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Do achievements take away from Gameplay?


RuggersAssassin
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Before you say no, let me explain myself. While playing Oblivion for the past 3 weeks I received all the achievements. When completing it I felt a somehwat void. In a way it was 100% completed achievement wise, yet theres still so much more to do. In a way, I feel like i'm done with the game and I did beat it. At the same time, I feel like I should go back and explore some more and do some side quests. The only reward in that though is self-accomplishment. In a way I think I have become relient on accomplishing games only to receive a reward like an achievement. This can be compared to a kid who asks what does he get for cleaning up his room? If he receives nothing then why do it many kids think. They want a reward, but sometimes they do it for their own good. Anyways, back on topic. I feel like i'm left to only playing games for a "reward". I still play multiplayer games and such, but at the same time I think achievements kind of took the Oblivion experience away from me. If I didn't know about achievements it probably would have took me years to beat it as I would explore everywhere and do every quest I receive. The achievementss though, left me to grind on the main storyline and for only do something that I was "rewarded" for. Back when I played Champions of Norrath (RPG), I explored every area and was not focused on grinding through the game. Me and my friends explored every side dungeon and the storyline came last. This is just the opposite in Oblivion. I ignored everything that didn't "reward" me besides a minor amount of side quests. In other ways though, achievements definetly add to gameplay. For example, in Halo 3:ODST I would have probably never reached 200,000 points on each map and explored firefight to this degree. The gameplay added a lot more hours of fun espcially with Endure which I did enjoy with a good team who got it on the first try from people on this site. There are probably tons of other example of this, but thats all I can think of for now. While playing South Park: Tower Defense the other day, even though I had all the achievements, I still wanted to unlock the videos and get medals. My friends response was, "Is there an achievement for it?" I think sometimes, again, we are left to the reliance on achievements. This was an instance where I wanted to play for fun and not an achievement. I'm not really a huge gamerscore person, but I do enjoy receiving achievements. Oblivion was the first game that made me think this and I'm worried I'm missing out on a wider experience when I focus on some achievements in games. Usually though, achievements expand my gameplay greatly. So my whole conclusion of this post is that do you think in some ways or aspects that achievements sometimes do leave a void in gameplay for expecially RPGs and other games that come of mind to you?

 

 

OH GOD HUGE WALL OF TEXT. Read this if lazy: (Felt like I typed little...)

 

So my whole conclusion of this post is that do you think in some ways or aspects that achievements sometimes do leave a void in gameplay for especially RPGs and/or other games that come of mind to you?

Edited by RuggersAssassin
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No one has required you to play a game to the point of getting all achievements and then never playing it again. I've put tons of hours into games like Forza 3, Fallout 3, COD 6, and other after getting all the achievements because I enjoyed those games and wanted to continue to play them even after I got every single achievement. Yes, I have played games just for achievements and never played those games again. But if I enjoy the games than I'm not going to let getting all the achievements dictate if I ever play the game again.

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I am mixed...on the one hand they give me something to really go back to games for and do things I might not have otherwise done...ala 3rd/4th playthroughs...however, I feel that sometimes the achievements can really detract from the gameplay. I suppose it depends on the game and how good the achievements are.

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No one has required you to play a game to the point of getting all achievements and then never playing it again. I've put tons of hours into games like Forza 3, Fallout 3, COD 6, and other after getting all the achievements because I enjoyed those games and wanted to continue to play them even after I got every single achievement. Yes, I have played games just for achievements and never played those games again. But if I enjoy the games than I'm not going to let getting all the achievements dictate if I ever play the game again.

 

I don't feel required to not explore the game anymore. I just feel like theres no purpose or point to. Of course Halo and CoD I will go back to and play along with all the Left 4 Dead games. I just feel, especially with Oblivion and it being an RPG its somewhat boring and non rewarding by yourself to go beyond achievements. The whole point of my post was that achievements kind of give you this sense of "completion" and accomplishment when in reality I still have a lot more to do in Oblivion.

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Personally, they don't. I know some people that try to get as much achievements as they can in their first playthrough, and I see that as taking away from gameplay.

 

I play the game, not purposely trying to unlock achievements, and I go through a second playthrough picking up anything I missed.

 

I do admit some games that are completely boring do become a bit more exciting when achievements are involved, though.

