Video Game Perspective

Perspective is how meant how the controller or game player controls and views the visual aspect of the game i.e. from a first or third person view of the character in the game world and his journey within the game. There are different perspectives on how the game is played there are 4 main types which are; First Person View, Third Person View, Aerial and 2D Side-Scrolling. I am going to describe each perspective and how we use it in the modern day, first perspective I am going to describe is First Person.

First Person

In the First Person Perspective, the game player is usually playing through the eyes of the protagonist(s). The viewpoint is not always through a physical character is could be through a cockpit, either being a car or plane as simulators is mostly in first person. First person games are usually categorised under adventure, shooting and simulation games, few game titles are listed below:

·         Call of Duty

·         Far Cry

·         Gran Turismo

·         Doom

The Advantage of First Person games is how the game player can easily get engaged with the game as they believe that they are part of the game and can easily immerse themselves in the game, which gives a realistic feel of the game. In shooting games, the controller has a more accurate shot in terms of aiming as the viewer can easily aim down their sights and see the cross-hairs of any shots that has the target making it a more thrilling experience for the gamer.

Drawbacks of this perspective however is the limited field of vision, the user will only have a view of what is in front of them which can be quite troubling for those who play non-stop action games as you will not have an idea of where an enemy is attacking you from.

In First Person Shooters, the view from taking cover is very limited as you will not be able to see where the enemy/target is which can be quite troubling, there is some features in certain games where they would let you alternate between first and third person which does eliminate the problem.

Third Person

In Third Person games, the gamer is usually on looking the game from afar usually an aerial view of the game character, in most cases the whole backside of the character is usually visible which enables the player to navigate easier in the game. The gamer can also predict where to go as they have wider range of sight in the game and look out for any hidden items or enemies in an instant. Third Person games is commonly used out of all perspectives in games as it helped enhance gaming for the future. 

The most common genres used in third person games are; Action, Adventure, Action-Adventure, Shooting. Some examples of games in these categories are;

·         Grand Theft Auto

·         Uncharted

·         Need for Speed

·         Resident Evil

The Advantage of this particular perspective is that it allows the user to have more practical abilities compared to a side scroller where it is only left/right, jump, crouch, shoot or attack etc. 3^rd person view can make it especially n shooting games to take cover whilst having a view of the surrounding area making it better for the user to not get killed in action. Minor things like jumping to one place to another is easier to do as you can make a quick judgement on whether or not it is the right moment to make it i.e. if there is gunfire coming towards you, improving your overall awareness. Graphics are usually better in terms of the protagonist(s) as there will be more attention to detail than other aspects of the game. This may also effect the Special effects of the game for example in the Devil May Cry series the protagonists fighting moves will have added special effects when attacking an enemy which improves the overall aspects of the game making it more entertaining for the player.

A drawback is that it may not be as realistic as 1^st person games as the player may not feel as

engaged which can affect the game play. For example shooting in a 3^rd person game the accuracy will be dreadful as the aim down sight is a large circle which will cause the gun to shoot aimlessly and recoil to be off. In some cases, the camera view can also hinder the view of the character which can be annoying for users when they are halfway through a mission then all of a sudden the camera angle turned funny which would make you restart the whole mission.

2D Scrolling

2D Side-Scrolling games are usually viewed from a side-view camera angle, usually controlling the on-screen characters going from left to right, to achieve the goal/objective. This type of camera view is commonly used in platform games where there is obstacles that you have to jump, climb and run throughout the progress of the game. Not just platform games have a 2D view, some fighting games also this view to show a focus on the characters rather than the environment. Some examples that help back up my points:

·         Super Mario

·         Sonic the Hedgehog

·         Street Fighter

·         Streets of Rage

·         Mortal Kombat

The advantage of 2D side scrolling games is that is very easy to make, in terms of being an amateur games maker as they can easily create an image of what type of game they want to make. In contrast, modern day side scrolling games lets you create depth in the game i.e. the jumping, climbing aspects of the game. This creates a world of possibilities for the game to have platforms, different tiered levels which aren't possible in aerial view games. The graphics of the game can also be in more detail as there is less artwork to deal with so the graphics of the game can be more focused on. The Side Scrolling aspect of the game are still commonly found in handheld consoles, as popular games such as Super Mario and Street Fighter are still playing right now.

Disadvantage of 2D side scrolling games are that is does not allow character to move in 360 motion, only allowing them to move forward and backward. It’s also more difficult for items to be hidden in games as the item will always be visible to the player when the character is in proximity of the item.

Aerial View

Aerial or top down view is a game perspective where the player sees from above looking down that shows the player and the area around him/her. This can also be referred to as bird’s eye view. This specific camera view is usually at a fixed point or rotation. Commonly used in 2D role playing video games and even action and adventure games. Games such as Final Fantasy, The Legend of Zelda and one of the really first Grand Theft Auto games are a few games that feature a top down view. Some more examples are also listed below:

·         Dead Nation

·         Pokémon

·         Sim City

·         Bomberman

·         Civilization

An advantage of a top down view is that is easier to create a new environment content, meaning that you can add in extra features in the game flawlessly, this can improve the layout of the game and the users experience. Secondly, from the players perspective, this viewpoint allows for easier control by keyboard on (PC), using the arrow keys to move the player around.

A disadvantage of the view is that the viewpoint is quite outdated in comparison to modern day games, which would be quite difficult when creating a game for the new generation as they are use to high quality graphical games. Another reason is that you don't get to see from the characters point of view, therefore you don't become immersed in the game as you are basically navigating throughout the entirety of the game.