150 pts. for Reading This

[ultisurferbum]

I can't help but notice that everything nowadays has some sort of achievement system. Even the Escapist gives badges for doing, well just about anything. More specifically though I find it somewhat superfluous in games driven by story. Nothing breaks the mood like having an achievement pop up when in the middle of Condemned. They were better when they are part of gameplay as in Ratchet and Clank or with an arcade style game like Left 4 Dead 2. Do you really feel like all games are better with achievements?

 

[Ciarang]

Yes, yes I do.

It gives you much more motivation to play more parts of the game, complete it on a harder difficulty, ect.

 

[Sassafrass]

Yes I do.
They give me something to do when I get bored or finish the game.

 

[VicunaBlue]

There have been a LOT of threads about this mate. Prepare for the threadlock hammer.

Also I agree, they seem rather annoying.

 

[Neonbob]

I actually enjoy them.
Yes, it's very stupid, but it makes me feel like I'm actually doing something.
Plus, some of them are creative enough to make me go through again.
...still haven't gotten the rocketman achievement in the Orange Box, though...

And welcome to the escapist.
Leave part of your soul at the door.

 

[Internet Kraken]

Achievements are completely harmless and in no way prevent you from enjoying the game. There is an option to disable achievement pop ups, so they don't break immersion.

And I do like it when games have Achievements. There fun little goals to work towards, plus they can get you to try things you normally wouldn't do.

 

[Numb1lp]

It really does make you want to play the game more, just to get to that next achievment.

 

[dududf]

Why else would I lug a little guarding gnome in HL2 Ep 2 on Hard?

Achievement Babeh! =]

 

[FalloutJack]

Okay, so...I read the thread. How're you gonna pay me them points?

 

[similar.squirrel]

This made me lose The Game.

Anyway. I don't think achievements fit into RPGs at all. All they do is reward story-progression, which the game would do in any case.

Just a way of squeezing more 'value' from your game.

 

[geldonyetich]

Just give me my 150 points.

Personally, I don't mind a few goals in the game, even if they are sort of arbitrary. Gives me bragging rights for doing some obscure thing or another, and often pulls a bit more enjoyment out of the game than I would have got otherwise.

That said, this thread isn't much of an achievement. By the lack of authority vested in me, I'd like to you welcome to the Escapist. Please: a) Post threads in appropriate forums (this is a gaming topic) and b) check to see if the thread has been done recently within the last month you're (just barely in the clear [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/9.152094]).

 

[Dusty Donuts]

There was a thread pretty recently about this, although already mentioned, I just cannot stretch the point enough.
I'd have to say, achievements are pretty good. They give incentive to play games further, and a method of unlocking new things.

 

[GreyWolf257]

I like them. They give you something to strive for, and they create additional little bits of gameplay. I always think of achievements as pieces to a puzzle. Once you have all the pieces, then the puzzle is solved.

 

[Macgyvercas]

Repeat after me..."Macgyvercas is an acheivement whore"

Well, technically I'm on PSN, so I get trophies, but same system.

I suck every last ounce of fun out of every game I play. Wierd though, I've been playing LoZ:ALttP since 1995 and I'm STILL not tired of it.

 

[Superhyperactiveman]

... I'd like to point out to all the people commenting on how they love achievements that, if you actually get a sense of accomplishment from completing a game on x difficulty or seeing all the landmarks or whatever, then chances are that you're probably not doing much with your life in the first place, and you are a sad individual

 

[Space Spoons]

I actually like achievements quite a lot. They seem like the next logical step up from the old "score" system that every game used to have. They represent a challenge, an incentive to keep playing so you can reach that goal that's just out of reach. Also, I think it's pretty fun to compare achievements when you add a new friend.

If you're worried about mood breaking, I'm fairly sure you can turn off achievement notifications.

 

[RatRace123]

I like them for the sense of superiority you get by beating your friends' scores.

I really only find them effective when they contribute something to the actual game

Mass Effect and Ratchet and Clank are the only games I can think of that have that "active achievement system" as I like to call it.

 

[The Heik]

Yes, yes I do.

It gives you much more motivation to play more parts of the game, complete it on a harder difficulty, ect.

I just wish more of the achievements were ones that gave measurable rewards for accomplishing. Way too many occur for very simple or pointless things that most of us would not have noticed or cared about if it weren't for the achievement itself. If there is a tangible reason for do it, such as getting a sweet weapon for slaying a really hard boss, it'd make more sense to me.

It also creates those kinds of people who get all the achievements for no other purpose than to annoy the rest of us because they did them and not us so they're somehow better than us. God I hate them.

 

[Pimppeter2]

Spoiler: welcome speech not written by me

I am Pimppeter2, and I am here to ask you a question. Is a man not entitled to the sweat of his brow? "No" Says the man at Ebay, "it belongs to the poor". "No" says the Man at religioustolerance.org, "it belongs to God". "No" says the man at Youtube, "it belongs to everyone". I rejected those answers. Instead; I chose something different. I chose the Impossible. I chose. The Escapist. With a forum where the opinionated would not fear the censor (within reason), where the Moderators would not be bound by petty morality, where the Gone Gonzo would not be constrained by the troll. And with the ache of your fingers (and perhaps a new keyboard), The Escapist can be yours as well...

OT: Meh, they don't have a negative effect. Sometimes they make me want to do somehting that I normally wouldn't

 

[teutonicman]

Some achievements yes, because they get me to try new game mechanics or method I might not have thought of.