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The only achievements I feel take away from gameplay are those that require you to do a particular feat in multiplayer (Something like say, Snipe two people with one bullet) because of people who ignore the objective of the multiplayer match to instead try and get that achivement, thus damning the rest of the team to defeat.

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The only reward in that though is self-accomplishment.

 

Bingo. The only reward in achievements is self-accomplishment. Yes, you get some nifty little numbers thrown up on your Gamercard, but they only really mean anything to you.

 

I'm all for getting achievements and all, but I don't think they're important. If you want to do the side-quests and dungeons, then do them. You don't need an achievement to tell you how to play the game.

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not really , i mean yeah achivements gets you a little taste , but still i wouldn't think it would drive me out of the main gameplay , like seriously i'am achievement hunter and i wouldn't mind playing the worst game on xbox for getting an easy 1000G if i got a special discount on it or getting it free , talk a bout the people buying every game on xbox for achievements , now that's a total waste , but if they were collectors then it's good.. that's as far as i know .:woop:

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I think a few of you don't understand what I'm saying or are not reading the post. Don't just post to get that count up... I'm talking about one individual game. Not achievement hunting in a whole. Like Oblivion when you get those achievements you feel like you beat the game, but there is still a lot more to do. Do you feel like you missed out on the game then because of not exploring and just doing what is required of you for the achievements. Like only beating the main storyline and guilds while not doing the side quests and other dungeon crawls?

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I think a few of you don't understand what I'm saying or are not reading the post. Don't just post to get that count up... I'm talking about one individual game. Not achievement hunting in a whole. Like Oblivion when you get those achievements you feel like you beat the game, but there is still a lot more to do. Do you feel like you missed out on the game then because of not exploring and just doing what is required of you for the achievements. Like only beating the main storyline and guilds while not doing the side quests and other dungeon crawls?

 

For one I lol at you for the bolded. For another all responses can be pertained to the topic at hand even if you can not perceive it as so. You're asking generalized questions such as

 

So my whole conclusion of this post is that do you think in some ways or aspects that achievements sometimes do leave a void in gameplay for especially RPGs and/or other games that come of mind to you?
so you are getting generalized answers.
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So my whole conclusion of this post is that do you think in some ways or aspects that achievements sometimes do leave a void in gameplay for especially RPGs and/or other games that come of mind to you?

 

That's why people think you're speaking in general. You don't specify Oblivion, you ask a general question about Achievements and gameplay. Just saying.

 

Anyway, 'on topic', I went to every dungeon in Oblivion. I did all the achievements, but I also did everything I could find to do in the game. I filled the map, got tons of loot, and had a blast.

 

[Edit: PointPlaceWI beat me to the punch. :(]

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This is all so confusing !

 

So in response here is an headbanging yellow thing. :rock

 

Haven't played Oblivion yet but it's in my "one day I will play" mental list.

 

Vague is question breeds vague in answer. GIGO

 

If you were looking for a specific game and a yes or no answer....well that leaves it pretty open for mile-long game list posts. Wouldn't make for very interesting reads methinks.

 

I'm playing Shellshock ignoring the plot for points, because the game sucks. I'm playing Call of Juarez ignoring Achievements for the game, because it doesn't.

Edited by Opiate42
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Achievements give me a challenge, nowadays I generally tend to favour going through games on the hardest setting, unless it has to be unlocked. I would also ignore all collectables and such as I cared little about that sort of thing, I wouldn't even max out my character's level or such unless I really enjoyed a game.

 

For example, when I first got CoD 4 and MW2, I knew the achievements required Veteran and I proceeded to complete both within a day of purchase on Vet. It felt good, then I went and completely played through the multiplayer for CoD 4 afterwards for the next few months.

 

I just finished the Forsh Unleashed on Sith Master a couple hours ago. Normally I would at most get through on the medium difficulty, not get all the kill achievements, only get holocrons if I seem them and ignore practically everything else. This time I went through on Apprentice and then just went through again to finish everything.

 

The thing with Oblivion is that all the achievements were for the storyline only. Most RPG's now include side-quests etc. to some degree, Bethesda learnt from that with Fallout 3. Mass Effect required you to complete most of the game at least 3 times, and the second requires you do to at least five anomaly missions and loyalty missions.

 

I think you just found the odd one out, if anything, achievements generally add challenges and length to games now. If the achievements are good, you'll generally finish every part of a game.

