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==History==
==History==
Early examples of a shooter with a third-person behind-the-back perspective were the space [[rail shooter]]s, ''[[Tac/Scan]]'' (1982) by [[Sega]],<ref>{{KLOV game|id=10007|name=Tac/Scan}}</ref> ''Ambush'' (1983) by [[Nippon]],<ref>{{KLOV game|6878|Ambush}}</ref> and ''[[Nihon Bussan#1980s|Tube Panic]]'' (1983) by [[Nihon Bussan|Nichibutsu]].<ref>{{allgame|32709|Tube Panic}}</ref> Examples of early third-person shooters featuring characters on foot were the rail shooters, ''[[Space Harrier]]'' (1985) by Sega,<ref>[http://www.gamezone.com/editorials/item/sega_franchises_that_deserve_the_platinum_games_treatment/ Top 10 Sega Franchises That Deserve Platinum Treatment], [[GameZone]]</ref> and the [[Squaresoft]] games ''[[3-D WorldRunner]]'' (1987)<ref>{{allgame|1136|3-D WorldRunner}}</ref> and ''[[JJ (video game)|JJ]]'' (1987).<ref>{{allgame|14936|JJ: Tobidase Daisakusen Part II}}</ref> ''[[Index of MS-DOS games (W)|WiBArm]]'' (1986), released by [[:jp:サイバーヘッド (ゲームメーカー)|Arsys Software]] for the [[NEC PC-8801]] and ported to [[MS-DOS]] by [[Brøderbund]], was an on-foot shooter that featured a fully [[3D computer graphics|3D]] third-person perspective for exploring indoor areas, though bosses were fought in an arena-style 2D battle.<ref name=Retro>[http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/JPNcomputers/Japanesecomputers4.htm Retro Japanese Computers: Gaming's Final Frontier Retro Japanese Computers], Hardcore Gaming 101, reprinted from ''[[Retro Gamer]]'', Issue 67, 2009</ref> [[Konami]]'s [[run and gun]] shooter ''[[Contra (video game)|Contra]]'' (1987) featured several third-person shooter levels where the player trudges through indoor enemy bases,<ref>[http://classicgaming.gamespy.com/View.php?view=GameMuseum.Detail&id=260 Game of The Week: Contra], ''[[GameSpy]]''</ref> advancing screen by screen. Konami continued to evolve the concept in ''[[Devastators]]'' (1988),<ref name=Kalata>Kurt Kalata, [http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/konamirunnguns/konamirunnguns.htm Konami Run 'n Guns], Hardcore Gaming 101</ref> a fully third-person shooter,<ref>{{allgame|9910|Devastators}}</ref> where rather than advancing forward automatically, the player walks forward by holding the Up direction, as the background slowly scales toward the screen. ''Devastators'' also featured various obstacles that could be used to [[Cover system|take cover]] from enemy fire,<ref name=Kalata/> as well as [[Multiplayer|two-player]] [[cooperative gameplay]].<ref>{{KLOV game|7573|Devastators}}</ref> ''[[Star Fox (video game)|Star Fox]]'' (1993) was a 3D third-person flight shooter,<ref>{{MobyGames|/game/star-fox_|Star Fox}}</ref> that was responsible for popularizing 3D action games.<ref>[http://retro.ign.com/articles/926/926795p1.html Jumping Flashback], [[IGN]]</ref> ''[[Fade to Black]]'' (1995)<ref>{{MobyGames|/fade-to-black|Fade to Black}}</ref> was a 3D third-person [[action-adventure game]] similar to ''Tomb Raider''.<ref>{{allgame|2109|Fade to Black}}</ref>
Some of the earliest shooters with a third-person behind-the-back perspective were space [[shoot 'em up]]s, including the [[Nintendo]]'s single-screen shooter ''[[Radar Scope]]'' (1979),<ref>[http://www.1up.com/do/feature?pager.offset=1&cId=3181467 Where Were They Then: The First Games of Nintendo, Konami, and More (Nintendo)], [[1UP]]</ref> [[Sega]]'s foward [[scrolling]] [[rail shooter]]s ''[[Tac/Scan]]'' (1982)<ref>{{KLOV game|id=10007|name=Tac/Scan}}</ref> and ''[[Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom]]'' (1984),<ref>{{KLOV game|7227|Buck Rogers - Planet Of Zoom}}</ref> [[Funai]]'s forward-scrolling [[laserdisc video game]] ''Interstellar'' (1983),<ref>{{KLOV game|8196|Interstellar}}</ref> [[Konami]]'s ''[[Juno First]]'' (1983),<ref>[http://www.1up.com/do/feature?pager.offset=1&cId=3181467 Where Were They Then: The First Games of Nintendo, Konami, and More (Nintendo)], [[1UP]]</ref> [[Nippon]]'s ''Ambush'' (1983),<ref>{{KLOV game|6878|Ambush}}</ref> and [[Nihon Bussan|Nichibutsu]]'s ''[[Nihon Bussan#1980s|Tube Panic]]'' (1983).<ref>{{allgame|32709|Tube Panic}}</ref> Some of the earliest third-person shooters featuring characters on foot were also rail shooters, including ''[[Space Harrier]]'' (1985) by Sega,<ref>[http://www.gamezone.com/editorials/item/sega_franchises_that_deserve_the_platinum_games_treatment/ Top 10 Sega Franchises That Deserve Platinum Treatment], [[GameZone]]</ref> and the early [[List of stereoscopic video games|stereoscopic 3-D]] games ''[[3-D WorldRunner]]'' (1987)<ref>{{allgame|1136|3-D WorldRunner}}</ref> and ''[[JJ (video game)|JJ]]'' (1987).<ref>{{allgame|14936|JJ: Tobidase Daisakusen Part II}}</ref> by [[Square (company)|Square]] (now [[Square Enix]]). ''WiBArm'' (1986), released by [[:jp:サイバーヘッド (ゲームメーカー)|Arsys Software]] for the [[NEC PC-8801]] and ported to [[MS-DOS]] by [[Brøderbund]], was an on-foot shooter that featured a fully [[3D computer graphics|3D polygonal]] third-person perspective for exploring indoor areas, though bosses were fought in an arena-style 2D battle.<ref name=Retro>[http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/JPNcomputers/Japanesecomputers4.htm Retro Japanese Computers: Gaming's Final Frontier Retro Japanese Computers], Hardcore Gaming 101, reprinted from ''[[Retro Gamer]]'', Issue 67, 2009</ref>


