General Discussion

On the X360 page I was reading an article called Cover Me! Basically it's about how using cover became a big introduction to how it's used to day in many games. Sad thing is I don't think people do their research when it comes to things like this. As I read this entire article I've seen nothing about Winback (N64 and PS2) which was pretty much one of the group of first to to have cover as a necessary in order to play/beat the game. I'm sure there might have been a PC game in there too, so I wonder if some of these articles use RESEARCH or is it just made by fanboys. I'm not sure.

one of my favorite games is Thief from 1998. The point of the game was about cover. line of sight blockouts, lighting and sound.

from Wiki

The main tactic of Thief is to avoid fights and instead sneak around the enemies. Thief is sometimes described as either a "first-person sneaker", "sneak-em-up" or a "first-person looter" to emphasize this difference. Classification of the game has been slow coming, as three-dimensional stealth games, such as Splinter Cell (released in 2002) for example, only became more common years after the first Thief.

Another innovation introduced by Thief is the careful use of sound effects as an integral part of gameplay. Sound cues not only tell the player of other characters in the vicinity, but also indicate how much noise Garrett makes when moving about an area. Too much noise can alert nearby guards, who will grow suspicious and come looking for intruders. There are a variety of tactics to avoid being heard, however, such as walking gently, steering clear of noisy pavement, or using moss arrows to create a carpet that muffles the sound of footsteps.

In a similar vein, lighting became one of the most important strategies. A gauge at the bottom of the screen (called the 'Light Gem') indicates how visible the protagonist is. Entering deeper shadows or ducking makes the character less likely to be noticed. Walking about increases the risk of being spotted, and having a sword or bow drawn makes him very conspicuous in the game. The astute player is constantly keeping an eye on areas of light or shadow in case a hiding place is needed in a hurry, guard patrol routes, and the type of terrain they're walking on. A light source, such as a torch or a gas lamp, can be doused with a Water Arrow, creating an area of darkness in which the player may hide in. Electrically powered lights, as introduced in Thief II: The Metal Age, may simply be shut off by using a nearby switch or button; however, if no light switch is available, the electrical light will not turn off by simply shooting a Water Arrow at it. In Thief: Deadly Shadows, the player can simply 'pinch out' a lit candle by pressing the use button on it. A guard or any civilian may notice if a light source has been put out, likewise if something valuable has been stolen.

Thief I and II are two of my all-time favorite games. They're simply outstanding, and even today have many innovations, as the article indicated, that just aren't seen in today's games.

However, by "cover" I think the OP was referring to use of cover to prevent being shot at, rather than cover as a way to avoid being detected by enemy AIs.

good grief, wouldn't the slide left and right keys in doom when at a corner be and early example of that then?

Yes, but I think they're talking about the cover system used in Gears of War. In that game, you explicitly enter and exit cover. Gameplay changes a bit when you are in "cover" and you can do things like blind fire around corners and over low-lying structures.

I agree, though. I think the praise for the mechanic is overblown. It's fairly nifty, and it has a place, I think, but it's not the most wonderful thing in the world. It's not some huge revolution in FPS games or anything.

bah, it's all just finding a way for console gamers to be able to do what PC players have taken for granted all this time.

Yeha...PC gamers have been enjoying the benefits of "cover" for about 14 years now. But we have quite an advanced degree of control over our avatars when compared to a console gamer with their clunky controller.

Add in the fact that due to imprecise aiming controls, most console titles use some form of auto-targeting / locking on, which further complicates the "cover" issue.

I have to laugh when I think of all the complex mechanics that have been put into place over the years by console titles simply because they don't have the simple perfection of a mouse and keyboard.