I don't go for hundred percent in pokemon games, but I don't think people that do are mad. It is just setting a goal that is a bit tougher and will take longer time to complete and then strive to reach that goal. I don't see how it is any more mad than say mining for hours to build a giant, golden cock and balls in minecraft.
Extra Punctuation: Pokemon 100 Percenters Are Mad
- Thread starter Yahtzee Croshaw
- Start date
Most of the time I see these fetch quests and I do say fuck it because no, I am not gonna sink an extra 5 hours into Fable III to catch all the knomes. Not unless there is a really neat reward at the end of it.
I will say, however, that I did go about catching all 150 pokemon in Red/Blue. I had beaten both copies of the game, and I had done the glitch for masterballs so it was all the little effort of just going to a location, finding the pokemon, throwing the ball. Pretty easy, a days work that would leave me feeling accomplished.
I got up to 149, and my white whale became a Taurus. That was incredibly hard to find in the safari zone and harder to catch. Eventually I got frustrated and couple weeks later I bought a Gameshark. Caught that fucker and Mew and then I was all happy. It hardly counted as cheating to me, the equal to spending 20 dollars in a crane-game-machine trying to get a stuff toy before going to the store manager and asking "Hey man, I've already dropped way more then what the toy is worth, can you just open it up and give it to me?"
I've never attempted to catch them all after that. Hell, who would? Could anyone even do it legitimately these days?
I will say, however, that I did go about catching all 150 pokemon in Red/Blue. I had beaten both copies of the game, and I had done the glitch for masterballs so it was all the little effort of just going to a location, finding the pokemon, throwing the ball. Pretty easy, a days work that would leave me feeling accomplished.
I got up to 149, and my white whale became a Taurus. That was incredibly hard to find in the safari zone and harder to catch. Eventually I got frustrated and couple weeks later I bought a Gameshark. Caught that fucker and Mew and then I was all happy. It hardly counted as cheating to me, the equal to spending 20 dollars in a crane-game-machine trying to get a stuff toy before going to the store manager and asking "Hey man, I've already dropped way more then what the toy is worth, can you just open it up and give it to me?"
I've never attempted to catch them all after that. Hell, who would? Could anyone even do it legitimately these days?
I can't say I ever attempted to catch them all, I was only ever interested in forming a party that was both fun to play with and could hold their own against my friends. Once I did that I tended not to be that much appeal to continue.
I'm guilty of being a completitionist whore... sometimes... the most recent game I finished with all 100% thingies I needed to collect was with Batman: Arkham Asylum with it's Riddler Puzzles.
In fact, the only games that makes me want to collect everything are the Metroidvania style of games, Arkham Asylum included. Games like Shadow Complex, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Cave Story, Super Metroid and Metroid Prime Trilogy makes me want to complete them 100%, because more often than not, those games gives you a cool reward, be it an insanely powerful weapon, lots of artwork, lots of interesting story logs (Metroid Prime Trilogy and Arkham Asylum) even a "true ending" is what motivates me more than the achievements that are tied to them. They're not exactly oral sex, but it's a lot more rewarding than a simple "certificate" that tells you how many hours you wasted to get a fucking virtual sheet of paper.
I once tried to "Catch 'em all" back in the initial years of high school with Pokémon Yellow, but I quickly gave up, just as Yahtzee said, it's simply madness.
In fact, the only games that makes me want to collect everything are the Metroidvania style of games, Arkham Asylum included. Games like Shadow Complex, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Cave Story, Super Metroid and Metroid Prime Trilogy makes me want to complete them 100%, because more often than not, those games gives you a cool reward, be it an insanely powerful weapon, lots of artwork, lots of interesting story logs (Metroid Prime Trilogy and Arkham Asylum) even a "true ending" is what motivates me more than the achievements that are tied to them. They're not exactly oral sex, but it's a lot more rewarding than a simple "certificate" that tells you how many hours you wasted to get a fucking virtual sheet of paper.
I once tried to "Catch 'em all" back in the initial years of high school with Pokémon Yellow, but I quickly gave up, just as Yahtzee said, it's simply madness.
I can kind of see your point Yahtzee.
I completed Valkyria Chronicles 100%, and let me tell you, that game was quite difficult to 100%. In order to get the best ranking, you have to be spot on with your actions and movements. For many missions, there is very little room for error. So I had to save and reload constantly just so I can past one part in a mission. It didn't help that the load times were ridiculously long, so it became quite maddening for me at times.
I did feel immensly satisfied when I finally did 100% the game however. Looking back though, I much prefered playing the game like how I did when I first played, casually, and not caring about the rankings.
As for Pokemon, I can never see myself getting all the Pokemon. You'd have to be a pretty dedicated Pokemon player to even get close to catching them all.
