The eternal question: first-person or isometric?

[larpingdude14]

Which one is better and why?

 

[RK47]

depends on the combat system really. for RPG TB its probably iso, for RT it's probably FP.

 

[NiM82]

command line.

 

[Pussycat669]

Like both. First person for exploration and iso for combat. Just like in Realms of Arkania.

 

[Tagaziel]

Realms of Arkania

 

[afewhours]

Like both. First person for exploration and iso for combat. Just like in Realms of Arkania.

I'd say that's about spot on. A good ole dungeon crawl needs to be first person, but combat is more fun when it has grids. Betrayal at Krondor's another game that uses that combo to decent effect.

However, shouldn't top-down be an option as well? I find Iso can get unecessarily cluttered at times, depending on how trigger-happy the art design gets.

 

[larpingdude14]

iso for combat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baZia4Cyvig

 

[Texas Red]

Real time for exploration for atmosphere and turn based for combat. I *loathe* FPSs, TB offers a lot more in terms of tactics, character planning, a party and strategy.

 

[Imbecile]

Again, both.

First Person for single character RPGs, iso for group based RPGs.
I can enjoy the combat in either, if its done well.

 

[Claw]

Stupid poll, so I answered "other" for lack of a better option.

Iso is really great for turnbased combat, which makes it great for strategy games and party based RPGs. I like it in single player RPS as well, although I also enjoy first and third person perspective in action RPGs like Gothic.

iso for combat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baZia4Cyvig

I like this one better:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXttkoqDTF8

 

[JarlFrank]

Voted other, cause 3rd person like Witcher or Gothic is my favourite. But then again, something flexible where you can switch between 3rd and 1st person is even better. Now, isometric is also pretty cool, but it can become a bit hard to see stuff, especially when walking through a town with high buildings.

Another viewpoint that has never been done for an RPG before but would be fucking interesting would be the typical adventure game viewpoint. Like this. Gives you a nice view of the surroundings, is near enough to the action but still has the same feel to it as isometric. One of my favourite perspectives, but it's also more work when you have a big world than isometric or 3D environment, because of so many screens to paint.

Also, I want to see a jump'n'run style RPG. Seriously. Commander Keen/Super Mario perspective RPG would be something interesting.

 

[Naked Ninja]

What an exciting thread, next lets vote which hair color is best, blonde or brunette.


Neither is better, but I personally prefer first person. I just like seeing the world from the ground. And being able to get a real sense of vertical height.

 

[Binary]

Bird's eye

 

[DraQ]

Other. FPP works better than iso in games where you control single character, isometeric or "isometric" (meaning far TPP) is preferable in games where you control a party, especially during combat.

Real time for exploration for atmosphere and turn based for combat.

Reading comprehension 0/10.

 

[xedoc gpr]

I *loathe* FPSs, TB offers a lot more in terms of tactics, character planning, a party and strategy.

Yeah I **agree**.

 

[GeneralSamov]

*Jumps on the Gothic/Witcher bandwagon*

 

[octavius]

Which one is better and why?

First-person if controlling one character.
Isometric if controlling a party.

It is known.

 

[cardtrick]

Third person Under The Shoulder. I like how you can only see part of the time, when the arm is far enough extended to give you a view underneath it. It's more challenging and it really makes you feel like you're there, hovering right in your character's armpit.

 

[Crichton]

Third person is always superior to first person, the only question is whether you want a free-roaming camera (tactics games) or an over the shoulder/head view (action games).

 

[Xilonfon]

we need a balance since 1st person is 1 and isometric is 3rd person

3 - 1 = 2

obviousley 2nd person is hte best

 

[JarlFrank]

we need a balance since 1st person is 1 and isometric is 3rd person

3 - 1 = 2

obviousley 2nd person is hte best

And how exactly would that look like?
You looking into your char's face?

 

[Claw]

Third person Under The Shoulder. I like how you can only see part of the time, when the arm is far enough extended to give you a view underneath it. It's more challenging and it really makes you feel like you're there, hovering right in your character's armpit.

We have a winner!

Third person is always superior to first person, the only question is whether you want a free-roaming camera (tactics games) or an over the shoulder/head view (action games).

I couldn't disagree more. I love first person.

 

[Radech]

iso metric for more than one char(rt or tb) and if turnbased, because you need the overview, first peron only if i control one character obviously and if i have a gun, if i have to swing a bigass sword around i want over the shoulder, oblivion/morrowind really annoyed me in melee because i couldn't see what was going on around me. I think Bloodlines nailed it for single char with their mix between 1st person and over the shoulder, it made it possible to see what you where doing when you hammered someones head in with a huge hammer, and you could still aim when you had to pick up a gun.

 

[Disconnected]

FPS for exploration. Birds Eye for combat.

My problem with FPS combat in cRPGs is that its so damn limiting. It can be great fun to have a 5 hour non-stop fight while you're wearing a sack over your head & are drugged half insensible. It's what FPS games do, in a nutshell.

But it gets frustrating & immersion killing in cRPGs both because the other elements of the gameplay doesn't make you feel that brutally constrained in your interaction with the game, and because 30 second encounters every 20+ minutes without any sort of variety becomes fucking boring. It just lacks the adrenaline thing of real shooters.

 

[Crichton]

I couldn't disagree more. I love first person.

No accounting for taste, but I've never liked a game where I don't get to watch my character.