PhD researcher takes second academic look at Achievements

by Griffin McElroy on May 12th 2011 5:30AM

If you found the first part of PhD researcher and game designer Lucas Blair's study on effective Achievements as interesting as we did, you'll want to check out the recently published second installment over on Gamasutra. While the first article focused on implementing satisfying, compelling carrots in games, this second piece looks more at the more metaphysical components of in-game rewards. For instance, when should Achievements unlock? Once they do, should they be permanent?

Much like the series' first installment, it's definitely worth a read, but take caution: You're going to spend longer than you might like playing its anecdotal Flash game, Achievement Unlocked. Reader beware!

Source: Gamasutra

Tags: achievements, lucas-blair, microsoft, pc, playstation, ps3, trophies, xbox

Reader Comments (13)

I am addicted to that game now

only got 68% arf :)

Woo only took me 658 second haha

I got all 99 achievements in 680 seconds hehe

...I hate that my mind immediately went to "PhD Flopper" :(

put your hands on your hips
and bend your knees in ti-i-i-ght
but it's the pelvic thrust
that really drives you insa-a-a-a-ane

I could only get 70% :(

Couldn't figure out what to do for the final 30

Am I gonna be the first one to do this? Really? Ok! Griffin! I'm gonna "spend a long time" now? Have you? Do you even know how long a long time is? Man, you just look at the game cover and think you've spent a long time with it. With your distorted quantitative view on reality, one can help but wonder how long is long enough when you're having s---

Ya know I'm just messing with you, right? Love yout writting and some unknown jelous dumbass won't change it. I take your word for that review.

@Lucky48
Recurring from the past few days, where some dumbass, excuse of a videogame journalist bashed Griffin for givin Brink a low score. In fact, it didn't stay just inside Joystiq, he went as far as posting in his own blog (@ IGN) his rantings about Mr McElroy.

I for one think Griffin is a superb writer, but either people missed my point or disagree with it, considering the whole "downvoted to oblivion" thing.

@TheShaper
Why bring it up again in a totally unrelated post? Going on for a paragraph bashing Griffin seems like a dick move to me, whatever your intentions may have been. I bet most people didn't make it to your second paragraph, which sounds sarcastic anyway, before down-voting your comment.