Poll: Why/Do you aim for 100% completion?

[Skoldpadda]

There was a subquest in Dragon Age, where you had to collect 12 love letters throughout the whole game. So you painstakingly go looking in every hook and cranny, only for the game to fuck you over at the last one.

Because you see, the final one is in a chest in the arl's estate in Denerim, a location which has the same function as your camp, so you don't have access to the skills of your companions. As the chest is locked, you're SOL if you're not a rogue.

I was quite pissed at this, but then I realized it's just one stupid sidequest, it doesn't affect the end of the game, and 100%-ing never yields anything but needless frustration, and only masochists try it.

Uh, that's not true. That particular chest is not locked. Trust me.

It most definitely was locked. That's not really something I'd mistake.
I mean, you try to get in chest. Chest = open -> Voilà une lettre; Chest isn't -> zut alors.
It was super-locked.

Maybe my game bugged out on me or something, but even then my point about 100%-ing still stands.

 

[Xsistence13]

For games I like, I strive for 100% completion out of perfection/OCD. For games I don't like, I will only go as far as getting all the achievements/trophies.

 

[Dunvi]

There was a subquest in Dragon Age, where you had to collect 12 love letters throughout the whole game. So you painstakingly go looking in every hook and cranny, only for the game to fuck you over at the last one.

Because you see, the final one is in a chest in the arl's estate in Denerim, a location which has the same function as your camp, so you don't have access to the skills of your companions. As the chest is locked, you're SOL if you're not a rogue.

I was quite pissed at this, but then I realized it's just one stupid sidequest, it doesn't affect the end of the game, and 100%-ing never yields anything but needless frustration, and only masochists try it.

Uh, that's not true. That particular chest is not locked. Trust me.

It most definitely was locked. That's not really something I'd mistake.
I mean, you try to get in chest. Chest = open -> Voilà une lettre; Chest isn't -> zut alors.
It was super-locked.

Maybe my game bugged out on me or something, but even then my point about 100%-ing still stands.

Were you opening the right chest? It should not be locked, and it wasn't for all of my characters. There are *other* chests in that castle that *are* locked. The designers aren't assholes, after all...

 

[MattyDienhoff]

I generally don't strive for 100% completion, because I find that it's the journey I enjoy the most, not the destination. Why would I waste time and go out of my way to complete tasks I don't enjoy doing just so I can say "I completed the game 100%!", when I could be spending that time doing something else in the game which I do enjoy?

 

[Et3rnalLegend64]

I have to choose between perfectionism, the achievements (and being a perfectionist about getting as many as I can), and just enjoying the challenge. With all that considered, I don't try the insane challenges if I think they're beyond me. There are probably two or three games that I honestly believe I can get full Gamerscore for.

I don't know if I'll fight FFXII Yiazmat, but I just may have been able to beat Ninja Gaiden 2 Master Ninja (past tense. Haven't played in forever). Beat Devil May Cry 3 on DMD, but Bloody Palace was too hard (I can probably do it now though. Was too inexperienced back then). Beat DMC4 on DMD and Bloody Palace. Working on Hell and Hell. Street Fighter 4 is too picky with its timing, BlazBlue CS just might be doable if I invested more time in doing challenge mode.

 

[Skoldpadda]

Were you opening the right chest?

I really wouldn't mention it if I wasn't sure. Anyway, I already pawned the game (no need forcing myself a second time through that thing), so I can't check it anyway. I'll take your word for it.

But even if it was maybe not the best example, the point still stands. Shit like this happens constantly in all kinds of games.

For example, I just went through a playthrough of Baldur's Gate, and for some reason, the game hangs up during wyvern fights (the big ones), and only wyvern fights. Luckily, you don't have to fight them on the main path, but that's at least one quest I couldn't complete.

But that doesn't matter, the game doesn't reward you extra for getting everything, and games seldom do. So I really don't understand how getting 100% can be such a big deal with so many people. Beating a super-hard bonus boss: nice. Getting 100 stupid feathers: er good for you.

The designers aren't assholes, after all...

