Is 3rd person perspective a poor relation to 1st?

[Darren S]

I've never really liked the view in FPS games from the 'over the shoulder' perspective. Games like Gears of War frustrated me and to a lesser extent, so did Mass Effect.

I downloaded Red Faction : Guerilla via Steam the other day and while I really enjoy the game, I keep getting these 3rd person niggles cropping up. In particular, when it comes to vehicles.

You climb aboard a vehicle in a GTA style. The door opens, the character climbs in and the default camera view changes to up and behind the tail-gate - looking forward.

But when you come to reverse or turn, the camera moves to a view that 'it' thinks is useful, when it isn't - meaning that you have to manually pan to a different view while controlling the directional movement of the vehicle itself. This is REALLY annoying when you're trying to mow down EDF troops whilst in a vehicle.

Even on foot, I've had a few missions where I've had to restart after being in a shootout and getting flanked. Yet I can almost guarantee that if that had been in a 1st person view, I would have come out the winner.

I can see the use for 3rd person perspective - but I think it creates more problems than its worth. Should 1st person view be the only option?

D.

 

[The Ironist]

I think on Red Faction Guerilla 3rd person is essential. Especially when knocking down building as you need to be able to see what's going on with the building as a whole and not just the little bit your facing. I like games like GTA where there is the option to use 1st person when you want to though

 

[nicknick]

g33k rant!

 

[Brazo]

I think its a more slower tactical viewpoint, essential for taking apporpriate cover like in Gears of War and GTA. Oh and you can see around corners!

I know what you mean about the GTA and vehicle thing as on afew occasions online I really struggled when reversing!

 

[Munson]

Depends on the game TBH. Uncharted 2 would suck in 1st person.

 

[Mike_182]

I find Transformers ROTF and Sonic Unleashed f'ucking tedious at times cos the camera picks godawful angles to sit at.

 

[MikeLYR27]

think you should man up tbh

 

[oska]

Warhawk, excellent 3rd Person shooter.

 

[Darren S]

I think on Red Faction Guerilla 3rd person is essential. Especially when knocking down building as you need to be able to see what's going on with the building as a whole and not just the little bit your facing. I like games like GTA where there is the option to use 1st person when you want to though

Good point, actually. It works really well I find when you're lobbing those explosive charges in arc - say over a wall or something. Think I still prefer 1st person though.

g33k rant!

GTFO then! :rasp:

D.

 

[TimR26]

I agree with Roy, depends on the game. Assassin's Creed 2 would be unplayable in 1st person when your surrounded by guards attacking you.

 

[ukaskew]

3rd person has its place, Batman: AA, Uncharted 2 and Assassins Creed 2 are all most definitely 3rd person games that wouldn't work in first person. There are more than enough FPS games out there so it's good to have some variation.

From a selfish point of view: 3rd person is a must as FP gives me severe motion sickness.

 

[Lee-182]

I got the new Ghost Recon for PS3 and i cant play it for s**t, just end up looking at the ground spinning in a circle. GTA is just about playable but still s**t. I hate 3rd person views

 

[Darren S]

3rd person has its place, Batman: AA, Uncharted 2 and Assassins Creed 2 are all most definitely 3rd person games that wouldn't work in first person. There are more than enough FPS games out there so it's good to have some variation.

From a selfish point of view: 3rd person is a must as FP gives me severe motion sickness.

I'm the opposite. I don't know if the effect is compunded in me getting a 26" monitor recently, but when the action gets a little frantic on Red Faction, I do feel a little weird a few seconds later.

I've never had problems within FPS games though - ever. My m8 suffers with FPS games quite badly, yet he used to play the likes of Wipeout for hours without issue. Seems strange how some things affect people and dont bother others.

D.

 

[Christopher]

I really depends on the title IMO. I could never imagine playing MGS or Assassin's Creed in FP. But then I can't play MW2 in the TP option... not at all, I can't even aim.

Sometimes though, TP gives more of a sense of drama, like in Uncharted or MGS. It suits those games brilliantly.

 

[ukaskew]

I'm the opposite. I don't know if the effect is compunded in me getting a 26" monitor recently, but when the action gets a little frantic on Red Faction, I do feel a little weird a few seconds later.

I've never had problems within FPS games though - ever. My m8 suffers with FPS games quite badly, yet he used to play the likes of Wipeout for hours without issue. Seems strange how some things affect people and dont bother others.

D.

Definitely depends on the game, the 3rd person mode in Fallout 3 was horrible (as it was based on a first person camera and needed constant adjustments) so I couldn't play that at all, made me proper sick. That's the only 3rd person game ever to have an impact on me, GTA etc are all absolutely fine. Most FPS games are ok in fairness as most are open-world now, it's the corridor based stuff that triggers it.

Never heard of driving games effecting anyone, they are smooth and it's obvious what the 'camera' is doing (or going to be doing) at any time.

 

[TimR26]

^^ I play Fallout 3 using 1st person camera.

 

[Christopher]

Kazunori Yamauchi has 3D motion sickness.

Could possibly explain why Polyphony have taken so f*cking long to release GT5.

 

[lasbazrre]

As a rule i'm a Third person man.

Mast of my fave games of all time have either been in 2D ( i'm a old c**t ) or TP.

I also think gaming has been dumbed down quite a lot , whats happened to the multi genre titles of say Resi Evil 1 and Tomb raider? ( adventuring/gun play/puzzles ) Closest recent game has been uncharted , but i think thats been dumbed down ( i did enjoy it mind ) and don't get me started on game lengths 8/10/12 hours average ( first play through on normal ) is poor for £40 , not arsed about trophys/different clobber )

( i don't care about playing the same levels , but with online players )-( maybe cut out some of the mind numbingly boring storylines/cut scenes it's not a film , and add a few more hours of game play )

I tend to think of FP as shooters ( most are ) and i think that genre is overburdened , don't get me wrong a good shooter is mint , but theirs a lot of rubbish/samey games out there.

 

[ukaskew]

I also think gaming has been dumbed down quite a lot

Not sure about dumbed down, but definitely way, waaaay easier. Many games were incredibly brutal in the 8/16 bit era. Ikaruga is the only recent game that reminds me of how hard games used to be.

 

[Plummer]

Not sure about dumbed down, but definitely way, waaaay easier. Many games were incredibly brutal in the 8/16 bit era. Ikaruga is the only recent game that reminds me of how hard games used to be.

The only game I have struggled with since Mega Drive games was and is; Ninja Gaiden 2.

 

[lasbazrre]

Quite a few new games i beat bosses and do parts of the game that would of been far harder a few years back.

I remember games such as Tomb Raider and Resi Evil and MGS had a sort of learning curve where it almost felt like it was you Vs the game , and you died and died again , but you learnt from dying on how to beat the boss/do the part , it would literally take weeks of very decent sittings to finish a game , most games these day you can do it in two!

It feels like your part of a interactive movie these days ( great in some ways ) , but it has a nagative effect on the life of the game , like the developers don't want to make it too hard in case you to get stuck , turn it off and miss another their lovelingly crafted 5/10/15/20/30/40/50/60 mins of a cut scene , that who watches after the first time? Waste of disc space.

 

[ukaskew]

It feels like your part of a interactive movie these days ( great in some ways ) , but it has a nagative effect on the life of the game , like the developers don't want to make it too hard in case you to get stuck , turn it off and miss another their lovelingly crafted 5/10/15/20/30/40/50/60 mins of a cut scene , that who watches after the first time? Waste of disc space.

A few people have tried to complete COD: Modern Warfare 2 without actually doing much, not sure what the record is but you can complete the game without shooting very many people at all.