Post by TheLuckyOne on Feb 6, 2011 15:41:42 GMT -5
Wondering if this is an actual trend other people have noticed, or if I'm just delusional. (Strong possibility.) In the early days of video gaming, the technology wasn't there to really do endings, so in most games you were just playing for a high score. But in the generation most of us grew up on -- NES, Genesis, SNES, Playstation, N64, etc. -- it was all about the endings. I don't remember ever once caring about scores in the few games that had them... you were playing to beat the game and see what happened.
But I'm wondering if that's changing. For one, YouTube allows you to see the ending of any game you want without beating it yourself. And I was thinking about it while playing Left 4 Dead, a zombie shooter. There are 4 campaigns, each essentially a little mini-movie; there's almost zero plot and none of the campaigns much connect with each other. No real ending -- at the end of each campaign, you see your stats (zombies killed, health packs used, etc.), but that's about it. And the other night I found myself thinking, "Well, it's late, but the downloadable campaign is pretty short and I think I can get that one achievement."
The thing is, I'd already beaten all of the campaigns at that point, and I wasn't trying to get EVERY achievement... I don't have the time or the patience to beat anything on Expert. So why did I care? Why bother? And yet I kinda did, just a little.
Just wondering if this happens to anyone else. Does this represent a changing paradigm? I don't think many people play Grand Theft Auto and other sandbox games for the ending. With advancing technology, more immersive worlds, and PS3 and Xbox 360 games now all coming with achievements/trophies -- plus MMORPGs, many of which I don't think even have endings -- is this the next trend in gaming? A focus on achievements over endings?
-D
But I'm wondering if that's changing. For one, YouTube allows you to see the ending of any game you want without beating it yourself. And I was thinking about it while playing Left 4 Dead, a zombie shooter. There are 4 campaigns, each essentially a little mini-movie; there's almost zero plot and none of the campaigns much connect with each other. No real ending -- at the end of each campaign, you see your stats (zombies killed, health packs used, etc.), but that's about it. And the other night I found myself thinking, "Well, it's late, but the downloadable campaign is pretty short and I think I can get that one achievement."
The thing is, I'd already beaten all of the campaigns at that point, and I wasn't trying to get EVERY achievement... I don't have the time or the patience to beat anything on Expert. So why did I care? Why bother? And yet I kinda did, just a little.
Just wondering if this happens to anyone else. Does this represent a changing paradigm? I don't think many people play Grand Theft Auto and other sandbox games for the ending. With advancing technology, more immersive worlds, and PS3 and Xbox 360 games now all coming with achievements/trophies -- plus MMORPGs, many of which I don't think even have endings -- is this the next trend in gaming? A focus on achievements over endings?
-D