Ok, I know this is a dead thread, my apologies. I just came across it and even went so far as to sign up just to reply to this.
The OP is right.
The problem is that people do not seemingly understand the english language.
Immersion = to plunge into or sink. to embed; bury.
Engross = to occupy completely, as the mind or attention
3rd person perspective games are counter immersive. you do not feel like you are IN the world, you feel like your controlling someone in the world. You may be captivated by the story line, but your simply controlling a character.
First person is the only way to achieve immersion. Immersion in a game world is to feel like you are a part of that world, experiencing the same limitations in that world as you would in the real. You cant see your back without the aid of a mirror before you leave the house for the morning, You cant see the top of your head and the back of your feet at the same time.
Dont get me wrong, I dont discount anyone for their opinion on any of the games listed saying they find it to be a better game for this that and the other and its a 3rd pov. But again, that is reflected by being engrossed by it, not immersed in it
I do also respect what was said, that being in 1st pov seems more like being on a fixed camera. and how real sight is different. This is true, but it is not the fault of the perspective, its the limitations of the technology as 3d tech in games is not yet viable, and outside of flight simulator there is not alot of call yet for peripheral vision.
Thats why i think game devs really need to stop with all this 3rd person nonsense. Here and there is understandable, but it seems like most games are moving to 3rd person perspective, and that presents a problem. Instead of fixing the "fixed camera" problem, it will hinder advancements in developing a peripheral field of view in games, that could be utilizable by 3d monitor glasses sets, to make it more immersive, Or multi monitor configurations. (ideally 3 in wrap around config.)
As was said before... the problem really isnt first person or third person perspective, the real problem now is that over the course of the last decade, games have slowly moved away from first person to third in steps. First it was adding in multiple camera angles, then it was a choice of first and third, but now its getting so that games dont give you the choice. If you like being in third person, more power to you, but if you do, dont you find it a little annoying to be forced into 1st person? the same is true of the opposite. And given that we have seen that it is not hard from a coding standpoint to achieve such a choice, why are games increasingly FORCING 3rd person on us in games that should definitely have the choice between the two, such as fable 2, dragon age, resident evil, dead space, most shooters, and western style RPGs.
Ok thank you for letting me vent, and you may return this thread to its previously abandoned status
