Why are games so obsessed with 3rd person?

[Jorduin]

It just detracts from gameplay... why pointlessly skew your perspective and immersion? To look at your own 8bit ass?

[blprice61]

Why are bosses damage sponges with big guns and bad aim? (and arguably worse mob AI than many lesser mobs)?

The two questions: yours and mine, are related.

Part of it is simply inertia and history, player expectations. Another is tech limits.

[magnificent moose]

In the third person view the avatar can perform maneuvers that would make most people sick if viewed from a first person view instead. The dodge roll probably the main offender, but there are others. I think the third person view is also a little more forgiving towards janky animations, which this game has plenty of.

The first person mode is also not very well suited for game controllers. A typical controller has two thumbsticks that are good for pointing towards a direction but are not good for adjusting a viewing angle. Most console games use third person camera because the medium is simply a better fit for that.

[Faceplant]

Originally posted by magnificent moose:

In the third person view the avatar can perform maneuvers that would make most people sick if viewed from a first person view instead. The dodge roll probably the main offender, but there are others. I think the third person view is also a little more forgiving towards janky animations, which this game has plenty of.

The first person mode is also not very well suited for game controllers. A typical controller has two thumbsticks that are good for pointing towards a direction but are not good for adjusting a viewing angle. Most console games use third person camera because the medium is simply a better fit for that.

I have to disagree with most of that.

Dodge-roll is just an animation, and currently doesn't change the look direction, and that doesn't have to change in first person.

First person is also very well suited to game controllers. I only play with game controllers, and I only play in first person when it's available, and there are no issues. Why would you expect to be able to adjust viewing angle?

So many of these discussions of first vs third person seem to think that first person should somehow mimic third person, but that's not the case.

[Faceplant]

Originally posted by Jorduin:

It just detracts from gameplay... why pointlessly skew your perspective and immersion? To look at your own 8bit ass?

To answer the OP directly, I think that is one of the driving factor, and why so many males seem to prefer to to play female characters in 3rd person games. :-)

[blprice61]

Probably the biggest thing lost in going from 3rd to 1st person view is the ''awareness of surroundings" - in games that have both first and 3rd person, in first person I find myself constantly turning to see what is around me. Arguably Valheim has enough audio and ground shake clues to make that less necessary.

[Faceplant]

I consider that a win, not a loss.

Edit: I should make it clear that I don't condone removing third person in favor of first person, I just don't know why they wouldn't add it for those that prefer it.

[knighttemplar1960]

Originally posted by blprice61:

Probably the biggest thing lost in going from 3rd to 1st person view is the ''awareness of surroundings" - in games that have both first and 3rd person, in first person I find myself constantly turning to see what is around me. Arguably Valheim has enough audio and ground shake clues to make that less necessary.

This. Also about 33% of people suffer motion sickness from mild discomfort all the way to migraine headaches. First person view can trigger this and for the vast majority of people that do suffer from motion sickness a 3rd person view does not.

As a developer you want to sell your game to as many people as possible so you go with 3rd person. If you can afford the programming time to create a toggle that allows you to go from third person to first person you do it and if you can afford to add VR you do that too. If you are a small indie studio that isn't fully financially supported by a large production company and/or distributor you stick with 3rd person to make as many sales as possible.

[Cap'n Bells]

situational awareness as mentioned... enjoy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5W19mLb-9JM

[Faceplant]

I'm pretty sure the mods just allow the zoom slider to move the camera position a meter or two farther forward, maybe adjust the final position slightly. It's not a huge change, and would not affect those that prefer 3rd person in the slightest.

[fiese Fee™]

Good luck with first person in ashlands.

[Faceplant]

You all are missing the point. The point IS to restrict your view.

[Faceplant]

Originally posted by fiese Fee™:

Good luck with first person in ashlands.

I've posted some videos in other threads of me in Ashlands, and I always am zoomed in as close to first person as possible. It does get very chaotic, which is the point.

Try taking a fortress with melee, zoomed all the way in and try to fight a warlock. You end up in a green glow, with things you can't see hitting you from every which way. It's GREAT!

[Soma]

Originally posted by Jorduin:

It just detracts from gameplay... why pointlessly skew your perspective and immersion? To look at your own 8bit ass?

It is because tons of people love 3rd person. Tons of people also love 1st person. There are tons of people in the world. No one can convince anyone on a forum to change what they like. If the devs are serious about the game reaching tons and tons of people they should include 1st person before 1.0

[Breastmilk is my staplefood]

Originally posted by Jorduin:

It just detracts from gameplay... why pointlessly skew your perspective and immersion? To look at your own 8bit ass?

I like 3rd person because I like looking at my character. It doesn't break my immersion at all.

[electricdawn]

It may be hard to believe for the OP, but this has nothing to do with "obsession" and everything to do with personal taste and artistic decision.

Not everybody is as "obsessed" like you with HAVING to play in first person. For me, for example, it is mostly a matter of what fits the game best, and some games work much better for me in third person, like Valheim.

I tried first person in Valheim, and it gave me instant vertigo. That said, I've played shooters from the 90's on way into the 'noughts and these were all first person, and rightfully so.

It just depends on the game.