How does the player health work?

[Wolfy Snackrib]

Do you regenerate health after an amount of time? There were no powerups and I got plenty shot by them turrets. Do you get full health after each load or something?

 

[Qhartb]

I think it's basically like Halo.

 

[Anonona]

When it gets really red you die. :/

 

[Daggett]

i think it goes along with what Call of Duty did
after experiencing a large amount of damage over a short period of time
well, you die

 

[Viperidae]

It recharges after about a second of being undamaged.

 

[Para]

I think it's basically like Halo.

Actually more like Gears of War: In Halo you don't regenerate until you've been in a safe spot for a few seconds, in GoW you gain health constantly even during battle but the incoming pain may overcome you totally and cause one to literally blow up.

Most likely health in Portal is a function of time, for every second of gameplay one gains x amount of health.

 

[kineaesth]

I like it. Games are now becoming less health-pack-with-giant-red-cross focused, which is good.

 

[ChazFox]

Though there still is the unrealisticness (is that even a word?) of the whole "regenerate health quickly over time" feature Unless of course we're talking genetically enhanced player characters with nano-bots on hand to quickly repair damage after a tough fight. You'd be more likely to bleed to death otherwise

(Off topic-ish: Anyone ever play Hostile Intent? Kinda like Counter Strike only slower, more tense, more stealth/teamwork oriented and the best part is no HUD, no crosshairs, so you don't know how much health you have, and you just have your ironsights to trust I really hope they make that into a Source game if they haven't already)

 

[Qhartb]

I like it. Games are now becoming less health-pack-with-giant-red-cross focused, which is good.

Well, yes and no. In puzzle games like Portal, the fact that things can kill you over time (being shot by turrets) is part of the gameplay experience, but worrying about being low on health when you're not actively being shot isn't, so this type of system works well.

For standard FPS fare, managing your health is an important gameplay element and raises tension. In such games I don't like being able to hide and being at full health in a matter of seconds. Visible hit point or damage level systems are good. Healing is a necessity and power-ups are a good way to do it. Checkpoints, special actions, and time- or movement- based regeneration are alternatives. What sort of health system would you like to see be used more in "normal" FPSs?

 

[kineaesth]

Not health boxes with red crosses, that's for sure.

 

[Para]

I've found Gears of War system to be the best implementation of medpackless shooting/action game yet. I also do value things which try to mask the health kits in some way, for example grubs in Ep2 is a good way to go around the medpack thing.

The silliest way to handle the issue has to be in Max Payne games though. Got shot in the face with a shotgun? Take a painkiller!

 

[Cube]

For Portal, the regenerating health system works. For other FPSes, I hate it.

 

[Chabo]

(Off topic-ish: Anyone ever play Hostile Intent? Kinda like Counter Strike only slower, more tense, more stealth/teamwork oriented and the best part is no HUD, no crosshairs, so you don't know how much health you have, and you just have your ironsights to trust I really hope they make that into a Source game if they haven't already)

They're working on a Source version called HIhoenix Rising.

http://www.hostileintent.org/

It's pretty fun; one of the main drawbacks of it is the whole thing where you may have to wait several minutes to respawn. I NEVER play HI in fullscreen, cause I'd get bored spec'ing for 90% of the game, especially when I'm learning the map.