Query: Common problems with third-person games?

[Shadowstep]

What are some common problems that plague third-person games?

 

See, I'm going to be working on a small third-person game. Knowing what some of the common pitfalls are ahead of time means I'll be able to come up with ways to fix them.

 

Help an indie dev out, eh?

[Yantelope]

In 3rd Person you're biggest struggle is probably gonna be the camera. If you don't have a good camera system then you've got nothing. If it's a shooter then you can usually do an over the shoulder view but if it's a hack 'n slash or platformer then there's more work involved from what I understand.

[Hot Heart]

Maybe not major, but often overlooked: I think if you're using an over-the-shoulder view, you need to include an option of which shoulder you prefer to be looking over. As in, include it in a menu; don't just make it a toggle on a button.

[Shadowstep]

Ah, damn. It's a little bit hack-and-slash and a little bit platformer. Definitely not going over-the-shoulder, either.

[Akuam4n]

It may not be a problem, but often I like to look at the person I am playing as in a third person game, and in some the camera zooms in super close or through your players head when you try too; because I'm guessing it thinks you wanting to look right behind you or something.

 

Make sure it is Uncharted style (can't think or another example) to where you can gaze at your awesome character.

[Hot Heart]

I think these (there are multiple parts) might make for a good read then. By a guy who worked on God of War.

 

http://lowfierce.blogspot.com/2006/05/why-some-games-feel-better-than-others.html

Edited February 9, 2011 by Hot Heart

[Cyber Rat]

EDIT: Bah, I type too slow. Ignore stuff that was already answered.

 

The camera is one of the main problems and you should decide what you want to do with it. If you want to include hazards on the ground like traps and pitfalls, don't stick it to over-the-shoulder view. I remember stepping on absolutely every bear trap in Resident Evil 4 because of that.

 

Don't include platforming unless you want to do it properly. Max Payne is a good example of platforming sections in a game with really stiff controls, so try an avoid that.

 

Try and make weapons you'll always lose and avoid "Bigger Giant Crab Boss" syndrome. For example, I have the Super Awesome Particle Rocket gun, which has scarce ammo. I fight the Big Giant Crab monster, but I'm scared to use my S.A.P.R. because maybe, just maybe there's an EVEN BIGGER Giant Crab monster after that. So, try and avoid progressively stronger weapons and try and come up with different weapons. Try playing Painkiller to get what I mean. It's a game where you use all the weapons throughout the whole game.

[Shadowstep]

It may not be a problem, but often I like to look at the person I am playing as in a third person game, and in some the camera zooms in super close or through your players head when you try too; because I'm guessing it thinks you wanting to look right behind you or something.

 

Make sure it is Uncharted style (can't think or another example) to where you can gaze at your awesome character.

I have not played nor seen Uncharted. Can you go into more detail?

 

 

I think these (there are multiple parts) might make for a good read then. By a guy who worked on God of War.

 

http://lowfierce.blogspot.com/2006/05/why-some-games-feel-better-than-others.html

A good read, but deals with game design in general. I'm more concerned with problems specific to third-person games, as I don't play them often.

[excel_excel]

I suppose just having the camera following the player and turning around corners as the player does but I realise that's hard to do!

Does it take place in linear locations like running done halls? Or is it open like Mario 64?

Edited February 9, 2011 by excel_excel

[Hot Heart]

A good read, but deals with game design in general. I'm more concerned with problems specific to third-person games, as I don't play them often.

 

It's odd to be building a third-person game without having played some notable ones. Wouldn't it be wiser to start looking at examples and the positive side of things and what you want to achieve, rather than a million possible problems? New problems will always present themselves.

 

Since he's worked on God of War, he has written a fair bit about related stuff and, considering you want to do hack 'n' slash, I feel it would be useful.

[Shadowstep]

A good read, but deals with game design in general. I'm more concerned with problems specific to third-person games, as I don't play them often.

 

It's odd to be building a third-person game without having played some notable ones. Wouldn't it be wiser to start looking at examples and the positive side of things and what you want to achieve, rather than a million possible problems? New problems will always present themselves.

 

Since he's worked on God of War, he has written a fair bit about related stuff and, considering you want to do hack 'n' slash, I feel it would be useful.

 

I have played a few third-person games, but they were either over-the-shoulder or a shooter. The last comparable action game I recently played was Assassin's Creed 2; Even though AC2 is closer to what I want to do, it still has too much fluff like freerunning and social hiding.

Edited February 9, 2011 by Shadowstep

[staySICK]

Maybe not major, but often overlooked: I think if you're using an over-the-shoulder view, you need to include an option of which shoulder you prefer to be looking over. As in, include it in a menu; don't just make it a toggle on a button.

 

 

I like the toggle button for over the shoulder view. Sometimes the cover just doesn't work over one shoulder, so you need to switch to the other to get a view of whats going on / aiming.

 

having to go into the menu and change that just because of the pillar / box / whatever you are hiding behind would get cumbersome and tiresome.

[Hot Heart]

Maybe not major, but often overlooked: I think if you're using an over-the-shoulder view, you need to include an option of which shoulder you prefer to be looking over. As in, include it in a menu; don't just make it a toggle on a button.

 

 

I like the toggle button for over the shoulder view. Sometimes the cover just doesn't work over one shoulder, so you need to switch to the other to get a view of whats going on / aiming.

 

having to go into the menu and change that just because of the pillar / box / whatever you are hiding behind would get cumbersome and tiresome.

 

That's why I said 'include it in a menu' and 'don't just make it a toggle'. Obviously, you'd have both but having options for a default would probably please some people.

Edited February 9, 2011 by Hot Heart