Have Developers Prove Their Achievements Are Attainable (and reliable?)

[chootracks]

I know a quite a few games that have released new achievements (either with the game or after) with the intent to make them work and never do, or they're so buggy that the discussion boards are filled with complaints. Either way, devs shouldn't be able to release new achievements (or any features really) if they don't work. Please have the devs prove their achievements work or devise some other way to prevent this from happening.

I made a new thread that's a little more specific instead of editing this one, so feel free to critique that one instead.

[Gwarsbane]

Valve doesn't care about achievements, they are not going to ask if they are all attainable, because the developer can just say, to the best of their knowledge yes they are, because they know Valve is not going to go in and test any of the achievements, why? Because Valve doesn't actually care about them.

If something is bugged, tell the game developer. If it doesn't get fixed, don't bug Valve about it, its not up to them to fix things or tell the developer to fix things.

Its just a tiny reward for doing something in the game, if you get it, ok, if you don't, ok. Its not the end of the world.

[Malfunctioning Robot]

Valve themselves have achievements no longer attainable, they aren't going to hold other studios to a different standard

[chootracks]

Valid, but I can dream. It's a suggestion in a Steam Forum. I'm very aware the odds of it changing anything are near zero.

[Malfunctioning Robot]

Heh for everything else, there is always SAM

[kitt]

Valve own games have achievements that one can't get... the legit way.

Is just another thing with Valve.. they implement stuff and then they don't care about.

[Ben Lubar]

As with every "devs shouldn't be allowed to do this" thread, I'm going to ask:

what happens if they do? What is the punishment? Valve can't create new laws of physics. Even if they say "all achievements need to be attainable" (which isn't even true for their games) someone's going to make an achievement you can't get, either on purpose or by accident. What happens when they do?

[chootracks]

I'm suggesting more of a verification system. Let's say the release is suspended as a pre-release until a dev or playtester is able to trigger the achievement(s) preferably a few times. After that, the verification system will approve it for full release.

It's definitely possible and plenty of other services already do this.

Anyway, idk why I'm needing to explain the logistics. Once again, its a suggestion. It's not like I'd be the one making it and it likely won't be made at all. I don't know why I'm getting so many comments on this. 😂

[Ben Lubar]

What you're describing is certification. And no, there's not a single game store out there that requires every game they sell be working perfectly in all situations. It also wouldn't help with games like Team Fortress 2, where the achievements broke due to a third party company modifying their API, or Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, where many achievements were only possible if you manually installed old versions of maps.

Here's Steam's page on the certification process they perform: https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/store/review_process

This only happens when a game is first being released, not when a game updates. Valve doesn't want their week-long series of tests to be required every time a game developer wants to update a game. (Consoles do require this, and that is why console games receive updates much less frequently than games on PC do.)

Certification basically means the game can run and isn't committing certain types of fraud. It doesn't mean the game has no bugs.

[Tanoomba]

We can't take it for granted that all the achievements in any given game will be attainable.
Here are just a few reasons why achievements might not be legitimately attainable:
- Achievements can be given for participating in a game's crowdfunding campaign.
- Achievements might depend on participating in timed events that no longer take place.
- Achievements might depend on playing online with a member of the dev team, none of which have played the game for years.
- Achievements might require online functionality for a game that no longer has online support.
- Achievements can be made intentionally impossible to acquire for the sake of reinforcing a game's themes or making some kind of point.
- Achievements might require DLC or content that has been de-listed or is no longer available.

[Shinoskay]

Oprindeligt skrevet af chootracks:

I know a quite a few games that have released new achievements (either with the game or after) with the intent to make them work and never do, or they're so buggy that the discussion boards are filled with complaints. Either way, devs shouldn't be able to release new achievements (or any features really) if they don't work. Please have the devs prove their achievements work or devise some other way to prevent this from happening.

If you know of a game that does this, feel free to list it below.

bear in mind that some games spit in the face of completionists and add achievements that are INTENTIONALLY unachievable.

[Yasahi]

Oprindeligt skrevet af chootracks:

I'm suggesting more of a verification system. Let's say the release is suspended as a pre-release until a dev or playtester is able to trigger the achievement(s) preferably a few times. After that, the verification system will approve it for full release.

It's definitely possible and plenty of other services already do this.

Anyway, idk why I'm needing to explain the logistics. Once again, its a suggestion. It's not like I'd be the one making it and it likely won't be made at all. I don't know why I'm getting so many comments on this. 😂

That much work for achievements would not make any sense financially. Companies would just drop achievements to save themselves from the hassle. Testing costs. Delays in release cost. The system itself would cost. It's a lose-lose for the developer and Valve both.

[Mad Scientist]

Oprindeligt skrevet af Shinoskay:

bear in mind that some games spit in the face of completionists and add achievements that are INTENTIONALLY unachievable.

So?

I remember hearing about a game that did that so if anyone got a specific achievement they were banned for cheating, which was the only way to get all the achievements. Some games give items or other unlocks for achievements, so using one (or more) as a trap to look for cheaters is actually fairly smart, and unlocking all achievements with a tool instead of effort is not true achievement hunting.

[Tanoomba]

Oprindeligt skrevet af Shinoskay:

bear in mind that some games spit in the face of completionists and add achievements that are INTENTIONALLY unachievable.

It's a creative choice, dude, not an attack on completionists. Tone down the hyperbole.

[Shinoskay]

Oprindeligt skrevet af Tanoomba:

Oprindeligt skrevet af Shinoskay:

bear in mind that some games spit in the face of completionists and add achievements that are INTENTIONALLY unachievable.

It's a creative choice, dude, not an attack on completionists. Tone down the hyperbole.

XD since I cant prove my statement I will concede.

[chootracks]

Oprindeligt skrevet af Shinoskay:

Oprindeligt skrevet af Tanoomba:

It's a creative choice, dude, not an attack on completionists. Tone down the hyperbole.

XD since I cant prove my statement I will concede.

Lol this thread is so aggressive. I never thought it would be so controversial. 😂
People just love to argue.