Achievement (video gaming)
Encyclopedia
In video gaming parlance, an achievement, also sometimes known as a trophy or challenge, is a meta-goal defined outside of a game's parameters. Unlike the systems of quests or levels that usually define the goals of a computer or video game and have a direct effect on further gameplay, the management of achievements usually takes place outside the confines of the game environment and architecture.
or completing a level in a certain amount of time. Certain achievements may refer to other achievements - many games have one achievement that require the player to have gained every other achievement.
Unlike secrets, which traditionally provided some kind of direct benefit to the player in the form of easier gameplay (such as the warp pipe in Super Mario Bros.
) or additional gameplay features (such as hidden weapons or levels in first-person shooters like Doom) even though they might have criteria similar to achievements in order to unlock, the narrative-independent nature of achievements allows them to be fulfilled without needing to provide the player with any benefit or additional feature. In addition, the achievements used in gaming are usually visible outside the game environment (for example, on the Internet) and form part of the online profile for the player (Gamertag for Microsoft's Live Anywhere
network, for both Xbox 360
titles and Games for Windows - Live supported PC Games, PSN ID for PlayStation Network (PSN)) or a particular character (Achievement Points in World of Warcraft
). The motivation for the player to gain achievements lies in maximizing their own general cross-title score (known as Gamerscore on LIVE and Trophy Level on PSN) and obtaining recognition for their performance due to the publication of their achievement/trophy profiles.
Some implementations use a system of achievements that do provide direct benefits to the gameplay, although the award is usually not congruent with the achievement itself. One example of such an implementation are "challenges" found in the later Call of Duty
titles. Challenges here may include a certain number of headshots or kills and are rewarded not only with the completion of the achievement but also a bonus item that can be equipped.
. In 2008, Sony
and Valve followed suit by offering PSN trophies for the PlayStation 3
and Steam Achievements for some PC titles respectively. To date, Nintendo
has not developed any kind of central achievements system for the Wii
or Nintendo DS
, but a few selected games such as Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
and Wii Sports Resort
do implement their own systems of achievements. There is also no trophy support for the PlayStation Portable
, even though the device does have PSN connection capability. However, at least three games on the PlayStation Portable has a similar system, that being Silent Hill: Origins, Modnation Racers
and Pinball Heroes. Though one PlayStation Portable game, Little Big Planet on the back of the box it says trophies but it was a typo that Sony confirmed that there was no trophy system on Little Big Planet and on the PlayStation Portable. It is confirmed that there will be a trophy system that will be in the new Sony handheld video game system successor to the PlayStation Portable, the PlayStation Vita as well as for all PlayStation Vita games that will be coming out at the end of 2011 in Japan and early 2012 for North America and Europe.
A number of mainly Windows-based games, such as TAGAP: The Apocalyptic Game About Penguins
and World of Warcraft
, implement their own system of achievements, which may or may not be publicized on the internet.
Microsoft
's mobile OS, Windows Phone 7
, includes Xbox Live
support, including achievements.
Apple has added Game Center
on the iOS mobile platform for iPhone
, iPad
, and iPod touch
which has achievements.
The game E-Motion
on the Amiga from 1990 was one of the earliest games that had some form of achievements, although the game calls them a "secret bonus". The game had 5 secret achievements, for example completing a level without rotating to the right or completely failing certain levels .
Kongregate
, a Flash games hosting site, features Badges, which earn the user points, similar to the Xbox 360
's Gamerscore and PlayStation 3's trophy system. Much like PSN trophies, points work towards increasing a player's level. The site FAQ explains, "Your level will automatically rise as you earn points. We're still working out the details of what kind of privileges and potential prizes that points and levels could be used to unlock."
The advent of achievement-driven gaming is satirized in the Flash game Achievement Unlocked. Originally hosted on Armor Games, it has also been featured on Kongregate
, a site which also features an achievement system. The game is a simple platformer; it takes place on a single non-scrolling screen, and has only the simplest controls i.e. walking and jumping. It has no clearly-defined victory condition aside from earning all 100 achievements, from the trivial (move left, click the play field) to the complex (find and travel to three locations in order, touch every square), though an optional challenge lies in earning all the achievements from a fresh play through in as little time as possible. The game spawned a sequel, Achievement Unlocked 2.
