GameSetWatch: The Quandary Of 2D Vs. 3D

[mouser]

I think this is an important read for anyone doing game programming who has thought about 2d vs. 3d stuff.  I myself find that a simpler 2d/isometric view of 3d models is often more pleasing and playable then a full 3d world with a controllable camera.

[In a fascinating analysis piece, originally printed in Game Developer magazine earlier this year, EA Maxis designer and programmer Soren Johnson (Spore, Civilization IV) talks about a genuine choice game developers have in picking 2D vs. 3D for their games, arguing that 2D games are "an underrated style that is often unfairly ignored as an old technology."]

http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2008/11/analysis_the_quandary_of_2d_vs.php#more

[Gothi[c]]

I agree 100%, I find isometric games to feel and look much nicer than 3d games.

However, when I'm developing a game, I can tell you that it's much easier to find tools and libraries for developing 3d games than it is to find tools for developing isometric games these days.

And that's another thing which may be a determining factor, especially if you're a lone developer pressed on time.

I have yet to find a decent Free isometric or even high-level 2D game SDK for C++, but there's plenty of them for 3D games.

[mouser]

However, when I'm developing a game, I can tell you that it's much easier to find tools and libraries for developing 3d games than it is to find tools for developing isometric games these days.

relevant to that point is that with the power of cpus and 3d modeling tools.. it seems to me that it's become easier to actually use a 3d engine and 3d models, but simply restrict the game to a fixed pseudo 2d / isometric view.

that is, in the old days it was easier to hand draw images for a 2d game.. but it's gotten to the point where it's simply easier to use all 3d models and engine, but simply fix the camera angle to present an isometric or 2d view of the world.

one of the few but serious problems with this approach is the collision detection stuff, which is so clean in 2d but doesnt transfer over to 3d models and 3d engines.

[Crush]

There´s no big difference in collision detection between isometric-3D and real 3D.
I love especially pseudo-3D / isogames - my favourite was Head over Heels  . Oh, here´s another remake.
Personally, I´d say that 2D platforming is different from 3D in steering and feeling. So they cannot be compared directly together. Both have advantages & disadvantages. A lot of features and riddles from the 2D world cannot be transported without lose of fun to 3D and the same happens in the other direction.

[Deozaan]

Nice article. I'm not sure how I didn't see it when it was posted before.

[kyrathaba]

I can tell you that it's much easier to find tools and libraries for developing 3d games than it is to find tools for developing isometric games these days.

And that's another thing which may be a determining factor, especially if you're a lone developer pressed on time.

Which is reason enough for one of DC's expert coders (or a team thereof) to develop a solid 2D/iso engine and/or set of libraries