Comments on: Achievements: mechanics or aesthetics? http://chungking.wordpress.com/2009/05/26/achievements-mechanics-or-aesthetics/ elite nerd snobbery from a grad student in game design Sat, 28 Nov 2009 18:37:08 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Chuck http://chungking.wordpress.com/2009/05/26/achievements-mechanics-or-aesthetics/#comment-515 Chuck Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:43:13 +0000 http://chungking.wordpress.com/?p=619#comment-515 You should check out this game if you haven't already. http://armorgames.com/play/2893/achievement-unlocked And I think the achievement aspects of Oblivion were well-done at the quest level but overdone with character development and leveling up. By encouraging behavior like jumping, sneaking, or casting spells for no purpose other than leveling up, it undermined the intended progression of character development and game difficulty leading to severe brokenness later in the game. As for the photo, for most men the remarkable achievement is to no longer view women as achievements. You should check out this game if you haven’t already.

http://armorgames.com/play/2893/achievement-unlocked

And I think the achievement aspects of Oblivion were well-done at the quest level but overdone with character development and leveling up.

By encouraging behavior like jumping, sneaking, or casting spells for no purpose other than leveling up, it undermined the intended progression of character development and game difficulty leading to severe brokenness later in the game.

As for the photo, for most men the remarkable achievement is to no longer view women as achievements.

]]> By: Simon Ferrari http://chungking.wordpress.com/2009/05/26/achievements-mechanics-or-aesthetics/#comment-433 Simon Ferrari Thu, 28 May 2009 20:30:38 +0000 http://chungking.wordpress.com/?p=619#comment-433 Yeah it's something that somebody actually sells. One the one hand I say "Yeah, most gamers see vagina as a trophy," so that's bad. But what if it's an achievement that stays locked? What if it's really hard to unlock it? What if you have to do something really meaningful, or if it's tied to an actual game mechanic in an interesting way? What if it's a secret achievement that only unlocks if you play the game well without thinking about it? Of course they weren't think about any of that. Shit is offensive. Yeah it’s something that somebody actually sells. One the one hand I say “Yeah, most gamers see vagina as a trophy,” so that’s bad. But what if it’s an achievement that stays locked? What if it’s really hard to unlock it? What if you have to do something really meaningful, or if it’s tied to an actual game mechanic in an interesting way? What if it’s a secret achievement that only unlocks if you play the game well without thinking about it?

Of course they weren’t think about any of that. Shit is offensive.

]]> By: deckard47 http://chungking.wordpress.com/2009/05/26/achievements-mechanics-or-aesthetics/#comment-432 deckard47 Thu, 28 May 2009 20:23:30 +0000 http://chungking.wordpress.com/?p=619#comment-432 I hadn't seen that photo before. I assume that's a "product" offered by an enterprising company? I suppose there's than argument for it, but to me it looks stupid, objectifying, and offensive. By the way, I totally agree with your list of best 360 achievements. Mass Effect was great, the PC version of Orange Box has some really great achievements (L4D falls into the "weird servers full of achievement hunters" group), and CoD4 had great achievements (although for me they were just in game, what with the PS3 version). I know how you feel about them, but I just can't get interested in them unless they're tied to interesting gameplay techniques (Half Life 2) or in game rewards and changes (ME, CoD 4). I've ignored the achievements for every other game I've ever bought, even games that I loved to death like the new PoP. They just don't matter to me, on all levels. Still, if more games did what the above games do, I'd be all over them. Oh, and good for you for liking systems that don't promote good design/play. It's the only way to be! I hadn’t seen that photo before. I assume that’s a “product” offered by an enterprising company? I suppose there’s than argument for it, but to me it looks stupid, objectifying, and offensive.

By the way, I totally agree with your list of best 360 achievements. Mass Effect was great, the PC version of Orange Box has some really great achievements (L4D falls into the “weird servers full of achievement hunters” group), and CoD4 had great achievements (although for me they were just in game, what with the PS3 version).

I know how you feel about them, but I just can’t get interested in them unless they’re tied to interesting gameplay techniques (Half Life 2) or in game rewards and changes (ME, CoD 4). I’ve ignored the achievements for every other game I’ve ever bought, even games that I loved to death like the new PoP. They just don’t matter to me, on all levels.

Still, if more games did what the above games do, I’d be all over them. Oh, and good for you for liking systems that don’t promote good design/play. It’s the only way to be!

]]> By: Ben Medler » Blog Archive » Intrinsic Achievements http://chungking.wordpress.com/2009/05/26/achievements-mechanics-or-aesthetics/#comment-418 Ben Medler » Blog Archive » Intrinsic Achievements Tue, 26 May 2009 23:16:14 +0000 http://chungking.wordpress.com/?p=619#comment-418 [...] player’s external achievement list, making it easier for players to know who is playing what (as Simon pointed out there are communities like Achieve360points and xbox360achievements that focus on [...] [...] player’s external achievement list, making it easier for players to know who is playing what (as Simon pointed out there are communities like Achieve360points and xbox360achievements that focus on [...]

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