second-person-view

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  • The Daily Grind: Does viewpoint matter to you?

    by 
    Eliot Lefebvre
    Eliot Lefebvre
    02.07.2010

    While the ancestry of MMOs were played via text-only clients and thus didn't have to worry about it one way or the other, the modern generation of games has either a first-person view or a third-person view. (Experiments with a second-person view were briefly carried out via webcams, but it proved distracting.) And it can produce some passionate opinions on both sides, much like, well, every other issue about MMOs under the sun. Proponents of first-person views are quick to point out that it's more immersive and forces a player to be more aware of the field beyond what they can see. It lends depth to the game, frees you from concern over needless aesthetics of gear, and it was how things were done back in the day of EverQuest. Proponents of third-person views, on the other hand, point out that it gives a better view of the world as a whole and is more responsive to controls. It lets you see the character you've sculpted, gives you a better sense of what's going on, and it was how things were done even further back in the day with Ultima Online. So today, we ask you -- which do you prefer? Is a good first-person or third-person mode a must for you to consider the game, or do you simply prefer to play one way or the other?