First or Third person? Options

[Renee]

Which do you prefer, First or Third person? I am mostly a 3rd person gamer for Bethesda titles. I'll switch to 1st occasionally, I'll do this while decorating or looking for something which is lost, for instance.

But here's the real reason I started this thread. I have this whacked-out theory, I wonder if there's any truth to it. For those who have played table games, especially long ago. There were two basic ways to approach table games.

-- 1). play-act everything, essentially you'd 'voice' your character.
-- 2). use lead figurines, such as these.

We used figurines around our table, back in the '80s. We'd see our characters at all times, just like seeing pieces on a Monopoly board. I think this has something to do with my preference for 3rd person. I wonder if anybody here was more of a play-acting type, and prefers 1st. Probably not, but I had to wonder aloud.

Thank you

[Kane]

Mainly 3rd with the occasional switch to 1st with things like precision aiming.

[mirocu]

Feels like I've answered this before


But yeah; first. Always first. I like to experience the world directly through the eyes of my character.



Should have added a poll, Renee!

[ghastley]

Depends on the game:

Arena and Daggerfall - first person, no choice offered!
Morrowind - first during fights, third while walking, and walking, and walking ...
Oblivion - usually first, but often third while travelling
Skyrim - As for Oblivion
ESO - always third. Combat cues require it.

and that's just TES. Other games didn't often allow the choice.

[Renee]

Feels like I've answered this before

I know. But I am also wondering about those who played table games... DnD, The Fantasy Trip, Call of Ctuhulu, Warhammer, and so on. Those who played these games without lead figures, are you more of a First Person gamer for videogames? Those who did play while using figures, are you more of a Third Person gamer?

Should have added a poll, Renee!

I couldn't figure out how to add one, which is odd since I just added a poll to the thread I started earlier this summer.

Thing is, there are (what?) less than 20 of us posting here at Chorrol. Do we really need a poll?

[mirocu]

I couldn't figure out how to add one, which is odd since I just added a poll to the thread I started earlier this summer.

Thing is, there are (what?) less than 20 of us posting here at Chorrol. Do we really need a poll?

Always fun with polls, even if only five people vote


As to tabletops, haven't played any so I have no reference there.

[Acadian]

TES games are the only time I've ever had a choice. All the rpg's I played prior to that were third person only.

With the choice that TES gives, I like both generally and, from a roleplay perspective can comfortably transition from Buffy's first person perspective to the over the shoulder third person that Acadian provides. So the roleplaying aspect is a wash with either being fine. For actual game play, it boils down to practical concerns leading to the same results reported by ghastley. For Oblivion/Skyrim, preferred third but usually needed first for precision archery. First person is simply horrific in ESO but compensated by a wonderful and range adjustable third person.

[SubRosa]

I played tabletop rpgs, and sometimes we used figures for combat, sometimes not. It varied a lot.

Likewise, I constantly go back and forth between 1st and 3rd person view in the games that allow it. I prefer 3rd person for just walking around, and for fighting in melee. I always go 1st person for ranged combat, since aiming is just too hard in 3rd. I will also go to 1st person when I am doing something that requires precision, like decorating my house.

[TheCheshireKhajiit]

I use third for looking at my characters mostly. It’s a bit of an annoyance for me when a game lets you fully customize your character but do not include a third person camera!

[RaderOfTheLostArk]

Third person for the most part by far, but it varies by game. Obviously, this concerns games where the option is present (so no Arena, Daggerfall, Redguard, etc.). But my philosophy is this: If you have a lot of control over the look of your character and you care so much about how they look, what is the point of playing first person? I get wanting to see it through your characters' eyes sometimes, but it seems kind of useless (to me) to predominantly play that way if you agonize over every detail of your character.

Morrowind: This is the one that I actually prefer playing in first person, but only because the game is ridiculously clunky to play in third person. It's a shame, because I want to look at my character but the controls and the combat make it much harder to play that way. That being said, I will still sometimes switch between the two.

Oblivion: While it can still be a bit clunky in third person, it isn't enough to make me prefer first person. Sometimes, however, combat gets far too hairy and I might switch it up then. If there are a lot of enemies but also allies fighting in a cluster, it is really easy to hit the friendly NPCs both because of the controls, the aiming, and the stupidity of the AI wanting to always jump in front of your attacks. I may also go first person if I need to pick up something and it requires some precise aiming.

