Is anyone else yearning for the good old days, when you had "real" RPGs instead of all the Baldur's Gate clones that are emerging these days? Especially the 3rd-person view gets my pants in a bunch. For some games, that approach works fine. Diablo 2, for example, would never be as good in 1st-person (you need a clear overview of the surroundings to survive this hack-fest). But for "proper" RPGs, 3rd-person doesn't work at all.
For some reason, it makes it much harder to properly identify with the character you play. In many instances, you get to play a whole party, making that task even more difficult. Not so in 1st-person RPGs. You see what your character(s) see. You're not just looking down on whatever they are doing (exploring, fighting, ...); you're actually among them, seeing everything from their point of view. You don't have to hover over roadsigns to learn what they say; you just *look* at them. Elevations in the surrounding terrain really mean something if they block your view (not the case in many 3rd-person games; even the "fog of war" is no real substitute).
From this perspective, the two best RPGs I've ever played are Eye of the Beholder 2 and Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss. The creepy atmosphere in both games is amazing, and I have yet to see it matched by any of the modern RPGs out there. True, Ultima was revolutionary at the time, with it's smooth movement and great graphics, but even then... Another great one was Stonekeep (it has the added bonus of being slightly different from traditional RPGs, especially in the way it uses magic).
I get the feeling that a lot of effort goes to graphics, animation, sounds, ease-of-play, etc... these days, but NOT to creating a memorable atmosphere. Standing before a closed door, nervous to open it and actually see 1st-person what's beyond doesn't really happen anymore...
For some reason, it makes it much harder to properly identify with the character you play. In many instances, you get to play a whole party, making that task even more difficult. Not so in 1st-person RPGs. You see what your character(s) see. You're not just looking down on whatever they are doing (exploring, fighting, ...); you're actually among them, seeing everything from their point of view. You don't have to hover over roadsigns to learn what they say; you just *look* at them. Elevations in the surrounding terrain really mean something if they block your view (not the case in many 3rd-person games; even the "fog of war" is no real substitute).
From this perspective, the two best RPGs I've ever played are Eye of the Beholder 2 and Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss. The creepy atmosphere in both games is amazing, and I have yet to see it matched by any of the modern RPGs out there. True, Ultima was revolutionary at the time, with it's smooth movement and great graphics, but even then... Another great one was Stonekeep (it has the added bonus of being slightly different from traditional RPGs, especially in the way it uses magic).
I get the feeling that a lot of effort goes to graphics, animation, sounds, ease-of-play, etc... these days, but NOT to creating a memorable atmosphere. Standing before a closed door, nervous to open it and actually see 1st-person what's beyond doesn't really happen anymore...