200°

Achievements and Trophies are Destroying Your Love of Gaming

Bright Hub writes: "Alphie Kohn said that "coming to see ourselves as engaging in a task to get a reward typically alters the way we view that task." The introduction of achievements and trophies into a pastime most people previously did simply for enjoyment has fundamentally altered the act of playing video games."

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brighthub.com
TOO PAWNED5103d ago

"Achievements and Trophies are Destroying Your Love of Gaming!" - nope

mrv3215103d ago

Have you ever mid game popped up a trophy/achievement list and then went on youtube/gamefaq's or google to look for some of the stuff? If so then it's had a negative effect on you. I remember playing Motorstorm 1 and loving every moment ( after 2 hours ) and then play Motorstorm 2 I focused too much on trophies and disliked it.

Achievements/trophies are they bad? No, but they do lead to negative things which reduce your enjoyment on the other hand they can encourage you to play differently and having more fun, for example in L4D2 only using melee, that encourages a different play style and possibly more enjoyment.

Double Toasted5103d ago

Speak for yourself bro, speak for yourself...

Natsu X FairyTail5103d ago

I dont have any problems with acheivements and trophees. They are like reaching a highscore in a video game there's nothing wrong with that. If you want to play the game for the game you do it. If you want to unlock them all you do it.

Sm0k3y_Bac0n5103d ago

I don't care for trophies. I play for fun, not to impress people or whatever other reason people get trophies for. I used to get them, but I just find it tedious now.

-Alpha5102d ago (Edited 5102d ago )

mrv, I somewhat see where you are coming from but...

Trophies and Achievements get undeserved hate. Why is it that when you try to collect trophies you have no life but when you play a game multiple times over it's because you totally enjoyed it?

What's the difference between collecting trophies and playing a game multiple times over? Reaching that last rank online? Playing the same multiplayer game over and over again?

Let me tell you: none.

People do these things because they enjoy it. There are objectives, accomplishments, and things that people do for fun.

If you disliked Motorstorm 2 because you went after trophies, why did you even bother? They are optional. It seems like it's your own fault. Why say achievements have negative effects?

By that logic gaming as a whole has negative effects. But nobody will ever blame video games, they'll push the blame to parenting. In the same manner, why make achievements/trophies the scapegoat?

Not trying to get aggressive on you or anything, sorry if the language I used seems a little harsh. I don't mean it to sound mean or anything, but I don't get the rep about achievements/trophies "Destroying your Love of Gaming".

I love gaming, and that includes achievements and trophies. I go out of my way to get hard trophies, but usually after I finish a game. Uncharted 2 for example. I can see how it distracts games, but I leave people to do whatever they want. Some people enjoy the extra effort.

Prototype5102d ago

I have yet to get a Platinum in any game I've played, why? Because I play games, not scores. Yes some trophies are challenging and can be used as bragging rights, however I'm not gonna play "my score is higher than yours" just because I have extra time/resource than the other person.

I've had people in online matches actually kick/ban/block me because I had low to 0 online trophies/achievements and their argument was "low experience" yet games like CoD 4 that has 0 online achievements had an open community for anyone to play. The interesting thing is the people that judged me sucked and I actually pulled ahead and even helped win against them (I had my fair share of losses also).

Are they destroying gaming, yes. Before achievements/trophies there was this thing called replay value, now its some type of "score" to raise someones e-peen.

Elimin85102d ago (Edited 5102d ago )

No because it's fun and gives the game some legs.. yes, because online trophies sucks and the majority of them require no skill at all just long boring and tedious "looking at you R2 10,000 kills". Still need that one trophy since R2 came out.. And WOHD bling trophy you have to be lucky to get it. can you blame people for boosting? I'm at a point now where I play for them but don't care if I don't get it..

Arnon5102d ago

Depends on the achievement/trophy. If they're actually an achievement/trophy, then no. If they're trash for doing something stupid in the game, then yes.

A good example would be the two achievements I got for Alan Wake today.

Gunless Wonder - 30G
Make it to Cauldron Lake without firing a single shot in "On the Road to Cauldron Lake."

Meet the Deadline - 30G
In "Mirror Peak," make it from the Coal Mine Museum to Cauldron Lake in 30 minutes.

hay5102d ago

No problems here. I play the game through once. If it's worthy of my time I play it again to find what I missed first time, including pretty much all trophies.
And I'm using faqs or guides as a last resort. Only lame gamers play with guides.

