My heart's beating... my hands are shaking...

Normally I hate on FPS games because I don't really like the whole deathmatch aspect, which seems to be what a lot of them advertise as the main pull. But, just taking a step back and looking at the mechanics... FPS is the most successful genre ever.

Minecraft, arguably one of the most successful games ever, certainly one of the most successful games not targeted at core gamers... uses FPS controls to navigate the world space.

And oddly, some of my fondest gaming memories were FPS games. GoldenEye, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter spring to mind as two games that I obsessed over to no end.

If you take out the ruthless, glitch/hack no-holds-barred rage fest that is competitive FPS gaming... there's a lot to love, there.

What y'all think?

 

I talk down on fps games quite regularly do to

however - there are some entertaining - great single player fps games.
Bioshock
Dishonored
Skyrim - Oblivion (fps or tps)
Fallout (fps or tps)
Borderlands
Far Cry

 

FPS mechanics are incredibly limited and boring

Not to mention they are used to propagate this GI Joe Real American Hero stereotype/fantasy where the player is basically just rewarded for running around and shooting brown people and russians because America F*** yeah. Like we don't have enough crap media overglorifying the gun and the idea of spreading democracy to the third world?

But from a strictly game design perspective, FPS mechanics are clunky and basically are only good for simulating a world from the perspective of a psychopath who can't turn his neck and therefore has to turn his whole body to look at anything. And is always pointing a gun at whatever they are looking at, because as previously mentioned, they are a murderous psychopath.

I had a phase with these games when I was like 12, but I quickly grew out of it when I realized how boring they actually were. I just kinda realized that once you've played one, you've basically played them all.

 

So many lol parts... I don't agree with most of this but very funny.

"simulating a world from the perspective of a psychopath who can't turn his neck and therefore has to turn his whole body to look at anything. "

Never occured to me... how hilarious.

 

In the meantime next Call of Duty will sell 20+ millions of copies.

 

Only because you can't get the remastered Modern Warfare without getting Infinite Warfare.

 

I would say WoW was the most successful game ever...

Considering....

how much $$ it pulled in (which was hundreds of millions/month in its peak)
how many people played
how long they played
size of the game

FPS come along and are popular for a year or two, but thats it. They dont run for 10+ years thats for sure.

 

FPS or just FP?

FPS works because it's point and click with no camera problem (it never stuck into the environment).

What we need is better character interaction.

 

Hey now wait a minute @Master Frog I had thought you "quit" the unity community a couple weeks back? Your hiatus over already eh?

Anyway FPS style controllers are useful for much more than FPS games, even archviz and stuff use first person walk through controllers and stuff. I think survival games really have taken the focus of first person games away from combat, and into other much more interesting areas like crafting and building and whatnot.

 

Well... I think of it like this. @masterfrog or whatever person I was becoming, or had become... and all of the head crazy nonsense he had begun to believe, I feel is not relevant any more. It's just a user name.

I think it's important to note, World of Warcraft is not a genre, and I am not sure but if you combine all the revenue from all of the fps games since Doom... I think that you will find I am right about what I said.

Survival games are big right now, but will they be popular for the next 20 years with people playing them religiously. I don't have any clue. Remains to be seen, though.

Nobody has really touched on the specific appeal of fps games though.

 

sounds like nobody's bothered to try overwatch yet

 

Mindlessness? Ease of completion? Power fantasy? Basically all the things that make a successful mainstream title, wrapped up into a package thats easy and cheap to mass produce. Pretty easy answer really.

I had no idea what Overwatch was from the trailers, they made it look like some sort of fast paced acrobatic action game of some sort, not some TF2 knockoff.

 

It's way, way better than TF2. Arguably, it's the best competitive FPS ever made. Obviously, people need to play it to know though. It's got it all, the energy of the old school but with the addiction of pvp. What's not to love.

 

Tried it during the beta, tried the robot...



Seemed way too powerful, as in wiping out waves of opponents in turret mode, until a 'mortar dude' turned up.

More of a BF4 FPS player myself but getting old don't have the reflexes.

PS Love the art style of Overwatch, sort of cartoony PBR??

 

Yeah I love the art, seems like it's not expensive to render either given that it's 60fps 1080p on console.