Skyrim: 95%+ of the time, it's third person. Occasionally, I may go first person to pick certain things up or just to be a bit different.

Online: I go third person even more so, over 99% of the time. It's absolutely required to play in third person, especially in PvP. For the most part, I can aim for picking something up without going into first person, but every once in a while I'll need to do it.

Fallout 3 and 4: These are pretty much the same as Skyrim. NV is like this as well, but technically that is not Bethesda even if it a Bethesda engine. Still, for the purpose of this question, I think it applies.

[TheCheshireKhajiit]

I would like to add that I’d rather play ESO in third person unless I’m doing something with my houses.

[haute ecole rider]

I've never played tabletop RPG games - mostly I played Sorry!, Chinese Checkers and Trivial Pursuit with my family.

So I started out playing first person shooters (anyone remember Star Wars: Dark Forces?), which I found immersive, but challenging sometimes in navigating large areas because I'd lose my orientation. When I was introduced to Oblivion (my first TES game) it was also my first time playing third person. I started out in first person, but became accustomed to third person very quickly because it helped me know what was behind me. By the time I picked up Skyrim, I was playing third person most of the time, unless, like the others, I needed to aim at something for ranged combat, or place something in my house (only to have it go flying all over the place). ESO is almost all third person, except for decorating.

So sorry, Renee, I can't really help with your data collection because my lack of experience in table top RPGs makes my preferences moot.

[RaderOfTheLostArk]

Something I just thought about that might be interesting for a roleplay opportunity: When your character is starting out at something, go first-person, and then go third-person when they become more experienced (maybe even expanding the camera as you go along).

My reasoning is that when your character is trying to become accustomed to something, they only think about what's in front of them. So if you are starting out at combat or thieving or exploration or anything else, they don't have the "intuition" or ability (or whatever you want to call it) to think about the bigger picture of what is going on around them. They only know what they can see. But as they get better, you can start expanding the camera. Your character is then becoming more cerebral and cognizant of their surroundings. Now you can more easily counteract enemies in combat coming from your sides or behind you, or sense other people around corners when you try to stay out of site while thieving, or figure out paths for exploration, because third-person always gives you more to see that first-person wouldn't.

You could even give yourself the option of scaling how much you can see in third-person. With a little bit of experience, you can move the camera to just behind the character, which gives you more awareness but still not a lot. Becoming more of a veteran at something enables you to move the camera out further if you wish.

I don't know, just something that suddenly came to mind. *shrug*

This post has been edited by RaderOfTheLostArk: Oct 30 2020, 11:14 PM

[macole]

Hmmm, never thought about it before that the my preference for 1st person might be related to the way my group of friends played D&D and Fantasy Trip but it is possible. Ours was primarily player/actor with no prepared physical map or character markers involved.
I've played many good 3rd-person RPGs e.g. Ultima, Planescape Torment, the Baldurs Gate 1&2, Neverwinter Nights. Those are good stories but I enjoy the personal involvement I find in the 1st-person mode.

RaderOfTheLostArk has an interesting thoughtt. Lately I have developed an odd play style, maybe not so odd. I will play a session using 1st-person view with my party of companions then I will replay the entire session in 3rd-person just for the pictures. Finally I will replay any dungeons; 1st-person solo without companions. Depending on what if any unique items collected determines which session is saved for next time.

[ghastley]

Is it time to ask "Who's on first?" yet?

[Renee]

Thanks for you answers, folks. These are fun to read.

I will add that I prefer Third even for ranged attacks: spells or bows. I've gotten rather good at hitting most of the time while playing Elder Scrolls, and this is without crosshairs.

For Fallout, I'm not so good, but it depends which weapon is being used. I rarely use VATS, often forget it is there!





ghastley: Who's on First? There should be a poll, ha ha.

Skyrim: 95%+ of the time, it's third person. Occasionally, I may go first person to pick certain things up or just to be a bit different.

Decorating a house in First person, very much so. Well, this applies to any of these games, but Skyrim more than usual. Object placement is sort of ridiculous in Skyrim, right?

So sorry, Renee, I can't really help with your data collection because my lack of experience in table top RPGs makes my preferences moot.

It's okay hon. Just a silly idea I had.

