Difference between revisions of "Handicap Achievements"

Revision as of 13:33, 16 December 2010

Achievements given for completing some goal while under some type of optional handicap.

Examples

Games with achievement systems and different difficulty settings typically provide different achievements for each of these settings. Fallout:New Vegas of the Fallout series provides the Hardcore achievement for completing the entire game in the mode with the same name where players need to replenish food, water, and sleep regularly^[1]. The action RPG Torchlight provide Beast Slayer II and Beast Slayer III for those players that complete the game on hard or very hard levels instead of the easy or normal levels (which gives Beast Slayer I). Further, Torchlight has a hardcore mode that does not allow respawning (so one cannot die without ending the game) and gives the achievements Hardcore Victor, Hardcore Hero, Hardcore Champion, or Hardcore God depending on whether one played on easy, normal, hard, or very hard level (Perfect Victory is also given for any type of game instance completed without a death)^[2].

Putting time limits can also provide a means of creating Handicap Achievements. Torchlight does this through the two achievements Swift Execution and Speed King with requires that the main enemy, Ordrak, is defeated in less than 5 and 8 hours respectively^[2].

Some games provide Handicap Achievements to players that complete levels, quests, or the entire game without using certain features of the game since these make the game easier. For example, the Akimbo Assassin achievement in Left 4 Dead of the Left 4 Dead Series is awarded for surviving a complete campaign using only pistols and Left 4 Dead 2 provides a similar achievement, Confederacy of Crunches for doing so using only melee weapons^[3][4].

Of the many achievements in World of Warcraft, a few are Testing Achievements. These include I Found One! for looting a brightly colored egg during the Noblegarden seasonal event, Represent for equipping any tabard, Shave and a Haircut for visiting a barber and getting cosmetic changes to one's avatar, and Dual Talent Specialization for testing the game's functionality of offering a different gaming experience with the same character^[5].

Although having aspects of grinding, the achievement Head of the Class in Team Fortress 2 forces players to test all classes available in the game and thereby experience the different abilities available^[6]. Although constructing building can be difficult to to enemy interference, helping a team mate construct one to get the Land Grab achievement qualifies as a Testing Achievements as well since it is not to difficulty to succeed with in well-chosen locations.

Using the pattern

One of the easiest ways of providing Handicap Achievements in a game is to have Difficulty Settings and provide a separate Goal Achievement for each setting.

In general, Handicap Achievements can be created through considering Optional or Enforced Goals in a game and then adding some required limitation on how the player can behave. The Left 4 Dead series

[[Goal Achievement

Achievements

Challenging Gameplay

Speed Runs

Diegetic Aspects

Interface Aspects

Narrative Aspects

Consequences

As a type of Achievement, Handicap Achievements can form a kind of Reward and be used to create Meta Games.

Speed Runs

Optional Goals

not much of a Meta Game.

Relations

Can Instantiate

with ...

Can Modulate

Can Be Instantiated By

Can Be Modulated By

Possible Closure Effects

Potentially Conflicting With

History

New pattern created in this wiki.

References

1. ↑ List of Fallout:New Vegas achievements in the Steam Achievements system and percentages of gamers receiving them.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} List of Torchlight achievements in the Steam Achievements system and percentages of gamers receiving them.
3. ↑ List of Left 4 Dead achievements in the Steam Achievements system and percentages of gamers receiving them.
4. ↑ List of Left 4 Dead 2 achievements in the Steam Achievements system and percentages of gamers receiving them.
5. ↑ Main page on WoWWiki for achievements.
6. ↑ List of Team Fortress 2 achievements in the Steam Achievements system and percentages of gamers receiving them.