 

...You mean the one with a giant robot turret, where you get sniped every time you walk through a door way? It's neat having lots of abilities and stuff in an fps, I just hate dying all of the time. When I go target shooting, I don't hear anyone saying "it's more fun when you're getting shot at!" I like to run and jump and shoot and dodge... not get murdered by rocket whores and camping snipers because they found ways to play the game that I wouldn't enjoy... that tip the tactical scales in their favor whenever they employ them. Winning isn't so important to me that I am going to sit in one spot or learn every conceivable exploit or play for 9 hours a day just to eek out a 5% win/loss advantage over my peers.

/rant

Edit: but winning once in a while is nice. And unless you play a certain way, you won't win or even come close to winning. I can beat someone who is rubbish at video games who has barely played shooting games before, or certain people who are terrible... but seriously, little kids beat me no problem because they play 18 hours a day during summer break... its pointless.

 

I am for them and against them. I don't have any interest in the military shooters they keep pumping out year after year (the kind @KnightsHouseGames mentioned). But I like the potential offered by such games or at least the viewpoint. And I don't think it has really been explored much yet.

Like you mentioned, Minecraft used the FP perspective and did a great job with exploring the possibility space. I'm not sure what @neoshaman means by character interaction but in general I am all for having more interaction in games and that is something I would like to see in a FPS.

But the same can be said for basically any games really as far as limited interaction. I don't really care whether the game is 2D pixel art side scrolling platformer or a 3D FPS, third person whatever as long as it offers many interesting interactions.

It's this area where I think games still have a lot of potential to explore. We've seen games explore gee whiz graphics for (well the past two decades or more), they've explored story telling, movie effects, etc. Some have explored richer interaction such as Minecraft but what I would like to see is just games in general explore that possibility space.

Of course, doing all of that is not easy. That kind of thing takes a lot of work.

As far as FPS in general go though I think just having some more variety would be nice. I enjoyed Total Invasion and its sequel Total Invasion 2 (both are free downloads on GameJolt) made by one person with programmer art. Just because it was a different theme.

Here is a WIP (which I don't know if it was ever released)

I stumbled upon these when I was researching alternatives to Unity dev last year. They are done in something called NAALAA (Not An Advanced Language At All). BTW - The free download of NaaLaa comes with a tutorial on making a ray casting style FPS such as the above.

Also you can check out the 7DFPS (unfortunately doesn't seem to be a thing anymore but who knows maybe they will do one again some year) and other FPS on GameJolt and other places from hobbyists and maybe find something fresh at least as far as story, environment, mission and presentation are concerned. Possibly some unique gameplay too.

So I guess... why do I like the FPS that I like... because of the potential they have. The simpler games are pretty fun just in themselves things like Blake Stone and such. They feel smooth and fairly fast. Instant gratification of kills. Dancing with enemies. Sometimes some basic interactions such as secret panels, doors and such. But in general it is because I always think maybe this new (which may be old) FPS I just found might surprise me and have something more to it. They have a lot of potential to be more than they are.

 

I think the problem with games that have that sort of breadth of mechanics, like Minecraft, is they're not guaranteed to be fun. It's still head scratching territory. Why was Minecraft so charming? Iono. Why is some music so catchy? Sometimes lightning strikes in the darndest places.

But a solid fps game is a solid fps game...

Oft imitated, never duplicated... that's Minecraft and I think even the developers are baffled. Notch plays Overwatch all day.

 

Tisch Minecraft is a block shooter!

 

Imho because it connects multiple things that we had fun with when we were children: exploring, digging, building, experimenting, playing hide and seek, ...
Plus it offers good escapism.

 

What's with the subject of this post? Sounds like the lyrics from an Eminem song.

 

This guy extravagantly "left" the forums like a week ago. He loves being super dramatic.

He probably writes lyrics for Linkin Park in his spare time.

 

Look up "Boom Headshot"

 

Minecraft has been replicated successfully multiple time with twist, and the notable one was terraria. Minecraft is also responsible for the revival, invention or perfecting of:
- Procedural game
- rogue lite
- infinite scape
- survival game
- crafting game
- block game
- voxel graphics

It give people a taste of previously impossible to market game before (I mean seriously rogue like and permadeath? even survival stuff like rust and dayz where primed by minecraft).

 

What can I say? Not gonna argue with you. I'm a drama queen.

I do everything big. Go big or go home.

Besides? Guess who loves drama? Yep. Everyone. Ever. If someone says they don't, and acts too cool to care, they go home and put on MCR and cry on the floor or drink a beer and listen to country music. Drama is pretty much the coolest thing ever.

