Far Cry 2 style. Have a certain amount of health that regenerates only after a certain point. Then find some cover and heal up. Probably the only good part about that game.
Health bar unless the context of the game clearly points otherwise. Regenerating health and shields is fine in Halo and Mass Effect, not appropriate in Call of Duty or Call of Duty MW.
I feel this type of discussion is really only meant for FPS and TPS, so that's what I'm talking about with all of the following text...
I like when health systems work like this (and not all of these have to be used at the same time, mind you):
1. After you're shot, there's a delay before your health regenerates, but it only regenerates partially. 2. Alternatively to #1, your health does not regenerate until the end of the current battle, but once the battle is over your health regenerates most of the way or completely. 3. You can carry health packs and pain pill type items, but they can't refill your health completely. 4. Some types of injuries will cause you to bleed. Bleeding sometimes stops on it's own but heavy bleeding requires bandages. 5. If you go to sleep your health is refilled most of the way or completely. 6. If there are levels, completing a level refills your health completely. 7. If you find a medkit stash or health station type location, your health can be restored most of the way or completely.
I think relying on just medkits or just regen is a little odd. A mixture of both makes the most sense to me.
I think regardless if it makes sense in the game, like in Call of Duty, it makes the game play better. It moves things along so your never stuck in an area with no health or spending time searching for a little health pack. However, in games like Devil May Cry a health bar is required.
The thing about health kits is that it allows a WHOLE other element of gameplay to be introduced which, in my opinion, is much more fun and adds huge amounts to the game.
For instance, games that require power ups to heal means you have to explore to find them/ save up money to buy them. The element of exploring adds another motivation to the gameplay and the element of having a game economy means you actually have a reason to fight and decisions to make on what to do with your money and what to save up for.
I can't stand it when games eliminate the need for health and thereby simultaneously eliminate all reason for exploring and fighting and then don't realize that they just broke their game... (I'm looking at you Zelda)
I'm not a fan of the Call of Duty style, because it's very difficult to know how much health you have (and you DO have a numerical health value, they just don't show it to you).
For first person shooters, i think the regenerating health is best. Takes you out of the game less to be able to just duck away and heal up for a second rather than 'fuck, i gotta go find some med packs..' (although it works in Metroid Prime to have health because it's more of an adventure game than an action game).
I don't like looking for health packs. I tend to be paranoid about my health level so I'll use a health pack even when it's not really necessary to ensure I'm at 100%. That leads to health packs getting used up too quickly. Or, alternatively, I'll be scared I'm not going to have one available when needed, so I'll run around with such a low level that I'll get "one-shotted" by the first enemy who shakes his fist in my direction. Regenerating health removes all that and lets me just concentrate on playing the game.
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