I've decided to give up trophy hunting; I now realize how ridiculous it is

[Estil | 1,265]

So for the past few years, as most of you know, I was quite into the idea of trophy hunting on PS3/PS4.  While I thought at the time it was a novel idea, I now finally see what @Reed Rothchild tried to tell me all this time.  All trophies/achievements are is a silly gimmick and it caused me to forget all about simply playing just for the love of the games.  I mean, prior to the PS3 it's not like anyone was really clamoring for the idea of earning trophies...people just played for the love of the game and simply enjoyed the satisfaction of winning and completing a game.  After all, your save file will show with % completion, icons, badges, stars or whatever...so that should be good enough.

I did just recently get a Switch and now I will focus my attention on that along with sixth gen consoles and on back.  I'm thinking of maybe selling my PS3/PS4 and its games so I don't have to have that annoying trophy popping crap distracting me from what really matters in games.  Here's a look at what I have that I could sell; PM me if you have any questions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ

 

[spacepup | 2,405]

Well done, Estil.  Well done  

Regarding trophies, it's a tricky subject.  I know some people who genuinely really enjoy going after them and collecting them, so if that's a part of how they enjoy gaming, it's hard for me to really judge or say they are doing it wrong.

What I will say, is that I was never really concerned about the trophies, and when I discuss gaming with people over many years, I hear lots of comments from them about how they "have" to do certain things and that some games become a bit of a chore, trying to get the trophies.  That's not really something I personally want to deal with, and I find it much more enjoyable to just play and experience the game as I'd like, without worrying about trophies.  Granted, I never really cared about showing off my gaming accomplishments, or how many trophies are tied to my name.  

The other thing I've noticed is that for *some* people it can become sort of an addiction, to the point they are playing absolutely horrible games they'd otherwise have no interest in, just to get more trophies.  Again, it's their choice how to spend their free time, but I just feel like there are so many games I REALLY want to play, that I don't have the time to dedicate to playing garbage just for more trophies.

If you like them, and enjoy that part of the experience or it helps you play more games, then more power to you.  I know some people who legitimately feel it elevates the gaming experience for them.

For me, I feel like I've avoided a sort of 'burden' or issue, and am very very glad I never cared about going after them.

[DoctorEncore | 3,691]

I spent a couple years chasing achievements and it can be a lot of fun, but if it gets to the point where you're playing solely for those awards, it's probably time to re-evaluate. Even if you want to focus on them less, I wouldn't necessarily write them off completely. Well-designed achievements actually make a game more interesting by giving you unique ways to play or pushing you out of your comfort zone, so they're not all bad. That being said, I don't even look at the lists when I start games anymore. If something cool pops up in the tracker, I might pursue it, but my achievement completion rate now is abysmally low and I'm happy with that.

[a3quit4s | 4,112]

I think it’s cool when I get them either on PlayStation or Xbox but I don’t think I’d go really far out of my way to get one. Good on you @Estil for choosing to focus on what really matters to you. 
 

edit: goddamnit got me with the link

Edited April 1, 2023 by a3quit4s

[Reed Rothchild | 9,558]

Everyone: "You're making a wise dec-"

Estil: "FUCKING PSYCHE"

[fox | 1,668]

Too dramatic.  Just disable trophy notification if it bugs you.  Ezpz

[guitarzombie | 927]

I always liked 100% my games.  It always allowed me to get some more replay, or discover something I may have missed.  My gripe about them, is when they have ridiculous requirements that practically force you to ONLY play their game.  One that comes to mind is getting 10 million bucks on online GTA4 when a lot of money for one game is like $200 PER MATCH.  Or in Friday the 13th, you have to play has Jason 1000 times.  Each game can be as long as 20 mins, and in 2 hours maybe you'll be Jason once or twice (its random).  So you'd have to boost and its like, whats the point of this!?

[Murray | 2,449]

I’m just surprised he finally got a Switch 

[DarkTone | 987]

I stopped chasing them, but if they pop up I look to see what I did to get it. 

I've been looking up the hardest and rarest trophies and achievements recently and its enough to put anyone off. I remember when it was competitive when Microsoft introduced it, and Sony stole it. 

[koifish | 556]

Good for you. I am glad that you have evolved in your relationship with your hobby. This was a problem that I grappled with as well, and in that time I've come to the same realization about "backlogs" and other such "must play game" imperatives. It's simply harmful to your enjoyment of the hobby to treat every single entry of interest as a checkbox on a grocery list. You'll be much happier with yourself, from my perspective, if you go back to the arcade mentality, hopping from game to game, stopping only for the games that are worth your stopping on them, and playing only for as long as you are personally enjoying yourself. Also, ignore any and all claims about "beating" a game being necessary. Beating a game, to me, is only something that matters if you absolutely love the game in question, and think that it's worth the time to beat it. This again goes back to arcade glory days, where games took serious commitment and dedication to beat (if there was an ending at all).

