1st, 2nd, & 3rd Person mode views What is the difference?

[Gunter Severloh 3949]

Hello everyone Gunter here,

Been pondering this question sometimes and been getting various view on what is what.

I'd like to ask and find out what is the true definition or technical aspects to the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Person mode views in a game

as different gamers have different opinions as to what is considered what for these views.

I have been given opinions on 1st and 3rd before, to what I have been told and had argued about is the 3rd person view

we know in Arma is really 1st person, so then my argument is well if thats 1st person then what is 3rd.

Then another argument same as before states that the 3rd person view is first. :j:

Seriously some one make up there mind and lets get the facts down universally.

Now to me 1st person view is when the gun is out in front of you.

3rd person view is when you are able to see your whole body/w gun.

2nd person view well I have yet to determine what exactly view is this,

as everything today in games is referenced to 1st and 3rd views, so Im going to ask what is the 2nd person view?,

and if there is one what is it?, or is there even such a view?

If theres no such view then why is 3rd person view term used and not the 2nd?

Can anyone answer those questions, and or further expand on the subject.

[GRS 10]

Arma has both first and third. I don't know of a game that uses 2nd person though certain parts could be considered it if you really want to get technical. First is "I" and third is "he". So yes, first is you seeing through their eyes and third is the external camera where you see all or part of the character.

[Gunter Severloh 3949]

Thanks for your reply.

I don't know of a game that uses 2nd person though certain parts could be considered

Tbh I had always wondered what game would have 2nd person view, and I'd also like to know what view is actually 2nd person view, from what I'd assume its got to be

the view of the character in 3rd but not 100% viewable as seen in 3rd am I correct? or is it something else?

if you really want to get technical. First is "I" and third is "he".

Interesting, I can see first being "I" because its you as the character seeing "from" as in you see the arms, and possibly parts of the body

and any gun or at weapon you may have, or you could be in a vehicle/plane too.

As for "he" if its not I then 3rd person would still be considered you as in "I" am playing "him" but then as you say "he" is then portrayed

as the character you are controlling from a small distance being 3rd, ok.

So what is the view/technical camera angle or what have you of the 2nd person view?, surely there is such

a view that we can identify in some game. I dont think any of the Arma games have a 2nd person view, its either hands and gun out front or body in camera for 3rd.

[concurssi 11]

I could be wrong, but I think 2nd person would be looking at your character through some other character's eyes.

[Tonci87 163]

1st person=through the eyes of your character

2nd person=Mario 64 :D http://www.giantbomb.com/second-person-perspective/92-2722/

3rd person=Every other form of external view.

[Gunter Severloh 3949]

2nd person=Mario 64

Seems like the 2nd person view is like an extreme version of 3rd person but as described here:

The concept of the second-person perspective can take two meanings depending on where it is used.

In literature, second-person perspective is characterized by the use of second-person pronouns, such as "you".

This perspective is used when the main character is the person reading the book (or playing the game).

or and

The other type of second-person perspective in games mainly has to do with camera angle. In this type, the main character (the on being controlled by the player)

is seen through the eyes of another character. For instance, the first boss of Battletoads has the player fight the boss through the eyes of the boss.

The player is still in full control of the main character (as being able to move the main character, mind control does not count), but all the action is seen through the boss's perspective.

Interesting, I dont recall if i had ever played any games where I was the enemy fighting myself if thats correct, somewhat makes no sense.

Would games like Diablo, or point and click type games be considered 2nd person or are those basically RTS? or whats the other term...

[dmarkwick 261]

1st person - through your character's eyes.

2nd person - makes no sense and has no real gaming use.

3rd person - disembodied view of your character.

*edit*

To expand a little on the nonsensical 2nd person, it might be argued that a view-from-another-character of your character would be 2nd person. Like for example in Assassin's Creed where sometimes you control your character by looking at him through a security camera. But this could just as easily be described as 3rd person.

[mrcash2009 0]

The others are already covered, but I think 2nd person is literal IE a view back to you as the first person / mirror view (as mentioned like shooting a gun and watching it being fired at you from say a perspective or camera scene). 3rd person could be looked at as 2nd person becuase your away looking at the body but I think its more of control.

2nd person can be platform side game, becuase you control but are away looking back at it, whereas 3rd person is forced for you to be looking "out from it" even though you see entire body so not as "detached & away" as 2nd person.

In film if your a cameraman filming a person in a scene then thats second person view, and if a camera was attached to the shoulder or out & back from the actor but still "on him" that's 3rd person perspective as its still attached.

Another example, if your outside and controlling a remote controlled toy car your in 2nd person view, your looking back at it detached but still controlling what your looking back at.

