Achievements are one of Microsoft's better ideas. They have a serious following and have developers and publisher tagging along for the ride. But is this feature killing gaming as we know it? It would appear so. It seems some players are more concerned with getting achievements than actually enjoying the games they play.

...rather than encourage players to buy the Gears of Wars and Forza Motorsports of the world to fight for hard-to-earn Achievements such as the “I ended 1999 lives and I’m going to party like it’s 1999” Achievement, it has players scouring bargain bins for games with “easy points” like Barbie’s Horse Racing Adventure or something equally… uncharacteristic. I’d personally be a tad embarrassed if one of my friends saw me online playing Barbie’s Horse Game Thingy, but that’s just me being what I perceive to be a 24 year old male. Different strokes for different folks.
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Most recently commented on by on Aug 30, 2009
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  • 0
    Audioslave Aug 24, 09
    Lol barbie pros get big bragging rights
  • 4
    Storm Aug 24, 09
    Eh, it doesn't control all 360 gamers' lives. I do follow the achievements, but I play through a game at least once before even paying any attention to them. It's a great addition for those who want a challenge and those who want more replayability, something to shoot for.

    I mean, I've seen some crazy GS like over 100,000, but if that's what they wish to do, if that's what they consider fun or as a hobby, then let 'em. We get the games, but we all play differently as well, such as the different gaming genres and the various types of gamers (from casual to hardcore).


    quote
    Here’s a spoiler in life: one day, you will die. I’m sorry if I broke your heart with this horrific revelation, but your mortal ass isn’t living that long. Death will even come sooner than you think if this aggressive score-hunting has given you a gut to match your score. The thing about dying is that whether you believe in heaven or hell or reincarnation or nirvana or the great gig in the sky, your gamerscore will not be joining you in the beyond. Your score will not reincarnate with you as a faithful to accompany you on your voyage to the afterlife. Is there not much better ways to spend your waking time on this planet?

    Ok, I read through and noticed something weird about this blog...it's a little mean. For one there's a curse involved, and then there's this quote in particular, which relates to more than just the GamerScore. Why not apply it to careers, social life, all of our possessions, why don't you? It's very broad. Let's face it, it's not like our fame follows us beyond the grave and into that possible unknown afterlife, either.

    So onto the achievement hunters...well the radical ones will surely remember their GS off-hand, and rent just about every game on the 360 getting quick achievements, but it's just an addiction...you know? Like WoW-players or a constant smoker. But how about I argue about something else, something I see more than people talking about GS, and that's the majority of pedestrians traveling who have something attached to their ears...that's right, music.

    Why do I bring that up? Because it's just about as relevant as an addicted 360 achievement hunter. Most if not all of us are addicted (or maybe that's too strong a word, we all do at least do something for fun) to something, be it music, sports, games, or whatever else, if we are interested in something, chances are we'll pursue it to keep that interest going. Sure achievements are a different kind of interest, but I don't see too many people with a 150,000 GS. Hell, the console's been out for around five years anyway. And honestly, even though their goal is to get as many achievements as possible, they are playing the game, they did buy/rent the game, so I doubt it's killing gaming.
  • 4
    Seeker X Aug 24, 09
    He's just jealous of other people's GS and is trying to cover it up with a pointless rant that no one's gonna pay attention to...it's ok, people, nothing to see here.
  • 4
    Star of Spurs Aug 25, 09
    I personally don't mind it. It irritates me though when you hear the squeaky voiced players yelling 'CAN YOU GUYS HELP ME GET ACHIEVEMENTS? IF YOU DON'T THEN YOU'RE GAY!' etc.
    • 0
      dwg14390 Aug 25, 09
      agreed. I sometimes ask for help for achievments from others but only if it's necessary (like in L4D where the ai knows such things).

      Achievements isn't killing gaming, it's helping it. Some people just like to play normally. Other people like having a score saying how much stuff you did. And others like me, loved to be challanged. I'm always up for one, and this is just perfect.

      Achievements are not mandatory so there doing no harm to the gaming community other than the occasional egotistical moron here and there.
  • 1
    jdj1976 Aug 25, 09
    Perhaps Midway could’ve solved their financial woes by releasing games where players would earn 1000 points by pressing start.

    hahahahahah some people have fun just geting them
  • 3
    RabidChinaGirl Aug 25, 09
    I don't look at Achievements my first time through a game either. I prefer to play the game for what it is; Achievements popping up unexpectedly are just pleasant surprises. If a game is good, people will buy it regardless of Achievements. Shitty games? Achievements give people a reason to purchase / rent. Keeps the industry flowing, one way or another.