Purpose and motivation
Achievements are included within games to extend the title's longevity and provide players with the impetus to more than simply complete the game but find all of its secrets. They are effectively arbitrary challenges laid out by the developer to be met by the player. These achievements may coincide with the inherent goals of the game itself, such as completing a level, with secondary goals such as finding secret power-ups or levels, or may also be independent of the game's primary or secondary goals, such as playing a certain number of times, viewing a video, beating a certain number of online opponentsOnline game
An online game is a game played over some form of computer network. This almost always means the Internet or equivalent technology, but games have always used whatever technology was current: modems before the Internet, and hard wired terminals before modems...
or completing a level in a certain amount of time. Certain achievements may refer to other achievements - many games have one achievement that require the player to have gained every other achievement.
Unlike secrets, which traditionally provided some kind of direct benefit to the player in the form of easier gameplay (such as the warp pipe in Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros.
is a 1985 platform video game developed by Nintendo, published for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a sequel to the 1983 game Mario Bros. In Super Mario Bros., the player controls Mario as he travels through the Mushroom Kingdom in order to rescue Princess Toadstool from the antagonist...
) or additional gameplay features (such as hidden weapons or levels in first-person shooters like Doom) even though they might have criteria similar to achievements in order to unlock, the narrative-independent nature of achievements allows them to be fulfilled without needing to provide the player with any benefit or additional feature. In addition, the achievements used in gaming are usually visible outside the game environment (for example, on the Internet) and form part of the online profile for the player (Gamertag for Microsoft's Live Anywhere
Live Anywhere
Games for Windows – Live is an online gaming service for Games for Windows-branded PC titles. It enables Windows PCs to connect to the Live service, which will eventually include other devices including Windows Mobile and Zune...
network, for both Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
titles and Games for Windows - Live supported PC Games, PSN ID for PlayStation Network (PSN)) or a particular character (Achievement Points in World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the fourth released game set in the fantasy Warcraft universe, which was first introduced by Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994...
). The motivation for the player to gain achievements lies in maximizing their own general cross-title score (known as Gamerscore on LIVE and Trophy Level on PSN) and obtaining recognition for their performance due to the publication of their achievement/trophy profiles.
Some implementations use a system of achievements that do provide direct benefits to the gameplay, although the award is usually not congruent with the achievement itself. One example of such an implementation are "challenges" found in the later Call of Duty
Call of Duty
Call of Duty is a first-person shooter video game developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision in 2003. It is the first game in a series with the same name. The game simulates the infantry and combined arms warfare of World War II. The game is based on the Quake III: Team Arena engine...
titles. Challenges here may include a certain number of headshots or kills and are rewarded not only with the completion of the achievement but also a bonus item that can be equipped.
Implementations
Although individual games on various platforms had implemented systems of achievements, the original implementation of the achievements system as popularized is widely considered to be Microsoft's Xbox 360 Gamerscore system, introduced in 2005. Microsoft extended Gamerscore support to the Games for Windows - LIVE scheme in 2007 by including support for achievements in Halo 2Halo 2
Halo 2 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie Studios. Released for the Xbox video game console on November 9, 2004, the game is the second installment in the Halo franchise and the sequel to 2001's critically acclaimed Halo: Combat Evolved...
. In 2008, Sony
Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. is a major video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry, and is a wholly owned subsidiary and part of the Consumer Products & Services Group of Sony...
and Valve followed suit by offering PSN trophies for the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and Steam Achievements for some PC titles respectively. To date, Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
has not developed any kind of central achievements system for the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
or Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
, but a few selected games such as Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is a first-person action-adventure game developed by Retro Studios and published by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. It is the tenth game in the Metroid series, and the final entry in the Metroid Prime trilogy—excluding two spin-off titles. It was released in...
and Wii Sports Resort
Wii Sports Resort
Wii Sports Resort has received generally favorable reviews, with an average score on Metacritic of 80%. IGN gave it a 7.7 out of 10, citing the impressive fidelity of the controls and how the graphics, as compared to the majority of Wii games, were superb. GameTrailers gave an 8.6 out of 10....
