now tired.
The Terminator walked for 10 minutes- the Terminator can walk another thousand minutes without tiring.
The Terminator doesn’t need to run unless the human is escaping the vicinity. It doesn’t age, doesn’t sleep, doesn’t tire, and doesn’t stop.
Most of the time- their timeframe is years or even decades. A few minutes or hours makes no difference if they still believe they can accomplish the goal.
Because the Arnie type wasn’t for pursuit, it was for suppression. They’re the Frontline troops, the foot soldiers. They just slowly advance, methodically raining down fire on the opposing forces. The adding human skin to them thing was a later on decision by skynet to try making them infiltrators, but obviously that didn’t work seamlessly. The ones after them (the liquid metal one and the hot lady one) do sprint, they do so in the movies. That’s because they’re more infiltration and assassination, with abilities to match.
Also, it’s just pure aura, it gives you a sense of helplessness, kind of like with Jason. They’ll still get you in the end. All you’ll succeed in doing is tiring yourself out.
They do run more often than not. Arnold is running a lot in the first movie. The police station was close quarters so couldn’t really run there, and at the end of the movie it’s leg was fucked up.
My suspicion is that their situational assessment programming is subtly tainted by a certain level of what would seem like psychotic overconfidence that SkyNET might have conferred while “hatefully” writing their programming. This causes its more human-like creations to make occasional psychological intimidation choices during confrontations that are sub-optimal at times but still considered “valid” despite actually being delusional from our frame of reference as humans. You see this more with the most advanced units, such as the T-1000 shaking its finger or other improved infiltrator models seeming to gloat or posture in ways that are unnecessary to what we would consider wise. But even HK-flyers can miss finding their quarry and eventually pull back to base. Not human emotion… but maybe good enough for us.
Several good answers on this thread, but also: why would they run? A Terminator isn’t impatient like a human. As far as its programming is concerned, it doesn’t actually matter whether the target dies now or in 2 hours. Once the target is sighted, the Terminator will continue to advance relentlessly towards it. If it flees, it will track it; until eventually there’s nowhere to run. And when it fights back, it’s virtually impossible for a human to take down a Terminator under normal circumstances.
The one thing it was made to do is find, track, and eliminate humans, and it knows it’s very good at what it does.
It’s all about psychological warfare. Terminators are designed to intimidate and instill fear in their targets, and nothing says “inevitable destruction” like a relentless, unstoppable walk. Plus, they’re confident they’ll get the job done without needing to break a sweat, or in their case, whatever the robot equivalent is.
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If you mean the opening scene, they are shooting and looking for targets. It’s obvious that even future robots take time to aim and avoid recoil. I don’t believe running full speed would help with improving accuracy.
In that universe robots are extremely stupid barelly capable to function. Mimicing established routins.
They make new buildings comfortable for humans to run as they just copy, not creating
They dont invent new tactics. Eg humans never covered themselves in low life radioactive material. For terminators that way less harmfull than for humans.
Not sending two terminators at same time. Etc etc.
After all if skynet was smarter than slippers movie would be 5 minutes long.
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T1k did.
They get paid by the hour.
To look cool for marketing purposes.
I don’t know which Terminators we are talking about, cause I think all of them sprint if necessary. Generally speaking, if they can get away with walking normally, they’ll do that, because it’s more efficient.