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I think it works both ways, with games like Oblivion I was the same when I reached 100%, didn't see the need to carry on playing and moved onto other games, but move over to Dragon Age: Origins, this game I played through 3 times to get all achievements and enjoyed it so much that I did a fourth playthough just for my enjoyment, and I honestly fell that wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for at least the second playthrough (and possibly third) that I did partly to get the gamerscore.

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I believe Achievements are there to guide you through the process and give you a reward for doing something correctly. I have played Oblivion and I will continue to play it even after getting pretty much all the achievements because it's a fun challenging game. But I also just got done beating both Assassin's Creed's and the achievements are all about the story and making yourself better at the game. It deffinetly varies from game to game, but achievements are meant all in all to perfect your gaming experience with that game. Side quests and dungeons, those are for your entertainment purposes only, nobody likes going through a big huge sub dungeon and getting 5 gamer points, so why put that up there? I wouldn't, I would be content with the satisfaction that I did it and had fun doing it.

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For one I lol at you for the bolded. For another all responses can be pertained to the topic at hand even if you can not perceive it as so. You're asking generalized questions such as

 

so you are getting generalized answers.

 

I put the generalized questions because I know some people aren't going to take the time to read my wall of text. So thats why that was there. I guess I should remove it then. I just figured people would take the time to read before they post. And why do you "lol" at me. I have a decent amount of posts, but I only post when necessary. I have been here for 3 years... My posts are usually relevant and not a two sentence agreement. So I don't understand you there.

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I think a few of you don't understand what I'm saying or are not reading the post. Don't just post to get that count up... I'm talking about one individual game. Not achievement hunting in a whole. Like Oblivion when you get those achievements you feel like you beat the game, but there is still a lot more to do. Do you feel like you missed out on the game then because of not exploring and just doing what is required of you for the achievements. Like only beating the main storyline and guilds while not doing the side quests and other dungeon crawls?

 

 

well i did every single thing in oblivion , even after completing the achievements , you feel like 'oh there is a dungen i didn't explored' , and to be more specific if the game was spectacular i would get the feeling of hunting the side quests and other mini stuff , here is the thing if you like that game , you would complete every single thing in it , but if it was the opposite , then you'll be happy for finishing the game , and also happy for abandoning it .

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Personally, specifically to Oblivion, the achievements didn't matter at all to me. At the time I was just getting into the whole concept (having been a 'completionist' long before they even existed) and got them naturally enough whilst playing through it and played for many, many hours more (PC included) besides.

 

The same is true of several other games, most notably (and likely most relevant) being Fallout 3. But the same went for Dragon Age and Tales of Vesperia as well as non-RPGs such as Bayonetta, The Mega Drive Ultimate Collection and LMA Manager 2007. All well worth keeping as I know I'll be playing them again at some point (I'm the ebay if I'm forever done with it sort).

 

On the more general side of things I'd actually go the other way, far from stopping me playing a game once I have all the achievements (that doesn't really matter if I'm still having fun with the game, I only see the point in playing those I enjoy, ignoring how easy/hard/long/whatever achievements are) I have found them keeping me playing beyond what I normally would or outside of it it. Whilst I may have always 'completed' any game I had in the past I may not have set the same goals. In Fifa I'd be likely to play the Manager Mode ad nauseum and endlessly against friends, but seldom ranked for example. Sometimes leads to detracting from the fun if you want them all, sometimes really opening things up. Often I find my aims are far beyond what the achievements require in any case. I plan to pure Platinum Bayonetta ala DMC style (no achievement for that and a fair, but fun, undertaking) and likewise god knows how many hours I've put over and above what achievements require into various RPGs.

 

Anyway, I'd say it's an entirely personal thing. In my case it doesn't make a blind bit of difference for games the really hit home and in others gives me a good stopping point of knowing when I'm 'done'.

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I just thought of this and had a similar situation. I was at the end of Fable II, I could of easily have saved my game and reloaded to get all 3 of the end game achievements. I decided not to, as I wanted to enjoy the ending and not worry about G (although now that I think of it could have beaten the game then went back and got them).

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For me, they only add to the game. Achievements will keep me playing certain games, and enjoying them, long after I would if there was nothing to gain. However, the games that I really enjoy playing I will keep coming back to time and time again even after getting all the achievements.

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