...and that is actually probably part of what people get out of competitive online play. Someone wins. Someone loses. Nothing says drama quite like a 20:1 kill death ratio. I see the appeal, but like I said... On topic... I just don't feel like investing the time into fps games but to each their own.

 

As @neoshaman mentioned, it's the "S" in FPS that make it a tired genre. Remove it and you get The Stanley Parable, Antichamber, Amnesia, Gone Home, and The Vanishing of Ethan Carter.

And to a point, Portal.

 

I wouldn't call it "tired", since tons of people play them every day.

Old-school space shmups are a tired genre.

 

unfortunately true

Since I'm an infrequent player of these games - has there ever been a fps game, team based, similar to something like the movie lone survivor, or (touchy subject ahead) the two gunmen (bank robbers I think) that walked down LA streets shooting indiscriminately while talking bullets to the chest and arms. Point being, dieing sucks - agreed - if the players could take more rounds than a normal human could, because of body armor or whatever.
And I'm not talking about the insta-heal which was one of the initial dumbing down of shooters to be more friendly to those who suck - like master frog - - and me.
It'd effectively eliminate the sneaky snipers and one shot campers who couldn't insta-kill opponents with one shot, and cause players to have to play more like these games are meant to be played.

the pvp part. However - the visuals are absolutely fabulous! I've been tempted because of them - to give it a shot.

Mirrors edge is another successful fp without the s.

 

Ohhhhhh how I loved mirrors edge!

While it's a more traditional fps though, I thought dying light was a nice combination of "assassin's creed"ish parkour, and a fps controller...

Edit: well, slightly traditional... in comparison to like minecraft

 

I very much dislike companies sch as Actvision who ship out the same rebranded junk every two years. However, FPS is a genre that has grown to become my favorite. There are many people out there who strive to bring innovation to the FPS genre (many of these people being in the VR scene). Because of this, I will always be excited to see what the future brings for us in regards to the FPS genre, as well as help advance the genre myself.

 

While it's not an fps: splatoon! The "S" there is not stale!

Though I would give a lot to know how they made their ink plat visual (ie painting a level with details contour and detecting where to walk) because I have zero clue and I want that!

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Call_of_Duty

 

You're terrible... lol

 

There are lots of things they have done over the years to make FPS action "better"... I think I have an unnatural love for Halo 2's shield. Duck out for a moment... and you're back online. I wouldn't say I suck at FPS games, I mean... I do get kills, by my score is usually the lowest on whatever team I'm on. It's not like I just get squished like a bug. I'm feisty. But I tend to duck out of the action a lot and go jumping around on the stage's geometry, trying to see if I can't get someplace you're not supposed to be. I have literally no interest in killing other players. In fact, in Overwatch I liked playing as that soundwave guy that speeds up the team, because he could grind on walls and reach weird areas.

 

I think he meant individual titles and not the genre as a whole, so you almost prove hist point with your example.
But some shooters like Counterstrike 1.6 or Quake Live (which basically is Quake 3) have been around for many years.

I don't think the FPS genre is ever going to die. Only people who don't really like them anticipate this happening, because they don't see the appeal. I've been playing FPS for more than 20 years and I'll probably continue to do so as long as I physically can.

 

Maybe you should see a doctor about that, @Master Frog? That doesn't sound healthy...

As for the subject matter, I don't care about competitive FPS scene, IMO it's a cancer on the gaming industry. But would always play good shooter (tps or fps) with great singleplayer campaign.

 

Actually any game's success these days is a lot like a lightning strike, even in the AAA space.

Personally I love FPS games. I switched to PC a few years ago because I couldn't afford to buy games for an xbox, a pc, and upgrade that hardware all the time. I don't usually save my money for a specific item. I find the wait agonizing and so if I have enough I'll buy what I want. Currently working on a budget

But yes once I switched to PC, I realized it was kind of a mistake for a gamer such as myself. The Xbox (my primary console) has tons of shooter and racing title's and relatively little in the way of anything else. I decided to try something a little different though a few years ago. At first I thought it was a strange and boring game but I bought Natural Selection 2, and I fell in love with it partially because the community is so small tight knit and most people are adults who are respectful and intelligent.

I've got to try different games I think.

Its been said that variety is the spice of life.

I think the primary reason I love NS2 is that it is so different than everything I'd been used to.

Yet sometimes its hard to make that leap (try something new).