Actually, after they've forced 30 Seconds To Mars through my throat twice during the end credits, I'm fairly convinced they are

 

[Look-a-Hill]

Just for the trophies really. Not because I like unlocking them or because I want a high trophy level or whatever, but I cannot stand the sight of a number less than 100% next to the game in my Trophy Collection bit. Very anal of me, but it's unsightly. It's like it's mocking you.

Obviously I'm not an idiot and I'm only going to go after a plat as long as it's do-able, has no extra cost for DLC and doesn't have wanky online trophies (unless it's a game I play often online - Fifa is the only case of this, and EA puts the wankiest of all wanky trophies into games. Thankfully it's not a problem for those games). In games that do have those I'll just polish off the single player ons and then move onto another game, sating my pathetic-self with the idea that maybe I'll come back and finish off the online trophies or whatever at a later date.
I never will, but by that time there'll be plenty of pretty 100%s in my list.

 

[FISHFINGERS]

I can't say I actively try for 100% completion, I just play the game for as long as it is fun.
If while playing that game I achieve 100% then so be it.
To be honest I am slightly disappointed when I achieve 100% as it means there is nothing left for me to do in a game I have obviously enjoyed.

 

[PolarBearClub]

I know it's off-topic, but persevere. Batman is the one full retail game I've 100% (well that's on-topic) and it wasn't so bad because I enjoyed the game so much. I always used to do each fight the same way once I had planned out a reasonable strategy. Always started off with the bat-claw or batarang so I didn't have to use them when I was completely surrounded later on in the fight. Have a look at youtube for some videos, they should help, maybe more so with the other levels.

OT: Apart from Batman, the only other games I've 100 percented are XBLA games, like Worms or Battlefield 1943. I'd only try it with games I love though. Thought it was going to be possible for Red Dead, but then all the download content came out and I probably won't get it. But if I got all the achievements for the main game, I'd consider it 100% done. Next game that seems possible to do it on is probably Assassin's Creed 2, 3 achievements left - but of course one of them is the feathers one.

 

[FamoFunk]

Trophies, the feeling of 100%, perfection and because it's addictiive to try and "fully" complete the game.

And it's the ultimate self-satisfaction.

 

[Conza]

Only if it won't drive me insane trying to get it.

Ditto, I've only done this for two games 100% Kirby 64 (which is harder than it sounds) amd Crash Bandicoot 2... Oh and 3 as well I think (or very very close).

 

[The Unworthy Gentleman]

I try and do it on most games but I eventually get bored on most. I tried to do it on MW2 but realised that I couldn't be bother with the monotonous searches for all the intel and I wasn't likely to do the 5 weapons 5 kills one either, my heart wasn't in it.

I got them all for AC2 and plan to get them all for AC:B, AC and AC3. I've got most of them for Fallout 3 and plan on getting them all for Fallout New Vegas as well.

 

[BENZOOKA]

Never.

I don't see a point to go scratch a hundred rats' ears which are scattered around the map. I just don't.

 

[2xDouble]

You forgot two options, Interesting Challenges [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/extra-credits/2758-Achievements] (yeah, I know achievements is there, but I wanted to post that anyway and challenges aren't exactly the same) and, though the ones most afflicted by it would never admit it freely, Addiction [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/extra-credits/2487-The-Skinner-Box].

I've gotten 100% completions for both reasons...

 

[Kopikatsu]

I don't. I rarely even FINISH games if the final boss is the end of the game. (No New Game+/Playable epilogue/what have you.)

I've never hit the max level in anything, either. Go laziness.

 

[ephemeral10]

*Donkey Kong 64 (never again...)

Why never again?

I'm curious because I am going to attempt a 100% DK 64 run this summer.

 

[Caligulove]

*Donkey Kong 64 (never again...)

Why never again?

I'm curious because I am going to attempt a 100% DK 64 run this summer.

The majority of it is collection stuff, which I remember as being controller-crushingly frustrating at times, so many hoops to jump through (literally sometimes) mini-games that make you crazy when you can't seem to beat them and feeling like the controls are trying to screw you over sometimes.

Might just be because it was a long time ago or only remember the bad things.