BonusWaffle
Still Mildly Glowing
I always assumed stimpack was short for stimulant pack, like an adrenaline shot or something. Is ever explicitly explained whats inside it?
What is a stimpak?
- Thread starter BonusWaffle
- Start date
Still Mildly Glowing
Languorous_Maiar
A Smooth-Skin
It Stimpak, not StimpaCk.
From Vault:
From game game description:
Stimpak can't be explained with our science unfortunately.
It's just having inside some chem, what doesn't exist in our IRL world.
It can be created using Broc Flower and Xander root (which doesn't exist in reality), so it's having some things from that plants.
Those two have healing properties, nothing more you will get from games.
I hope I helped.
From Vault:
From game game description:
Stimpak can't be explained with our science unfortunately.
It's just having inside some chem, what doesn't exist in our IRL world.
It can be created using Broc Flower and Xander root (which doesn't exist in reality), so it's having some things from that plants.
Those two have healing properties, nothing more you will get from games.
I hope I helped.
BonusWaffle
Still Mildly Glowing
So it really does actually heal the pc wounds
interesting
interesting
Languorous_Maiar explained the lore behind it, but, in reality, Stimpak is not far from a healing potion you'd see in a regular fantasy RPG, except it being visually different in order to fit the whole sci-fi theme.
I personally assumed that Stimpak contains some potent chemical ingredient which stimulates cell replication in and around the injection area (it being injected directly into the wound) in a similar way a tumour works, except that in this case cell replication is way faster and far more controlled (unlike tumour, it wouldn't grow beyond normal size - so it would probably contain some sort of tumour-suppressor too).
In addition to that, it probably contains some sort of protective gel or liquid which is either already present in the Stimpak contents or is somehow produced by replicated cells, a process which is induced by Stimpak chemicals themselves.
That protective gel, liquid, foam, plasma etc. would then serve as a temporary protective layer over the wound (similar to skin) which would "fall off" after a certain time period - while giving enough time for the tissue to normally replicate and fully heal the wound, or at least mostly, leaving little or no scarring.
However, there is a problem in how exactly is this medicine injected. One would have to either remove layers of clothing/armor in order to pin the needle where it should, or would, as I imagine, pin it right through the bullethole/cut present in the clothing...which I imagine would be nigh impossible - from a physical standpoint, a perfect hole through armor to the skin which would enable a wounded person to inject a needle through it is I believe not really common. On top of all, wounding the body and creating a sensation of pain would stimulate the body to produce adrenaline etc. and would, if I'm not wrong, result in unstable hands (shaking sensation) which would make it even harder for a wounded user to make a precise injection in the wound. And, to addition to all that, one must do it in the heat of battle.
Alternative would be to inject the contents of the Stimpak directly into the blood flow, but that would too be highly improbable, for similar reasons stated above.
Only realistic representation of how Stimpak could actually be injected is through a specific mechanism which power armors and similar have already built-in. But that would again bring a series problems to be discussed.
On top of all, the needle itself is not sterilized (I believe it often isn't) and could result in some sort of disease. Plus, this is a medicine which is around 200 years past its (potential) expiration date - whether it is working in its full potency (highly unlikely), or has become a dangerous chemical mixture is debatable. Not to mention that it could be made from 2 plant species which evolved in post-War world, which only adds to the illogical fun.
In short, Stimpak is just a cosmetically different healing potion or salve regularly present in RPGs. Its mechanism, usage and content are a mystery, but from a gaming standing point, it is no different than a first aid kit, a bandage, a vial of potion or a magical green-glowing-levitating-healing ball.
I personally assumed that Stimpak contains some potent chemical ingredient which stimulates cell replication in and around the injection area (it being injected directly into the wound) in a similar way a tumour works, except that in this case cell replication is way faster and far more controlled (unlike tumour, it wouldn't grow beyond normal size - so it would probably contain some sort of tumour-suppressor too).
In addition to that, it probably contains some sort of protective gel or liquid which is either already present in the Stimpak contents or is somehow produced by replicated cells, a process which is induced by Stimpak chemicals themselves.
That protective gel, liquid, foam, plasma etc. would then serve as a temporary protective layer over the wound (similar to skin) which would "fall off" after a certain time period - while giving enough time for the tissue to normally replicate and fully heal the wound, or at least mostly, leaving little or no scarring.
However, there is a problem in how exactly is this medicine injected. One would have to either remove layers of clothing/armor in order to pin the needle where it should, or would, as I imagine, pin it right through the bullethole/cut present in the clothing...which I imagine would be nigh impossible - from a physical standpoint, a perfect hole through armor to the skin which would enable a wounded person to inject a needle through it is I believe not really common. On top of all, wounding the body and creating a sensation of pain would stimulate the body to produce adrenaline etc. and would, if I'm not wrong, result in unstable hands (shaking sensation) which would make it even harder for a wounded user to make a precise injection in the wound. And, to addition to all that, one must do it in the heat of battle.
Alternative would be to inject the contents of the Stimpak directly into the blood flow, but that would too be highly improbable, for similar reasons stated above.
