The Fallout games use health points, but allow characters to inflict damage to different parts of the enemy's body, which affects gameplay. In Dwarf Fortress, instead of health points, dwarves have separate body parts, each of which can be damaged. However, more complex and realistic damage systems are used in a number of games. The use of health points simplifies the game development process (since developers do not need to create complex damage systems), allows computers to simplify calculations associated with the game, and makes it easier for the player to understand the game. As examples of visualizing health loss, Rogers cited Arthur of Ghosts 'n Goblins, who loses a piece of armor with each sustained hit, as well as the cars in the Grand Theft Auto series, in which smoke begins to flow from the hood after the car takes a significant amount of damage. In his book Level Up!: The Guide to Great Video Game Design, game designer Scott Rogers wrote that "health should deplete in an obvious manner, because with every hit, a player is closer to losing their life". In game design, it is considered important to clearly show that the player's character (or other object that they control) is losing health. In many games, particularly role-playing video games, the player starts with a small amount of health and defense points, but can increase them by gaining the required amount of experience points and raising the character's level. Characters acting as tanks usually have more health and armor. Protection points or armor help them to reduce the damage taken.
In video games, as in tabletop role-playing games, an object usually loses health as a result of being attacked.