Well, I really dislike regeneration health. So as easy solution health and armor should be scattered around the level; heck just play the whole Serious Sam series a couple of times to get a grip of the gameplay.
However I guess you can play with this "EGO" idea and actually making something fun.
Lets start with the premise, to make this work Duke is not human; Duke is a demigod who live with his own swagger.
So, Duke life is literally his EGO; if Duke lose confidence in himself he dies. But what does it mean in term of gameplay? Regenerating health? Of course not, what kind of supreme confidence do you show just waiting?
The opposite, waiting DECREASE your life. You are embodiment of swagger; waiting it is just NOT what you do.
Duke health increases everytime he does something exaggerate or fun in a crazy way; examples includes:
- kill monsters obviously, the more the merrier, the faster the better,
- kill a big monster with a small weapon and humiliate it somewhat,
- obliterate a small monster with a big weapon,
- put multiple enemies on is path,
- rescue (and bang) a girl,
- jump out a window (possibly shooting) instead of using stairs,
...
Of course, on the other hand the EGO decreases if Duke gets hit. If he fails to rescue (or bang) a girl. If he shows cowardly or waste time...
You got the point, implement the EGO system meant as a way to push the player to play as recklessly and insanely as possible. Because that is WHAT YOU ARE.
Plus the usual: no DRM, Linux (at least via Wine) support, open source in few years (like Doom3) and of course mod and editor friendly.
To conclude a great Duke quote: -now you see me, now you are dead. [This can be a source of EGO: killing an enemy in less than two seconds after it notices you]
Post edited April 30, 2015 by etb