Badges of shame?

[Deleted]

I used to call them Achievements, just as Blizzard intended them to be, but lately I am starting to form the opinion that instead of achievements, they are actually badges of shame.

I am talking about grinds that Blizzard introduce to the game just to keep us occupied. Things like obtaining the "Professor" title. Maybe even something like "Salty", since it is a major grind to get the "Dark Herring" or equivalent rare catch.

I know some people love doing those, but in my opinion they were just introduced to to keep the completists among us occupied and subscribed to this game. If you have one of these (or other) long grind achievements, did you enjoy the journey to finally get to the end?

[Deleted]

but in my opinion they were just introduced to to keep the completists among us occupied and subscribed to this game.

I hate to break it to you, but that's essentially what half the achievements are.
And Blizzard, nor anyone in general, will disagree with you here.

You like to raid. You spend 20 hours wiping on a heroic boss.
I like to fish. I spend 20 hours fishing a rare catch.

How exactly does our time spend is any different or better?
We both wasted 20 hours of our lifes staring at a monitor filled with pixels.

[Deleted]

I hate Achievements because they make me feel like I have to play the game until I get them all. In that sense Blizzard was smart and found a way to keep people interested.

I would have much preferred a simple statistics tab with the Dungeons/Raids you have completed.
Also Titles would've been enough.

[Deleted]

Imho the main thing about them - you are not forced to do them. Completing them do not have an impact on your game-play, except cosmetic rewards.

[Deleted]

Things like achievements are the bread and butter of MMO's. Along with drop rates, gold, artificial gates such as the firelands daily zone, weekly badge caps, limited attempts, etc. It keeps people playing for a longer period of time, and ultimately the player still enjoys it at the end. Some of these things can feel like a job when you're doing it, but then you get rewarded at the end.

It's not really an issue, that's how MMO's are. The only people who should be concerned are those people with a bad case of OCD, otherwise you can always just say "no" to parts of the game you don't like.

[Brett Skullcrack]

You like to raid. You spend 20 hours wiping on a heroic boss.
I like to fish. I spend 20 hours fishing a rare catch.

How exactly does our time spend is any different or better?
We both wasted 20 hours of our lifes staring at a monitor filled with pixels.

How does our time differ?! One of us is doing a coordinated effort with 25 people that requires strategy, leadership and flawless execution from everyone. The other is clicking a bobber ever 30 seconds while watching porn in another window.

[Deleted]

How does our time differ?! One of us is doing a coordinated effort with 25 people that requires strategy, leadership and flawless execution from everyone. The other is clicking a bobber ever 30 seconds while watching porn in another window.

That's a very simplistic and unfair way to look at it. People in Raids are merely doing a simple 1-2-3-4 set rotation and avoiding red graphics on the ground.

PvPers have to react to non-scripted actions by other players. So if we go by your logic (Which is flawed) then PvP is the only thing worth playing.

[Vulpei]

How does our time differ?! One of us is doing a coordinated effort with 25 people that requires strategy, leadership and flawless execution from everyone. The other is clicking a bobber ever 30 seconds while watching porn in another window.

So you are suggesting the fishing is better right?

I have a few achieves that took a long time, and while I might not have enjoyed doing them, I sure enjoy not having to do them cause I have the points already.

[Deleted]

How does our time differ?! One of us is doing a coordinated effort with 25 people that requires strategy, leadership and flawless execution from everyone. The other is clicking a bobber ever 30 seconds while watching porn in another window.

While at the end of the day, neither of these matter when you log off. You think killing a 25man raid boss is a big deal?
You go to a bar and see how far your "I killed pixels" pick-up line gets you

[evoker]

The good thing (or bad for some) with MMOs is that you get to set your own goals and objectives. Like in single-player game you follow the story, in a MMO you can make your own story. What you do with your time in-game is up to you, if you hunt down achievements or kill raid bosses, it doesn't matter as long as you're having fun doing so.

If your goal is to earn achievements, getting frustrated when they take too long, it's completely rubbish. Just see it this way, the more time it takes the longer you do what you enjoy in the game. Yeah the Professor title sucks kinda, but I never actually went after it, I just noticed after completing a lot of rares that I was about around 18/20 rares, that's when I set it as an objective to finish 2 more. Some achievements are terrible grinds that I despised doing like getting Pebble, but I still did them since I wanted to complete the 150 pet achievement.

If you don't enjoy doing achievements, then just don't. Or if you have little time and progress slowly, keep at it or pick a different objective in the game.

[Deleted]

well obviously Achievements were added to the game to keep people playing (paying) when they've got nothing interesting left to do in game.

[BloodGutter]

As an achievement hunter/whore myself I love the system. When I was younger and played video games like Crash Bandicoot and other adventure games, I would always try to collect everything and get 100% game completion. So to me, this is like that but they've added a ton of things that aren't really a huge deal in the game or time wasters, but they keep me occupied.

