Comments on: Achievement Points Commentary http://blog.hanfordlemoore.com/2007/01/05/achievement-points-commentary User Interface , Art, Design, Games Thu, 20 Nov 2008 21:26:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.2 Comment on Achievement Points Commentary by: Justin C http://blog.hanfordlemoore.com/2007/01/05/achievement-points-commentary#comment-46738 Sat, 13 Jan 2007 01:07:35 +0000 http://blog.hanfordlemoore.com/2007/01/05/achievement-points-commentary#comment-46738 I don't think Microsoft stumbled on that mechanic. It was pretty well planned. Game industry critics when they first heard about them, didn't understand them before the 360 shipped. When the system was actually working it instantly created a metagame across all games, and deep within games. I believe for the most part the system works because it's very, very accessible. If Live didn't put them in the forefront, or games didn't allow you to see the scores of all the other players in the world (and sort out your friends), it wouldn't be an interesting mechanic. Even more interesting, relating more to Live and not so much about the Gamerscore, is seeing the high scores of other players. That's way cool. I can instantly see where I rank to all the players out there, and again to my friends. It's addicting. But again, it's a mid to hardcore mechanic. The casual might not even care. Then again connecting your machine to the internet is fast becoming a mainstream thing. I don’t think Microsoft stumbled on that mechanic. It was pretty well planned. Game industry critics when they first heard about them, didn’t understand them before the 360 shipped. When the system was actually working it instantly created a metagame across all games, and deep within games.

I believe for the most part the system works because it’s very, very accessible. If Live didn’t put them in the forefront, or games didn’t allow you to see the scores of all the other players in the world (and sort out your friends), it wouldn’t be an interesting mechanic.

Even more interesting, relating more to Live and not so much about the Gamerscore, is seeing the high scores of other players. That’s way cool. I can instantly see where I rank to all the players out there, and again to my friends. It’s addicting.

But again, it’s a mid to hardcore mechanic. The casual might not even care. Then again connecting your machine to the internet is fast becoming a mainstream thing.

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