Are Achievements\Trophies important to a game?

krogothwolf · 06-21-2010, 02:42 PM

Alright, so EvilEarl posted in the Kirby thread that if it had this feature he would pre-order it. I could make heads or tails out of this. If a game seems good enough or you want it enough that you would make this statement, then why not just pre-order it anyways?

I'm not big into the whole trophy/achievement aspect of the games lately, to me it seems like a cute little thing to have but not that big of deal since some are cool and some are down right insane. And instead of clogging up the Kirby thread with this, I figured a new one would be better.

So, is Trophies/Achievements important for you when it comes to purchasing or playing a game? Do you go out trying to achieve them all? If so why. I'm seriously confused why these are such a big deal when it comes to games and why people rate it so high. Or are you someone like me, not really caring about them and more concerned with the game itself?

Seil · 06-21-2010, 02:55 PM

I see it in a few ways:

1) E-Peen. Pretty self explanitory here.

2) Challenge. If you're like me, you've got a few games laying around that you love, but you never play anymore because you've beaten them. Achievements are one of the reasons I replay some of my old favorites. Also, they provide a goal to some who want to test themselves.

3) Achievement in general. Something people can be proud of. Something major? No. But still a small little thing that allows us to feel good about ourselves.

I like achievements for all of the above, though I do agree with Foamy here that some of these are just way too hard or way too easy to get.

Aldurin · 06-21-2010, 03:04 PM

It's more like a casual hobby within video games, unless you misunderstand it and have no life, then it would be an obsession.

My earliest memory of this type of system was "Skill points" in Spyro 2 for PSX. Out of the way stuff that you can do for a feeling of accomplishment.

Which is why I have a beef about achievements/trophies you get for merely completing parts of the main storyline. It should be the stuff you wouldn't normally think of, or something really hard but avoidable.

I only work towards trophies/achievements whenever it's "along the way" or if the required effort doesn't exceed my attention span (I'm not even gonna try for all of the trophies on MAG because the community died down and I estimate hundreds of hours to get certain trophies on that).

phil_ · 06-21-2010, 02:59 PM

If I can see a list of achievements in the game, then I'll try to accomplish some of them and it extends my enjoyment. If, however, I'm just running along and suddenly "Achievement Unlocked: I'm on a boat, motherfucker!" pops up because I finished by getting on a boat, and the same thing happens every level, then I get annoyed. An example of the former is Wii Sports Resort's stickers that you earn by, say, never missing a shot in archery or finding all the ducks in the pond and returning them to their mother. The Prince of Persia game where the Prince has a claw and flies through space on a woman's back is an example of the latter. Yep, I sure did finish the opening cutscene, game. Thanks for the 10 gamer points. Oh, I used the counter move? Another 10 points. Hey, I beat the first boss! Pop! Gamer points. It felt like the game was making fun of me, like I should feel accomplished for going through the basic gameplay.

Flarecobra · 06-21-2010, 03:03 PM

I don't think they're really that important. They can be a fun little distraction if they're done right, sure, but it shouldn't be a requirement for games.

Hell, remember the days before such things were in place?

Donomni · 06-21-2010, 03:17 PM

Trophievements actually provide me with something to do with a game when I'm not really creative(or persistent) enough to explore it fully.

When I was a kid, my choice of games was limited, so I ended up playing them all to death. Nowadays, though, I'm at a point in my life that I have way too many games, and not enough time or attention span to play them.

Trophievements(which is now the official term, by the by) help keep my attention for awhile, but I'll admit that some of them are pretty dumb. Oh, yay, an assload of trophies for playing through the story I've always done in games anyways!

And of course, the "Just play a few weeks straight and you'll get this one, honest!" ones that make me want to do unmentionable things to game developers.

Jagos · 06-21-2010, 03:37 PM

Massive annoyance factor 9

(read the post, not the comic)

Aldurin · 06-21-2010, 04:29 PM

Just watched the Foamy rant on this subject. I can agree on the retardedly easy ones as it fits with the real life trend of "everyone gets a trophy".

Showed up at your soccer game and left early to see this week's episode of Star Trek? You get the same trophy as those that played hard and broke bones at that very game.

