Coming off reading the interesting Xbox Live Achievement piece here on Bitmob I began thinking about more what achievement points and having an exorbitant amount of them truly mean. I can not say I find them the gaming cultural behemoth many are claiming them to be and do not know if I can believe they are further adding to quality gaming experiences.
"Just Keep On Collecting"
Maybe my idea of playing games is a bit half baked, or maybe I am just getting old, but I find playing games strictly for achievement points to be utterly pointless. We as gamers play video games for its unrivaled entertainment value. In my opinion the interactivity of video gaming is one of the purest forms of entertainment ever created and I can not see this achievement collecting trend as anything but being harmful to quality gaming experiences. The only way I realistically see anyone having a huge achievement score is to plow through lackluster games over and over and over again... and once done with those having to shovel through the absolute drivel of games being produced; games so bad they make your teeth bleed. I guess what I am trying to get across is - is there is any real value to playing so many mediocre games?
I am not saying that the idea of achievements points in themselves is a bad idea, absolutely that is not what I am spilling here. I do not see anything wrong with playing a game a particular way in order to get achievement points, or trophies if that is your thing, if the game in itself is something you have a heavy fondness for. Being able to display to your gaming peers your admiration for a great game and their developer has not been as easy to do than in this internet age. In that respect, achievement points have more than enough merit in order to justify themselves, yet in getting them just to get them is the concept I can not fully grasp.
I know we love video games but there is far more to life than just playing them. Being a gaming enthusiast to me means playing those few titles that endorse new ways to experience this hobby of ours. The Super Mario 64s, the Pac-Mans, the GTA IIIs, the Halo 2s, the Super Mario Bros', the Tetris', etc. those are the sorts of games worthy of our precious time. That is electronic gaming. Sadly most games produced in my opinion are not worth the energy to pop into our gaming systems, and when a bad game does find a way in something we play or is given a chance they should be shut off once the mediocrity has reveled itself. Just break that sort of game. Life is just too short. Most games are just there to piggy bank off the genuine creative ideas of others or the exploit the license of some sort of established brand. Unoriginal bastards. We the more knowledgeable gaming enthusiasts most of all should have the responsibilities to stay clear of those lackluster gaming products. I can not see going for a huge achievement score fulfilling this more important responsibility.
Time is precious and fleeting. Lucky for us there are more than enough genuine experiences for our bodies and minds to engage in in order to live a satisfying once go around in this world. Do not let my views on achievement points sway you too much on how you play games. Live your life the way you want just do not ever forget to question everything. This idea of the merits of achievement hording has me a bit weary but definitely be your own judge...
Oh yeah, here is Vashti Bunyan's brilliant song 17 Pink Sugar Elephants. Maybe you will find some relevancy from it and what I wrote.
Comments (1)
I am the same type of gamer you are. I find one game and play it until I know it inside/out and then move on. Though, I have sometimes played a game I normally wouldn't have just for achievements. But I think for some people getting a high achievement score is the game itself, and all of the games the play to get that score are like levels in the macrogame. Or is Metagame the term?
Nice post, I could tell it was written from the heart and I like that!
