Scott Fine on LinkedIn: Game Design Basics: Camera Angles | 44 comments (2024)

Scott Fine

Top Game Design & Development Voice 🕹️ Game Systems Designer @ Skydance Int 🎮 Game Balance & Economy

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👨🏫 Today let's discuss a game design concept: Camera AnglesDifferent camera angles are often used for specific experiences. 🤔 Why is that?💃 Experience intimacy - different styles of experience require more or less intimacy and immersion.First Person🙈 “What is happening on screen is happening to me”😏 When you want to maximize the game’s intimacy and immersion typically you go first person .☠ Horror games particularly benefit from being in first person because it puts the player in the scary scenario.➰ Frequently seen in Horror games and shootersFirst Person Examples🔫 Amnesia, FNAF, Call of DutyThird Person👯♀️ “What’s happening on screen is happening to someone nearby”👀 When you want to be as intimate as possible, but still see what’s around you.🙊 Often times there is a central character who is key to the story or character aesthetic customization and player expression is particularly important.🔥 If you look at Helldivers 1 to 2 you notice the camera changes, the scale of what you’re fighting and explosions feel larger in 2 because of this.🧗♂️ Frequently seen in adventure games and action RPGs.Third Person Examples⛷ Zelda totk, kingdom hearts, helldiversTop Down & Isometric🏔 “I am far away from what’s going on, onscreen”👓 When you don’t need the immersion of boots on the ground but instead need a massive field of view to make decisions.😡 Imagine playing starcraft in first person and trying to command your massive army (It’d be DIFFICULT).🌑Typically why you don’t see a lot of top down horror games because that intimacy is oftentimes needed to get the desired effect and you don’t want to see too much.👨🎤 Frequently seen in RTS, Mobas, and Action Games.Top down & isometric examples💫 starcraft, Hotline Miami 2, league of legendsRemember🎗 Remember these are what’s common, not the rule. 😎 There are plenty of exceptions which create unique experiences. 😤 They’re just more difficult to get right and require unique design solutions.Exception Examples💀 Darkwood is an excellent top down horror game🎖 Battalion wars is a 3rd person RTT (subgenre of RTS)Found this useful?👏 Share it!💾 Tap the “Save” icon to come back to it later!👇 Then let me know of any other exceptions in the comments.🐻 Bonus points for anyone who can figure out which game inspired this carousel's color scheme.#gamesdesign #gamedev #indiedev #gameproduction #gamedevelopment

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Artem Olsen

Game and Level Designer

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The most important rule of Camera work in games is to ensure the player always can see the controlled character at all times in 3rd person. That's cited as one of the most frustrating things gamers experience is camera issues. 3D Sonic fan games often struggle this idea, whereas in the official games Sonic is always aligned nicely on screen and the camera adjusts dynamically so you can see the challenges ahead of you. You should always have things visible to the player so they don't suffer an unfair death and make them quit your game. Cheap deaths do that.

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Akshat Gogna

Gameplay Programmer | Computer Science Graduate

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Even when you pick a certain perspective e.g. 3rd person games, the placement of the camera can totally change the player experience. Camera in games like God of War, Ghost of Tsushima keeps the protagonist on the left side of the screen a lot, allowing players to see landscapes like they are seeing a painting. It keeps them immersed in the world.While the Spider Man games keep him in the center, to give a reactive and responsive feel. Clear viewing angles on both sides becomes really essential while swinging around the city.

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Devante Jeffries

QA/PSYCH/SQL/Machine Learning

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I think the "Top down/Isometric" camera is the most interesting because there could be a lot of mechanics (stimuli/bright lights?)going off at the same time

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Nick D'Amico

Level Designer

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Darkwood is one of a very few games that can pull off and excel at top down survival horror.

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Олександр Перемот

Editor in GameDev DOU

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What about 2nd person camera?

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Adrian Ma

Game Designer @ Kooapps

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That visibility with third person cameras is a lifesaver. Mitigates the challenge of making sure players don’t get surprised from behind in first person POVs.

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Giselle Dougan

Game Designer | Software Engineer | Content Creator

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I'd love to more games where there are more options to change the camera angle or a mechanic that plays with that fact more. Easy to follow guide and examples, thanks!

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Gökhan Üzmez

Game Investments | xZynga-Rollic | Game Production Analysis & Design |

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Supernice!

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Jacob Z.

Hopelessly in love with STEM, growth and learning, and building stuff!

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The use of the term "intimacy" in this context is inappropriate... It's gaming. Not an interpersonal relationship.

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Lorenzo Marchese

Management Engineer | Product Marketing Specialist - ERP Software

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Scott Fine on LinkedIn: Game Design Basics: Camera Angles | 44 comments (48)

Scott Fine on LinkedIn: Game Design Basics: Camera Angles | 44 comments (49)

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Scott Fine on LinkedIn: Game Design Basics: Camera Angles | 44 comments (2024)

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