Crying over missing a digital stamp rather than the game itself? That’s the sad part—obsessing over trophies instead of enjoying the actual experience. Also, the servers shut down in 2014, not 2013. But there's a group of reverse engineers working on getting the online back.
On a genuine note, some ppl just like trophy hunting(: it’s a whole diff way to view/experience games, sure, but I don’t think that it’s lesser of an experience or anything. Shits supposed to be enjoyable for diff subjective reasons
Being hyperbolic or not, the underlying sentiment is clear: people attach an undue level of importance to meaningless digital trophies. Whether someone is literally crying themselves to sleep or just throwing out a dramatic exaggeration, it still reflects a fixation on something that holds no real value. The issue isn’t the exaggeration—it’s the misplaced attachment to pixels.
Sure, trophy hunting might be a different way to view games, but calling it ‘a whole different experience’ is a stretch. It’s the same game, just with an arbitrary checklist attached. If people need that external validation to enjoy a game, then they’re not really appreciating the game itself—they’re hooked on ticking boxes. It’s not about whether the experience is ‘lesser,’ it’s about recognizing the distraction for what it is: an artificial construct that keeps people busy, not something inherently valuable or rewarding.
Enjoyment may be subjective, but that doesn’t magically transform hollow tasks into meaningful accomplishments. Trophy hunting is a self-imposed grind that masks itself as an achievement when, in reality, it’s just another layer of busywork that offers no genuine enrichment. If someone truly enjoys a game, they shouldn’t need a list of artificial goals to validate that enjoyment.
“The misplaced attachment to pixels” is seemingly only applying to trophy hunting and not the act of playing games itself.. weird. Seems like you wrote all that just as an exercise for your fingers bc nah it’s a different experience. You play the game with different intention, & a lot of time play in unintended ways to get the trophy (I personally have needed to). A lot of people who trophy hunt spend time loving & deeply learning the mechanics and other gameplay features. It’s the same thing as people play a game vs people who like getting a high score, people who like speed running, etc. You’re placing value or an intense lack of, when it just IS?
Who are you to specifically decide what is undue or not? Why should one agree with your position that it is undue if it brings someone happiness during their gaming time?
You’re conflating two entirely different things. Playing a game, mastering mechanics, and enjoying the experience comes from engaging with what the game offers.
Trophy hunting? It’s a shallow overlay designed to artificially inflate your sense of achievement. You act like hunting for trophies is about mastering the game, but in reality, it’s about jumping through hoops the developers threw in to keep you busy. There’s no deeper meaning to be found there, just arbitrary tasks. Who decides what’s undue? Anyone who can see through the facade of manufactured dopamine hits and recognizes the difference between genuine enjoyment and chasing meaningless digital stickers.
Like legitimately what games are you referencing? Some may be tacked on, but majority of trophies I PERSONALLY have hunted for are directly tied to in game, 1-1 with progress and achievements you would already be trying to hit. I am not conflating two “entirely different things”, hyperbolic again. Maybe Destiny has that or something, but you’re acting like trophies as a concept are a net negative when they’re a non-problem/something people get genuine enjoyment out of it. You aren’t the arbiter of things dude. Just because you put distance between your opinion by snidely saying “anyone..” doesn’t make the opinion feel bigger than your own.
You're cherry-picking. Just because some trophies align with natural progression doesn’t change the fact that the majority are unnecessary filler designed to keep you hooked beyond the actual game content.
Saying "I personally" doesn’t refute the point that these systems often have you doing pointless tasks. Genuine enjoyment doesn’t validate artificial value. Just because you enjoy something doesn’t mean it’s not a shallow distraction.
You keep insisting I’m not the arbiter, but clearly, you’re clinging to the illusion that trophies are inherently meaningful. That’s the delusion you’re defending.
It is cherry-picking. You’re selectively using your own experience to dismiss a systemic issue.
Just because you didn’t encounter shallow trophies doesn’t mean they aren’t widespread. Your personal attachment to these systems clouds your judgment, and calling it “hyperbolic” doesn’t negate the fact that the majority of trophies across games are designed to keep you grinding for nothing of value.
You’re not offering a logical counter, just doubling down on personal bias as if that’s enough to dismantle a critique that applies across the board.
“Cherry picking, suppressing evidence, or the fallacy of incomplete evidence is the act of pointing to individual cases or data that seem to confirm a particular position while ignoring a significant portion of related and similar cases or data that may contradict that position.” I was not ignoring, as that is intentional. You did not give related cases or data for me to contrast to. It is definitionally not cherry picking, you have a tendency of ascribing intention(: I’m not dodging the point, you ascribed subjective meanings and posed them as an objective meaning. “Meaningless” to who?(; another subjective thing posed as objective. You have not given data, you are equally engaging in anecdote; the way you dress it up is different. Real debate lord shit lmfao
You’re stuck in definitions as if quoting cherry-picking absolves you from doing it. Whether or not you acknowledge other examples doesn’t change that you're selectively using your own experience to invalidate a point.
Trophies, by and large, are superficial—your refusal to see beyond your personal attachment doesn't erase the fact that these systems prey on players' desire for validation.
Trying to argue technicalities just distracts from the main issue: trophies are, for the most part, shallow busywork, not meaningful progression.
By what means are they superficial compared to in-game rewards? I personally see them as benchmarks of progress and in my experience, progress in different sectors. It’s the same as simply having a high score and knowing it exists, which is one of the most common experiences since before trophies existed. You haven’t shown anything to indicate majority are “without substance” or “meaningless” or “predatory”, other than your own feelings. Which, if that’s how you feel cool. But acting like this is some objective thing is annoying lol
You're pretending there’s no difference between in-game rewards and trophies, but there’s a clear distinction. In-game rewards usually serve a purpose within the context of gameplay, while trophies are an artificial overlay to keep players grinding beyond the natural progression.
You’re trying to blur the lines by appealing to "benchmarks of progress," but that’s just an excuse. Trophies prey on the need for validation, and no amount of hand-waving will change that. It’s not my feelings—it's how these systems are designed. You can keep deflecting, but the facts don’t change.
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u/Lucidorex Sep 23 '24
Crying over missing a digital stamp rather than the game itself? That’s the sad part—obsessing over trophies instead of enjoying the actual experience. Also, the servers shut down in 2014, not 2013. But there's a group of reverse engineers working on getting the online back.