To those that go specifically for first person games

[The Blackangel]

I’m just wondering, what specifically is the allure of FP games? I have a couple, and I gotta say, I’m not a fan of the angle. I don’t know if it’s a difficulty thing, but I would much rather play in 3rd person. Maybe part of it is being a classic gamer where most games are either a side scroller or a top down view. With the exception of most N64 games.

But for me, 3rd person just isn’t all that enjoyable. Personal preference I guess?

Anyway, I really do want to know what the draw is for you?

[Shagger]

Because it's the same perspective on one's actual sight, it can feel more immersive and real. For shooters especially, I'd say it feels more accurate as well. It's not an easy thing do well, though, not nearly as easy as people think. Because it matches a real world perspective, the slightest flaw in character animations, control, movement dynamics or reactions from the environment are more the more noticeable. The smallest things can really be immersion breaking

 

For example, I started playing Fallout 4 on PC the last couple of days and I play the game mostly in 1st person (In this game, you switch between 1st and 3rd). One of the things I noticed right away was the way the character holds his/her gun while not shooting. It's something that really odd looking while standing still, but's it's especially odd while moving the character. The gun is held upright, straight out in front of it were a standing shot. Thankfully, I could install a mod that changes the animation so that the character then held the gun down and close to body and it looks way better.

 

Here's a vid comparing the two.

 

 

 

[Crazycrab]

I don't buy games based on what perspective they are in, I actually can’t imagine why anybody sane would.   Some would probably argue that shooters are better from 1st person and action games that use more melle are better from 3rd but that depends on how the game is designed WITH the perspective, not the perspective itself.

Edited July 16, 2020 by Crazycrab

[The Blackangel]

@ShaggerThat mod adds more realism than people will realize. If you've never either been a hunter or in the military, then typically you won't realize how a real firearm is handled. You don't walk around with it pointed straight out in front of you EVER. That WILL get someone killed. If you trip you will instinctively tighten your grip on whatever weapon you have in your hands, and even if it's on safe, nothing is fool proof. And if you're stupid enough to not have the weapon on safe until you get to your destination, then you have no business looking at it, let alone handling it. I sold a couple of my rifles a few years back, and predominantly only have handguns now. Aside from my revolver, none are fire ready. I keep the clips full, but never chamber a round unless I'm about to pull the trigger.

More often than not, hunters do hold their rifle to the side like that. Others prefer to hold it resting on their shoulder. You have better control holding it to the side with both hands in my opinion, but you need to go with what's more natural and comfortable for you because you will have better control over where your weapon is aimed.

But to get back to the game, that's a great mod

 

@Crazycrab That's a bit of an unfair statement. The reverse of that has to fall under that as well. Why would any sane person avoid first person games because of the perspective? Some like the one, but not the other. I see it a lot like VR games where a headset is required. That's first person, but many of us have no interest in it. When it's all based on opinion, you can't call one preference insane without the other one eventually being called insane as well.

Like I said, I'm not the biggest fan of first person perspective. But I have played a couple semi-enjoyable games. However I have no intention of getting any on purpose, such as Fallout or Doom.

[Crazycrab]

8 hours ago, The Blackangel said:

 

@Crazycrab That's a bit of an unfair statement. The reverse of that has to fall under that as well. Why would any sane person avoid first person games because of the perspective? Some like the one, but not the other. I see it a lot like VR games where a headset is required. That's first person, but many of us have no interest in it. When it's all based on opinion, you can't call one preference insane without the other one eventually being called insane as well.

Like I said, I'm not the biggest fan of first person perspective. But I have played a couple semi-enjoyable games. However I have no intention of getting any on purpose, such as Fallout or Doom.

 

VR is a bit of an exemption to the points I'm about to make.  The whole point of VR is that it simulates being in the actual environment, so unless the game is entied "3rd Person Camera Simulator VR" it pretty much defeats the whole purpose if it is in 3rd person.

 

I might have been a little harsh by "insane" implication but I stand by my point.  The idea that someone wouldn't buy something like say... Cyberpunk 2077 for no other reason that it's in first person during gameplay despite everything every other aspect of gameplay, characters, story, setting and ideas being right up their street makes no sense to me.  I have seen those kinds of complaints and it blows my mind (and no, I'm not trying to turn into a debate about Cyberpunk 2077, it's just an example).

 

I generally like stealth/action games like Metal Gear and Assassins creed which are generally 3rd person, but Dishonored, Mirrors Edge and Chivalry Medieval Warfare are 1st person games that used a lot of these types of mechanics and ideas and they worked almost flawlessly.  We can then flip the switch with shooters like DOOM, Borderlands or Call of Duty, being in 1st of course, then still see that there are tons of successful 3rd person shooters as well like Uncharted, Gears of War, SOCOM, Fortnite... the list goes on.

