Best non-joypad 3rd person control scheme

Discussion in 'General Game Discussion and Questions' started by pixelthisPeter, Feb 25, 2013.

  1. pixelthisPeter

    Apr 25, 2009
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    Big Cheese at Pixelthis
    New Zealand
    #1 pixelthisPeter, Feb 25, 2013
    Last edited: Feb 25, 2013
    Hi all,

    I'm really interested in your views on controlling 3rd person person 3d games - 3/4 top view similar to Diablo. Thinking about casual users, but with a need to perhaps control the camera - for example if the player is behind a building, cliff or mountain and wants to look at it.

    The game is exploratory in a large 3D environment, but for casual users. Tap a spot to walk there, swipe screen to look around - those are all good, but what about camera?

    Have you played any games with particularly good control schemes, or perhaps innovative, new or cool schemes?

    Thoughts appreciated!
    Peter
     
  2. Exact-Psience

    Exact-Psience Well-Known Member

    Jan 12, 2012
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    The Work-At-Home Guy
    Philippines
    Depends on how you mean with the 3rd person view... Similar to Diablo-esque top-down view games (ORC Vengeance, The Gods, Heroes Call, etc)? or a little behind the back 3rd person similar to Shadowgun, Brandnewboy, Heroes & Castles and Wild Blood?

    I personally like classic 3rd person shooter controls similar to how Shadowgun, Wild Blood (Manual Camera option) and Dead Space has it. Also really like the control scheme for Lili and Brandnew Boy where you tap anywhere to start auto-moving, then using swipes to control your turns.

    One control scheme that doesnt work as well as the ones i've mentioned in games of those views are "tap a spot to move there" control schemes similar to Horn. It's an ok control scheme, but it could be better with any of the ones above.

    When it comes to top-down view, diablo-esque view games, vsticks seem to be best, but i do like the "tap a spot to move there" controls for this view too.
     
  3. pixelthisPeter

    Apr 25, 2009
    20
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    Big Cheese at Pixelthis
    New Zealand
    Thanks! I'm referring to diablo-esque games (will update the post) with a specific intention to simplify the controls for casual players.

    I am worried about D-Pad being too difficult for the uninitiated (i.e. my wife can't use them, but she is a total casual gamer).

    The game in question will be relatively sedate - i.e. no combat - more about exploration. I am also worried that the casual gamer will easily become disoriented so that they no longer know in which direction they face. I like the old style isometric games that always faced the camera the same way, but then there is the problem of seeing behind tall objects (like buildings) without moving the camera.

    Some cool ideas above. I'll look at some of those games. Lili in particular.
     
  4. kaibosh

    kaibosh Well-Known Member

    Jun 14, 2012
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    You are calling it 3rd person but what you really mean is isometric.
     
  5. iPadisGreat

    iPadisGreat Well-Known Member

    Dec 10, 2012
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    Go with either an auto camera (like Resident Evil) or a fixed isometric view (like Avadon).

    Fighting with the camera is no fun...
     
  6. Exact-Psience

    Exact-Psience Well-Known Member

    Jan 12, 2012
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    The Work-At-Home Guy
    Philippines
    Cool... Best way is to have options then. Look at ORC Vengeance. Top-down view, and they have vstick option, and also a tap-to-move-to-that-spot option.
     
  7. Dirty Harry Hannahan

    Dirty Harry Hannahan Well-Known Member

    Apr 14, 2011
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    Planet Earth
    Shadowgun, Deadspace and Mass Effect:Infiltrator have the best control schemes for the 3rd person behind the back view. Bullet Time HD has the best control scheme(Dual Stick) for Isometric 3rd person view(top down). :D
     
  8. pixelthisPeter

    Apr 25, 2009
    20
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    Big Cheese at Pixelthis
    New Zealand
    Nope, what I am calling 3rd person is, in fact, 3rd person :) From wiki:
    Isometric is a viewpoint with no 3D perspective (you need an orthogonal camera). An isometric viewpoint MAY technically be 3rd person also.

    Thanks everyone - I'll check out all those games for ideas :)
     

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