Trivial Pursuit, YES!

Something I just thought about that might be interesting for a roleplay opportunity: When you're character is starting out at something, go first-person, and then go third-person when they become more experienced (maybe even expanding the camera as you go along)

This would be a good experiment for somebody who's never played a videogame before. Which view would this gamer choose and feel most comfortable with?

macole: Lately I have developed an odd play style, maybe not so odd. I will play a session using 1st-person view with my party of companions then I will replay the entire session in 3rd-person just for the pictures. Finally I will replay any dungeons; 1st-person solo without companions

That is unusual. I knew you switched to 3rd for pics, but not replayed. Wow.

Nice to see you also played The Fantasy Trip. I've never met anyone (online or in person) else who's used that series. I have a bunch of questions now, but I'll refrain until later!

[Decrepit]

My preferences haven't changed to any appreciable extent since last time this was discussed. Up until Oblivion I was first-person all the way except for screenshots. With Oblivion I gradually morphed into third-person almost exclusively. Had my short-lived Oblivion video series continued, I'd have used first-person for certain situations, mostly when within cities/towns and/or structures, as I found it made for a more interesting presentation. Skyrim is another third-person game for me. Kingdom Come Deliverance works best in first-person imo, due to its intricate, complex combat system. Not that there was any choice at the time, though I believe there might be a third-person mod now. Daggerfall is of course first-person only.

With train sim games, I switch between the two as the situation demands.

I suppose nowadays I'm more flexible about than I once was.

This post has been edited by Decrepit: May 24 2021, 11:15 AM

[Grits]

Put me down for mostly third person. I use first for closed-in situations so that I don’t get motion sick. I also use it for some decorating, but I still prefer third person when the space is big enough. For me it’s a player comfort issue more than a roleplay issue. Whether I am looking at my character’s world through their eyes or over their shoulder, it’s still me with the character rather than me as the character.

From my long-ago tabletop RPG days my crew did not do much acting, but we did speak as our characters. We didn’t have figurines due to youthful cash flow problems. We would use scrap paper and whatever was lying around when we needed objects to explain a situation. Otherwise it was just talking in our regular voices and accents (often all at once).

[Infa Red]

I am the same as you Renee, oh and btw, great thread !

I use 3rd person for the most part, until its time to really focus on something close up or shooting a bow. So I really liked the introduction to being able to *quickly* switch between 3rd and 1st person. It was a serious game changer. I can not say I like one better than the other, even though I am in 3rd person most the time, this is because the 1st person aspect is of *absolute* utmost importance when needed and is irreplaceable.

I have never heard that theory before, but how interesting. So for my circle, we actually did both, used lead figurines, and acted out vocally (best we could, pending on how blasted the majority of us were ! LOL). I can possibly see the psychology here, but I am not sure if I 100% agree. But its a definitely cool assessment.

I like other games 100% first person, due to the overall design. And others 100% 3rd person. So I am not sure there is a valid connection ? The imagination always had me in 1st person using vision via D&D, the figurines were merely to show us the representation (reenactment if you will) of the real situation going on in our minds. I was blessed to have a Dungeon Master that was so over the top good I can't even explain it. He was like a god. Seriously. Moments of utter fear, moments of tears, expressing things so well that you truly were there in the world he created. His creations were from scratch and extremely elaborate and real. Never met anyone like him EVER. Point is, he made it all 1st person for sure, the figurines were just for logistics.

[Pseron Wyrd]

I play exclusively in third-person (except for Oblivion, which regularly forces me into 1st person against my will). I don't even purchase first person games anymore. The last one I bought was Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines in 2004.

When I roleplay, I am never my character. So I do not want to see the world through my character's eyes. My character and I form and adventuring party of two. I'm just along for the ride on their adventures. I make suggestions ("Say, why don't we explore that dungeon over there?") and my character automatically rejects them ("No, I want to go to the nearest town to sell off my loot before I become over-encumbered.")

I have never played a tabletop game. My introduction to roleplaying was the old Infinity Engine games (Baldur's Gate: Shadows of Amn, Planescape: Torment, Icewind Dale, ect) and those were all third-person games. So I guess I learned early to think of roleplaying as something that happened in third-person.

This post has been edited by Pseron Wyrd: May 23 2021, 08:56 PM