Konami's [[run and gun]] shooter ''[[Contra (video game)|Contra]]'' (1987) featured several third-person shooter levels where the player trudges through indoor enemy bases,<ref>[http://classicgaming.gamespy.com/View.php?view=GameMuseum.Detail&id=260 Game of The Week: Contra], ''[[GameSpy]]''</ref> advancing screen by screen. Konami continued to evolve the concept in ''[[Devastators]]'' (1988),<ref name=Kalata>Kurt Kalata, [http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/konamirunnguns/konamirunnguns.htm Konami Run 'n Guns], Hardcore Gaming 101</ref> a fully third-person shooter,<ref>{{allgame|9910|Devastators}}</ref> where rather than advancing forward automatically, the player walks forward by holding the Up direction, as the background slowly scales toward the screen. ''Devastators'' also featured various obstacles that could be used to [[Cover system|take cover]] from enemy fire,<ref name=Kalata/> as well as [[Multiplayer|two-player]] [[cooperative gameplay]].<ref>{{KLOV game|7573|Devastators}}</ref> [[3D computer graphics|3D polygonal]] third-person vehicle shooters were released in 1993, including [[Namco]]'s two-player competitive third-person shooter [[Vehicular combat game|vehicle combat]] game ''[[Cyber Sled]]'' that required cooling fans because of the large number of polygons used,<ref>{{KLOV game|7466|Cyber Sled}}</ref><ref>{{allgame|9856|Cyber Sled}}</ref> and [[Nintendo]]'s third-person flight shooter ''[[Star Fox (video game)|Star Fox]]''<ref>{{MobyGames|/game/star-fox_|Star Fox}}</ref> which was responsible for popularizing 3D action games.<ref>[http://retro.ign.com/articles/926/926795p1.html Jumping Flashback], [[IGN]]</ref> ''[[Fade to Black (video game)|Fade to Black]]'' (1995)<ref>{{MobyGames|/fade-to-black|Fade to Black}}</ref> was a 3D third-person [[action-adventure game]] similar to ''Tomb Raider''.<ref>{{allgame|2109|Fade to Black}}</ref>
⚫
''[[Tomb Raider]]'' (1996) is claimed by some commentators as a third-person shooter,<ref name="schleiner"/><ref name="harbour">Jonathan S. Harbour, ''Microsoft Visual Basic game programming with DirectX'' 2002</ref><ref name="macworld">Peter Cohen, "Bring out the big guns.(The Game Room)", ''[[MacWorld]]'', Sept 1 2003</ref><ref>Dickey, Christopher ; Scanlan, Marc ; Lee, B. J. "Let the Games Begin.(World Cyber Games 2001)", Newsweek International, Dec 24 2001</ref><ref name="CVG">[http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=3056 REVIEWS: PC], ''[[Computer and Video Games (magazine)|Computer and Video Games]]'', Aug 13, 2001, Accessed Aug 4, 2009</ref> and Jonathan S. Harbour of the [[University of Advancing Technology]] argues that it's "largely responsible for the popularity of this genre".<ref name="harbour"/> Other commentators have considered it influential on later third person shooters such as ''[[BloodRayne]]'',<ref name="macworld"/> ''[[C: The Contra Adventure]]'',<ref>Bobba Fatt, [http://www.gamepro.com/article/reviews/368/c-the-contra-adventure/ C: The Contra Adventure], [[GamePro]], Jan 09, 2004, Accessed Aug 4, 2009</ref> and ''[[Heavy Metal: F.A.K.K.²]]''.<ref name="CVG"/> Still others do not classify ''Tomb Raider'' as a shooter, but rather as a [[platform game]] that is "also a three-dimensional block-moving puzzle game with added combat elements."<ref name="poole">{{cite book |title=Trigger Happy |last=Poole |first=Steven |authorlink=Steven Poole |year=2000 |publisher=Arcade Publishing |location=New York |isbn=1559705396 |page=30 }}</ref> The game eschewed the popular first person perspective of games such as ''Doom'', instead making use of "third person" viewpoints, wide 3D environments and a control system inspired by ''[[Prince of Persia]]''.<ref name="tombraiderhistory"/><ref name="poole"/>


