Big J Money
Regular
I was thinking about the W,A,S,D system, and its one major flaw that it prevents you from being aware of what is around you. Part of this is poor sound design (and lack of surround sound) in games; part of it is the narrow angle of view; but another major part of it is that your view is restricted to the direction you are travelling in. It's as if your neck is paralyzed and you must only look forward. This issue has come up a few times in M&B discussion, but that's not why I'm mentioning it here. In fact, this discussion otherwise has nothing to do with M&B. Well, I was trying to think of a way to circumvent the third limitation using the same tools people currently have: a mouse and a keyboard. Imagine being able to glance over your shoulder while playing an FPS. Or, imagine shooting haphazardly at some enemies behind you, while you are running away; such as in the great Death Star Hallway chases with Han Solo in StarWars Episode IV! Here are two ideas I have come up with. If you aren't interested in discussions on gaming mechanics, then this thread isn't for you. This is mainly a thread for those who are interested in that kind of topic and play (or would like to play) First Person Perspective action games. Allow me to define two terms, first. Looking refers to the direction your view is pointed. It does not inherently influence the direction the in-game character will move. Instead, Facing refers to the direction dictating where the character will move. In current FPS games, Looking and Facing are locked together, unless you are in a vehicle or riding a mount. Here are the two models I have come up with:
1) Your mouse doesn't determine which direction you are Facing, only the direction you are Looking. In other words, Looking and Facing are not locked. "Well," you ask, "how do I move, then? What about when I want to change facing and move in a different direction?" You achieve this by double tapping the forward (W) key. This will orient your Facing to become the direction you are currently Looking. Every time you wish to move in another forward direction, you would have to do this.
Pro: This method allows the player to easily look in any direction she wishes while moving according to a straight line facing. It also adds no new keys to the current W,A,S,D system, so very little learning must be done.
Con: Repeatedly having to double tap the W key could get annoying, especially depending on the game. I can see some people frustatingly pounding the W key just to try and react quickly in the middle of an instense action scene.
Arguable: This method allows precise control of your head, almost as if it is mounted on a loose ball bearing. It's realistic in the sense that it obeys your every intention without requiring extra concentration. However, it leaves unaccounted the fact that the neck is most comfortable when its head faces forward. You could also say this method "prefers" free-look, while looking forward is just one angle out of 360.
2) A new button is dedicated to "free look". Free look is simply another name for Looking being detached from Facing. This could be a mouse button or a keyboard key. If it is a keyboard key, it obviously must be something which can be pressed while the middle three fingers retain their usual W,A,S,D control. Releasing this key would "snap back" to forward view, as this seems most obvious, since the purpose of this model is to be able to glance in a given direction, not "re-configure" your neck.
Pro: The classic W,A,S,D remains fully operational.
Con: A new key must be dedicated to this functionality. Further, it must be a key the player can keep depressed while retaining the ability to press other, critical buttons. For example, if you wish to look behind you and fire off a couple shots, you must be able to hold the button down while also being able to press any buttons which pertain to firing your weapon.
Thought: For 5 button mice, the con isn't nearly as harsh, as the 4th or 5th button (usually a thumb button) would be ideal for such a dedication. Maybe in the future, 5 (or more) button gaming mice would become a "required" tool for the FPS enthusiast. This would be much in the same way that joysticks have become necessary for flight sim enthusiasts. A "free look" button could even become a common nick-name.
Arguable: Having to move your view away from "looking forwards" requires more conscious effort, since you must hold down a button to initiate and perform the maneuvre. This could be more natural, however. You might also say this method "prefers" looking forward, while free-look is tertiary.
In both of these models, when changing your Looking, you can't circle the mouse `round and `round, a' la The Excorcist. Once you've gone all the way looking backwards, you must return your view the way you came. Also, in the first model, it might be beneficial to require greater mouse movement (ie. mouse sensitivity becomes less) as the character turns farther and farther backwards, while requiring much less movement, when "snapping" the head back forward. This is to simulate neck and waist resistance, and is supposed to help the character not get too confused which way he is currently looking.
