Moved from CL - What focal point should I use?

[acolite246]

Hi,
I am looking at starting an adventure game and am trying to choose between an on screen or an off screen focal point.

What are the pros and cons of the different focal points?

Thanks in advance!

EDIT
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[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

The CL is for getting advice on existing art/music/writing assets, not for general design questions.  Moving to Adventure.

[GreenBoy]

Do you mean first person ( looking through the characters eyes ie: Myst) as opposed to third person (where the character is on screen ie: monkey island)?

Pros for first person is that there's less work involved, you could easily not have to do a walkcycle at all and the player feels more like he/she is the character in the game.

Pros for third person is that while theres more work involved you do get a much better sense of who the character is just by looking at him.  It's not left up to the players imagination which gives you a lot more control of the story.

My personal preference is 3rd person but I do know loads of people will disagree.  Of course it does in the end depend more on the game your trying to create, imagine what Monkey Island would of been like in first person.   :o

[Andail]

Or, are you actually talking about perspective focal points?

In that case, there's no real thumbrule; pictures can work beautifully with any perspective system.
Then again, it is a common "newbie"-mistake to make pictures with two vanishing points, and cram both points into the picture, when it's preferable if at least one of them is situated for off the actual picture frame.

I think it'd be best if you published a few samples for us to critique.

[acolite246]

Image uploaded.

EDIT I am actually talking about perspective focal points, see also horizon lines, etc.

[Andail]

Yes, well, as I said; there isn't really any universal law here. If you take a look at screenshots of professional adventures games, you'll find all sorts of perspectives.

You can use a central focal point system throughout your game, and nobody will think "what a boring perspective!", but you can also use quite extreme viewpoints, and keep your original side-view characters, and people won't react or consider the sprites out of place.

[acolite246]

Really? Thanks!