Injuries And Medical Care

1. Summary

Schwarzwald does not rely on a conventional arcade-style health bar. Instead, Edmund's physical condition is represented through an injury system.

The objective is to provide a more grounded representation of damage.

2. Rules

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2.1 Injury Severity

Different attacks produce different outcomes.

A noncritical injury may reduce mobility or physical effectiveness. An especially severe attack may incapacitate or kill Edmund immediately.

Firearm impacts to vital areas are generally extremely dangerous. A gunshot to a nonvital extremity may instead cause an injury that can be survived.

The precise results depend on the injury model and its probabilistic rules.

Injuries have consequences based on their nature and location. Severe trauma to vital organs may be immediately fatal. Less severe injuries may cause bleeding, impaired movement, pain, or other persistent problems.

2.2 Gameplay Consequences

Injuries affect Edmund's capabilities.

For example, a heavily injured Edmund may have greater difficulty resisting a Cancer Dog during a grapple.

The effectiveness of repeated E inputs can be influenced by his current physical condition.

Injuries may also affect movement and other actions.

2.3 Treatment and Scarcity

Bandages and medical supplies allow Edmund to recover from appropriate injuries.

Medical resources are scarce throughout Project Schwarzwald.

Medical supplies are used to manage survivable injuries rather than magically restore a conventional health bar.

2.4 Consequential Violence

D3 reinforces the game's commitment to dangerous, consequential violence.

Firearms must not behave like arcade weapons.

A bullet striking a vital area can immediately kill a human or animal. Less severe injuries may remain survivable but result in meaningful physical consequences.

The same principle applies to the Cancer Dogs and other biological creatures.

A creature does not automatically continue fighting until an arbitrary health bar is depleted. Pain, fear, injury, mobility, and survival instincts influence its behavior.

A wounded Cancer Dog may flee and continue existing with its injury. A Roach Rat struck by a blunt weapon may escape into a maintenance duct.

3. Player Feedback

His physical condition should be communicated through grounded visual or behavioral feedback, including visible indications on his body.

4. Interactions

Death, checkpoints and spent resources: See: Systems › Persistent Consequences

Completing the game without killing or injuring: See: Systems › Pacifist Play

The scarce medicines of The Forgotten Pharmacy: See: Campaign › 6. Gates Of Hell

5. Persistence

When Edmund dies and returns to the checkpoint, his physical injury condition is restored.

However, any medical supplies consumed before death remain consumed.

This creates a distinction between restoration of the body and persistence of resource expenditure.

6. Design Principles

The game avoids conventional arcade-style damage systems in which characters can absorb repeated gunshots and recover instantly.

Combat should therefore feel dangerous and consequential without becoming the only interaction available between Edmund and the creatures.

Medical supplies remain scarce.

Avoiding unnecessary confrontation is a valid survival strategy.

7. Open Questions

The presentation of injuries and the treatment interface: See: Canon › Open Questions