The reason EA DICE went with the first-person perspective in Mirror’s Edge wasn’t to torture players who occasionally experience motion sickness. It was a conscious decision designed to make players feel more connected with the game’s protagonist, Faith, and her movements. It was also because DICE is pretty familiar with the perspective.
The producer for the game, Nick Channon recently explained the design decision in an interview with Gamasutra. Channon said that DICE has “done a lot of first person work” and were “inspired” to do Mirror’s Edge. He then went on to explain how one connects to Faith:
I think the other thing was, as well, that we really wanted to create a connection with you and the character, and the fact that you're playing the game through the eyes of Faith; as soon as you get to third person, you would be watching Faith, whereas we want you to be connected to her.
After watching Nick Chester’s video of the first level, I’m not exactly sold on the “connection” thus far. If anything, it seems like the perspective makes the game’s obstacles seem more varied and larger than what they actually are. What do you guys think? Does first person provide a special sort of immersion?
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Contest:
5:18 PM on 11.07.2008
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I enjoyed the demo and will probably purchase the game
I agree about the sound, it's extremely well-done and very influential to the immersion factor.
A nice change.
Naw, the immersion is there as you get a nice feel when you are sprinting and you turn, you almost lean when you play.
I can't wait for this game when it comes out on the 13th. If the whole game is as good as the demo was, I think that this game will be winning quite a few game of the year awards.
However, I think the most immersive part of the design choice is the sense of urgency it promotes. Finding yourself in a dead end and looking everywhere to climb up onto something. All the little things that would be really simple if you had a 3rd person view.
Still, I realy really want to try this game.
Mirror's Edge doesn't have this problem at all.
Okay.. I'm ready.
I played the demo and didn't like it. It just didn't jive with me, at all. I'll stick to Fallout.
Ok I can't do it, pfffffftt.
Seriously though, excellent stuff.
There is another DICE developed game series that has all your "fucking guns". It's a game where you can run headfirst into danger. Where you have body armor so you can withstand more than one shot.
It's called Battlefield, and Bad Company is pretty good. Go play that.
Mirrors Edge is a brilliant game. It plays, and looks like no game like it. Running away takes a LOT of strategy, and that makes the game lots of fun. The perspective suits the game, and the lack of a HUD really helps you feel connected to the world. The "runners vision" is helpful without being too blunt. It's just a shame that a game like this is lost on those who think a first person view is only for shooters.
Its a Namco done in this same style except it had a bit more martials and no more parkour, the main character moved like a human would, it was a nice change of pace from FPS games that cast you as arm with gun.
I hope this game does well, it looks fantastic.
The concept is cool, and as a third person game I'd be all for it...So sad.