One of the world cup-stacking finalists? A trophy is awarded for a skill with less freakin' practical use in society than blowing your nose.

Did bad on a test? No problem, we grade it in purple ink instead of red ink to reduce stress, and then design a group test so your grades come from the efforts of others.

Lost your job and to lazy to get another? Apply for welfare and get paid with money taken from people who actually work.

There needs to be a removal of all trohpymachievements except for those along the lines of (complete optional More Difficult Dungeon of Doom).

Azisien · 06-21-2010, 04:38 PM

It's not so much that they are important to the functionality of a game, but it's a modern fad to have them now, so in another way yes they are important.

There's one group of people that don't care, but two groups of people that a) gain some minor enjoyment from them for whatever reason and b) gain a huge amount of enjoyment from them for whatever reason. From the marketing side it's almost silly not to have them now. I am confident in the latter because I sell armfuls of games to people that go out of their way to buy games with "big" achievements in them.

Magus · 06-21-2010, 03:50 PM

I think only the "secret" ones (Like the Dastardly Villain one for Red Dead Redemption) are the only really fun ones. Otherwise they seem kind of pointless. Like I've been playing GTA 4 and most of them are seemingly for just completing large percentages of the game that I'd do anyway (like stealing all the cars for Brucie or doing all the missions for Jacob).

06-21-2010, 02:42 PM	#1
krogothwolf Fetched the Candy Cane! Join Date: May 2009 Location: Calgary Posts: 4,278	Are Achievements\Trophies important to a game? Alright, so EvilEarl posted in the Kirby thread that if it had this feature he would pre-order it. I could make heads or tails out of this. If a game seems good enough or you want it enough that you would make this statement, then why not just pre-order it anyways? I'm not big into the whole trophy/achievement aspect of the games lately, to me it seems like a cute little thing to have but not that big of deal since some are cool and some are down right insane. And instead of clogging up the Kirby thread with this, I figured a new one would be better. So, is Trophies/Achievements important for you when it comes to purchasing or playing a game? Do you go out trying to achieve them all? If so why. I'm seriously confused why these are such a big deal when it comes to games and why people rate it so high. Or are you someone like me, not really caring about them and more concerned with the game itself? __________________ Knowledge is Power, Power is Knowledge ╔╦╦══╦══╦═╦══╦══╦╗╔╦╦╦╦══╦╗╔═╗ ║═╣╠═║╔╗║╔╣╔╗╠╗╔╣╚╝║║║║╔╗║║║═╣ ║║║╔╗╣╚╝║║║╚╝║║║║╔╗║║║║╚╝║╚╣╔╝ ╚╩╩╝╚╩══╩═╩══╝╚╝╚╝╚╩══╩══╩═╩╝

06-21-2010, 02:59 PM	#4
phil_ Just sleeping Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: At home, probably in bed. Posts: 6,482	If I can see a list of achievements in the game, then I'll try to accomplish some of them and it extends my enjoyment. If, however, I'm just running along and suddenly "Achievement Unlocked: I'm on a boat, motherfucker!" pops up because I finished by getting on a boat, and the same thing happens every level, then I get annoyed. An example of the former is Wii Sports Resort's stickers that you earn by, say, never missing a shot in archery or finding all the ducks in the pond and returning them to their mother. The Prince of Persia game where the Prince has a claw and flies through space on a woman's back is an example of the latter. Yep, I sure did finish the opening cutscene, game. Thanks for the 10 gamer points. Oh, I used the counter move? Another 10 points. Hey, I beat the first boss! Pop! Gamer points. It felt like the game was making fun of me, like I should feel accomplished for going through the basic gameplay. __________________ Be T-Rexcellent to each other, tako.

06-21-2010, 03:03 PM	#5
Flarecobra Burn. Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Classified Posts: 11,017	I don't think they're really that important. They can be a fun little distraction if they're done right, sure, but it shouldn't be a requirement for games. Hell, remember the days before such things were in place? __________________ "Only the fool wishes to go into battle to beat someone for the satisfaction of beating someone." -A Thousand Sons Rules. Read them, know them, love them.

