Hit point

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Hit point display in bar form

Hit points , life points or power points (abbreviated KP, English hit points or health points , abbreviated HP) are a concept used in many games that reflects the condition of characters or of destructible objects. If the hit points drop to zero due to the effect of damage, the character dies or is incapacitated, or the object is destroyed. Hit points have their origins in the pen and paper role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons .

Hit points in computer games

Especially in computer games with the help of life points (also is life energy called English health = Health ') simulated mortality of the game character and the NPC usual, so that from this the need arises to survive enemy attacks or other dangers in the game unscathed. Depending on the type of enemy attack, a certain number of life points is deducted, the damage effect can be reduced by various techniques, such as evading or wearing armor. Hit points can be restored through power-ups or through healing or repair. While in action games is a default value of 100 life points (d. E. 100% life energy) for the player customary obtained in role-playing with each level up ( level up ) additional hit points. Also upgrades (in strategy games) or buffs (role playing) the maximum hit points may increase.

Reproduction of the hit points

In most computer game genres , the life energy is an abstract concept that does not simulate a state of health (the player remains efficient even with a low number of life points), but generally makes the mortality of the game character part of the game mechanics . In some games, such as Operation Flashpoint , a hit also has direct effects such as trembling, hobbling or falling. In games in which there is also a display for mana and stamina in addition to the display for life points (especially computer role-playing games ), a general color coding has been established: life energy is shown in red, mana in blue and stamina in yellow or green.

The current status of the life points can be made transparent to the player by various means:

  • Displayed by a bar (" health bar ") which shows the percentage value. Depending on the number of hit points, this bar fills or empties and changes color in many cases - mostly the traffic light symbolism is used for this. Based on the basic principle of the bar, there are also various graphic modifications, for example a circle divided into several segments.
  • Actual value compared to the normal value, or only the current value (e.g. 76/100 or 76)
  • Countable symbols (for example the heart symbol in The Legend of Zelda )
  • Acoustically, for example through cries of pain from the player character, which become more and more urgent according to the life energy status (in many first-person shooters ), or through a faster, louder heartbeat
  • A face of the player character shown in the status display, which shows increasing injuries with decreasing health points (for example Doom , now rather uncommon)
  • Damage textures on the protagonist that indicate injuries
  • Reddish discoloration of the entire display, often starting at the edge of the screen and increasing towards the center of the screen with increasing damage (e.g. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare )
  • A combination of the above

Hit points in various computer game genres

Strategy games

Instantaneous / Peak style display

Both the controlled units and the constructed buildings have hit points. In most cases, the maximum hit points can be increased through upgrades ( resource-dependent improvement). In some games, damaged buildings can be repaired by worker or repair units (example: StarCraft ). A distinction can be made between four mechanisms for military units: Either lost life points regenerate themselves over time ( Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War ), there are special units that can restore the hit points of others, the unit can steal hit points from enemy units or the hit points are irretrievably lost, so that new units have to be produced to replace them.

Ego shooter

The player usually has 100 life points (ie a life energy status of 100%). Often there is also armor that absorbs some of the damage and can also drop to 0, but this does not lead to death. In most representatives of this genre, life points can be restored during the course of the game. This can be done by picking up objects placed in the environment, which are mostly designed in the form of medipacks and donate a fixed number of life points. Armaments can also be picked up in a corresponding manner. Further possibilities are the independent regeneration of armor, shield or life points outside of enemy fire (e.g. Halo ), or being treated by an allied player in multiplayer mode. In the single player mode, the opponents' hit points depend on the type of opponent and often on the difficulty level set. In most of the newer first-person shooters, hit zones are used.

Role play

Display of hit points in the RPG KQ

In role-playing games , the number of hit points is mostly determined by attributes such as " constitution " and the level you have reached. The opponents also have a different number of hit points, depending on their type and level of difficulty. Lost life points can be regenerated through previously learned healing spells or through healing potions (acquired or found). Often there are also special spells or skills with which your own points can be topped up by stealing life energy from opponents. In newer role-playing games, such as Fallout 3 , hit zones are used.

Jump 'n' run

In platformers Run -Play a related with the hit point concept is often used: the player has a "number of lives." If he dies he loses a life and can try again if his life account is not exhausted. Previously, there was also often still Continues that after life account was depleted, this could refill. The background were amusement arcades, which provided additional life or attempts by inserting additional coins and thus ensured full coin shafts in the machines. In games with this life system, the player often dies with any contact with the enemy, but there are also implementations in which the system is linked to hit points or only hit points are used.

Adventures

In classic adventures, hit points are usually not required because the main task here is to solve puzzles. In some games, for example Indiana Jones : The Last Crusade, there is still a skirmish every now and then, and hit points are also used here. It is different with action adventure games , in which the fight against opponents is the rule.

Others

Economic games with a warlike aspect, such as Port Royale or the Anno series of games , use the same system as strategy games. Sports games can usually dispense with the use of hit points because violent acts do not occur. Boxing and martial arts games are an exception. Simulation games such as airplane simulators or games in which you control a tank or a mech behave similarly to first-person shooters.

Advanced concepts

Hit zones

Hit zones divide a person or an object into different areas that react differently to hits. In the case of a spaceship, this could be the shell, the hangar and a torpedo launcher, and in the case of a human being the head, torso, legs and arms. Depending on the game, a zone has its own pool of hit points, regardless of the total object, or takes part of the total hit points, or the hit zone only influences the amount of damage suffered on the total object. This manifests itself through two different effects:

  • Depending on the hit zone, a different number of hit points is subtracted, so a hit to the head ( headshot ) causes significantly more damage than a hit in the leg.
  • If the hit points of a certain hit zone fall into a critical area, this hit zone is impaired. This could, for example, result in the spaceship's torpedo launcher no longer being operational or the enemy limping due to a leg hit.

Individual evidence

  1. GameSpy interview with Dave Arneson: http://pc.gamespy.com/articles/540/540395p1.html Search for word "Hit Points" recommended