Third-person shooter

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A third-person shooter, or 3PS, at its core, is a video game in the shooting genre where the camera during gameplay is primarily focused in a third-person viewpoint. Third person is a viewpoint where the player controls a character externally. Unlike first-person shooters, where a player controls the character from the character's viewpoint, the camera is zoomed out of the character's "body", letting the player view the character in the game in full view.

Contents 1 The Camera View 2 Advantages and Disadvantages 3 Hybriding with the other genres 4 Interface, and examples

[edit] The Camera View

In some third-person shooters, the player has the ability to rotate the camera around the character they control, allowing the player to scan the surrounding environments, among other things. New generations of third-person shooters also enable the opportunity to switch to an optional first-person mode (usually in scopes or iron sights).

[edit] Advantages and Disadvantages

A third-person shooter gives the player the ability to see the surroundings in a near 360-degree vision. Thus, the player is more perceptive to things happening around him then in a first-person mode. On the other hand, a third-person shooter has the tendency to have problems as a resultant of poor camera control. By mastering camera control and keeping deadly accuracy, a strong gamer can manipulate the third-person view into his advantage.

[edit] Hybriding with the other genres

In more recent third-person shooters implementations of MMORPG principles, including skills, swordwork and even leveling, has become themes in these shooters. Third-person mode has been added to many games as well as an optional viewing angle.

[edit] Interface, and examples

Some examples of recent third-person shooters are the SOCOM franchise, Metal Gear Solid series (more stealth-oriented but also, a third-person played game), Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell series and 007: Everything or Nothing. Third-person shooters also have similar layout and HUD (heads-up display) as first-person shooters (FPS). Most games under the genre display information on screen for the player's benefit (this can be in real-time or on a seperate interface). Usually, it displays information like weapons/equipment a player has acquired, ammunition, the character's health, waypoints (usually an arrow pointing toward an objective), list of objectives and other things. One of the most popular third person shooters in recent years includes the best-seller Gears of War. One third-person shooter, Sin and Punishment, is unique in its on-rails design. This type of video game doesn't just appear on consoles however. There are also many third-person shooters on the PC, with similar concepts and gameplay.