do implement their own systems of achievements. There is also no trophy support for the PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
, even though the device does have PSN connection capability. However, at least three games on the PlayStation Portable has a similar system, that being Silent Hill: Origins, Modnation Racers
ModNation Racers
ModNation Racers is a kart racing game developed by United Front Games for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable. User generated content will be a central aspect of the game, such that it uses the same "Play, Create, Share." adage as LittleBigPlanet to convey its basis in online user-generated...
and Pinball Heroes. Though one PlayStation Portable game, Little Big Planet on the back of the box it says trophies but it was a typo that Sony confirmed that there was no trophy system on Little Big Planet and on the PlayStation Portable. It is confirmed that there will be a trophy system that will be in the new Sony handheld video game system successor to the PlayStation Portable, the PlayStation Vita as well as for all PlayStation Vita games that will be coming out at the end of 2011 in Japan and early 2012 for North America and Europe.
A number of mainly Windows-based games, such as TAGAP: The Apocalyptic Game About Penguins
TAGAP: The Apocalyptic Game About Penguins
TAGAP: The Apocalyptic Game About Penguins is a computer action game for Microsoft Windows, released as freeware via the Internet in July 2007. In the game, the player controls cyber-penguin Pablo on his quest to save the Earth from the conquering plans of his lunatic creator, Dr. Glowenko...
and World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the fourth released game set in the fantasy Warcraft universe, which was first introduced by Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994...
, implement their own system of achievements, which may or may not be publicized on the internet.
Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
's mobile OS, Windows Phone 7
Windows Phone 7
Windows Phone is a mobile operating system developed by Microsoft, and is the successor to its Windows Mobile platform, although incompatible with it. Unlike its predecessor, it is primarily aimed at the consumer market rather than the enterprise market...
, includes Xbox Live
Xbox Live
Xbox Live is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation. It is currently the only online gaming service on consoles that charges users a fee to play multiplayer gaming. It was first made available to the Xbox system in 2002...
support, including achievements.
Apple has added Game Center
Game Center
Game Center is an online multiplayer social gaming network released by Apple. It allows users to invite friends to play a game, start a multiplayer game through matchmaking, track their achievements, and compare their high scores on a leader board.-History:...
on the iOS mobile platform for iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
, iPad
IPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
, and iPod touch
IPod touch
The iPod Touch is a portable media player, personal digital assistant, handheld game console, and Wi-Fi mobile device designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The iPod Touch adds the multi-touch graphical user interface to the iPod line...
which has achievements.
The game E-Motion
E-Motion
E-Motion is a strategy video game developed by The Assembly Line in the late 1980s. It was published as The Game of Harmony in the United States by Accolade, and as E-Motion by U.S. Gold elsewhere. It was available for Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, DOS, ZX Spectrum, and Game Boy...
on the Amiga from 1990 was one of the earliest games that had some form of achievements, although the game calls them a "secret bonus". The game had 5 secret achievements, for example completing a level without rotating to the right or completely failing certain levels .
Kongregate
Kongregate
Kongregate is an online games hosting website owned by Gamestop Corporation, which allows users to upload user-created Adobe Flash or Unity3D games. It features an API that Flash and Unity developers can integrate into their games which allows users to submit high scores and in some games, earn...
, a Flash games hosting site, features Badges, which earn the user points, similar to the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
's Gamerscore and PlayStation 3's trophy system. Much like PSN trophies, points work towards increasing a player's level. The site FAQ explains, "Your level will automatically rise as you earn points. We're still working out the details of what kind of privileges and potential prizes that points and levels could be used to unlock."
The advent of achievement-driven gaming is satirized in the Flash game Achievement Unlocked. Originally hosted on Armor Games, it has also been featured on Kongregate
Kongregate
Kongregate is an online games hosting website owned by Gamestop Corporation, which allows users to upload user-created Adobe Flash or Unity3D games. It features an API that Flash and Unity developers can integrate into their games which allows users to submit high scores and in some games, earn...
, a site which also features an achievement system. The game is a simple platformer; it takes place on a single non-scrolling screen, and has only the simplest controls i.e. walking and jumping. It has no clearly-defined victory condition aside from earning all 100 achievements, from the trivial (move left, click the play field) to the complex (find and travel to three locations in order, touch every square), though an optional challenge lies in earning all the achievements from a fresh play through in as little time as possible. The game spawned a sequel, Achievement Unlocked 2.