Megalith's just pissed I overtook him on GFF's leaderboard last night. Why lie.

I didn't really understand the whole achievement thing until I actually got a 360, but they're surprisingly addictive. Most of them may not do anything, but for some reason it does add incentive to enjoy some games more thoroughly. I likely never would've bothered with all the rooftop races or climbed to the top of the Agency Tower in Crackdown. Not because they weren't fun things to do, but because it gets tedious after awhile if there's no reason at all.

I don't care for achievements like "play through the entire game with ____ weapon" or ones that require beating the game multiple times, but since they're entirely optional they're not something I get upset about either. If one seems like it wouldn't be any fun I just don't go for it.

Developers have done stuff like this for years, they just weren't called achievements. Like optional dungeons in RPGs where you get uber gear. Uber gear that you don't need because the enemies you beat to get it are harder then the last boss. Or games that have unlockable artwork, does anyone actually look at the artwork after they originally unlock it?

Wow, that is bloody retarded. I wasted plenty of time getting all medals and perfecting the save, and now they want us to redo everything. To hell with that.

I've actually wondered this myself for a long time. Anyone know someone who does this? If so, please give them a wedgie on behalf of sane people everywhere.

I mean, sure, the artwork unlockables are neat, but... those always felt kind of half-assed. "Oh, let's just scan some pieces of paper I have lying around and make them do stupid shit to be able to see my doodles I drew while I was masturbating."

Do you mean any type of artwork such as the illustrations in Soul Calibur IV or Heavenly Sword? If so then Consider myself Wedgie'd.
Yeah its a very dumb and simple feature but I enjoy looking at the sketches and the art styles especially when I can't find that artbook online. Basically I enjoy them because I see the way it was colored or the way it is outlined and try out that style for myself or just enjoy the texture of the clothing or background so I can do such things as create fanart or original artwork in that style.
It's a bit geeky yes, but I think/hope that I'm not the only one that does this ~_~

I just remembered something about achievements that made me angry. A story, in fact. About me and a member of GFF and longtime friend of mine, Rotorblade.

I am not so great at Dead or Alive. Not because of any specific reason, just don't really give a shit. I find out one day that my friend has Dead or Alive 4, so I figure what the hell, let's give it a shot. Anyway, the little cocksucker counters everything and I wish he'd die. Pick something other than Ayane you fucking asshole.

This goes on for a while, until I see *gasp* an achievement! *Gasp* TWO achievements!

Achievement Unlocked: Ten Straight Losses.

Achievement Unlocked: Achieve Grade "D"

They are both worth 0 points. So why do they exist? To remind me that I lost TEN TIMES IN A ROW? So people can see it and think I'll be an easy fight? Those were fucking stupid. As soon as I got them, I put the disc in the case, and put the case on a shelf, and have yet to even consider opening it again. That could also be because it's pretty shitty, but whatever.

This is the first good usage of achievements I've seen.

YOU'RE THE MAN NOW D--*headshot*

Yeah, beating those optional dungeons is not exactly rewarding, cause most of the time those dungeons are harder and a waste of time.

No, if I want the artwork, I just download it.




But yes sometimes I try to get the artwork or all achievements in general, just cause I don't want the screen to have the "Locked" or greyed-out image on it.


And showing online some kind of unbelievable achievement will get you flamed, and people will just say how "non-lifer" you are. :/

Some of us play games because, you know, we hope they're actually fun.

FUCK YOU BOTH FUCK YOU BOTH FUCK YOU BOTH FUCK YOU BOTH!!!!!!!

You obviously haven't seen the N+ achievement for dying 1,000 times.

Kudos to anyone who can actually beat that game without getting it. ;_;

I was so CLOSE god damn it.

You get an achievement for pressing START in the Simpsons game. Its literally called "Easiest. Achievement. Ever."

One could argue the Soul Calibur IV achievement for sitting through the opening movie without skipping it is easier, since it requires you to do absolutely nothing except turn the system on.

Some games do make rewards for that. Take Persona 4 for example, to get "such-and-such" character's secret weapon, you kill "this" extra boss in "that" dungeon. Not to mention, with some people, taking on the optional dungeons is more of a set challenge for them. You may think it's a waste of time, but then later on, those optional dungeons could turn into something to go back and to play and test your ability on.

They're just jealous. :p

Guitar Hero 2 has the same thing. Just watch the closing credits and turn your TV off (It has to be about 15 minutes long)

Late to the conversation, I know, but originally I thought the achievements were part of the microsoft points, in that you could earn achievements and then buy some of the XBLA titles with the points you've earned.

I don't own a 360, so I'm assuming alot of the achievements are rather difficult to get and you can get up to 1000 per game, correct? If Microsoft would've ditched the whole 800 pts. = 10 bucks and gone to a straight 1-to-1 system, then it could've worked theoretically.

No, it wouldn't have. Devs determine what achievements their games have and what the point value for that is. Difficulty doesn't correspond with point value. You'd be giving some people free content for no work and some for some actually difficult tasks.

Not only that, free games for playing games in and of itself is retarded. Thinking "well, it could have worked" is completely ridiculous.

Maybe it couldn't have worked, but it would have been pretty rad.

And I'd like free groceries because I eat a lot. Still a ludicrous idea.

What? In the US, it at one time was not uncommon to get free food when you had eaten a lot. For example, if you were to eat 50 subway sandwiches, you could get a free subway sandwich.

They still do that actually. Except you cheat and get free food without actually ordering the meals, russ.

That is exactly what I thought Achievements were at first. Imagine my dismay when I found out it was for epenis enlargement.

I really dislike Achievements as I feel that they add very little to games. Now I will admit that sometimes they are done right, Mass Effect, but generally they're just lazy and are granted for doing the critical path. Oh great I completed the first level. Wow 100 points! Oh I used the power for the first time that is necessary to complete this puzzle. 20 points! I don't seek out Achievements. Assassin's Creed's collect all 50 million flags? Yeah fuck that. I did collect some because they were there but I did not seek them out. I know you don't have to get them but they are generally forced down upon you just by doing the critical path. And they detract from the experience, at least I feel they do, as they sometimes pop up during a cinematic that is supposed to be poignant. I know that they can be turned off but that turns off all notifications so sometimes I don't know when my friends message me or whatever. However again that's a plus if playing a serious game.

I can tell you my most annoying Achievements. It was crushing 500 cubes in WALL-E while I was testing it. I can get 100 of the energy cubes no problem. But getting the rest is just tedious. I would complete the critical path and then go back to the first level and sit there for about 15 or 20 minutes just crushing cubes in order to get the damned Achievement for unlock. Will I do that again to get 1000 points? And waste 3 hours of my life? Fuck no!

Either way I know they're here to stay so I just end up mocking them instead.

I love this shit. Then DON'T GO FOR IT, SMARTASS.

If you're testing it to make sure it pops, that's your job. But if you're just playing the game, fucking ignore them and move on. They are not DETRACTING FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE. Why do you make it out like they are? No one's going to care if you have them or not, they're there for your own enjoyment if you decide to pursue them. That's all.

Fucking rocket science here.

The only problem with Achievements is that the information on how to get them is widely available. If they were just little rewards that popped up as total surprises, they'd be a net plus. As it is, people make these CHECKLISTS and go fucking OCD about the whole thing because THEY MUST CATCH THEM ALL.

Achievements are fine. It's Collectorfaggotry that annoys people.