FPS idea - individual pieces of removable armour visible as indicators of current damage capacity

[BuggyBY]

Does any FPS currently on the market have the feature of visible pieces of armour (Mumorpuger-style, or possibly even more detail) on each character that can be shot/sawn/whipped/yanked/teleported/asploded off individually to show how much damage the guy/girl is currently able to absorb? I'm not saying they'd have to be able to be shot into butt-nakedness (though given an appropriate number of females that would sell well in Japan, methinks), but starting out in an indestructible jumpsuit (maybe with a small hole or low-cut neck for cleavage exposure in the case of females as a bit of shameless audience pandering) and having to pick up (and repair damaged?) bits of armour to strap to yourself as you advance through the game would be nice. Weight of equipment affecting your speed of movement is also a nice bonus, but hardly anything new (random example: Tribes 2).

I know it's hardly going to be the main selling point for any new game (except in the case of butt-naked girls with extra blushing and shrieking as armour is removed, target market being a certain earthquake-prone archipelago in the West Pacific), but it sounds like a good extra challenge.

 

[DoW Lowen]

I always thought about this, and it sounds like a really good idea. Perfect dark zero, ironically the first game out on the 360, had the whole armor falling off thing but Alone in the Dark had set the benchmark by making real time damage visible on your clothes, so perhaps the armor concept could be fully realized.

 

[s0denone]

Great idea! I fully support you there, I'd love to see this thing integrated in FPS'.

 

[mark_n_b]

I wouldn't be surprised to find a mod or two that does just this. What you are suggesting is pretty much is visually indicating damage.

THe idea of a deconstructable armor, or armor components that change texturing based on collision should be a fairly systematic piece of programming. The challenge comes in the set up.

It would require a whole new armor management system and a potential adjustment to how the art is handled in the game. Completely possible.

I'd lay money that this idea has been thought about by thousands of people, whether an example of it in a published title can be found or not. Which begs the question why it isn't a more common feature.

My question is how is it a game? what mechanic does it add? You suggested marketing it as erotica (jokingly I know) but, assuming I am a publisher, why would I want to invest in developing this mechanic?

 

[Flour]

A very basic version of this in Tron 2.0
Some enemies had increased armor, which was shown as a form of energy shields surrounding locations of it's body. I don't remember if foot shielding counted towards total shield energy, but shooting at it would remove the shield from that location.

I know this isn't exactly what was meant, but I don't think it will get more advanced than that for some time. Every piece of armor needs it's own world model, hit detection, 'health' and other calculations that will cost processing speed.(console games are obsessed with graphics, so a small sacrifice for realistic model behavior will not be made, and there are still too many old PC's out there meaning a high-CPU game will hurt sales)

 

[Silver]

They have this in Rakion, just like what is described.

The problems with it is that you can't make it that detailed, because it takes a whole lot of processing power. It wouldn't look nearly as well as it's competitors.

Secondly, who the hell designed that armour? I mean really, if you have armour (that works) that breaks when you're shot you'd be dead as the first piece fell off.

If you have armour that's not there to protect you and only to fall off when hit, you're going to be dead if someone shoots you instead of the armour, and you're going to run around in a very heavy suit designed only to fall to pieces around you.

 

[Ace of Spades]

It would be so satisfying to be able to saw off someone's armor as I kill them in a game.

 

[buggy65]

Dude, you stole my name and now I feel sad...

MAKE ME FEEL BETTER OR BAD THINGS WILL HAPPEN TO YOU!!!

 

[Gormers1]

I think swat 4 had this.

 

[Arionis]

Halo 3, while kinda terrible, did this a LITTLE, as a few components of armor could be busted off of your enemies.

 

[TwistedEllipses]

The problem is when you restore your health, would you restore the armour as well? ...and if you did wouldn't it look weird to see armour falling off and then magically re-appearing in a short amount of time?

 

[Gormers1]

Halo 3, while kinda terrible, did this a LITTLE, as a few components of armor could be busted off of your enemies.

Was already in the first game though;P But I think its not what thread starter meant. A lot of games have zombies with detachable body parts.

 

[BuggyBY]

Dude, you stole my name and now I feel sad...

MAKE ME FEEL BETTER OR BAD THINGS WILL HAPPEN TO YOU!!!

There, there. Have a pie. *offers full pie tin with PROPRTY OF WEEBL written on it and badly scratched out using crayons*

But yes, I blame it on my girlfriend. My original monicker was "Bugarup" as in the Discworld city, then I got stuck with the nickname "Buggy" and just added the German abbreviation of my native state Bavaria (BaYern) to make it sound less generic. I use it on plenty of places these days, too.

 

[buggy65]

Ok... I Accept the pie. I've had my nickname since birth (don't ask why) and I use it for a hell of a lot of shit. But I understand when the g/f gets into stuff, it gets complicated.

Now i'll just sit back and enjoy this pie tha... WEEBL! What are you doing here!?
"want pie now"
No...no...nonononono NOOOOOOOOO!!!!
(I get eaten)
Thanks alot asshole.

 

[Rushview]

This kind of targeted area damage is what made games like Star Trek: Klingon Academy and such so great.

I'd love to see it brought into FPS style games.

 

[Aardvark]

Secondly, who the hell designed that armour? I mean really, if you have armour (that works) that breaks when you're shot you'd be dead as the first piece fell off.

If you have armour that's not there to protect you and only to fall off when hit, you're going to be dead if someone shoots you instead of the armour, and you're going to run around in a very heavy suit designed only to fall to pieces around you.

Armour isn't designed to magically deflect bullets, turning you into an invincible monster. Armour is designed to take the impact of them so that your body doesn't. This is just a visual representation of the armour stat in games like Doom and Quake, or armour degradation in games like Fallout 3 or S.T.A.L.K.E.R.

 

[Silver]

Secondly, who the hell designed that armour? I mean really, if you have armour (that works) that breaks when you're shot you'd be dead as the first piece fell off.

If you have armour that's not there to protect you and only to fall off when hit, you're going to be dead if someone shoots you instead of the armour, and you're going to run around in a very heavy suit designed only to fall to pieces around you.

Armour isn't designed to magically deflect bullets, turning you into an invincible monster. Armour is designed to take the impact of them so that your body doesn't. This is just a visual representation of the armour stat in games like Doom and Quake, or armour degradation in games like Fallout 3 or S.T.A.L.K.E.R.

You ever seen one of those youtube movies where American soldiers get shot and just stand back up or whatever? Did their body armour start flying off when hit?

No, it didn't. And no sensibly designed armour would. Armour is designed to protect, it doesn't protect if it doesn't sit tight on you. No one in their right mind would design armour that comes off when hit.

I get what it's for, but it doesn't really make much sense. It works in Rakion, because that game is pretty ridiculous anyway, but it'd just look like crap ni Stalker or Fallout. Doom and quake could probably have gotten away with it back then, but nowadays, it'd just be weird, in most games.

 

[Bored Tomatoe]

That sounds like the perfect health system for new FPSs....until it is shamelessly copied for the BAZILLIONTH TIME!

 

[Aardvark]

You ever seen one of those youtube movies where American soldiers get shot and just stand back up or whatever? Did their body armour start flying off when hit?

Gets shot once or twice. The video didn't show you the soldier handing in his now-compromised armour to get a fresh set.

One bullet doesn't cause the thing to fall apart, but several bullets, explosions, rockets and the other hazards that your average videogame character goes through would cause degradation of armour, to the point where you would suddenly be losing bits. Then when you consider you're talking about fictional space marine armour that is usually metal and not cloth with metal plates inside...

Is any of this sinking through?