+ Show (6) more repliesLast reply 5102d ago
Kratos Spartan5103d ago

I grew up without 'em, so they're really not a big deal to me.

OSG

Christopher5103d ago

Only if you let it destroy it.

FACTUAL evidence5103d ago

I think it only effects a handful. My personal experience with achi/tro were good. I always completed my games to the fullest, and now having a list of things to do are easier for me to recognize I've completed my game 100%. That's my personal experiences though.

Chubear5103d ago

If you don't care about achievements/Trophies then why do you always complain about them? Nobody forces you to have them and it seems these kinds of people just want to make sure the people who actually enjoy them don't get to have them any more.

Why? If you don't like them, stop talking about them so much and go play your game the way YOU like to then.

PRHB HYBRiiD5103d ago

without achievements gaming would be... pointless

Prototype5102d ago

You must not have played NES, SNES, Genesis, etc did you?

PRHB HYBRiiD5102d ago

i have been gaming since the sega master system..and i played for fun though i always liked to finish the games 100% and they didn't give me no reward...at least now the achievements give you points and rewards.

Inside_out5103d ago

Achievements have been one of the BEST things to happen to gaming this gen...INGENIUS actually...It allows the gamer to experience other aspects of the game that would/could of been missed...ie...playing a level in stealth...using melee attack only..etc...

I respectfully DISAGREE with Alfie Kohn...When you put your heart and soul into work, your family or anything that matters to you, the reward is a sense of accomplishment and happiness for you, your family and people you care about...As a matter of fact, I think " reward " is the wrong word or language to use...That is not a bad thing...If someone performs an act of kindness or bravery...why would it be wrong to reward such a thing?

Children today ( Hum your respective anthems now ) are the future of tomorrow...Teaching them that Hard work, commitment and perseverance will lead to a better future for them as well as everyone is a good thing. Medals, certificates and yes report cards are physical reminders to individuals as well as groups ( teams, classes..etc ) that their hard work did not go unnoticed...when did that become bad?.......yes, im bored...lol...moving on...

DarkRayneRules5102d ago

I don't think he's really saying that praise is bad. Just that too much praise can cause children to do things for praise alone. Like for example a child might not mow the lawn for their grandparents unless he's paid. It is a nice thing to do for them, but without reward the child sees no reason. Hence missing the point of doing good things. Reward is all well and good but people should have a sense of pride in themselves for accomplishing tasks without the need for external "bribing".

I like getting achievements. I'm a bit OCD so collecting them all satisfies my urge to fully complete games. But really I'd never brag over individual achievements. They're not really unique. Anyone can unlock them. I like seeing my gamerscore grow, but really it's only indicative of how many games you have. I mean if one person had five games and the other had fifteen the second guy could unlock only a handful of achievements for each game, but still have a bigger score than the first who has unlocked more for each game. I only find myself drawn to achievements on a compulsive level. I don't become so involved in trophies because they're not so in your face. You have to seek out your score and the trophy lists. So I can pretty much ignore them. Xbox 360 has your score right there and it takes only seconds to see your achievement list. If anything it's a guilty pleasure for me.

cayal5102d ago

It adds replayability in my opinion.

Also adds an extra challenge.

Cueil5102d ago

my love of gaming will continue... only those who are super completionist may find this to be true

+ Show (7) more repliesLast reply 5102d ago
sloth33955103d ago

the thing that is destroying it is the people who think they are great because they get alot when it really doesnt mean anything also people say it adds to the replayability of a game which it doesnt the only way a game is replayable is if its a really good game

JD_Shadow5103d ago

Many people just play through a game, beat it, then throw it away, not even thinking about doing any of that other stuff like beating it on a higher difficulty or getting that special item or whatnot. Let's be honest, as good as the two Uncharteds were (and they WERE that good), would you even THINK of trying to beat the game or games on crushing mode if there wasn't a trophy for it? Would you try to invite your friend into your Fable 2 house if there wasn't an achievement for the stuff you did with said friend? Would you not try to develop all the characters in Final Fantasy 13 if there wasn't an incentive for doing so. These accomplishments are for bragging rights, and, in the case of trophies, can net you Home rewards (which Home is severely underrated, by the way, and wouldn't be if Sony integrated it more into the main PS3 OS, but I digress). So yeah, even good games need some some way to lure gamers to try those added things in games (because now you can actually PROVE that yes, you DID beat Uncharted in crushing).

