The health bug has been around for quite a long time.
It’s probably related to the game applying your vitality points after loading your character. Or something along those lines.
So Max HP adjusts, but not your health.
No need to be hit by something, anything that regenerate / deplete your health would work. Like eating.
Bug 2 started appearing not so long ago.
When you approach some npc, their state is sometimes pushed to your client after they appear.
So yeah, NPC on his feet is shown on your screen, then the server tells them “No no, you’re dead!”
Their reply is generaly “Oh, my bad!” before they fall to the ground again.
Eating works if “you aren’t currently at full “food”, but eating something gets you there”. IE it’s not eating (or regaining health) that does it, it’s the HP buff you get from being fully fed.
Other than that you’re right. It’s a very old bug, and it’s visual only. So “behind the scenes” you have the correct amount of health (usually 100%), but until something happens to change that, it’ll continue to show as half.
Yesterday I knocked out a particularly interesting crafting NPC and he just stood there, never had that happen so I kept hitting him until I realized I could no longer see his healthbar. Hmmm, strange.
Finally I pulled out my rawhide tether, attached him and dragged to wheel of pain.
I learned to sleep while standing up when I was in the service, maybe he did too ?
Odd, but fine by me. I now have a T4 crafter in my carpenter’s bench, since it was only visual.
There are some amusing anomalies with the game engine, enjoy them