Top Down View: Difference between revisions

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{{trope}}
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Top-down view, also sometimes referred to as bird's-eye view or overhead view, was a common perspective in video games before the advent of 3D, and is still in use in some genres today. Commonly found in [[Real Time Strategy]] games and occasionally in [[Simulation Game|Simulation Games]] that don't use [[Isometric Projection]]. It is also used in some [[Action Game]]s, such as the early ''[[Grand Theft Auto]]'' series.
Top-down view, also sometimes referred to as bird's-eye view or overhead view, was a common perspective in video games before the advent of 3D, and is still in use in some genres today. Commonly found in [[Real Time Strategy]] games and occasionally in [[Simulation Game]]s that don't use [[Isometric Projection]]. It is also used in some [[Action Game]]s, such as the early ''[[Grand Theft Auto]]'' series.


Some of these games, in addition to having the camera angled straight down, also use a perspectiveless top-down projection in which everything on the screen is viewed as if the camera were directly above it.
Some of these games, in addition to having the camera angled straight down, also use a perspectiveless top-down projection in which everything on the screen is viewed as if the camera were directly above it.
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* [[Evolution Worlds]] uses this as one of its two camera angles.
* [[Evolution Worlds]] uses this as one of its two camera angles.


=== Top-down projection ===
== Top-down projection ==
* Practically all [[Vertical Scrolling Shooter]]s (''[[Ikaruga]]'', ''1942'', etc…)
* Practically all [[Vertical Scrolling Shooter]]s (''[[Ikaruga]]'', ''1942'', etc…)
* Most all [[Roguelike|Roguelikes]], to the degree that ASCII art can be said to have perspective.
* Most all [[Roguelike]]s, to the degree that ASCII art can be said to have perspective.
* Many [[2-D Space]] games (''[[Asteroids]]'', ''Star Castle'', etc…)
* Many [[2-D Space]] games (''[[Asteroids]]'', ''Star Castle'', etc…)
* ''The Bilestoad''
* ''The Bilestoad''

Revision as of 17:44, 14 June 2015

Top-down view, also sometimes referred to as bird's-eye view or overhead view, was a common perspective in video games before the advent of 3D, and is still in use in some genres today. Commonly found in Real Time Strategy games and occasionally in Simulation Games that don't use Isometric Projection. It is also used in some Action Games, such as the early Grand Theft Auto series.

Some of these games, in addition to having the camera angled straight down, also use a perspectiveless top-down projection in which everything on the screen is viewed as if the camera were directly above it.

See also Isometric Projection, Side View and Three Quarters View.

Examples of Top Down View include:


  • The early Grand Theft Auto games.
  • The Legend of Zelda… Kind of. Characters and other items are rendered in an inconsistent mix of this and several other perspectives. Many of the games, including the original, have brief side-view sections.
  • The original Sim City, sort of, though there was an inconsistent bottom-left-to-top-right tilt for most of the graphics, see here.
  • Evolution Worlds uses this as one of its two camera angles.

Top-down projection