1.3. Props in a player’s hands

A prop held in a player’s hands can be really everything. From food to everyday-use objects, up to rocket launchers. Most often, however, the prop is a gun.

While categorizing props for a FPP view one can certainly use „actual criteria”, such as melee weapons, firearm, bladed weapon, tools and so on. However, from a graphic point of a view it is better to determine whether the model:

  • changes its position in the frame dynamically ‒ usually melee steel or tools. Most often the objects that we can look at carefully from every angle are objects that appear in the cut-scene,
  • is more static – it usually concerns firearm, magic artefacts. They can be animated, however, are usually seen from the first person perspective.

By determining it at the very beginning we know which areas of a given object are of particular importance (clearly seen), and which are not.

Techland. <b>Hellraid</b> [promotional materials]. 2013, <i>source: http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dead-island-dev-s-xbox-one-ps4-pc-co-op-slasher-he/1100-6427508/</i>
An example of a weapon set in the frame dynamically
EA Los Angeles. <b>Medal of Honor: Airborne</b> [PC]. Electronic Arts, 2007, <i>source: http://filmovizia.blogspot.com/2012/06/medal-of-honor-airborne.html</i>
An example of a weapon set in the frame statically.
Concentrating on firearms (although, it can concern other props too) you should take into consideration the fact that there are different weapon classes (for example among firearms we have: pistols, shotguns, sniper rifles and machine guns). Types are groups of weapons with similar features. Their number is restricted only by creators’ imagination. This knowledge will be useful while discussing further stages.