⚫
''[[Tomb Raider]]'' (1996) by [[Eidos Interactive]] (now [[Square Enix Europe]]) is claimed by some commentators as a third-person shooter,<ref name="schleiner"/><ref name="harbour">Jonathan S. Harbour, ''Microsoft Visual Basic game programming with DirectX'' 2002</ref><ref name="macworld">Peter Cohen, "Bring out the big guns.(The Game Room)", ''[[MacWorld]]'', Sept 1 2003</ref><ref>Dickey, Christopher ; Scanlan, Marc ; Lee, B. J. "Let the Games Begin.(World Cyber Games 2001)", Newsweek International, Dec 24 2001</ref><ref name="CVG">[http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=3056 REVIEWS: PC], ''[[Computer and Video Games (magazine)|Computer and Video Games]]'', Aug 13, 2001, Accessed Aug 4, 2009</ref> and Jonathan S. Harbour of the [[University of Advancing Technology]] argues that it's "largely responsible for the popularity of this genre".<ref name="harbour"/> Other commentators have considered it influential on later third person shooters such as ''[[BloodRayne]]'' (2002),<ref name="macworld"/> ''[[C: The Contra Adventure]]'' (1998),<ref>Bobba Fatt, [http://www.gamepro.com/article/reviews/368/c-the-contra-adventure/ C: The Contra Adventure], [[GamePro]], Jan 09, 2004, Accessed Aug 4, 2009</ref> and ''[[Heavy Metal: F.A.K.K.²]]'' (2000).<ref name="CVG"/> Still others do not classify ''Tomb Raider'' as a shooter, but rather as a [[platform game]] that is "also a three-dimensional block-moving puzzle game with added combat elements."<ref name="poole">{{cite book |title=Trigger Happy |last=Poole |first=Steven |authorlink=Steven Poole |year=2000 |publisher=Arcade Publishing |location=New York |isbn=1559705396 |page=30 }}</ref> The game eschewed the popular first person perspective of games such as ''[[Doom (video game)|Doom]]'', instead making use of "third person" viewpoints, wide 3D environments and a control system inspired by ''[[Prince of Persia]]''.<ref name="tombraiderhistory"/><ref name="poole"/>
⚫
''[[Syphon Filter]]'' combined the perspective of ''Tomb Raider'' with action elements of games such as ''[[GoldenEye 007]]'' and ''[[Metal Gear Solid]]''.<ref>Gerstmann, Jeff, [http://uk.gamespot.com/ps/adventure/syphonfilter/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=gssummary&tag=summary;read-review Syphon Filter Review], ''GameSpot'', Feb 12, 1999, Accessed Apr 1, 2009</ref> Richard Rouse III wrote in [[GamaSutra]] that the game was the most popular third person shooter for the [[PlayStation]].<ref name="suffering">Rouse, Richard, [http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/2110/postmortem_the_game_design_of_.php?page=2 Postmortem: The Game Design of Surreal's The Suffering], ''GamaSutra'', June 9, 2004, Accessed Apr 1, 2009</ref> While in ''Tomb Raider'' and ''Syphon Filter'' the protagonists automatically aimed at antagonists,<ref name="tombraiderhistory"/><ref name="suffering"/> later games such as ''[[Oni (video game)|Oni]]'', ''[[Max Payne]]'' and ''[[SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs|SOCOM]]'' forced players to control aiming themselves by means of two control sticks or a keyboard and mouse.<ref name="suffering"/> ''Max Payne'' (2002) was acclaimed as a superlative third person shooter, inspired by [[Hong Kong action cinema]].<ref>Kasavin, Greg, [http://uk.gamespot.com/xbox/action/maxpayne/review.html Max Payne Review], ''GameSpot'', Dec 11, 2001, Accessed Apr 2, 2009</ref>


