Part 18

Master the Hitman: Blood Money HUD! Learn about the Health Bar, Threat Meter (Green, Yellow, Red), and Minimap icons (Targets, Enemies, Civilians, Police) in Part 18.

Alright, Agent 47. Before we dive into the next big mission, let's make sure you're totally comfortable with the tools you've got right on your screen. This section is all about understanding your Heads-Up Display (HUD) in Hitman: Blood Money. It's your lifeline, giving you crucial info about your health, how much heat you're drawing, and where everyone is on the map.

The Main Screen

When you start a mission, the center of your screen is where Agent 47 himself hangs out. You control him and the camera from here. But the real intel is in the corners:

• Lower Left: This is your command center. You'll see your Health Bar (how much life you have left) and the Threat Meter (how suspicious everyone is). If you've got the Minimap turned on, it'll pop up here too. This is also where your available actions and their corresponding button prompts show up.
• Lower Center: This is where you'll see the buttons for your available actions.
• Lower Right: This shows your currently equipped weapon and how much ammo you have. Once you actually have a weapon in your hand, a Crosshair will appear right in the middle of the screen, helping you aim.

Health Bar and Threat Meter

Let's break down those crucial meters:

Health Bar

This is pretty straightforward – it shows your current health. If this bar disappears completely, well, that's game over, Agent. You'll lose health if you get shot, hit, or take a nasty fall from a significant height. The amount of damage you take depends on the weapon used and where you get hit. A headshot from a powerful rifle? That'll take you down fast, maybe even instantly.

Threat Meter

This meter tells you how much attention you're attracting. It changes color to give you a quick heads-up:

• Green: This is good! If you're in a disguise, you'll usually be in the green range when passing by civilians and guards. It means you're blending in. Even if a guard finds a dropped weapon, your meter will automatically turn green, indicating a minor disturbance that hasn't fully alerted anyone.
• Yellow: Uh oh. Yellow means you've tripped a wire somewhere. This could be because someone saw you doing something suspicious (like dragging a body) and is now heading to tell a guard. Getting spotted doing shady stuff will negatively impact your mission rating. Another reason to go yellow is if a body is discovered, even if it was an accident.
• Red: Red alert! When your meter turns red and the music kicks up, your cover is completely blown. Expect to be attacked. If you manage to kill the person who blew your cover, your meter might drop back to yellow afterward, as people will be much more wary of you, even if you're not actively doing anything wrong.

The Map and Intel

This is arguably your most important tool. The Minimap displays pretty much everything happening in real-time on the level (though this can be toned down on harder difficulties). You can see how everyone is moving, which is incredibly useful for planning your approach. Here are the icons you'll see:

• White Dot: That's you, Agent 47.
• Red Dots: These are your current targets. You might have more than one.
• Yellow Dots: These are enemies, usually guards. Keep an eye on them.
• Gray Dots: These are innocent civilians. They won't attack you, but if they see you doing something suspicious, they'll run to a guard or police officer to report you.
• Blue Dots: These are Police officers. They're essentially guards, so treat them with the same caution.

Understanding these elements is key to staying alive and keeping your ratings high. Now, let's get ready for what's next!