Personally I think
we’re now at the point
where graphics and tech-
nology mean we can do
third-person to a fidelity
that makes it worthwhile
and really robust, even in
realistic games. We’ve
always been able to do it
for platformers or
non-realistic games. But I
think in realistic games
we’re getting to the point
where the fidelity of the
third-person experience is
strong enough that it’s
OK.Thief 3does a seam-
less first-third transition whenever you want dynamic. and I think it works pretty well. I
think they made that decision a little late in the development process, so I think the
third-person stuff’s a little dodgier than maybe it should be; if they’d known at the
beginning they were going to do that I’m sure it would look a little better. But even as it
is, I think, given the timeline they had, they did a pretty good job of doing a third-per-
son. So I think it’s more about whether it lets the player have the experience they want.
In something likeThief, in a way it’s better because it’s that whole fantasy of sneaking
around and being in the shadows, which is almost enhanced by being in third-person
because you can see all the shadows on yourself. In a weird way you’re almost a little
more disconnected from your character in first-person inThiefbecause you’re always
trying to understand how well hidden you are, which actually kind of hurts the experi-
ence, despite the fact that you’re first-person and therefore a little more immersed
because you’re right there. So I think it’s game by game and technology by technology. I
certainly don’t think that first-person should go away and I certainly don’t think that
first-person is only relevant for shooters, though obviously that’s where you mostly see
it at the moment. But I certainly think the fidelity and increased quality of third-person
means that third-person’s a lot easier to integrate into a realistic, systems-based mod-
ern game than it was five or ten years ago.
It’s interesting to hear you say that, since Warren always seemed to be making
the choice of doing first-person from a game design and immersion perspec-
tive, whereas you were more concerned with the aesthetic consequences.
Well, I think we were saying that first-person lets us do a lot more right now. So we do
increase the immersion, but simply because it works better, because if I go to third-per-
son and look at these third-person games I feel like this kind of weird robot. And in
first-person it’s very natural to look around and interact with things, I don’t have to
have some weird arm that’s trying to motion blend and looks horrible, all that kind of
stuff. And as I said I still think that’s somewhat true, depending on your game design
and whether you can support third or not. But I think if you look at something likeThief
528 Chapter 26: Interview: Doug Church
Thief: Deadly Shadows