⚫
''[[Syphon Filter]]'' (1999) by [[SCE Bend Studio|Eidetic]] (now SCE Bend Studio) combined the perspective of ''Tomb Raider'' with action elements of games such as ''[[GoldenEye 007]]'' (1997) and ''[[Metal Gear Solid]]'' (1998).<ref>Gerstmann, Jeff, [http://uk.gamespot.com/ps/adventure/syphonfilter/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=gssummary&tag=summary;read-review Syphon Filter Review], ''GameSpot'', Feb 12, 1999, Accessed Apr 1, 2009</ref> Richard Rouse III wrote in [[GamaSutra]] that the game was the most popular third person shooter for the [[PlayStation]].<ref name="suffering">Rouse, Richard, [http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/2110/postmortem_the_game_design_of_.php?page=2 Postmortem: The Game Design of Surreal's The Suffering], ''GamaSutra'', June 9, 2004, Accessed Apr 1, 2009</ref> While in ''Tomb Raider'' and ''Syphon Filter'' the protagonists automatically aimed at antagonists,<ref name="tombraiderhistory"/><ref name="suffering"/> later games such as ''[[Oni (video game)|Oni]]'' (2001), ''[[Max Payne]]'' (2001) and ''[[SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs|SOCOM]]'' (2002) forced players to control aiming themselves by means of two control sticks or a keyboard and mouse.<ref name="suffering"/> ''Max Payne'' (2002) was acclaimed as a superlative third person shooter, inspired by [[Hong Kong action cinema]].<ref>Kasavin, Greg, [http://uk.gamespot.com/xbox/action/maxpayne/review.html Max Payne Review], ''GameSpot'', Dec 11, 2001, Accessed Apr 2, 2009</ref>
⚫
An important gameplay mechanic that helped revolutionize third-person shooters in the past decade was the [[cover system]]. An early cover mechanic was introduced to the 3D third-person shooter genre by ''[[WinBack]]'' (1999).<ref>Brian Ashcraft, [http://kotaku.com/5452654/how-cover-shaped-gamings-last-decade How Cover Shaped Gaming's Last Decade], [[Kotaku]]</ref> ''[[Kill Switch (video game)|Kill Switch]]'' (2003) was later the first third-person shooter to feature the cover system as its core game mechanic.<ref>[http://www.play-mag.co.uk/opinion/why-vanquish-will-make-gears-of-war-obsolete/ Why Vanquish will make Gears Of War obsolete], ''[[Play (UK magazine)|Play]]''</ref> The critically acclaimed ''[[Resident Evil 4]]'' (2005) was influential in helping to redefine the third-person shooter genre, which it attempted to combine with [[survival horror]] elements,<ref name=nationalpost>{{cite web|title=Decade in Review: The most influential video games since Y2K|date=December 30, 2009|author=Daniel Kaszor|work=[[The National Post]]|url=http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/theampersand/archive/2009/12/30/370674.aspx|accessdate=2010-01-24}}</ref> though its most important contribution to the genre was its introduction of a "reliance on offset camera angles that fail to obscure the action."<ref name="gamasutra.com">Dobson, Jason, [http://www.gamasutra.com/news/gdc/?story=13106 Post-GDC: Cliff Bleszinski Says Iteration Won Gears of War], ''[[Gamasutra]]'', Mar 12, 2007, Accessed Apr 2, 2009</ref> The "over the shoulder" viewpoint introduced in ''Resident Evil 4'' has now become standard in third-person shooters.<ref name=nationalpost/> ''[[Gears of War]]'' employed tactical elements such as taking cover,<ref>Marc Saltzman, "[http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/marcsaltzman/2006-11-30-gears-of-war_x.htm Microsoft turns out gorgeous, gory shooter with 'Gears of War']," ''USA Today'' (11/30/2006).</ref> using off-center viewpoints inspired by ''Resident Evil 4''.<ref name="gamasutra.com"/> The game also employed grittier themes than other titles and used a unique feature which rewarded the player for correctly reloading weapons.<ref>Adams, Ernest, [http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/2377/the_designers_notebook_ten_years_.php?print=1 The Designer's Notebook: Ten Years Of Great Games], ''GamaSutra'', Nov 26, 2007, Accessed Apr 6, 2009</ref> ''Gears of War'', as well as games such as ''[[Army of Two]]'', place a greater emphasis on two player cooperative play,<ref>Ocampo, Jason, [http://uk.gamespot.com/features/6176029/index.html?tag=result;title;0 Lock and Load: Upcoming Military Shooters of 2007], ''GameSpot'', Aug 4, 2007, Accessed Apr 1, 2009</ref> as does ''[[Resident Evil 5]]''.<ref name="shack">Faylor, Chris & Breckon, Nick, [http://www.shacknews.com/laryn.x?story=52819 Resident Evil 5 to Sport 2P Co-op, Cover System] (May 22, 2008), Shacknews, Retrieved on May 22, 2008.</ref><ref>[http://ps3.ign.com/articles/917/917969p1.html IGN: TGS 2008: Resident Evil 5 Goes Split Screen]</ref> ''[[Damnation (video game)|Damnation]]'', published by [[CodeMasters]], experiments with exceedingly tall levels and acrobatic gameplay.<ref>Stuart, Keith, [http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/gamesblog/2008/mar/06/damnationtheshootergoesver Damnation: the shooter goes vertical. I think I know what they mean], ''The Guardian'', Mar 6, 2008, Accessed Apr 2, 2009</ref> ''[[Vanquish (video game)|Vanquish]]'' (2010) introduced a rocket-sliding mechanic that acts as both a defensive escape and an offensive setup, opening up new gameplay possibilities for third-person shooters.<ref>[http://uk.gamespot.com/best-of-2010/special-achievement/index.html?page=17 Special Achievement: Best Original Game Mechanic], [[GameSpot]]</ref> As of 2009, the genre has a large audience outside of Japan, particularly in North America.<ref name="techmo">Nutt, Christian, [http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=21168*http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/2992/gdc_2002_realistic_level_design_.php?page=2 That Tecmo Flavor: Kikuchi And Shibata On Surprising The Audience], ''GamaSutra'', Jan 8, 2009, Accessed Apr 1, 2009</ref>

[[Image:Resident Evil 4 Ganado village.png|thumb|''[[Resident Evil 4]]'' introduced an over-the-shoulder perspective, placing the camera over the protagonist's shoulder, while the player aims the weapon.]]