Prototype5102d ago

If a game is good people will replay it, otherwise achievement/trophies or not no one is gonna replay something they don't like, regardless of how much they argue to "boost score"

ian725103d ago

When I get a game I look through the trophies and If there is some easy ones then will try to get them. I will play the game as I would normally (getting easy ones), If its a good game then play it again and try and get some more. I only play the game again if its good. I wont play a game just to get trophies, I would find that boring and a waste of time.

SpaceFox5103d ago

Exactly, I feel bad for people who purposely go through games like Hannah Montana just to get trophies.

duplissi5102d ago

lol... i have a friend who was playing hanna montana for that exact reason. i called him and asked him what the hell he was doing, he told me his cousin was playing... he later confessed to me why he was playing it.

Convas5103d ago

Achievements if anything else, enhance my love for Gaming. I enjoy going after achievements.

Because, when I first get a game, I don't concentrate on achieves immediately, the first play-through is for the story, and then go after achieves in all my other play-throughs.

So, I have to disagree.

Simonkey755102d ago

I think that's the way to approach achievements, trophies etc. Ignore them on the first playthrough (if you get some, great) and then go back to the game and have a second run focusing on playing in the different manner the achievements might require.

The problem is resisting the urge to check out what the achievements are and what they require before you even boot the game up for the first time. I found myself getting into that habit, and it did start to negatively affect my enjoyment, so I consciously don't bother with my Gamerscore at all now.

The other issue is when developers put in some really poor or negative achievements - Fifa 10 springs to mind, with an achievement for quitting out of online matches, for God's sake. Yes, you get no points for the achievement, but the very nature of them encourages the completionist element in people, so I don't think negative actions that affect other players should ever be encouraged.

That can also be an issue with achievements for multiplayer games in general. I remember a few instances of hosts rage-quitting in Gears of War if someone else picked up the bazooka or some other weapon, all because they only needed a few more kills with it for the achievement. WoW is also beginning to suffer 'cos of achievements.

Esena5103d ago

First of all. That theory is primarily applicable toward children. When a child's mind is still developing. They reason... "If I do something one way and get a reward then I always should." So that part of the article was completely unnecessary. I am assuming that gamers are not children or at least possess some sort of intellect that doesn't make them the center of the universe.

Second of all. If somebody is going on youtube/gamefaqs in order to find out how to do a specific achievement/trophy their love for gaming hasn't faded, it has simply evolved. They may not actually love "hopping on one foot 20 times" to get the trophy but the act of trophy gather/collecting is a love that has been implemented with gaming.

@ian72

I completely agree with you. If you can get trophies/achievements while going through the game in a logical progressive route then excellent. To those who rent crappy games to get achievements/trophies....I wouldn't even say you are even gaming anymore. Rather...collecting.

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110°

7 Deserving Games That Never Got Backward Compatibility

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210°

Microsoft once tried to nab LittleBigPlanet from Sony after a few drinks

It turns out that many moons ago, Microsoft once had its eye on the Sony published LittleBigPlanet series.

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eurogamer.net
XiNatsuDragnel3d ago

Microsoft had a good idea but fumbled it again.

Cacabunga1d 19h ago (Edited 1d 19h ago )

Project Spark idea was decent but they quickly gave up ..
LBP was wonderful

ApocalypseShadow2d ago

Microsoft in a nutshell. Always tried to poach Sony employees, games, 3rd party games and devices like the depth camera that was turned into Kinect but was running on PS2 before Xbox 360. Wouldn't be surprised they wanted LBP. Just like they worked behind the scenes pushing the MLB to bring Sony's baseball game to Xbox instead of making their own.
https://www.playstationlife...

They didn't spend years trying to develop their own baseball game. They wanted Sony's game.

They're scum.

Zachmo1821d 18h ago

Microsoft didn't force MLB on Xbox. MLB gave Sony 2 options either go multiplat or risk losing the license.

Rynxie1d 8h ago

And why do you think MLB said that? I believe Ms approached MLB.

ApocalypseShadow1d 7h ago (Edited 1d 7h ago )

Totally ridiculous comment.

