[Suggestion] Achievements in Elemental?

from Elemental Forums

I hesitate to bring it up since I've always thought they were a little cheesy, but they're also very compelling and I do find them to be a guilty pleasure that I enjoy racking up.  If done correctly (the Lego Indy & Star Wars games are good examples) then they do add another layer of fun to normal play.  I seem to recall that there were efforts underway to get an achievement system going in Impulse, but has thought been given specifically to having any in Elemental?

I personally enjoy when achievements are either obscure things that you stumble on, or are carrots held in front of your nose for doing a given thing a bunch.  I'd see some fun opportunities for that in Elemental...  Killing a given mob a crazy amount of time.  Pursuing one tech tree to the exclusion of all others...  Just make them whimsical and/or random and I'll be happy. 

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Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

It could be a handy feature for online Leader Boards :)

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

There has been talk about achievements in Elemental before (can't find the thread though...). I think the consensus was that as long as they don't give an in-game bonus (Like plus to attack, defense, ...) most people wouldn't mind if they were included in the game. The problem which some people had with achievements giving in-game bonusses, was that then to be competitive, you are more or less forced to complete them.

So, I'd like for some achievements to be included with some cosmetical rewards that show other users (in multi-player) what you achieved. Some new options for the Coat of Arms, Weapons / Armor that looks different, but is the same as the standard version in stats, special mounts, ... Things like that...

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Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Scorpiana, reply 2
So, I'd like for some achievements to be included with some cosmetical rewards that show other users (in multi-player) what you achieved. Some new options for the Coat of Arms, Weapons / Armor that looks different, but is the same as the standard version in stats, special mounts, ... Things like that...
End of Scorpiana's quote

Excellent ideas. I agree wholeheartedly.

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

I for one would like to see some acchievents reveal art and areas of the game's lore... like if you kill X number of BlackWidows you get access to some interesting (but devoid of tactical value) text that explains what BlackWidows are and why they act/look the way they do....

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

I don't like the idea, to be honest.  I've seen lots of games where achievements are just replacements for depth, and are used for unlockables and some such.  I'd much rather have flavor text and art be made available immediately, or not at all.  Besides which, the term for achievements in a TBS game is a conduct, which implies a special challenge with no reward or acknowledgement.

Finally, what would I want in favor of achievements?  An Elementopedia, please..

 

Besides which, for achievements, it would only make sense to make them multiplayer achievements.  Galciv has medals, ranks, and banners.  Something like that would be more than enough for me.

Reply #6 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Netaddict45, reply 5
I don't like the idea, to be honest.  I've seen lots of games where achievements are just replacements for depth, and are used for unlockables and some such. 
End of Netaddict45's quote

I see your concerns and I agree with them too, but, I don't think Stardock's that stupid. I haven't seen a game of theirs that didn't have great depth and lore to it. Even without the lore of any given game Stardock is great about giving us features. If anything an achievement would just be another "hey, that's cool" feature without distracting from any other game content. That's why it wouldn't be a good idea Imo to add bonuses to achievements. As Scorpiana already said, then everyone would have to get them to compete and that's not fair to some players.

Reply #7 from Elemental Forums Top

I'd much rather have flavor text and art be made available immediately, or not at all.
End of quote
Well, these acchievents are going to be

  1. probably in an XML file or something so that they can be modded. The lore they unlock would be easily viewable from there, if you don't want to actually get the acchievement, and
  2. spread across the Web, probably before the game is even released. Again, you can get them w/o even buying the game.

But it's not really something I care strongly about, so I would not be unduly annoyed if they didn't get in.

Reply #8 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Netaddict45, reply 5
I don't like the idea, to be honest.  I've seen lots of games where achievements are just replacements for depth, and are used for unlockables and some such.  I'd much rather have flavor text and art be made available immediately, or not at all. 
End of Netaddict45's quote

I'm just envisioning something that's just fluff on top of the actual game.  We're going to be spending an inordinate amount of time in beta (supposedly hooooooribly painful time per Frogboy... sorry, I do try to stop having fun, but it's a challenge) so the actual game is going to be solid regardless of the achievements, but as long as they're non-gameplay changing, then they could be very fun and wouldn't detract from the core game at all.  I know I got a chuckle out of the "He no nuts, he crazy" achievement in Lego Indy for breaking X number of objects, so similar just for fun things would be nice.  Completely pointless, but fun, should be the rule.

As long as the rewards are something along the lines of avatars for the forums or skins or such for in-game, or just badges ala GalCiv2, then they're just a little fun extra.  And as others have pointed out, if they're something we can mod, then so much the better and that'd be an excellent avenue for creativity.  Just need to have a non-gameplay-affecting skeleton in there to work with.