Only realistic representation of how Stimpak could actually be injected is through a specific mechanism which power armors and similar have already built-in. But that would again bring a series problems to be discussed.
On top of all, the needle itself is not sterilized (I believe it often isn't) and could result in some sort of disease. Plus, this is a medicine which is around 200 years past its (potential) expiration date - whether it is working in its full potency (highly unlikely), or has become a dangerous chemical mixture is debatable. Not to mention that it could be made from 2 plant species which evolved in post-War world, which only adds to the illogical fun.
In short, Stimpak is just a cosmetically different healing potion or salve regularly present in RPGs. Its mechanism, usage and content are a mystery, but from a gaming standing point, it is no different than a first aid kit, a bandage, a vial of potion or a magical green-glowing-levitating-healing ball.
BonusWaffle
Still Mildly Glowing
From a gameplay perspective I can see how its like a healing potion, but in the game world i have to figure its still something like an adrenaline shot, used in the heat of battle to keep you conscious and able to fight despite your wounds.
aenemic
Sonny, I Watched the Vault Bein' Built!
While Atomkilla presents an interesting take, I personally consider them to be an injection of stimulants that help the user shake off pain, give an adrenaline rush and basically keep them in the fight. It might also contain something that helps the body regenerate faster, maybe even help blood coagulate. Considering Stimpaks don't heal limb damage in F:NV hardcore mode, this further leads me to believe they don't actually outright heal wounds, but rather let the user survive the fight to deal with his wounds afterwards.
Languorous_Maiar
A Smooth-Skin
Stimpaks don't heal limbs because it don't heal broken bones.
It can heal wounds from gunshots, cuts wounds, puncture wounds etc. but not bones.
Also, no wounded eyes, but it's rather too complicated for simple stimpak.
It can heal wounds from gunshots, cuts wounds, puncture wounds etc. but not bones.
Also, no wounded eyes, but it's rather too complicated for simple stimpak.
BonusWaffle said:
Perhaps, but there is a problem with that.
On one hand, there apparently isn't a limit on how many Stimpaks you can use per battle. If the Stimpak is in fact an adrenaline shot, too many doses would/should easily kill a player.
On the other hand, Super Stimpak has a negative effect on player's health after a certain amount of time, which indicates that the chemicals in the Super Stimpak are way more potent than a regular Stimpak, and thus harm the player. Regular Stimpak, regardless of dose, does not, so it would seem that their content is somewhat different.
However, considering that only Super Stimpak harms the player, I think we can assume that both sort of Stimpaks do not actually contain adrenaline (in that case, both would have some sort of side effects), at least not as their main component.
Besides, adrenaline would not last long enough for the healing to be done (not in the way shown in the game). After all, the PC just uses the 'pak, and its HP increases - there is no need for first aid kits, doctor bags etc. or the usage of skill related to those.
aenemic said:
In this form, it is a viable option, but again, gameplay mechanics (at least in the first two games) don't fully support it, as I have stated above.
BigBoss
Your Local Scrub
Languorous_Maiar said:Stimpaks don't heal limbs because it don't heal broken bones.
It can heal wounds from gunshots, cuts wounds, puncture wounds etc. but not bones.
Also, no wounded eyes, but it's rather too complicated for simple stimpak.
But a crippled limb isn't necessarily a broke bone.
I also don't believe its "magical" in a sense. There is applied science behind the way it works. It is most likely a cocktail between a pain reliever and some kind of chemical which heals only minor wounds, but the rest you have to do yourself. For example, if you get shot I'm sure it doesn't push the bullet out and close up the wound. I'm sure you have to take the bullet out yourself, and dress your wound, and the Stimpak will do the rest for you.
The only reason the developers make it seem like that is for gameplay purposes. Even in New Vegas Hardcore mode it shows you how Stimpaks have to heal overtime. They were trying to tell us that Stimpaks were the "miracle magical cure" that people thought. But they still needed a way for players to heal themselves in the midst of battle.
I bet if they made a "realistic" Fallout game Stimpaks would be much different.
Oppen
FIXT n°1 fan
woo1108 said:Simpy it's just magical healing potion which are popular among fantasy world and appeared excidently at wasteland to save the wastelander!
someone how has talent of magic can make it from xander root and broc flower! like Myron, Hakunin and the Courier.
Not quite, Hakunin only makes "healing powder", which lowers one point on perception. I tend to think that it's something like cocain, used to just ignore the pain.
Atomic Postman
Vault Archives Overseer
Like someone else said, it's the science fiction equivalent to a health potion, I imagine it would heal wounds, numb the pain and stimulate at the same time.
blat2005
First time out of the vault
Atomkilla has a good point explaining how stimpacks would work outside "game-rules" (that is, insta-healing without further medical logic for the sake of not dying). It's also supported by the fact that the healing effect is not instantaneous in NV's hardcore mode and neither does it heal broken limbs.
Maybe it just stimulates the speed of the process of soft tissue cell replication, therefore, healing external wounds in a matter of minutes.
Excuse my bad English, it's not my mother language.
Maybe it just stimulates the speed of the process of soft tissue cell replication, therefore, healing external wounds in a matter of minutes.
Excuse my bad English, it's not my mother language.