Ways to make the 360s Achievements more useful

[L4Y Duke]

I've been reading, and apparently, the main gripe people have with the 360s achievements system is that its worth nothing more than 'asshat' points. All for show, with nothing behind them.

So, how would you fix that?

Several games have shown us plenty of alternatives, such as Dead Rising, where the harder achievements come with in-game benefits, such as how getting Zombie Genocide unlocks the Mega-Buster, the best weapon in the mall.

Personally, I think that if the achievements allowed you to use the achievements icon for a gamerpic, that'd be a start. Granted, not all of 'em are exactly what one would want from a gamerpic, but it works, eh? Also, getting all the games achievements could unlock the game's logo as a gamerpic too.

Then again, perhaps if the points were worth something on Xbox Live, like for example if you had 600 points from Bioshock you could get a Bioshock theme free-of-charge or something.

Anyway, what do you guys reckon would be a good use for the Achievements?

 

[J'aen]

Mass Effect gives you rewards for some achievements.

Your idea sounds pretty good.

 

[the_tramp]

Good in theory but then again it'd be too hard to impliment. In addition if you require say... 1000 points for something then a person who has fully unlocked one game would be deemed the same as someone who has half-assed 10 games.

 

[J'aen]

No, I thought he meant 1000 points in, say Gears of War gets Gears of War themed goodies.

 

[L4Y Duke]

Yeah, that. You'd need certain progress in the game in question to 'purchase' themes and stuff for that game.

 

[JaguarWong]

Agree with the OP.

Achievements make for lazy programming most of the time.
As useless as a new outfit or access to in game music is I'd rather have that than pointless points.
If each achievement was tied into an in game reward (Tomb Raider Legend does this) then that would be a touch more worth while.

The best way to make actual points (or PSN trophys) worthwhile is, as has been said, to make them redeemable against content.
However, it would have to be content for the game the points were earned on otherwise you'd get people spamming Avatar and using the points for a new gun camoflage in COD4.

 

[mGoLos]

Yeah, what you said.

The Wii has something like it I think. Where you can spend your wii-points (achievements?) on classic titles such a bubble bobble, streets of rage 2 and golden axe. Pretty cool if you ask me.

 

[Conqueror Kenny]

Well I think that would be a good idea, but still it's good as it is. Achievements add more objectives in games. For an example who would try to walk so far on zombies heads without the achievement?

 

[JaguarWong]

The Wii has something like it I think

The wii doesn't have any achievement/trophy type thing at all.
Wii 'Points' are just currency.

With trophys out now I wonder how long it will be before Nintendo follows suite?

For an example who would try to walk so far on zombies heads without the achievement?

True, but wouldn't you have prefered access to a new weapon or outfit for doing it?

 

[Conqueror Kenny]

For an example who would try to walk so far on zombies heads without the achievement?

True, but wouldn't you have prefered access to a new weapon or outfit for doing it?

Well yeah but I still like it how it is. It gives you more to do in a game you have already completed. Besides if you get competitive with it, it makes the hole thing more fun.

 

[sma_warrior]

I think the PSN Trophy system goes some way towards this goal in that it breaks down just what each gamer had done in each game (ie. how many bronze, silver, and gold, and platinum for obtaining/completing all) and that bragging rights can be had in that you can view what you have achieved compared with your mates, as opposed to the generic points tally on Live where 1000 on Gears of War cannot be differentiated from the 1000 points obtainable in 5 minutes in one game (can't remember the name but it's video is on Youtube, all you do is go to the side of the screen and 'cheat kill' all the baddies....). Consequently, if all your trophies come from perceived 'easy' games, everyone will know, whereas there will be much greater respect for 'completing' games considered hard.

For example, if to get the platinum trophy from MGS4 required one particular gold trophy to be obtained by finishing the hardest difficulty level with no kills and no alerts, then there would be some major respect earned.

Still would be cool if they served some other purpose as well, but then again bragging rights are bragging rights

 

[mGoLos]

The Wii has something like it I think

The wii doesn't have any achievement/trophy type thing at all.
Wii 'Points' are just currency.

I see. So you just buy the points with your creditcard?

 

[JaguarWong]

see. So you just buy the points with your creditcard?

Indeed.

It will be interesting to see if Nintendo do add some kind of system in the future though.
I'm sure it would be 'coins' or 'stars' in true Mario fashion - outfits or accessories for Mii's would be a good way to get something for your efforts.

 

[mGoLos]

I see. So you just buy the points with your creditcard?

Indeed.

It will be interesting to see if Nintendo do add some kind of system in the future though.
I'm sure it would be 'coins' or 'stars' in true Mario fashion - outfits or accessories for Mii's would be a good way to get something for your efforts.

So let me get this straight. You exhange your real currency into wii-points and then you spend those points in their store?

Ok I give up. What's the point? Where's the cake?

 

[Knight Templar]

I think something along these lines has been done, wait it may have been diffrent.

 

[Woe Is You]

Consequently, if all your trophies come from perceived 'easy' games, everyone will know, whereas there will be much greater respect for 'completing' games considered hard.

I'm not really seeing how it'd be any different. A lazy developer that makes achieving 1000 points in a game in 5 minutes possible will probably make a platinum trophy just as easily attainable too. Either way you'd have to check just how the player had gotten those points to get a picture on how "cool" the player is.

 

[Eagle Est1986]

So let me get this straight. You exhange your real currency into wii-points and then you spend those points in their store?

Ok I give up. What's the point? Where's the cake?

No cake. Because the Wii is aimed at a younger audience (who don't have credit cards) the idea is that you can go into a store and trade the contents of their piggy banks for a certain amount of points. Pretty much the same as how you have to transfer your monies into microsoft points before you can buy anything.

 

[JaguarWong]

So let me get this straight. You exhange your real currency into wii-points and then you spend those points in their store?
Ok I give up. What's the point? Where's the cake?

I thought they all worked this way? I know XBLA does... Is PSN different?

The idea is simple.
You make points available in divisions of 1000 but only charge 800 points for most products.
Your customer sees that they have 200 dormant points lying around and this encourages them to buy more points in order to spend their 'change'.

 

[Alex_P]

I really don't like the way Mass Effect does it. It's basically just an excuse to introduce more grinding into the game. Kinda like what happened to Guild Wars. "Do this stupid thing for bragging rights" or "do this stupid thing for silly game-themed goodies (essentially just bragging rights in disguise)" are both a lot better than "do this stupid thing for +5% experience points and better weapons."

-- Alex

 

[Eagle Est1986]

I thought they all worked this way? I know XBLA does... Is PSN different?

Yeah, PSN uses real money, while they've still got the pre-paid cards for the younger players, they're valued in real currency. Or you can just attach any one of your bank cards to your account, similar to XBL but with more choice and without the need to put money on before you spend it.