Those two ideas are meant to make use of what tools we use now. I've also brainstormed a few ideas for using a joystick in the left hand and a mouse in the right hand but, truth be told, they aren't any better; even though a joystick allows full 360 degree movement. It would be nice to have, but it doesn't inherently solve the problem being discussed. If anything, it takes away from the amount of buttons available to the left hand of the gamer, which are quite many while she still uses W,A,S,D.
Finally, before anyone brings up the implications of this functionality in Third Person Perspective -- don't. Even though many people use that perspective as an alternative to the faults of 1st person, this discussion is in no way about that. I am trying to discuss alleviating the faults while remaining in 1st person. I am making no implicit statements whatsoever about 3rd person.
=$= Big J Money =$=
1) Your mouse doesn't determine which direction you are Facing, only the direction you are Looking. In other words, Looking and Facing are not locked. "Well," you ask, "how do I move, then? What about when I want to change facing and move in a different direction?" You achieve this by double tapping the forward (W) key. This will orient your Facing to become the direction you are currently Looking. Every time you wish to move in another forward direction, you would have to do this.
Pro: This method allows the player to easily look in any direction she wishes while moving according to a straight line facing. It also adds no new keys to the current W,A,S,D system, so very little learning must be done.
Con: Repeatedly having to double tap the W key could get annoying, especially depending on the game. I can see some people frustatingly pounding the W key just to try and react quickly in the middle of an instense action scene.
Arguable: This method allows precise control of your head, almost as if it is mounted on a loose ball bearing. It's realistic in the sense that it obeys your every intention without requiring extra concentration. However, it leaves unaccounted the fact that the neck is most comfortable when its head faces forward. You could also say this method "prefers" free-look, while looking forward is just one angle out of 360.
2) A new button is dedicated to "free look". Free look is simply another name for Looking being detached from Facing. This could be a mouse button or a keyboard key. If it is a keyboard key, it obviously must be something which can be pressed while the middle three fingers retain their usual W,A,S,D control. Releasing this key would "snap back" to forward view, as this seems most obvious, since the purpose of this model is to be able to glance in a given direction, not "re-configure" your neck.
Pro: The classic W,A,S,D remains fully operational.
Con: A new key must be dedicated to this functionality. Further, it must be a key the player can keep depressed while retaining the ability to press other, critical buttons. For example, if you wish to look behind you and fire off a couple shots, you must be able to hold the button down while also being able to press any buttons which pertain to firing your weapon.
Thought: For 5 button mice, the con isn't nearly as harsh, as the 4th or 5th button (usually a thumb button) would be ideal for such a dedication. Maybe in the future, 5 (or more) button gaming mice would become a "required" tool for the FPS enthusiast. This would be much in the same way that joysticks have become necessary for flight sim enthusiasts. A "free look" button could even become a common nick-name.
Arguable: Having to move your view away from "looking forwards" requires more conscious effort, since you must hold down a button to initiate and perform the maneuvre. This could be more natural, however. You might also say this method "prefers" looking forward, while free-look is tertiary.
In both of these models, when changing your Looking, you can't circle the mouse `round and `round, a' la The Excorcist. Once you've gone all the way looking backwards, you must return your view the way you came. Also, in the first model, it might be beneficial to require greater mouse movement (ie. mouse sensitivity becomes less) as the character turns farther and farther backwards, while requiring much less movement, when "snapping" the head back forward. This is to simulate neck and waist resistance, and is supposed to help the character not get too confused which way he is currently looking.
Those two ideas are meant to make use of what tools we use now. I've also brainstormed a few ideas for using a joystick in the left hand and a mouse in the right hand but, truth be told, they aren't any better; even though a joystick allows full 360 degree movement. It would be nice to have, but it doesn't inherently solve the problem being discussed. If anything, it takes away from the amount of buttons available to the left hand of the gamer, which are quite many while she still uses W,A,S,D.
Finally, before anyone brings up the implications of this functionality in Third Person Perspective -- don't. Even though many people use that perspective as an alternative to the faults of 1st person, this discussion is in no way about that. I am trying to discuss alleviating the faults while remaining in 1st person. I am making no implicit statements whatsoever about 3rd person.
=$= Big J Money =$=
