Front View or Side View?

[Yethwhinger]

My two favorite games are Lunar: The Silver Star, which uses the side view, and Phantasy Star IV, which uses the front (and back) view. So, the combat can be engaging with either view. In both of these games, you can see the party's battlers, which is my preference. I generally do not like feeling as though I am the character (which is why I am not eager to play a VR RPG). I like feeling as though I am controlling the characters. I do have a slight preference for front view, though, because of the sense of depth that it can give to the combat.

 

[ryuugonana]

I think it depends on the style of the game personally and what the developer's intentions are. I feel Front View is really classic if you want that old-school feel. It could also make the player feel more immersed as if they themselves are the ones in battle vs seeing side-view of the characters they're playing. Side-view is aesthetically appealing and you can do a bit more in regards to plug-ins, like fancy animations etc.

I think they're both valid forms of making a game and most people should choose one that suits their preference and vision.

 

[Soeufans]

Hello!

My own game has a CBS in front view, the reason? well, i dont like to do a super epic battle system that tooks time to end one normal battle, i like fast an minimalist systems and enough to make some fast battlas with normal enemies. and also, les work on doing extre sprites

 

[daheji]

I voted front-view.

My main reason is that front-view battles usually require a lot less resources than side-view battle. As a hobbyist game maker, this is very important because I don't have all the time I want to make games.

And I have always been a fan of the battle system from the Pokemon Games of the NDS and GB/GBA with a rear view of your pokemon on the bottom left side and the enemy pokemon on the top right with good looking sprites. My future projects will try to replicate that!

 

[Kyuukon]

Frontview. I find it more immersive idk.

 

[RomVHS]

I chose front view! Although I think side view is pretty neat, it feels more like you're an onlooker in someone else's story (which is usually the case anyway!) With front view, I feel more immersed and focused.

Like with Pokemon battles for example. (LeafGreen, Sapphire, Heartgold- I don't know if they've changed it up in recent games.) Being behind my Pokemon gives me a good sense of control, it's up to me and my decisions to win this battle rather than being a complete omniscient being.

One of my favorite side view examples is what Space Funeral does, because the game is also equipped with a Mystery attack that does random things (like sob or sing Hey Ya- LOL) and that case in particular just brings me in!

 

[zelanius]

Personally, I lean slightly more towards SV, cos there are lots of plugins that can add a bit more strategic elements to SV more easier (like YEP's Area of Effect combine with Row Formation). However, I must also say that FV has it's merits, as it gives a bit more immersive feel and battles go quickly, and in a more straightforward game, you might want to use this, especially if you can do it like Phantasy Star II and IV. I voted SV, but I am maybe 55% SV, 45% FV.

 

[FleshToDust]

Pokemon View.

 

[Tamina]

Side view, absolutely no contest. Front view feels disconnected from the player characters and is generally less exciting. Enter commands, watch flashes appear on enemies or screen shakes when they attack you. Mash button get battle over with quickly, etc.

With side view, you can animate the battlers nicely and show them doing stuff like casting spells, leaping at foes, slashing multiple times, etc. Much more satisfying.

That's how I feel about playing commercial JRPG. But in RM side view is incredible tough to do well due to battle engine limitation. Yanfly Action sequence only drags/mirrors/rotates a character and plays an animation on top of the character. it isn't nearly enough to create quality 2D battle presentation like PS1 classics such as valkyrie profile.

Personally, whenever I see RM side view battle animations, it breaks immersion for me, because it's not good enough comparing with other commercial games.

On the other hand, modern front view commercial JRPG like labyrinth of refrain doesn't need to do that much character animation asides from enemy breathing and special attack animation, and it still looks incredibly good. So a front view battle RM game is more okay because front view battle has lower animation requirements.

I'd prefer seeing no character animation at all than waste a few seconds each turn seeing subpar ones, personally.

 

[Thefirelion]

In my current project I am using a script (Yanfly visual battlers) that with a callout I can change battle perspective with this I do not have to worry about the style of view, but in general I prefer sideview.