⚫
An important [[Game mechanic|gameplay mechanic]] that helped revolutionize third-person shooters in the past decade was the [[cover system]]. An early cover mechanic was introduced to the 3D third-person shooter genre by [[Koei]]'s ''[[WinBack]]'' (1999).<ref>Brian Ashcraft, [http://kotaku.com/5452654/how-cover-shaped-gamings-last-decade How Cover Shaped Gaming's Last Decade], [[Kotaku]]</ref> Namco's ''[[Kill Switch (video game)|Kill Switch]]'' (2003) was later the first third-person shooter to feature the cover system as its core game mechanic.<ref>[http://www.play-mag.co.uk/opinion/why-vanquish-will-make-gears-of-war-obsolete/ Why Vanquish will make Gears Of War obsolete], ''[[Play (UK magazine)|Play]]''</ref> Another important gameplay element that redefined the genre was the "over the shoulder" perspective, introduced by [[Shinji Mikami]]'s critically acclaimed ''[[Resident Evil 4]]'' (2005), a [[survival horror]] third-person shooter.<ref name=nationalpost>{{cite web|title=Decade in Review: The most influential video games since Y2K|date=December 30, 2009|author=Daniel Kaszor|work=[[The National Post]]|url=http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/theampersand/archive/2009/12/30/370674.aspx|accessdate=2010-01-24}}</ref> Its most important contribution to the genre was its introduction of a "reliance on offset camera angles that fail to obscure the action."<ref name="gamasutra.com">Dobson, Jason, [http://www.gamasutra.com/news/gdc/?story=13106 Post-GDC: Cliff Bleszinski Says Iteration Won Gears of War], ''[[Gamasutra]]'', Mar 12, 2007, Accessed Apr 2, 2009</ref> The "over the shoulder" viewpoint introduced in ''Resident Evil 4'' has now become standard in third-person shooters.<ref name=nationalpost/> ''[[Gears of War]]'' (2006) employed [[Tactical shooter|tactical]] elements such as taking cover,<ref>Marc Saltzman, "[http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/marcsaltzman/2006-11-30-gears-of-war_x.htm Microsoft turns out gorgeous, gory shooter with 'Gears of War']," ''USA Today'' (11/30/2006).</ref> influenced by ''Kill Switch'',<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.gamespot.com/news/6167213.html?action=convert&om_clk=latestnews&tag=latestnews;title;0| title = GameSpot - GDC 07: Cliffy B disassembles Gears, mentions sequel| accessdate = 2007-07-05}}</ref> using off-center viewpoints inspired by ''Resident Evil 4''.<ref name="gamasutra.com"/> The game also employed grittier themes than other titles and used a unique feature which rewarded the player for correctly reloading weapons.<ref>Adams, Ernest, [http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/2377/the_designers_notebook_ten_years_.php?print=1 The Designer's Notebook: Ten Years Of Great Games], ''GamaSutra'', Nov 26, 2007, Accessed Apr 6, 2009</ref> ''Gears of War'', as well as games such as ''[[Army of Two]]'' (2008), place a greater emphasis on two player cooperative play,<ref>Ocampo, Jason, [http://uk.gamespot.com/features/6176029/index.html?tag=result;title;0 Lock and Load: Upcoming Military Shooters of 2007], ''GameSpot'', Aug 4, 2007, Accessed Apr 1, 2009</ref> as does ''[[Resident Evil 5]]'' (2009).<ref name="shack">Faylor, Chris & Breckon, Nick, [http://www.shacknews.com/laryn.x?story=52819 Resident Evil 5 to Sport 2P Co-op, Cover System] (May 22, 2008), Shacknews, Retrieved on May 22, 2008.</ref><ref>[http://ps3.ign.com/articles/917/917969p1.html IGN: TGS 2008: Resident Evil 5 Goes Split Screen]</ref> ''[[Damnation (video game)|Damnation]]'' (2009), published by [[CodeMasters]], experiments with exceedingly tall levels and acrobatic gameplay.<ref>Stuart, Keith, [http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/gamesblog/2008/mar/06/damnationtheshootergoesver Damnation: the shooter goes vertical. I think I know what they mean], ''The Guardian'', Mar 6, 2008, Accessed Apr 2, 2009</ref>

''[[Vanquish (video game)|Vanquish]]'' (2010) by [[Platinum Games]] introduced to the genre a gameplay style reminiscent of [[bullet hell]] shooters, with bullets and missiles coming from all directions.<ref>[http://www.torontosun.com/tech/games/2011/01/06/16781371.html Vanquish an intense sci-fi shooter], ''[[Toronto Sun]]''</ref> Its most important innovation, however, is the rocket-sliding mechanic that acts as both a defensive escape and an offensive setup, opening up new gameplay possibilities for shooter games.<ref>[http://uk.gamespot.com/best-of-2010/special-achievement/index.html?page=17 Special Achievement: Best Original Game Mechanic], [[GameSpot]]</ref> According to director Shinji Mikami, the sliding boost mechanic was influenced by the 1970s [[anime]] series ''[[Neo-Human Casshern|Casshern]]''.<ref>[http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/28/interview-shinji-mikami-on-vanquish-evolving-game-dev-locales/ Interview: Shinji Mikami on Vanquish, evolving game dev locales and ... punching fools], [[Joystiq]]</ref> ''Vanquish'' has since set a new trend that can be seen in upcoming shooters which have incorporated similar sliding mechanics, including ''[[Bulletstorm]]'', ''[[Crysis 2]]'',<ref name=Metro>[http://www.metro.co.uk/tech/games/852091-games-inbox-assassins-creed-iii-hints-ninjas-vs-samurai-and-hydrophilia Games Inbox: Assassin's Creed III hints, ninjas vs. samurai, and hydrophilia], ''[[Metro (newspaper)|Metro]]''</ref> and ''[[Killzone 3]]''.<ref>[http://www.computerandvideogames.com/286980/reviews/killzone-3-review/ Killzone 3 Review], [[Computer and Video Games]]</ref> As of 2009, the third-person shooter genre has a large audience outside of Japan, particularly in North America.<ref name="techmo">Nutt, Christian, [http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=21168*http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/2992/gdc_2002_realistic_level_design_.php?page=2 That Tecmo Flavor: Kikuchi And Shibata On Surprising The Audience], ''GamaSutra'', Jan 8, 2009, Accessed Apr 1, 2009</ref>


