What's so great about Trophies?

[NoSeraph]

So I've been reading through some of the threads and I've noticed that a common comment from many posts have to do with Trophies.

In many cases, people like to comment on how excited they are to have gotten some trophy for doing something on a game. This is all well and good - you killed X monsters with Weapon Y, good for you.

What I don't quite understand is why some people decline to buy games without "Trophy Support". As I see now, trophies don't add any features to the game other than a little box that says "Trophy awarded" in the corner of the screen. It would be one thing if trophies granted an in-game perk of some sort, but as of now, I don't think so.

Is there are feature somewhere down the road that I'm missing? Or are people just hungry for some sort of material token for completing a game?

What do you guys (or girls) think about this, and about trophies and achievements in general?

 

[axia777]

They give an extra reason to replay a game and achieve something more concrete than just beating it again.

 

[Sgt. Dante]

Why are XBOX-achievements any better?

They don't add anything to a game, but they don't detract from it... It's simply a thing in place to add a bit more of a sense of accomplishment to a game, but i feel that it's ultimately pointless, as a good game will have a feature like that built in and reward you accordingly

(for example; ratchet and clanks "skill point" system)

 

[Crudler]

Well, I had a 360 and had 25000 or so gamerpoints and it was all so frivolous. Long story short my Xbox was dying, sold it and got a PS3 and I was and am very happy with it. One of the reasons is the lack of achievement style things. Trophies are okay but I do like games not having them, I don't need some petty award that is good for nothing else than making showing just how sad someone is.
I realise there are a few games with trophies and I do say 'Hey, a trophy cool.' but I don't outwardly strive for them.

Seriously though, make them good for something, such as unlocking pictures or something as ridiculous as that or else stop showing off your e-penis. (That was directed at achievement whores though, everyone else is okay (Unless you boast about it that is))

 

[shadow skill]

Well, I had a 360 and had 25000 or so gamerpoints and it was all so frivolous. Long story short my Xbox was dying, sold it and got a PS3 and I was and am very happy with it. One of the reason is the lack of achievement style things. Trophies are okay but I do like games not having them, I don't need some petty award that is good for nothing else than making showing just how sad someone is.
I realise there are a few games with trophies and I do say 'Hey, a trophy cool.' but I don't outwardly strive for them.

Seriously though, make them good for something, such as unlocking pictures or something as ridiculous as that or else stop showing off your e-penis. (That was directed at achievement whores though, everyone else is okay (Unless you boast about it that is))

The plan for trophies is to make them redeemable for stuff in Home.

 

[J-Man]

They're for people who need re-assurance that they're good players.

Alternatively, they can show new and interesting ways to play (e.g. TF2), but that doesn't stop people from bragging and thinking they're superior because they have them.

And in some cases they're completely pointless, and are a cheap novelty used by devs to keep players interested (e.g. "Get Some Grub" HL2, Ep2).

 

[Crudler]

Well, I had a 360 and had 25000 or so gamerpoints and it was all so frivolous. Long story short my Xbox was dying, sold it and got a PS3 and I was and am very happy with it. One of the reasons is the lack of achievement style things. Trophies are okay but I do like games not having them, I don't need some petty award that is good for nothing else than making showing just how sad someone is.
I realise there are a few games with trophies and I do say 'Hey, a trophy cool.' but I don't outwardly strive for them.

Seriously though, make them good for something, such as unlocking pictures or something as ridiculous as that or else stop showing off your e-penis. (That was directed at achievement whores though, everyone else is okay (Unless you boast about it that is))

The plan for trophies is to make them redeemable for stuff in Home.

Well, see that's a good idea. But you know, only if home were better.
Still, the Xbox finds them lacking in use.

 

[NoSeraph]

That's a good idea - I'd much rather pay with my trophies instead of spending real money for fake furniture.

 

[Bantis]

I think for many gamers (at least for what I would consider as more hard core gamers) there is an obsessive kind of completion-ism factor at work. There is just something about totally completing a game for some, and I would consider gathering trophies being a part of this.

I also think (again especially with the more hard core games and not just solely video gamers) there is a tendency to collect. I don't know why but I know I have friends who just can't help but get these things. These, to me, are the same ones that go for every epic item in an MMO and/or work (and in many cases it is like work) to cover all items in games like FF regardless of how tedious it is.

Personally I can't bring myself to do all these things. I just don't play games to wear myself out with tedium. But, like I said, I certainly have friends who do.

 

[Super_Nintendo_Chalmers]

Really i think that they drive the gaming community to play the game at a more in depth level.
For example, in Halo 3, getting certain achievements will unlock different armour pieces, which are basically used just for looks or boasting rights.
And unlike the PS3, achievements add to a gamerscore, which is looked upon by your friends and other gamers, and like Halo 3, the gamerscore is purely to show how much you play a game, or how good you are at it.
So really i think that achievements and trophies have added a new level to playing games, but as for buying games purely for the achievements or trophies,
i think that's a bit stupid.

 

[Super_Nintendo_Chalmers]

Unlike the PS3, achievements add to a gamerscore, which is looked upon by your friends and other gamers.

Each trophy you earn on PS3 contributes EXP to an overall level. Earn enough trophies and you level up. Repeat.

My bad, i hadn't noticed, perhaps the 360 makes more of a big deal out of achievements.

 

[DethFan666]

Nothing

 

[WilliamWhite1]

Trophy systems seem to be ways to ensure that players are assured of their skills in their particular games. The thing is that trophies appeal to players who want to prove their capable of achieving feats of stamina and skill, a la your typical 'kill billions of enemies' achievement. Some people really dig those kinds of challenges, and those who don't expect something more than a sticker that says 'yay, you did it.'

I agree with the idea that the trophy system should have some kind of kick-back to it, other than a phrase that says you have completed something. Otherwise, the non-grinders, the non-prideful, the otherwise uninterested in achievements - all of you are out of luck, for the trophies probably won't mean much to you.

And I suppose you could argue that they shouldn't. I mean, hey...they're just sentences.

The rest of us, though, will continue to gloat about what we've achieved, and at times, aspire to what we still have to achieve.

 

[GloatingSwine]

Why are XBOX-achievements any better?

Despite their massive similarity, the Xbox's achievement system has one important advantage over the PS3's trophy system.

Universal support.

 

[GloatingSwine]

All PS3 games must have trophies from January 2009 [http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/11/22/all-ps3-games-must-have-trophies-starting-in-january-2009/]

Which doesn't back-patch them into previous games.

Even games that came out significantly later than the introduction of trophies, and even had an in-game equivalent like Valkyria Chronicles didn't bother.