Poll: Regenerating Health or Non-Regenerating Health?

[RedHighwind07]

So, you know, the whole Call of Duty and Battlefield thing has rolled around again, and I'm expecting them to be absolutely no bloody challenge whatsoever. Just the other day, I bought Half-Life 2 off of Steam, having never played it before (shock, horror, etc.), and I was astounded to find that the game proved quite a challenge on harder difficulties, mostly because I was constantly being hammered down to 3 HP within minutes of every stage and had to go around saving the game after every wave of enemies I survived. I probably had the most fun with Half-Life 2 since the mid 2000's, mostly because it was really damn hard. I know this has probably been asked a billion times on The Escapist forums, but do you guys prefer Regenerating or Non-Regenerating health?

 

[Zhukov]

(Oh look, it's this thread again etc etc)

I'm actually quite fond of regenerating health. It just means I don't have to waste time running around tripping over first aid kits after each and every fight.

Of course, the best way is a hybrid. Far Cry 2, far from the best game ever, but easily the best health system I've seen in a game.

 

[Ruwrak]

I honestly love the nonregenerative health when it comes to games like Dark Souls, Half Life etc.

Though the hecticness of MW & BF Regnerative health is alot more beneficial. Sure it takes away the challenge but.. I don't think I would have gotten through Favela with a 100 hp bar?

I prefer nonregenerative when it can be done, games like Max Payne 3 etc really make me wish they do not have regenerative health. Because Max would not be Max if he wasn't a painkiller addict.

[insert Lewis PILLS HERE joke / image]

 

[Wuggy]

You know, I honestly don't care. It's not that big of a deal for me. I can deal with both generating and non-generating health systems.

Generally in RPGs I do like systems where you do have a need for health potions or healing spells but you can stack up health regen as well, and in non-combat situation your health regenerates regardless.

In terms of shooters, meh, as long as the system fits rest of the gameplay (and the game is generally good), either can work.

 

[DanielBrown]

Way too many threads on this subject... Oh well;

Between the two of them I'd choose regenerating health, but the system I prefer is to have regenerating shields and non-regenerating health, like in Mass Effect. Makes it a bit more intresting and you don't have to worry about health packs the entire time.
The Deus Ex: HR way works pretty well too. You take a shitload of damage and then it takes a while for the health to regenerate, so you got to hide and plan a different strategy.

However, I don't think that regenerating health is destructive to gaming as many claim it to be. Most games are really hard once you raise the difficulty setting. Hiding behind cover and waiting doesn't work when the enemies are throwing grenades or flank/move closer to you constantly.
Regenerating health; hide from bullets and wait it out.
Health packs; use and instanly get full health again.
Both ways are silly, but if the game was realistic... it wouldn't last very long. Bandaging your wounds and pop back to health isn't any more realistic than waiting for the limbs to grow back.

All in all it doesn't really matter to me. I enjoy the game for what it is. It's easy to adapt to the different health systems.

Edit: Made some changes to make my post more clear on my opinions.

 

[rohansoldier]

I think some games like gears of war benefit greatly from regenerative health as having to scrounge for med packs would slow the game down far too much. It also works in mass effect 2 in my opinion as it got deeply frustrating sometimes in mass effect 1 when you ran out of medi gel and had to scrape through each combat trying not to get shot (plus you couldn't heal your team either).

OK so it still happens in mass effect 2 when you run out of medi gel and can't use the unity ability to revive your team, but at least you know all you have to do is take cover for a bit and you will be OK. That being said, there is still enough attacks in gears 3 and mass effect that can kill you near enough instantly for it still to be a challenge.

Some games however, make more sense with health packs. I don't mind it in borderlands (one of my other favourite games) as it is a loot driven game anyway so health packs are just one more thing to look for and carry with you, plus you have the regenerative shield, or dragon age 2, as you can set up the tactics for your party to use healing spells or potions on themselves or you when the health bar goes below a certain amount.

For those reasons, I am on the fence as far as regenerating or non regenerating health goes, it all depends on the game you are playing.

I do agree with Ruwrak though that Max Payne wouldn't be Max Payne if he wasn't a pill popper!

 

[TheBelgianGuy]

I lolled at the person saying Regenerating health is unrealistic.
Yeah, because munching down a sausage, taking a syringe of morphine or just touching a first-aid kit is going to heal that fist-wide hole in your stomach...

I'd rather have regenerating health. If you have to go and search for medkits after every fight, well, that's not only boring, it destroys a fluid or smooth gameplay.

Exceptions being games like Fallout, which are more about surviving than run and gun, anyway.

 

[Alduin Silas]

I'd like my associate Gir to sing the Doom song to make my point on that particularly game.
Seriously, I prefer the non-regen, it's more realistic to dive for cover on what remaining limbs I have and pull out a medipack.

 

[Jakub324]

I like the Operation Flashpoint system (if you take a hit, you bleed until you slap a bandage on the wound, and you only regain health when you call your squad medic over) but out of the two options presented, I'm all for regeneration.

 

[go-10]

depends if I'm Wolverine then I expect my health to regenerate
if its a multiplayer shooter I also want my health to regenerate
if its a single player game, I'm not to fond of it

 

[Noko]

I prefer a hybrid when it comes to singleplay games, that way you will at least have a chance if you were to meet someone on your hunt for some health. But in multiplayer i like a slow regen system.

 

[RedHighwind07]

Apologies to everyone- I didn't realize a thread like this was up yesterday, if I had known I would have just given my opinion there, but because I'm reasonably new I don't really check out that many other threads

 

[karloss01]

non-regenerating, but i wouldn't mind a hybrid between the two like in Transformers: WFC.
i even drew a pretty picture to explain it better.

 

[Orks da best]

mostly likely to be a prick i shall say this:
Health packs: open ye health pack full to hp in less then a sec... that's really realalistic.
Hp regen: allows for faster gameplay along with overall a bit more varity of tactics aviable to the player.
Hybrid: halo ce and halo reach nailed this, recharging shields plus non regening hp bar= awesome.

 

[Alduin Silas]

I'd like my associate Gir to sing the Doom song to make my point on that particularly game.
Seriously, I prefer the non-regen, it's more realistic to dive for cover on what remaining limbs I have and pull out a medipack.

No just no. If you took five seconds to think about it you would realise how rediculously unrealistic both are.

And five seconds up. Read what I said. It's more realistic to dive for cover and have to heal yourself, like in Left 4 Dead 2 or it's like, as opposed to MW2 where hiding behind a box to stop having strawberry jam smeared across your screen is the goal. I never specified either were fully realistic, just regen was the less likely option.