First-person (video games)
A screenshot from S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl shows the player character's right hand firing a gun in the bottom right corner. This visual detail denotes the first-person perspective, where the graphical view renders from inside a device or vehicle controlled by the player character. In video games, this perspective is one of two views used in the vast majority of titles, with the other being third-person. Third-person offers a graphical perspective from outside any character, though it may focus on that character. Some games like interactive fiction do not belong to either format at all. Games with a first-person perspective are usually avatar-based, displaying what the player's avatar would see through its own eyes. Players typically cannot see their avatar's body, although they may be able to see weapons or hands. This viewpoint is frequently used to represent the perspective of a driver within a vehicle, as seen in flight and racing simulators. It is common to make use of positional audio, where the volume of ambient sounds varies depending on their position relative to the player's avatar.
Games with a first-person perspective do not require sophisticated animations for the player's avatar. They also avoid implementing manual or automated camera-control schemes found in third-person perspective. A first-person perspective allows for easier aiming since there is no representation of the avatar blocking the player's view. However, the absence of an avatar can make it difficult to master timing and distances required to jump between platforms. This design choice may cause motion sickness in some players. Players have come to expect first-person games to accurately scale objects to appropriate sizes. Key objects such as dropped items or levers may be exaggerated to improve visibility. The lack of a visible body removes visual clutter but introduces physical challenges that differ from other genres. Audio implementation plays a critical role in immersion, using positional sound to enhance spatial awareness. These mechanics define how players interact with the game world without seeing themselves.
Electro-mechanical racing games had been using first-person perspectives since the late 1960s. Kasco's Indy 500 appeared in 1968, followed by Chicago Coin's version Speedway in 1969. The use of first-person perspectives in driving video games dates back to Nürburgring 1 and Atari's Night Driver in 1976. Shooting gallery games evolved from mid-20th-century arcade electro-mechanical games and late-19th-century carnival games. They typically employ a first-person perspective where players aim at moving targets on a stationary screen. Rail shooters also typically employ a first-person perspective but move the player through levels on a fixed path. Light gun shooters are rail shooter and shooting gallery games that use light guns. It is not clear exactly when the earliest FPS video game was created. Two claimants exist: Spasim and Maze War. The uncertainty about which was first stems from the lack of any accurate dates for the development of Maze War. Even its developer cannot remember exactly. In contrast, the development of Spasim is much better documented with more certain dates. The initial development of Maze War probably occurred in the summer of 1973. A single player traverses a maze of corridors rendered using fixed perspective. Multiplayer capabilities were added later in 1973 and fully networked in the summer of 1974. Spasim was originally developed in the spring of 1974 with a documented debut at the University of Illinois the same year.
Amidst a flurry of faux-3D first-person maze games came the 1982 release of Paul Edelstein's Wayout from Sirius Software. Not a shooter, it has smooth arbitrary movement using what was later labeled a raycasting engine. This gave it visual fluidity seen in future games like MIDI Maze and Wolfenstein 3D. It was followed in 1983 by split-screen Capture the Flag, allowing two players at once. This foreshadowed a common gameplay mode for 3D games of the 1990s. The arrival of the Atari ST and Amiga in 1985 increased computing power and graphical capabilities available in consumer-level machines. 1987 saw the release of MIDI Maze, an important transitional game for the genre. Unlike its contemporaries, MIDI Maze used raycasting to speedily draw square corridors. It also offered networked multiplayer deathmatch communicating via the computer's MIDI ports. Sublogic's Jet was a major release for the new platforms, as were Starglider and the tank simulator Arcticfox. In 1987, Taito's Operation Wolf arcade game started the trend of realistic military-themed action shooters. It featured side-scrolling environments and high-quality graphics for the time. It was followed the subsequent year by a sequel titled Operation Thunderbolt that introduced pseudo-3D perspective and illusion of depth. The success and popularity of these two games led to Sega releasing Line of Fire in 1989. Another military combat arcade machine achieved further realism by implementing rotating point of view.
In late 1991, the fledgling id Software released Catacomb 3D which introduced showing the player's hand on-screen. This strengthened the illusion that the player is viewing the world through the character's eyes. Later in 1992, id improved technology used in Catacomb 3D by adding support for VGA graphics in Wolfenstein 3D. It would be widely imitated in years to follow and marked beginning of many conventions in genre including collecting weapons switchable using keyboard number keys and ammo conservation. Doom appeared in 1993 refining Wolfenstein 3D template by adding support for higher resolution and improved textures. It added variations in height like stairs and platforms characters could climb upon with more intricate level design. Wolfenstein 3D was limited to grid based system where walls had to be orthogonal whereas Doom allowed any inclination. Rudimentary illumination effects such as flickering lights and areas of darkness created far more believable 3D environment than Wolfenstein 3D levels all flat-floor space corridors. Doom allowed competitive matches between multiple players termed deathmatches and game responsible for word subsequent entry into video gaming lexicon. Doom has been considered most important first-person shooter ever made. The 1995 game Descent used fully 3D polygonal graphics engine rendering opponents departing from sprites used by most previous games in FPS genre.
Descent escaped pure vertical walls graphical restrictions of earlier games in genre allowing player six degrees of freedom movement up down left right forward backward pitch roll yaw. Quake series since 1996 and derived titles such as 1998 Half-Life advanced from Doom with fully 3D engine allowing players look from any angle. This helped formalize mouse and WASD keys combo that became standard means control on personal computers. On consoles meanwhile games like Halo from 2001 helped define dual analog stick controls that have become norm. Flight simulators were first-person staple for home computers beginning in 1979 with FS1 Flight Simulator from Sublogic followed up with Flight Simulator II in 1983. MicroProse found niche with first-person aerial combat games including Hellcat Ace 1982 Spitfire Ace 1982 and F-15 Strike Eagle 1985. In 1990 SNK released beat em ups with first-person perspective: hack slash game Crossed Swords and fighting shooting game Super Spy. Dactyl Nightmare appeared for Virtuality arcade VR platform in 1991 featuring first person deathmatch style games with polygon player avatars.
Common questions
What is the first-person perspective in video games?
The first-person perspective renders the graphical view from inside a device or vehicle controlled by the player character. This viewpoint displays what the player's avatar would see through its own eyes without showing their body.
When was the earliest first-person shooter game created?
The initial development of Maze War probably occurred in the summer of 1973 with multiplayer capabilities added later that year and fully networked in the summer of 1974. Spasim was originally developed in the spring of 1974 with a documented debut at the University of Illinois the same year.
Which game marked the beginning of many conventions in the first-person genre?
Wolfenstein 3D appeared in 1992 after id Software improved technology used in Catacomb 3D to add support for VGA graphics. It introduced conventions including collecting weapons switchable using keyboard number keys and ammo conservation.
How did Doom improve upon Wolfenstein 3D?
Doom appeared in 1993 refining the Wolfenstein 3D template by adding support for higher resolution and improved textures. It allowed any inclination for walls unlike the grid based system where walls had to be orthogonal in Wolfenstein 3D.
What is the history of first-person perspective in racing games?
Electro-mechanical racing games had been using first-person perspectives since the late 1960s with Kasco's Indy 500 appearing in 1968. The use of first-person perspectives in driving video games dates back to Nürburgring 1 and Atari's Night Driver in 1976.