The thing about debates, especially when it pertains to gaming, is that very quickly they become pointless. PS vs PC vs that Box One are speculative and basically come down to, like religion, what household you were born into. It’s useless to argue your point in most cases, as it comes down to the same thing, PC rules.
is time for us to kill this discussion once and for all time - in PUBG, which is the best mode to play in? And why is it third person? Let us begin.
There are enough frustrating things about PUBG; the delay in picking up items, the bad FPS, the overwhelming bias towards an AK’s strength, bad FPS and some others that relate to the FPS being bad.
To play the game in a mode that allows an enemy to see you and shoot you with relative ease, while all I was trying to do was scout ahead, is an added frustration I just don’t need. This always happens to me in first-Person, and I know it’ happening to you. So, the case for third-Person vs First seems clear-cut, right? Well, maybe not. Much to my chagrin.
You see, many like myself, are more biased towards the gameplay of the thirpy since that was how the origin story was played. That is pretty much meaningless when it comes to the multiplayer version. The desperation and unpredictability that one feels while playing in third-person is perfect for a campaign or storyline. In the multiplayer, that feeling is created by the inherent human factor.
So whether in third or first, the anxiety exists. It's a draw then on this count.
But that is a factor that cannot be discounted. Our love for PUBG started out in third person. I for one will not turn my back on it just because something new comes along like I am some sort of midlife crisis gamer. The clear advantage of TP (HAHA) over FP is that you are fed far more information about your surroundings.
The ease of decision making from there fuels my love for this mode.
However many players might argue that it’ s not a midlife gaming crisis when something better comes around the corner to replace your original love. Case in point: While the 1959 Chevy Bel Air was a classical masterpiece, you didn’t hang onto it when the 2009 Malibu came out.
You replaced the old love, for your new love. And that is what many PUBG’s have conceded with the FPS mode.
A significant improvement in gameplay was achieved, even if it meant saying goodbye to a longtime lover. Likely you feel that the punishment of less battlefield information is worth the cost to have a more consistent and successful experience offered by the FP mode. To which I say, “What? No!” Never should one sacrifice strategy for the inherent fun of shooting at stuff FP. The top ranking players might by and large be playing in FP, but games are made to be immersive and fun. For me TP ticks those boxes. Games like PUBG are separated from the rest by the fact that the creators wanted strategy over button thumping.
First person has a lot of fans
The fact is though, FP has a lot of fans. Wrong as they may be. So to keep them satisfied, how does PUBG fix the narrow field of vision that so many are complaining about? The main thing to consider is the positioning of the HUD.
As any gamer knows, the information display is your life source during a battle. Yet of more importance is your ability to consistently position yourself on the field and gather intel without being shot to ribbons. A more forgiving meta would allow for bad positioning and you would not be punished for it. This would be especially appealing to new players with bad skill sets, as they can steadily gain experience and success in the game. I for one might even opt to play first-person if these changes were made.
Maybe. Game play needs to be fluid and fun. I am just not getting that yet from FP.
However those changes to first-person will not necessarily make PUBG an easier and safer game to play for your character as a newbie. As we all know, the safe zone rotation leaves players clueless no matter their POV. However without a clear ability to scan your surroundings, as is available in third-person, some are more clueless than others. As to solutions to this POV crisis, let’s just say that the developers have their hands full.
With all this debating going on it is easy to see why the PUBG community is in a divisive mess. And when I say mess, I am not just referring to the selfish nature of the game which is promoted and that can spiral into more campers than are at Yellow Stone in an entire year.
The very important fan base stands to be lost if first-person becomes default mode on PUBG. If the camping gets any worse, in which first-Person encourages more than thirpy, then all is lost for this great game.
If that does happen, then I’ll be the guy with the 8x scope. It’s the only way to go.
The future looks snipers
Of course that means that you, dear reader, will also be sitting atop a grassy knoll, staring down a lens. And in no time this kind of self preservation will deteriorate PUBG into a sniper game. Ain’t nobody got time for that.
However, let’s just think for a moment, why this FPS thing is so popular and why PUBG has to market to the masses? The answer lies in the fact that most players were weaned on a diet of "Team Fortress 2," "Call of Duty" and "Battlefield." And therein lies the problem.
Since PUBG is nothing like these games at heart, the majority of players out there don’t want different, they just want more of the same. And PUBG has to accede to their wishes.
