The Unlockables Debate

[laikenf]

Well I think that complaining about unlockables is very silly, as a matter of fact I find it kind of pointless. Actually, the first time I ever heard anybody complain about unlockables was Yahtzee in his SSBB review (and I've been gaming for quite a while). To complain about unlockable content is kind of pushing it, like looking for flaws in the wrong place.

Explain your point because I don't see how criticizing a game for having used "unlockables" in a bad way is 'looking for flaws in the wrong place'.

What I'm really refering to is that a lot of people just like to complain for the sake of it. Maybe it's just me but all this whining is really kind of annoying because I see that too many people are getting too technical when it comes to gaming (and all this technicallity actually translates to whining). A couple of weaks ago, for example, I was at a cousin's house and his two younger brothers had some friends over and we where all playing some COD4, taking turns, helping each other out etc., and all these kids did during the 3 hrs. I spent there was complain about a game that they seemed to have been "enjoying" (or so to speak). At the beginning I was not really paying too much attention, but little by little I was starting to think to myself "godamn aren't they ever going to just enjoy the damn game?" (they where even complaining about the color of the sky for crying out loud). I can't help but notice how gamers nowadays seem to play games to look for flaws rather than enjoy them properly, there is this whole aura of negativity all over the place, and then all of a sudden I find people complaining about unlockables? WHAT?! (Is complaining about graphics, sound, gameplay, etc. not enough already?) When did this ever become a liability? Again too much whining; maybe developers should just start giving away devloping kits so that we can taylor games to our own preferences.

 

[Necrohydra]

Again too much whining; maybe developers should just start giving away devloping kits so that we can taylor games to our own preferences.

Then people would whine that it's too much work.

You can't win; people will always find something to complain about. It's seemingly in our nature to complain about things...

 

[laikenf]

Again too much whining; maybe developers should just start giving away devloping kits so that we can taylor games to our own preferences.

Then people would whine that it's too much work.

You can't win; people will always find something to complain about. It's seemingly in our nature to complain about things...

I guess you're right. The thing is that I find myself in a phase of my life where I just quit on complaining or whining for things that seem so trivial. And I don't know about you, but to me there is nothing more annoying than to sit next to a person that spends most of his or her time dissing everything that he can catch o glimpse of. Now, going back to gaming; tell me: does it not annoy you when you're playing a game you really like and someone next to you is just critisizing everything he (or she) hears or sees while you're trying to have a good time? To me that's the kind of people who complain about things so irrelevant like unlockable content and stuff.

 

[Kaos Incarnate]

You don't want to work for anything? That's a pretty immature attitude, don't you think?

No of course I don't want to work! I want to play damnit. If I want to work, I'll make more hours on my job!

Really, why do I have to work in a game?

Unlockables should be non essential and multiplayer should have it all from the start. If I buy a party game, I want to use it as a damn party game. Achievements are perfect unlockables for example, but any other little stuff will do as well.

I have been annoyed by some unlockables for years. I couldn't play certain characters or levels with others because I didn't have the skill to unlock the,. That kinda sucked.

Err having it all from the start in multiplayer would just stop the whole single player experience.

 

[L4Y Duke]

No? Why whine about unlocks anywhere else, then?

Because almost every other example you gave is not unlocking, but finding. Finding stuff is OK, it means you can get to it whenever you like. You know it's possible to find it, the problem is getting to it.

Unlocking things is also OK, but not in games solely dependant on their multiplayer. The sort of games where it basically forces you to play through the storyline (which, for most multiplayer-aspired titles serves as nothing more than an extended tutorial mode) just to get all the goodies in multiplayer.

 

[Necrohydra]

Again too much whining; maybe developers should just start giving away devloping kits so that we can taylor games to our own preferences.

Then people would whine that it's too much work.

You can't win; people will always find something to complain about. It's seemingly in our nature to complain about things...

I guess you're right. The thing is that I find myself in a phase of my life where I just quit on complaining or whining for things that seem so trivial. And I don't know about you, but to me there is nothing more annoying than to sit next to a person that spends most of his or her time dissing everything that he can catch o glimpse of. Now, going back to gaming; tell me: does it not annoy you when you're playing a game you really like and someone next to you is just critisizing everything he (or she) hears or sees while you're trying to have a good time? To me that's the kind of people who complain about things so irrelevant like unlockable content and stuff.

I agree with you 100%, actually. I can't stand to listen to someone complain about tiny things in a game for too long. If you have that much of a problem with the game, don't play it, and don't ruin it for the people that enjoy it. Believe it or not, people are different, and aren't going to like the same things.

And if you're dealing with "that guy", that has to criticize everything he lays his eyes on? Ignore him the best you can...barring that, walk away...barring that, chloroform might be your best bet? I hear you on these, though - incessant bitching wears away at my patience quickly.

 

[Pingrash]

I like the unlockables in CoD4. As Lmdb4 said they give you a scense of achievment. (tip- prestige mode sucks, don't bother with it)

Battlefield 2142 is abit annoying though. You have to unlock everything (other than the basics) in multiplayer before you can use it in singleplayer.
It's still an improvement on Battlefield 2 though.

 

[Melaisis]

The entire point of unlockables is to chain you to the game.

Exactly; nailed it in the first post. That means that MMORPGers where you level up are like the pinnacle of unlockable gameplay and we all know how that worked out.

 

[jezz8me]

i completely agree with the idea that multiplayer should be unlocked but singe player should be locked