This feature have been implemented for several week (maybe less... don't rembemer) before the wipe. And have been remove cause all low level character who have crippled legs are not able to escape random encounter.
Most of hem have not improve their outdoorsman skill and can't dodge random encounter... and cause of their crippled legs, they can't run away... and die.
Really? For the last two weeks I have played almost every day trying a few new chars and I have been crippled TWO times. Let alone that often I can travel for a minute or two not encountering anything.
Even if it happens so that you get an injury fighting with scorpions, even when the injury happens to be a leg, I still doubt that anyone would be so unlucky to not make it to town three times in a row. And all this was to happen on a daily basis.
It reminds me of when I played F2 on my old 486. The encounter rates somehow depended on the speed of computer. I was on my way from Den to Vault City for the first time. I had like two encounters for every square. Enteringing or leaving a map was so slow and loading a game after each death meant not less than 3 minutes of waiting. It took me a whole evening to make it to safeheaven of Modoc (what a nice surprise it was). Did I have fun? Hell yeah. And now that I hear all those whines...
But fine, I can understand that not everyone is so patient and it can be hard for new characters, especially for new players. But this isn't a reason to remove the whole feature and dumb the game down just like that. There are many ways to solve it:
1. chars with level <x get injuries healed automatically <facepalm>
2. make doctor timeout based on character level and greatly reduce it for the lowest levels
3. in every hospital put an NPC that offers to safely escort you to (the vicinity of) the nearest town (if you're (leg-)injured) (for low levels).
4. alter doctor skill to make it a bit easier for everyone
anything...
Finally, what every player can do: don't neglect your skills. Or do if you want to roleplay a wasteland-inept character.
1. Wow! Now that will be so awesome for people that have NOT tagged doctor skill to get anywhere from spawn with crippled leg espescially nowadays when most of encounterd NPC are running after you.
It's the exactly same argument as saying that enemies shouldn't be able hurt you too much or kill you because it will make the game too hard for anyone who hasn't tagged a combat skill.
I know it's just a game, it's not supposed to be 100% realistic, but if we've got this make-believe setting than why won't you just play along with it? This is wasteland, goddamn, everyone should know some elementary survival skills.
Most injuries can happen in PvP, which is pretty much voluntary. So if you suck at it then just live with the shame when rats eat you on your way from respawn.
2. Most people loot everything they can from dead player. Not sure if this feature is worth implementing.
Because it's easier to just "take all" with one click and then throw it away later. Doesn't matter since the victim probably isn't coming back, right? Some people don't do it because they aren't total assholes or just would like to roleplay someone who's not a total asshole. Robin Hood wouldn't murder you for a pack of smokes or whatever...