A Dirty Little Secret

[Andy Chalk]

A Dirty Little Secret

Even a self-described PC gaming snob like Andy Chalk is not immune to the lure of Achievements.

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[The_root_of_all_evil]

I was upset when I didn't get an achievement for killing all 4 Survivors on L4D with a pounce.

We're not lowering ourselves to their level, we're just taking Achievements back for the GPCMR.

 

[Kross]

Now that you have something better then dialup, you can discover the wonderful world of Steam achievements. I think you will be pleasantly addicted. Like being pleasantly addicted to alcohol.

 

[John Funk]

http://www.wowarmory.com/character-achievements.xml?r=Sisters+of+Elune&n=Tieria

Believe me, Andy, I feel your pain.

Must... level... cooking to 325... for final Holiday recipe.

 

[Anton P. Nym]

Even a self-described PC gaming snob like Andy Chalk is not immune to the lure of Achievements.

one of us, one of us, one of us

-- Steve

 

[Chaos Marine]

One of the awesome things about Steam. Achievements, thanks to the SDK kit Valve released, allows any company who have a game on Steam to add them in. Doesn't matter if it's Quake II or GTA IV or UFO. Pity more Devs don't do it though.

 

[BoredKellon]

Funny how much Steam and Xbox Live have in common when you really look at it. The thing that makes steam better is it's free. Personally I don't get myself caught up in all this Console vs. PC stuff. I have my XBOX connected to my TV that sits beside my PC desk. I have Left 4 Dead for PC, and COD 4 for console, I mix it up and it's really up to the game and who I know is gonna play it which system I get it for. I'm currently saving up for a Wii, but the PS3 is nowhere in my future unless there's a serious price drop and it get's more exclusives that I want to play, though I am eyeing MAG. My point, who gives a fuck what system you play on, we're all gamers.

Also I think it's good that consoles are taking things good about PC and using them to improve the console experience and vice versa, it improves gaming as a whole. To be ashamed of liking something because it was popularized by "the enemy" seems childish and stubborn. Perhaps instead of looking at it as a strike against yourself as a PC gamer, if you like achievments then look at it as a way in which PC gaming is improving.

 

[Dudemeister]

I know that sinking feeling when you realize you really want those achievements.
"You're a filthy whore and you deserve nothing!"

 

[stompy]

I actually like achievements. They give me a carrot on a stick; something to work for, to continue playing the game after I've finished the main story-line. Yes, I should be able to do that without achievements, but I'm not a very motivated person when it comes to gaming, and achievements allow me to, well, achieve.

That said, are probably not so good when someone plays exclusively of achievements...

 

[LewsTherin]

Meh. I go for the Valve achievements just for the challenge. Pulling that damn gnome three quarters of the way across the game and mercilessly commiting antlion genocide are all in a day's work I suppose. But some are just ridiculous.

I'm looking at you Man vs. Tank.

 

[Ralackk]

The only game I have gone for achievements on is Team Fortress 2. Then only because after collecting a certain number of achievements you unlock new weapons for the classes. This is what many games lack with their achievements, rewards beyond the virtual pat on the back. For many achievements I just don't see the point in being told well done you did something in the game regardless of if it was hard or not.

What am I missing? because I seem to be in an ever decreasing number of people that don't care much for the achievement system.

 

[Andy Chalk]

Now that you have something better then dialup, you can discover the wonderful world of Steam achievements. I think you will be pleasantly addicted. Like being pleasantly addicted to alcohol.

Steam achievements? Seriously?

God help me.

 

[olicon]

Console games are good and all. But when it comes to FPS, nothing beats good ol' PC. It always annoy me why they don't just put in mouse and keyboard control for console versions already, despite the consoles having USB ports.
I don't think I care much about achievements. The only achievement that people can effectively rub in my face is when that Scout crammed his Scattergun down my throat and pulled the trigger. I don't care if you have achievement for owning half a trillion people if you haven't frag me yet.

 

[Miral]

Steam achievements? Seriously?

God help me.

You mean you don't know about them? HL2:E2 onwards (incl Portal and TF2) all have them, as do a few third party games (Penny Arcade springs to mind).

Heck, even Spore has achievements, and they had to do it all themselves.

To view your Steam achievements, go to steamcommunity.com, log in, click on "View all X games" then look for any games that have a View Stats link. (I know, I know, it's really obvious. )

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Sort of like this

http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197971965320/stats/TF2?tab=achievements

I'm a bit of an achievement whore.

 

[Solivagus]

I'm not particularly amazed with the Achievement System. Sure, it's fun to kill a group of enemies in a new way and have the little window pop up with an almost witty achievement name, but beyond that it doesn't keep me interested enough to see that little window pop up again. It tends to create bad habits. The meritocratic system in gaming changes the purpose of playing from enjoyment to receiving a reward for playing (a fleeting sense of accomplishment, I suppose). As if gaming was some kind of taboo and the only way to feel good about it is if you have something to show for it.

 

[moromete]

High scores and leaderboard competition I can understand. After all you aim to demonstrate that you are better than all those who are placed after you. Achievements I cannot understand. Most of them are easy to get and those who are not often require a gamer to do something they wouldn't normally do in the game. And for what? For the chance to brag about them? I have better things to talk about after playing Fallout 3 than what Achievements I unlocked. So I simply did not try to get them to work on my PC... Even the message informing me I was logged into GfW annoyed me.

 

[Jsnoopy]

Achievements I cannot understand. Most of them are easy to get and those who are not often require a gamer to do something they wouldn't normally do in the game.

It really depends on the games you play. If you play a crappy little kids game, then yes most of them are easy to get and not very alluring to have. But if you play other games, for example CoD 4 or GTA IV, then you see much more challenging and yes, engaging, achievements, some of which demand perfection, (*cough* mile high club*) and while yes all of the elite gamers can get them, it still makes it special when you, most likely an average or above average gamer gets an extremely hard or rather rare achievement. Thats why I like them. They take a game that is fun and as long as you like achievements, extends that fun just a little bit more.

 

[hypothetical fact]

The only true downside of achievments is when you join a multiplayer game but instead of playing the game, everyone starts linnig up so they can take turns killing each other.