Bloodpacks - How to extend the current Healthsystem

[Berownie]

Bloodpacks - How to extend the current Healthsystem

Introduction
When your colonist gets injured with the current system they start to bleed. The bleeding currently functions only as a timer how fast someone needs to be treaten. As soon as every wound has been cared for they are no longer at the edge of death and in a rather stable position. Infections work as an universal complication in the recovery. The longer someone stays untreaten in a dirty environment the more likely they are to not heal without problems.

So far this is a simple system that suits the gameplay of RimWorld well. There is no overcomplexity nor is it so deeply detailed that it intimidates the players. Be fast with the treatment, do it good and keep it clean or else you fear infections. This is important to mention as I will try to keep it that simple while extending it.

Now I think there are things we can agree are just plain unbelievable or are just left out completely.
Take this example. Your body gets perforated by many bullet wounds. You are barely staying alive. Every part of you is affected. The Doctor treats all your injuries, you spent some time in the bed. One day you are fully healed and with no longterm issues. Your body is in the best condition as it always were before.

Just plain unbelievable, right? No matter how good the capability of Medicine is in the future. This is where I want to extend the current Healthsystem. The longterm effect on colonists when they get injured. Yes, the text so far was necessary to understand what my Idea is about.

Adding a recovery phase after you leave the hospital bed
It should not be complex but still believable. You want everyone to understand it and Tynan doesn't want to rewrite the whole game. Let's use what we already have. And let me surprise you, it actually makes some sense!

Bloodloss
Did you ever donate blood? The body needs about one month to fully recover the loss of 1/2 liter blood. You do not have to study medicine to understand that the performance your body can bring is decreased when you have less blood.
Fortunately, the game already features a system about losing blood. Should we extend it? Absolutely! Even if you believe the tools of a doctor in RimWorld can repair the damaged flesh of the patient as if it is hotglued together, you can't create organic material out of thin air.

The Conclusion of this: Let Colonists suffer from the effects of Bloodloss.

At first you can't tell a real difference. You might feel some loss of consciousness. The more blood you lose the more it affects you. You start to pace your walking speed. You will be less social because the tiredness keeps you from making big deals in trading. In the end you might not be able to work alot since you can't catch some breath.

Bloodpacks - Introducing a new Mechanic
Of course there need to be ways to treat this bloodloss. Let colonists donate Blood in form of a Bloodpack. The is a currency of well-being. Your little guys can help each other out to recover faster from injuries. Misery loves company.
Let me convince you, guys. This functions as the universal recovery from getting wounded as infections are the universal complication in the healing process.

The Bloodpacks won't last forever. Even frozen they should be able to spoil. I propose the idea that the stay usable for about 2 seasons or 30 days. This keeps it from being a mundane task that needs to be done too often.

Effects on the Gameplay
Fending of raiderattacks become more of a longterm decision. The player will not be able to heavily injure all his colonists at each raid. This acts as a penalty for bad performance while defending the colony. The effects are compareable of those from bad mood. The player gets less done in the same time for not caring about certain needs.

Proposal of the Idea - Bringing everything down to short points

• Bloodloss affects the performance of a colonist after the injuries are healed
• The average RimWorld body contains 5 liters of blood
• Blood is produced at an rate of 1 liter per 10 days
• Blood can be donated in form of 1/2 liter Bloodpacks and act as a currency of well-being
• Bloodpacks spoil after atleast 30 days even if the are frozen

Bonus/Optional Mechanic
Introduce three different bloodtypes. A, B and 0. A and B can only recieve from their own or from 0. 0 will be an universal donor but is more rare as the other types and may only recieve the same type.
Let me propose the idea of non uniform distribution othe the types. For example 60, 30, 10 to make them different valueable

[Berownie]

Why a whole new item when you could use medicine?
Is it reasonable to introduce a new item when there is ideologically a similiar item? Since the idea is to extend the current system we want to add something. not for the sake of just being diverse. Using medicine would just mean that we increase the cost of something and split same on different times of uses. in my eyes this is some form of artificial gameplay.
As we look at the current situation I would not like to increase usage time of an already scarce or hard to get item. My suggested Bloodpack introduce a compared to other items unique gameplay.

Is it in accordance with the world and lore of RimWorld?
RimWorld features a world with futuristic invetions. Human can be put into cryostasis. There are non organic artificial prosthesis. When I argue that the medical tools in this game could feature cauterisation without further damaging healthy flesh of a body, it is understandable. When I also say that healthy parts of a human could be glued together almost instantly to seal open wounds you might think of enzymes that glue together cheap ham.

Did you see the movie Repo Men? If you answer it with yes, you might already know what I am talking about. The logic of this movie regarding the medical side is very similiar to RimWorld. Some scenes of said movie feature medical practise. One thing that is used several times is a gel that closes open wounds in close to no time.

So why am I talking about this again? As I said in the first post, this does not create new parts of the body out of thin air. The body of the colonist would still need time to recover from the injuries and repair the damage that is still left over.
One thing of this is the blood lost while suffering from open wounds. For example the amount of iron needed to create new blood cells takes great toll on the body. So do other important nutrient needed.

Does it create new stories?
One part about RimWorld are the stories. So does this extension on the healthsystem add memories we want to share?

Imagine following things:

• how much blood a colonist lost
• how much blood a colonist donated
• how much blood a colonist received
• how much blood was lost from injuries done by a colonist
• how much blood is lost on average in a raid on defender's and attacker's side
• how much blood was lost in the colonie

This creates material for great stories or underlines the effects of an event. A doctor who tells stories of terror because of how much blood he needed to save lifes. When another family member donates so much blood he becomes bedridden only to help his siblings. A Veteran who recites stories from all the blood he lost to impress the newest member of the group.