For many gamers, like myself, Xbox Live's Avatar Awards are still mythical. I have yet to play a game with Awards, because few games offer them. Perhaps that's because Awards are, at the moment, nothing more than visual Achievements. That's not bad, really, but there could be more depth.
Many people care about XBL Achievements and many don't. That's largely because it's an all-or-nothing scenario in favor of those with lots of spending money (to buy games with) and a long time owning the console. If someone has owned a 360 for a year longer than you, they probably have a higher Gamerscore.
Achievements are also impersonal. If you and I play the same game, we'll typically get the same Achievements for doing the same things.
But what if Avatar Awards were different? What if gamers could compete for them?
What if my friend JoeSchmoe64 and I could voluntarily wager that one of us will get a particular Award before the other? The winner gets the Award, while the same Award is blocked for the loser. The winner could be given the power to unlock the loser's Award for him afterward, or they could agree to permanently leave one with the trophy and the other empty-handed.
If the game included multiple Awards, then Joe might win two trophies while I win two others... and we'd each have something to show.
Keep in mind, Avatar Awards needn't all be complicated models or animations, like a train moving around an avatar's feet. They could be as simple as blocks stacked beside an avatar or a banner draped behind, each signifying a specific achievement.
Honestly, I haven't put much thought into this idea. But the basic idea is that Awards could be made more meaningful than Achievements by allowing players to bet them as stakes or otherwise making them reflect actions that set one gamer apart from others.
Showing posts with label awards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label awards. Show all posts
Friday, December 04, 2009
Monday, December 29, 2008
Achievements and trophies
As I said over at Osbon's, the Achievements I enjoy most are the ones that reward lucky, odd, and crazy things. Crackdown has an Achievement for using the harpoon gun to pin three or four people to the same car. It also has an Achievement for leaping from the top of the tallest skyscraper and falling (harmlessly) into the bay below. Those aren't just accomplishments. Those are memorable moments. Trophies and Achievements can help preserve such fond memories.
Completing a level or chapter is often not a memorable moment. Every adventure game I play has Achievements for completing each level, but I don't remember many of those times. Still, having Achievements for the completion of levels is good, because it helps friends keep track of how far you are in a game and inspires friendly conversation.
There are ordinary moments like these that are worth commemorating (rewarding effort can be done in better ways). But, overall, Achievements should celebrate extraordinary moments. Those are the moments worth remembering. Those are the moments that gamers are most inclined to share, thereby promoting the game and aiding its longevity, among many other benefits.
Completing a level or chapter is often not a memorable moment. Every adventure game I play has Achievements for completing each level, but I don't remember many of those times. Still, having Achievements for the completion of levels is good, because it helps friends keep track of how far you are in a game and inspires friendly conversation.
There are ordinary moments like these that are worth commemorating (rewarding effort can be done in better ways). But, overall, Achievements should celebrate extraordinary moments. Those are the moments worth remembering. Those are the moments that gamers are most inclined to share, thereby promoting the game and aiding its longevity, among many other benefits.
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
best of 2008?
I'm reminded how utterly meaningless Readers' Choice awards like this are.
First, every participant votes on every category... as if the average gamer plays sports, fighting games, RPGs, RTS and FPS games all at once. Even if many gamers were so eclectic, who has the money? Who has the time?
And even within a single category, how many voters have played every game? IGN's "Best Platform Game" includes just three games: Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, Mirror's Edge, and Prince of Persia. How many people do you think have played all three? And who in his right mind would consider those similar enough to be in the same category?!
"Best of..." awards like this are almost always popularity contests. And this one doesn't even hint at a game's popularity, because every single game's votes will be skewed by people voting for games they never played, voting in categories they're completely unfamiliar with.
And how did Left 4 Dead get left out of the "Best Use of Sound" category? I haven't played a game in years in which sound is so vital.
First, every participant votes on every category... as if the average gamer plays sports, fighting games, RPGs, RTS and FPS games all at once. Even if many gamers were so eclectic, who has the money? Who has the time?
And even within a single category, how many voters have played every game? IGN's "Best Platform Game" includes just three games: Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, Mirror's Edge, and Prince of Persia. How many people do you think have played all three? And who in his right mind would consider those similar enough to be in the same category?!
"Best of..." awards like this are almost always popularity contests. And this one doesn't even hint at a game's popularity, because every single game's votes will be skewed by people voting for games they never played, voting in categories they're completely unfamiliar with.
And how did Left 4 Dead get left out of the "Best Use of Sound" category? I haven't played a game in years in which sound is so vital.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
