I mean this has really been the most common question I’ve asked myself during the initial design process because I’m so torn between which one will create the experience I want.
Yes, the ‘fishing’ experience has been shown in both 2D and 3D before, and both give me that sense of achievement that I have caught something amazing and wonderous. However with the added mechanics and the idea of creating a world with a sense of wonder, I dabble in the idea of creating a 3D game.
I know that a 2D sidescroller would not work in this scenario because the game does not lend itself well to small or restricted worlds; I would be limited to a linear space.
However a top-down 2D game would work for this particular experience as players would still be able to explore and find new areas; keeping that sense of wonder throughout the game. However top-down 2D does limit what the player can experience with the mechanics of the game.
With a 3D game the player would be able to experience fishing in a more dynamic world and embrace the adventure of going underwater.
The ideas I’ve had for mechanics lend themselves well to 3D perspectives such as third or first person. Third person perspective will allow the player to have a better connection to the character, but maybe switching to first person in more specific areas might create a better gameplay experience for the player; I want them to SEE the fish and feel like they are in the moment.
Below is an example of how Zelda: Twilight princess changes the player’s perspective when they enter fishing mode, allowing the player to see more of the water and letting the fishing rod become the center of attention.
In order to progress from these thoughts the next stage would be to create a first and third person prototype and experiment with potentially switching between the two. This will come in another blog soon!
RPG Fishing Game 