    It's one thing to debate the issue, but the author is clearly trying to hard to be edgy with his ranting. Lighten up, dude. Gaming is a hobby, and Achievements / trophies are nice perks to have. I don't understand why it's such a big deal to him -- perhaps he is insecure about his Gamerscore.
    • 0
      Shinobi_razor Aug 25, 09
      im the same way in opinion that ppl will buy a game regardless of achievements if its good. but for shitty games, i do get/rent them for the gamerscore, but only when they are cheaper.

      however when i first start playing, i often look at the achievement list to see which ones i should be able to get on the first playthrough, and what the requirements are and try for them. no reason not to at least give them a reasonable shot while im going through the game IMO. then after beating it i will mop them up as well as the rest of them that i have a desire to go for. some games have such ridiculous or time consuming achievements that i dont bother. like ones where you have to collect xx amount of a certain object. ive been working off and on on the "collect 1001 orbs" thing in Prince of Persia, but i may just say screw it.
  • 0
    Murray3 Aug 25, 09
    As a Nintendo follower, I give my support to Achievements. In my eyes, they're exactly what I believe all systems should have. Sure, they don't do anything, but the same was true of most challenges in the fourth generation, along with many sixth generation games.
  • 0
    Kuhn Aug 25, 09
    I can admit, right now I am a bit addicted to getting achievement points but I just got a 360 so I just hate seeing a low number. I still play through the games and pay attention to the storyline and all but I try to earn some achievements along the way.

    I know it can be addicting to some people. I know my one friend is all about getting Achievements and I know he doesn't enjoy some games he plays.
    • 1
      Star of Spurs Aug 25, 09
      See, this is what I don't understand. I'm not sure why someone would put themself through a terrible game like Avatar or Shrek 3, just to get the GamerScore. I understand if someone has 1000/1000 on Left 4 Dead or CoD: WaW, because those are mainstream games and proof of skill. But a game you know will be terrible? Waste of time and money.
      • 0
        Shinobi_razor Aug 25, 09
        any games i know suck like that and i dont want to waste money on, i get on Goozex as they are basically free for me.
  • 6
    Shuyu Aug 25, 09
    Actually, I think it's ranting about irrelevant habits that is killing gaming.
  • 2
    Ameer Aug 25, 09
    I hate these things. 
  • 1
    conel3 Aug 25, 09
    I'm guessing that this guy is just a rediculous ps3 fanboy or something? Though there is nothing wrong with likeing the PS3 more than the 360 if that's what you're in to.

    I was going to compare achievement points to leveling up a character in an RPG but he already did that. People enjoy seeing their achievement points grow just as they do seeing their characters in an RPG level up because it is enjoyable. It's fun to see something come out of your playing games whether it is achievement points or your characters stats going up as they levels up (which is not just seen in MMORPG'S it's been ported into plenty of action games now, Wolverine is an example of a game I've been playing this week where you can level up).

    I quite enjoy puttin my gamerscore up. It's just nice to see that 1000G next to a game that you've been trying for weeks to 100%. I personally think that achievements are the best thing that has happened to games this gaming generation. It's not just about the number next to your tag it's also about the completion of each individual game. When I play games on the xbox I feel that the achievements are part of the game and I don't feel like I have finished a game until I have all of the achievements on it. Some games I know I will never have all of the achievements on and I'm fine with that but I'll do my best to get as many of them as possible.

    Achievements are definatly a good thing and the fact that there are no rewards for it is a perfect example of that. There's nothing saying that you have to get achievements, if you just want to play the games and not try to 100% then there is nothing stopping you. I probably wouldn't have played half of my games even nearly as much if it weren't for achievements. I had to complete dead space almost 3 times to get all of the achievements. I've also played a lot of games that I probably wouldn't have played, like Transformers and the Bourne game. I had fun playing these games and am glad that I did but if there weren't achievements in them I probably wouldn't have bothered.

    So achievements have helped me to play a lot more games and play through my games a lot more meaning I'm getting my money's worth but it hasn't ruined playing games for me. I still play wii and my friends ps3 sometimes and play hours and hours of Street Fighter online even though I have all of the online achievements already.

    There is litrally nothing bad about achievements people like him just complain because they don't have achievements on the ps3.
    • 2
      kik36 Aug 26, 09
      quote conel3
      I'm guessing that this guy is just a rediculous ps3 fanboy or something? Though there is nothing wrong with likeing the PS3 more than the 360 if that's what you're in to.

      There is litrally nothing bad about achievements people like him just complain because they don't have achievements on the ps3.
      I take it you have no clue wtf you are talking about conel3. The PS3 has the trophy system and it's extremely similar to the achievement system.
  • 0
    Matthew Aug 25, 09
    Problem with Achievements is it makes me want to play on my Xbox more than my Wii as others can see my accomplishments easier. So its only really killing gaming for the other consoles for me XD
  • 1
    Ech0ez Aug 25, 09
    I do see his point here, although I wouldn't say they're killing gaming. Some people like achievements, and by extension let those people enjoy them. If you don't, simply don't go after them. I don't really see how they're at all degratory to the games or gaming.
  • 2
    Audioslave Aug 26, 09
    Well tbh most people I've met over XBL are twats obsessed with bragging rights.

    I get sick of being asked to allow myself to be ran over by a mongoose or any of that crap.

    And yeah, if you don't have a high gamerscore you get the piss taken out of you =/
    • 1
      Ech0ez Aug 26, 09
      That's a problem with the community, not the achievements themselves.
    • 2
      RabidChinaGirl Aug 26, 09
      What? I'm on XBL and I'm ten kinds of awesome!
  • 1
    Roke Aug 30, 09
    I don't mind achievements. People who go for gamerscore are usually idiots who have no life so they compensate by teasing others about their low score. It's the achievements themselves that are important. Quality over quantity anyday.

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