Design Notes: New Health System

[Hyfrydle]

I really like the sound of this idea imagine getting prepared for an expedition then finding things don't go to plan and having to make it back with low health. It would be like trying to survive until you can reach safety.

How will the warp mechanic work because as is this scenario can't happen and I think it would really add to the games desolate, dangerous and exploratory side.

[x4000]

For now, the warp mechanic will continue working as-is.  There's a thread talking about that independently, but there's not yet a model there that I'm 100% sold on.

[Hearteater]

I don't know that you need to lock the healthbar size.  Suppose it looked something like this:

********** 4

So I'm at 100% health, with 4 health tanks.  In other words, 500% health.  I take 80% of my base health in damage, which leaves me at:

********** 4

So I'm hurt, and I know I'm very close to losing a health tank.  Then I take 40% damage:

********** 3

I've lost a health tank permanently (until I gather vitality zones and use them).  This process would continue until I lose my last tank at which point the # of health tanks displayed would probably just vanish (instead of showing 0) and the actual look of the health bar itself should probably change slightly to give additional visual warning you have no fall-back once that one is gone.  Maybe give it a red border or make it thicker.

Edit: Bah, doesn't like ASCII characters .

[keith.lamothe]

This process would continue until I lose my last tank at which point the # of health tanks displayed would probably just vanish (instead of showing 0)

Dunno, I think showing a skull instead of a 0 would be fun   Just a visual cue that "the DM is laughing".

[x4000]

Okay, this has actually been implemented now, so moving this out of brainstorming: http://arcengames.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=AVWW_-_Beta_Series_2_Release_Notes#New_Health_Model

Not that thoughts are no longer welcome, but we don't need this specific thread in order to do it anymore.

[Mánagarmr]

I'm curious as to why you went with a pair of stones instead of singular stones. As far as I can see it, the stones ONLY work in pairs, so why not half their appearances in game and let the player use only one? Is there a gameplay specific reason you went with pairs?

[x4000]

Originally it was 4, not 2, and originally they were called "health tank components" or "health tank pieces."  I went with 2 so that the exponential growth would be in the right area so that you could have 800-900% easily (whereas exponentially growing from 4 doesn't work as well).  When it comes down to having single ones, that was just far too granular and easy to pick up just one.

[Mánagarmr]

So you can use a single stone? What does that do?

[x4000]

No, you can't use a single stone.  Nor can you use a single heart piece in Zelda.  You need multiple for them to do anything at all.

[Hearteater]

Even if it was made to work with 1 piece, that would only work to add the first tank.  After that you would need more than one.  In effect you aren't using the stones themselves, but "crafting" an additional health bar, with the stones being the components that are used in the crafting.  And the number of components required just doubles each time you add another tank.

[Mánagarmr]

Okay, right. I was merely just trying to wrap my brain around this. To me, it seemed easier to just use 1 rock -> 1 doubling and make them spawn in a balanced way. But i guess that would be slightly OP if you went 400% -> 800% with one stone or summat.

[TNSe]

I like the new Health system, but it REALLY needs a method to show you when you risk losing maximum health.

Perhaps a larger health bar with some indicator as to when you will lose max.

[Hyfrydle]

I like the new Health system, but it REALLY needs a method to show you when you risk losing maximum health.

Perhaps a larger health bar with some indicator as to when you will lose max.

Great idea even a sound indicator would help.

[TNSe]

Tossed it into Mantis.