Achievements

[Out2lunch]

This topic has been done before a few times.

I love achievements, especially the silly ones like scraping the hull on landing types. If you don't want them don't look it's that simple.

For me achievements lead me to play a game more in different ways, story line some days achievement hunting for fun on others. That's my choice and the way I like to game.

I find the whole immersion breaking answer getting a little thin now. Os said for everything that someone doesn't like. Enough already we are 40 something's fat bald video game players when we get the chance family permitting there isn't much more 'immersion breaking' than going to change the 3rd dirty nappy this morning.

Really now let's all be real about life, this is a game...

 

[withnail]

This topic has been done before a few times.

I love achievements, especially the silly ones like scraping the hull on landing types. If you don't want them don't look it's that simple.

For me achievements lead me to play a game more in different ways, story line some days achievement hunting for fun on others. That's my choice and the way I like to game.

I find the whole immersion breaking answer getting a little thin now. Os said for everything that someone doesn't like. Enough already we are 40 something's fat bald video game players when we get the chance family permitting there isn't much more 'immersion breaking' than going to change the 3rd dirty nappy this morning.

Really now let's all be real about life, this is a game...

I stated my own preference. I didn't say that they should not be in the game and if people want them then fine, I just won't play that way.

I fully understand that people get enjoyment from different things and am not for stopping that at all. Variety is a good thing.

I must have woken up grumpy.

 

[jabokai]

If you don't want them don't look it's that simple.

Phrased differently, I'd agree. As said above I would like to be completely oblivious to them. i.e. I cannot see my own achievements anywhere and nobody else's (such as silly titles and name suffixes) intrudes on me either. Given THAT choice, I'd be happy for those that like them to chase them to their heart's content.

Oh, and never changed a nappy in my life and never intend to!

 

[Sir.Tj]

Oh, and never changed a nappy in my life and never intend to!

Wish I could say the same *shudders at the memory*

But personally I'd rather not have achievments, just get the feeling they would break the feeling of immersion for me.

 

[[VR] Shadowman]

I'd have to agree with the majority and vote no also. In my experience, achievements only serve to provide goals for those who wish to grind hours on end for the sake of "I did this" and they are a "cheap" way to do it.

We don't need achievements in E: D to keep us occupied. Why? Well, given the HUGE number of things to do and choices each player is able to make, we aren't gonna run out of things to do any time soon. Add to this that FD have said often enough they plan to add further content in the form of expansions and the fact that they will be adding events to the galaxy continuously, in additional to all the missions etc. Meanwhile, we'll still be building our careers, reputation, trading, buying new ships etc.

So, for me at least, achievements aren't necessary to keep us going. I'd much rather focus on gaining actual ranks and reputation.

 

[Zak Gordon]

Well, achievements can be done immersion style too. It's just a low hanging fruit how to make people stay and play.

Good, deep, immersing gameplay is the BEST way to make people stay and play your game. It worked for Elite, Frontier and FFE. No need to change that core design philosophy imho.

BUT if the trendy new thing is added to E: D i'd ask as others have for an 'OFF' switch for such things. I have a serious deep game to focus on, not 'likes' nor 'tweets' nor 'achievement unlocked' distractions.

[Quiz: Why is most of modern gaming innovation like a series of Big Brother on TV?]

 

[Bob_H]

[rant]
The achievement system was initially invented for console games so that the likes of EA could pretend there was more than 3 hours of game play by making you keep playing the game from start to finish, over and over again.

Achievements as we're talking about them are nothing more than pretty baubles that disguise sloppy production of pathetically short/easy/dull games and reward a person for failing to use their imagination and/or flushing their intelligence down the toilet before switching on the console and booting up yet another waste of everyones time, effort and money.
[/rant]

If you want achievements get a note pad or open a spreadsheet or whatever and make your own set of achievements. Set out to make 100,000 credits one day, write down the results of each transaction you make then tot it all up at the end of your gaming session. If you achieved what you set out do, brilliant. Give yourself a pat on the back, extra chocolate biscuit with your coffee or whatever other treat you generally give yourself for doing something you set out to do.

People shouldn't need to have little in-game proofs of self worth forced upon them. This is a sand box game: you set your own goals, define your own achievements create your own little worlds. If you need a theme park game where someone else sets your goals, gives you a pat on the back for killing yet another ten rats or need to be told what to do, where to do it and why you're doing it you really have to be asking yourself why on earth you backed a game like Elite in the first place.

