Health Regeneration Confirmed, This is rather saddening... Options

[Thomas Kaira]

Source.

Q: Is there any form of regenerating health without any perks etc?
A: Health, magicka, and stamina all regen slowly over time.

So there you have it, Skyrim has fallen to the rebounding health cliche. Not too many details yet, but if it allows for full and complete health regen, this is SERIOUSLY not good.

I cannot stress this further, there is no better way to describe dumbing a game down than auto-regenerating health. If they want to avoid being called out on this, and if Bethesda wants to avoid absolutely destroying Restoration magic's prime use they need to place some SERIOUS limitations on the system. Some examples:

- Health does not regenerate while in combat.
- It must be a VERY slow effect, on the magnitude of about one HP every 15 to 30 seconds, real time.
- If your health falls below a critical level (due to the presence of supplemental healing spells in this game, I'll say 25% to 50%), NO REGEN AT ALL. PERIOD.

Fine and dandy for regen to be able to simulate minor wounds going away over time, because that's what the living body is designed to do, but major wounds? Uh uh. You need supplemental healing for those, you cannot "wait out" a broken bone (unset bones heal wrong and can completely disable the use of the limb), or a sword slash wound that is now copiously bleeding (try and wait this one out, you WILL die).

Also, it's the thought that counts here, as well. I am getting sick and tired of rebounding health bars being in EVERY SINGLE [censored] GAME.

I really do hope Bethesda thought this one through. If they didn't, there is going to be serious backlash.

This post has been edited by Thomas Kaira: Aug 17 2011, 01:06 AM

[Thomas Kaira]

So long as it is a very, very tiny trickle, I'd go with it.

Allowing for health to regenerate on its own without player intervention (all previous TES titles including Oblivion required player intervention for healing) adds to the challenge of the game. This kept it entirely up to the player when he was going to heal himself. You had to think about your health at all times, which keeps the game challenging and the player on edge about that next encounter.

The moment the player no longer has to worry about his health, you've removed all challenge from the game whatsoever. That is the danger of health regeneration in a game that is not going to be nearly as fast-paced as a shooter. If Bethesda is too generous with the regeneration, then the game will be utterly ruined, not only because you no longer have to keep your character in check through that dungeon crawl, but also due to it breaking a major magical skill. How many people would use Restoration if you had no need to use the healing spells?

Games are meant to be challenging. I absolutely despise it when developers take such blatant measures to make the game easier. You have to keep automation to a minimum in games, because of the simple fact that they are interactive. If you want brainless entertainment, the movie industry already has you covered.

The worst thing about this, though, as that it is a kick in the face for the more hardcore roleplayers out there.