Anyone that knows my gaming habits knows that I place a lot of value on Achievements/Trophies (please note that when I say Achievements I mean both Trophies and Achievements). I play games twice, I play selected levels half a dozen times, I’ll google farming and grinding techniques, use exploits and even invite friends over to knock out multi-player achievements all in the name of points. A friend of mine recently asked me, what these achievements get me. He asked if I could cash them in for something or are they pointless (pun-intended). I obviously wasn’t prepared for the question because I had no answer…at all. I stumbled through a fabricated story about being OCD about things to change the subject. I don’t think he believed me, but more importantly, his question got me thinking. Why am I so obsessed with achieving stuff? I’ve come to find out, that my reasons for achievement hoarding are much deeper than I had initially thought. Let’s explore.
I have been very public about my achievement adventures. I have blogged about my 10,000th and 20,000th achievement points and even in reviews on this very site I’ve mentioned the ease of getting achievements in games, but never have I thought “why?”
I thought to myself, what do achievements do that regular gaming doesn’t? The most clear answer was experience. The higher the gamerscore, the gamier the gamer. So, in essence, if my score is higher than yours I am better than you. That’s obviously the most neanderthal-like way to look at them but it bears at least a mention. After further self exploration, I found that one of the main reasons I obsess over getting my self proclaimed 50% achievement target, is to give games artificial endings. Some games are too short and some never seem to end, but if I am playing a game and find that I only have 30-40% percent of the achievements I know I’M not done yet. I know its weird, but its a strategy that seems to working pretty well for me. Rarely do I feel that I didn’t get my moneys-worth out of a game.
The most fun thing I use achievements for is side by side comparison with friends. Achievements give a snapshot of not only my progress in a game but also my skill level. When I compare my numbers with those of my friends, I know that if they have earned the “Lord of the Strings” Achievement in Rock Band, they had to complete “Green Grass and High Tides” on expert guitar, a feat I have yet to and will probably never complete. I might want to avoid this player if I bump into them online. If they have the “Master Fortune Hunter” Trophy in Uncharted 2 they either have alot of time on their hands or they know how to find decent walk-throughs. Achievements are proof that you have completed something, almost like a receipt. On older game systems I would always keep my save files to show what games I had beaten. Now, my progress is not only tracked but broadcast on the inter-web for the world to see and judge.
That brings me to my final “why”. Probably the biggest reason Achievements mean so much to me is to hold up my reputation as a gaming enthusiast. My playthrough of any game has the potential to influence another individuals game purchases. As a reviewer my opinion matters but as a consumer my opinion is paramount and I can’t afford to put my reputation on the line giving opinions on games to which I haven’t given due diligence. If I write a review or even bring up a game in conversation and give my opinion, as a person known for playing lot of games, and then it is seen on my PSN account or Gamerscore that I didn’t get past the tutorial, my credibility is shot. With Achievements I can say definitively that a game is crap because I have the proof to show you that I played it to its blood curdling end.
I implore you, next time some one dogs out a game or next time someone says they “mow people down in Halo”, do your homework and see if they are lying. You might be surprised at what you find.
Last night I got to level 10 with my PSN account. That doesn’t have quite the same ring to it as “I got my 20,000th achievement point”, but its a feat none the less. I feel better knowing the reason for my obsession and I feel comfortable knowing that the majority of my achievement scores are respectable. I also hope that, as you read this, my friends are judging my skills. Here, I’ll make it easy on you.
liugeaux
Achievements are here to stay, hell, even Steam and WOW have them now. Whether or not you realize it, people are looking at your gamerscore, and judging your play history. You may not want your friends seeing the 20 points you accidentally got in Disney: Sing It last fall when your niece was visiting you, but you really don’t have much of a choice now. I say embrace the achievement, with it you will find dozens of ways to enjoy gaming all over again.