Xbox Achievements Shouldn’t Be “Out Of” Anything
The “New Xbox Experience” will shortly be arriving on every Xbox 360 in the land, and to help us prepare for the change the Gamescore Blog will be running over a few of the new features each week.
In the first instalment, the Games Played slot has been shown for all to marvel at. At first glance everything seems fine. Your Mii Avatar is there, all your usual links, list of games, list of achievements etc. So what is there to complain about? Look closely at the new Gamerscore and Achievements area. There has been one subtle, yet important change made.
Achievements are now out of something.
From the Gamerscore Blog:
The first card shows all of the Achievements you’ve unlocked and lists out your overall Gamerscore and the highest possible Gamerscore you could have based on the games you’ve played. [...] You can check out what Achievements you’ve unlocked per game and what you have left to work on.
I’m sure for many people that passes by without a moment’s notice, but the phrase “what Achievements you’ve unlocked per game and what you have left to work on” struck me in a rather odd manner. Left to work on? Like a big meal when you are already full, or some paperwork?
Achievements were originally made (or so they seemed to me) as a reward for doing something awesome, for achieving something in a game. Nobody “worked” on them. You just played the game and were occasionally pleasantly surprised to hear the little bloop and be awarded something.
But then things started to change. People began comparing their Gamerscore, it became the ePeen of all 360 owners. How many do you have? Who’s is bigger? Did you hit 1,000? 10,000?
I know I began to fall for it too. I started shamefully and subtly playing games I didn’t really like, knowing I could get a few hundred extra G out of it. This started me down a dark and ultimately slightly depressing line.
When GTA III was released back in 2001/2, I played the hell out of it on my PC. No Gamerscore, just hours upon hours of driving and shooting fun. Crackdown gave me that very same joy, only once the main game was done with, I found myself not just playing around doing what I wanted, but playing around specifically doing things I was told to do in order to get those elusive 10′s of G. I wasn’t doing what I wanted to do for fun any more, I was doing what other people decided was fun.
Now, with the new update, things are going to get worse. You won’t just be comparing yourself to others, you will be comparing yourself to your ultimate-self. Every time you boot up your 360 you will be reminded of how much you failed to achieve. How many G you haven’t earned yet. And you will find yourself more so than before, working to unlock all those achievements in games you never quite liked.
It’s true I can just ignore the little numbers on my TV. They have no real-world impact on my life. But they are there, constantly within my peripherals, goading me into doing more videogame work to improve myself.
I admit it’s a very clever system, and people will likely play more games because of it. But will people be enjoying those games as much? Or will we all just become a generation of mindless achievement whores, only having fun because something goes bloop if we do?
the xbox already does this if you go to the achievements section on the dashboard.
anon is correct. This is not new, it’s always been a case of ‘out of’ and never hasn’t been.
Your point is moot.
I like when achievements actually effect gameplay, in mass effect you get in-game bonuses for getting the achievements.
I hate those beat the game with out bullets or kill 1 million enemies lame ass achievements! like I have nothing better to do then to beat your game fifty times and play online for 1,000 hours or pull my hair out trying to complete your made up challenge for some damn ridiculous epenis points.
Ignore the achievements. Just have fun.
When I first got an xbox360, I loved achievements. I bought multiplatform titles for the 360 just for the points. Then I slowly but surely started to hate gaming. I was obsessed with achievements. Now I ignore them and I’m happy. I suggest you do the same.
I can’t believe what I just read. It’s called personal responsibility, if someone lets achievements drive them insane it is their own fault, not Microsofts, the same complaint you raise could be said about gaming in general, some folks can’t stop gaming, others kill their parents over consoles, but is that really the console makers fault?
This article fails, it is just another attempt to bash the 360 about something, like I always say, no matter what MS does someone will ALWAYS complain about it.
COD4 is one of the most played games online and there are no online achievments.So that says to me that people are having fun playing and not playing for achievments.
@anon: I know it’s already listed there. The number of achievements you have for a specific title are also listed “out of” the max when looking at the main page.
My point here was that they will be combined (and an “out of” given for the total number of achievements), and placed for you to regularly see.
I also agree that for most people this wont be an issue, but it’s something that’s been bothering me for a while.
So they should not continuously improve and make games and consoles more fun for all of us because a few girly men cannot control their own lives? You let a cute bloop sound and numbers on a TV screen in a game control your life, so we should all suffer, MS should not add features to XBL because you are a weak minded mouse of a man.
OK, where have all the real men gone, control your own destiny John, don’t let things control you. Take it from a girl who knows, guys like you are becoming far too common in America where I live, and it’s disgusting.
@The baroness
Take it from a guy who knows, fat bitches like you are becoming far too common in America where I live, and it’s disgusting.
Yeah… I’m not a fan of that either. Achievements are good for giving you something to strive to, but quite often just make for busy-work. It’s bad enough comparing people to each other, but now urging people to up their personal % score is really getting ridiculous. You’ll seriously see people going for that elusive 100%, which at least the current way of showing achievements/gamerscores obscure somewhat.
I’d rather not see the number.
I agree. Microsoft is making us all into gamerscore whores. Why would anyone want to be reminded of how much a failer they are. Typical American system of dumbing down society.
HAHAHA.. I’ve never been one to actually comment on articles on the net but.. wow..
1. as stated before this is already available for you to see in the games blade of the current dash. And, yes it is: what you currently have versus what you could have; in total and for each individual game. Who’s to say if there isn’t an option in-dash to change what you see, since you’re sooo worried about your poor, fragile psyche.
2. @Detry
ridiculous. you should be ashamed of yourself, its bad enough that many women don’t want to join the boys’ club that is gaming, and here you go bashing one cause you’re mad she won’t touch your peepee
3. @larry hybe
wow.. “Typical American system of dumbing down society”. And what exactly IS a “Typical American system”? Lemme guess, you’re not from round these parts wheres we all have sex with our cousins and whatnot… right. so you’re probably foreign and just feel like jumping on the bandwagon saying America sucks and all that crap, though you wouldn’t be able to justify that statement with fact. People like you are a dime-a-dozen online.
For all of you fags crying about this BS, listen close: get off mommy’s tit and go out and get some poon! You guys are fucking pathetic! I hate you fucking losers. Have a nice life getting the shit kicked out of you!
@Nick: … said the man arguing on the internet.
I wasn’t even going to comment here until I felt like it. But rarely do people like “NICK” make me want to. Whats funny is that I bet that MR NICK hasn’t had any ‘poon’ for quite some time. Seeing that he gets his lollies off of yelling at a forum of gamers to get a life. To mimic Wardrox, “said the man arguing on the internet.” get a life you douche.