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Wound systems in action-oriented games?

Discussion in 'Game Design' started by fetish, Feb 15, 2018.

  1. fetish

    fetish

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    So, I'm working on a project (imagine a mashup of last-man-standing PUBG play with more RPG like playstyle, ala Dragon Age Inquisition without the stop-time) and I'm having thoughts about the health system.

    The short story is, I'd like to get away from boring old hit points, and move towards a wound system. While I think this can definitely work in a range of single-player settings, I wonder if it will fly in multiplayer. Do you guys have opinions on health systems in multiplayer games? Know of any multiplayer games which use a wound system?
     
    Last edited: Feb 15, 2018
  2. Vanidash-Studios

    Vanidash-Studios

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    you should take a look at escape from tarkov health system
     
  3. BIGTIMEMASTER

    BIGTIMEMASTER

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    Lots of PVP shooters have down but not out states, which can make for fun situations. I really like Uncharted 4's set up, where the downed player can crawl around but not shoot.

    Besides that, older Ghost Recon games made you move slow and and aim bad if you got shot but not killed.

    It's fun to think up complex things, but when it comes down to execution, it's probably more work than it is worth. The question is, what does the system add to moment by moment gameplay? Is it something that create's fun scenarios, or something that is annoying? Or simply overlooked as it has little impact?
     
  4. fetish

    fetish

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    Interesting quote - from a design background, being "wounded" and having to work around that seems very fun and exciting - a novel challenge that works against "power creep" (ie, the players relies more heavily on their OP powers than in basic tactical gameplay), but i think frequently in practice it's just an annoyance to the players to get themselves 'un-injured'

    Any tips on bridging the designer/player gap?
     
  5. BIGTIMEMASTER

    BIGTIMEMASTER

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    Well, how valuable is an individual players life? Are respawns plentiful and fast? If so, why bother with a cumbersome wound system?

    Is this a one life elimination system? Can a single player be the difference between victory and defeat? In that case, the effort needed to be taken by the team to rescue a wounded player may make for tense gameplay, a la Rainbow Six Siege or The Last of Us: Factions.