What defines a 2D/3D game?

[Refreshment]

Greetings.

What makes a game 2D or 3D?

To classify a game in that category, what needs to be conssidered? When the hardware tracks the data in x, y, z or the way the game mechanics work.

Some games employ polygons yet play the same way as any 2D games.

Whats the definitive criteria to consider?

Thanks.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

2D uses either 2D sprites, or 2D polygons. 3D uses 3D models with vertices varying in value in the Z direction. When a 2D game played on a plane uses 3D models along with 2D images, that's called 2.5D.

Examples :

Street Fighter on SNES - 2D, made with sprites
Lemmings on PSP - 2.5D, 2D sprites with 3D backgrounds
Mario on DS - 2.5D, 3D models with 2D scenery and sprites
Little Big Planet - 3D, all 3D models

 

[Refreshment]

Thanks for answering.

So if it uses sprites it cant have 3D gameplay?

In what category something like catacumbs, Castle Wolfstein or Mario Kart fall then?

For me it can be a little confusing.

 

[StefanS]

So if it uses sprites it cant have 3D gameplay?

In what category something like catacumbs, Castle Wolfstein or Mario Kart fall then?

For me it can be a little confusing.

Personally I kind of like the terms pseudo-2D and pseudo 3D for 2.5D. New Super Mario Bros is pseudo 2D. Wolfenstein would be pseudo 3D.

 

[Arwin]

And then there are games like Crush and the new Super Paper Mario of course ...

The lines they keep on a-blurring.

I loved Pandemonium, by the way, one of those early 2.5D platformers which really used the camera angles very cleverly. But there were many others who used this idea, among which half of Crash Bandicoot and god knows what else.

 

[StefanS]

I loved Pandemonium, by the way, one of those early 2.5D platformers which really used the camera angles very cleverly. But there were many others who used this idea, among which half of Crash Bandicoot and god knows what else.

I was thinking about Pandemonium when I wrote that. 3D with 3D camera movement except for the fact that the action was limited to a plane.

 

[xatnys]

Hm, how about the latest paper mario?

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Thanks for answering.

So if it uses sprites it cant have 3D gameplay?

Well, that's not a distinction we have to worry about any more. Back then use of 2D bitmaps to represent 3D arenas was a choice to consider. Still, even there the gameplay was on a plane, and only the view simulated depth. Nowadays such titles are created wtih 3D engines using 3D models. That's probably the key consideration - not what's on screen but how the graphics engine works. If it's using 3D model data, it's a 3D engine, even with a flat orthagraphic projection. If everything's sprites, it's 2D, even if the sprites are being rotated and combined to give an impression of a 3D space. I'm thinking the original Stardust here with its asteroid blasting tunnels. You flew into the screen, but it was a 2D engine. I guess it depends what exactly your wanting the info for. The definition of a 2D game for sales or reviews is probably different to an engine. from that POV I guess it comes down entirely to camera. If the camera has perspective, it's 3D. If not, if everything's 'flat', it's 2D. Games like Paper Mario and Crush switch from 2D to 3D in this case. The engine for crush is 3D though. Pandemonium was very cool - 3D engine with 3D graphics but 2D gameplay.

 

[Refreshment]

Nowadays such titles are created wtih 3D engines using 3D models. That's probably the key consideration - not what's on screen but how the graphics engine works. If it's using 3D model data, it's a 3D engine, even with a flat orthagraphic projection. If everything's sprites, it's 2D, even if the sprites are being rotated and combined to give an impression of a 3D space

That was the distinction i was trying to make.

So there are 2 points of view? To make a concrete example, in the case of Castle Wolfstein, the game is 2D taking in consideration the engine and 3D if we take into consideration the game mechanics.

So you can have 3D games with sprites graphics? Say Mario Kart.

Remember NES Double Dragon, Is that 3D from a game mechanics point of view?

 

[fearsomepirate]

You can have 3D gameplay without employing polygons and 3D data types. The Doom and Build engines are essentially very clever ways of taking 2D data and making it look 3D. Duken Nukem 3D's gameplay in particular isn't really any less 3D than any modern first-person shooter.

 

[sunscar]

I think it's fairly simple what defines a "game" as either 2D or 3D - If the environment can be traversed in three dimensions, (Left, right, up, down, toward camera and away) it's 3D, if it can only be traversed in 2D (Left, right, up, down and their respective diagonals) then it's 2D.

Wether it's composed of sprites, or polys is irrelevant. You can have 3D games composed of plaquards of flat animated sprites (usually poly based), traversable in spherical direction, or 2D games composed entirely of fully 3D models, pasted to the side of worlds made of fully 3D models, that just don't move in any direction other than left, right, up, down and their diagonals.