Achievements
Goals whose fulfillment is stored outside the scope of individual game sessions.
Contents
Examples
Example: Left 4 Dead Series
Achievements schemes are often developed by platform developers rather than individual game developers, and supporting them may or may not be required to be allowed to release games on them. Both PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360 console platforms provide Achievement support through PSN trophies and Gamerscore system respectively (the latter also working with Games for Windows titles), and require the developers use them. Valve Software uses Steam Achievements to provide similar functionality but does not require games to make use of it.
Left 4 Dead Series Assassin's Creed 2 World of Warcraft
Using the pattern
Linked to point systems
Several sub-categories of Achievements exist. Goal Achievements are those that are awarded by successfully completing Optional or Enforced Goals. Testing Achievements are those that are given simply for players trying some action in the game, and can be a way for game designers to encourage players both to learn how to play and to engage in Experimenting. Handicap Achievements are those given to players for completing goal with self-imposed penalties, e.g. having the Difficulty Settings as difficult as possible or using a limited range of disadvantageous weapons. The Left 4 Dead Series have both these types of Handicap Achievements in the second installment: Still Something To Prove for completing all Campaigns on the expert Difficulty Setting and Tank Burger for killing the Boss Monster known as a Tank using only melee weapons.
Most Achievements (where Goal Achievements most typically are the exception) can be modified by simply requiring that an action or goal needs to be done several times for the achievement to be rewarded. In contrast, Grind Achievements are those that players eventually will get through Grinding rather than some level of Game Mastery.
High Score Lists (← links)
Unwinnable Games (← links)
Challenging Gameplay (← links)
Open Destiny (← links)
Freedom of Choice Handicap Achievements Single-Player Games Testing Achievements Grind Achievements Goal Achievements Ephemeral Goals
Diegetic Aspects
Achievements can work against Engrossment in a game's Narration Structures since it draws attention to an optional Meta Game. This is typically compounded by a culture of having cross-referential jokes or word plays in Achievements (e.g. The Incredible Hulk in World of Warcraft; Armory of One, Price Chopper, and Kill Bill in L4D2; Ain't That a Kick in the Head and Veni, Vidi, Vici in Fallout: New Vegas; and Marxman and Rasputin in Team Fortress 2).
Interface Aspects
Narrative Aspects
Consequences
The presence of Achievements can provide clear goals to Unwinnable Games.
Achievements provide a Value of Effort through giving Rewards than can give Game-Induced Player Social Status.
Relations
Can Instantiate
Can Modulate
Can Be Instantiated By
Goal Achievements, Grind Achievements, Testing Achievements, Handicap Achievements
Can Be Modulated By
Possible Closure Effects
Potentially Conflicting With
History
New pattern created in this wiki.
References
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