The first or second POV fits my preferences equally and works very smoothly. Though, I haven’t encountered a text-based interactive fiction game that uses the third person. However, I’m sure there are some amazing ones out there. It would be interesting to hear others’ responses to this subject.
I like using second person for the bulk of writing and using first person for choices themselves. I don’t know how popular that is but it feels fitting. I am put off by most stories where a first person perspective is used only, I have a strong preference for second person in Interactive Fiction. I am willing to entertain a First Person story but usually it’s a lot more draining for me to read personally. [I can never get used to it because it feels like *I* am meant to be the character rather than them being their own person.]
Third person is for out of perspective scenes [For example, seeing from an RO’s perspective, or observing scenes in an indirect manner] to me.
4 Likes
For some reason 2nd person is more popular in IF, and it’s rare to see anything in first (and I’ve never seen 3rd) in CSGs. I feel like they both have a place (I have written games in both styles), it depends on the type of story. 2nd person is used almost exclusively in IF. It is rare in other literature probably because in other literature you’re either following the adventures of a character that is not your own (3rd), or being asked to see everything directly through that character’s eyes (1st).
My opinion that when used in IF, first person is closer. It asks the reader to put themselves more directly into the character’s shoes and see through their eyes. (ie “I did this and it make me feel like that.”) It also tends to limit the reader’s ability to see beyond what that particular character is seeing because the game is focused on that character and all your knowledge is limited to what they could be aware of. (Generally no omnicient world views, no skipping to follow other characters etc.) It probably works better where the character you’re playing has some degree of “voice” (some degree of preset), but I have seen it used where the game is kind of asking you to play as yourself as well on occasion.
For example I chose to write the enchanter path of Raishall in first person. My reasoning was I wanted to jump into the storyline quickly to increase a sense of urgency and hopefully have the reader think how they might react if they were this character put in this position. I could have written it in second as well, but to me 1st felt more appropriate.
Another example is 16 ways to kill a vampire (twine). This one does have some presets as well, and also it kind of launches into the game quite quickly where it has you seeing through the eyes of an every day vampire hunter who is supposed to be on their day off.
Life of a Wizard is a HG I can think of that has a first person narrative. It probably works so well as it gets you to follow through a life span.
Second person is a step removed in that the story is speaking to the player. It says “you did this, then you felt that way.” It’s still personal, but without asking the reader to necessarily see the world directly from the character’s POV. If you are dealing with a blank slate character without a tone of voice, 2nd IMO is probably going to work better than first due to that step of detachment that can allows more leeway. If you want to remove the player a step away from the game to make it clear they’re playing as a character rather than exactly as themselves, I’d also go second. I have heard some people saying second feels more immersive and immediate (something I would have thought would be hallmark of first) but I’m guessing that extra step of removal might make it easier in some games to make the immersion jump to think “well I would never do something like this, but my character might”, and therefore become more immersive. (I’m theorizing though, don’t take my word on that 
)
3rd person games are really rare, probably because you are looking on and guiding the character or circumstances they are being exposed to rather than “being” the character directly like the first two, but can be very effective under the right circumstances.
Examples: Seedship, Queen’s Menagerie.
I guess there’s a kind of semi extra category where the main story is in 2nd, but the choices tend to be in first (like choice of the starship captain). Maybe to give more immediacy to the choices being made I guess.
Edit: Huh, Aegis saga uses 3rd. There you go there is a published CSG using it.
Personally, I prefer first person. I RP when I play these games, and it makes it easier to immerse myself into the character when first person is used, especially if the player has greater control over the MCs emotions, actions, and behavior.
Second person is far less enjoyable to me. It’s not very immersive and ends up jerking me in and out of the story with all the “you blah blah blah” text followed by “I blah blah blah” in the choices. Most IF, however, is written in second person, so I just kind of rewrite it in my mind or pretend I’m playing a D&D game with the author serving as a less-involved DM (since choices are so limited, they aren’t really a DM because there is no room for the player to do something unexpected, causing the DM to do more work).
Honestly, between second and third person, I’d take third person. At least then it reads like a book. Second person just feels weird.
I’m also wondering if how many books you devoured growing up influences your perspective on this as well? Sometimes second person feels a bit weird to me too and often less immersive than first. (I’ve kind of gotten a lot more used to it over the years since getting more into IF). I’ve put it partly down to being used to visualise and become immersed in stories through 1st or 3rd person via books for so long.
I’m also wondering how much the reader’s first language affects that, since I find myself more distanced from first person than second (first feels like listening someone you don’t even know rambling about their day. Or reading someone else’s diary. Second person has more of a roleplaying feel).
I think third person is a good choice if you want the player to not self-insert.
