What the player sees is what character sees

Galloway explained how the origin of the first-person shooter was created. As the video games and film are influencing very strongly each other, the origin of the FPS has relationship with the film technique. In the early Hollywood, there was a particular film technique, "the fourth look". This is generally the look at the viewer. For instance, what the camera sees is what the viewer sees, so the viewer sees exactly the same as what the character in the movie sees. Their eyes were looking at the same s things. (pg40) and Galloway mentioned some films, Lady in the Lake and Dark passage which were narrative films. These were good examples in terms of experiment of new film technique. These films include single subjective shot. The effect of subjective shots was used in many different kinds of films. Mental affect, detachment or distancing, Criminals and Monsters, and computers. The subjective shot became the most successful when it was used to represent computerized, cybernetic or mechanic vision. (pg. 53) For example, the one of the most popular movies, The Terminator, and Robocop used the effect of the subjective shot. Viewers could see how the robot or the machines could see the world. It was good tool to make viewers understand the robot's vision in the films.

For some specific video games like FPS games, they need to be in subjective or first-person perspective in which players see what the character see. They also need "weapons" to be appeared in the screen. Therefore, they need utterly different theory of visually technology.pg (pg. 57). The visual effect of film technique became the core aspects for FPS video games. And Galloway said film and game design are both inspiring each other.

"Game design is also influencing filmmaking in certain fundamental ways as well as deviating." (Galloway, 62)

I agree with this. Both of them have great impact on each other. When new visual style is developed in Filmmaking, game developers try to make it happen in their games. For example, when the movie "Matrix" was released with the new visual effect called "Matrix effect", some games applied that effect to their game visually. Particularly, in the game, Max Payne which is well-known for using many film effects in games, you can even use the "Matrix effect" whenever you want, but Max Payne was third-person game, not first-person shooter. The Modern Warfare was the perfect game that used both film visual effect, and first-person shooter.

Here's an example of how FTS games could be a film-like in first-person view.
(you better start watching it at 5:30)



It generally gives players different aspect of game since they can do something about what they see, not just watch something with what people made.

Here's my question to you guys. There are many FTP games these days, which one do you think can be best FTP? And why?