The Degredation of the FPS Acronym

[Modeps]

When the acronym was first introduced, FPS defined a very specific type of game: a game where you saw through the eyes of the main protagonist and typically shot stuff. Doom, Duke3d, Quake, the classic FPS titles.

Now however it seems as though the mainstream game press, some of whom I believe have not been into games all that long, refer to just about every game where you hold a gun and shoot things as a First Person Shooter. Just a couple examples, I've heard Gears of War and Mass Effect referred to as FPS titles.

When you break down the actual meaning of First Person in the English language, sure... you can make a case for this and its use is fairly correct. Of course if you do that, then you can basically place any game at all where you play a character who shoots things as an FPS. Do you consider games like X-COM a First Person Shooter? You play a character who shoots things after all.

Maybe I'm being a bit petty, but I'd like to call for a return to original form in this acronym! WHOS WITH ME!?

 

[hdeck]

fps = see through their eyes. gears of war and mass effect != fps games.

 

[jjones]

frames per second

 

[rivan]

Nevermind - I misread.

 

[BassBomb]

Originally posted by: hdeck
fps = see through their eyes. gears of war and mass effect != fps games.

THIS!

But then I don't know what to call third person hang behind games like Splinter Cell.

I consider if you aren't shooting its not a FPS either.

 

[narreth]

third person shooter?

 

[CP5670]

Calling them simply "shooters" might be more appropriate. There is very little difference in the gameplay mechanics of typical first person and third person games.

But then I don't know what to call third person hang behind games like Splinter Cell.

These games are a little different since the focus isn't really on combat. The Thief games used to be called first person sneakers, so something like that would be more appropriate.

 

[Bateluer]

Whether I see through the eyes of a single character, or through a camera mounted over the shoulders of one or more characters, if the game play is centered around holding a weapon and shooting anything that moves, the game can accurately be called a shooter. Some times are straight shooters where the only purpose is to kill anything that moves, such as Quake, Halo, and Gears of War, and others take more time to implement a story, dialogue, characters, plot, and atmosphere, such as Mass Effect, System Shock 2, and Bloodlines.

 

[Dumac]

Hence the term third person, or 'over the shoulder', shooter...

 

[Sentrosi2121]

TPS = Third Person Shooter
FPS = First Person Shooter

That being said, didn't you get the memo about the TPS reports?

 

[Wreckem]

Originally posted by: BassBomb

Originally posted by: hdeck
fps = see through their eyes. gears of war and mass effect != fps games.

THIS!

But then I don't know what to call third person hang behind games like Splinter Cell.

I consider if you aren't shooting its not a FPS either.

Theres a broad genre called action adventure. In that is a subset called stealt action games.

Most 3rd person games are action-adventure, and have more depth than FPS games.

 

[slugg]

Originally posted by: Sentrosi2121
TPS = Third Person Shooter
FPS = First Person Shooter

That being said, didn't you get the memo about the TPS reports?

How do you expect me to turn in the reports without my stapler?

 

[bullbert]

The "Degredation of the FPS Acronym" has been MUCH less than the degredation of the RPG acronym. You'll just have to live with it, like the RPG players have learned to do over the last 15 years. But not to worry (sarcasm), Publishers will further degrade and blur game labels as long as they can push more unit sales the first week of issue.

Oh, I have a Strength and Accuracy ATTRIBTUE that I can increase over the course of the game, and at one point I can CHOOSE to fight enemyB before fighting enemyA as opposed to choosing to fight enemyA before fighting enemyB, therefore it must be a RPG. BAH!

 

[Fenixgoon]

Originally posted by: bullbert
The "Degredation of the FPS Acronym" has been MUCH less than the degredation of the RPG acronym. You'll just have to live with it, like the RPG players have learned to do over the last 15 years. But not to worry (sarcasm), Publishers will further degrade and blur game labels as long as they can push more unit sales the first week of issue.

Oh, I have a Strength and Accuracy ATTRIBTUE that I can increase over the course of the game, and at one point I can CHOOSE to fight enemyB before fighting enemyA as opposed to choosing to fight enemyA before fighting enemyB, therefore it must be a RPG. BAH!

so i guess you don't like diablo and other "action rpg's" much?

 

[Piuc2020]

A shooter is a shooter, people referring to games like Gears of War as FPS are just idiots and deserve to be shot if they work in the "industry".

RPG games are a tricky beast though, you play a role in every game. An RPG, to me, is defined by the depth and involvement of the player in it's story this is why I believe MMORPGs should not be called RPGs simply because there is no story and there is little involvement when most players in the game are retarded geeks with an IQ under 50.

Stats, equipment, character leveling, etc, no matter how developed they are do not define the RPG genre if they are not accompanied by a well developed, immersive and more importantly involving story. This is why games like Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy are good RPGs, because of their story.

Diablo is a great RPG because you are very involved in the story. I don't think a game has to be turn-based or have incredibly deep statistics development or even a lot of choices in game, if a game offers a decent story (preferably leaning on awesome) and offers some way of character growth and puts you inside that story then it can be called an RPG. At least that way it makes more sense with it's literal meaning.

 

[Thraxen]

The difference between 3rd and 1st person is obvious (of course, some games, like MGS4 offer both 3rd and 1st person), but I think trying to fit games into nice neat genres is an exercise in futility. So many games blend genres these days. So arguing over it just stupid.

 

[Borealis7]

its simple really:

FPS - First Person Shooter
TPS - Third Person Shooter
RTS - Real Time Strategy
TBS - Turn Based Strategy
RPG - Role Playing Game

MMO - Have No Life.

 

[Northern Lawn]

I thought World of Warcraft was a FPS... First Person Stabber

 

[TridenT]

Alright, first-off... Anytime a "friend" (I have none) of mine says that they played Gears of war, and people ask, "What game is that?" They say, "It's an FPS" and I go, "LIES, DECEPTION!!! SINCE WHEN IS OVER THE SHOULDER FIRST PERSON? HMMMM!?!!?!?!?" I don't know, don't you just do the same?

 

[Piuc2020]

Actually, I've only ever seen people refer to Gears of War (and similar games) as a shooter which is completely correct

In my opinion this problem all originates from the fact that (ALL) people use acronyms way too much to the point of them actually becoming words, some people even use them in real life (as if speaking the actual name is too hard or long) so it's understandable why people that are not familiar with the subject might not even know what FPS stands for.

The solution? Start spelling and speaking words completely instead of reducing them to a letter in an acronym except in cases where it's actually a useful thing (like when everyone knows what you are talking about).

 

[ja1484]

Buncha whiny maggots, the lot of you. If it's good, shut up and play it! If it's not, shut up and don't play it! Either way, quit yer yappin!