Thanks all.
Well, I got the script working but now I'm having troubles with the animation when I am moving forward. When you are in 3rd person view the engine sets the camera a fixed position behind and above you and for some reason this does not change automatically. As a result, multiple anim changes as my man jumps all tend to jerk and stutter. I'm sure that there is an answer involving camera functions . . .
I decided against the setVelocity function for two reasons - 1) it didn't work and 2) - the command ref says that it is for vehicles only.
The main change that I made was to change the one big jump into lots of little jumps, each separated by 0.1 of a second. Basically, rise 0.5m, pause, rise 0.4m, pause etc, then fall 0.1m, pause, fall 0.2m, pause etc back to earth. Unless of course you did it while running over the cliff, then it's pause, OOPS ! . . .
If you notice my jump is now 1.5m (0.5 +0.4+ . . . 0.1 = 1.5m up, then down). I tried 2m and it looks like that must be some breakpoint for taking damage - after about 5-10 hops my guy ended up with a broken leg !
I will take on board the custom anims, the sound and the health suggestions - thanks all. Just one thing - is there a difference in the game between health and damage ? I mean - when you sprint you get tired and when you rest you recover. When you take a bullet you get damaged but as far as I can tell without a medic or LOTS of time you are stuffed. I want jumping to tire you, not slowly kill you.
Final note - I've read a million FAQs and references and I'm sure that I missed this but what is the protocol with posting scripts to this forum ? Do I have to include a mission to show it off as well ? If so maybe I'll set up a hurdles track somewhere as an sqm ('The La Trinite Games' ?).
Roni