I think that the significance of beating a game has been totally lost now that games are largely designed for the expectation that they will be finished, and what's worse is that there is a strong culture of fronting, putting up an image of a skilled and experienced player of a billion "essential classics", and perpetuating this myth that "real players" finish hundreds of games (all, of course, carefully curated from endless "best ever" listicles or youtube wannabes aiming to assert the "necessary" games to finish in order to be a polished player). This inevitably leads to dissatisfaction because of people insisting that "if I don't play this 100 games and master them ALL then I can never be a real gamer like the people on [insert trash website of your choice here]!) Now that games easily number in the five figures in total quantity (if not six figures by now), it makes no sense to insist that everyone be a master of everything. Much better, I think, to know your niche, to stick to it, and to carefully develop your own tastes and opinions through rigorous testing, than to simply learn and parrot all of the correct opinions that are en vogue at the time. After all, if you only ever did things that way, then how would you ever know what you actually liked or why you liked it? Moreover, you would be a hideously boring person to talk to about your supposed hobby.

[Estil | 1,265]

8 hours ago, Reed Rothchild said:

 

Edited April 1, 2023 by Estil

[Estil | 1,265]

7 hours ago, fox said:

Too dramatic.  Just disable trophy notification if it bugs you.  Ezpz

 

[Estil | 1,265]

7 hours ago, Murray said:

I’m just surprised he finally got a Switch 

Well excuuuuuuse me, Richie Rich!  Not everyone can be a Wall Street Kid and just spend whatever they want when they want!

[Gloves | 11,802]

So I'll always have more trophies than you. Good! ;D

[YOURTURN | 1,256]

I am going to add a +1 to the whole "Good for you!" bit.

When it comes to this bit, I hated it as far back to my PS3 days. More than how I hated how shitty my local Fry's treated me when my first PS3 was problematic, when Gamestop forgot to delete my JP account before they sold my console, and every issue I had with Sony.

For me, it is no different than me simply playing a roleplaying game just to beat it. I mean, yeah... Sure... I had my character just lay down while my friends beat a tough boss on my behalf in Dark Souls III. But for me, the story was slightly better than this situation. 

So with that said... Promise me that you will you enjoy your games, but not to the point you buy any marketing items that'll give you temporary bonus items.

[BlackVega | 583]

Never gave a crap about them. These things never existed in gaming 20-40 years ago

[Gloves | 11,802]

7 minutes ago, BlackVega said:

Never gave a crap about them. These things never existed in gaming 20-40 years ago

Xbox 360 was released in 2005 and had achievements, so... You're technically right, but it's not so far off.

[Tanooki | 4,943]

I figured out they were a video gamers version of a honey trap early on when they started first popping up on PS3 and Steam.  At first I was ok, was nice to see the box pop up.  Then the box got annoying seeing dumb stuff like wow you offed 3 dudes with 1 grenade and...wow you beat Chapter 2 of FF13. ...mmm ok?  It started feeling like it was just handing stuff out to get attention begging you to get annoyed at leaving stuff unfinished setting the trap.  Eventually I disabled the popups, then when I could, I outright blocked the things and turned off any form of tracking/visual to me tracking possible without fishing.  They're life sucking problems and annoying popups that break the immersion of the game when they appear too.  Just buy the game, play it out how YOU want to, get what you want out of it, and onto the next.  Being some trophy/achievement whore is just a sad thing to get caught up in doing unless you're on such a few games a year budget budget taking months to do it may make sense, or if you're a chronic attention seeker that too.

[Link | 2,715]

Lotta people not checking their calendar when they see this OP

[Estil | 1,265]

15 hours ago, Link said:

Lotta people not checking their calendar when they see this OP

That's kinda the whole point!  

[Hammerfestus | 3,869]

Thought this thread was as going to have a picture of Estil holding the severed head of a lion.  

[wyansas | 131]

Next up: realizing how ridiculous collecting is.  Then you'll be like a completely new person!

[Tulpa | 3,525]

As an April Fool's joke, 2/10.

As an inadvertent troll thread, 11/10.

[YOURTURN | 1,256]

27 minutes ago, wyansas said:

Next up: realizing how ridiculous collecting is.  Then you'll be like a completely new person!

I'm pretty much there. My next goal is to have any meals @Estil does not finish preserved and graded before that becomes a major seller.

[Hammerfestus | 3,869]

1 hour ago, wyansas said:

Next up: realizing how ridiculous collecting is.  Then you'll be like a completely new person!

Whoa whoa slow your roll there buddy.  I’ve definitely never argued this point here.  My plastic squares is the tits.  It is not weird at all that I spent $100+ dollars on some cardboard to go with my plastic squares.  Too bad I can’t afford the real gem that the archaeologists will all lose their minds over.  Cellophane.  This mother fucker named Kevin says my cellophane is the best cellophane.  Legit.