There is no mistaking that Microsoft has had great success with Achievements and Gamerscore on the Xbox 360. It’s changed the way many folks play video games (some would argue for the better, while others would argue for the worse.) One thing seems certain though, both are here to stay. As Playstation Home (and its fabled “trophy room”) get closer and closer to release, speculation related to Sony’s unannounced plans is on the rise. Several games have “accomplishments” either very much like (or exactly like) the 360’s “Achievements,” but there hasn’t really been a mention of a counter to Gamerscore.
Frankly, I hope there never is. Before you write me off as certifiable, let me explain why…
I think to a large degree, Gamerscore is responsible for what many (including myself) perceive to be a paradigm shift of sorts to turn video games into consumables. As people get addicted to their ever increasing Gamerscore, their priority shifts from enjoying the game as it’s meant to be played to playing the game in the way that best aligns getting all 1,000 points. You might also consider buying DLC for a game for a chance at the additional 250 points. Once a game has given up all it’s points (or all its practical points), it will likely never be played again because that time will be spent playing other games, trying to get their points.
Admittedly, this trend doesn’t reflect everyone. You can usually tell the “Gamerscore whores” by their, well… Gamerscore. If your Gamerscore is over 15k, you’re almost assuredly addicted to Gamerscore. If you can be honest with yourself, the easiest way to tell if the addition of Gamerscore has affected how you play games is to ask yourself if you’ve intentionally done things in games that are otherwise uninteresting except for the fact that they resulted in you getting your Gamerscore raised. In a nutshell, that’s the point at its very root.
Conversely, Achievements themselves are arguably a neat addition in my opinion. Well done Achievements are akin to the developer saying “Look, this is something special we’d like you to strive for… it’s either a milestone in the progress of playing this game, or it’s a noteworthy activity you have to perform and after doing so, we’ll make sure your friends know you did it.” I don’t have a problem with that.
Would I have ever jumped off The Agency Tower in Crackdown had I not known there was an Achievement for it? Probably. Would I have aimed for the pool at the bottom? Probably not… splat!
The “score” aspect of Gamerscore is so arbitrary and meaningless as a comparison metric that I don’t really see any redeeming value in it other than a proverbial measuring contest between hopelessly addicted people. From the developer’s perspective, Gamerscore is a dream come true, as folks are more inclined to buy games on an increasingly frequent basis and even more inclined to buy games famous for “easy points” that are otherwise games people wouldn’t ordinarily play. An argument could be made that a bad to mediocre game can somewhat be “saved” by an easy 1,000 points. Too easy, and it’s dubbed “a renter,” so that’s a fine line they need to walk.
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23 responses so far ↓
1 kov // Feb 21, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Sony have kept the PS3 how it is for so long. Blu-ray is the best example they risked the price increase and are doing fine. Why should they sell out to Gamerpoints if they do it wont be the SONY PS3 that we all.. love (well alot anyway)
2 Neonskull // Feb 21, 2008 at 4:40 pm
I’m for home type gamerscore if the points earned in game could be used to buy items in home. It would be cool if after a big game session i could chill back in home and spend my hard earned points on upgrading my pad or buying clothes in the market place.
3 Kage // Feb 21, 2008 at 5:12 pm
I totally agree. Achievements are usually cool, but score whores are annoying. It’s nice to be able to show people when you’ve accomplished things in individual games, but it seems that when you combine it into one big statistic it ruins it.
4 balaamsafe // Feb 21, 2008 at 5:12 pm
i still don’t see the appeal of home or a gamer score, this may be because i don’t put in enough play and will be hopelessly outranked, but why shoul i feel the need to “put in the play time”, it’s not work
one thing you missed is that DMC4 has been recorded to have “Acomplishments” that are built into the ps3 firmware, not just in the game, they are a similar screen to the one you get when you press the ps button.
5 SarcasticSparki // Feb 21, 2008 at 5:15 pm
I like achievements… not just as a way to show my friends what games I’ve played.. but also as a way to see what random quirky actions to look fwd to in a game (shooting TVs in COD4 and buying the Sat Morn Tunes on GH2, TROGDOR!!!), and see what my friends are doing (Which friends killed little sisters?)…
But Gamerscore doesn’t do much.. I admit, I played COD4 on Vet to outscore my friend, but that’s only cause I had only been doing Multiplayer.. and he said “You need to get achievements on fish” (COD = Fish).. and I was having fun in multi.
Now if home let you buy in-home/game? goods with points earned (or if having a 10K GS netted me some cool Theme/pics) than it might make it more interested. But you’d also have lots more mem-card swappers out there… just to get the expensive leather couch, lava lamps, moose heads, and bear rugs (admit it, cheaters are tacky).
6 RaiseHavok // Feb 21, 2008 at 5:34 pm
I really like the skill point system in the Ratchet series and Uncharted. I thought they added replay value to each game. So something along those lines would be great. I don’t really care about a gamerscore, but I would love the idea of receiving a trophy when I completely finished a game (100%).
7 Sean "rothbart" Workman // Feb 21, 2008 at 6:03 pm
@balaamsafe: Sony hasn’t done a compelling job of “selling” Home, and frankly I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that nobody’s been able to “experience” what they’re trying to sell us… the community aspect of it all is still just theory at this point.
Also, we have no “proof” that the DMC accomplishments are in any way related to “firmware”… that’s speculation at best and I’m guessing it’s incorrect.
@RaiseHavok: Yes, Uncharted had a great system in place… I’m playing through Ratchet a 2nd time and checking out its skillpoints system. I’m a big fan of “getting something” when you do these cool things. Something other than “points”.