==Influence on popular culture==
==Influence on popular culture==

Revision as of 23:43, 4 February 2011

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Third-person shooter (TPS) is a genre of 3D action games in which the player character is visible on-screen, and the gameplay consists primarily of shooting.

Definition

A third person shooter is a game structured around shooting,[1] and in which the player can see the avatar on-screen in a third person view.[1][2]

Design

File:StarFoxAssaultScreenshot.JPG
Star Fox: Assault features third-person combat with several types of firearms. Total kills are visible on the top right of the screen, as are enemies on a radar screen on the bottom right.

Third-person shooters are a type of 3D shooter game, which is a subgenre of action game that emphasizes the challenge of aiming and shooting. These games are distinguished from other shooter games because the graphical perspective is rendered from a fixed distance behind the player's avatar, and slightly above them. They tend to be more realistic than 2D shooters, not just graphically but in terms of gameplay. For example, games often limit the amount of ammunition that the avatar can carry, and damage is usually assessed based on what part of the body is hit by a gunshot. The 3D nature of these games also allows enemies to hide around corners or behind doors in a way that is not possible in a 2D game.[3]

Relationship to first-person shooters

These games are closely related to first-person shooters,[4] which also tie the perspective of the player to an avatar,[3] but the two genres are distinct.[5] While the first-person perspective allows players to aim and shoot without their avatar blocking their view,[3] the third-person shooter shows the protagonist from an "over the shoulder" or "behind the back" perspective.[4][6] Thus, the third-person perspective allows the game designer to create a more strongly characterized avatar,[3] and directs the player's attention as if watching a film. In contrast, a first-person perspective provides the player with greater immersion into the game universe.[7]

This difference in perspective also has an impact on gameplay. Third-person shooters allow players to see the area surrounding the avatar more clearly.[3] This viewpoint facilitates more interaction between the character and their surrounding environment, such as the use of tactical cover in Gears of War,[8] or navigating tight quarters.[9]. As such, the third-person perspective is more optimal for interacting with objects in the game world, such as jumping on platforms, engaging in close combat, or driving a vehicle. However, the third-person perspective can interfere with tasks that require fine aiming.[10]

Third person shooters sometimes compensate for their distinct perspective by designing larger, more spacious environments than first-person shooters.[11]

The boundaries between third-person and first-person shooters is not always clear. For example, many third-person shooters allow the player to use a first-person viewpoint for challenges that require precise aiming.[3] The first-person shooter Halo: Combat Evolved was actually designed as a third-person shooter, but added a first-person perspective to improve the interface for aiming and shooting.[12] The game switches to a third-person viewpoint when the avatar is piloting a vehicle,[3] and this combination of first-person for aiming and third-person for driving has since been used in other games.[13] Metroid Prime is another first-person shooter that switches to a third-person perspective when rolling around the environment using the morph ball.[14]

History

Some of the earliest shooters with a third-person behind-the-back perspective were space shoot 'em ups, including the Nintendo's single-screen shooter Radar Scope (1979),[15] Sega's foward scrolling rail shooters Tac/Scan (1982)[16] and Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom (1984),[17] Funai's forward-scrolling laserdisc video game Interstellar (1983),[18] Konami's Juno First (1983),[19] Nippon's Ambush (1983),[20] and Nichibutsu's Tube Panic (1983).[21] Some of the earliest third-person shooters featuring characters on foot were also rail shooters, including Space Harrier (1985) by Sega,[22] and the early stereoscopic 3-D games 3-D WorldRunner (1987)[23] and JJ (1987).[24] by Square (now Square Enix). WiBArm (1986), released by Arsys Software for the NEC PC-8801 and ported to MS-DOS by Brøderbund, was an on-foot shooter that featured a fully 3D polygonal third-person perspective for exploring indoor areas, though bosses were fought in an arena-style 2D battle.[25]

Konami's run and gun shooter Contra (1987) featured several third-person shooter levels where the player trudges through indoor enemy bases,[26] advancing screen by screen. Konami continued to evolve the concept in Devastators (1988),[27] a fully third-person shooter,[28] where rather than advancing forward automatically, the player walks forward by holding the Up direction, as the background slowly scales toward the screen. Devastators also featured various obstacles that could be used to take cover from enemy fire,[27] as well as two-player cooperative gameplay.[29] 3D polygonal third-person vehicle shooters were released in 1993, including Namco's two-player competitive third-person shooter vehicle combat game Cyber Sled that required cooling fans because of the large number of polygons used,[30][31] and Nintendo's third-person flight shooter Star Fox[32] which was responsible for popularizing 3D action games.[33] Fade to Black (1995)[34] was a 3D third-person action-adventure game similar to Tomb Raider.[35]