06-21-2010, 03:17 PM	#6
Donomni Would you deign to supply me food? Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Tampa Bay Area, Florida Posts: 2,004	Trophievements actually provide me with something to do with a game when I'm not really creative(or persistent) enough to explore it fully. When I was a kid, my choice of games was limited, so I ended up playing them all to death. Nowadays, though, I'm at a point in my life that I have way too many games, and not enough time or attention span to play them. Trophievements(which is now the official term, by the by) help keep my attention for awhile, but I'll admit that some of them are pretty dumb. Oh, yay, an assload of trophies for playing through the story I've always done in games anyways! And of course, the "Just play a few weeks straight and you'll get this one, honest!" ones that make me want to do unmentionable things to game developers. __________________ Dance your cares away! Chirrrrrrp. Also, dead blog.

06-21-2010, 03:37 PM	#7
Jagos FRONT KICK OF DOOM! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Howdy pardner... Posts: 6,399	Massive annoyance factor 9 (read the post, not the comic) __________________ Copyright musings World ramblings Scifi stories

06-21-2010, 02:55 PM	#2
Seil Super stressed! Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: British Columbia Posts: 8,081	I see it in a few ways: 1) E-Peen. Pretty self explanitory here. 2) Challenge. If you're like me, you've got a few games laying around that you love, but you never play anymore because you've beaten them. Achievements are one of the reasons I replay some of my old favorites. Also, they provide a goal to some who want to test themselves. 3) Achievement in general. Something people can be proud of. Something major? No. But still a small little thing that allows us to feel good about ourselves. I like achievements for all of the above, though I do agree with Foamy here that some of these are just way too hard or way too easy to get.

06-21-2010, 03:04 PM	#3
Aldurin Lakitu Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 4,648	It's more like a casual hobby within video games, unless you misunderstand it and have no life, then it would be an obsession. My earliest memory of this type of system was "Skill points" in Spyro 2 for PSX. Out of the way stuff that you can do for a feeling of accomplishment. Which is why I have a beef about achievements/trophies you get for merely completing parts of the main storyline. It should be the stuff you wouldn't normally think of, or something really hard but avoidable. I only work towards trophies/achievements whenever it's "along the way" or if the required effort doesn't exceed my attention span (I'm not even gonna try for all of the trophies on MAG because the community died down and I estimate hundreds of hours to get certain trophies on that).

06-21-2010, 04:29 PM	#8
Aldurin Lakitu Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 4,648	Just watched the Foamy rant on this subject. I can agree on the retardedly easy ones as it fits with the real life trend of "everyone gets a trophy". Showed up at your soccer game and left early to see this week's episode of Star Trek? You get the same trophy as those that played hard and broke bones at that very game. One of the world cup-stacking finalists? A trophy is awarded for a skill with less freakin' practical use in society than blowing your nose. Did bad on a test? No problem, we grade it in purple ink instead of red ink to reduce stress, and then design a group test so your grades come from the efforts of others. Lost your job and to lazy to get another? Apply for welfare and get paid with money taken from people who actually work. There needs to be a removal of all trohpymachievements except for those along the lines of (complete optional More Difficult Dungeon of Doom).

06-21-2010, 04:38 PM	#9
Azisien wat Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,177	It's not so much that they are important to the functionality of a game, but it's a modern fad to have them now, so in another way yes they are important. There's one group of people that don't care, but two groups of people that a) gain some minor enjoyment from them for whatever reason and b) gain a huge amount of enjoyment from them for whatever reason. From the marketing side it's almost silly not to have them now. I am confident in the latter because I sell armfuls of games to people that go out of their way to buy games with "big" achievements in them.

06-21-2010, 03:50 PM	#10
Magus Archer and Armstrong vs. the World Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 7,164	I think only the "secret" ones (Like the Dastardly Villain one for Red Dead Redemption) are the only really fun ones. Otherwise they seem kind of pointless. Like I've been playing GTA 4 and most of them are seemingly for just completing large percentages of the game that I'd do anyway (like stealing all the cars for Brucie or doing all the missions for Jacob).