I completed Valkyria Chronicles 100%, and let me tell you, that game was quite difficult to 100%. In order to get the best ranking, you have to be spot on with your actions and movements. For many missions, there is very little room for error. So I had to save and reload constantly just so I can past one part in a mission. It didn't help that the load times were ridiculously long, so it became quite maddening for me at times.
I did feel immensly satisfied when I finally did 100% the game however. Looking back though, I much prefered playing the game like how I did when I first played, casually, and not caring about the rankings.
As for Pokemon, I can never see myself getting all the Pokemon. You'd have to be a pretty dedicated Pokemon player to even get close to catching them all.
As someone who -is- a 100 percenter, I can safely say that i'm still having fun doing it. Sure, many wind up turning it into work, but it's about knowing when you've crossed that lin. Once playing a game becomes a chore- i'm out. But something about pokemon always genuinely makes me happy playing; maybe its the design, maybe the atmosphere, or even the general nature of the game. It has never felt like work trying to reach that elusive completed national pokedex - and I for one am always willing to keep at the challenge. Is it wrong? does it make me a madman? well, I don't think so - but if that's the only label that'll stick, so be it then.
You know, I don't think Yahtzee realized how apt his Windwaker comparison was. You actually have to do the photos twice: once in black and white, and once in color, and I don't believe it can be done without also completing the game twice. AAAaaaaand, my friend did it.
I maxed out Pokemon Red, but I had a cousin who played with me on a regular basis and it was quite fun to play that way.
I maxed out Pokemon Red, but I had a cousin who played with me on a regular basis and it was quite fun to play that way.
I occasionally 100% games... I also have fun doing it!
See I only try to get 100% on games where going through casually gets me close to 100% and the last few things I need to do are easy to do.
Also some achievements are fun to try and complete, the last one I had fun getting was "One Free Bullet" in Half Life 2: Episode 1 (Go through the entire game only firing one bullet. You're only allowed to use the Crowbar, Gravity Gun, Grenades and Rocket Launcher) it was very fun, especially when I ran out of stuff to throw at people and ended up repeatedly throwing a stick at someones face for a minute until they died.
Though I'd never set out in a game to try and get 100%... I'm not insane...
See I only try to get 100% on games where going through casually gets me close to 100% and the last few things I need to do are easy to do.
Also some achievements are fun to try and complete, the last one I had fun getting was "One Free Bullet" in Half Life 2: Episode 1 (Go through the entire game only firing one bullet. You're only allowed to use the Crowbar, Gravity Gun, Grenades and Rocket Launcher) it was very fun, especially when I ran out of stuff to throw at people and ended up repeatedly throwing a stick at someones face for a minute until they died.
Though I'd never set out in a game to try and get 100%... I'm not insane...
I certainly thought Gold/Silver were cool way back when. Back then, adding 100 new Pokemon was practically game-changing to my young mind. However, Ruby/Sapphire was already starting to become a moot point. This was what? Two generations ago? Hell, even GameSpot is lowering their ratings for the Pokemon games for the reason that they are exactly the same. There is so much they could do aside from recycling the same concept, such as changing their turn-based system to something more dynamic, like what you see in the Pokemon cartoons. Certainly, technology isn't limiting them with this. However, when people blindly buy Pokemon games for the sheer reason that they are Pokemon games (I asked my friend if he was getting one right before they came out and his response was "I guess so, I kind of get them out of habit now."), GameFreak has no need to innovate because they're making crazy amounts of money regardless.
Yahtzee, I remember your critique 2 weeks ago of DA2 being a coat-tail game developed solely for the guaranteed profits. Something tells me you should have saved that line for another week.
Yahtzee, I remember your critique 2 weeks ago of DA2 being a coat-tail game developed solely for the guaranteed profits. Something tells me you should have saved that line for another week.
interesting stuff but you (Yahtzee) should take a look at the Extra Credits episode about the "Skinner Box", around half of the things discussed in the article are explained there, achievements, tiny rewards for killing every gold skulltullas and even the blowies for catchin em all are skinner box techniques.
Or I go for 100% just for the mental satisfaction it brings?
That said, "catching 'em all" is an absolutely insane task. You could probably 100% a fucking Disgaea game, in the time it would require. So...many...cartridge...transfers...
That said, "catching 'em all" is an absolutely insane task. You could probably 100% a fucking Disgaea game, in the time it would require. So...many...cartridge...transfers...
This is something I can safely say I haven't fallen into. Despite spending a lot of time playing games, I think I've checked the achievements lists on the X-Box and Playstation maybe once a piece only because I was scrolling through looking for something else. Most of my games are lucky to have a third of their achievements finished and I've felt no urge to go back and try again because, you don't get anything. Which I totally don't understand. Is it so hard to implement just a series of tiny bonuses of some fashion into the game for completing these achievements? I don't need a whole other level but make shooting 1000 rats using only my pistol during the daytime give me something other than "Daytime Rat Shooter!" appear on screen for two seconds. Make the rats vanish during the day cause they're too scared to come out, give me a gun that shoots little rat heads, or just give my pistol a 2% damage increase. Just, something.
i got 100% in lego star wars 2 but onley the last half an hour wase not fun... i onley did it so i hade 100%... those that macke me a 100 percenter? i don't do that in other games... i meen i kind of do but just because i licke the side quests... if it's something i don't licke i ignoree it. still: lego star wars 2: am i a 100 percenter?
