Quick definition:A genre in which the player sees through the eyes of the character, aiming and firing weapons from a first-person viewpoint, usually in three-dimensional levels.
Meaning
In a first-person shooter, the screen shows the world from the character's own eye level, with a weapon visible at the edge of the view and a crosshair marking where shots will land. The viewpoint creates a strong sense of presence, since the player sees only what the character could see.
The genre covers a wide range. Some games emphasise fast, arcade-style movement and quick reflexes, while others favour slow, tactical play in which careful positioning and teamwork matter more than speed. Campaigns usually follow a story through linked levels, and multiplayer modes pit teams against each other in matches that last a few minutes.
Common features include a choice of weapons, health or armour that can be restored, and maps designed around cover and sight lines. Mouse and keyboard and controllers are both widely used, and both have devoted supporters who debate which allows more accurate aiming.
Origin:The name describes the viewpoint and the activity: the camera shows what the character sees, and the main action is shooting. Games using this view appeared in the early 1990s as computers became able to draw three-dimensional spaces quickly, and the genre grew rapidly through that decade. It is usually shortened to FPS, which should not be confused with frames per second.
Example:Leo enters a dim corridor, rifle raised, with only the crosshair and a small ammunition counter on screen. A door opens ahead, and he fires, backs behind a crate to reload, then peeks out to finish the last opponent. His team wins the round, and he checks the scoreboard to find he has the most eliminations.
Did you know?The abbreviation FPS causes occasional confusion, because it also stands for frames per second. Context usually makes the meaning clear. The genre also gave rise to a term for games with other viewpoints, third-person shooters, where the camera sits behind the character.