8 mpgd1kon // Feb 21, 2008 at 6:03 pm
who cares about ps3 anyway
9 RaiseHavok // Feb 21, 2008 at 6:29 pm
10.5 million people
10 Kaptain Kako // Feb 21, 2008 at 6:30 pm
Games shouldn’t be played for the Achievements.
I love what Infinity Ward did with CoD4. No achievements in multiplayer. If you see someone playing, its because they want to play the game, they’re not there just for the achievements.
Just look at what happened to Halo3 at launch. All the achievement whores raced for the points, trying to get them instead of enjoying the game.
Other then that, achievements are a nice touch in the single player portion, as they open up new ways of playing, but they should not transfer into the multiplayer portion of the game.
11 refinedsugar // Feb 21, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Gamerscore represents the best and worse of gaming … luckily we have a thing called freedom that lets us as individuals choose where to call the line.
12 DJ Res // Feb 21, 2008 at 7:55 pm
As a self-ceritfied ‘Score Whore’, I myself even have feelings on both sides of this issue.
I have rented and played some of the most crap-tastic games in the last few years just to get the ‘Points’. (I just rented and finished Jumper, YIKES!!!)
Have I gained anything from this…No. Just Points.
Do I have a good time with my friends making fun of these games…Yes.
On the other hand, I buy and play almost all the sports games every year. I get the ‘Achievements’ in the first day and continue to play on and off-line for months to come.
I just get this lil’ fuzzy feeling inside every time I hear that little Beep and ‘Achievement Unlocked’ pops up on my screen.
But, in the end. You’re right Rothbart (I hate saying that so often!). But Gamerscore has ruined the way we play some games. Keep up the amazing rants!!!
13 Keith K // Feb 21, 2008 at 8:59 pm
I completely agree. I am personally looking forward to putting some old titles back in for a run through for some Accomplishments.. but I certainly have no interest in being in a competition.
Theres a certain amount of irony when you think about people with 10000+ Gamerscores who consider themselves “winners”.
14 Sven // Feb 21, 2008 at 11:37 pm
I agree with neonskull, I would love PS3 gamerscore points if it were a currency instead of a measuring contest so that I could by a cool couch with my 1,000 PS3 points, but I wouldn’t feel obligated to play crappy games for easy points.
15 Neomotion // Feb 22, 2008 at 1:25 am
Personally i don’t care much for gamerscore, in the sense that i’ll go all out to get 1000 points, be done with the game and will go on to the next.
On the other hand, well crafted achievements will let me play the game just one more time, to get it. Take Gears of war for example. I love the fact that you can see on what level you and your mates finished the game. Easy, hard. You know you wanna call your buddy up and laugh in his face for not getting the hard achievement. Splinter Cell is another one that comes to mind. Love the achievements in that, the ones that make you go through the level again to get the silent killer achievements.
So, it all depends on the achievements in question. I don’t think you should have achievements for online play, simply because it isn’t fair to those without an internet connection on their 360 (believe me, i know a few).
I will never get the full 1000 points in a game i think, but some achievements make me play the game just one more damn time…
16 LJ // Feb 22, 2008 at 2:07 am
Just random but I jumped off the tower in Crack down when the demo came out and landed in the pool. I was hoping that Achievement would have been secret. Like a lot of games… Not all of course but have a good % of ones that you just play the game and get randomly.
17 ummm, Yeah... // Feb 22, 2008 at 5:55 am
@Rothbart
What would your sister site, Achievementjunkie.com say to this Rothbart? Are you going against your network? HERETIC!! GET HIM!!! Just kidding. But seriously, let’s see it from the junkie’s point of view. I myself am not one, but if I already beat the game, the Achievements add an undeniable replay value. Ever thought about that, Roth?
18 SarcasticSparki // Feb 22, 2008 at 7:06 am
@Kaptain Kako, Yea no achievements on CoD4 multi, so no one hunting w/ the splazer or mongoose all game.. unfortunately ppl still running around w/ crappy guns trying to finish off their challenges. I don’t care if you only need 10 more kills w/ the .50 … you’re on Shipyard, grab a shotty and run like hell.. take that crap to FFA
19 V3NOM // Feb 22, 2008 at 7:19 am
I like it when a game has *good* Achievements. Mass Effect is a good example: I would never have played as a biotic or engineer if there had not been Achievements for doing it, and when I tried those classes out I realized that they are _at least_ as fun as playing as a soldier.
20 Rico // Feb 22, 2008 at 9:09 am
I think achievements are good. I really like seeing people get hard achievements. And I really hate the gamers that boost, glitch or cheat to get them just for the points.
21 Sean "rothbart" Workman // Feb 22, 2008 at 5:09 pm
@ummm, Yeah…: Well, they’re not names GamerScoreWhore.com… I don’t have a problem per se with Achievements, it’s the meta-game of playing games for their 1,000 points that bothers me.
Achievements/Accomplishments alone can _still_ let you play through a game a 2nd time… but it’s the blatant gamerscore addicts that negatively impact some games and (I’d argue, to some degree) gaming in general.
22 insert user name // Feb 22, 2008 at 6:08 pm
I rented Avatar for the easy gamerscore points.
23 FlintSteelton // Feb 25, 2008 at 12:20 pm
I know a guy with almost 100,000 points. He rents all his games, and getting acheivements IS what he does for fun.
Saying Gamerscore is ruining the fun in games is kinda like saying professional gamers don’t enjoy competitions. Some people just like to compete, whether it be in a shooter, RTS, or gamer points. The Gamerscore is what people want it to be.
I’m confused as to why Gamerscore upsets you. Who cares if other people are acheivement junkies. If you like playing the game for fun, does the fact that others like playing it to beat it make the game less fun for you? Is this any different from the guy playing Counter-Strike all day just to be #1 on the server, or the top Guild in Wow?
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