Tomb Raider (1996) by Eidos Interactive (now Square Enix Europe) is claimed by some commentators as a third-person shooter,[2][4][36][37][38] and Jonathan S. Harbour of the University of Advancing Technology argues that it's "largely responsible for the popularity of this genre".[4] Other commentators have considered it influential on later third person shooters such as BloodRayne (2002),[36] C: The Contra Adventure (1998),[39] and Heavy Metal: F.A.K.K.² (2000).[38] Still others do not classify Tomb Raider as a shooter, but rather as a platform game that is "also a three-dimensional block-moving puzzle game with added combat elements."[40] The game eschewed the popular first person perspective of games such as Doom, instead making use of "third person" viewpoints, wide 3D environments and a control system inspired by Prince of Persia.[6][40]

Syphon Filter (1999) by Eidetic (now SCE Bend Studio) combined the perspective of Tomb Raider with action elements of games such as GoldenEye 007 (1997) and Metal Gear Solid (1998).[41] Richard Rouse III wrote in GamaSutra that the game was the most popular third person shooter for the PlayStation.[42] While in Tomb Raider and Syphon Filter the protagonists automatically aimed at antagonists,[6][42] later games such as Oni (2001), Max Payne (2001) and SOCOM (2002) forced players to control aiming themselves by means of two control sticks or a keyboard and mouse.[42] Max Payne (2002) was acclaimed as a superlative third person shooter, inspired by Hong Kong action cinema.[43]

Resident Evil 4 introduced an over-the-shoulder perspective, placing the camera over the protagonist's shoulder, while the player aims the weapon.

An important gameplay mechanic that helped revolutionize third-person shooters in the past decade was the cover system. An early cover mechanic was introduced to the 3D third-person shooter genre by Koei's WinBack (1999).[44] Namco's Kill Switch (2003) was later the first third-person shooter to feature the cover system as its core game mechanic.[45] Another important gameplay element that redefined the genre was the "over the shoulder" perspective, introduced by Shinji Mikami's critically acclaimed Resident Evil 4 (2005), a survival horror third-person shooter.[46] Its most important contribution to the genre was its introduction of a "reliance on offset camera angles that fail to obscure the action."[47] The "over the shoulder" viewpoint introduced in Resident Evil 4 has now become standard in third-person shooters.[46] Gears of War (2006) employed tactical elements such as taking cover,[48] influenced by Kill Switch,[49] using off-center viewpoints inspired by Resident Evil 4.[47] The game also employed grittier themes than other titles and used a unique feature which rewarded the player for correctly reloading weapons.[50] Gears of War, as well as games such as Army of Two (2008), place a greater emphasis on two player cooperative play,[51] as does Resident Evil 5 (2009).[52][53] Damnation (2009), published by CodeMasters, experiments with exceedingly tall levels and acrobatic gameplay.[54]

Vanquish (2010) by Platinum Games introduced to the genre a gameplay style reminiscent of bullet hell shooters, with bullets and missiles coming from all directions.[55] Its most important innovation, however, is the rocket-sliding mechanic that acts as both a defensive escape and an offensive setup, opening up new gameplay possibilities for shooter games.[56] According to director Shinji Mikami, the sliding boost mechanic was influenced by the 1970s anime series Casshern.[57] Vanquish has since set a new trend that can be seen in upcoming shooters which have incorporated similar sliding mechanics, including Bulletstorm, Crysis 2,[58] and Killzone 3.[59] As of 2009, the third-person shooter genre has a large audience outside of Japan, particularly in North America.[60]

Alexander R. Galloway writes that the "real-time, over-the-shoulder tracking shots of Gus Van Sant's Elephant evoke third-person shooter games like Max Payne, a close cousin of the FPS."[61]