BTW Yahtzee is one of the few people i consider my heroes... there's him, Jesus, and Elena Udrea (the last one is a little sarcasm 4 the small romanian comunity on escapist). just wanted to get that off my chest...
BTW Yahtzee is one of the few people i consider my heroes... there's him, Jesus, and Elena Udrea (the last one is a little sarcasm 4 the small romanian comunity on escapist). just wanted to get that off my chest...
I think that the basis for this criticism of pokemon stems from Yahtzee's admitted lack of familiarity with the series. It is an understandable, common, and easily forgiveable misconception. The "Gotta Catch 'Em All!" tagline was pushed extremely heavily during the first edition of games, mainly because it encouraged kids to play longer and highlighted the then-innoventive ability to swap pokemon between games. The "catch them all" concept was kept in subsequent releases because of how deeply ingrained the idea had become in people's concept of the franchise. After the 250 pokemon madness that was the original Gold and Silver however, Gamefreak began watering the idea down. In Ruby and Saphire they yell at you to complete the pokedex, but "completion" is kept within the context of that game's new pokemon. While it was possible to transfer pokemon from older games, the idea kept itself pretty much under the radar. I believe Diamond and Pearl took a similar approach, although I never played them so I can't really say. So far so whatever. It was in the re-releases of Gold and Silver that the notion of catching them all really began to take a back seat. In Heartgold and Soulsilver your stated goal, as given to you by the unspeakably overbearing NPCs thrusting their mandates upon you, is to beat the pokemon league (i.e. get all the bagdes and beat the Elite Four). As for the pokedex, Professor Oak still gives you the mission of filling it up but his dialogue is changed in an important way. He tells you that you should "Try" and fill it up with "as many types as you can". This is a big shift from "Must" and "All of them". It also shows the game cleaving closer to what the majority of people playing these games actually did. In Black and White the game's focus becomes even less ambiguous. The pokedex now no longer puts pokemon you have seen and pokemon you have actually captured into separate categories. All you need do to fulfill the "Catch 'Em All" sidequest (and it is now most certainly a sidequest to the main storyline) is fight each of the NEW pokemon in battle. This is quite an easy task to accomplish, or at least get far along in, without ever once deviating from the normal course of play. Furthermore, the device can't even record any of the old 400+ monsters until after the main game, which is elementary because none of them appear in game.
In short, I wholeheartedly agree that completionists are weird. My brother is one, although he genuinely does seem to enjoy getting everything, since its a means of exploring and experiencing every part of a game. He may be a mild case, however, since if getting 100% turns out to be miserably unenjoyable he stops playing. The pokemon games, despite their lack of radical innovation, must be acknowledged for both their continual minute refinements of the formula and for channeling those refinements in a direction which is increasingly consistent with the way that their games are actually played by their audience.
In short, I wholeheartedly agree that completionists are weird. My brother is one, although he genuinely does seem to enjoy getting everything, since its a means of exploring and experiencing every part of a game. He may be a mild case, however, since if getting 100% turns out to be miserably unenjoyable he stops playing. The pokemon games, despite their lack of radical innovation, must be acknowledged for both their continual minute refinements of the formula and for channeling those refinements in a direction which is increasingly consistent with the way that their games are actually played by their audience.
I don?t quite get 100%ers. I mean, I go and see how much stuff I can find in the game, particularly if it?s helpful. I like exploring and just finding things, I have a pretty good go at it but it?s no big deal if I miss something. As soon as I get sick and bored of it I continue on in the game and forget about it, especially if I?ve looked it up and the payoff does not seem adequate.
I have a friend who is one of these people, she just seems endlessly frustrated by it though, and it genuinely pains her, or at least greatly annoys her when she can?t do it or misses something. The enjoyment doesn?t really seem to be in the doing but in the feeling of accomplishment afterwards. I get a sense of accomplishment for pretty much everything I manage to find; she doesn?t get that until everything is accounted for and everything that she doesn?t find is a little black mark raining on her parade.
I have a friend who is one of these people, she just seems endlessly frustrated by it though, and it genuinely pains her, or at least greatly annoys her when she can?t do it or misses something. The enjoyment doesn?t really seem to be in the doing but in the feeling of accomplishment afterwards. I get a sense of accomplishment for pretty much everything I manage to find; she doesn?t get that until everything is accounted for and everything that she doesn?t find is a little black mark raining on her parade.