7 Likes
It’s possible. I read a lot, once I found stories and genres I like (first book I read that I actually liked was a Heinlein novel, and then I went nuts over anything fantasy and sci-fi), so third person is the way to go for me. I’ve read novels that were first person and, if done right, I really loved them (I love the back and forth between first and third person in The Name of the Wind–I think that was the one… been a while since I read it).
I think it’s partly that 1st or 3rd person is what I’m used to, and partly how I play these games. I don’t self-insert and only RP, and to get into the character well (and to get to know them), I need the 1st person or 3rd person writing to do it. Second person just doesn’t allow me to get as absorbed into the story and character.
1 Like
Yep, it does create more of a “your presence guiding” rather than a “you are this character” feeling generally. Can also be done using pre-estabilished characters in second person (although to a lesser degree than 3rd person.) There were multiple reason why I wasn’t keen on making the MC in Oedipus highly customisable self insert, and was hoping players would take their version of Oedipus through the story. I think you tend to get more direct emotional impact and personal involvement with a pre-established 2nd person character, than a 3rd person one via IF. But it does very much depend on the story as some definitely work better one way or another depending on the way you hope the reader will want to get involved.
I was talking to my husband about this and he kept asking questions until I hit on my real issue with second person, and why I find it so unimmersive.
It’s all about narration. With first person, you are forced into character’s POV, which works for me, even when playing a more set character (as long as I can still have some semblance of control over what they choose and how they feel about what is happening around them–then I can actually build a character).
With third person–as long as it isn’t written from an omniscient POV (which I hate, by the way), you are, again, forced into the “speaking” character’s POV. So the narration is by the speaking character. Any text is based on their thoughts, feelings, and interpretations of events around them. That is immersive to me, and it’s also how I write and roleplay.
With second person, you almost always have a know-it-all narrator injecting themselves into the scene (telling the reader what the MC is thinking and how they perceive events–thereby taking more of the roleplaying onto themselves and removing it from the player).
I’ve seen a couple of IFs who write second person in the same manner one would write first or third person, keeping the character-limited POV and leaving the “feelings” and responses to the MC. But that seems to be few and far between. Most times, the author is forcing the MC to feel a certain way and the only thing the MC is there for is to decide what skill to use and build up. Even character interactions feel less immersive for me, because of the tone set by second person.
Response to @EvilChani :
With second person, you almost always have a know-it-all narrator injecting themselves into the scene (telling the reader what the MC is thinking and how they perceive events–thereby taking more of the roleplaying onto themselves and removing it from the player).
Having a ‘narrator’ is a huge turn off for me personally [unless it is fitting for the story, ig, but even then I don’t think I would be happy about it, I would probably just tolerate it in a story that is good enough.]
I’ve seen a couple of IFs who write second person in the same manner one would write first or third person, keeping the character-limited POV and leaving the “feelings” and responses to the MC. But that seems to be few and far between. Most times, the author is forcing the MC to feel a certain way and the only thing the MC is there for is to decide what skill to use and build up. Even character interactions feel less immersive for me, because of the tone set by second person.
This is the exceptionally difficult thing for me and I agree it’s a primary issue with writing Second-Person. Ideally, you never want to make a reader feel they are forced in how their MC reacts to a certain situation [especially if it contradicts any prior choices that the player has made]. Saying “You feel” feels demanding, it’s why I prefer describing reactions or feelings in a less direct sense.
1 Like
Personally, I’m a second person gal. I write my games in second person and I prefer to read games written in second person (I tend to feel less ownership of a character written in first or third person). That said, this is up to the writer, and there are amazing games written in first, second, and third person. There is no right or wrong here, imo.
2 Likes
I don’t care which when I read, but I discovered it is a lot easier to get people to feel things in second person. They listen to me more.
5 Likes
I like second person for playing and writing - it’s a staple I’m more accustomed to. Happy with playing first person too. The player being told how to feel can be avoided with presenting the PC with an evocatively described situation and leaving the feelings up to the player to imagine, or allowing players to express their character feels ingame. For me reading a bald “I feel X” throws me out of the story as much as “you feel X”. Though maybe railroading can be forgiven more in the first person.
1 Like
In my game, where there’s choices and consequences, I decided to go second person for immersive reasons.
Imagine the player character is doing something and fails because of low skill:
“I failed”
First person opens up to blaming the player character as in “Damn, you failed again!” thus creating a separation between the player and the character.
“You failed” sort of directs the blame on me, the player, and my actions and choices thus creates less of a division.
(And of course avoid giving the “narrator” a personality by emotions as in “You failed lol!” haha)
1 Like
As a writer, I went for second person because it’s more popular. And when something is popular, there’s probably a good reason why.
You can always stray from the pack and choose to do first person if that’s something you feel works better with your game. There’s some great first person IFs that I didn’t even really realize were first person like Barbarian: Defiled Hearts.
You can also write a short draft in both first person and second person to see which one works better.
That’s just some of my thoughts, hope your writing goes well, xoxo!