 

There are even some games like the Elder Scrolls, Fallout and the aforementioned Metal Gear Sold where as far back as MGS 2 you can play through the entire game in one or the other and switch for different situations.

 

So it's not an opinion, it's a fact.  The choice of 1st person or 3rd person has no effect on how well the mechanics and systems work when it is designed well.  I get there are people that just don’t seem to like games in 1st or 3rd person perspective but I’ll never understand why.

Edited July 17, 2020 by Crazycrab

[The Blackangel]

Very true, the mechanics of any given game aren’t typically related to the view of the character. There are games that are amazing, and games that are pure shit in both first and third person. Also while they are few, there are games that were specifically thought up for the mechanics to be experienced through a first person perspective. But it’s still a matter of opinion as to what a person goes for. Until FF8 came out, I wouldn’t play anything that wasn’t pure fantasy. Part of what drew me in was “Fantasy” in the title. It opened my mind to other kinds of games. Granted on NES and SNES there were a couple games I was into that weren’t pure fantasy, but I could count them on one hand.

My girl for example, hates first person, because of she can’t see anything other than what’s directly in front of her. She tried it with a dinosaur hunting game when she was a kid, and had nightmares about raptors getting her from behind due to the game. To this day, no matter how good a game looks to her, if it’s first person she passes. I pass also because with me, it’s in the same boat as online gaming. I simply don’t enjoy those games. I’ve given them several shots, and can only think of one that I enjoyed.

Hexen.

 

I respect your points, as you made several good ones. But I think we are going to have to agree to disagree on this one.

Edited July 18, 2020 by The Blackangel

[KuroInDistress]

I actually prefer the third person view for most games, but I think shooters do pretty well with First person.

[StaceyPowers]

Third person: I'm floating over someone else's shoulder awkwardly as the world spins around me, a million miles from the action. And everything around me is so small and hard to see.

First person: I'm the person in the game, seeing through my own eyes, immersed in the action, and things look like they do in real life.

[StaceyPowers]

On 7/16/2020 at 3:29 PM, Crazycrab said:

I don't buy games based on what perspective they are in, I actually can’t imagine why anybody sane would.

It's not a make-or-break for me, but I have to REALLY want a game for other reasons to buy it if it is in third person. Third person breaks immersion for me unless it is done very well, and it makes me literally dizzy.

[Gamertotheend]

I love 1st person games because I find them far more immersive and enjoyable than 3rd person.

Games like Morrowind, Oblivion, Skyrim, Fallout 3 and 4, Kingdom come Deliverance, Deus Ex, etc are really my favourite.  But even though I enjoyed games like Horizon Zero Dawn, The Witcher 3, Dragonage Inquisition, Dragon's Dogma, RDR2 etc.  I just cannot feel really immersed in a game where I'm floating above and behind myself. 

It's like racing games. I love racing games but can only use cockpit view as I find that "I'm floating above and behind the car" view utterly absurd and unbearable.

[Heatman]

Personally, I'm not sure if I have any issues with playing in both first person and third person. For, as long as I get exactly what I'm looking for in the gameplay, I'm all good. 

[killamch89]

Honest, First Person makes you feel more immersed in the game as you're seeing things through the eyes of your character instead of a shoulder view or from behind them. It also helps with aiming in certain instances.

[Heatman]

The accuracy you have when playing on first person game mode especially with shooting games is what makes it a perfect technique for such games. 

[Razor1911]

On 7/17/2020 at 2:16 AM, The Blackangel said:

I’m just wondering, what specifically is the allure of FP games? I have a couple, and I gotta say, I’m not a fan of the angle. I don’t know if it’s a difficulty thing, but I would much rather play in 3rd person. Maybe part of it is being a classic gamer where most games are either a side scroller or a top down view. With the exception of most N64 games.

But for me, 3rd person just isn’t all that enjoyable. Personal preference I guess?

Anyway, I really do want to know what the draw is for you?

I too prefer playing third person games. I guess, you are too into action kinda fast pacing game, right? Such genre requires fast movements and for that 3rd person is the best. If you are playing little slower game (adventure), FPS is preferable.

[killamch89]

14 hours ago, Razor1911 said:

I too prefer playing third person games. I guess, you are too into action kinda fast pacing game, right? Such genre requires fast movements and for that 3rd person is the best. If you are playing little slower game (adventure), FPS is preferable.

I kind of disagree - It depends on the game itself. In some games, FP makes is more useful and in some games, third person is more useful. FP certainly suits fast-paced games like Call Of Duty and Battlefield among other FPS. Adventure games typically tend to be third person.