Let's Take a Look: Camera Perspective

The camera remains one of the most integral parts of game infrastructure. We all know how bad camera controls can interfere with the enjoyment of even the most entertaining game. But one of the most important aspects of the camera is one that we hardly think about: the camera perspective. The camera perspective can directly affect how you perceive a game and its world, with first-person, third-person, and even second-person cameras providing alternate viewpoints on the same world. Still, why does the purpose and power of perspective get looked over so often? Skill-based multiplayer shooters are normally first-person, RPG’s are normally third-person, and art house games attempt experimental second-person camera projects; this is the way the world works. But why do we use certain camera perspectives for certain types of games? Well, let’s take a look.