I agree with the sentiments that most AAA FPS games reward too much for too little (ie. participation trophies). I fell in love with BF4 this past december over winter break, and when I picked up Titanfall again I stopped after an hour because there just wasn't a challenge.

I think its just that BF4 has a great level of depth compared with Titanfall (though Titanfall is an innovative game with original mechanics). The setting in Titanfall is spectacular. Gorgeous. Really, really interesting! If they made a book or a comic I might read it. I don't even read comics (or fiction most of the time). I attribute BF4's level of depth to a decade or more of game design mastery and iteration on DICE's part.

I still like Titanfall and maybe it was just my mindset at the time (found myself playing it again yesterday) but like Call of Duty it was not much of a challenge. I believe in that famous fun model of finding the right balance of challenging play. Modern games typically reward the player for everything as is the case with Titanfall. It also was lacking in the unlocks department, I feel the devs could have gotten much more creative there.

As any FPS gamer, I really appreciate and admire higher levels of skill. I think any shooter gamer will tell you that. FPS'es are all about quick thinking, dexterity, tactical strategy, timing, and a number of other skills I can't think of atm.

Halo is by far one of my favorite FPSes to date. Halo was literally the second game I ever owned. I've been watching Holmbom on youtube play it lots lately. I kind of want to buy an Xbox one + halo 5 just for the multiplayer because it genuinely looks fun. Even if 343 industries is screwing the franchise. The first halo was really about innovation, and everything since Reach has failed to innovate in any meaningful way. I kinda feel like Halo will "rise again" sometime in the future when MS and 343i realize they aren't retaining or gaining a playerbase. I heard about a stat, Halo 3 had 12 million copies sold. Today Halo 5 has like 4 million. You can do the math on what fraction that is who isn't buying it anymore.

Overwatch looks genuinely creative. I love FPSe's to death, and everything Blizzard has ever made I've disliked. Maybe I'll give it a try sometime.

 

Clearly you boys haven't played Fran Bow yet. Clearly one of the best games I've ever played IMO.

 

Have already played often against each other. not I know many people who can play with almost all weapons at a high level..

 

Completely separate titles/products... I assume youre just being clever

 

Originally it was intended as a joke but then I skimmed over the Wikipedia entry. Did you know the series has multiple story arcs with most of them having at least three titles? I wouldn't consider that a completely separate game series.

 

They actually 3 teams working on them apparently, so its not like 1 team is churning out 1 game after another but 1 team spends 3 years on it (apparently).

 

That changed over time, it used to be treyarch and infinity ward each releasing one every two years (not sure how the cycle was before that. They then switched to 3 devs with 3 year cycles, which I think was a good choice.

 

I like FPS played competitive also earned some money on Tournaments.
But for making games myself, I don't know...
Never tried but i also don't want to :/?

I maybe would like to try copy borderlands because its super funny

 

Seems like a lot of people really like the multiplayer side of FPS games. That's interesting because I never cared for that side at all. Other than Borderlands with my cousin I never had any interest at all in playing multiplayer. I always thought that was mainly teens who enjoy that kind of play?

The single player FPS is what I play now. Blake Stone, 8-bit Killer, Blood, Wolfenstein 3D and lately some Delver. Although not really an FPS I think this would count under @Master Frog 's description. It is actually a pretty cool game and has more of the stuff I'd like to see.

It's a good game with mostly positive reviews until recently. Despite people crying on Steam about "abandonware" as others have mentioned on Steam there is already enough in the game to be worth getting. Person can't work on a game forever and give updates.

 

At least the price was very reasonable for Delver. I remember picking up Cube World back when it initially came out for the fairly high price tag of $30. The developer was apparently somewhat well-known and was making promises of all these updates that would follow. Except none of them came and he disappeared after making sales.

End of the day I was stuck with a game that was very much playable but definitely felt lacking. I played it extensively with friends so I can't say I didn't get good value for my money but it was still disappointing that the game would never be finished. A couple years later the developer reappeared but by that point everyone had moved on.

 

That is definitely not good. For $30 certainly you should expect more from a game (and dev) than one selling for about 1/4 that price. With Delver from what I saw the dev had worked on it releasing updates for a couple of years. The dev you mention seems like they put out the bare minimum with many empty promises to get people to buy then just stopped at that point.

 

Yeah especially how little money there is in games compared to other jobs. How long did he work on it, and how big was the team etc

 

...crap. How do you even do updates on a Unity game over Steam? I have no clue.