 

[Philip Coutts]

Surely ED already has achievements and they are the Elite ranking system and military rankings (or if you are liqua the criminal ratings ) . Not convinced it needs anything else but if people really want a trophy for completing 10 trade runs or docking without hitting the sides then let them have it but for me it must be optional.

 

[Perseus]

Having fun is a serious activity for me and I like to pretend using the computer. Immersion via game content fills in my 40+ imagination deficit and being reminded it's 'just a game' via banal achievements will keep spoiling my illusion.
I used to make believe so well as a kid and then I slowly lost it as complex reality became more ever present in my thinking. This is no bad thing in itself, I have responsibilities and family obligations like most people here. But I still crave that buzz from playing and I have to use quite complicated computer models now instead of die-cast models.
I don't want to impose my desires on other people though. So an on/off button would be essential if achievements were included.

 

[TheBetpet]

I feel that not having achievements would break the immersion for me since to become Elite I have aim to achieve something...

 

[Bob_H]

I feel that not having achievements would break the immersion for me since to become Elite I have aim to achieve something...

There are achievements and reasons for playing the game. Progressing through the game aquiring enough reputation to become a member of the Federation of Elite Pilots is one thing, getting a flashy but otherwise meaningless 'you've killed x ships - well done' is another thing entirely.

 

[OneoftheLost]

Progressing through the game aquiring enough reputation to become a member of the Federation of Elite Pilots is one thing, getting a flashy but otherwise meaningless 'you've killed x ships - well done' is another thing entirely.

I prefer the former, I'd rather the game not recognize killing X ships beyond my rating going up. If it is anything like steam achievements I won't even remotely care. It should be OPTIONAL if they are included, or at least make it non-intrusive. A tiny piece of text or sound like Killing Floor would work.

I have nothing against achievements, but they ruin immersion if not handled properly.

 

[Andrew Sayers]

getting a flashy but otherwise meaningless 'you've killed x ships - well done' is another thing entirely.

So, erm, would you object to a game that flashed up "Right on, Commander!" every 256 kills?

 

[Aewarin Jameson]

So, erm, would you object to a game that flashed up "Right on, Commander!" every 256 kills?

Did the original do that btw as i don't remember properly, and I seem to recall it flashed that when your rating went up rather than every 256 kills ?

 

[Slawkenbergius]

So, erm, would you object to a game that flashed up "Right on, Commander!" every 256 kills?

I think part of it comes down to meta-gaming. Some people love it, some pretty much loathe it. If the achievement is something that is part of the narrative, or part of the reward structure (an extra life every 10,000 points), then that's usually okay.

If you're having to play a little meta-game in order to get your achievement, then some of us find that annoying. As Bob said, there's an element of content stretching.

What's even worse is when you get achievements that you didn't even want. There's a well known and exploited bit of psychology about how humans are programmed to want to finish what they've started. It's why you get a card to fill-up with stickers in order to claim a free coffee.... So once you've started getting those achievements, it's almost like it's nagging at the back of your brain that you want to finish the job. Except I never want to start the process in the first place! Hence the desire to be oblivious.

 

[Cody]

Did the original do that btw?

<nods> Yep... as I recall. Oolite still does (I currently have 43.3 ROCs to my name).

 

[Wulf]

I'd call achievements granted in similar way to steam, nothing more than fluff. I could live with not earning my first docking achievement. So I couldn't care less whether or not these external achievements are included or not.

I would like to see medals given in the game, for service to a particular faction though. A shiny medal cabinet when ships interiors are added would also be nice.

 

[Aewarin Jameson]

<nods> Yep... as I recall. Oolite still does (I currently have 43.3 ROCs to my name).

Shows how memory fades with time - thanks, wasn't sure and now I know again

[43.3ROC means you're Elite then ?! ]

 

[Aewarin Jameson]

It's why you get a card to fill-up with stickers in order to claim a free coffee.... So once you've started getting those achievements, it's almost like it's nagging at the back of your brain that you want to finish the job.

Hmm ... that explains my desire of coffee in the morning ! Damn you Starbucks.

 

[TheBetpet]

There are achievements and reasons for playing the game. Progressing through the game aquiring enough reputation to become a member of the Federation of Elite Pilots is one thing, getting a flashy but otherwise meaningless 'you've killed x ships - well done' is another thing entirely.

-- Right on Commander! --