Its all about the point of focus and how distant/attached it is.

Edited September 17, 2012 by mrcash2009

[GRS 10]

Actually what about the old text-adventure games? "You are in a dark cave" etc. That's second person.

[Gunter Severloh 3949]

Like for example in Assassin's Creed where sometimes you control your character by looking at him through a security camera.

But this could just as easily be described as 3rd person.

Ya or like Skyrim when you can zoom out, but then technically that would be 3rd person as when your fighting your character's back is facing you verse,

2nd which I'd assume is not, where you would have 360d turning while playing.

I think 2nd person is literal IE a view back to you as the first person / mirror view (as mentioned like shooting a gun

and watching it being fired at you from say a perspective or camera scene).

Lol how does that even work, I'd like to see a vid of a game that does this where your in 2nd person, surely theres some modern latest games out that uses this perspective.

if your outside and controlling a remote controlled toy car your in 2nd person view, your looking back at it detached but still controlling what your looking back at.

Ya I see what your saying, I think another example would be rainbow 6 vegas 2, the vids I had seen of it where you control the character from a sort of 3rd person view,

and when you lean and shoot around the corners I think that would be 2nd person no? --->

@GRS

Ya as seen on this page http://www.giantbomb.com/second-person-perspective/92-2722/

[celery 8]

Examples of 2nd person:

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[dmarkwick 261]

Incidentally, I can think of only one movie where there was a second-person perspective killing :) any guesses? (obscurity warning ;))

[mrcash2009 0]

Lol how does that even work, I'd like to see a vid of a game that does this where your in 2nd person, surely theres some modern latest games out that uses this perspective.

Well terminology isn't just in or from a game context but applied to it, so its down to how & game style/type, how is the imagination :)

Incidentally, I can think of only one movie where there was a second-person perspective killing :) any guesses? (obscurity warning ;))

Batman theatre incident (in reference to the trailer pre film that got taken off)?

[Gunter Severloh 3949]

Ha ha I get the concept so like in the old days, and boy does this bring some fun memories back:

[[frl]myke 14]

One has to understand that the terms "first person" and "third person" aren't introduced by the gaming industry but derived from grammar.

First person: a narrator

Second person: a listener

Third person: someone about it is talked about

Now obviously, in first person, i am the narrator, the protagonist that makes the action (narrating). The detached view in third person is similar to "we talk about this guy there". Now second person, a listener, i tend to declare cutscenes as second person as i can just watch & listen but not take any actions.

[Gunter Severloh 3949]

Interesting points Myke, amazing how our language can be used in various contexts!

[max power 21]

First person narrative utilizes the I pronoun, like when someone is telling you a story about himself. The character is describing what he is doing or has done.

Second person narrative utilizes the you pronoun. It is someone telling you a story about what you are doing, like in the old text adventure games. "You open the door and walk in..."

Third person narrative utilizes the he/she pronouns, like when someone is telling you a story about someone else.

In this instance, we kind of assume the player is not learning about an experience, but is actually having the experience, so the player is the narrative voice in this sense. Therefore, in a first person game, the player assumes the identity of a character and experiences the action through his eyes. In a third person game, the player experiences the action as an observer remote from the main character. I don't think second person narrative can exist in a game without a narrator. You can't really observe yourself and tell yourself what is happening.

[dmarkwick 261]

You can't really observe yourself and tell yourself what is happening.

Unless it were a retrospective? :)

[vilas 473]

so 2nd view is all story-based games like my girlfriend plays (all those Black Mirror, Tunguska, Syberia, Art of Murder etc. )

[max power 21]

Unless it were a retrospective? :)

Why would you be telling yourself something you already know?

[walker 0]

Hi all

1st and 3rd person view are in ArmA

2nd Person view could be said to exist in ArmA. Where you control a Team member in team tactical view and then jump to that character in the team via switch avatar functions.

I first used this in the CoC command engine.

Kind Regards walker

[dmarkwick 261]

Why would you be telling yourself something you already know?

Happens all the time with film noir :)

[Gunter Severloh 3949]

2nd Person view could be said to exist in ArmA. Where you control a Team member in team tactical

view and then jump to that character in the team via switch avatar functions.

Ya! makes sense, its like the 2nd person is an RTS view, sorta, thats a nice example Walker.

[onlyrazor 11]

I remember GTA IV having a camera mode where you could watch yourself drive a car while pursued by police from the cop car's POV.

[paecmaker 23]

I know that forbidden siren(or one of them) have 2nd person view. When you mindjack a shibito you see through their eyes. That is 2nd person view.