[brirrspliff]

That's a very simplistic and unfair way to look at it. People in Raids are merely doing a simple 1-2-3-4 set rotation and avoiding red graphics on the ground.

and THAT is the reason why you are most likely not seeing real hardmodes, if you do nothing more than you said.

---------- Post added 2011-07-11 at 08:31 AM ----------

While at the end of the day, neither of these matter when you log off. You think killing a 25man raid boss is a big deal?
You go to a bar and see how far your "I killed pixels" pick-up line gets you

your "logic" is very flawed. it's a hobby an we play for fun. like other people watch sitcoms or stupid quizshows. you don't try to impress girls with your quizshow-watching-behaviour, do you?

[Melodi]

I enjoy achievements, but I am like you said, a completionist. I just also like collecting mounts, titles, and pets. Some are a more tedious grind, but I enjoyed finally making it to the finish line for some of the grindy achievements. I wouldn't call them badges of shame though. That's a bit too far. Just because you don't enjoy them doesn't mean they make others who have actually spent the time shameful in any way.

[Brett Skullcrack]

That's a very simplistic and unfair way to look at it. People in Raids are merely doing a simple 1-2-3-4 set rotation and avoiding red graphics on the ground.

You've obviously never raided any worthwhile content.

PvPers have to react to non-scripted actions by other players. So if we go by your logic (Which is flawed) then PvP is the only thing worth playing.

Computers playing from a script can beat the world's best human chess players, there's nothing inherent in being "scripted" that makes it less challenging. And PvP is by no means less predictable than "scripted" encounters since just by looking at the opposing team composition you can tell pretty much exactly how they will be playing and what you need to do to counter.

---------- Post added 2011-07-11 at 08:37 AM ----------

While at the end of the day, neither of these matter when you log off. You think killing a 25man raid boss is a big deal?
You go to a bar and see how far your "I killed pixels" pick-up line gets you

What matters to me is that I managed to accomplish a complex task that requires coordination of a group of 25 people. I did that with a group of people I've helped recruit, train and lead. You on the other hand clicked repeatedly on a bobber.

[Memory]

And PvP is by no means less predictable than "scripted" encounters since just by looking at the opposing team composition you can tell pretty much exactly how they will be playing and what you need to do to counter.

Even worse: only if they play at the best of their setup. Otherwise it's even easier.

[Deleted]

I find this thread hillarios.

First of all, OP, if you don't like doing achievments or spending time on them.... DON'T DO THEM.

Secondly, I can see this whole thread is filled with egotistical raiders who will fight to the death that raiding is the hardest thing to do etc.

Take "jlopez707" for example, to quote " you spent 20 hours staring at a non-moving fishing bobber with your mouse hovered over it and right clicking it every couple seconds. The raiders that spent 20 hours wiping on a heroic boss were busy running around trying to execute their roles perfectly and not failing at boss mechanics (at least trying not to, if they're wiping). "

You seem to be talking about a simple profession, thats the way the profession is based, just as raiding is based the way it is, just because blizzard want it that way.

Now, lets look at somthing here,

You take achievment hunters, and look at what achievments entail shall we?

So, you have a general section, PVP section, PVE section etc.

Lets go into raiding now, Oh, would you look at that, there are achievments in here that PVE'rs don't have to do in order to get their kill and lootz.

There are many simple achievments which can be done, like the "drop 65yards and not die" achievment, so, not ALL achievments are grinds.

But, as I said, achievments do not HAVE to be done, nore does PVP, or PVE or Dailies, or "insert game aspect"

So, please foff giving out. Its a nice system, just because you don't like it, doesnt make it bad.

We all play the game for different reasons, so i don't understand why someone who likes raiders have to put down pvpers, pvpers have to put down lore gatherers etc.

[Deleted]

You've obviously never raided any worthwhile content.

Jusdging by your posts, I definitely have further raid progress than you do.

Computers playing from a script can beat the world's best human chess players, there's nothing inherent in being "scripted" that makes it less challenging. And PvP is by no means less predictable than "scripted" encounters since just by looking at the opposing team composition you can tell pretty much exactly how they will be playing and what you need to do to counter.

If the computers are programmed to be difficult then, yes. WoW encounters are not programmed to be difficult hence why 10 year olds can do them with very little practice. It's a casual video game not a simulation.

Because of this PvP in WoW is more complicated and engaging and takes more skill. There is a high chance of meeting a good player as opposed to an easy scripted boss of which you are aware of all the rather simple tactics.

[announced]

achievements are worthless. like im going to spend 20 hours getting cooking to 525. or jus auto lvl it at thanksgiving. should i get 525 fishing or go do something exciting instead? the day u realize how useless it is getting achievements is the day you become much smarter.

[mangoarizona]

So, by your logic, the programmers are doing something far more worthwhile, e.g. making the game, and it makes raiders look like they are wasting their time. You're trying to say that raiding is more important because it is more difficult, thus making fishing a waste of time. Therefore, you should stop raiding and do something better, as stuff like surgery and politics are far more important and difficult than downing Rag on heroic.