To enter the “safe circle” within the electricity field, movement is a vital ingredient. Players are becoming more intuitive to what equals success, and if played in FP, more predictable.
Of course the one saving grace is the usage of vehicles. They inject variety and cannot be predicated.
But no matter what I say, let’s face it, most of you are going to play in First Person mode. Ok well although I did warn you, we need to be clear on the differences in modes, particularly when it comes to defense.
Here is what my Chinese friend Yulya Li had to say on the subject.
“Compared to the other games I’ve played on Steam, this game can be played over and over and still be interesting. Getting a top 10 finish is such a great feeling. However getting beaten by a player who hasn’t had to fire a shot all round is deeply frustrating. This mostly happens when I play first-person. Sometimes its more about luck than skill.”
Playing exclusively in first-person has a limited life span. PUBG just isn’t built for this mode.
But there might be one exclusion to this rule. The upcoming Miramar ( or desert ) map promises to be groundbreaking in its design.
Designing a map that will be exclusively for the benefit of FP fans would seem to be the best way forward for the game.Why is that?
Well because campers are rarely loosing, for obvious reasons. The trend of being a strategic camper, instead of a strategic player is on the rise. And a combination of FP and the map design is to blame for that.
Such a cause for complaint is rare in 3p. The combination of the field of view, a better line of sight and less subsequently less player predictability is the reason for that. On the subject of predictability, once this aspect of game play has been removed from any game mode, you have a clear winner. Since the camera itself provides predictive information to the player in third-person, this negates most attempts at camping. To outplay the Safe Zone in third-person might be more challenging but it is clearly the way the game has been designed.
Whether you choose first or third person, one thing remains the same; a high number of skill sets is vital to a game. Not only is a high skill set vital for the safety of your character, but it provides a higher ceiling to the game, making playability infinitely longer and enjoyable. Lacking in a skill set can mean that you dig yourself into a hole.
Multiple skills can dig you out and remove frustration in the process. Making a game with the perfect balance of skill sets is the obvious challenge developers face. PUBG has done that, but most significantly when played in third-person. Take the top games of the last few years. Shooter games of course. The top performers always allowed for multiple skill sets to be utilized in gameplay and this equaled player longevity.
A higher skill cap, means a higher likelihood of gamers coming back to your title. PUBG is on a quest to constantly refine this. Ultimately your skill sets will have zero ceiling, and that will be the death knell of the game.
PUBG is probably doomed unless First-Person becomes the default choice in the game. Using lessons learned from "Arama 2," "Arma 3" and "H1Z1," this is an undeniable truth. Admittedly they each had unique qualities which were very different from each other, but each can teach us a valuable lesson in the first-person experience.
Aim assist please
It seems to me that if we got just a slight bit of aim assist at over 200 meters, similar to the aforementioned, it could be just that boost up we need to improve PUBG.
Safety over distance means that camping can take place with relative ease.
This would actually make sense since both Xbox and PS are set to release their game versions, and they are inherently helpful when it comes to aim assist.
Of course, as a PC fan myself, it worries me that, like with so many other titles, Xbox is probably going to start becoming the go-to for PUBG development. And that no doubt includes a better FP.
However, to put the proverbial spoke in my philosophical wheel, browsing the Steam community forums I came across interesting comments. Based on these, the overall feel I came away with is that players are moving across to first-person where they feel skill accounts for more.
Included amongst these comments were the usual mature "I am rubber you are glue" banter. Yet still, it seemed overwhelmingly in favor of FP. Which did surprised me. Now I am not making excuses, but third-person is rubber and first-person is… well, you know.
My argument comes back to one important point. You can’t shoot what you can’t see. And FP creates such an environment.
However, there is one exception to my rule of always playing in third-Person. And that is when you have teammates.
And since this is the ever increasingly popular way to play PUBG, casually or competitively, the writing is on the wall. Eventually, third person will be removed entirely from the game.
Can this really be The Future for "Player Unknown?" Yes. With more and more players joining the community from other FP shooters, the feeling is that third-person is overrun by a core of unbeatable players. 1st Person is the new players' friend. And the only way they can compete. The game developers will not want to lose frustrated fans to another title, so like Marvel does that DC doesn’t, they will give the masses what they want.
So, soon will be gone the ability to look around corners and using the camera as a tactical asset. Rather a totally different PUBG will be played: The one that has slowly been introduced without us really noticing. Exploration will feel very different as will combat. It’s a brave new world. Enjoy your chicken dinner while you still can.
