Which games should be looked at as camera control role models? (1 Viewer)

[StuartK]

Been reading this forum quite a bit lately and it seems to me that the number one complaint that seems to pop up for just about every game is the camera system.

From Mario Sunshine to Spiderman to Splinter Cell, the camera always seems to be the game's Achilles heel.

Seems this would be a big issue with programmers given that they receive a lot of bad marks for it.

So, are there any 3-D perpective games, for console or computer, that should be looked at as a role model for programmers in style of camera movement and control?


Just curious.

-Stuart

 

[BrianB]

Heh, I've been wrestling with a similiar issue recently.

Mario64.
Banjo Kazooie.
Ico.

Personally, I like Buffy's camera, but it's frequently used as an example of a bad camera.

Broad sweeping generalisation: it's not always the camera that's at fault, frequently it's terrible room design that no automated camera could adequately keep up with.

 

[EdR]

Jak and Daxter!

Also, for a sports game, the camera work in Beach Spikers is remarkable. It's disorienting at first, but you soon come to realize just how well it's done.

 

[Dave Falasco]

I like the camera system in Outlaw Golf. It offers the most control of any videogame camera I've ever used, which makes lining up those snarky 30-foot putts just a touch easier...

[edit]Oh, I just realized that may not fit your criteria for 3-D action games...sorry about that...

 

[Dan B]

I'll second Banjo-Kazooie. Both the automagic camera movement and the manual user-control of the camera are very well done.

Personally, I like Buffy's camera, but it's frequently used as an example of a bad camera.

After recently playing this one, I can say without a doubt that I didn't like the camera. I especially disliked how the camera would follow the enemy character's movement during a fight instead of allowing me to see which direction I wanted to go.


-Dan

 

[Romier S]

One that hasn't been mentioned yet, Toejam and Earl 3. The camera never places you in a position where you don't have a good view of the action. Any buildings or trees automatically fade out when your character ends up behind them. Very good camera.

 

[BrianB]

Of course, in TJE3, certainly in the levels I've seen, it doesn't exactly have much to do, does it?

 

[Romier S]

Of course, in TJE3, certainly in the levels I've seen, it doesn't exactly have much to do, does it?

Not sure exactly what you mean there Brian but I adjust the camera quite often in TJ&E to get a good view of the what I'm doing. Even moreso when you get to later worlds like the Desert and Snow levels where you have to properly aim your "funk notes", fly around with your Icarus Wings, Use Spring shoes and land on targets, run around environments that have large buildings that could get your way..etc....etc....

Not exactly sure how you would think the camera doesn't "do" anything. Its essential the further you get into the game.

 

[BrianB]

Like I said, Romier, in the levels I've seen (from the demo & from it being played here), the terrain is largely "flat" & outdoors - it's not your typical 3D action or platformer, is it?

That you mention YOU have to adjust it frequently kinda blows it as being a good example, surely?

 

[Jay_Sharp]

Syphon Filter series has a great 3rd person camera.

 

[Romier S]

That you mention YOU have to adjust it frequently kinda blows it as it as being a good example, surely?

Why? *YOU* have to adjust the camera in Super Mario 64 at certain times to get a better view of the action and its regarded as having one of the best 3D camera systems out there.

TJ&E is very similiar in that regard. There are certain instances when you need to stop, take a loook around and check to see for floating balloons that you may need to fly up and get or move the camera around to check the layout of the environments. I don't find this to be intrusive to the gameplay at all and a majority of the time the camera stays firmly behind your character only needing adjustment when you feel it does. The rest of the time you have ample camera control to do what you wish.

I find that to be a good example of a really good camera system.

 

[Dave F]

Tough question, since the best cameras are the ones you don't notice. I do think they have gotten worse in the past year though.
I'd disagree about the Beach Spikers camera though. The main problem is that when you hit the ball to the other side & the camera switches to the other team, your character is off camera. Exacerbating the problem is that the game momentarily freezes you character so she can't move.
The Tony Hawk series has excellent camera usage, as does Halo. On the PC side, FAKK2 was excellent. It's tough to remember any third person PC games though.
For what it's worth, in a 3rd person game, I think a good camera should allow the user to take control. Sometimes I just like to look at dumb crap in the game.
-Dave

 

[Romier S]

Sometimes I just like to look at dumb crap in the game.

Heck yeah! Thats a good point. Morrowind for instance, I spent allot of my time looking at the new environments or structures I came across as I played the game.

The recent Vice City gets the same treatment. I love taking a look at the huge draw distance and checking out the full on skyscrapers in the background. Theres allot of games like that!