Perspective

What are perspectives? I've been asked this questions many times before and it’s actually really simple. Since I work for Empire Games, I have a lot of information and facts about different types of perspectives and what advantages and disadvantages are to them.  

Firstly I will tell you what exactly the term perspective means. Perspective in video games is how the player views the character and the world. Perspective is important as it allows the player to feel the journey they are going through in the game and different perspectives give a different journey. Also the perspective of the game has to be known before starting the design as it has a roll on how the whole world and characters of the game will look.

Video games have many types of perspectives but I will be taking about the main four types, which are first person, third person, aerial and 2D scrolling view.

First Person Perspective

First person perspective is when the player can see the action from the characters eyes. This allows the player to be immerse in the games so feel like they are actually there doing it. This is one of the most popular perspective as it is used by many of the top games such as Call of Duty, Doom, Battlefield and more.

Doom is a great example of first person perspective as it allows the player to move and experience what the character is doing, from the characters eyes, making it seem as if the player is the character itself. From the video below, you will see how the character is making the player feel immersed to the game.  

Call of Duty is another great example as it allows the player to control their character from a first person view so it makes them feel like they are in the game as they can see the gun and hands. From watching the video below, you can clearly see how the game makes the players feel immersed, giving it a better feel to it.  

Even though both games are first person perspective, Call of Duty makes the player feel more immersed than Doom. This is because Call of Duty has much better graphics than Doom as Doom was limited by the time it was created. Call of Duty has a much crisp and smooth feel to it so players will feel more into the game than Doom as again Doom had many glitches which slowed down the game and ruined the experience for the player. 

Advantages:

There are many advantages to first person perspective games but I will be giving examples of first person shooter games as it is the most common for first person perspective. First person shooters has a more immersed feeling to it as there is a lot of action for the player to go through and experience.

• Immersion in the virtual world

This allows the player to connect with the character which allows them to feel like they are in the game rather than just manipulating an avatar without having the emotional connection. Being immersed in in the world makes the game feel more realistic so every fight gives the player an adrenalin rush and every dark creepy alleyway makes the player feel nervous.

•   Accuracy of shooting

First person shooters usually provide a more accurate aim while playing as the player is more aware of where they are aiming because you can see through the player’s eyes. When aiming, you will be able to use the sight that the weapon provides and see through it, giving you a more precise aim rather than only using crossheads, which are not realistic.

•  Improved mental agility

People assume that gaming is will not help the person improve from everyday activity’s but some studies have shown that people who play more first person shooter games have a faster reaction time and are able to be better at multitasking and better at navigational skills.

Disadvantages:

There are also many disadvantages to first person games but I will be giving examples first person shooter games again. First person shooters only allows you to see through the characters eyes so you will be limited on your view of the surroundings. 

•  Field of vision

First person shooters may make the game feel more realistic, it limits your field of view. This means that players will have to view the game in tunnel vision so too look around the surroundings, the player will have to turn or move the characters head. So if someone is behind your character, you will not be able to see it unless you move the character around, which wastes time and may be too late.

•  Lack of cover

This is a big problem for a player when playing first person shooter games as there are no cover mechanics that allow the player to hide its character behind an object without losing site of the enemy. Some first person shooter games have a cover mechanic but when using it, it will change the perspective to third person shooter.

•  Motion sickness

Some people that play first person shooter games for a long periods may start to experience nausea because of the way the player moves. So the player may have to take breaks which could ruin the experience.

Third Person Perspective 

Third person perspective is when the player can see the action from a distant so they will be able to view the surroundings around their character and also be able to see the back of the character. This type of perspective is not as popular than first person shooters but it is still used by many games such as Uncharted, Grand Theft Auto and Gears of War.

Uncharted is a great example of a third person perspective as it allows the player to control the main character and be able to see the things around him which is important as if there is an enemy behind the character, then the player will be able to see it and defeat it easier. From the video below, you will be able to see how a third person game looks like.

Gears of War is another great example of a third person perspective game as it is one of the most popular games on the Xbox and it is not a first person perspective game. This may be because the game is highly competitive and because it is in third person, the players do not have to scope in to kill an enemy so it is easier for people to play the game. From the video below you will be able to see how third person perspective is played in a shooter game.

Even though both games are third person perspective, Gears of war is a better game as it allows players to be immersed into the game even though it is not a First person perspective game and also has better graphics and game world than Uncharted. Also Uncharted is a single player game so the player does not have the competitive feel for the game.

Advantages:

There are many advantages for third person perspective games but I will be talking about third person shooter games as it is the most common and popular version. Some advantages for third person shooter games are;

• In-Game Awareness 

  This allows the players to be more aware of what is around them and where the character is in the game. Third person shooter can judge how far something is and if they can make the jump or not and also in first person shooter games, players an get lost easily where as in third person shooter games, it is much better for the player to navigate around the game world.

• Improved Cover 

This allows players to have the option to cover behind objects as there are more advanced cover mechanics in third person shooter games. The player will be able to take cover without losing any view of the surrounding area.

• Graphics  

The graphics are usually better on a third person view as the player can see the whole character so the game designers have to put in more detail so that the experience for the player is better. So if the player is in a fight, then you will be able to see all the moves the character is making, which will improve the entertainment of the player and allows the designers to show of their skills.

Disadvantages: 

There are also many disadvantages to third person shooter games. some of them are;

• Realism 

The reason that third person shooters are less realistic is because the player can not see from the characters eyes so the players point of view is not centred all the time. This could also lead to being less accurate when shooting a gun at a target. #

• Awkward Camera Angles 

When the player is in the corner then sometimes the camera angles get confused so it will only show you the front of the character so you will not be able to see what is in front of them. Also when taking cover, some of the view may be blocked in the process which could get annoying for the player.