The only exclusivity Sony had was to their own creation of The Show. Microsoft could have paid the MLB for the license just like Sony did and made their own baseball game.

Microsoft instead, groomed MLB for years in trying to poach Sony's game and bring it to Xbox. They're worth 3 TRILLION dollars. You think that's not enough money to make their own baseball game? Don't be delusional.

Microsoft spun it like they always do and told the media that they had to trust Sony with their hardware. After they put Sony in that position of not having a choice. Either go multiplatform or stop making one of their successful games. That's a no win scenario.

And what did Microsoft do? They didn't try to sell the game to the Xbox community. They put it on game pass to hurt Sony. Pushing the idea of why buy games that are $70 when you can play them in their cheap service for $10. It was a dirty tactic.

You fell for the Kool aid drink Microsoft served you instead of spitting it out. Hope it tasted good because you were fooled by Phil and the gang.

1d 3h ago
Hereandthere23h ago

Xbox executive Sara Bond has told Axios that Microsoft spent a number of years trying to get MLB The Show onto Xbox consoles. And when it finally succeeded in breaking off PlayStation’s long-held exclusivity, the company had to “trust” Sony with pre-release Xbox Series X/S consoles.

Bond revealed that MLB The Show “always came up” in conversations between Microsoft and the Major League Baseball organization. “We always said, ‘We love this game. It would be a huge opportunity to bring it to Xbox.'” she recalled. However, when Microsoft’s efforts materialized, it put the company in an awkward situation where it had to send in pre-release consoles to a rival company.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 23h ago
Notellin1d 4h ago

"Microsoft instead, groomed MLB for years in trying to poach Sony's game and bring it to Xbox."

Take a nap, conspiracies are rotting your brain.

1d 3h ago
Hereandthere23h ago

Xbox executive Sara Bond has told Axios that Microsoft spent a number of years trying to get MLB The Show onto Xbox consoles. And when it finally succeeded in breaking off PlayStation’s long-held exclusivity, the company had to “trust” Sony with pre-release Xbox Series X/S consoles.

ApocalypseShadow9h ago

Lying to yourself is unbecoming.

Article link tells you all you need to know in Sarah Bond's own words.

Hereandthere23h ago

They were too cheap/inept/lazy to develop their own mlb game, so they port begged for years and bribed the mlb to make the show multiplatform. Like i said many times, xbox brought nothing to the table their 24 years, ZERO.

ApocalypseShadow9h ago

At least you and others get it. Note drank the Kool aid and asked for seconds thinking it was refreshing.

Most don't even know how it all played out but it's there in black and white for all to see. Microsoft brought it up for years until the MLB forced Sony's hand. It was a win win for Microsoft. Kill one reason to buy a PlayStation or kill the game by dropping it in a cheap service to kill Sony's sales numbers on PlayStation.

OtterX1d 21h ago

"However, Healey said Media Molecule wouldn't have felt right doing that, adding it would have been "morally corrupt"."

Major kudos to Media Molecule for being an upright studio with principles.

Cockney4h ago

They chose well, Sony gave them the backing to pursue their dreams with no restrictions even tho their games especially dreams have very niche appeal. Media molecule and Sony deserve respect for this in an age of risk averse publishing.

RNTody1d 21h ago (Edited 1d 21h ago )

Great, more stories like this please. Show the last of the zombies holding the line what we've been saying for years: Microsoft is anti competition, anti industry and has no interest in making games at all.

But hey, at least there's an Xbox Games Showcase to look forward to, right?

Inverno1d 20h ago

Well considering SONY just killed the series, LBP would've been dead by now either way. Though MM probably wouldn't exist by now either, so I'm glad they stayed with SONY, hopefully they don't get shut down any time soon or ever honestly.

Sheppard7t31d 18h ago

How did Sony kill the series?

Inverno1d 18h ago

They shut down the servers, that's millions of user created levels gone. That and dead are pretty much the same, it's also been years since 3 and they cancelled HUB soooo.

1d 3h ago
fsfsxii1d 4h ago

They shutdown the servers because no one was playing, no one in the community cared about the user created levels so why keep them up? Wtf you guys would never succeed in running a business.

Inverno1d 3h ago

Yea dood no one was playing so they shut off the servers. Cause people with enough common sense can't just Google why they were actually shut of, right?

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