The Egotistical Priest
An irreverent and opinionated discussion of the many classes
in the World of Warcraft gaming universe.
Achievements
by Vonya
One of the biggest features of the most recent patch is the Achievements system, and I gotta tell ya, I am entirely too enamored with the whole idea.
Money
From Blizzard’s standpoint, it’s beautiful. The only rewards that come from achievements are utterly superficial - a special colored mount, a vanity pet, a title. No gear, nothing that is actually useful from a gameplay perspective, nothing that could potentially give any player an “edge” over other players.
In return for this “nothing”, players are crawling all over the game like ants disturbed from an anthill. Never completed the Green Hills of Stranglethorn quest? Well, by golly, you will only get credit for completing the Nesingwary quest series if you do! Stranglethorn is overrun with level 70 toons, all gathering pages like crazy. What’s the reward? Not a thing.
People are eating this up, drinking the Kool-Aid, and in general going out of their way to complete these achievements. Comparing points, helping each other complete quests, selling pieces of the achievements in the trade channel (like shots with a particular wand, for example).
It’s a madhouse, and everyone’s trying to complete as many achievements as they can.
Heck, half my guild is off somewhere in Azeroth, trying to get the map discovery achievements.
And of us all, Blizz wins the most. People are interested in the game again, redoing old content again, and renewing their subscriptions before the expansion, all for…well…nothing.
Me
As for me? I can see the hilarious deception, and I flat out do not care.
I adore the Achievements system. Nobody gets hurt, nobody gets overpowered, and everyone has a grand old time. It’s free, it’s fun, it’s utterly frivolous, and I could not be more enchanted with the whole idea.
Khuu completed the cooking and fishing quests she could do on short notice (El’s Extreme Anglin’, how do I love thee, let me count the ways). Vonya’s working on getting credit for all the instances and heroics she’s already run a million times.
I am so into this whole concept that it’s just crazy. I love it. I love seeing another checkmark on a list to get an achievement done. I love completing an achievement, getting that glowing flourish and sound.
Summary
If someone tries to tell you that achievements are stupid…let them. Smile and laugh, because they’re right. You don’t gain anything that will truly make a difference in any aspect of this game (with the possible exception of RP).
It is stupid.
But I’ll tell you what, I’m having a lot more fun with this “stupid” stuff than they are bemoaning the inattendance of raiders, I’ll tell you that much!
Now if you’ll excuse me, Khuuna still has a few more critters to run up and /love.
*grins*
October 23rd, 2008
Hear, hear! People are *still* managing to moan about it, but they can go right ahead. We’re having a grand old time.
October 23rd, 2008
Can’t sleep…must…complete…one…more…
This is seriously going to impact NaNoWriMo.
October 23rd, 2008
LOL! Well you all can have your fun, I’ll quit sit over here watching you all run around! Actuall I am doing the pet and mount ones as they give me something. The rest I’ll do only if I’m not going out of my way to do so. If I do make fun of my friends over it…it is good natured.
October 23rd, 2008
Agreed!
It IS stupid. Why is it the stupid things are always the most fun?
/grin
October 23rd, 2008
the funniest part is that all us ‘hard cores’ are doing the same thing.
I mean, I fricking *hate* brd, but where was I last night?
yeah. BeffingRD
October 23rd, 2008
Bah it ISN’T stupid. Or to be better phrased it is just as stupid as any other activity in game. You do a series of actions for a pixel reward. You enjoy the reward. No need for name callin.
October 23rd, 2008
I’m with you Vonya. I’m addicted to achievements. They are kinda like the ultimate collectables in WoW.
When they introduced titles into Guildwars (same concept, different name) it extended my game play by about 18 months. It could be years before i’m finished with Wow now
October 23rd, 2008
I just wish they would turn off their Guild Chat spam!
As I look number of Achievement points growing - and wonder what the purpose of the points are - I still can’t help myself like doing the fun or challanging ones - like the falling one, or Make love not warcraft one, ( Hugging an enemy in Pvp before they release from the body) Or the Wheres your head one, where I had to pumpking one person from each race.. ( Do you know how hard trolls are to find… ) I guess I’ll do the exploring ones….
October 24th, 2008
I’m proudly an Ambassador, my bear is going to be a Guardian of Cenarius, and I’m disgusted with myself for looking into the “Salty” title. I’ve only ever caught Old Crafty. It was on an alt, and I was forcibly disconnected before I could loot him.
Yeah, these achievements are awesome and will be the death of me. Everybody knows to jump off the side of the Scryer platform and aim for the white patch on the canopy below for “Going Down?” right?
@ Zahrah — Right-click on your chat tab, and in the last option page, on the very far bottom right, you’ll find a check-box to turn off Achievement announcements.
October 24th, 2008
Drinking the koolaid! LOL!
October 24th, 2008
Completely agree, i do like some of the achievments but think some are a bit pointless TBH.
October 24th, 2008
All I can say is that I always wondered where the Stockades are..
Well know I know and as a reminder Trolls are /spit on in Stormwind
I was originally thinking that I was the only person doing this, but on my 1st ghost run I ran across 3 separate groups of people all doing the ghost run. I also was curious about the deadmines, which has turned out to be a goldmine. Not only does that stupid parrot that drops sells well, but all the wool cloth does as well.
Yeah achievements may be hokey, and if I didn’t like instances I would probably not care. But if nothing else these provide a surprising list of things. Like just how many subzones are there in that zone, how many rares are their running around outland, just what good is a weighted jack-o-lantern.
So while you may love or hate or not care about the achievement system it does provide something for everyone. Be it a desk reference/map or just something fun to do.
BTW I won’t complain about a bear mount for killing all the bosses in the towns