Would it be hard to make it so that you can change the direction the camera is shooting from? Also how bad does the game look in classical 3rd person view, as in behind the player? Cant be much worse than Ace of Spades for example.

Yes, change of camera direction is kind of a problem. Rotation would be ok still given the distant camera, but getting any closer to soldiers wouldn't be. As illustrated here http://www.modulaatio.com/runningwithrifles/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=114 (look beyond the incorrect colors), the soldier is basically made of 3d points and the appearance isn't overly detailed. The distant camera view also allows simplifying some other things, stuff that otherwise might become a burden.

Taking the camera closer would mean either to a) change to normal 3d models, find someone to make good enough models, deal with all the skinning and bone bend problems, or b) come up with a system that allows more accurate 3d-point-models, optimize the rendering, spend some time to create those better models. Both of the solutions would take a lot of time out of getting new features in the game.

Hmm, I see. I dont think its worth the trouble, then. Not atleast at this point of development.

I do a bit of 3D modeling from time to time.

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Oasis. Less Running, more rifle.

If this thing ever catches on, I wouldn't find it absolutely impossible to reconsider the way the models are in the game ultimately. I'd give it at least a year though. Though if it will catch on, it manages to do that with the top-down view and the current 3d-point models, so changing such fundamental things at that point might not be even wise anymore.

1st/3rd person view creates a huge demand on the visuals to be considered acceptable even, I can think of only a few modern 1st/3rd person view games that can get away with something less. I'd think the project would also require funding at that point so that it wouldn't take years to get the stuff done.

That said, I'm also afraid making the game in 1st/3rd person view makes the game just a poor man's Battlefield (Heroes) with bots and bases.