are achievements overrated?

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

Bleep Bloop: You have pressed the "X" button to not die.

 

[The_Healer]

I love achievements!

Gives me new interesting goals after playing the game through once.

 

[Jekken6]

It'd be awesome if, like others have suggested, for every X amount of gamercore, you get Y amount of MS points. Or when you platinum a PS3 game that has DLC, you get a free piece of DLC or dicount on DLC for that game.

In game rewards AND trophies/achievements are nice as well.

 

[monkey_man]

is it fun to spend hours of work for something, only to let the game tell you "congratulations , you got no life at all! let's reward that with a shiny achievement!"

Isn't that what happens after you beat a game?
"Congratz! You just beat -insert game here-"
Why do you play games then? They don't have a real reward.
.
.

no, i like games, for the story or just for some cool things like good sharing systems or exelent gameplay. but i also think achievements are just... too much of a report of "congratulations , you got no life at all!".
still they work if there is some reward for them; like guns or health or anything (except points ) but otherwise..

 

[NickCaligo42]

Yeah, they don't really do anything for me. I'm not aggressively opposed to them, but I do wish that they'd at least be somewhat unusual and have a correlation to some actual sense of reward. I honestly don't get any of this "gamerscore" stuff.

 

[TheBarefootBandit]

Achievements may be important to some and not to others. Once I got the inFamous platinum, I just couldn't give a damn about any others

 

[Dr Namgge]

It depends on the achievements. Some are worthwhile for actually being something as an achievement, like getting through a very tricky level without taking a hit, or going through a level without anyone seeing you. Those are worthwhile. Many however aren't. I mean yes, playing the game enough to get 5,000 headshots is an achievement, but it's hardly challenging in the same sense as it'll get done eventually regardless of how good or bad a player someone is.

Then there are games that give them out like candy. 10 points for clearing each level, 20 points for beating a boss, 50 points purely for buying everything in-game. The lazy achievements, where you'll get them not necessarily through playing exceptionally well, but you get them just because the developer was forced to add them.

I think achievements are only worthwhile if they're not something to get just for beating the game. Beating the game is it's own reward, achievements are more challenging, things that are optional ways to play the game that would make it harder. Things like speedruns, pacifist runs, no magic runs, those sort of things. Basically if you get the achievement at the same time you unlock something in game, what's the point of the achievement?

 

[Kiutu]

It helps me feel like I complete a game. I like collecting things too, so its one of those things. There are some however who take it too far, on both sides. People who will do anything for points (achievement sluts I call em ((achievement whores get something out of it, sluts just get it where they can))) but also some who hate them too much.

 

[monkey_man]

is it fun to spend hours of work for something, only to let the game tell you "congratulations , you got no life at all! let's reward that with a shiny achievement!"

Isn't that what happens after you beat a game?
"Congratz! You just beat -insert game here-"
Why do you play games then? They don't have a real reward.
.
.

hell yeah they do! if you played a game you just couldnt finish, put it away for some time, remembered it and actually finished it doesnt it feel great? or make you feel you finished something? i think the games do matter, but the ingame rewards dont. like achievements for points

if you get something for them , like guns health etc.etc. they matter. otherwise not really
*EDIT* sorry for the loong waiting time for an responce, if you wanted one

 

[monkey_man]

also i like them, for the small reward of getting SOME, but after a couple of them i get bored and move on.
i actually meant the hunting of them all, by playing, playing and playing until you get them all.thats just plain silly

It depends on the achievements. Some are worthwhile for actually being something as an achievement, like getting through a very tricky level without taking a hit, or going through a level without anyone seeing you. Those are worthwhile. Many however aren't. I mean yes, playing the game enough to get 5,000 headshots is an achievement, but it's hardly challenging in the same sense as it'll get done eventually regardless of how good or bad a player someone is.

Then there are games that give them out like candy. 10 points for clearing each level, 20 points for beating a boss, 50 points purely for buying everything in-game. The lazy achievements, where you'll get them not necessarily through playing exceptionally well, but you get them just because the developer was forced to add them.

I think achievements are only worthwhile if they're not something to get just for beating the game. Beating the game is it's own reward, achievements are more challenging, things that are optional ways to play the game that would make it harder. Things like speedruns, pacifist runs, no magic runs, those sort of things. Basically if you get the achievement at the same time you unlock something in game, what's the point of the achievement?

you understand what i tried to say

 

[mikecoulter]

Yes, personally I don't care for them.

 

[irishstormtrooper]

Short answer: Yes.

Longer Answer: Yes, because they have no significance in games other than to show how long you spend playing them. Maybe if getting a certain amount of Achievements/Trophies in a certain amount of games got you free Microsoft Points/PlayStation Store money, they might become something other than arbitrary. However, giving away free stuff is a terrible business strategy, so Achievements/Trophies will never, ever, have any significance.

 

[Left4Meds]

They're rather fun to do once you've completed a game like Half-Life Ep. 2 and all the Left 4 Dead 2 achievements with friends. So not really, it keeps the game's replayability.

 

[Left4Meds]

man I really don't care,I'm just waitin for nintendo to add achievements to their games

That seems like waiting for a lost cause.
It'd give me something to do with my Wii seeing as how I have every freaking SSBB trophy.

 

[Lamppenkeyboard]

I like achievements. Some people just ***** about them, though. Seriously, if you don't like the achievement system, then just ignore it. There is literally no effect on your gaming experience.

 

[Woodsey]

Not overrated, just talked about waaaay too much.

They extend the life of a game for some people, that's it. Let's face it, the higher your Gamerscore the more socially-inept you likely are, so it's not like anyone has anything to brag about.

 

[TelHybrid]

It's just a way of tracking game progress. No need to be offended by them, they won't hurt you.

 

[ItsAPaul]

I haven't played a game that was worse because of them yet, so I really can't complain. I will never care what achievements I get though.

 

[squid5580]

Short answer: Yes.

Longer Answer: Yes, because they have no significance in games other than to show how long you spend playing them. Maybe if getting a certain amount of Achievements/Trophies in a certain amount of games got you free Microsoft Points/PlayStation Store money, they might become something other than arbitrary. However, giving away free stuff is a terrible business strategy, so Achievements/Trophies will never, ever, have any significance.

You forgot about a little something in there. Some people have FUN getting them. They don't need free stuff or special rewards to enjoy them. They don't look at thier gamerscore as thier E-peen. Just because you don't have fun with them doesn't mean others can't. They may not be significant to you and that is fine. To others fun is a significant part of gaming. And part of that fun is unlocking well thought out achievements.