References

  1. ^ a b Nate Garrelts, The meaning and culture of Grand theft auto: critical essays (McFarland, 2006), 159.
  2. ^ a b Anne-Marie Schleiner, "Does Lara Croft Wear Fake Polygons? Gender and Gender-Role Subversion in Computer Adventure Games" Leonardo Journal, Vol. 34, No. 3 (2001): 222.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Rollings, Andrew (2006). Fundamentals of Game Design. Prentice Hall. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ a b c d Jonathan S. Harbour, Microsoft Visual Basic game programming with DirectX 2002
  5. ^ Geddes, Ryan, Beyond Gears of War 2, IGN, Sept 30, 2008, Accessed Apr 2, 2009
  6. ^ a b c Blache, Fabian & Fielder, Lauren, History of Tomb Raider, GameSpot, Accessed Apr 1, 2009
  7. ^ Hutcheon, Linda, A Theory of Adaptation (CRC Press, 2006), pp. 55-56
  8. ^ Levi Buchanan (2006-11-10). "'Gears of War' is next-gen at its best". MSNBC. Retrieved 2009-03-02.
  9. ^ Ryan Donald (2002-08-27). "SOCOM: US Navy Seals (PlayStation 2)". CNET. Retrieved 2009-04-02.
  10. ^ François Dominic Laramée (2002). Game Design Perspectives. Charles River Media. ISBN 1584500905 9781584500902. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: length (help)
  11. ^ Määttä, Aki, GDC 2002: Realistic Level Design in Max Payne, GamaSutra, May 8, 2002, Accessed Apr 6, 2009
  12. ^ "Halo Move to First-Person Shooter Confirmed". Inside Mac Games. 2001-03-15. Retrieved 2009-04-02.
  13. ^ Sal Accardo (2004-09-24). "Star Wars: Battlefront (PC)". GameSpy. Retrieved 2009-04-02.
  14. ^ Louis Bedigian (2002-11-23). "Metroid Prime Review". GameZone. Retrieved 2009-04-02.
  15. ^ Where Were They Then: The First Games of Nintendo, Konami, and More (Nintendo), 1UP
  16. ^ Tac/Scan at the Killer List of Videogames
  17. ^ Buck Rogers - Planet Of Zoom at the Killer List of Videogames
  18. ^ Interstellar at the Killer List of Videogames
  19. ^ Where Were They Then: The First Games of Nintendo, Konami, and More (Nintendo), 1UP
  20. ^ Ambush at the Killer List of Videogames
  21. ^ Template:Allgame
  22. ^ Top 10 Sega Franchises That Deserve Platinum Treatment, GameZone
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  24. ^ Template:Allgame
  25. ^ Retro Japanese Computers: Gaming's Final Frontier Retro Japanese Computers, Hardcore Gaming 101, reprinted from Retro Gamer, Issue 67, 2009
  26. ^ Game of The Week: Contra, GameSpy
  27. ^ a b Kurt Kalata, Konami Run 'n Guns, Hardcore Gaming 101
  28. ^ Template:Allgame
  29. ^ Devastators at the Killer List of Videogames
  30. ^ Cyber Sled at the Killer List of Videogames
  31. ^ Template:Allgame
  32. ^ Star Fox at MobyGames
  33. ^ Jumping Flashback, IGN
  34. ^ Fade to Black at MobyGames
  35. ^ Template:Allgame
  36. ^ a b Peter Cohen, "Bring out the big guns.(The Game Room)", MacWorld, Sept 1 2003
  37. ^ Dickey, Christopher ; Scanlan, Marc ; Lee, B. J. "Let the Games Begin.(World Cyber Games 2001)", Newsweek International, Dec 24 2001
  38. ^ a b REVIEWS: PC, Computer and Video Games, Aug 13, 2001, Accessed Aug 4, 2009
  39. ^ Bobba Fatt, C: The Contra Adventure, GamePro, Jan 09, 2004, Accessed Aug 4, 2009
  40. ^ a b Poole, Steven (2000). Trigger Happy. New York: Arcade Publishing. p. 30. ISBN 1559705396.
  41. ^ Gerstmann, Jeff, Syphon Filter Review, GameSpot, Feb 12, 1999, Accessed Apr 1, 2009
  42. ^ a b c Rouse, Richard, Postmortem: The Game Design of Surreal's The Suffering, GamaSutra, June 9, 2004, Accessed Apr 1, 2009
  43. ^ Kasavin, Greg, Max Payne Review, GameSpot, Dec 11, 2001, Accessed Apr 2, 2009
  44. ^ Brian Ashcraft, How Cover Shaped Gaming's Last Decade, Kotaku
  45. ^ Why Vanquish will make Gears Of War obsolete, Play
  46. ^ a b Daniel Kaszor (December 30, 2009). "Decade in Review: The most influential video games since Y2K". The National Post. Retrieved 2010-01-24.
  47. ^ a b Dobson, Jason, Post-GDC: Cliff Bleszinski Says Iteration Won Gears of War, Gamasutra, Mar 12, 2007, Accessed Apr 2, 2009
  48. ^ Marc Saltzman, "Microsoft turns out gorgeous, gory shooter with 'Gears of War'," USA Today (11/30/2006).
  49. ^ "GameSpot - GDC 07: Cliffy B disassembles Gears, mentions sequel". Retrieved 2007-07-05.
  50. ^ Adams, Ernest, The Designer's Notebook: Ten Years Of Great Games, GamaSutra, Nov 26, 2007, Accessed Apr 6, 2009
  51. ^ Ocampo, Jason, Lock and Load: Upcoming Military Shooters of 2007, GameSpot, Aug 4, 2007, Accessed Apr 1, 2009
  52. ^ Faylor, Chris & Breckon, Nick, Resident Evil 5 to Sport 2P Co-op, Cover System (May 22, 2008), Shacknews, Retrieved on May 22, 2008.
  53. ^ IGN: TGS 2008: Resident Evil 5 Goes Split Screen
  54. ^ Stuart, Keith, Damnation: the shooter goes vertical. I think I know what they mean, The Guardian, Mar 6, 2008, Accessed Apr 2, 2009
  55. ^ Vanquish an intense sci-fi shooter, Toronto Sun
  56. ^ Special Achievement: Best Original Game Mechanic, GameSpot
  57. ^ Interview: Shinji Mikami on Vanquish, evolving game dev locales and ... punching fools, Joystiq
  58. ^ Games Inbox: Assassin's Creed III hints, ninjas vs. samurai, and hydrophilia, Metro
  59. ^ Killzone 3 Review, Computer and Video Games
  60. ^ Nutt, Christian, That Tecmo Flavor: Kikuchi And Shibata On Surprising The Audience, GamaSutra, Jan 8, 2009, Accessed Apr 1, 2009
  61. ^ Alexander R. Galloway. Gaming: essays on algorithmic culture (U of Minnesota Press, 2006), 60.
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