First Person, Third Person, your opinion?

[Sifer2]

Hello all, since no one else has mentioned this that much I figure I would bring it up. In the original Planetside it was primarily an FPS. But allowed you to go into third person if you wanted. Which while it was ok for vehicles it did create some exploit tactics indoors allowing you to see around corners. Which makes me wonder how it will work in Next.

Personally I would like it to be exclusively First Person view. From the time you log in to your character you see it from their view. Even when entering vehicles you would see a FP animation of opening the door an climbing in an then drive, pilot the vehicle from that view. Such as looking out over the dashboard of a jeep or viewing through a monitor like driving tanks in Battlefield. I think it would make the game more immersive an put everyone on the same playing field.

I even think that if your not wearing armor you should have no HUD. When you put armor on then your holographic display helmet would kick in an show your statistics. And to reach inventory, map an game menu's you would use a hand held PDA device. An of course if you look down you should see your feet. I can't believe that's not a standard feature in FPS yet lol.

Of course that's just my opinion. I imagine there are some out there that would scream at having to drive vehicles in first person view since they are so used to the easier third person method. An some probably even would not mind having the whole thing third person now that games like Uncharted an Gears make it popular. But I would prefer the more fair an consistent FP view across the board. What do you guys think?

[Kumoblade]

I love first person. however, I do like the idea of an Over-the shoulder view like in Gears. The reasoning behind this is that while in 1st person, Depth Perception is horrible. While having an Over the shoulder option, you can see how you relate to your surroundings and have a better depth perception.

If its close enough to the shoulder then you don't have to worry too much about Corner exploiting. however, there should be sticky cover and the ability to lean around a corner to see.

I think vehicle options should be both first person and 3rd person. The reasoning for this is transports without windows. You'll be stuck staring at the interior of a vehicle (which would have to be modelled, and vehicle interiors are a way Modellers cut corners.

[DviddLeff]

Got to be first person all the way.

Third person exploiters who sit at corners with HA using third person combined with lag to get essentially free kills is one of the main reasons I left the game.

As for vehicles its a tougher one, but I would honestly prefer to have a first person view.

Immersion is the way forward, and having everything appear to be either on your HUD in your helmet, or on hand held devices would be perfect. For example why not put hacking, healing and repairing bars on the support tool rather than have them pop up in the world?

PS2 is an opportunity to do things right from the start, and removing third person is one "sacrifice" that must be made.

[Kumoblade]

Both have their pros and cons.

The con to 3rd person is that when people come up behind you they can block your line of sight.

The con with 1st person is that its tough to gauge distance, perception, etc.. as well as your tail end when you're in vehicles.

It would take a rediculous amount of work to add mirrors and such to vehicles that you can use to see where your ass end's at when it comes to driving, etc..

Also, if you're forced to first person while in vehicles, when you're down in the bay controlling a gun thats up top, it'll be even more work to set up a remote visual to know where the guns firing.

While I'd love if they could make 1st person just that much more Immersive, i don't know if SOE is willing to put forth the effort.

[Tikuto]

1. Only First-Person View when as Infantry, MAX or whatever.
2. Alternate between Third-Person and First-Person when driving. Cannot rotate camera around (like Liberator belly-camera view). - This allows the spatial awareness of your character. When driving in-game, by looking left and right can greatly mess-up gameplay whereas by just having a Third-Person View saves all that trouble.

[ANaKeR]

Infantry

• First-person view ONLY

Vehicles

• First-person view with the ability to look 90 degrees to either side (180 degree of view from the seat) and the a mapped key to look directly behind the vehicle.

• Third-person view that's 'dragged' behind the vehicle (not locked directly behind the vehicle like in PS1)

Radar shows a topographical view (with contour lines) of the surrounding terrain with objects showing up (trees, rocks, bridges, base structures, vehicles, etc.).

Additionally, a ~30 second instant replay from a directors point of view with the ability to display in slow motion

[Tikuto]

Originally Posted by ANaKeR

Infantry

• First-person view ONLY

Vehicles

• First-person view with the ability to look 90 degrees to either side (180 degree of view from the seat) and the a mapped key to look directly behind the vehicle.

• Third-person view that's 'dragged' behind the vehicle (not locked directly behind the vehicle like in PS1)

Radar shows a topographical view (with contour lines) of the surrounding terrain with objects showing up (trees, rocks, bridges, base structures, vehicles, etc.).

Additionally, a ~30 second instant replay from a directors point of view with the ability to display in slow motion

Anaker wins this thread.

[Sifer2]

Well in regards to vehicles not being able to see their ass end. In the future I would think most vehicles could come equipped with those rear view cameras. With maybe ATV's an Jeep's being the exception since your character just looking backwards would be enough. Thing is I like the idea of first person driving just because it takes more skill from the player an makes sneaking up on someone in a vehicle more viable.

Also I don't really have problems with depth perception in first person. I am not really sure what people mean by that. I mean if the object is taking up your entire monitor screen then its right in front of you lol. First person for infantry is great since it means you can't watch your own back someone else has to. Encouraging teamwork an of course it means you can't see around corners without being exposed.

[DviddLeff]

Thats the thing; I want to be able to attach boomers to an enemy vehicle and blow it up; no chance of that if they are in 3rd person mode.

[Kumoblade]

Originally Posted by DviddLeff

Thats the thing; I want to be able to attach boomers to an enemy vehicle and blow it up; no chance of that if they are in 3rd person mode.

Touche.

I almost forgot that's one of the BIG features I wanted.

I wanted Anti-Vehicle to be more hands on and less spammy. Same with regular vehicle fire.

Boomers/Remote charges planted on vehicles was one of the big ones I wanted for urban combat.

[Kyonye]

First Person is all anyone needs in an FPS.

Use your damn radar to make sure people don't sneak up on you. If they do, it's your own fault.

[ANaKeR]

May as well have multiple views for everything except for infantry. It doesn't provide any particular advantage and most players prefer different views for different vehicles.

A nice view would be Birds-eye view. It could be used with infantry and wouldn't give anyone an advantage (unlike 3rd person view in PS1) because you only see your avatar and a few meters radius.

Advantages would come when you're looking for mines and ensuring no cloakers are hacking your vehicle. Also, its a view that can be used when you are dropping in a drop pod.

[EDIT: IGNORE THIS POST, I WAS HIGH WHEN I WROTE IT]

[DviddLeff]

Originally Posted by ANaKeR

Advantages would come when you're looking for mines and ensuring no cloakers are hacking your vehicle.

That affectively makes it impossible to hack a vehicle or potentially put explosives on it all but removing features from the game that have been worked on.

[Kyonye]

Anaker, you just said it doesn't provide any advantages and then listed some advantages.... The idea is to not allow people to act like they have eyes on the back of their heads. Even birds eye is 3rd person and allowing it gives the advantages.

Giving 3rd person viewing takes away from First Person Shooters. FPS should stay First Person.

[ANaKeR]

I'm currently under the influence of the festive green.. it made sense in my head