Would you play a game that used the front-view battle system, even when side-view is an option?

[the___blade]

Exactly what it says on the tin. I'm thinking of going front-view for mine, but wanted some feedback.

 

[Zeireth]

My game is front view. I like old school RPGs like Phantasy Star. Honestly do whatever you want. It is your game. Haters are going to hate.

 

[PoptartPresident]

I actually prefer front view. Seeing the enemy "in my way", blocking my path behind them. It's nice.

Side-view is kind of meh

 

[Archeia]

After a while, I developed a preference towards front view

 

[zXManyRegretsXz]

Yeah, while I prefer side-view, it's mainly because of the neat animation stuff you can do with it. Front-view is perfectly respectable in its own right, I don't mind playing them.

 

[Kenen]

It's so strange to me that this question is not only asked so often, but asked in such a polarizing way like "Is front-view acceptable?"

Games like Earthbound, Wizardry, Dragon Quest, and Etrian Odyssey—to name a few—are all genre-defining games that use some form of a front-view battle system.

 

[Cymaiden]

I prefer side-view, but front-view is by no means a deal breaker for me.

 

[coyotecraft]

It's so strange to me that this question is not only asked so often, but asked in such a polarizing way like "Is front-view acceptable?"

Games like Earthbound, Wizardry, Dragon Quest, and Etrian Odyssey—to name a few—are all genre-defining games that use some form of a front-view battle system.

This. In context to RPG Maker, asking if Side-View is acceptable would be understandable at least. Since everything about it looks like the developers stopped at making SV an option, but not practical.
MV's Effekseer system at least has dynamic inputs so it's possible to move animations from caster to target. But wouldn't you know it? That's obscured too. Besides the fact that Effekseer has problems of it's own.

 

[Andar]

I also prefer front view, but that is mostly for two reasons:

1) the sideview used by 99% of the RPG-Makers has a scaling problem with micro-heroes against oversized enemies.

2) the sideview animations prolong the combat - it takes time to watch them, and with repeated combats that fakes/uses up playing time that has absolutely no content.
frontview animations are usually much faster.

 

[Beewo]

I like both front and sideview so I wouldn't mind it at all.

 

[Willibab]

In most cases side view only. Not because of ''hate'' or anything

It's just that I never played any growing up, I have no nostalgia for it and thus not as interested in it. I also don't play many games in general so can be very picky when I do

You should make your game in whichever style you want ofc, I'm clearly in the minority on this

 

[Heretic86]

My game is front view. I like old school RPGs like Phantasy Star. Honestly do whatever you want. It is your game. Haters are going to hate.

Phantasy Star was the very first thing to come to mind for me as well, and in its day it was an amazing game!

 

[BenSD]

Personally, I like side-view battles more, but I'm also a big fan of games like Phantasy Star and Earthbound that use front-view. If we're being real, though, this is the absolute last thing I'm going to judge the quality of the game by; I barely care about the difference at all.

To spice things up a little, let me also say I like the isometric pseudo-side-view perspective of combat in Breath of Fire and the on-map combat of Chrono Trigger better than I like either of these options...those are a couple examples, but I generally like more unique mechanics.

 

[ShadowDragon]

Sideviews and front views have their pro's and con's.

SideView
cons
- time is longer till you can get your turn
- battles are longer (harder to skip)

pro's
- when good, special effect and attack can be nice
- enemies is visible for their attack
- more possibilities and tons of enemies to be found

Frontview
cons
- no player in view (possibilities are there though)
- can be extremely boring

pro's
- when nicely done, effects are nice to watch
- battles are 2x faster and faster to your adventure
- low battle attacks, but also nice ways to make it unique


Well there is a nice front view battle system, which gives a bit more living,
I dont mind if it's sideview or front view, some people uses both in their game.

however you approach it, is up to you, as I go for frontview as backup
if ABS fail compleetly

 

[EVXA]

I think it boils down to whether or not you think the static nature of battlers is a draw back. however there are creative ways to make them more lively such as how I managed to setup my game's battle system in "Gears of Phantasm". You can find it on steam the 1st video is a great example of animating a front facing battler.

I do wish there were more tools for frame controlled battlers with real time animations & attacks even if the battles aren't real time.

 

[Weremole]

Doesn't matter as long as the result is appealing and fun to play.

It's worth studying different sources I think. Like Etrian Oddysei is foremost a dungeon crawler and its battle gameplay comes from how you build your party. The Artepiazza Dragon Quest remakes on 3DS have fully animated enemies and backgrounds. The SNES Dragon Quest 6 and DQ3 Remake uses enemies that only animate attacks. There's even unique critical attack animations. A lot of the Shin Megami Tensei series are difficult dungeon crawlers where enemy sprites uses limited animation. Both Tengai Makyou and Daikakaiju Monogatari uses front-facing whiews where you see the back of your characters facing the enemy.

 

[Maliki79]

Prefer side view. I just like seeing what my characters are doing in battle. Front view is far from a deal breaker. But if I could toggle a switch in a game, I'd pick side view.

 

[Kokoro Hane]

I actually quite like front-view battle system, I don't mind it at all. However, I do prefer if you can at least see your party members' picture on the battle menu (I believe there are scripts for that). If you're using MZ, I believe you can automatically set it to do that (from what I recall in the trial), but other makers it's possible with plugins/scripts. But even if it lacked that, if your game is fun I'd play it regardless! Front view is also easier on lower end machines anyway ~