Damage is the number of hit-points inflicted by the weapon, anomalous zone, etc.. Some of the hit-points can be absorbed by the field, while the rest will fall upon the armor and glider.
Absorption[]
The Absorption of the Power-shield generators characterizes the number of hit-points absorbed by the energy field. If the number of hit-points is higher than what the energy field can absorbate, the rest of the damage will instantly fall upon the armor and glider.
Volumetric damage[]
Volumetric damage made by ammos like bombs or missiles or some heavy weapons is the damage inflicted by the blast wave. Due to its volumetric effect, this type of damage affects the energy field first, and then the armor and the glider.
Anomalous zones damage[]
Electromagnetic abnormality[]
The damage of an anomaly where the warning of an electromagnetic abnormality comes up can be blocked by having the electro-magnetic stabilizer installed.
Hazardous radiation[]
The damage of an anomaly where the warning of a hazardous radiation comes up can be blocked by having the radiation protection installed.
A hazard source, this time a High Radiation, shown in the Location Editor
High temperature[]
Damage where the warning of high temperature comes up can come from lava in the Volcano Sector or nearby hot devices and can be lowered by having the cryogenerator installed.
Unknown hazard[]
There are two zones where a warning of an unknown hazard comes up. One is in the dried up lake around the Beholder in the Desert Sector, but the zone actually tricks the sensors and there is no real danger that must be coped with.
The second zone though, is very dangerous. It is located in the same sector, in the mountains behind the half-stock plant and has such a high damage output so that it prevents reaching a building, which looks like a vent system, inside of the anomaly. A mechmind of the Reckoners called RECWIL-25 will guide the player to the anomaly in the third mission of the Reckoners' main base. The only way to get to this building, which is the exit to the outside world, is by getting the experimental device. It blocks the damage completely and also decreases the damage output of other anomalies.
Kill[]
There is an anomaly called KILL, which simply should destroy the player instantly. It deals 10000 damage per second. This anomaly is set on many areas in the Rock Sector, where the player should be killed before getting over the mountains. This should prevent him to get to the edge of the map.
Other damage[]
Hot water[]
The hot water around the climate actuator in the Arctic Sector makes damage, which can be fully resisted by the power-shield generator type-4 from a standard 4 glider. The cryogenerator is not working as a protection against it.
A group of two Nargoons has its spawn location over the water and as they stay there the whole time, it always results in having a slow death for them.
Swamp[]
The swamp fields in the Swamp Sector are damaging the glider a bit. A glider of the 3rd or 4th standard with a power-shield generator type-4 has a strong enough energy shield to recover the damage faster than its being inflicted.
Force field[]
Since A.I.M. version 1.04, the force field (or contour field) makes damage to the player, the closer he gets to it. It should prevent the player to get outside of the map, which was possible because the force usually is too weak to get blocked. Anyway, there is a bug, where several little, invisible openings can be found in the force field, where no damage nor force comes out from, if flewn through from the right direction. Means that the openings are only accessible by flying to the left or the right from it.
Other mechminds do not suffer from this damage. Only the player does.
Map edges[]
Getting too near to the edge of the map, the player will get damage the closer he gets there. For example it is the case at one point at the rapture under the fallen ship, where the container with the zero reactor can be found.
Other mechminds do not suffer from this damage and don't even die if the edge was crossed. Only the player does.
Originally player didn't recieve any damage when barrier was crossed. This was the case is A.I.M. 0.21 ßeta and its predecessors.
Collisions[]
Damage from collisions with other objects (e.g. trees, gliders, force field) was implemented in A.I.M. 2. Clan Wars and A.I.M. Racing. The damage is based on the glider speed at the collision.